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TSA: CBN, NCC, NPA, NIMASA, Others To Remit 25% Earnings To FG

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<b>ABUJA, NIGERIA - The Federal Government yesterday clarified that the agencies of government not funded through the federal government budget are expected to remit only 25 percent of their gross earnings to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).</b></div>
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The 25 percent gross earnings of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) among others, are to be deposited in a sub-account linked to the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to be maintained at the CBN.</div>
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Also affected, according to <b><a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/single-account-cbn-npa-others-to-remit-25-per-cent-of-revenue/">Vanguard</a></b> findings, are Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and National Sports Commission (NSC). </div>
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According to the circular obtained by <i>Vanguard </i>in Abuja, the system will be configured to allow access to funds by these agencies, based on approved budget.</div>
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The situation before the presidential directive was such that it was difficult to know how much the agencies were generating which made it easy for the funds to be misppropriated by heads of the agencies who had unfettered access to the accounts.</div>
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TSA: CBN, NCC, NPA, NIMASA, Others To Remit 25% Earnings To FG

ABUJA, NIGERIA - The Federal Government yesterday clarified that the agencies of government not funded through the federal government b...

Buhari To Save $1Million By Cancelling Govt Delegation To Hajj

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<b>ABUJA, NIGERIA - In his bid to cut cost  of government,  President Mohammadu Buhari has announced that there would be no federal government delegation for this year's hajj in Saudi Arabia.</b></div>
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He however stated that the government shall play its traditional roles of providing consular, medical and security services to Nigerian pilgrims.</div>
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With the decision, the government is expected to save about $1 million and ₦30m in local expenses.</div>
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The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu who stated this on Monday quoted the president as saying that the decision was not targeted at any individual or group.</div>
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He also stated that States were at liberty to sponsor their pilgrims,  if they so desired.</div>
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"The States can deal with that (meaning appointment of own delegations) but this year at the Center, we will not be involved", Shehu said.</div>
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Buhari To Save $1Million By Cancelling Govt Delegation To Hajj

ABUJA, NIGERIA - In his bid to cut cost of government, President Mohammadu Buhari has announced that there would be no federal govern...

Buhari’s TSA Directive Is Timely - By Odilim Enwegbara

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<b>For the first time in a long time, government money is going to be in government bank - the CBN. That is how good the news can be. No more can heads of revenue generating ministries, departments and agencies fix the revenues they generated in commercial banks' high-interest-yielding deposit accounts. And with that, illegally earn money.</b></div>
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Also imagine non-revenue generating MDAs, in copying their revenue generating counterparts, too place their budgetary allocations in multiple high-interest-yielding deposit accounts, and with that divert money meant for financing both capital and recurrent. And in doing so, not only are salaries and wages not paid but projects are either delayed or permanently abandoned.</div>
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Just imagine also how Section 22 (1) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, which allows revenue generating MDAs to remit only 80% of the operating surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF). And by driving operating costs so high close to 100%, which makes 80% of their operating surplus close to nothing, to the extent that at the end of the year these MDAs remit nothing to CRF. How bad will Nigerians feel on hearing that because of these lacunas and illegalities, government has been losing such mind-blowing revenues in their trillions of naira annually? For example, that between 2009 and 2012 government had ₦9.4trillion not remitted?</div>
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That is why Nigerians should applaud President Buhari for his boldness when on Sunday, August 9, 2015 he announced that all MDAs should transfer all their accounts with commercial banks to Treasury Single Accounts (TSA) with immediate effect. Yes, former President Jonathan gave similar directive in January with February 28, 2015 as the deadline but as usual, lacking leadership, he was ignored by most of these MDAs. The good news is that by August 11, most of these MDAs have started complying.</div>
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What this means is that henceforth, MDAs will no longer access public funds unless money from budgetary provisions. This is how it is supposed to be here in Nigeria as it is the case in modern economies around the world. This insistence on Treasury Single Account means fiscal discipline, efficiency, and accountability, on the part of government. In fact, this blockage of government revenue diversion and looting using TSA besides leading to the consolidation of government revenues, incomes, and receipts, it will also lead to the optimal utilization of government cash resources, including creative investment of public funds in the critical development sectors of the economy.</div>
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But with TSA leading to the closure of about 10,000 multiple bank accounts operated by MDAs in commercial banks, banks will have to wake up from their slumber. This is because the era when government’s money is either lent back to government or invested in forex speculations is over. It also means that no longer at Bankers’ Committee meetings member banks will demand that the CBN pursues their self-serving high interest rates to their benefits and those of heads of MDAs who placed public money in their high-interest-yielding fixed deposit accounts. With TSA, government can easily quarantine its revenues, with intended consequences including forcing interest rates to naturally nose-dive, since no serious business should be ready to borrow at such double digit rates when the economy is struggling at between 4 and 5 per cent. </div>
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TSA is forcing banks to leave their comfort zone caused by dependence on government money to now become as creative and inventive as it is the case in modern economies around the world, which is to seek private deposits through investing in the real sector of the economy. In fact, with economic financialization soon over, banks will discover that their survival is dependent on their embracement of fractional reserve banking, which is leaving a fraction of private depositors’ funds in reserve while using the main deposits to chase high profit-yielding investments.</div>
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This means that soon the era of economic diversification through industrialization will soon begin. What this also means is that at the next Bankers’ Committee meeting, banks will insist that the CBN revisits its current cash reserve ratio (CRR) on private deposits from 31% to possibly 0% so that they can begin to attract more private deposits.</div>
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But for this TSA policy to be maximized, we need it to be accompanied with the Fiscal Sunshine Bill, which if enacted will open up the financial activities of government in a way that there will be no more hiding place for those who divert or loot government money. For instead, with Fiscal Sunshine Act in place, budgeting process and implementation, including contract awarding should all be in the open for Nigerians to see both how revenues are generated and how public money is being spent by those in government, and why.</div>
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Posting government transactions online for millions of Nigerians anywhere in the world to see, means that the time for contracts and procurements to be done through the backdoor is finally over, especially with Fiscal Sunshine Act insisting on conducting contracts in the open, including having them recorded and televised. And with spending public money outside appropriation made a serious criminal offence, attracting not less than ten years in prison without an option of fine along with the repayment of the money, no doubt, Nigeria would have brought public corruption to a standstill.</div>
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<i><b>Enwegbara, a development economist, writes from Abuja</b></i></div>
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Culled from <b><a href="http://saharareporters.com/2015/08/12/buhari%E2%80%99s-tsa-directive-timely-odilim-enwegbara">SaharaReporters</a></b></div>
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Buhari’s TSA Directive Is Timely - By Odilim Enwegbara

For the first time in a long time, government money is going to be in government bank - the CBN. That is how good the news can be. No m...

