Nigeria: 'Nation Losing Billions of Naira to Corruption at Seaports'

Lagos — Billions of naira accruing from arbitrary shipping charges at the nation's seaports find their way to private pockets instead of government coffers, say maritime stakeholders at recent conference in Lagos.

Stakeholders in the maritime industry alleged at a conference in Lagos that billions of naira accruing from arbitrary shipping charges due to absence of a commercial regulator. They also alleged that the money end in the pockets of concessionaires handling most of the concessioned terminals. The experts and some human right lawyers that attended the Lagos conference said top government officials benefitting from the arbitrary charges at the port that is allegedly diverted to private accounts are responsible for the delay in the passage of relevant laws meant to establish among others, the National Transport Commission (NTC) expected to serve as the commercial regulator of port terminals and shipping business in the country.

The maritime stakeholders' conference tagged, a free legal clinic on arbitrary shipping charges: Rules, Rights and Remedies was conducted by Akabogu and Associates, in collaboration with Shippers Council on Tuesday, August 14 provided a platform where experts interacted under the chairmanship of foremost maritime expert Otunba Kunle Folarin.

Some of the issues that dominated discussion at the conference were questions bordering on what really constitute the numerous charges slammed on importers and shippers of goods to Nigeria-like terminal handling charges (THC), containers demurrages who should be charging and how much is the international standard of it?

Other issues that dominated discussion at the conference were why VAT should be paid on CIF when it is also charged on customs duty? Why VAT on container deposit? The absolute need for a commercial or economic regulator in the industry cannot be overemphasized. A critical analysis of the roles of NPA and Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) was undertaken by participants where the single window or one-stop shop clearing house for all payments is desirable.

The jam-packed conference hall of Nigeria Shippers council, Lagos, venue of the conference had in attendance very many experts in the industry who proffered solutions to the multifarious problem plaguing the maritime industry with a general consensus that the present administration has the administrative will to address the problems except for the fact that top government officials and politicians benefitting from the present shoddy arrangement may not want the presidency to understand the rote in the system and effect necessary corrections.

Barrister Emeka Akabogu said statistical data from Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) indicate that the issue of arbitrary shipping charges is a major source of overcharging people doing business at the nation's ports, denying government its due share of revenue accruing from the arbitrary charges and diverting same to private accounts.

"In view of the monumental corruption going on in the maritime sector, going to court right now is absolutely necessary, while the persuasion of the authorities to see reasons why the empowering of shippers council or setting up of a commercial regulator, is being package, as a medium to a long term solution to the arbitrary, some say, criminal charges by the shipping companies and terminal operators.

"From the statistics obtained from NPA, imports in a year show 817,216 TEUs plus 231,423vehicles are recorded. Therefore, damage, delay or loss incidents affecting at least 40 percent of these numbers. Also, assumption of average value of one Total Equivalent Unit (TEU) equals $75,000.00 and that of one vehicle is $12,000.

"When these amounts are used to multiply the quantity of imports in a year, it means thus: 817,246 times $75,000 times 0.4 equals to $24.5 billion. Container deposit fees equal 817,246 times N80, 000 and that is the minimum considered, and that equals N65.4 billion. Now 30 percent, which is N19.6 billion is retained for various reasons, while a balance of N45.8 billion is expected to be paid, after a minimum of 2 months delay with 10 percent interest accrual," he said.

Stakeholders and professionals in the maritime sector at the conference in a frantic effort to find solution to the seemingly interactive problem came up with various suggestions. Chief Martins Egbafe said the best solution is the total shutting down the ports, adding, "Because, after several years of trying to draw the attention of the Federal Government to these arbitrary shipping charges, shutting down the Ports appears to be the only language that will be understood by the authorities," he said.

But the National President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu thought otherwise, saying, "In spite of the fact that highly placed persons, at the Federal Ministry of Transport, are colluding with some industry operators to scuttle the actualization of a Commercial Regulator for the maritime industry, I am of the firm belief that if freight forwarders synergize, and collaborate to institute a class action against the shipping companies and terminal operators, a big relief will be achieved, which will be sustainable and long lasting."

