JOK And The Burden Of Defending A Useless Govt.- By Obinna Don Norman

I read with sadness the cock and bull story by the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Mr John Okiyi Kalu under the headline – Transparency in Governance: Ikpeazu leads the way, as Abia publishes audited account – wherein he tried to manipulate the psyches of the impressionable Abians with embellished rhetoric of Okezie Ikpeazu’s government financial prudence and transparency.
Afterwards, his self-defeating efforts to eulogize a governor with an unsavoury reputation as an expert in failure, premeditated omnishambles and profligacy, the helpless JOK submitted under the subhead – Budget Support or Bailout Funds?

– thus:

“It is important to recall that in 2015 the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) availed Abia state a facility of N14.152bn (bailout) … to clear outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities inherited from previous administrations dating back to the military administrations of the 90s up to 2015.”
“Upon receipt of the N14.152bn bailout which had a 20-year repayment period, just as with 33 other states of the federation that also received, Governor Ikpeazu decided to inaugurate an organized labour dominated committee to decide on how to allocate the resources to the areas of need in terms of workers’ outstanding emoluments…”
JOK, you lied. You are a Commissioner for Information, not misinformation. It was T.A. Orji’s government and the one you serve under that accumulated salaries, pensions and gratuities. I am glad you were ashamed to own up. Second, what was given to Abia State as a bailout was N14.2 billion converted to bond, not cash. Federal Government used it to offset billions of loans Abia government was owing banks through backchanneling to avert a banking crisis.

What happened was that Abia State government and some other state governments owed banks and underreported it. The banks became strained and reported to CBN. To forestall the banking system from collapsing just like we had in 2009, the government had to step in and converted all the debts the states were owing banks to real assets.

CBN compelled the banks to submit to them how much state governments were owing. Collectively, it was about N300 billion across the board. CBN agreed to pay the banks the debts owed by the states. In other words, the states owe CBN instead of the banks.
CBN gave state governments the loans at concessionary interest rates to ease it off, maybe because of a political arrangement. That was the opportunity Abia State used to renegotiate its liability and collected N14.152 billion loan with 20 years’ interest of nine per cent. The bailout was not in cash. Please stop this deceit. The only cash Abia State government got then was the first and second trenches of Paris Club Refunds (N10.6 billion and N5.7 billion).

The so-called committee set-up to ostensibly work out modalities on how best to put to good use the bailout fund was a prank by the government to borrow time to finalise the N14.15 billion loan with 20 years’ interest of nine per cent it got from the CBN.
I found it laughable that the helpless JOK tried to discombobulate us with “Budget Support” tale. The N14.2 billion was a bailout (not received in cash). The N14.152 billion was a 20-years loan with nine per cent interest rate which the CBN has started deduction since then. Approximately N445.9 million is deducted from the Abia State monthly FAAC allocation to repay the loan and several others accumulated.

In trying to justify his “budget support” story, JOK further wrote, “In November and December 2015, allocations to Abia State were below or about N1.7bn/month with the state monthly wage bill standing around N2.7bn then.”

Haba JOK! It is not true. Abia State received the total net FAAC allocation of N3.753 billion (State=N2.246bn and LGAs = N1.507bn) in November 2015. It also got the total net FAAC allocation of N4.405 billion (State = N2.699bn and LGAs = N1.706bn) in December 2015.

I am also surprised to read you say that Abia State monthly wage bill was about N2.7bn when the governor told us that Abia State wage bill reduced to N2.1bn from N2.7bn after the verification exercise. Anyway, for a government that lies often, there’s always the propensity to contradict itself.

Rather than euphemistically referred to the N17.5bn as budget support, tell us that the federal ministry of finance wants to be repaid, another loan Ikpeazu’s government took.