We’ll Be Committed To Nigerian People - Sagay

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<b>LAGOS, NIGERIA - Human rights activist and chairman of the newly constituted Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) has expressed the determination of the committee members to do their work diligently and be responsible to the Nigerian people.</b></div>
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Sagay gave the hint while speaking with <b><a href="http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/news/we-ll-be-committed-to-nigerian-people-sagay/105984.html">Daily Trust</a></b> in a telephone interview yesterday.</div>
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According to him, it is important for all Nigerians to support the Buhari administration in confronting corruption.</div>
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All of us have a responsibility to assist this government to fight corruption which is the greatest scourge confronting this country today. Although, I can't give you any detail now because we are still meeting, it is when we have met and taken a decision that I would be able to tell you what the committee’s decision is. But one thing I can tell you is that we are very committed. We are extremely committed to the Nigerian people in combating the scourge of corruption, he said.</blockquote>
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Reacting to the allegation that his appointment was meant to compensate him for his support and subtle campaign for Buhari and the APC during the last general elections, Sagay said he was not bothered by such criticism as those peddling them are the same people the anti-graft institutions are preventing from crippling the country.</div>
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He added: </div>
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Nothing surprises me. Those who are making the criticism are low-minded people. I don't bother myself about them. These are people one has to rise above. These are people whom institutions are being set up to curtail their activities. These are people with no integrity. They are low-minded with no moral integrity. </div>
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Some people will not do anything to better the society. They lack patriotism. I am not surprised about their criticism at all. They are always concerned about themselves; self, self, self. I have no time for them.</div>
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We’ll Be Committed To Nigerian People - Sagay

LAGOS, NIGERIA - Human rights activist and chairman of the newly constituted Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse ...

