News

Reps C’ttee Queries Abuja Park and Pay Arrangement, 60% Revenue Share To Concessionaires

Published

4 months ago

July 25, 2024

By Gloria Ikibah

The house of representatives has berated the Park and Pay arrangement of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) which was stopped by a court of law in 2014 but reintroduced in 2023.

In an interactive session with the Mandate Secretary of Transport Secretariat, on Tuesday in Abuja, the House Committee on Federal Capital Territory stated that residents and motorists are being harassed by those employed to enforce the policy.

Naijablitznews.com reports that the FCTA reintroduced the park and pay policy into the nation’s capital in August, 2023, after signing an agreement with two concessionaires. The policy was aimed at decongesting the city and make motoring a more pleasant experience.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that the policy was suspended in April 2014 after a high court judgement stopped the FCTA from collecting fees from residents for on-and-off the street parking within the metropolis, the court ruled that the policy was not backed by law.

Chairman of the Committee, Muktar Betara, directes details on how the reintroduced park and pay arrangement was established, who authorised it, and how remittances are made to the coffers of the FCDA be made available to the committee.

Responding, Elechi said the policy is regulated and supported by a legal framework and that only designated areas serve as parking zones.

“The park and pay is by regulation. We have legal framework. It is part of the ways of controlling traffic. So, under the part and pay, designated areas are meant to be parks. So, it is legal.

“It is (revenue) paid through concessionaires. There is usually a ration between the concessionaires and the FCT. So, for areas where we have the concessionaires, there is a percentage that goes to the concessionaires. It is 60 percent and 40 percent goes to FCT. The infrastructures for the work is usually provided by the concessionaire. It (revenue) goes straight to the revenue account of the FCT not transportation”, he said.

The Chairman further queried the contract process, “How was the contract established? In appointing your concessionaires, what procedure did you follow? How much has been remitted to the FCDA from January to date Who gave you the approval” Betara asked.

In response, Director of Legal Services, Hussaina Olayemi, explained that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and Abuja Investment Company (AIC), and all FCT organisation responsible for public-private partnerships, were involved.

“After their involvement, the concession was submitted to the federal executive council (FEC) for approval. So, we have the FEC approval,” Olayemi stated.

The committee queried the FCDA for allocating 60 percent of revenue to concessionaires while the government receives only 40 percent, demanding clarification on what infrastructure the concessionaires are providing.

But the Mandate Secretary stated that the concessionaire w

s responsible for marking roads. However, the committee chair countered, asserting that no roads in Abuja have been marked by the concessionaire.

“They way they (concessionaires) operate in Abuja, they harass people on the streets. Il would have advised you people to have given the VIO this concessionaire. Let them take up this so that the whole revenue would go to FCT. Why are you personalizing this for an individual,” Betara said.

The committee ruled that, on the next appearance, the mandate secretary should bring a copy of the agreement with the concessionaires and details of the remittances received from January to date.

ABANDONED MOTOR PARKS

The committee also questioned the FCDA officials over abandoned motor parks in the nation’s capital.

A member of the committee, Paschal Agbodike, expressed concerns over the condition of the Nyanya park.

“When motorists don’t have parks, they operate anyhow. We noticed that the Nyanya park has been abandoned. When are you going to address this, and what caused its abandonment? he asked.

In response, Elechi said the park has not been abandoned, and that government was taking one project at time, with initial focus on rails.

“Nyanya park is not abandoned. We cannot do everything at the same time. When we came on board, the rail was a priority, but now our attention has shifted to the development of parks. We are currently focusing fully on the bus terminal,” he said.

The committee also sought details on the financial allocations and expenditures for various projects. However, the transport officials struggled to provide concrete figures.

Rep. Kama Nkemkanma pressed for specifics on the budget for road mapping from the airport to the city center, while Betara questioned the transport director about the funds provided in 2022 and 2023.

The Mandate Secretary and Director of Finance could not provide specific figures on the various projects.

“It is quite unfortunate that everybody keeps saying they can’t remember the figure. You are the CEO. It is not good for us, and it is not good for the committee and your agency. We are talking about Nyanya park here, and a lot of money has been expended, but there is nothing to show for it. Even the committee knows how much was budgeted for this particular project. This does not speak well. If you don’t know the figures, how then can you manage the whole of Abuja? It’s impossible,” Nkemkanma said

The committee directed that a a comprehensive report detailing the total budget and expenditures for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024 be made available to facilitate proper scrutiny and oversight.

News

Change Negative Narrative About EFCC Being Used For Settling Political Scores- Reps

Published

3 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Austin Ojomah

………Ask Anti Graft Agency To Fight Financial Crimes Within Established Laws

.
……My Staff Are Poorly Paid, EFCC

…., States Why Fight Against Yahoo Boys Fierce

The House of Representatives has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to purge itself from the negative impression that its being used to settle political scores and concentrate fighting financial and economic crimes within established laws.

The House handed the advise on Tuesday through the Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes Honorable Ginger Onwusibe who led members of the committee on the 2024 oversight exercise on the commission.

The oversight covered extensive facility tour of departments and critical operational units of the antigraft agency.

In his terse remarks, Hon. Onwusibe challenged the agency to improve its operational activities in combating economic and financial crimes by complying with its 2004 Establishment Act and other relevant applicable laws like the Money Laundering ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: Terrorism ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: The Proceeds of Crime Act. 2022, as well as other statutes, that compels it to carry out these roles transparently with accountability and show that the negative maxim being peddled in some quarters that the agency is often being used for settling political scores is incorrect .

