Dariye Is Plateau Political Leader and Jagaban-A.B.U NAPSS

The Executives of National Association Of Plateau State Students,Ahmadu Bello University Chapter paid a courtesy visit to Distinguished Senator Joshua Dariye and bestowed him with an award of excellence in service for his contributions towards students and the betterment of humanity in Plateau state and Nigeria. The Nappsites under the leadership of comrade Sani Adams Sani were elated to be honored by the senator with his presence as the President humbly submitted the students concern. "Sir You are the Plateau Political leader,Mentor and Jagaban,we are proud to have you as our elderstatesman not to only Plateau but Nigeria at large". In his remark, Senator Joshua Dariye charged the youths to always concentrate on their education as it is the bedrock for the emancipation of Plateau state. Dariye advised the youths to seize the advantage of the technological age to their advantage. He said youths should eschew making deregatory statements against their leaders on the social media but they should ask vital questions and suggestions that will lead to peace, harmony and development of the state devoid of religious, ethnic or tribal sentiments.

2019:HART THROWS HIS HAT IN THE RING FOR A SHOWDOWN WITH LALONG

Arc.Hart Bankat has joined the race of those aspiring for PDP ticket to challenge Lalong at the polls come 2019,Hart Bankat,who is from the central zone of Plateau state is not cowed by the general consensus of zoning where the Leading APC and most PDP leadership in the State believe in its sanctity to maintain status quo for southern Plateau to finish it's two tenure of eight years. In a statement released by the campaign organisation of Hart,the group highlights why Hart is positioned to clinch the PDP ticket. AS WE DECLARE TODAY... We wish to categorically thank God Almighty for allowing us see this day and as such, our joy knows no bounds for being amongst the living and importantly so, to be within a group who have dared to make an untold difference to our people, our nation and our collective destinies. We are grateful. Accordingly, We congratulate the leadership of our Great party for heeding to the yearnings of the true owners of democracy, "The People", by providing the platform for the tears, sorrows and frustration of our people to be eradicated with eligible alternatives and to that effect, we come with both arms to recognize their plights and take our dear State to the next and higher level. To our Millions of teeming supporters, The Women, the Children, the Young, the aged, the girl child, the sons, the workers, The underprivileged, the innovative and desirous, The Men of strength, vigor, faith and custodians of the Truth, with the wisdom of conscience and belief... We are indeed grateful for the feedbacks and motivation provided during the course of this struggle and above all, the kind prayers and well-wishes. We assure you that we have never been more hopeful than we are today, to take your interests to the next level as promised by our mantra, "GeneratioNEXT" as we believe and are motivated that "The future is NOW". Today, as we declare, we implore our supporters to be completely law abiding and recognize all the requirements of a peaceful and orderly conduct, as we understand the desire, passion, excitement and collective drive to achieving the dream whose time has come. Let's express our usual instincts of maturity and harmony. We are getting there and let's all do so together. We don't want to leave anyone behind in this. Only TOGETHER, we can make it work. Above all, to the General Public, we wish to clearly state that we are aware of the extant laws of our land and as law abiding citizens, we wish to mention that we are guided by the relevant laws acknowledging that the BAN on electioneering and campaign activities HAS NOT been lifted until 90 days before the elections which will stop 24 hours to the slated dates for same, and for that, we are mindful of the extent to which we have chosen to conduct our subsequent exercises. The event of today, is a humble and traditional "Expression of Interest" with the motive of answering the cry of our people through the right means. We have successfully conducted our WARD, LG, and ZONAL declarations with an unbelievable support base and today, we take it to the Summit of the Everest as we declare at the STATE LEVEL. Following the urgency and validity of the message we come with, we wish to relieve our Millions of supporters of the trending brain-wash going about statewide in some quarters where they have chosen to reduce the achievements of our State to a mere payment of salaries which we vehemently resist by letting every honest worker that it is within their rights to receive their dues and it is even instructed in our Holy Books that a worker must be paid his wages. And we still wish to liberate the minds of our people that with the loan packages and bailout funds accrued to the State for 3 years and counting, we are still yet to arrive at our point of destiny as a State. Previous regimes have never had it so luxurious as it is today, where we find prosperity just within a few individuals while the lives and welfare of our People in the rural areas is always hanging in the balance, constantly threatened by terrorists and marauders who are exploiting the docility of our politicians to seize our lands while elected officials are busy and distracted with re-election bids. People live in fear while the "Powerful" are relocating to foreign lands to squander our commonwealth. THIS MUST STOP! every Plateau life matter and their security must be paramount! Let us "NEVER REINFORCE FAILURE" Today, we shall release a mission and vision statement which will capture the true yearnings of our people. Though the journey may be uneasy, but with God Almighty behind us and the spilled blood of the innocent in our villages, WE SHALL PREVAIL. THE TIME AND FUTURE IS NOW! THE STRUGGLE IS REAL! And... A NEW PLATEAU IS POSSIBLE WITH Arc. HART BANKAT!!! With Love, From: THE OFFICE OF STRATEGY AND POLICY. ARC. HART BANKAT SUPPORT GROUP (HBSG)

DEMOCRACY DAY:FULL TEXT OF BUHARI'S SPEECH

