19102020 - #EndSARS: Stop Army's planned Op Crocodile Smile

8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
:Vanguard News
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Police recruitment: IGP files 20
grounds of appeal at S'Court
By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
ABUJA—THE Inspector-
General of Police, Mr.
Mohammed Adamu has filed 20
grounds of appeal at the Supreme
Court to challenge the judgement
that voided the recruitment of
10,000 constables by the Nigeria
Police Force, NPF, last year.
The IGP, NPF and Federal
Ministry of Police
Affairs, through their lawyer, Dr.
Alex Izinyon, SAN, urged the
apex court to set-aside a judgment
the Abuja Division of the Court
of Appeal delivered on September
30, which invalidated the
recruitment process.
The appellants further prayed
the Supreme Court to stay the
execution of the verdict of the
appellate court.
A three-man panel of the Court
of Appeal led by Justice Olabisi
Ige had in the contested
judgment, unanimously held
that the IGP and NPF lacked the
power to recruit the constables.
The appellate court held that
the power to carry out the
recruitment was exclusively
vested on the Police Service
Commission.
Consequently, the appellate
court not only vacated an earlier
judgment of the Federal High
Court Abuja that upheld the
power of the IGP to carry out the
recruitment exercise, it voided the
actual recruitment of the 10,000
constables.
Meanwhile, insisting that the
170 vigilante members killed
in Niger
By Wole Mosadomi
M hundred INNA—ONE
and seventy
members of Vigilante group have
been confirmed killed in the fight
against insurgency this year in
Niger State.
Some of those identified to have
lost their lives include Alhaji
Dan Asabe Mariga, AlhTukur
Karanbana, Magaji Dangata Liyo
Gudaci, Tanko Gurmana and
Aminu Bassa, among others.
The state commander of the
group, Malam Nasir Mohammed
Manta, who disclosed this while
addressing newsmen in Minna
weekend, also said members of
his group in retaliation, killed
and arrested many bandits
Reps begin review of Aviation
laws tomorrow
By Tordue Salem
A House
BUJA—THE
of
Representatives Committee on
Aviation will on Tuesday, October
20, commence amendments to
six Civil Aviation Acts.
A three-day public hearing has
been declared for the six executive
bills brought to the National
Assembly.
The bills seek to amend the
laws establishing the Nigerian
Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA,
Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria,, FAAN, Nigerian
Airspace Management Agency,
NAMA, Nigerian College of
Aviation Technology, NCAT,
Zaria, Air Accident Investigation
Bureau, AIB, and the Nigerian
process had already been
concluded, the appellants, argued
that the power of the NPF and
the IGP to enlist the constables
was distinct from the power of the
PSC to appoint them.
They faulted the Court of
Appeal’s decision that the Nigeria
Police Regulations 1968
conferring the power of
“enlistment of recruit constables”
conferred on the NPF, was
inconsistent with the Nigerian
Constitution.
The IGP told the Supreme
Court that section 71 of the Police
Regulation, 1968 was not
synonymous with the power of
“appointment” used in the
Nigerian Constitution or the
Police Service Commission
(Establishment) Act.
“The power to enlist recruit
constables conferred on the 1st
appellant (NPF) is distinct and is
not the same function conferred
on the 1st respondent (PSC),” his
lawyer, Izinyon, SAN, argued.
He contended that the
procedure for enlistment of recruit
constables was specifically
provided in section 76 – 106 of
the Nigeria Police Regulations,
adding that the PSC “is not
conferred with absolute power on
any power howsoever described
to enlist recruit constables into
the 1st appellant (NPF).”
He also argued that the Court
of Appeal erred in law by relying
on the definition of “recruitment”
contained in Public Service Rules
2008, which he contended was
not applicable to Police Force.
while defending their local
government areas.
Those arrested, according to
him, have been handed over to
the Police for investigation and
prosecution.
He, however, said that despite
the recorded death of his
members across the state, the
group would not relent in its effort
towards defending the state by
waging total war against the
bandits and also work hand in
hand with other security
agencies, including the Army,
Police and Civil Defence.