AFRIMA Unveils 2015 Nominees Friday, Names Jurors

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...As Jury members feel the heat of the adjudication process.</div>
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<b>RABAT, MOROCCO - The International Committee of All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union Commission, AUC, has announced the arrival of the 13-man jury panel to Lagos, the host city of the 2015 edition of  AFRIMA to screen the 2558 entries received ahead of the nominees unveiling conference on Friday, August 14, 2015.</b></div>
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In a Press Release made available to <i><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/">The Nigeria Newsroom</a></i>, AFRIMA says the jurors are music professionals with commendable reputation in the African and global entertainment industry. They have been involved in many music productions, live performances, music festivals, music distribution and have contributed to the success of many African music artistes who are thriving today.</div>
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Reaffirming the integrity of the jury members, Adenrele Niyi , AFRIMA Programme Director stated: "The members of the jury are well grounded in the African music industry. </div>
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"There is no doubt the adjudication process will be seamless and credible, we could not have put together a better team to screen the large number of entries we received".</div>
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Here are the AFRIMA 2015 jury members:</div>
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<b>RAB BAKARI; DIASPORA (USA)</b></div>
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With a rich background in the Hip Hop genre, Rab Bakari is a celebrated music enthusiast with an enviable reputation spanning over two decades in the entertainment business. He pioneered the New York Hip Hop boom in the 1980s/90s and is a co-founder of Hip life in West Africa. He has mentored many successful African artistes like Prominent Ghanaian artiste, Reggie Rockstone .</div>
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He worked for Universal Music Group which is the largest music distribution company in the world as a Project Manager/Director of Premedia Services and Digital Workflow for all label groups under UMG. He has served label groups such as Island Def Jam; Republic Records, and a host of reputable record labels. Rab helped to establish four radio stations in Ghana namely: Choice FM, Vibe FM, Groove FM, and Joy FM. Currently, he is a promoter of West African Anglophone rap, R-n-B and alternative music in Africa and Europe through the Mixerpot venture.  He is now expanding into other areas of entertainment such as television production, music publishing, animation, based mobile apps, video editing/production, strategized digital workflows, social network marketing and webcasts. He has created panels for the American SXSW Music Conference, A3C Hip Hop and CMJ Music Festival. He participated in Social Media Week - Lagos, Kenya Music Week and the Ghana DJ Awards 2014.</div>
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<b>KAWESA RICHARD; EAST AFRICA (UGANDA)</b></div>
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Kawesa Richard is a seasoned music producer and performer from Uganda who started his music career at the age of 10. He toured half of United States and Canada, honing his skills in production and performance. In 1996, he went solo and has four albums to his name having based his music career in Nairobi Kenya in the late 90s.  He later delved into part-time consultancy and was the production consultant for the movie “The Last King of Scotland”; a compelling narrative of the life and times of the third Ugandan president Major Gen. Idi Amin. Other notable works of Kawesa include his musical contribution to global award-winning movies such as the 2012 feature film <i>The First Grader</i>.  Kawesa was the brain-child of the National Golden Jubilee and Tourism Official Songs in 2012 and was former Idols Mentor Judge.  He has also consulted for World Food Program- Uganda on Child Chronic hunger and school feeding programs as well as for the World Bank on Sanitation. </div>
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<b>RITA RAY; DIASPORA (UK) </b></div>
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Rita Ray is an embodiment of performing arts. She has an outstanding repertoire in music, theatre, broadcast and sound production. She is also an authority on afro beat. Popularly known as a <i>Club DJ</i>, the dark-skinned music guru's passion goes beyond scratching the wheel of steel; she is a celebrated music revolutionary.  She presents the African music review on Focus on the BBC World Service, and is a regular contributor and presenter on World Routes on BBC Radio 3 and <i>The Arts Hour</i>.</div>
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Her unwavering passion and interest in traditional African music led to the birth of the Pan Afro music and culture session, Mwalimu Express which she founded with her colleague Max Reinhardt. They also pioneered the Fela Kuti inspired Shrine club nights, and tours with their band the Shrine Synchro System all over Europe and Africa.</div>
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Her notable works as an international festival curator and consultant include Celebrating Sanctuary, Amazing Africa and The Mayors Thames Festival which was Europe’s largest anti-racist festival. She also researched and presented “The Musical Legacy Of Slavery” series for BBC World Service and her award winning documentary “A short History of 5 Notes”. Rita is currently presenting and consulting for the new BBC World Service series, Global Beats.</div>
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<b>DELANI MAKHALIMA; SOUTHERN AFRICA (ZIMBABWE)</b></div>
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Delani Makhalima is one of the most notable media entertainment executive that the Africa continent has produced. As a prolific song writer, singer and producer, he made history by becoming the first music producer and record label to make commercial success from an album featuring young upcoming recording artists marking the birth of urban contemporary music in Zimbabwe.. He started his career as a songwriter and music producer, having written the theme music and song for the Miss South Africa beauty pageant of 1999. This prolific singer songwriter and music producer then went on to work with several notable and big musical acts in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. He has written and produced a string of chart topping and award winning artistes notably South African Idols Anchor and Hiphop Award winner Proverb, NAMA and ZIMA Award winning artist David Chifunyise, Willom Tight, ARIA Australian based award winning music producer and vocalist Audius, ZIMA Award winning Alexio Kakana and nominee Dino Mudondo, SAMA Award winning Zonke Diana, the late multi Award winning artists TK Malinga and hiphop legends Skwatta Kamp, Gospel Award winning artist Pastor G, Coca Cola Popstars Afro Z, African Hiphop Royalty and multi award winning artists HHP. Award winning Cindy Munyavi, German based South African recording artist Jerusha, Roy and Royce, Plaxedes Wenyika, H2O, Zubz, RnB sensation Sanii, Big Brother Africa contestant ROKI and Hakeem, ZimHiphop Award Winner Peekay, Davina Green, Decibel, ExQ, Leonard Mapfumo and Kudzai Sevenzo to name but a few.</div>
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Besides having created his own record label in early 2002, Delani later was recruited to work for international music companies like Sony Music Publishing and EMI Music in South Africa. Delani Makhalima is currently the Vice Chairman and CEO of MusiXNation, a music media entertainment company based in South Africa focused on cross platform digital music distribution and live music entertainment.</div>
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<b>LAOLU 'AKINS' AKINTOBI; WEST AFRICA (NIGERIA)</b></div>
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Laolu Akintobi is a revered Nigerian musician, author and composer, repertoire consultant and musician rights crusader. He goes by the moniker ‘Akins’. There is no pause button to press when it comes to music and Akins. He plays the drums and percussion and has over the years produced works for some of Nigerian A-list musical artistes like Onyeka Onwenu, P-Square, Orlando Julius Ekemode and a host of others. There is no generation gap for this music producer.  He produced the musical stage concert of Evang. Dr. Ebenezer Obey & King Sunny Ade’s first joint performance   “Oleku” in 2012.</div>
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His vast experience exceeds the number of years he has spent in the industry (almost four decades).  This has fetched him multiple gold and platinum awards including the Producer of the Year Award twice.</div>
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Professionally, Laolu was the former Artist & Repertoire Manager/Controller for Sony Music Entertainment (formerly CBS Records) and participated in major projects such as MTN National Talent Discovery& Development Projects and Nescafe African Revelation (NAR). Presently he is the Head of Operations at Excel Pro-Audio Resources, An Independent Artist & Music Production Enterprise.</div>
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He is a member of various professional bodies and he is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).</div>
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<b>OSCAR J.F. KIDJO; WEST AFRICA (BENIN REPUBLIC)</b></div>
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Oscar Kidjo is a household name in his country Benin Republic.  This has nothing to do with his familial relationship with Angelique Kidjo ; one of the most celebrated female artiste  in the continent . Oscar is a veteran African Music Specialist. He is a musician, arranger and a composer. He produced most of the jingles for Benin National Radio and TV and background music for two drama plays staged by Radio France International at the 18th Inter African Drama Contest in 1991. His versatile experience and critical knowledge of music is appreciated in various musical contests in Benin Republic where he served as judge.</div>
