• Accuses the GMD of insubordination

By Joseph Edegbo

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Affairs, Ibe Kachikwu has accused the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC ,Maikanti Baru of indiscriminate awarding of contracts without due process.

In a memo to President Muhammadu Buhari, dated August 30, 2017, which was leaked to the Press, Kachikwu said, “The legal and procedural requirement is that all contracts above $20 million would need to be reviewed and approved by the Board of the NNPC. Mr. President, in over one year of Baru’s tenure, no contract has been run through the Board. This is despite my diplomatic encouragement to Baru to do so, to avoid wrongfully painting you as a President who does not allow due process to thrive in the NNPC.

“Given the history of malpractices and the public perception of the NNPC, as having a history of non-transparency, the NNPC Tenders Board (NTB) cannot be the final clearance authority for contracts it enters into.

“The NTB, which is a collection of level NNPC executives and COOs, with the GMD as chairman cannot continue to be the final approval authority for multimillion dollar contracts and transactions involving NNPC to the exclusion of the Board.

“Board members have singularly and collectively raised these issues to no avail.
“The following major contracts were never reviewed by or discussed with me, or the Board of NNPC:
“The Crude Term Contracts – value at over $10b
“The DSDP contracts – value over $5b
“The AKK pipeline contract – value approximately $3b

“Various financing allocation funding contracts with the NOCs – value over $3bn

“Various NPDC production service contracts – value at over $3bn – $4bn

“There are many more Your Excellency. In most of these activities, the explanation of the GMD is that you are the Minister of Petroleum and your approvals were obtained. However, the correct governance should be that the Minister of State and the Board review the transaction and give their concurrence prior to presentation to you.

“As in many cases of things that happen in NNPC these days, I learn of transactions only through publications in the media. The question is, why is it that other parastatals which I supervise as Minister of State or Chair of their Boards are able to go through these contractual and mandatory governance processes and yet NNPC is exempt from these?

“I know that this bravado management style runs contrary to the cleansing operations you engaged me to carry out at the inception of your administration. This is also not in consonance with your own renowned standards of integrity.”

Kachikwu equally accused Baru of  insubordination when he told Buhari: “I would have wanted to come personally after receiving you at the airport to felicitate with you and discuss matters herein contained, however, I have been unable to secure an appointment to see you despite very many attempts.

“Mr. President, yesterday like many other Nigerians, I resumed work confronted by many publications of massive changes within the NNPC. Like the previous reorganisations and reposting done since Dr. Baru resumed as GMD. I was never given the opportunity before the announcements to discuss these appointments. This is so despite being Minister of State Petroleum and Chairman NNPC Board.

“The Board of NNPC which you appointed and, which has met every month since its inauguration and, which by the statutes of NNPC is meant to review these planned appointments and postings, was never briefed. Members of the Board learnt of these appointments from the pages of social media and the press release of NNPC.

“I only need to add that previous attempts to rush through these appointments through non-governance backdoor and present same to the Acting President were met with a request that this be discussed with me. This was never done.

“Indeed in anticipation of vacancies that would arise from retiring senior executives of NNPC, I wrote the GMD a letter requesting that we both have prior review of the proposed appointments. This was to enable me present same to the Board

“I wrote to the GMD given previous happenstance of this nature. In addition, thereafter, I called the GMD to a private meeting where I discussed these issues, Needless to say that, not only did he not give my letter the courtesy of reply, he proceeded to announce the appointments without consultation or Board concurrence.

“Mr. President, please note that there is a Board Services Committee whose function is to review potential appointments and terminations of Senior Staff prior to implementation. This committee was also not consulted.”

The minister added his  prayers to Buhari thus : “My prayers most humbly and respectively are:

“That we save NNPC and the oil industry from collapse arising from the above non-transparent practices and empower the Board you inaugurated to do the needful.

