Category: Uncategorized

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), South West has suspended its planned industrial action over what it described as incessant price increments as well as inconsistency in pricing regulations without consultation with stakeholders by the Petroleum Products Price Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

IPMAN Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Dele Tajudeen, who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, said the suspension of the planned strike followed the intervention of the Director or Department of State’s Security Service (DSS), David Tuska who promised to intervene and get their grievances addressed positively.

Tajudeen, who was flanked by other members of the zonal executive, which included: the Zonal Assistant Secretary, ‘Molara Olagunju, the Zonal Legal Officer, Abdul Majeed, the Mosimi Unit Chairman, Otunba Femi Adelaja as well as the former chairman of Mosimi Depot, Alhaji Surajudeen Adebisi Bada among others, explained that the DSS Director, Tuska had earlier invited the IPMAN Zonal Executive Committee in South West for a meeting wherein the entire Executive Committee agreed with him to put the strike on hold till after the Sallah.

According to him, the State’s Security boss had pleaded with IPMAN Zonal executives to shelve the planned strike “in the interest of the nation” and as a way of honouring him and his office, the association agreed to listen to him.

Tajudeen further explained that the association tabled some demands before the DSS Director which he promised to table before the federal government and management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which are expected to guarantee the seamless operation of petroleum distribution and dispensing across the South Western geopolitical zone.

“Parts of our demands included that IPMAN members must be included in the board of PPPRA and that of the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF). This will enable us to be carried along in decision making as one of the critical stakeholders in the petroleum distribution and dispensing sector”.

“Aside from that, NNPC through PPRA must immediately, stop preferential treatment being accorded major marketers in the distribution chain of the petroleum products. The agency has over the years, being granting credit facilities to some ” anointed ” dealers. That must stop. It is disheartening to hear that NNPC will ask our members to pay before loading our trucks, yet two months after, they would not process our papers”.

“NNPC and its allied agencies have turned our business to a mono-product. The corporation must as a matter of urgency, make available to us, other products such as AGO and DPK. Also, we want NNPC to immediately embark on the rehabilitation of its facilities at Ore Depot which has over the past 20 years been moribund”.

“We also demanded that the DSS Director should help us instill on the hearing of the appropriate authorities that harassments of our members by operatives of the security agencies must stop. These were brought to the notice of the DSS Director and he has assured us of quick intervention”.

Tajudeen further told journalists that his association was dissatisfied with the situation of infrastructural facilities at all NNPC Depot, particularly at the Mosimi Depot in Ogun state which he said was responsible for making their trucks involved in several accidents recorded in the area.

IPMAN however, demanded that the corporation should commence an immediate rehabilitation on the Sagamu-Mosimi-Ikorodu road to avert further wrath of the association.

Vanguard

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says the passing-out of the 2019 Batch “B” Stream 2 corps members has been fixed nationwide for July 16.

The NYSC disclosed this in a statement by its Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, in Abuja.

”Arising from the threat posed by COVID-19 pandemic, and as a precautionary measure, the event will be low-key, with qualified corps members collecting their Certificates of National Service (CNS) at the Local Government level.

“Accordingly, the distribution of the certificate of national service shall be staggered for a period of 10 days in the first instance, in keeping with the safety measures established by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),” the statement said.

The statement quoted the Director-General of the scheme, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, as giving kudos to the outgoing members for their service to the nation, and in particular for standing out to be counted in this time of national emergency.

It said Ibrahim charged the corps members to remain steadfast in rendering service to the nation and humanity, even after they have concluded their national assignment, as that was the hallmark of the corps.

The director-general also enjoined them to remain good ambassadors of the scheme in their future endeavours.

“All corps members and NYSC stakeholders are advised to stay vigilant, in order to guard against the contraction of COVID-19.

“Therefore, all must ensure strict observance of the safety protocols, predicated on consistent use of face masks, proper washing of hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, use of alcohol-based sanitiser, and observing social/physical distancing,” Ibrahim said.

The Head of Operations at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Mohammed Umar , has resumed as the acting chairman of the agency .

Umar , who is a Deputy Commissioner of Police , is the second most senior operative at the Commission .

It was learnt that there had been moves to install the Secretary , Ola Olukoyede , as the chairman pending the suspension of Ibrahim Magu.

However , Olukoyede was not favoured as he is a civilian .

There were, however , indications that the Commissioner of Police , FCT Command , Bala Ciroma , is favoured as the substantive chairman .

Punch

The leadership of the Ondo state House of Assembly has suspended two lawmakers for unruly behavior.

The affected lawmakers are the Deputy Speaker of the house , Iroju Ogundeji, and another member of the House, Adewale Williams .

Ogundeji is one of the lawmakers who dissociated themselves from the impeachment process of Ondo deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi

As the crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly continues , the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Jamiu Maito has resigned .

Maito ’ s letter of resignation was read by the Clerk of the House, Mr Bode Adeyelu , during the plenary session .

Punch

The leadership of the Ondo state House of Assembly has suspended two lawmakers for unruly behavior.

The affected lawmakers are the Deputy Speaker of the house , Iroju Ogundeji, and another member of the House, Adewale Williams .

Ogundeji is one of the lawmakers who dissociated themselves from the impeachment process of Ondo deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi

As the crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly continues , the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Jamiu Maito has resigned .