Address by Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria In commemoration of the 2018 Democracy Day Celebration, Tuesday, 29Th May, 2018 My Dear Nigerians! Today marks the 19thyear of our nascent democracy and the 3rdAnniversary of this administration. I am thankful to Almighty God for bringing us thus far. This administration came at a time that Nigerians needed Change, the Change we promised and the Change we continue to deliver. We have faced a lot of challenges on this journey and Nigerians have stood by us in achieving the three cardinal points of this administration namely; Security, Corruption and the Economy. 2.The commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day is a celebration of freedom, a salute to the resilience and determination of Nigerians and a recommitment by Government to keep its promise to lead Nigeria into a new era of justice and prosperity. 3.Public safety and security remains the primary duty of this Government. Before this Administration came into being 3 years ago, Boko Haram held large areas of land spanning several Local Governments in the North East. 4.Today, the capacity of the insurgents has been degraded leading to the re-establishment of authority of government and the release of captives including, happily, 106 Chibok and 104 Dapchi girls, and over 16,000 other persons held by the Boko Haram. 5.In order to minimize the impact of the insurgency on Internally Displaced Persons, Government has established secure IDP Camps and has improved the mechanism for the distribution of basic aid, foods and essential commodities using various strategies in collaboration with local and international Organizations. 6.Efforts are in process for resettlement of IDPs in their home communities by providing schools, hospitals, clinics, water and sanitation to facilitate a quick return to economic activities. Government is similarly implementing de-radicalization and rehabilitation programmes to facilitate sustainable peace and development. 7.The unfortunate incidences of kidnappings, herdsmen and farmers clashes in several communities which have led to high number of fatalities and loss of properties across the country is being addressed and the identified culprits and their sponsors shall be made to face the full wrath of the law. All the three tiers of Government are presently engaged with communities and religious organizations to restore peaceful co-existence among Nigerians. 8.I want to commend members of the Multinational Joint Task Force drawn from Niger, Benin, Chad, Cameroon and our own country in collaboration with the International Community who are assisting in the fight against insurgency in the North East. I also commend the gallantry of members of our Armed Forces and other security agencies that have continued to provide security for lives and properties across the country. State and Local traditional authorities are helping with much needed intelligence in this fight against insurgency. 9.This administration is pained over the grievous loss of lives and properties occasioned by the carnage of insurgency and other forms of criminality in the country. I wish to assure Nigerians that we will not rest until all criminal elements and their sponsors are brought to justice. Government is boosting the capacity of our security agencies through recruitment of more personnel, training and procurement of modern equipment, enhancement of intelligence gathering as well as boosting their morale in the face of daunting challenges. 10.The Niger Delta Region has enjoyed relative peace through social inclusiveness and cooperation of the Elders and the good people of the region. Government is committed to implementing the comprehensive peace, security and development plan for the region. The environmental clean-up of the region which commenced with the launch in Bodo, Ogoni in June, 2016 is progressing satisfactorily. Furthermore farming assets are being revived and investors in cocoa and palm oil plantations are showing serious interest. 11.The second primary object of this Administration is to fight corruption headlong. Like I have always said, if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will destroy the country. Three years into this Administration, Nigerians and the international community have begun to applaud our policies and determination to fight corruption. We are more than ever before determined to win this war, however hard the road is. I therefore appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians to continue to support us in this fight. 12.Various policy measures already put in place to stem the tide of corrupt practices are yielding remarkable results. Some of these key reform policies include: a.The Treasury Single Account (TSA) has realized Billions of Naira being saved from maintenance fee payable to banks. N200 Billion has also been saved from elimination of ghost workers in public service. b.The Whistle-Blowing Policyhas helped to recover over N500 Billion; c.The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit set up with a mandate to validate controls, assess risks, prune personnel costs, ensure compliance with Public Financial Management reforms has helped to identify and remove over 52,000 ghost workers from the Federal Government MDAs Payroll; d.The Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) aimed at expanding tax education and awareness has offered the opportunity for tax defaulters to regularise their status in order to enjoy the amnesty of forgiveness on overdue interest, penalties and the assurance of non-prosecution or subject to tax investigations. e.The Sovereign Wealth Fund project portfolio has been expanded with an injection of US$650 million so as to strengthen its investment in local infrastructure, power, health, re-construction of Abuja-Kano road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, East West Road (Section V) and the Mambilla Hydro-electric Power project as well as the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge. 13.The fight against corruption through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has resulted in recoveries of Billions of Naira, as well as forfeiture of various forms of assets. This alongside other efforts has improved Nigeria’s international image and regional cooperation. 14.We have retained the services of one of the world’s leading assets tracing firms to investigate and trace assets globally. This is in addition to the exploitation of provisions of existing Treaties, Conventions as well as Bilateral Agreements with Multilateral bodies and Nations. Nigeria has also signed Mutual Legal Assistance Agreements to ensure that there is no hiding place for fugitives. 15.This Administration has therefore focused on revamping the ailing economy it inherited in 2015. In 2016, Government executed an expansionary budget and developed the Strategic Implementation Plan. For the first time, 30% of the budget was earmarked for capital expenditure which represents an upward review when compared with the 2015 budget. The SIP was followed by the development of a comprehensive medium term plan – the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017 – 2020. 16.The broad strategic objectives of the ERGP were to; Restore and sustain economic growth; Build a globally competitive economy; and Invest in our people. The implementation of the ERGP has started yielding results. The National Bureau of Statistics reports that the economy grew by 1.95% in 1stquarter 2018, which is a good performance when viewed against -0.91 in 1st quarter 2017 and -0.67% in 1st quarter 2016 respectively. 17.Our foreign reserve has improved significantly to 47.5 billion USD as of May, 2018 as against 29.6 billion USD in 2015. The inflationary rate has consistently declined every month since January, 2017. 