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Kidjo was a former Director at the Ministry of Culture in his country from 2007 to 2011. He also held the same position at the Centre for Music, Art and Cultural Activities Studies (<a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2FC.E.M.A.AC&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGfoVQNFClZqHUMcN67PrjPdrH8Vg">C.E.M.A.AC</a>.). </div>
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Kidjo runs his own Recording Studio and Record Production Company named PHONOVISION S.A.R.L. It was established in 1990 and still produces traditional and contemporary acts till date.</div>
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<b>ROBERT ESONG EKUKOLE; CENTRAL AFRICA (CAMEROON)</b></div>
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Robert Ekukole is a prolific TV producer and broadcaster from Cameroon. He is well known for his monumental contribution to the broadcast industry in his country.</div>
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Ekukole currently serves as the Director of TV Programmes and Production at Cameroon Radio, TV network (CRTV. Some of his notable works include the production and direction of all international and national sporting events in Cameroon (including the theme songs), training of journalists, artistic innovations on TV newscasts, the conception and production of a TV programme on Tourism called “Cameroon Safari” and designed the first locally produced TV news set.</div>
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Ekukole also consulted for UNESCO, Rwanda, Nelson McCann Ericsson Douala,, German Technical Cooperation, in Cameroon among others.</div>
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He won the Jeunes Television Award for RFO-AITV Best Documentary in 2000, Cameroon Press Awards for Best TV Documentary and Best TV Producer in 2001 and 2000 respectively. </div>
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<b>CHRIS SYREN; SOUTHERN AFRICA (SOUTH AFRICA)</b></div>
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Christian Syren is the co-founder and director of Making Music Productions (MMP), an event and project management company in South Africa. The Swedish music professional finally relocated to South Africa in 1985 and has since played a vital role in the music industry in South Africa. His company provided the technical facilities for Nelson Mandela’s speech on release on 11 February 1990 and produced “Mandela Elect Concert” in April 1994.</div>
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Making Music Productions cc. During the 25 years of its existence, the Cape Town-based company has produced a number of key events on national, regional and local levels, and has nurtured a number of major talents in the country, mainly within the genres of South African and Cape Jazz, traditional and contemporary African music, as well as kwaito and hip-hop.</div>
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The company started its Re-Connection Project in 1993, One of the most prominent editions of Re-Connection saw Manu Dibango, Youssou N'Dour, Papa Wemba and Angelique Kidjo participate in President Thabo Mbeki's inauguration at Union Buildings, Pretoria in 1999, under the banner: "Faranani -Towards the African Century". Recent editions of the Re-Connection project have included "Young Africa" at Cape Town's City Hall in October 2013, and the first-ever visit to South Africa by Zouk legends Kassav at Johannesburg's Bassline venue in April 2015.‎</div>
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Besides his musical expertise, Syren served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and Middle East (UNEF). He holds an M.SOC. SCI, MA and BA degrees in Psychology.</div>
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<b>TABU OSUSA; (EAST AFRICA) KENYA</b></div>
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Tabu Osusa is an iconic figure in the music industry in East Africa.</div>
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A native of Kenya, he is the Founding Director of Ketebul Music, a not-for-profit organization incorporated in January 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya.  The outfit has the unprecedented and unique mission to carry out research, document, develop and promote the diverse music traditions of East Africa..</div>
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He was the creative producer and consultant for "Muzikiwa Kenya" program that was launched by the Goethe Institut, Nairobi in 2006. He is also a member of the Music in Africa Foundation, a music information and exchange web portal dedicated to the African music sector.</div>
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He is also the project coordinator in the Retracing Series, a series of documentaries involved in capturing historical landmark events that have helped in defining the East African sounds and rhythms.</div>
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Osusa and his team have so far produced four multi-media packages:(i) Retracing the Benga Rhythm(ii) Retracing Kikuyu Popular Music(iii) Retracing Kenya's Funky Hits(iv) Retracing Kenya's Songs of Protest. v) Shades of Benga book. (Work in progress).All the projects listed above have been supported by the Ford Foundation, Eastern Africa.</div>
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In 2014 Osusa and Ketebul Music were appointed by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts to curate the music that would showcase Kenya at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival held in Washington DC from 25th June to 6th July 2014.</div>
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Osusa is also one of the few Africans involved in the arts to be recognized by the France Cultures guide-book Raiders of Cultures.</div>
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<b>KIKI TOURE; (CENTRAL AFRICA) EQUATORAIAL GUINEA</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlgQavChhv0SKWPqeflJx-RQYqd2-sajVvhg05xgF7hIb6yp7wD8B4HUlxTEYDo0WW9uKe4JCrCha7aU4PSmwpPCWECQxnR1OXxSGCFN_4CY-FvcbC3AIh1vlOgvhUzhs2UgJP-BfqKPF/s1600/KiKi+Toure+%2528CENTRAL+AFRICA%2529+EQUATORAIAL+GUINEA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlgQavChhv0SKWPqeflJx-RQYqd2-sajVvhg05xgF7hIb6yp7wD8B4HUlxTEYDo0WW9uKe4JCrCha7aU4PSmwpPCWECQxnR1OXxSGCFN_4CY-FvcbC3AIh1vlOgvhUzhs2UgJP-BfqKPF/s1600/KiKi+Toure+%2528CENTRAL+AFRICA%2529+EQUATORAIAL+GUINEA.jpg" /></a></div>
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Kiki Toure is a music producer, DJ, an entertainment consultant and event planner. He was nominated for the best producer in the African Diaspora Awards in London 2005.Kiki was part of the organising committee of Miss Malaika in 2003.  He was involved in the planning of the late South African singer Brenda Fassie’s concert held  in the Palace of Culture and Stage University in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 2002.  He also organised concerts for Koffi Olomide and Fally Fally in Bangui in 2007 and a host of other prominent artistes.</div>
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Kiki was a consultant for the KORA music awards for over a decade (1995-2005), Miss Malaika (2003-2004) to mention a few. </div>
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<b>ANGELA MARTINS; (AU REPRESENTATIVE) MOZAMBIQUE</b></div>
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Angela Marina de Ascenssão Jeremias Martins is the African Union Commission representative for the All african Music Awards, AFRIMA adjudication panel.  Her extensive years of experience as a cultural analyst comes in handy in the screening process.</div>
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Mrs Martins heads the Culture Division at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She’s been very active in the preparation, formulation and implementation of appropriate programs, policies and strategies related to Culture in the continent and have participated in various cultural events such as the 2nd and 3rd Pan-African Cultural Congresses organized by the AUC in 2009 and 2012 respectively; Board Meetings of the African World Heritage Fund since 2010; The African Fashion Reception (2014); The Sixth World Summit on Arts and Culture (2014) among others.</div>
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She was formerly a training Officer at the SADC Parliamentary Forum headquarters in Windhoek, Namibia. Mrs Martins holds a diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and a Master in Education. Her background in teaching afforded her the opportunity to head the department of Distance Education at the Ministry of Education and Culture, in Maputo, Mozambique, her home country.</div>
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<b>ESSAIDI OMAR; NOTHERN AFRICA (MOROCCO)</b></div>
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Essaidi Omar is the Music and Artistic Director at Hit Radio, Morocco. Essaidi put his flair and musical ear to serve a large number of talents in Morocco. He has expertise in programming strategy, radio music programming implementation, imaging production, market research and analysis, Music Scheduling.</div>
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In 2010, Essaidi was the artistic director behind the success of the campaign VVV (Your Voice , Your Vote, Your Victory ) launched by Hit Radio which featured artistes; Ahmed Sultan, Khansa Batma and Sy Mehdi . He has also done artistic direction for other projects which include: Hit Radio`s Image production in 2012, Hit Radio`s Private concerts (Would Chab, Dj R-Wan, Ganga Vibes), Conceert du Nouvel An and Grand prix Marrakech Concerts.</div>
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Essaidi has served as a jury member for Generation Mawazine, Boulevard Festival and GBOB by MTV.</div>
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Curious, passionate and attentive, with great artistic maturity, Essaidi has the ideal profile to find and support the best talent.</div>
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He speaks English, French and Arabic.</div>
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AFRIMA Unveils 2015 Nominees Friday, Names Jurors