“That you save the office of the Minister of State from further humiliation and disrespect by compelling all parastatals to submit to oversight regulatory mandate and proper supervision which I am supposed to manage on your behalf.

“You kindly instruct the GMD to effectively leave NNPC to run as a proper institution and report out along due process lines to the Board and that your Excellency instructs that all reviews be done with the Minister of State prior to your decision.

“That to set the right examples, you approve that the recently announced reorganization changes be suspended until the GMD, myself and the Board have made relevant input to same. This will send a clear signal of process and transparency.

“That Your Excellency encourages joint presentation meetings between heads of parastatals and the Minister of State to you, so as to encourage a culture of working together and implant discipline in the hierarchy.

“These in my view, Mr. President, will provide you balanced analysis on issues and avoid exposing the exalted office of Mr. President to ridicule. It will also reduce nonproductive, unsubstantiated rumour peddling.”

Quotes Culled from The EagleOnline

Image copyright AFP

Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko has publicly reprimanded the country’s other Vice-President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, accusing him of trying to “destabilise” the country.

It follows Mr Mnangagwa’s claim that he was poisoned.

The governing Zanu-PF has been battling to contain tensions within the party between rival groups wanting to succeed President Robert Mugabe, 93.

Mr Mnangagwa and First Lady Grace Mugabe are seen as the frontrunners.

The BBC’s Shingai Nyoka in Harare says it is an extraordinary criticism of one vice-president by another, and a sign that tensions are becoming difficult to hide.

In a press statement, Mr Mphoko accused his counterpart of lying about being poisoned in August.

Mr Mnangagwa fell ill in August at a political rally led by President Mugabe and had to be airlifted to South Africa.

Over the weekend, Mr Mnangagwa said someone had tried to poison his food. His supporters suggested it was a rival group within Zanu-PF was responsible.

Vice-President Mphoko says doctors had confirmed to the president that stale food and not poison was to blame.

He said the latest claims show an agenda to “undermine the authority” of the president and fuel tensions within the party.

This story is auto-generated from ‘BBC News’ syndicated feed and has not been edited by Africa Prime News staff.

By Amos Tauna

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Some members of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, known as Kaduna Restoration Group, have petition President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the diversion of local government funds by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, amounting to N2,384,286,682.35 for 25,103 local government staff.

In a letter signed by chairman of the group, Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, the group also alleged that several workers in Kaduna state have not been paid their salaries, while others are faced with illegal deductions.

The letter addressed to the President dated 26th September, 2017 titled: “Petition Against The Governor Of Kaduna State Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai For Diverting Local Government Council Funds, Subjecting 25,103 Local Government Area Staff To Hardship, Failure To Make Use Of The Bail Out And Two Trenches Of Paris Club Refunds Availed Him By The Federal Government To Settle Staff Salaries Thereby Sabotaging Efforts Of The Federal Government.”

Part of the letter reads, “This is a petition against the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-rufa’i brought by the Kaduna Restoration Group (KRG), a collection of concerned citizens, comprising bonafide members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), members of other political parties in alliance and non-partisans with like minds, cutting across the local government areas of Kaduna State, with the mission to among other things promote and seek transparency and good governance in the management of public affairs by those in government in consonance with universally acceptable norms.

“The petition is predicated on the fact that by installment the governor earlier deducted the sum amounting to N2,384,286,682.35 from the Local Government Council (LGC) monthly Grants received from the federation account for the period between June, 2015 to June 2016 standing as salaries of 25,103 total number staff and kept in abeyance with the Kaduna State Accountant General pending outcome of the several verification exercises conducted by the State Government.”

The group urged Buhari to use his presidential powers and instruct the anti-graft agencies to investigate their claims.

“As at the date of this letter, it is fifteen (15) months the last of such verification exercises was concluded with the affected staff cleared as genuine and up to date teachers and officers of the respective local government areas of the State and the governor is continuously failing to either pay them their entitlements or refund to the local government their accumulated backlog.