Maito ’ s letter of resignation was read by the Clerk of the House, Mr Bode Adeyelu , during the plenary session .

Punch

The Senate, has passed a bill which amended the Police Act and prescribed among others, a four- year single tenure for the office of the Inspector – General of Police .

The proposed legislation is titled, “ Police Act CAP P19 LFN 2004 ( Repeal and Re- enactment ) Bill , 2020 ”

The bill states that the tenure was introduced to give stability to the office of the Inspector- General of Police .

It also states that the appointment and removal from office of the Police boss would henceforth be based on the advice of the Police Council .

The legislative action followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs .

The report read by the panel Chairman , Senator Haliru Jika recommended that the inspector -General of Police should adhere to policing plans .

It read , “The national policing plan should be made with inputs from the Police Force Headquarters and all the various Police formations nationwide before the end of each financial year .

” It should set priorities, objectives , cost implications and expected outcomes of Policing for the next succeeding financial year in order to change budgeting from a top – down approach to a bottom – up approach, ” it said .

It also recommended that the Police should “ abide and enforce certain constitutional provisions, particularly fundamental rights of persons in Police custody under chapter 4 of the l 999 constitution ( as amended ) and other international instruments on Human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory . ”

Punch

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , has suspended the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Ibrahim Magu , according to reports .

Buhari had earlier set up a presidential panel headed by Justice Ayo Salami to probe the various allegations leveled against the EFCC boss .

The panel grilled Magu for hours on Monday at the Presidential Villa , Abuja before he was taken into police custody.

A source privy to the investigation confirmed Magu ’ s suspension to The PUNCH .

The source said , “It is commonsensical that when an investigation of this nature is ongoing , you don ’ t allow the person being investigated to keep the keys of the office for which he is being investigated .

“ This is because if he keeps the keys , there can be a kind of tampering with documents or evidence.

“ It is not logical and it is even undemocratic to allow such to happen. ”

The Presidency has yet to issue a formal statement on the issue as of the time of filing this report .

The presidential panel has however resumed sitting at the Presidential Villa , Abuja.

Punch

THE Senate has passed a bill seeking to stop sexual abuse of female students in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

The Bill which was read the third time and passed, was a sequel to the consideration of the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters presented by the Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, All Progressives Congress, APC, Ekiti Central.

The bill, christened: The proposed legislation titled “A Bill for an Act to Prevent, Prohibit and Redress Sexual Harassment of Students in Tertiary Educational Institutions and for other matters connected therewith 2019 was sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo -Agege, APC, Delta Central, and co-sponsored by 105 other Senators.

The bill which has 27 clauses, proposes up to 14 years jail term, with a minimum of 5 years, without an option of fine for any educator who commits sexual offences in tertiary institutions.

The bill defines sexual offences as including sexual intercourse with a student or demands for sex from a student or a prospective student or intimidating or creating a hostile or offensive environment for the student by soliciting for sex or making sexual advances.

Other forms of sexual harassment identified in the bill are grabbing, hugging, kissing, rubbing, stroking, touching, pinching the breasts or hair or lips or hips or buttocks or any other sensual part of the body of a student; or sending by hand or courier or electronic or any other means naked or sexually explicit pictures or videos or sex related objects to a student, and whistling or winking at a student or screaming, exclaiming, joking or making sexually complimentary or uncomplimentary remarks about a student’s physique or stalking a student.

Punch

A former Assistant Director with the Department of State Services, Dennis Amachree , says he would have resigned if he were facing corruption allegations like the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Ibrahim Magu.

Amachree said this on Channels Television ’ s Sunrise Daily programme .

Amachree said , “ If I was Magu and I go before this panel and they give me a clean bill that all the allegations against me are faulty , once I come out , what I would do is to resign . ”

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Ibrahim Magu, spent last night in police cell after he was grilled for about six hours by a Presidential panel headed by Justice Isa Salami, a former President of the Court of Appeal .

The PUNCH gathered that Magu was detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters in Area 10 , Garki , Abuja
He is expected to face further interrogation today at the Presidential Villa .

The embattled EFCC boss was arrested on Monday afternoon and taken to the panel after he allegedly snubbed previous invitations extended to him .

A detachment of Department of State Services personnel intercepted his convoy in traffic at Wuse II and forcefully took him to the panel where he was questioned on discrepancies observed in recovered funds by his agency .

There are indications that Magu may not return to office as the Presidency was already working on replacing him .

Punch

The House of Representatives , consolidated two Bills, seeking to penalise officers of the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Security, for failure to arrest and compel the appearance of Ministers and Heads of agencies, who fail to honour summons of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly is empowered by sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, to Investigate all agencies and cause arrest, of those who do not cooperate with their enquiry on any issue.

The two Bills are entitled: A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017 to Prescribe the Offence and Punishment for Contempt of Legislative Houses, to Provide Punishment on the Police or any other Law Enforcement Agent that refuses to Arrest any Person as directed by a Legislative House, to provide Exception to the kind of person to be compelled by a Legislative House, such as President, the Executive Governors and their Deputies, Diplomats and their agents, Representatives of International Organisations such as the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, ECOWAS, and “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative House and Guarantee the Principle of Separation of Powers, and for Related Matters”.