On the issue of the long overdue economic regulator for the maritime industry, Nigeria Shippers council informed participants at the conference that a benchmark of shipping charges has been submitted to the office of the Minister of Finance for consideration.

A participant, Mr Olaitan Jamil said, "I am of the opinion that stakeholders should form a collaborative action alliance to serve as a lobby group in the industry to take-up some of these challenges and ensure a decisive action is achieved. I have also noted that it is the considered opinion of most participants that just like the ministers of finance and transport stormed Lagos some months back to seek solutions from stakeholders, and immediately directed the implementation of such decisions with official pronouncements and circulars, those ministers should once more be invited to hear out the stakeholders on this issue of arbitrary shipping and terminal charges, take decisions and direct immediate implementation.

"This way, there will be no room for backdoor negotiations and thereby truncating of the collective will or decision of the people. On the single window proposal, every participant feels it is long overdue. Everything must be done to support its actualization," he said.

Effort to reach the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar could not be successful as officials of the ministry insist that a formal letter to interview him must be initiated. Months after a letter requesting for interview with the minister could neither be acknowledged nor the interview granted.

Similarly, an online enquiry on maritime and transport related matters sent to the Assistant Director Press and publicity of the ministry, Mr. Abiodun Oladunjoye could not be replied to several months after delivery.

However, a reliable source at the office of the transport minister told this reporter that a meeting of Legal officers and relevant officials from some agencies of the ministry is ongoing with a view to considering a way forward. The source added, "They are only wasting time. The fact of the matter is there is no way the maritime industry can move ahead unless and until all the pending bills now before the National Assembly are passed to law.

"To mobilize the legislators to work on these bills and pass them into law, you need money. The ministry does not have such money but the relevant agencies, NPA and NIMASA in particular have the needed money but they will never release it because passing a bill establishing the NTC as a commercial regulator means depriving the NPA of some of its powers. In the absence of the NTC, the NPA is now doing the job of NPC. Nobody will give you money to strip him of his powers.

"Again, the posting of non-professionals or people that are not conversant with transportation is another stumbling block. When you transfer a Director that worked all through his life in Sports, Agric and Health ministries or areas not related to transport, you will not expect him to know what to do in the transport sector. The transport sector requires professionals and people that are conversant with the industry," the source said

http://allafrica.com/stories/201208260084.html

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti 1900-1978

On the 13th April 1978 - Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, teacher, political activist and campaigner for women's rights, died from injuries sustained when she was thrown from a second floor window during a military raid on the Kuti family compound, known as the Shrine, established by her son, the Pan African musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Funmilayo was born on 25th October 1900 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Her father was the son of an enslaved African who had returned from the Americas to Sierra Leone and, tracing his family roots back to Abeokuta, had returned to settle in Nigeria.

Funmilayo was actively involved in the struggle against colonialism becoming a champion of women's rights. In 1947 she was described by the West African Pilot, a daily newspaper founded by Nnamdi Azikiwe (first President of Nigeria) as the “Lioness of Lisabi” for leading the women of her home town, Abeokuta, in a revolt against unfair and arbitrary taxatio

n.

Funmilayo formed the Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU) along with her sister in law Eniola Soyinka (mother of the writer Wole Soyinka), which at it's height boasted a membership of over 20,000. For over nine months the AWU campaigned, protested and demonstrated 

against unfair taxes imposed on women. The AWU was eventually successful in having its demands met.

Funmilayo went on to organise women on a national scale and in 1953 she founded the Federation of Nigerian Women Societies. In addition, she raised a family of political activists. As well as Fela, her other children were Bekolari Ransome-Kuti, a medical doctor and human rights activist, and Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, a paediatrician and AIDs campaigner.

