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States Tackle FG Over PIA
The 36 state governments met, yesterday, at the Federation Account and Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting to review the Petroleum Industry Bill, which was signed into law, last Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
A top official of the Federal Ministry of Finance said the state governments had put the ministry on notice that they would state their grievances with the Petroleum Industry Act at the FAAC meeting.
Ahead of the FAAC meeting, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) advised the state governors to challenge the Act in court.
The FAAC consists of the Minister of Finance as chairman, all state commissioners of finance, state accountants-general, Accountant-General of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance, who is the secretary.
It meets monthly to share revenues among the federal, state and local governments.
Reports had indicated that before the President signed the PIB, state governors had on August 10 written to ask him to withhold his assent.
According to the reports, the governors argued that the Petroleum Industry Act would deny the states their fair share from the Federation Account because it favoured the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which would transform into a limited liability company.
Last Wednesday, a state official, stated, “The governors have directed their commissioners for finance to get a copy of the Act signed by the President. Obviously, the law will top the agenda of the FAAC meeting.
“State commissioners will raise the misgiving the states have about the law at the FAAC meeting and take a common position.”
When contacted, the Chairman, Forum of Commissioners of Finance, David Olofu, said members would meet and review the PIA.
Olofu, who is Benue State’s Commissioner for Finance, who spoke in Makurdi, confirmed that the FAAC meeting would hold, Thursday (yesterday).
He stated, “I am still trying to get to the crux of the Act so that I can review it; it is after I review it that I can make a statement. We are having the FAAC meeting today; we will get the law and review it and then get back to you.”
The Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Rapulu Nduka, noted that people in different parts of the country had been making comments on the provisions of the PIA, adding that some of them were feeling short-changed.
He stated, “Lawmaking is one of the responsibilities of the legislature and since there are legislators from all states of the federation, then there should be proper representation.
“The purpose of having legislators from all states is that they should be able to debate laws before they are passed in order to ensure that those laws are made in the interest of every region.
“If the governors believe that some parts of the Act are unconstitutional, then by all means, let them approach the courts. They should go to court to challenge the aspects, which they believe are unconstitutional.”
Also, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala, stated, “This is a law that has been in the works for a very long time. We are not oblivious to the reservations of different commentators and groups, especially in the South-South.
“I believe it is a step in the right direction since we now have three per cent, where we once had nothing. However, the Act can still be amended if it proves to be unsatisfactory.”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, last Wednesday, called on state attorneys general to challenge the Federal Government on the PIA.
Ozekhome, faulted the decision of the President to sign the law, and called on state attorneys general to challenge the Federal Government at the Supreme Court.
He said, “The entire Act is a mere ruse in monstrosity, artifice and design, carefully crafted, incubated and delivered to actually do irretrievable violence to the principles of federalism and the doctrine of separation of powers ably propounded in 1748 by Baron de Montesquieu, a great French philosopher.
“The Act seeks to frontally attack Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that all revenues accruing to the federation shall be paid into a Federation Account from which sharing shall be made among the three tiers of government.
“This is unconstitutional and it must be struck down in accordance with Section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. In a sane clime, the cash cow, the NNPC, ought to be unbundled to make it more productive, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.
“But most curiously, the Act has strengthened its hand of non-accountability and non-responsibility.
“How can the Federal Government alone have shares in the only viable cash cow of Nigeria to the total exclusion of the other three tiers of government, major stakeholders, oil-bearing communities and the long-suffering people of the Niger Delta?
“How can an Act of Parliament, rather than assuage and ameliorate the sufferings of a beleaguered people, further compound them by reaffirming the people’s perilous status as slavish hewers of wood, drawers of water, masseurs of ego and side-line onlookers in the exploitation and use of their God-given wealth through their natural resources?
“The 36 state attorneys general should immediately approach the Supreme Court and challenge the Federal Government’s impunity and the act of exclusive lawlessness and legislative rascality by invoking the original jurisdiction under Section 233 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.”
President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, last Wednesday, gave an insight into what the National Assembly did to get the PIB.
Lawan disclosed the strategy adopted by the 9th National Assembly while answering questions from journalists shortly after a brief ceremony at the Presidential Villa.
The Senate President said, “Everyone knows that the Petroleum Industry Bill suffered a lot of hiccups in the National Assembly previously but when we came in 2019, both chambers identified the passage of the PIB as one very strong, fundamental, critical and strategic bill that we must pass within the life cycle of this 9th National Assembly.
“And by the Grace of God, we redefined the way to go about it because we would have learnt from the mistakes of the past on the issue. And what we emphasised and that worked for us to achieve what we did was to ensure that we work very closely with the executive arm of government right from the conception of the bill itself.”
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and position the country as a leading force on the African continent.
Shettima stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by its Senior Fellow, Dr Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Wednesday.
He said Nigeria was actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.
The Vice-President noted that President Tinubu was determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.
“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent.
” We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it, is human capital development.”
He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey.
According to him, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.
Shettima reiterated the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, saying ” skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme.
“We are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”
The Vice-President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in that effort.
” I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.
The Vice-President said human capital development was both an economic imperative and a social necessity.
Shettima assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation.
” We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven.
“I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”
Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
“The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.
“President Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.
Earlier, Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy.
The group leader described the development as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country.
He applauded the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.
Alter said the Hertie School of Governance would work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.
He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempted to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.
The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board says it has begun the compilation of list of retired civil servants who have defaulted on the full repayment of housing loans obtained.
Head of Information and Public Relations, FGSHLB, Mrs Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Obiechina quoted the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.
Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by Mrs Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement.
The Executive Secretary said that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.
She said this was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules 021002 (p), issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.
“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.
Ahmed explained that the FGSHLB reserves the legal right to repossess any mortgaged property in cases where a public servant exits service without fully repaying the loan.
She reiterated that the directive also applied to already retired officers who were still indebted.
She urged all affected public servants to regularise their loan status and obtain the required clearance certificate without delay.
“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.
“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed, “ she added.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
“The expectations are high, and the responsibility is immense. But with commitment and teamwork, we can deliver a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centred public service.
“This final lap of FCSSIP 25 calls for urgency, accountability, and strategic focus. You must translate vision into measurable results,” she stated.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, described the programme as a strategic investment in leadership capacity and institutional effectiveness.
The sessions featured expert-led discussions, simulations, and strategic briefings facilitated by a distinguished faculty, including Engr. Suleiman Adamu, former Minister of Water Resources; Dr. Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice; Alh. Yusuf Addy, retired Federal Director; Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Amb. Mustapha Lawal Suleiman, Mr. Adesola Olusade, and Dr. Ifeoma Anagbogu, all retired Permanent Secretaries.
Participants include Dr. Obi Emeka Vitalis, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, Mr. Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi, Mr. Olusanya Olubunmi, Dr. Keshinro Maryam Ismaila, Dr. Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma, Dr. Umobong Emanso Okop, Dr. Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen, Mrs. Oyekunle N. Patience, Dr. Kalba U. Danjuma, Mr. Nadungu Gagare, Mr. Onwusoro I. Maduka, Dr. Usman Salihu Aminu, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, Mr. Ndiomu Ebiogeh Philip, Dr. Anuma N. Ogbonnaya, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olaninre, and Mr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, alongside the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi.
The induction programme will feature sessions on public sector leadership, policy delivery, ethics in service, digital transformation, and performance management.
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