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Insecurity: Senate to Probe $500m Failed Abuja CCTV Contract

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Senate at plenary on Wednesday unanimously agreed to probe the $500 million contract for the installation of the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera awarded in 2015 but allegedly poorly implemented.

Insecurity: Senate to Probe $500m Failed Abuja CCTV Contract

The resolution of the Senate was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved as a point of order by Senator Ned Nwoko on the Galadimawa kidnapping tragedy.

The upper chamber called on Chief Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to investigate the implementation of the contract.

Nwoko, in his lead debate, expressed concern on recent kidnapping incidents in Galadimawa area of the FCT, involving multiple individuals, including Mr. Chris Agidy, his senior legislative aide.

He said two weeks ago, a distressing incident unfolded, where 19 individuals were forcefully taken from their homes in Galadimawa area of Abuja.

Nwoko said upon receiving the distressing news, immediate measures were taken, adding that he contacted the Commissioner of Police who swiftly activated the OC Anti-Kidnapping team to secure the release of those abducted.

He, however, expressed regret that distressing updates from reliable police sources confirmed that out of the 19 individuals abducted, 12 have been killed, while seven remained in the custody of the kidnappers.

He said efforts to ascertain the well-being and status of his staff, among the seven individuals still held, was ongoing.

Nwoko said there was a close coordination with the security operatives who have been diligently working on the matter.

He, however, said the challenges persist, as contacting the kidnappers for negotiation has proven immensely difficult.

He said: “Their lines remain inactive, hindering direct communication and negotiation efforts.

“According to security operatives, efforts are still focused on securing the remaining individuals held captive from the forested area approximately 100 km away, despite the daunting challenges faced in reaching the kidnappers.

“As we await further updates from the authorities, we remain resolute in our pursuit of a swift and safe resolution to this distressing situation.”

Contributing, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA- Abia) said kidnapping was not just in Galadimawa alone, but also in Lugbe, Kubwa Kuje and other parts of the FCT.

He said many residents in these areas no longer sleep in their homes for fear of being kidnapped.

He said there was an urgent need for the Senate to take the issue seriously as FCT and its environs were under seige of kidnapping.

Senator Adamu Alero (PDP-Kebbi) said insecurity was everywhere in the FCT, adding that urgent steps needed to be taken to put a halt to it.

He called for a revisiting of the $500 million contract awarded for the installation of CCTV cameras in the FCT in the past.

Alero said it was a shame and national embarrassment for kidnapping activities to be happening in the FCT, adding that the National Assembly had approved over N1 trillion for security agencies to fight insecurity in Nigeria.

Senate in its further resolutions, called for a joint operation involving the Army, police and DSS to intenify search efforts for the kidnapped victims.

It also urged the Minister of FCT to revisit the installation of CCTV contract award within Abuja where over $500 million had been spent and make the contractor accountable.

It also called on the Inspector General of Police (IG) to increase the surveillance patrols in Abuja to prevent kidnapping.

Senate also called on the IG to conduct thorough investigation into the kidnappings in Abuja.

It also mandated its committees on security to enforce a robust security measures within Abuja and prevail on security agencies to consider installation of the CCTV cameras within specific areas in Abuja and other parts of the country.

It also urged its committees on FCT to liaise with the FCT Minister on ways to resolve insecurity in Abuja.

 

 


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PalmPay, Jumia Reward Users in Festive Campaign

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This holiday season just got a whole lot more exciting! PalmPay, one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, operates Nigeria’s most used mobile wallet and has teamed up with Jumia, the continent’s e-commerce giant, to launch a festive campaign that’s all about convenience, rewards, and enhancing your shopping experience.

Running from December 11th to 28th, 2024, this holiday campaign is set to reward shoppers who use the new “Pay with PalmPay” feature on Jumia with cash prizes. Every purchase made using the direct payment method automatically enters participants into a draw, giving them a chance to win exciting cash rewards while enjoying the seamless shopping and payment process.

A Strategic Partnership To Enhance Digital Payments

The integration of the “Pay with PalmPay Wallet” feature on Jumia marks a major milestone in the partnership between the two industry leaders.

Speaking at the media announcement, Mr. Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay, highlighted the broader mission driving this collaboration: “We are thrilled to join forces with Jumia to redefine convenience for shoppers. At PalmPay, our mission has always been to drive economic empowerment through accessible and user-friendly financial services. This partnership is a natural step forward in achieving that goal.”

Beyond the holidays, this partnership with Jumia m,k is a signal of bigger things to come. Mr. Chika added: “This is more than just about payments—it’s about creating value for our customers. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will unlock in 2025, including campaigns and innovative initiatives that will further transform the online shopping landscape.”