Funmilayo's political activity saw her travel to Russia and China which led the British colonial administration to refuse renewal of her passport in 1956 because it was thought that it was her "intention to influence … women with communist ideas and policies."

Prior to Nigeria's independence Funmilayo founded the Commoners Peoples Party. She was also one of the delegates that negotiated independence with the British government.

During the February 1978 raid on the Shrine, also known as the Kalakuta Republic, which took place in February over 100 people were arrested, including Fela and other members of the Kuti family.

Fela later wrote the song "Unknown Soldier" when an official inquiry into the raid claimed that the Shrine was destroyed by "an exasperated and unknown soldier." 

BUHARI to IBB: Expose me if you have facts.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, BASHIR ADEFAKA & AGADA ABUTU

…OBJ, IBB urged to speak up
… Isyaku Ibrahim, Ezeife, Musa, Falae, others  speak

FORMER Head of State and Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 general election, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on Monday threw a direct challenge to three of his successors – Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo as well as President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing them of being responsible for the rot in the oil industry and the spiraling wave of corruption in the country.

The comment drew responses from President Jonathan and Babangida and is panning out as a repeat of a similar face-off between Obasanjo and Babangida exactly a year ago.

Last August, Babangida, who ruled Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, kick-started the fight on the eve of his 70th birthday celebration in Minna, Niger State when he dismissed Obasanjo’s achievements after eight years as President, as low. He said Obasanjo failed to improve the power sector, despite the huge cash available to the government.

Vintage Obasanjo’s reply was swift.  He said Babangida should be “pitied” and not “condemned” or visited with “anger” because he was a fool. His words: “Some of the things he (Babangida) said, unfortunately, were not well thought-out. For instance, he talked about our energy. When I was the military Head of State, I built Jebba Dam; built Shiroro Dam. I prepared the foundation of Egbin plant, which President Shagari completed and commissioned.

That time, the money we were making was not up to the money Babangida was making annually for his eight years and yet we built two dams. But since the building of Egbin power plant, until I came back in 1999, there was no generating plant for almost 20 years and Babangida spent eight years out of that.

Dividends of democracy
“Now, he has the audacity to talk about anybody; I think that is unfortunate. I also read where he said in his time, he gave the dividends of democracy and at the same time he regretted.

“When I read that, well, I said Babangida should be pitied and shown sympathy, rather than anger or condemnation because the old saying says a fool at 40 is a fool forever and I would say a regret at 70 is regret too late. Well, a regret at 70 is regret to the grave.”

Babangida countered and accused Obasanjo of massive failure during his reign. “In my eight years in office, I was able to manage poverty and achieve success while somebody for eight years managed affluence and achieved failure.

“Chief Obasanjo should ponder these incontrovertible facts: The revenues that accrued to former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his eight years are more than those that accrued to the nation from independence till 1999 before he took over. Despite such stupendous wealth of the nation, what is his performance profile? …The history of Chief Obasanjo is an open sore that is irredeemably contrived in several incongruities and contradictions,” he said.

The bitter exchanges were to continue for a while before the Generals sheathed their swords and denied Nigerians of dearly needed details that would have helped to unearth the reasons behind Nigeria’s paradox of poverty amid plenty.

This time, eminent citizens want the battle to be fought to a logical conclusion and have challenged Babangida, Obasanjo and Jonathan, to defend themselves against the allegations.

Incidentally, the quartet, cumulatively, have ruled Nigeria for 23 out of the 52 years the country has existed as an independent nation. While Obasanjo ruled for 11 years, Buhari was in power for approximately two years, Babangida – eight years and Jonathan, two years.

Buhari’s allegation: Pointedly, Buhari said that the corrupt practices in the oil sector during the eras of Babangida, Obasanjo and Jonathan had led to the enslaving of the masses. The first to respond was President Goodluck Jonathan.

Buhari, IBB and OBJ

While declaring open the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja, on Monday, President Jonathan said he could not be held responsible for the country’s failings and wondered why former leaders, who had the opportunity of fixing the nation and failed to do so, were now criticizing his young administration.