...As Jury members feel the heat of the adjudication process. RABAT, MOROCCO - The International Committee of All Africa Music Awar...

NNPC Replaces MDs of Subsidiaries, Trims Management Staff

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<b>ABUJA, NIGERIA - President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday evening fired the managing directors of the subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and retired 38 top management staff of the firm, trimming down their number from 122 to 83.</b></div>
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The President also approved four new directorates for the national oil corporation and appointed four directors to man them.</div>
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Buhari further allowed the firm to recruit 12 private sector players into its management cadre to help it jump-start a new business outlook to enhance its operational environment as a profit-driven business and wean the firm from its present civil service orientation.</div>
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The four new directorates are Exploration and Production, Finance and Services, Refining and Technology, and Commercial and Investment.</div>
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As the restructuring at the corporation went on, <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/buhari-fires-mds-of-nnpc-subsidiaries/">The PUNCH</a></b> correspondent observed that a good number of staff members of the oil firm stayed back on Tuesday evening, even after closing for the day’s job.</div>
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Many of them were spotted discussing in hushed tones, while a few visibly tensed workers made it clear that there was fear of job losses in the air at the NNPC, going by the downsizing of the executive positions from eight to four and the trimming of top management staff from 122 to 83.</div>
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<i>Saturday PUNCH </i>had reported exclusively that the approval of directorates and managers to occupy the positions were delayed by the President.</div>
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This, however, was confirmed by the corporation's Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.</div>
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The corporation, in the statement, said: "The management of the NNPC has appointed four new Group Executive Directors to man the four new Directorates that have been approved by the Presidency."</div>
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The new Group Managing Director, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, disclosed that the new appointments were in line with the Federal Government's aspiration to transform the corporation into a lean, efficient, business-focused, transparent and accountable national oil company in keeping with international best practices.</div>
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The appointments which were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari include Dr. Maikanti Baru, Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production; Mr. Isiaka Abdulrazaq, Group Executive Director, Finance and Services; Mr. Dennis Nnamdi Ajulu, Group Executive Director, Refining and Technology and Dr. Babatunde Victor Adeniran, Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment.</div>
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The statement noted that a new company secretary/legal adviser and managing directors were also appointed for the firm’s strategic business units.</div>
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It said they include Chidi Momah, Group General Manager, Company Secretary and Legal Adviser; Mrs. Esther Nnamdi Ogbue, Managing Director, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company; Mr. Chinedu Ezeribe, Managing Director, Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company; Mr. Babatunde Bakare, Managing Director, Nigerian Gas Company; Mr. Inuwa Ibrahim Waya, Managing Director, Hyson; Mr. Abubakar Mai-Bornu, Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company; and Mr. Ladipo Fagbola, Managing Director, NNPC Retail.</div>
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Others are Mr. Rowland Ewubare, Managing Director, Integrated Data Services Limited; Mr. Modupe Bammeke, Managing Director, NNPC Properties; Mr. Abdulkadir Saidu, Managing Director, Duke Oil; and Mr. Dafe Sejebor, Group General Manager, Nigerian Petroleum Investment Management Services.</div>
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The statement added that "the corporation also retired 38 top management staff reducing the number from 122 to 83. Also in line with the aspiration to reposition the corporation, 12 personnel have been recruited from the private sector into the top management cadre to jump-start a new business outlook to enhance the operational environment as a profit-driven business as against the current civil service orientation.”</div>
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The restructuring at the NNPC started last week Tuesday after Buhari fired the former GMD, Dr. Joseph Dawha, and replaced him with Kachikwu.</div>
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A day later, the President sacked the firm’s eight group executive directors but announced no replacement, although our correspondent reported that the eight departments were trimmed to four.</div>
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The restructuring continued on Friday as Kachikwu redeployed the Group General Manager, Crude Oil and Marketing Division, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, and replaced him with Mr. Musa Usman, who was to serve in acting capacity.</div>
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About two weeks ago, President Buhari declared a strong stance to fix Nigeria's oil sector, rid the industry of rot and probe monies stolen by operators in the sector.</div>
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The President had in late June dissolved the NNPC board.</div>
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The Federal Government, through the NNPC, regulates and participates in the country's petroleum industry.</div>
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An Act to dissolve the former Nigerian National Oil Corporation and to establish the NNPC was promulgated in 1977.</div>
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The NNPC was established on April 1, 1977, as a merger of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.</div>
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NNPC Replaces MDs of Subsidiaries, Trims Management Staff

ABUJA, NIGERIA - President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday evening fired the managing directors of the subsidiaries of the Nigerian Nationa...