The committee assured that it will collaborate with the commission to actualize its mandate by enacting new laws or amending old ones and as well providing budgetary interventions, if it must strive tirelessly to be on top of its challenges

The House urged the agency to collaborate with sister agencies and desist from keeping suspects as- awaiting ‘trial in correctional centres nationwide

“At this point let me add that a recent visit to the Maximun and Minimun Correctional centres in Kirikiri Lagos State, numerous suspects have been awaiting trial for over one year and yet we are all acquainted with the saying that justice delayed is justice denied”

” It is on this note that we call on the EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation and the Judiciary to improve and ensure the administration of justice works and is efficiently delivered to the victims”

The House warned the agency to purge itself of rotten eggs in order to fight economic and financial crimes frontally, thereby stimulating the Nigerian economy

It also urged EFCC to focus properly on its mandate.

” The issue of appropriate and proper focusing on the mandate of the EFCC must relentlessly be on the front burner:

“Orders from competent courts , arrest and debt recovery must be pursued religiously” the House cautioned

But on its side, the antigraft agency said it has not deviated from its focus but rather working hard and fighting financial and economic crimes as enunciated in its mandate.

Chairman of the agency , Ola Olukeyede told his guest in his remarks during the oversight visit that the commission was doing much to fight financial and economic crimes and stimulate the Nigerian economy

He said so far that the agency has recovered over N250bn cash, tens of million of Dollars and other foreign currencies, with over 3000 convictions: 17000 petitions while also investigating over 20000,with about 4000 fresh cases , all being handled by a misery number of staff strenght

He noted that its priority is to improve the country’s image and stimulate its economy, such that there could be improvement in foregin direct investments and stimulation of the local economy.
Olukeyede however, argued that the agency needed more staff strenght, funding , better renumeration for staff because they were poorly paid. He also emphasised on modern day technology to fight the ever dynamic cyber criminals

According to the EFCC boss, it was important to give more salary to EFCC staff and deploy modern technology to fight emerging cyber crime dynamism . He expalined that the agency has increased efforts to fight Yahoo, yahhoo, boys because of their ability to crumble any economy within a twinkle of an eye

According to him, the agency was expanding its drag net to focus on ministries, departments and agencies infrastructural projects. ” “Go to MDAs and see their budget implementstion. It is not up to 20%”

“We want to ensure 50% infrastructural development” the anti graft boss announced, insisting that it would henceforth encourage monitoring of project implementation which was an aspect of preventing financial crimes

He said the agency has dismissed lots of erring staff, and will continue to dismiss and even prosecute them going forward.

Olukeyede disclosed that it had designed a template on staff integrity, using the Gift- Policy model

.” It is not every thankful gift we should collect” the EFCC boss warned

” I am advocating for more welfare improvement, better welfare, he said.

“We will do more recoveries, more convictions, but we need more resources to do our work, maintaining that, that was his stand on ethics and integrity .

Olokeyede’s demand for more salary wage for staff of the commission, is seen as an incentive to boost welfare and morale to fight financial crimes to standstill.

He stated that there was the utmost need to increase salaries of staff of the commission

The EFCC boss who spoke on his stewardship in the last one year, further added that it increased the war against Yahoo- Yahoo boys because of the consequences of their nefarious acts which could crumble a nation’s economy in a jiffy.

He argued that more technology was required to fight financial crimes.

For instance he explained that it was a common scenario then for thieves and armed robbers to attack and break into banks with guns and Dynamites

” But it is the same common and more easier scenario and task now to have Yahoo-Yahoo boys and bank thieves attack banks with technology in the comfort of their homes or hideouts”

“So we need technology and we also need to increase our fight against these Yahoo boys who can dismantle any economy within a twinkle of an eye

He called on the national Assembly to improve and increase its finances because fighting Financial crimes was a herculean task that requires adequate funding

Olokeyede who apparently was responding to criticisms of the commission’s over concentration on Cyber crimes/ thieves, perpetrated by Yahoo boys, said he has made tremendous impact in enforcement, investigation and conviction with an outstanding record convictions between October 2023 when he was appointed till date

News

Trouble looming for Obaseki as Gov Okpebholo orders probe of his admin

Published

5 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has ordered the setting up of a committee to probe the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki for its failure to inaugurate 14 Edo Assembly lawmakers-elect into the 7th Assembly.

Okpebholo disclosed this while giving his inaugural speech as the new governor of the state.

Governor Okpebholo also ordered the State Chief Judge to immediately investigate the initial delay of former Governor Obaseki to inaugurate duly-cleared judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last year

News

Naira may depreciate to N1,993 against dollar – Report

Published

5 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigeria’s naira has been projected to depreciate further to N1,993 per dollar in the coming days.

This is according to BMI, a Fitch Solutions subsidiary report title, ‘Weak Naira and Structural Challenges to Constrain Nigeria’s Medical Devices Market Growth’.

The report said the forecasted depreciation will be predicated on the 95 percent dependence on imports for pharmaceuticals in Nigeria.

According to the report, the development would erode both the health system and patient purchasing power.

“We expect that the naira will end 2028 at N1,993/$ from N306/$ in 2018.

“As the naira weakens, the cost of importing medical devices will continually increase, eroding both the health system and patient purchasing power, especially to invest in essential medical technologies given the underfunding of the public health sector,” the report stated.

This comes as Naira fell to N1681.42 and N1735 at the official and parallel foreign exchange markets on Monday.

This comes as FMDQ FX transaction turnover dropped significantly from $1.4 billion on Friday to $471.5 million on Monday.

Last Thursday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, said the country’s external reserves rose to $40 billion.

Despite Central Bank of Nigeria’s interventions and external reserves rise in the last months, the naira has continued to experience fluctuations in the FX market.