Unlike other states of the federation that borrowed to invest in income-generating projects, Abia government borrows to meet their overhead cost, that is, the cost of running the government. The cost of running the government in Abia State is high. The governor spends money on mundane and abandoned his responsibilities to the people of the state.
JOK, you cannot tell us that you don’t know that “Let’s go to Sanhedrin is common parlance among the governor and his top kitchen cabinet members. What is gulped during the drinking splurge is Hennessy Paradis Imperial. A bottle sells for $3,000; an equivalent of N1.02 million.10 bottles (N10.2 million) approximately are gulped weekly.

It means that the sum of N40.8 million is spent on drinks every month, N489.6 million annually and N1.958.4 billion in the first four years of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu’s government. So, where are the prudence and transparency you wasted energy preaching? Abians are tired of Ikpeazu’s government tales by moonlight; the reason no one but the E-Idiots comments on your posts.

If we conduct election in Abia North twenty times, I will win’ – Orji Kalu declares

–Party Leadership Mobilizes Support.

Following the September 9th judgement of the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal which ordered for supplementary elections in some units of Abia North Senatorial Zone ; Chief Whip of the 9th Senate Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has declared that he would win repetitively if elections were conducted 20 times in the entire Senatorial Zone.

Kalu stated this on Thursday when the APC party Chieftains in Abia state led by its Chairman Hon.Donatus Nwankpa and the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogah, paid him a solidarity courtesy visit in Abuja.

The party leadership stated that they would challenge the ruling at the appeal court however, they were ready to face the supplementary election to retain the Chief Whip of the 9th Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu.

Nwankpa, who spoke on behalf of the delegation also seized the occasion to announce the rejection of the Abia State nominee on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission,

He said, “We are here today in solidarity with the Chief Whip of the Senate. We are ready to be part of the election even if elections were to be held today.

“We are ready to appeal the judgement.

“There were flaws in the judgment Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’ case as declared by the tribunal. He has not been sacked. The court has not asked that his certificate of return should be withdrawn.

“He remains the Chief Whip of the 9th Senate and all things being equal, nothing would change it.
“What happened was a temporary set back and a distraction to the APC in Abia.”

He said the people of Abia – North were ready at all times to vote the former Governor of the state, nothing that if election was to be held twenty times, Orji Uzor Kalu would be returned.

“We are ready to appeal that judgement. You know how President Muhammadu Buhari’s case was delivered on yesterday (Wednesday) and that further exposed the flaws in Kalu’s case.

The APC chairman, who addressed journalists after the courtesy visit, said the party in the state rejected the NDDC nominee because he was not known to the party. ”

He said, The APC in Abia State rejected the NDDC nominee. He is not known to the party and he cannot represent the interest of our people well.

“We have asked the Abia representatives in the Senate to reject him whenever he appear for screening.”

In the entourage, was the Minister of Mines and Solid Development, Dr. Uche Chukwu Okay who insisted that, Orji Uzor Kalu’s seat was not declared vacant, saying that, “he remains our leader in the party, he remains our leader in the state.

In his remark, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu explained that he would not lose sleep over the development, emphasising that he would win election anytime.

“In Abia North, we are not losing sleep. In Nigeria, if we conduct election in Abia North twenty times, I will win”, the lawmaker insisted.

“The sanctity of Court anywhere in the world is that if one is displeased with judgement, he can approach the upper Court and that is what I will do.

“I was not removed, I wasn’t sacked as reported in the media. The Court didn’t asked someone else to be sworn-in, in my place. We have our votes in tact and since the law allows me to appeal, I will appeal the judgement.”

The lawmaker said Courts don’t award remedies not sought for, hence, he remained the lawmaker while pursuing the case in the Appeal Court.

PROF PATRICK LUMUMBA TODAY LED ESGADIA TEAM ON A COURTESY VISIT TO DR. UCHECHUKWU SAMPSON OGAH (OON, FCA)

Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, The Honourable Minister Of State, Mines And Steel Development, today received in audience the Executive Members of The Economic Strategic Growth And Development Initiative Of Africa (ESGADIA), led by Chairman Of The Board, Prof Patrick Lumumba and Maazi Obinna Agommuo, the Founder and Executive Director. They took opportunity of their courtesy call to congratulate The Honourable Minister who is also a member of the noble African Economic Development group and to present him with research materials on the way forward in key mining areas and funding opportunities.

Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah used the occasion to reveal to the team some of the plans and strategies being put in place to ensure that the mining sector takes its rightful place in Nigeria. Some of the plans he said is aimed at making the Ministry Of Mines And Steel Development the Star Ministry of President Muhammadu Buhar’s regime and to create millions of jobs for Nigerian youths. He told his visitors of the determination of his minister colleague, whom he refers to as “My Brother”, to put everything in place to aid their plan.

Speaking about their plan to bring Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill back on stream, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah said they were more than committed to make it happen because it will be part of President Muhammadu Buhar’s legacy.

In his words, ” Ajaokuta when back on stream will create five hundred thousand (500 000) direct jobs, in addition to ten (10) draftsmen required to work with each operator on the metallurgical mechines; thereby bringing the total number of those to be employed to over five million. This will be strategic to meeting the mandate given to ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari to create hundreds million jobs in the next ten years ”

He also said “we have a plan to establish gold refinery, ensure standards in the sector amongst other things we will have to tackle”

Lamenting the decline of the mining sector and the need to ensure standardisation, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah said “the focus is to reduce the exportation of raw minerals and to begin to make them into Finished Goods. And my brother and I are determined to ensure Best global practices in the industry.”

He also said he was happy that “the Staff of the ministry are positively motivated to help us push our agenda.”

Prof Patrick Lumumba after introducing members of his delegation, told the Honourable Minister Of State, that they were happy that he is a member of their group and that their coming was to present him with research materials relating to the sector and to seek for collaboration with his ministry.

Maazi Obinna Agunmuo, the Founder and Executive Director in his speech told Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, that “Mines And Steel Development sector is the future of Nigeria’s development and key to housing development in away that the minerals needed for cheap cement production are within this ministry’s purview.” He lamented the high cost of cement when the opportunity exist for cheaper production that could lead to price fall below a thousand naira. He informed him of a plan by ESGADIA to attract investors in cement production who may be willing to establish factories in six geopolitical zones of the federation and as well make housing cheaper and help reduce the twenty five million housing units deficit.

Maazi Obinna Agommuo also supported The Honourable Minister’s view on the need to establish gold refinery and other products processing plants within the sector, which will create jobs for Nigerian youths and bring more revenue into the coffers of the federation.

Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah led the delegation to the office of the Honourable Minister Of Mines And Steel Development, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite, who also had brief interaction with them. Prof Patrice Lumuba told The Honourable Ministers that they are expecting them to utilize their wealth of experience along with President Muhammadu Buhar and other members of his cabinet to lift the nation and the continent of Africa out of poverty .

The courtesy visit ended on a friendly note as the Ministers exchanged pleasantries with the delegation and promised to work with the organisation going forward.

Great Imo Jonathan
Special Adviser To Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, Honourable Minister Of State, Mines And Steel Development
10/09/2019

SENATOR ORJI KALU NOT SACKED AS SENATOR – ABIA APC

Contrary to speculations in some quarters, stakeholders of the APC in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia state have stated that Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has not been removed as senator representing Abia North.

Describing the verdict of the tribunal as unacceptable, unfair and biased, former chairman of Arochukwu Local Government Area, Chibuike Jonas, faulted the decision of the tribunal, stating that Kalu’s popularity across the state is not doubtful.

Speaking after the tribunal judgment, the APC chieftain urged members of the party to be calm, peaceful and law-abiding assuring that Kalu would reclaim his mandate at the Court of Appeal.

He said:”The publication by some online platforms that Kalu has been sacked is misleading and false.

“The tribunal ordered for supplementary election in a few polling units across Abia North senatorial zone.

“The APC is the popular party in Abia North Senatorial District and as such, the mandate of Kalu will be re-claimed at the Court of Appeal.”

While charging APC supporters to resist any form of provocation, Jonas berated the PDP and its cohorts for spreading falsehood and misleading the general public.