18.Recently, Government conducted Focus Labs in three key sectors of the Economy namely, Agriculture & Transport, Manufacturing and Processing as well as Power and Gas. These have yielded significant prospects for investments and Job creation to the tune of US$ 22.5 billion with a potential for creating more than 500,000 jobs by 2020. These investment generation initiatives are expected to increase capital inflows in the form of foreign direct investment. There is a high prospect that the cumulative investments from this first phase of the Labs will hit US$39.2 billion by 2025. 19.Under agriculture, Nigeria continues to pursue a strategic food security programme built around self-sufficiency and minimization of import dependency. As a result, rice importation from other countries has been cut down by 90% which has a direct impact on foreign reserves. 20.The Social Investment Programmes (SIP) has been created as a means to graduating our citizens from poverty through capacity building, investment and direct support. The major strategic objective is to restore livelihood, economic opportunities and sustenance for the poor across the country. The SIP programmes and projects include: a.Home Grown School Feeding Programme – About 8.2 million pupils are currently being fed from 24 States of the Federation with over 75,000 Catering Staff engaged under the programme. b.The Conditional Cash Transfer has so far recorded over 297,000 caregivers and being trained by 2,495 Community Facilitators in 21 states. Less privileged Nigerians are now being paid N5,000 monthly stipend in 9 pilot States of Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Osun and Oyo. Eventually the scheme will cover all the 36 states of the federation including the FCT. c.Under the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme – About 264,269 loans had been disbursed to 4,822 societies in the 36 States and FCT, while another 370,635 are awaiting release of funds. d.N-Power Job creation Scheme – is targeted at providing jobs for unemployed young graduates and has so far recruited 200,000 youths while the next batch of 300,000 have been selected, verified and would soon be deployed across the 36 States and the FCT. Furthermore, 20,000 non-graduate volunteers have also been selected to kick off the N-Build programme in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria. 21.In the area of power generation, Nigerians from all parts of the country continue to report better power supply and less use of generators. This underscores the effectiveness of the methodical plan to deliver incremental and uninterrupted power supply to our homes, markets, offices and factories. 22.The country achieved 5, 222.3 MW representing the highest peak of power generated onto the national grid and delivered to customers in December, 2017. With new facilities, repairs and rehabilitations by Government and private investors, generation capability now exceeds 7,500 MW. 23.This Administration is committed to lawful interventions to ensure the operators of the distribution business live up to expectations especially in the areas of distribution capacity, service delivery, collection efficiency, and metering to eliminate contentious estimated billing. 24.The Transportation Sector continues to undergo a series of reforms in order to sustain the international best practices and ensure safety and security. The nation’s major airports have witnessed reconstruction of runways, installation of navigational equipment and new international terminals due for commissioning in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Enugu. Bilateral Air Services Agreements between Nigeria and the Governments of other countries will significantly open up new flight routes. 25.As a result of strict regulatory and compliance policies, Nigeria retained her Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 status, after a routine international audit. Recently, a new Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility with capacity for aircraft C-checks and other comprehensive levels of maintenance was established in Lagos. This would save the country an estimated $90m annually. 26.Giant strides have been recorded over the past three years to improve road transport infrastructure in all geopolitical zones of the country. 27.The Railway Sector has also received tremendous attention as this Administration is committed to the goal of linking all State capitals in the Federation by rail network to ease the movement of goods and passengers. 28.The Education Sector especially at tertiary level has continued to witness expansion in order to improve access to higher education by millions of youths in Nigeria. Over the last three years, Government has approved the establishment of 1 new Federal Polytechnic, granted licenses for the establishment of 4 State and 14 private-owned Universities as well as 12 private Polytechnics. 29.Government has also continued to support the implementation of various initiatives aimed at improving the quality of Basic Education delivery. Thus, it has ensured proper funding at the Basic Education level with the disbursement of N42.2 billion UBE Matching Grant to 26 States and the FCT, N851.5 million Special Education Grant disbursed to 23 States and private providers of Special Education and N2.2 billion Teachers Professional Development Fund to 33 States and the FCT. 30.The Federal Government has continued to support fiscal sustainability at the sub-national governments through the implementation of the Budget Support Facility which was accompanied by the 22- point Fiscal Sustainability Plan. Thus, bailouts funds were made available to States to ease their fiscal challenges and other obligations including payment of salaries. 31.In addition, a total of 73 Ecological Fund projects for the control of gully erosion in different communities across all geopolitical zones have been completed in the last three years and are undergoing commissioning while 53 other projects are ongoing. The execution of these projects has generated 357 skilled jobs and 1,350 unskilled jobs during this period. 32.It is pertinent to also make mention of the immeasurable contributions of the Nigerian woman to national development and advancement of democracy, over the last three years. The government and people appreciate you all as mothers of our great country. 33.My dear country men and women, as we all celebrate our democratic experience, let us resolve to avoid hatred and intolerance; we can only achieve our objectives in an atmosphere of harmony and peaceful co-existence. 34.Finally, the up-coming months will usher us into another season of general elections. Let me use this opportunity to urge us all to conduct ourselves, our wards and our constituencies with the utmost sense of fairness, justice and peaceful co-existence such that we will have not only hitch free elections but also a credible and violence free process. 35.In few days to come, I will be joined by many promising young Nigerians to sign into law the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill

FULL TEXT OF GOVERNOR LALONG'S SPEECH ON DEMOCRACY DAY.