“Sometimes, even people who have held offices in government criticise me to the extent of personal abuses. Sometimes I ask, were there roads across the country and Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these roads? Or we had power and I brought hurricane to break down the entire infrastructure?

“If they say Boko Haram is because of poverty; were there massive irrigation projects in the North where agriculture can thrive and massive farms, and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms? Under two years, is it possible?” he wondered.

Obasanjo is yet to defend himself on the issue. Rather, speaking at the Nigeria Leadership Initiative, NLI, Guest Speaker Forum in Lagos, on Tuesday, he regretted his inability to fix the power problem, which he attributed to lack of funds in the initial period of his administration, owing to the low price of crude oil in the international market, Nigeria’s depleted foreign reserves and huge debt burden.

He also refused to comment on Nigeria’s leadership at the moment when asked to rate the country’s current leadership.

On his part, IBB, who spoke through his spokesman, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, threatened to expose Buhari’s shady deals in the oil sector when he functioned as Petroleum Minister and later chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), if Buhari did not shut his mouth.

“We are conversant with General Buahri’s so-called holier-than-thou attitude. He is a one-time Minister of Petroleum and we have good records of his tenure as minister. Secondly, he presided over the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which records we also have. We challenge him to come out with clean hands in those two portfolios. Those, who live in glass houses, do not throw stones. General Buhari should be properly guided,” he said.

Exposing corruption
However, Buhari insisted on his comments and challenged Babangida to expose his shady deals if he had facts.

Reacting to the development, some eminent Nigerians have urged the former leaders to speak up in the interest of the country’s development.

Among those who spoke are Second Republic politicians and elder statesmen, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim; former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; one-time Minister for Finance and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae; and former President of Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria, ICAN, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi.

They should fight it out—Balarabe Musa
Musa said the issue should not be swept under the carpet. “It is a disagreement of former heads of state. Apart from President Jonathan, they are all former heads of state. Let them fight it out themselves. I don’t think anybody should interfere. Let Ibrahim Babangida expose Buhari like he threatened,” he said.

Obasanjo, Babangida, Jonathan must defend themselves — Isyaku Ibrahim
On his part, Isyaku Ibrahim said the manner Buhari made the allegation should compel the former leaders to speak and defend their integrity.

His words: “Babangida should expose Buhari instead of threatening to do so. If Babangida has anything on Buhari, let him say it. Buhari said that the governments of Babangida, Obasanjo and Jonathan are the most corrupt. He said it categorically; he did not issue a threat.

“If Babangida has something on Buhari, he should say it. If your integrity is involved, you come out to fight because Buhari threw the challenge directly,” he stated.

“For me as a politician, if somebody challenges my integrity and I know something about the person, I will say it. The matter is in the public. Let them say whether or not what Buhari said is true. Buhari has challenged them, let them defend themselves. Buhari is going to run for election, if Babangida has something against him, we will like to know.”

Presiednt Jonathan

We want to know how they ruined Nigeria — Ezeife
To Ezeife, General Buhari must come out with facts to substantiate his claims. In a telephone chat with vanguard, he said, “General Buhari must know what he is talking about. Is he saying that Jonathan inherited oil industry destroyed by leaders before him? He must know what he is saying: how they ruled and ruined our great country, Nigeria, ruining the North even more.

“Please, it is not every high level statement that I understand. I don’t know what they know but if Buhari is saying that IBB, Obasanjo and Jonathan destroyed the oil industry, he must surely know what he is talking about. However, let me say they, all together, should tell Nigerians how they ruled and ruined Nigeria and the North.”

Corruption blossomed under Obasanjo —Falae
Reacting to the exchanges, Falae told Vanguard on phone that corruption reached an alarming height during Obasanjo’s administration in 1999.