Obasanjo In Aso Villa To Puncture Jonathan's Move For Leniency

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<b>ABUJA, NIGERIA - Former military Head of State General Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd) and other members of the National Peace Committee for the 2015 general elections were rattled by the stubborn posture and utterance of President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting with him on Monday. </b></div>
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Mr. Abubakar had led members of the National Peace Committee in yet another mission to plead with Mr. Buhari not to probe the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.</div>
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However, several participants at Monday's meeting told <b><a href="http://saharareporters.com/2015/08/11/corruption-probe-peace-committee-shocked-meeting-president-buhari">SaharaReporters</a></b> that the president remained obstinate and made no secret of his determination to proceed with the probe. </div>
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<i>SaharaReporters</i> learnt that Monday's meeting was a stepped up version of previous failed attempts to sway Mr. Buhari from his determination to probe acts of corruption by officials of Mr. Jonathan's administration. <i>SaharaReporters</i> had revealed that former Commonwealth Secretary General Emeka Anyaoku visited President Buhari to press the case for letting bygone be bygone shortly before the latter’s departure for an official visit to the US. Our sources had disclosed that Mr. Anyaoku had undertaken his mission to the president at the behest of Mr. Jonathan. </div>
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After Mr. Buhari's return from the US, President Jonathan stepped up maneuvers to talk him into discontinuing the probe of his administration. </div>
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A source close to the former president told <i>SaharaReporters </i>that Mr. Buhari's pronouncements that his government would probe his predecessor had contributed to a major health crisis that beset former First Lady Patience Jonathan. </div>
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"Madam [Mrs. Jonathan] has been suffering from serious depression," said a source. Ms. Alison-Madueke has also had a share of ill health apparently triggered by being the focus of global attention for symbolizing the pervasive corruption of the past administration. A source close to her in the UK stated that she collapsed in her posh apartment in London due to "exhaustion" and had to be hospitalized for two days. </div>
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Last week, former President Jonathan reached out to former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and urged him to arrange a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Buhari to discuss his concerns. President Buhari agreed to a secret meeting with the former president last Thursday in the dead of the night. A source familiar with the meeting told <i>SaharaReporters </i>that Mr. Jonathan appeared jittery at the meeting and was unable to articulate the case against probing his government. Instead, the former president reportedly asked mundane questions about how Buhari was coping with governing the country and offered to help in any way.</div>
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The meeting was over in less than 30 minutes. </div>
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Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was so incensed on hearing about Mr. Buhari's meeting with Mr. Jonathan that he called at the Presidential Villa 24 hours later to meet with Mr. Buhari behind closed doors. </div>
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A source at the Presidency revealed that Mr. Obasanjo, whose record of corruption as president was equally monumental, urged Mr. Buhari to send former President Jonathan to jail. </div>
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Another source stated that Mr. Obasanjo volunteered to use his international contacts to help trace the funds stolen during Mr. Jonathan's administration, adding that much of the funds were laundered through arms deals as well as shady oil sales and swaps.</div>
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On learning of former President Obasanjo's ominous mission to Aso Rock, Mr. Jonathan reportedly contacted General Abubakar (rtd) again, this time pleading with the retired general to intercede with Mr. Buhari. </div>
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Monday, Mr. Abubakar and fellow members of the National Peace Committee first met with President Buhari in a closed-door session before appearing before the media. A member of the committee revealed that their team first told President Buhari that they had come to discuss how to "wind up' and to check if there was a new national assignment they could undertake.</div>
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The source also revealed that, even though the committee did not mention former President Jonathan by name during their interaction with Mr. Buhari, the committee members cautioned against leaving the impression that the government was targeting "anybody". They also appealed to Mr. Buhari to tarry a little before deciding on probing anybody. </div>
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A source at the Presidency stated that Mr. Buhari was well aware of the committee's secret mission, hence his decision to speak forthrightly in response. Among the committee's members is a controversial President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor, a loyalist of Mr. Jonathan. His private jet was involved in an arms deal scandal after South African authorities discovered, and confiscated, $9.3 million in cash inside the aircraft. The Jonathan administration then stated that the funds were meant for the purchase of arms to prosecute the war against Islamist insurgents, Boko Haram. </div>
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Officials of the Buhari administration disclosed that the Presidency had already identified and was investigating acts of corruption involving former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and former Petroleum Minister, Alison-Madueke. In addition, our sources said the new administration was pursuing leads about huge corrupt deals involving former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, former Attorney general, Mohammaed Bello Adoke, the Amnesty Office, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Federal Capital Territory. In one instance, more than $1 million dollars in cash was found at the residence of Gordon Obuah, a former Chief Security Officer to Mr. Jonathan. </div>
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"We are also looking at properties purchased in Ghana, Dubai, UK and US by various officials of the immediate past administration," one source disclosed.</div>
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He added that one of the biggest means of money laundering was the reckless purchase of private jets by former cohorts of Mr. Jonathan. </div>
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At the end of the meeting yesterday, President Buhari made it clear to members of the committee that his government would soon commence trial of Nigerian treasury looters.</div>
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Obasanjo In Aso Villa To Puncture Jonathan's Move For Leniency

ABUJA, NIGERIA - Former military Head of State General Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd) and other members of the National Peace Committee for ...