Fellow citizens of Plateau State. “INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN LEADERSHIP”. Today marks the third year of this Administration since its inception on the 29th of May 2015. It is historic that our democracy is being entrenched, given the great mark of nearly two decades of uninterrupted democratic rule and its enduring legacy. You may recall that the administration came on board on the crest of popular mandate. Since then, with the support and cooperation of the well-meaning people of our dear State we have been navigating slowly with heavy steps, but on the right path, given the very challenging and tortuous journey of the past years, in view of lean resources in the face of increasingly competing demands. We did not, however, allow such experience or frustration to deter us from doing the needful by embarking on series of revolutionary changes to give the State and its Citizenry a new life. Yet, we have been keeping faith with the citizenry in the delivery of our electoral promises. Some Progressives whom we started this journey would have wished to be part of this success story, but have departed this world. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace with the Lord. We also give glory and praise to Almighty God for the protection, wisdom, gains and achievements so far recorded. On behalf of the Rescue team I sincerely thank Members of the State Executive and Security Councils and all the citizens of the State for the constant and unalloyed support and sacrifices for the good of the State in the last three years, in spite of numerous challenges. As we are at the threshold and eve of election year, I have chosen the theme of my address to be “Integrity, Accountability and Transparency in Leadership”. MY STAND ON THE PRINCIPLES OF INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN LEADERSHIP. My decision to particularly dedicate the theme of this year’s Democracy Day Speech to issues bordering on Integrity, Accountability and Transparency in Leadership stems from the desire to further entrench these as a standard in responsive and people-oriented governance. Fellow Citizens of Plateau State would also recall that in my first and second anniversary speeches I have maintained a solemn pledge to serve with integrity and patriotic zeal. During the early days of campaigns, and over these years we started by asking questions about governance, service delivery, Justice, Peace and Unity as well as sought your mandate, which was freely and willingly given by you, the good people of Plateau State, but with a caveat demanding a fair deal in leadership. It was indeed imperative during our stewardship, we had philosophically asked questions and in the process, questioned answers as well. In this way, Integrity, Accountability and Transparency as Hallmarks or Core Principles of good governance were emphasized in order to ensure justice and equity. In giving this mission report, I seek to rely on virtues of Truth. Truth, as we know is also the soul of Integrity, Accountability and Transparency in Leadership. THE GAINS AND SUCCESSES OF THE RESCUE ADMINISTRATION. Today as we mark the third year of our administration and entering the last year of the first tenure, we are duty bound to give a mission report, take stock and assure you on sustaining our rescue and deliverance agenda. The reality is, indeed, not lost on us that leaders at whatever levels must give accounts of their stewardship, if not now but thereafter. It was in this vein that my administration set up the Prof. Sunny Gwanle Tyoden Transition Committee to take stock of all our assets and liabilities towards providing a clean slate for take-off of the administration. Thus, as part of the accountability and transparency, the report and other policy documents were received, carefully studied and adopted, along with proceedings of our Townhall Meetings and Peace and reconciliation Committee. With these strategic initiatives, the administration hit the ground running. Thus, during this period of rebalancing and confidence building in governance, we were able to assiduously identify over 245 issues to be addressed, with Timelines for the purpose of good governance. Substantial achievements have been recorded. These included continuity and completion of abandoned projects; dispute resolutions that saw the new Youth Council leadership fully back after over eight years in limbo; establishment of Plateau Peace Building Agency; Youth and Women empowerment programmes; recruitments or mass employment in the civil and public services; improved agricultural activities; up-to-date in payment of salaries and pension; improvement in the educational and agricultural sectors; establishment of several legal and institutional frameworks; enhanced collaboration with Federal and International bodies as they relate to our State and the Nation; resuscitation of cultural activities and peace carnivals in this our home of peace and Tourism; setting up of a Judicial Commission of Enquiry; etc. For the records and clearing of doubts, Government instituted the Justice Stephen Adah Commission of Inquiry to probe the activities of the previous administration, in the spirit of drawing up a demarcation on where the State stood in the past, and where it intends to move now and thereafter. These exercises, for the avoidance of doubt, were carried out in response to the yearnings and aspirations of the people who have continued to demand to know how their finances and affairs had been run and managed. Findings of the Commission of Inquiry, which have, without prejudice, revealed substantial evidences of corruption and impropriety have been forwarded to assist in recovering our stolen monies from all those who have cut corners or dipped their hands in the public coffers or treasury. Nevertheless, the anti-corruption agencies especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) which have no sacred cows have been sniffing around to ensure that looted funds are recovered and returned to the treasury. These steps are not aimed at witch-hunting as is being wrongly perceived in some quarters. For the records, by my disposition in life, I do not take any pleasure or gain in witch-hunting anyone as being peddled by those who have chosen, either out of mischief or ignorance, to give an ethnic or political colouration to recent activities of the Anti-Graft agency in the State. Under a democratic dispensation, people have the right to hold their own opinions, but the fight against corruption should be seen as an issue that borders on governance and has nothing to do with any