On the proliferation of
voluntary security outfit, Manta
stressed the need for Niger State
government to collapse them into
one under the same umbrella to
avoid duplication and
unnecessary wrangling.
Meteorological Agency, NIMET.
The chairman, House of
Representatives Committee on
Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, said:
“Aviation as a dynamic industry,
requires constant review of
enabling status to ensure the
country keeps to standard.
“I understand that the last
review was done about fourteen
years ago (2006) and l can tell
you that within this period, a lot
of changes have happened
globally and this must have
necessitated the proposed review
from the executive arm,”
Nnaji appealed to critical
stakeholders and the members
of the public, especially frequent
air travellers/ aviation community
to make time to either attend or
send well-articulated memoranda
that will guide the legislators in
amending the Acts.
VISIT: From left; Mr. Abu Ibraheem; Sen. Muhammad Ali Saif; Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Senate of Pakistan, Sen. Mushahid Hussain Sayed; ex-Deputy President of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; Sen. Talha
Mehmud; and the Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan to Nigeria, Mr. Aamir Habib Abbasi, when a delegation
of the National Parlliament of Pakistan, which was in Nigeria to seek support for its candidate for the presidency
of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, paid Ekweremadu a visit at his Abuja residence at the weekend.
Reps gazette Water Resources Bill for
re-introduction
By Tordue Salem
ABUJA—THE House of
Representatives has
gazetted the controversial
National Water Resources Bill,
2020, preparatory to its second
presentation for reconsideration,
a source at the Rules and Business
Committee told Vanguard at the
weekend.
Staff of the committee, who
confirmed said the bill would now
be re-presented, having been
gazetted.
He also disclosed that the
Northern caucuses of the House
and the Senate, herdsmen groups
and other Northern leaders were
pushing for the bill.
The bill was rejected on Tuesday,
September 29 by a majority in the
Green Chamber, but the cosponsor
of the polarising piece of
legislation, Abubakar Fulata
(APC-Jigawa), who doubles as the
Chairman, Committee on Rules
and Business, quickly set back to
business to rework and
reintroduce the bill.
One of the key sponsors is Sada
Soli (APC-Katsina).
The legislative instrument,
which has faced stiff opposition
from groups across the country, it
was learned a few days ago, is being
pushed by the Northern caucuses
of both Houses of the National
Assembly, Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breeders Association, associated
herder groups, Ministry of Water
Resources and mostly Northern
leaders.
Recall that the House was
thrown into turmoil on Tuesday,
while considering a Matter of
Privilege, raised by Benjamin
Mzondu (PDP-Benue) to be heard
on the contentious National Water
Resources Bill, 2020.
Mzondu’s motion sought the
withdrawal of bill, owing to the
public outcry against it and its
breach of House’ Rules.
Presenting his motion under
Matter of Privilege, Mzondu had
cited Order 6, Rule 1(1), 2 and 3, as
he argued forcibly against the
transmission of the bill to the
Senate and its finally becoming
law.
He had said: “I wish to refer to
Order 6, Rule 1(1), 2 and 3 and
Order 12, Rule 18 to state that I
was deprived of my legislative
privilege of sighting gazetted copy
of the National Water Resources
BillHB 921, and such could not
•As Northern NASS caucus, regional groups insist on
passage
participate in the consideration of
the report by the Committee of
the Whole, which also deprived
me of my rights and privilege of
representation to my people.
“Mr. speaker, colleagues, it is in
the effort to eliminate the
‘Element of Surprise', that the
House in its wisdom, included in
its standing rule that every bill
must be gazetted or clean copies
circulated. It is important to note
that the word emphasized here,
is ‘gazette’, which means
appearing in the Bills Journal of
the House.
“The words used are clear and
unambiguous, they ought to be
given their ordinary meaning,
as stated. Mr. speaker,
colleagues, I was misled by the
use of order 12, Rule 18 of our
Standing Orders. Mr. speaker,
colleagues, it is an issue of law
and procedure and Mr speaker,
the onus of interpretation lies
with you. Where the Bill was
2019 Financials: NNPC at risk of bankruptcy,
auditors, corporation’s management warn
By Michael Eboh
A
B U J A —
INDEPENDENT
auditors and management of the
Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC, have raised
doubts over the ability of the
corporation to continue as a going
concern, following rising losses
and negative capital as a result of
excess of liabilities over its assets
as stated in its recently published
2019 Audited Financial
Statement.