[OPINION]: Finally, The Anticorruption War is Fully On - By Timawus Mathias

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmTHbmHHpfOCQ6gOdkxhn7rw268KKAnONvpSMy73GVFH1xLjp8Pi7Xqg4rSO0XIL7iJ7scfj7sqwZjjOge1z56rM_6o6wQgE22x1GX3ojscxyWojo1aZkImh81ueageihSV1YdhpxH6Vy/s1600/GMB+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmTHbmHHpfOCQ6gOdkxhn7rw268KKAnONvpSMy73GVFH1xLjp8Pi7Xqg4rSO0XIL7iJ7scfj7sqwZjjOge1z56rM_6o6wQgE22x1GX3ojscxyWojo1aZkImh81ueageihSV1YdhpxH6Vy/s1600/GMB+008.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>How did I miss the white smoke that billowed from the chimneys of Aso Rock Villa! Such event as the setting up of a Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption is significant, but my goodness, election of Professor Itse Sagay as Head requires a profound symbol to herald the occurrence.</b></div>
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President Muhammadu Buhari’s shift to overdrive has gotten the nation gliding truly on the highway of Change. Most Nigerians who voted him to office had worried that this gear shift would not come to pass. Nigeria, despite its huge potential has continued to lag behind in almost every facet of life as its infrastructure has remained perpetually underdeveloped, its human resources untapped and its young ones unemployed. Nigeria is the proverbial case of dying in the midst of plenty. Nigeria is probably one of the most blessed countries in the world with an alarming rate of poverty and unemployment that completely belies its rich resources, all in the main, due to the cancer of corruption afflicting the nation.</div>
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Today, the thrust of President Buhari’s singular issue that would guarantee his success as the change President Nigerians voted and hoped for has moved one step forward and one notch higher. The setting up of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption is undoubtedly a significant step in the drive to exorcise the demons of corruption that had hitherto hindered the nation from asserting itself as one of the most successful economies in the world.</div>
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The leader of the Committee Professor Sagay is a man of unquestionable integrity and the members of the committee as people committed to the cause of change in Nigeria. The committee signals Buhari’s commitment to dealing with the issue of corruption in Nigeria and moving the country forward towards achieving the lofty ideals on making Nigeria a better place. This development marks a significant departure from the general and perennial lips service paid to the issue of corruption in the past. Setting up a Committee of scholars is significant because first and foremost corruption in Nigeria needs to be defined and identified for what it is. It is so rooted in us to the point that it is seen as the Nigerian way of life. In Ghana, the word kalabule refers to corruption. A Nigerian is also despicably called a kalabule. A definition is necessary to set clearly what needs being traced, and dealt with from origin.</div>
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It portends the hope that we would return to the traditional values of goodness and godliness, virtue and integrity that hitherto characterized our society. Now there may be hope that the days of War Against Indiscipline (WAI) and creation of a society where people are loved and respected based on the "content of their character" and quality of their productivity rather than their association, are soon with us.</div>
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It would be of interest to know what solution can be proffered to the challenge of political party and political activity financing given the inevitable pillage of State treasury by politicians who consider their activity as investment for which transfer of State assets is the return. Another area of interest is the issue of local government funding as in most states in Nigeria, most local governments have been reduced to cash points for state governments who divert the funds for uses that do not meet the needs of Nigerians at the grassroots.</div>
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The Sagay-led committee must isolate and define the issue of contracts inflation, poor implementation of outright abandonment; embezzlement of public funds and the conversion of States into fiefs by our elected. These have been accepted as the norm. It is from here that the nation must depart in order to restore public confidence in government and governance in Nigeria.</div>
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The committee must propose means towards delivering Nigeria from the corruption that has eaten deep into the entire fabric of the nation with the full awareness that the future of the nation depends on success or failure. They must be prepared to give their all into defining of this must win fight, even for the sake of generations of Nigerians who know nothing about dignity in labour - generations who have more accustomed to the mysterious path to a so-called success without recourse to merit, competence, competition, effort and indeed, hard work.</div>
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Present and future generations must see that there is a reward for hard work and punishment for the lazy, indolent and corrupt. In this lies all hope for the rebirth of the Nigerian nation and its people’s dreams and aspirations. Herein lies all hope for the renewal of trust between government and the governed. The hope is that henceforth, all Nigerians would stand equal before the law and in the awareness that with commitment and effort, the system will provide the opportunity for everyone to be anything one dreamed of becoming in life. The Sagay committee is made up of men who understand that the tied to corruption is the key to fundamental platform for Buhari’s success the key to the rebirth. Then it would be a new Nigeria “where peace, love, unity and the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain” as citizens would melodiously sound the anthem.</div>
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Time is of essence. Nigeria is a large country with many complexities. For years, the country has degenerated from one level of the malady of corruption to another far worse one. The political system guarantees separation of power and devolution to states and other tiers in the realm. Yet the reforms proposed must be all encompassing, if the attainments are to be thorough and sustainable.</div>
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Culled from <b><a href="http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/opinion/finally-the-anticorruption-war-is-fully-on/105924.html">Daily Trust</a></b></div>
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[OPINION]: Finally, The Anticorruption War is Fully On - By Timawus Mathias

How did I miss the white smoke that billowed from the chimneys of Aso Rock Villa! Such event as the setting up of a Presidential Adviso...