“The Kaduna Restoration Group is aware of the bailout and particularly the two tranches of the Paris Club refunds availed the state governor by the federal government to settle down the staff salaries and he is still indebted with no assurance as to fate that befalls these monies and no time is on sight as to when he may pay the outstanding backlog and by his action or inaction the governor is sabotaging the efforts of the federal government.

“Like other concerned citizens in Kaduna state, the Kaduna Restoration Group becomes more suspicious on the issue when the governor suddenly stated in a live Hausa Media chat on 31st August, 2017 that only 142 staff from all local government areas of the state have outstanding salary arrears for only two (2) to three (3) months to be paid by his government.

Image copyright EPA

Health officials from around the world are meeting in France to commit to preventing 90% of cholera deaths by 2030.

The disease, which is spread through contaminated water, kills about 100,000 people every year.

It is the first time governments, the World Health Organization, aid agencies and donors have made such a pledge.

It comes as Yemen continues to fight one of the worst cholera outbreaks on record.

Cholera has been spreading in the war-torn country due to deteriorating hygiene and sanitation conditions and disruptions to the water supply.

More than 770,000 people have been infected with the disease, which is easily treatable with the right medical equipment, and 2,000 have died. Many of the victims are children.

These huge outbreaks tend to grab the headlines, but there are also frequent outbreaks in so-called cholera “hotspots”.

Disease of the poor

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera.

It can spread quickly and widely in cramped, dirty conditions.

The infection is cheap to treat with rehydration salts, and easy to avoid altogether if people have access to clean water and decent toilet facilities.

But about two billion people globally lack access to clean water and are potentially at risk of cholera, according to the World Health Organization.

The UN health agency says weak health systems, and outbreaks not being detected early enough also contribute to the rapid spread of outbreaks.

Dr Dominique Legros, who heads up the WHO’s cholera programme, told the BBC: “We can’t keep seeing these huge outbreaks every year.

“We have the tools at hand to prevent them, so let’s use them.

“If you provide water and sanitation, it’s enough to stop the transmission of cholera.

“We’ve seen that today in countries like Senegal, where we have been able to stop transmission.”

Cholera is a disease of the poor, and building basic infrastructure for communities costs money.

However, there is no expectation of any major pledges of cash at Tuesday’s meeting.

‘Badge of shame’

The charity Wateraid estimates it would cost $40 (£30) per person to provide water, sanitation and hygiene.

Its chief executive, Tim Wainwright, says that is “surprisingly affordable”.

“Looking around the world, the map of cholera outbreaks is essentially the same as a map of poverty and marginalisation.

“The fact that this preventable disease still sickens 2.9 million people every year and kills 95,000 people is a global badge of shame.”

The oral cholera vaccine is another important part of the fight against this enduring disease.

It only offers protection for up to 3 years. But in situations where outbreaks are highly likely, it can save thousands of lives.

Some 900,000 doses of the vaccine are currently being sent to refugee camps in Bangladesh where almost half a million Rohingya Muslim refugees are gathering in squalid conditions after fleeing violence in neighbouring Myanmar, also known as Burma.

“The vaccine alone doesn’t solve the problem, the water and sanitation is a more long-term solution,” said Dr Seth Berkley, chief executive of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations.

“In the interim, we need to work to ensure we are doing both.”

Northern Europe and the US managed to eliminate cholera 150 years ago.

Tuesday’s pledge aims to, finally, achieve that goal for some of the world’s poorest people.

Estimated global annual cholera cases:

• India: 675,188 cases, 20,266 deaths
• Ethiopia: 275.221 cases, 10,458 deaths
• Nigeria: 220,397 cases, 8,375 deaths
• Haiti: 210,589 cases, 2,584 deaths

Source: Johns Hopkins University

This story is auto-generated from ‘BBC News’ syndicated feed and has not been edited by Africa Prime News staff.