In the financial statement
obtained weekend, auditors of the
national oil firm disclosed that
material uncertainty exists that
cast significant doubts on the
ability of the NNPC to escape
bankruptcy.
According to Investopedia,
going concern is an accounting
term for a company that has the
resources needed to continue
operating indefinitely until it
provides evidence to the contrary.
“This term also refers to a
company’s ability to make enough
money to stay afloat or to avoid
bankruptcy. If a business is not a
going concern, it means it has
gone bankrupt and its assets were
liquidated.” It explained.
labeled as Bill 2020, it was not
considered at such.
“The laws lay, on your shoulder
to interpret these rules as stated
in Order 7 Rule 1(7). It is important
to emphasize that I have
painstakingly searched through
all the journals of the House, and
cannot find where the bill is
gazetted and I stand to be
challenged or corrected.
“The next question for your
consideration, Mr speaker, deals
with jurisdiction, whether the
House has such powers to
entertain a bill, such proceedings
become a nullity, ab initio no
matter how conducted and
decided.
“So, having not met this
condition, I wish to move, relying
on Order8 Rule 8 and the above
stated rules, that ‘the House
does rescind/expunge its
decision of July 23, 2020,
which adopted the National
Water Resources Bill, 2020
HB921 to have been read the
Third time from our records.”
His latter prayers were
granted, after a prolonged
debate from both sides of the
legislative divide, as the speaker
ordered withdrawal of the bill.
“Fundamental issues have
been raised by Mzondu. He has
backed them up with a clear
language that such bills must be
re-gazetted,” had Gbajabiamila
said, while the deputy speaker of
the House, Idris Wase, who
argued against Mzondu’s
position, stressed that the bill
followed due process in its
passage.
Wase’s argument was
buttressed by sponsor of the bill,
Sada Soli (APC-Katsina) and
chairman of the Rules and
Business Committee, Hassan
Fulata (APC-Jigawa).
Lawmakers, led by Kingsley
Chinda (PDP-Rivers), however,
put up a strong defence for
Mzondu’s submission, leading to
the decision of the speaker to
order the withdrawal of the bill
for fresh gazetting.
•Losses accumulate to N1.5trn
The NNPC auditors comprise
international auditing and
financial advisory firm,
Pricewaterhouse Coopers, as well
as indigenous accounting firms,
SIAO Partners and Muhtari
Dangana & Co.
The auditors gave an
unmodified opinion and drew
attention to the fact that the
NNPC Group and Corporation
recorded net losses of N1.8 billion
and N107.8 billion respectively in
2019; compared to N803.1 billion
and N254 billion in 2018,
respectively, while its current
liabilities exceed its current assets
by N4.4 trillion and N1.1 trillion
for the Group and Corporation
respectively, compared to N3.3
trillion and N968.7 billion in 2018,
respectively.
Specifically, NNPC Group and
Corporation’s current assets,
according to the financial
statement, stood at N5.3 trillion
and N4.5 trillion in 2019, while
total current liabilities stood at
N9.7 trillion and N5.6 trillion
respectively.
In 2018, NNPC Group and
Corporation’s total current assets
stood at N5.4 trillion and N4.8
trillion respectively, while total
current liabilities stood at N8.7
trillion and N5.7 trillion
respectively.
Accumulated losses
Furthermore, in the financial
statement, the management of
the national oil firm, revealed
that the NNPC Group and
Corporation had sustained
recurring losses over the years,
which had culminated into
accumulated losses of
approximately N1.5 trillion and
N474 billion, compared to N1.6
trillion and N490.7 billion for the
Group and Corporation in 2018,
respectively.
The NNPC management said:
“The Group and Corporation both
continue to incur losses. These
events or conditions indicate that
a material uncertainty exists that
may cast significant doubt on the
Group and Corporation’s ability
to continue to as a going
concern, and therefore, may
be unable to realize its assets
and discharge its liabilities in the
normal course of business.''