ethnic, religious or political leanings. Let it be known that the fight against corruption is solely the mandate of the anti-graft agencies, which are statutorily empowered by the relevant Acts of the National Assembly to prosecute corrupt practices. I still stand by what I always say and said again on Sunday 20th May 2018 at the solemn occasion of the 94th General Church Council of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), regarding my clear position on issues of integrity and transparency in leadership. Without having to bore you with details of the quantum of achievements of this Administration in the past three (3) years let me still state that we are living witnesses to the fact that as part of my commitment to render accounts of my stewardship to the people of the State, I had, in 2017 and 2018, presented three separate documents to the public domain, namely: 1) Mid-Term Report of the Administration (29th May, 2015 - 29th May, 2017); 2) Landmark Achievements of the Administration (29th June, 2015 - 28th February; 2018) and 3) Plateau State Roadmap to Peace (2018-2022), the first of its kind, nationwide, as a policy document to guide the deployment of our strategies, efforts and energies towards this important component of existence, regular dialogue and minimizing conflict. This Roadmap was presented and launched during the two (2) days Official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to the State. All these documents have been in wide circulation. In fact, since assuming office the past three years, Plateau State remains one of the most liveable places in the country, given the reasonable cost of living, ethnic diversity, clement weather, and above all, a regional renaissance of seismic peace and stability for sustainable developments to follow. All these have significantly contributed in entrenching confidence and hope in governance. Most critical however and worthy of mention and appreciation is that all this mantra of Rescue, Integrity, Accountability and Transparency as hallmarks of quality leadership would not have been possible without the excellent Executive – Legislature working relationship. This cordial relationship also extends to our elected Representatives at both the Senate and House of Representatives, which is sincerely appreciated. Good leadership and governance entails having practically functional and strong Institutional and Legal Framework. I sincerely commend the Rt. Hon. Speaker and all Honourable Members of the State House of Assembly for their diligence and patriotism in considering and passing into Law several Executive Bills that have ensured the peaceful co-existence and good governance being provided. CONTINUITY AND CONSOLIDATION. This Administration wishes to place on record its strong commitment to the sustenance of welfare, peace and security of the average Plateau person, in the discharge of its mandate. My dear people of Plateau State would recall that right from day-one we had initiated and adopted the Five-Pillar Policy Thrust as our governance philosophy with which to pull the State out of the doldrums. Let me reiterate here that these policy thrusts, namely: 1) Peace, Security and Good Governance; 2) Human Capital Development and Social Welfare; 3) Agriculture and Rural Development; 4) Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation; and 5) Physical Infrastructure and Environment were all tailored in line with the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the State. Three years down the memory lane, we have strived to live up to expectation in terms of accomplishing the mandate and sustaining the tempo. After the presentation of our Midterm report and townhall meeting on 29th may 2017, about seventy (70) issues cutting across critical sectors of Agriculture, Education, Civil Service, Environment, Health, Peace and Reconciliation, Infrastructure development, etc were identified with Timelines set and in the spirit of continuity and consolidation. Implementation of the Policy Thrusts, which have direct bearings on the lives of the teeming citizens of the State will be sustained, despite challenges of limited resources and increasingly competing demands of the citizens. Government is committed to the implementation of its plans towards sustainable peace and development in the state. Alongside with this effort and determination towards peace and security in the state, I made a right choice in having my able Deputy Governor, Professor Sonni Tyoden who has been efficiently handling Boundary issues, with the result that conflicts have been very minimal or absent. As a government, our quest for sustaining the relative peace being enjoyed cannot have substitute. This desire led to our pursuit and support for the establishment of the Police Mobile Squadron Unit in Longvel, Shendam LGA and the 205 Combat, Search and Rescue Operation Unit of the Nigerian Airforce in Kerang, Mangu LGA. These are testimonies of our synergy with the Federal Government. We shall continue to support the Security Agencies towards its sustenance as recently done with provision of fifty-three (53) logistics vehicles in Shendam. Given the imperative and constitutional duty of the government to protect life and property of every Citizen, we shall also continue to dedicate resources and energy towards these responsibilities; just as we commiserate with the families of all those who lost their lives and properties to the tragic activities of the Herdsmen in some localities. Let them know that the government shares in their pains and sorrows. I appeal that Citizens should continuously inculcate the virtues of being brothers’ keepers, remain vigilant and cooperate with the security agents and traditional leaders in their domains. In the provision of critical infrastructure, we have adopted the principle of continuity, which no doubt enabled us to complete and commission several projects abandoned by the previous administration at great costs to the people of the State. For instance, we have completed the following: the Hillcrest-Plateau Hospital Road; Completion of Plateau Hospital-Dental Clinic-Dogon Karfe Road; Zololo-Nasarawa Gwong-Dutse Uku Road; Tudun Wada-Angwan Yashi Road Dong-Rantya-Gyel road; Dualisation of Old Airport-Rayfield Road with Spur at Dogon Karfe-Kugiya-Bwandang & New Government House; Kufang-Wildlife Park Road with Spur to Domkat Bali and Bitrus Rwang Pam Road; Main Market Street - Dutse Uku; Kabong Satellite Market-Tudun Wada Road/Sabon Gari with Spur to Mado Wild Life Park; Rantiya State Lowcost to Bambi Road; Zololo-Dilimi, Plateau Hospital-Dogon Karfe; Dental