City Crime
Alleged Diversion: Court Remands Ex-NSITF Boss In EFCC Custody
An FCT High Court sitting in Jabi, yesterday, ordered that the former board chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme, be remanded in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s custody, until today.
The judge, Justice Maryam Hassan gave the order after listening to both counsel submissions on the defendant’s bail application.
She directed that the defendant should be in the EFCC’s custody pending the ruling on the application for bail, today.
Olejeme is standing trial over an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, abuse of oûce, diversion of public funds and money laundering.
The offence it was alleged she committed between 2012 and 2015 when she was the board chairman of the NSITF.
The none-count charge bordering on mismanagement, giving false statement, taking kickback from contracts and diversion of NSITF funds into personal accounts and companies she had interest in, formed the basis for the defendant’s arraignment.
One of the charges alleged that the funds were diverted through the award of suspicious contracts to proxy companies.
The offence according to prosecution contravened the provisions of sections 8,19 (1) (b) (1), punishable under the Corrupt Practice & other Related Offence Act 2000 and Section 17, (1) (2), 39 of EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against her.
With the defendant pleading not guilty, the prosecution counsel, Steve Odiase prayed for a date for hearing to enable the prosecution to prove her case against the defendant.
The defendant counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, therefore, informed the court of the bail application dated and filed on October 18 before it.
Erokoro submitted that the application was supported by a 20-paragraphs affidavit attached with six exhibits.
He also informed the court that his client was not a flight risk, as she voluntarily returned to Nigeria when she heard that the prosecution wanted to question her.
Erokoro further stated that his client had been reporting to the commission’s office as she was questioned and released on bail in 2017.
The counsel equally urged the court to grant his client bail on self-recognisance or in the alternative, in the most liberal terms.
He said the bail application was predicated on medical grounds as the defendant has been diabetic and hypertensive for 30 years.
In addition, the counsel said that the defendant has had four major surgeries in the U.S and South Africa.
He further stated that the defendant four months ago suffered a heart failure and got infected with the Covid-19 virus in September.
He submitted in addition that the defendant had been scheduled for another follow-up surgery for November in South Africa.
Erokoro said the defendant’s recent medical report from a medical facility stated that she required close medical monitoring as her medical status can lead to a medical emergency.
Odiase, on his part, responded that he was not opposing the bail application, but opposed to the granting of bail on self-recognisance as submitted by the defence counsel.
He said that there was no consideration for bail on self-recognisance in Section 165 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA),2015.
He urged the court to grant the defendant bail with reasonable surety.
The court, therefore, adjourned until today to rule on the bail application.
The Rivers State Government has vowed to enforce strict compliance with approved building plans by property owners and developers in the State to guarantee safety and adherence to regulatory standards.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, in his inaugural meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Directors and staff of the Ministry, said he would ensure full implementation of the Physical Planning Development Law of the State.
He warned that the Rivers State Government will no longer condone a situation where developers make deliberate adjustment or completely deviate from approved building plan in the execution of their projects without recourse to the Ministry.
Hon. Bipi solicited the cooperation of the civil servants of the Ministry while promising to run an open door policy and be easily accessible.
He also promised to right the wrongs, make a positive impact and leave an enduring legacy in the Ministry.
He promised to enhance the physical landscape and aesthetic of Old and New GRA as well as other parts of Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Surv. Wisdom Hebron, assured the Commissioner of maximum cooperation to foster a harmonious working environment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the payment of N85,000.00 as the new minimum wage for civil servants in the employ of the Rivers State Government.
This is the agreement reached during a closed door meeting presided over by the Governor and attended by representatives of organised labour under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in the State at Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, who spoke on behalf of the Government, affirmed that Governor Fubara has graciously approved a new minimum wage of N85,000.00, adding that the government will begin in November, 2024.
Dr George said, “He (Gov Fubara) has pronounced a figure that is higher than the National Minimum Wage. He pronounced a sum of N85,000.00, which is higher than the minimum wage that was prescribed nationally.
“So, as the Head of Service and a major stakeholder in the labour family, I am very happy to say that the Rivers State Civil Servants have never had it this good since the inception of this State.
“The labour union leaders and all the other major stakeholders were happy with this development,” he added.
Responding to possible payment of arrears, Dr Nwaeke, said it is yet to be determined because a technical committee has been set up to critically work out a tenable payment chart, which will cater to issues of arrears.
He clarified, “Issues of arrears will be worked out by the committee that I am going to be Deputy to the SSG. We are already going to work on it in a technical committee that will now get the nitty gritty of the payment and inform the press later.”
On his part, the Rivers State Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Emecheta Chuku, explained that this is their first meeting with Governor Fubara to discuss the issue of the new minimum wage as approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Comrade Chuku pointed to the fact that the gracious approval of N85,000.00 new minimum wage is very appeasing to the labour leaders, adding that it demonstrates love for the workers.
He explained, “For the Governor to come, against all the crisis, against all the things that he is facing and more, to say he will pay N85,000.00 minimum wage, I think our hearts are full of joy.
“Of course, we have no doubt, knowing the kind of person we have as our Governor. He is a decent man; very responsible enough; and grew through the rank and file of the system. He understands what it takes to earn a living salary; he understands the difference between gifting money and paying somebody salary that can sustain him or her from the first day to the last day of the month.”
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State Chapter, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, noted that the amount approved by Governor Fubara puts Rivers State Government ahead of Lagos State as the highest minimum wage paying State to civil servants in Nigeria.
He stressed, “Why do I say that? Lagos State said N85,000.00 and Rivers State is paying N85,000.00. The IGRs of Lagos State and Rivers State are not the same. So, for the Governor to agree to pay the same rate with Lagos, that means we are at the top of it.
“We are the best, and we want to continue to commend the Governor. We assure him that, as far as this State is concerned, labour is going to stand with him. We will be with him even until the next eight years.
“I want to commend His Excellency, Executive Governor of Rivers State, our own Number One Worker in Rivers State, he has, once again, proven that the workers in Rivers State gave him an award on May Day as the Champion of Labour, as the Most Labour-Friendly Governor in Nigeria. He, again, has shown that to us today, and I want to commend him.”
He added that they were returning to the State Secretariat Complex to inform workers of the Governor’s magnanimity and benevolence towards civil servants in the State.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has felicitated Muslim faithful as they celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, urging them to show love, tolerance, perseverance, patriotism and commitment to the growth and development of the State.
Governor Fubara, in a message in Port Harcourt, the State capital, urged the Muslim Ummah to use the lessons of the 12th day of the third month of Rabi’ al-Awwal to reflect on the core teachings of the Holy Prophet, and interceed for one another as exemplified by the sacrifices He made for humanity.
The Governor charged the faithful in the State and across the country to commit to ensuring that they continue to benefit from the genuine policies and programmes of government put in place to make live easy for all living and doing business in the State, without discrimination.
He said, “I, on behalf of the government and good people of Rivers State, heartily felicitate all Muslim faithful on the occasion of the Eid-el-Maulud celebration, to honour the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and urge for prayers for the revival and unity of Nigeria.
“The occasion, yet again, provides an opportunity to reflect deeply on the need for greater application of the Prophet’s teachings bordering on piety, charity, patience, resilience, justice and peaceful coexistence,” he added.
Governor Fubara assured the Muslim community in Rivers State, and indeed, all residents of the resolve of his administration to sustain the tempo of providing critical projects and social services to improve the quality of life of the people.