His words: “The people are former heads of state and to the extent that corruption had been going on for quite sometime in the country, maybe that is why he (Buhari) is holding them accountable. But I don’t know the statistics or information to either agree or disagree with him (Buhari). But there is corruption in the whole country; the country is washed with corruption and nobody can really know where it started from though some government functionaries can. Corruption is the biggest problem we have.

“I cannot attribute it to any particular person but this thing started in earnest since 1999 that was during the Obasanjo administration; that was when the thing really blossomed. In the past, one suspected that a few military leaders were the ones, who had access to the money, but since we returned to civilian rule, thousands of people now got into the act: from the local to state and federal government level. And it has been growing since then. Corruption has grown very fast since 1999.”

They are all culpable — Owoyemi
However, Owoyemi said the former leaders, including Buhari, contributed to the rot in the oil industry.

He said: “Whoever should have done the maintenance of the refineries and did not do it and instead started importing fuel should be blamed for each and every part of the problem.

“Whoever provided funds for people to do turn around maintenance of the petroleum refineries and did not carpet or disgrace the contractors for failing to carryout their jobs, should be blamed for the destruction of the oil industry.

“So, definitely the military as a whole did a lot of havoc with the issue of accountability and transparency in this country; all of them, all the military people, including Buhari.  Their take-over of the government was illegal and they ran the government illegally throughout when they suspended the Constitution of the country especially law and order.

“They, all of them, are guilty. If the politicians had been in charge since 1960 till now, things would have been better.  They should allow the politicians to run the government and things will be better off.

“They were just too ambitious that was why they dabbled into the whole thing and messed everything up and now we are in for it. This is our generation: nobody has money except the corrupt!  It is very unfortunate,” he said.

LEADERS AT WAR OVER GRAFT: Buhari’s allegation raises dusts

Nigerian student, Olaolu Femi, face life imprisonment in Ukraine

A young Nigerian student, Olaolu Femi, (pictured above) is 
facing life in prison in Ukraine for attempted murder. 

African Outlook gathered that the Nigerian identified as Olaolu Sunkanmi Femi and one of his friends were physically attacked in front of his apartment by four Ukrainian young men and two women who pulled them to the ground while hurling racist slurs on them.



According to eye witness account, Sunkanmi was said to have managed to get up and defended himself against the assailants with a glass from a broken bottle. 



"It was while he was defending himself that police arrived at the scene and the Nigerian was subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder of five people" a Nigerian embassy staff who has knowledge of the case told African Outlook, adding that the victim thus became an accused in a case which has become a celebrated case in Ukraine. 


African Outlook gathered that Olasunkanmi has since been remanded in detention by the Ukrainian police who refused to take the case to court citing unavailability of the police to get an interpreter for him.



But the Nigerian students' community in Ukraine under the leadership of Osarumen David-Izevbokun, a Phd student in international relations has been working tirelessly to ensure justice for the Nigerian by organizingprotests as well as drawing the attentions of the human right groups in Ukraine to the plight of Olasunkanmi who has spent almost seven months in jail without trial. 



David-Izevbokun told African Outlook that he alongside other Nigerian students in conjunctions with some members of the Ukrainian human right groups staged a protest on April, 9 outside the Leninsky District Court in Luhanski demanding the release of Olasunkanmi. 



The actions, according to David-Izevbokun has put the Ukraine police on the spot as the case came up for hearing on May 3. "We had a lot of media coverage on the protest " David-Izevbokun said, noting that he was sure the attention given the case may have prompted the May 3 court appearance of the suspect. 



David-Izevbokun who was at the May 3, court hearing told African Outlook that Olasunkanmi appeareddepressed when he showed up in court. 



Many other Nigerian students spoken to by African Outlook however raised concern about the competence of the female lawyer: Ludmila Havrysh handling Olasunkanmi's case. 



The Ukrainian lawyer was reported to have told protesters that her client has not been able to read the file material since it is all written in Ukrainian or Russian which he doesn’t understand and that was why her clienthad remained in jail. 