Clinic-Fototek, Tina Junction to Yanshanu Metropolitan Roads; the Main Arterial Jos-Bukuru-Mararaban Jama’a Road has been completed and commissioned. Despite these continuity and completion, a total of twenty-two (22) on-going rural road projects, with contractors already mobilised to sites. In the Agricultural Sector, being one of the critical components in the new diversification agenda, we have repositioned it through deliberate and strategic initiatives of promoting agricultural mechanisation. We have already reactivated our fertiliser Blending Plant at Bokkos and have also recently purchased 400 Tractors ready for distribution to farmers through their cooperatives at subsidized rates. We have employed four hundred (400) Extension Workers. Furthermore, inputs support through fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and seeds have been provided at subsidized rates. The Panyam Fish farm has been witnessing remarkable improvements in fish fingerlings production and cropping or harvest. All these initiatives in agricultural activities have led to yearly bumper harvest, food security and poverty alleviation. In the Education Sector, we have ensured that from the formative stage of primary and secondary to tertiary levels they receive substantial boosts. Our efforts of sustainable funding for renovation and construction works, complimented with funding support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) have led to remarkable improvements in renovation and construction works, manpower recruitment as well as procurements in order to ensure standards are maintained and fast-tract their accreditation processes. The Plateau State University Bokkos and the Plateau State Polytechnic have just had another dose of Accreditation exercise of their several programmes. Very soon, with more Government support other tertiary institutions like the College of Education, Gindiri, College of Agriculture Garkawa will follow suit. Similar attention has been granted to the primary and secondary schools where we have recruited at least four thousand (4,000) and Eight hundred and thirty-four (834) teachers respectively and still determined to improve in provision of manpower and facilities. In the Health Sector, we have renovated, constructed and completed several abandoned hospital projects, such as the one in Riyom, Kanke and Langtang South, while the Plateau Specialist Hospital is being given massive face-lift. We have also established the Plateau State Primary Health Care Development Board to further cater for the basic health care needs of our people. In setting the pace on welfare, Payment of Salaries was accorded top priority, beyond the so-called rhetoric of rights of citizens. Yes, indeed, a labourer deserves his or her legitimate income if truthfully, we believe in Integrity, Accountability and Transparency, blended with the fear of God. If however these norms are deliberately misplaced at the expense of the citizenry, it becomes a moral burden and indeed a crime. We have for the past three years and still counting, continued with the payments of salary as at when due, thereby bringing smiles to the workers with positive implications and multiplier effects to the State Economy. It is obvious that when we cleared the over twelve (12) months salaries and pensions that we inherited it remains a gain to this administration for exhibiting integrity, transparency and compassion to workers and pensioners whom we must always be accountable to. This is more so because, by simple logic if an average wage of over Two Billion Naira for over twelve months was denied and misplaced, but paid by this administration, the simple arithmetic will be that the amount of about twenty billion would have taken care of about forty (40) rural roads at an average of five hundred million Naira each. The above issues go hand-in-hand with Fiscal Discipline. We embraced prudence and due diligence in all our financial dealings to ensure accountability and transparency in government. In this respect, we keyed into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and equally created the Efficiency Unit, which have ensured blockage of leakages and leading to huge savings. Huge savings have greater tendency of boosting the economy in the long run. Thus, in our effort to achieve this, government evolved some strategic initiatives of job creation and poverty alleviation within the context of our 3-E-Dimensional Strategies of Employment, Empowerment and Engagement. In doing so, we revived and revamped some of our industries that were in comatose as well as signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with prospective investors through the Public Private Partnership (PPP). We also established the Microfinance and Small and Medium Enterprise, which has trained over four thousand (4,000) Youth and Women on entrepreneurship skills and many given starter packs with the support of some organizations like the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and some Microfinance Banks. A cheering news is that we are today reputed to be the first and most friendly state in Nigeria that has one-stop-shop/clinic and hope to benefit from Federal Government’s intervention for more entrepreneurial skill development. All these have helped in improving the State Economy and reducing unemployment On the Civil Service, being sensitive to the sector and its unique role and contribution in driving the process of governance, we have sanitized the ills of the past and focussed on the future aspirations. The impact of our action was seen in the restoration of confidence in strengthening the efficiency of service delivery. The successes recorded in the Service include several promotions, conversions, placements, confirmations and host of many turn-around. I commend the dexterity, zeal and patriotism of the Civil Servants in keeping faith with the government and bearing with the hard times. On Youth and Sport, we have strived in improving the Sector. With tremendous encouragement from the government, the State Athletes have participated in several events nationally and internationally and won three hundred and forty-two (342) Medals, made up of one hundred and eighteen (118) Gold; one hundred and two (102) Silver and one hundred and twenty-two (122) Bronze. We have made concerted efforts at completing the 45,000-seating capacity of the Ultra-Modern Olympic size Stadium, Zaria Road, Jos. Most memorable too was the participation and winning of the 2017 Premier League Cup by the Plateau United Football Club; thereby lifting us to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) competition. The