NSA tasks Reps on solutions to Naria crisis

By Christiana Ekpa

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mongunu on Thursday appealed to the House of Representatives to evolve practicable solutions to the attendant economic crisis arising from the scarcity of the redesigned naira notes.

Babagana who appeared before the House of Representatives adhoc committee on the fiscal policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said his office was also working on measures to assist the House in tackling the problem.

Recall that the committee in continuation of its meeting had invited the minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed, the Managing Director, Nigerian Security, Minting and Printing Company, Ahmed Halilu and the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Professor Mamoud Yakubu and the Director of Currency Operations in the CBN to appear before it on Thursday, but the invitees took excuses for their absence.

Represented by Rear Admiral Abubakar A. Mustapha, a director in charge of the secretariat that conducts general security appraisal of committee with special focus on elections and other security situations exigencies in his office, the NSA said that the policy was affecting military operations in some areas, stressing that some soldiers on the battle fronts were having financial difficulties.

Speaking shortly before the press was excused for a closed door session, Mongunu said “I am the Director at the office of the NSA. My mandate in the office actually is defence affairs.

“We actually chair the secretariat that conducts general security appraisal Committee which specifically focuses on elections and other security situations that might come up from time to time. I want to also apologize on behalf of my boss who is unavoidably absent. He left the country yesterday on a very special meeting and because he holds this committee in very high esteem he called and directed that I represent him. So, there is no written mandate. It was a verbal instruction that was given to me to attend this committee because he said somebody must attend. He understands the severity of the situation in the country and that is why he said someone must attend.

“Because of the sensitive of some of the information that will come bothering on security, there are things you cannot say in the media. But that being said, globally, military operations even in the first world countries, such policies if not well thought out will affect some certain things because some of our soldiers are deployed in places where they cannot actually access digital means of paying whatever daily subsistence. One of the main issues that the NSA has been talking about is that this committee sits down and articulate better ways of addressing these issues and he has directed committee in his office which I am part of to write out his position to assist the committee to meet its mandate. On more detailed level, I will be able to talk to the the committee when the press leave”.

Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the committee, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa said the meeting was in line with the mandate given to them by the House to interface with relevant agencies on the naira redesign.

He said that the CBN policy was unpopular and had subjected Nigerian to untold hardships, adding that it was a threat to the general elections.

He said “For the records, this is a continuation of our duties and obligations as an Adhoc Committee of the House of Representatives in the specified matter of redesigned naira notes and swap policy of the federal government. I believe members would recall that on the last day of our sitting before we went for break, on the submission of our report, the House through the Speaker gave this committee an extended mandate to continue to follow up this matter so as to see to the implementation of this very important policy effective.

“We are therefore mandated to continue to follow up not only with the CBN as an agency or as a major regulator of our financial system but to follow up with all other relevant agencies that may have fallen in one way or the other important in the discussions before us.

By Albert Akota

The Shehu of Borno Alhaji

Abubakar Umar-Garbai ElKanemi has commended the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for setting up the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-NE), saying it was in the interest of the region.

The monarch made this commendation during a courtesy visit by the members of the panel to his palace.

While expressing delights at the visit, he said the Emirate is worried about the Reuters’ report, describing it as capable of distracting the military from carrying out its operations which according to him have brought relative peace to Borno state and the North East region in general.

“We are happy with the setting up of the panel by the government, it is a relief to us because we are hopeful that it will get to the root of the matter and unravel the truth,” he stated.

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The General Manager, Dangote Sugar (North) Abdulsalam Waya has assured Nigerians that the Dangote refinery will address the perennial fuel scarcity as it will complement the government’s effort in making the products available to Nigerians.

He asserted this during the ‘Dangote Day’ at the 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair recently.

According to him, the 650,000 barrels per day, refinery will also curb the long queues in filling stations, the selling of the products at exorbitant prices and hoarding if they take off.

Waya disclosed that Dangote refinery will commence production soon, adding that in a couple of months the refinery will be committed to start production.

Waya who is representing the Dangote Group also said the company is the biggest employer of labour outside the government, saying, the company has touched the lives of millions of Nigerians in many ways with its products.