Sunil Natraj, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, highlighted the shared vision between both companies, stating: “At Jumia, we are dedicated to creating value for our customers by ensuring a convenient, reliable, and secure shopping experience. This partnership with PalmPay strengthens our commitment to enhancing the digital payments within our platform. By integrating PalmPay, we are providing more options for customers to access affordable and quality goods with the convenience of cashless transactions.”

How to Join the Holiday Fun

Participating in the campaign is simple. When shopping on Jumia, select the “Pay with PalmPay” option at checkout, and your entry into the draw is automatic. It’s that easy!

Bonus Entry: Share a screenshot of your purchase on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #PalmPayXJumia to increase your chances of winning. Additional winners will be selected from participants engaging with the campaign on Twitter.

Whether you are shopping for gifts, or gadgets this festive season, PalmPay and Jumia are making sure your experience is not only seamless but also rewarding.

To learn more about the campaign, stay tuned to the official  X accounts (formerly Twitter) of @palmpay_ng and @JumiaNigeria. for updates, announcements, and more chances to win.


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Corruption: ICPC Threatens Sanctions as 330 MDAs Fail Financial, Governance Tests

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Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), has revealed that none of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in the country complied fully with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures in the passing year.

Corruption: ICPC Threatens Sanctions as 330 MDAs Fail Financial, Governance Tests

This was following the findings from the Commission’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) for the MDAs.

The Commission warned that henceforth, non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives.

According to the EICS scorecard released on Thursday in Abuja by Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, no MDA out of 330 MDAs that were assessed through physical deployment by ICPC teams achieved full compliance.

The EICS serves as a preventive tool used to assess and enhance the compliance of MDAs with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures.

Findings from the report indicated that no MDA achieved full compliance, while 29.55 per cent of MDAs captured attained substantial compliance, and 51.62 per cent had partial compliance.

The report also observed that 15.91 per cent showed poor compliance, while 292 per cent were non-compliant.

According to the report, common gaps included a lack of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units, adding that many MDAs failed to conduct any forms of system studies or render financial and audit reports.

Commenting on the report, Bakare noted: “This year, 2024, the tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, with 15 MDAs non-responsive and categorised as high corruption risk.

“It is imperative to inform you that this initiative has yielded some positive and value-driven impacts, and these are, but not limited to, increased awareness and compliance with anti-corruption measures, enhanced competition among MDAs to meet criteria, and improved procurement processes and data reliability.

“The Commission recognises the MDAs with substantial compliance and will continue deploying these tools to promote integrity and accountability.

“Non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives. We are certain that these efforts will continue to underline ICPC’s dedication to enhancing good governance and preventing corruption.”


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Dangote Refinery Denies Liquidity Challenges, Dismisses NNPCL’s $1Bn Loan Claim

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has dismissed claims that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) used a $1 billion loan secured through a crude forward sale agreement to support the refinery during a liquidity crisis.

Dangote Refinery Denies Liquidity Challenges, Dismisses NNPCL’s $1Bn Loan Claim

In a statement on Wednesday, Anthony Chiejina, company’s chief branding and communications officer, said the NNPCL’s stance was a distortion of the facts.

“We would like to clarify that this is a misrepresentation of the situation as $1bn is just about 5% of the investment that went into building the Dangote Refinery,” Chiejina said.

Chiejina stated that the refinery’s decision to enter into a partnership with the NNPCL was based on the recognition of “their strategic position in the industry as the largest offtaker of Nigerian crude” and at the time, the sole supplier of petrol into Nigeria.

“We agreed on the sale of a 20% stake at a value of $2.76 billion. Of this, we agreed that they will only pay $1 billion while the balance will be recovered over a period of 5 years through deductions on crude oil that they supply to us and from dividends due to them,” Chiejina said.

“If we were struggling with liquidity challenges we wouldn’t have given them such generous payment terms. As at 2021 when the agreement was signed, the refinery was at the pre-commission stage.”

According to the statement, the agreement would have been cash-based rather than credit-driven if the refinery struggled with liquidity issues.

The refinery’s spokesman said the NNPCL was subsequently unable to supply the agreed 300,000 barrels a day of crude (bpd).

He stated that the shortfall was because the NNPPC “had committed a greater part of their crude cargoes to financiers with the expectation of higher production which they were unable to achieve”.

“We subsequently gave them a 12-month period for them to pay cash for the balance of their equity given their inability to supply the agreed crude oil volume,” he said.

“NNPCL failed to meet this deadline which expired on June 30th 2024. As a result, their equity share was revised down to 7.24%. These events have been widely reported by both parties,” he said.


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