Traditional Institutions have continued to receive special attention, given the role they have been playing as custodians of our traditional values and in the sustenance of peace and security. For maximum benefit, we set machineries whereby many vacant stools across the state have been filled. Government hopes to ensure that outstanding one are filled without delay. On issues of Political Appointments and balancing, apart from the several Membership into Federal Boards and Parastatals that we have benefited and still hoping for more, you will recall that recently, I approved political appointments of over three hundred (300) Chairmen and Members into Boards, Parastatals, Commissions and Tertiary Institutions that cut across the three geo-political zones of the State. All the Board Chairmen and Members have been inaugurated and many have hit the ground running. As expected of Boards or Council Members, they are to strictly formulate policies in synergy with the Management who in turn are to ensure day-to-day implementation of these policies and other set objectives of the administration. We hope that through diligence and commitment they will be able to stimulate and where feasible, inject new life into some moribund organizations, improve infrastructure such as repositioning the Transportation Services, Commerce, Internal Revenue, Environment, Tourism, Rural Water Supply, Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing, etc. Fellow Citizens, arising from the above succinct account, the successes of this administration recorded in different sectors of the economy in the last three years should keep encouraging us to do more. You are in the best position to judge our efforts in addressing the numerous expectations as to whether things have changed for the better in Plateau State. The modest achievements enumerated above in the light of our five policy thrusts are not exhaustive, and the several national and international awards and honours accorded me in the different areas, have on my honour, been dedicated to the good people of Plateau State, given your tremendous support and loyalty. In terms of Synergy with the Federal Government, during the past three years of our stewardship the administration has enjoyed robust working relationship with Mr. President and the Federal Government. You will recall we had the privilege of hosting His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR during his two days working visit to the State. The commitment of the Federal Government to the realisation of the Nigerian Project has not left us in doubt as to Mr. President’s genuine intentions for Nigerians as reflected in key interventions as well as pragmatic policies and programmes.  These gains include prompt interventions in the following areas, amongst several others: 1). Release of over N800bn bailout funds to all the States including Plateau, and eventual release of Paris Club refunds have dramatically worked out; 2). Agriculture - the Potato Value Support Chain and the Anchor-Borrowers’ Scheme; 3). Economic Empowerment - the Social Intervention Programme/Social Safety Net (N-Power Scheme and Conditional Cash Transfers); the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme; 4). Some on-going construction of the Pankshin-Tapshin-Gambar-Sara-Kai-Gindiri Federal Roads; 5). Education - several TETFUND interventions in some of our tertiary institutions; 6). Health -several interventions like the National Immunization Programme and some World Bank-assisted programmes geared towards improving health care delivery service and combatting killer diseases; 7). Promotion of security and fight against corruption, has placed the country on the path of sustainable development. Indeed, the change mantra has created the desired impacts on critical sectors of the Nigerian economy. We are vigorously pursuing special requests made to the Presidency for the benefit of the State, such as dualization of the Abuja -Jos Road, request for synergy and intervention for a major Trauma Services and Centre along the Hawan Kibo area, support to our Peace Building Initiatives and Roadmap or Blueprint. We remain eternally grateful to Mr. President and look forward to more sustainable synergy and working relationship. OTHER PLANS OF THE ADMINISTRATION. Fellow citizens of Plateau State, While I still salute the patience, cooperation and resilience of the Plateau people in our struggle to change things for the better, this is the last lap of the first tenure of the Rescue Administration on the Plateau, and we are very conscious of the expectations of the people. Indeed, as we enter the fourth year in the life of the Administration, we consider it a period of consolidation of the gains recorded so far. We therefore intend to sustain all people-oriented engagements in the delivery of dividends of democracy, even as we avoid undue distractions by the unfolding flurry of political activities in the State as we approach the electioneering year. Our twenty two (22) rural roads spread across all parts of the State, by the grace of God, will continue to receive adequate attention so that we improve the lot of the rural population. We are determined to ensure works continue to completion. Similarly, through the Plateau State Small, Medium, Enterprise Development Agency (PLASMEDA), we are desirous of reaching out to at least one thousand (I,000) persons per Local Government Area with participants cutting across Cultural and Development Associations and Religious Organizations. Our determination to ensure sustainable Peace in the State through continuous dialogue, security watch and effective Peace Architecture remain unwavering. We shall continue to work in synergy with the Federal Government to attain the set objectives of ensuring that all our Internally Displaced People (IDPs) are resettled in their original places and their security guaranteed. I urge all citizens in the State, and most especially the affected areas to cooperate with Government, the Security Agents and other officials as they work assiduously to ensure the success of this enormous task. We are also very aware of the desire of the people for Local Government elections to be conducted, I wish to assure citizens of the State that in no distant time, Local Government elections would be conducted as soon as we receive security clearance from relevant security agencies. Citizens of the State should be aware that security is a major concern to us as a Government, and this cannot be sacrificed under whatever guise. It is also the intention of the Administration to