Eating His Vomits? Daniel Deletes Tweets Slamming Soyinka

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoId55EwNv_LrgDgXKN24nincxK94XTLCKNNd9-wi_67FmTt_pwC616CysHXi6E_FFTl5MMJqjDE8XoKtytn2XIUVpKaGlOMrzG9UY7NXud2OFEJtW6bjdol5sg3_Qo1m_XX04xViWLEw4/s1600/OGD1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoId55EwNv_LrgDgXKN24nincxK94XTLCKNNd9-wi_67FmTt_pwC616CysHXi6E_FFTl5MMJqjDE8XoKtytn2XIUVpKaGlOMrzG9UY7NXud2OFEJtW6bjdol5sg3_Qo1m_XX04xViWLEw4/s1600/OGD1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>LAGOS, NIGERIA - In what could be termed an attempt at eating his vomits, the former Governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbenga Daniel has deleted his tweets disparaging the person of the Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka.</b></div>
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Daniel had earlier today in a series of tweets numbered 1-15 <a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2015/08/obasanjo-was-right-calling-you-wine.html">slammed Soyinka over his (Soyinka's) comments about him (Daniel) in an interview he granted Zero Tolerance, a magazine of the EFCC</a>.</div>
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However, three hours after the tweets became public knowledge, a check on @JustusOGD - Otunba Dabiel's official twitter handle - reveals that only number 14 remains on the timeline, thus signifying that tweets 1 -13,15 and 16 have been pulled down.</div>
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Meanwhile, the full tweets had been storified by a Goldengem as screenshot below:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG22h9jSMEqe76TnfqSxydjyATrgUsBldOu2aJUIymXl2H53f4olhmBjxwI-6bOtmNaKFAP0o1gRaU20s5DTq8PNula9QEHFvnYXJfBYi_2ucrgkgIZ2magQbx37tUx9W4-CLGiM5u9SIu/s1600/OGD+vs+Soyinka1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG22h9jSMEqe76TnfqSxydjyATrgUsBldOu2aJUIymXl2H53f4olhmBjxwI-6bOtmNaKFAP0o1gRaU20s5DTq8PNula9QEHFvnYXJfBYi_2ucrgkgIZ2magQbx37tUx9W4-CLGiM5u9SIu/s640/OGD+vs+Soyinka1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN45lkSWLayUlgDEyh7EaZJ8Yud1QFRGCuRbxFwgepypxC0ONGHmq-MJaqGapS18rC78e6ahMe_AXRJ4vCAEVhqsush8q5V0l_g2XF350Qjg7RQUWyGw_iT4QAlCilAx5wdRu0nQR8Os5/s1600/OGD+vs+Soyinka2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN45lkSWLayUlgDEyh7EaZJ8Yud1QFRGCuRbxFwgepypxC0ONGHmq-MJaqGapS18rC78e6ahMe_AXRJ4vCAEVhqsush8q5V0l_g2XF350Qjg7RQUWyGw_iT4QAlCilAx5wdRu0nQR8Os5/s640/OGD+vs+Soyinka2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Eating His Vomits? Daniel Deletes Tweets Slamming Soyinka

LAGOS, NIGERIA - In what could be termed an attempt at eating his vomits, the former Governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbenga Daniel has de...

Follow Due Process In Fighting Corruption, Peace C'ttee Advises Buhari

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<b>ABUJA, NIGERIA - The resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the administration of the ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan may have stirred a cold war between him and the former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd).</b></div>
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Abdusalami Abubakar-led Peace Committee on Monday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock Presidential Villa.</div>
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According to <b>DAILY TRUST</b>, the committee says it is concerned about the process of the anti-corruption war of Buhari's administration.</div>
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Addressing State House journalists after the meeting, a member of the committee, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Hassan Kukah said the position of the committee was that Nigeria was no longer in a military regime.</div>
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Kukah said:</div>
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It (Buhari's anti-graft war) is not heating up the polity. In our conversation with former President Jonathan and members of the parties, I don't think any Nigerian is in favour of corruption or is against the president’s commitment to ensuring that we turn over a new leaf. </div>
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I think what we are concerned about is process. It is no longer a military regime, and under our existing laws, everybody is innocent until proven guilty. Again, our own commitment is not to intimidate or fight anybody. The former president’s commitment and what he did still remains spectacular, and I think that President Buhari himself appreciates that. So, our effort really is to make sure that the right thing is done.</div>
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Other than Kukah and Abdusalami, others present at the meeting included Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh; Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs. Priscilla Kuye; and Senator Ben Obi among others.</div>
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Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has vehemently stated that it would not be business as usual in various corrupt practices before his administration, especially in the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The President explained that a single treasury account had been established for all federal revenue to ensure greater probity, transparency and accountability in the collection, disbursement and utilisation of national funds.</div>
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President Buhari, who vowed to break the vicious cycle of corruption, unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria, stated that his administration would not only ensure that stolen monies stashed in foreign bank accounts were returned but that the looters must be tried. He disclosed that he was gathering documents which would serve as evidence against suspected culprits in the anti-corruption war.</div>
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The meeting between President Buhari and the committee, it was gathered, followed an earlier meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during which committee members were told of the persecution that members of the PDP were facing in the hands of the new governing party.</div>
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"Nigeria has to break this vicious cycle before we can make progress," the President said.</div>
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The President, who regretted the sorry state of the country's finances also told the committee that as part of his actions to address the national problems he inherited, he has ordered the reorganization of Nigeria's revenue generating institutions.</div>
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His words: </div>
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We have really degenerated as a country. Our national institutions, including the military, which did wonderfully on foreign missions in the past, have been compromised. But we are doing something about it. The military is now retraining and morale has been resuscitated. </div>
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As Petroleum Minister under Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1970s, I could not travel abroad until I had taken a memo to the Federal Executive Council asking for estacode. Now, everybody does what he wants. That is why security-wise, and economically, we're in trouble. Those who have stolen the national wealth will be in court in a matter of weeks and Nigerians will know those who have short-changed them.</div>
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The National Peace Committee, then asked him to follow due process in the anti-graft war.</div>
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They also reminded the President that Nigeria is not under a military regime, stressing that everyone suspected to have committed any crime was assumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.</div>
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Rising from the meeting held behind closed-doors in the Presidential Villa, the committee remarked that though corruption was not to be condoned, the process of prosecuting suspects has to be constitutional.</div>
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Speaking to State House Correspondents on behalf of the committee, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, who confirmed the meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan, however, said the former president never begged for their intervention.</div>
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According to him, the meeting was a hearing-out process.</div>
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We gave a bit of update about the relevance of the Peace Committee itself and how we can help to nurture what God has given to us. Anybody is free to come to our committee but President Jonathan never by telephone or another means talked to the committee. We went to see him, but that was after we had already seen members of the political party, members of the civil society; we plan to see the Speaker because we couldn't see him yesterday. </div>
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This is a very planned series of interventions essentially just to hear out everybody and I think the good news is that Nigerians are committed to a new nation. They are committed to ensuring that the gains and blessings God has given us come to fruition.</div>
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