"We heard she wanted to be paid $10,000 when she had not even been able to secure bail for her client who has been in detention for more than six months" an irate Nigerian told African Outlook wondering whether the lawyer was capable of defending Olasunkanmi. 



Another source also told African Outlook that one of the attackers's family who has a connection with the Ukrainian police may have been the reason why the Nigerian student was being detained without trial. 



"They went to the hospital and documents were secured for infliction of wounds. I learnt that one of the supposed victim (Ukrainian) has a police relative or parent, and so vowed to deal ruthlessly with Olasunkanmi" a Nigerian student quoted one narrator as saying while lamenting that the Nigerian embassy's representative came to visit Olasunkanmi in jail once but did not return again after the first visit. 



But an embassy spokesperson who pleaded anonymity (because he is not authorized to comment on the case) told African Outlook that the Nigerian consulate had not abandoned the Nigerian to his fate "We are in torch with the Ukrainian authority and we have been doing everything to ensure the boy is released unconditionally using diplomatic channel" he said, adding that the Olasunkanmi was being charged for attempted murder, an offense which under Ukrainian law is not bailable. 



"There are ways in which we handle cases like this so that we would not appear to be hostile or criticizing our host countries' laws" the embassy staff said while assuring that he was confident Olasunkanmi would be released soon. 



When asked if the embassy has been able to secure the service of an attorney for the Nigerian student, the embassy staff said: "It is not within our mandate to pay for attorney's fees for any Nigerian in distress, you may check this out with other Nigerian embassies abroad, but we have been working with the Nigerian community leaders here to ensure that we do everything within our means to help Olasunkanmi in time of his need" the staff added hinting that the representative of the embassy was at the May 3 hearing. 



In a related development African Outlook gathered that a 28-year-old Nigerian student of Kharkiv National Radio Electronic University is in intensive care unit with knife injuries to his neck following an attack on him by people believed to be racists. 



Another 19-year-old Nigerian student from the Poltava Agrarian Academy is also lying critically ill in the Ukrainian hospital following knife injury inflicted on him by yet to be identified persons. 



African Outlook gathered that the two Nigerian students were attacked late in the evenings by assailants who fled the scene immediately after the attacks. 



The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Ukraine are treating both cases as attempted murder motivated by racial intolerance. 



Speaking on the two recent attacks, the Nigerian embassy said they were yet to be briefed on the case.

There's a #FreeOlaolu page on Facebook..you can go there to show support - Facebook.com/FreeOlaolu

RoisKiDGh Talks: Nigerian student, Olaolu Femi, face life imprisonment in Ukraine

IBB Threatens to Expose Buhari’s Corruption

Former President Ibrahim Babangida has threatened to expose the corruption of Former President Mohammed Buhari especially as relates to his tenure as Minister of Petroleum.

Buhari was appointed Minister of Petroleum in 1976 under the Murtala/Obasanjo administration. Not much is known about any scandals that occured during his tenure as Minister, but there are rumors of the mysterious disappearance of US$2.8 Billion from the NNPC account in Midlands Bank in the United Kingdom, during Buhari’s stewardship.

Now that IBB has threatened to expose him, it lends a certain credibility to the rumors indicting Buhari of grand graft.

Babangida who released a statement through his media adviser, Prince Kassim Afegbua said, “On Gen. Buhari, it is not in IBB’s tradition to take up issues with his colleague former President. But for the purpose of record, we are conversant with Gen. Buhari’s so-called holier-than-thou attitude.

“He is a one-time Minister of Petroleum and we have good records of his tenure as minister. Secondly, he also presided over the Petroleum Trust Fund ( PTF) which records we also have. We challenge him to come out with clean hands in those two portfolios he headed. Or, we will help him to expose his. “records of performance during those periods. Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones. Gen. Buhari should be properly guided.”

IBB Threatens to Expose Buhari's Corruption - Nigeria Business News