sustain prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions towards bettering the living conditions and motivating them for effective service delivery. The economic multiplier effects of monthly payments of salaries and pensions to the workforce and their dependents is better imagined as against the past ordeals the citizenry went through. PASSIONATE APPEALS. I cannot end this Speech without making some passionate appeals to the teeming citizens of the State. First and foremost, the task of meeting the expectations of the people, especially under an economic recession period has indeed been herculean. In spite of the suffocating economic difficulties encountered by all in the wake of this negative trend, your resilience is very much appreciated and hopefully in the coming years we hope to reap the dividends. I wish to appeal to our youths who are leaders of tomorrow to re-awaken their consciences and refuse to be used as agents of destruction and mayhem. The future, understandably, belongs to the youths, and they, as leaders of tomorrow, should not take part in destroying the legacies that destiny shall one day call upon them to protect. This is even as the Rescue Administration strives to employ, engage and empower them. Whatever patriotic activity they engage in must be predicated on moral rectitude of Truth. Since coming into office, this administration has been preaching ideals of constructive criticism. As we approach campaign period, we must strive to avoid unnecessary bickering, false propaganda and conscientious ignorance over issues we are not very sure of. In the coming months, Politics and Campaigns should please be based on issues not lies, insults and vitriolic sentiments. Most critical, in our effort to propagate ideals of service to humanity, we should strive to inform, not inflame public sensibility. In this way, we will be able to eschew violence and embrace peace in all our dealings; just as the Government will continue to ensure that within its constitutional powers it creates the necessary conditions to balance peace with pragmatic development. As a mark of our appreciation and thanksgiving to God for the guidance, protection and successes recorded, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me as Governor in Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), I have granted Prerogative of Mercy to two (2) Prisoners, as follows: One (1) criminal conviction of Ten (10) years is now committed to two (2) years imprisonment and one (1) Life Imprisonment is now committed to twenty-one (21) years, effective from the different dates of sentences. Finally, while thanking you for listening and for being a part of the Plateau Rescue, Consolidation and Continuity project arising from hallmarks of Integrity, Accountability and Transparency in Leadership, I wish you all a happy Democracy Day and continuous peace and harmony on the Plateau and Nigeria at large. Long Live Plateau State. Long Live Nigeria.   Thank you and God bless.   Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong. Executive Governor. .

PHOTONEWS:LALONG INTERACTS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS

In a build up to democracy day celebrations,Governor Simon Bako Lalong interacts with Social media influencers in Plateau to foster synergy between the Government and social media influencers on workings of Government as the rescue administration clocks three years. The Governor highlighted the importance of social media to Governance and charged the gatekeepers to always feed the populace with factual information on the performance of Government. It was a well attended meeting as the major online faithfuls interacted with Government on its achievement and the need for information to be accessible to all social media users in search of factual information.

OUTRAGE AS SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVIST IS ARRESTED & MADE TO KNEEL DOWN AT GOVT HOUSE MAKURDI

A social media activist and ardent critique of the present government on Bad governance and salary ‘Herdsmen’ in Benue, Kuhe Albert Hemensse has been brought to public ridicule at the government house Makurdi, Benue state following a purported post he made against the governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom. Below is the post he made a day ago; Wan Torkwas Alaaga, TELL GOV. ORTOM THAT THE ENGINE OIL BOY DIED YESTERDAY! Governor Samuel Ortom’s convoy last Sunday morning was heading to RCCG church located at Judges Quarters, when his security escort pushed an orphan, Aôndohemba Ioryisa, who sells engine oil at Wurukum market into a gutter, leaving wounds on his body. The boy who was carrying jericans of engine oil on a bike was coming from Wadata market met his tragedy opposite St. Theresa’a Primary School (Suswam thank you), as he was about negotiating to clear off the main road for the governor’s convoy to pass. Before he could clear, security men in the escort back-up jeep used the edge of their vehicle to lift and throw the poor orphan in the nearest gutter. This ugly display of wickedness caught the attention of Governor Ortom and he immediately alighted from his vehicle. For those of us that formed part of the spectators, we expected the governor would ask someone to immediately take the boy to any nearby hospital for treatment since he was seriously bleeding. But to the greatest of our surprise, Ortom instead asked the boy to come to Peoples House the next morning which was Monday this week, knowing fully well security at the gate won’t allow the boy to see him. Nevertheless, to fulfil all righteousness, Aôndohemba was taken to Peoples House on Monday by his elder brothers, but right at the gate, they were up rightly denied access and yesterday afternoon, it was confirmed the boy, Aôndohemba died as a result of internal bleeding! Agashua Msuega Barns, was this sacrifice or accident? However, according to news on Facebook, he was arrested by the Benue state police command on the case bordering on false allegation against the Benue state governor over a hit and run case and taken to government House instead of police station. In the photo shared online which has since gone viral, one Mr Kuhe is seen kneeling down which clearly shows the violation of human rights and social media users have condemned the photo asking that the governor to go concentrate on Fulani herdsmen’s menace and nonpayment of salaries which has claimed many lives. Although, Queendoosh.co is trying to find out why he was made to kneel. Queen Doosh

JATAU:The Aspirant To Beat For PDP Ticket, Felicitates With Children Today

Arc. Samuel Nanchang Jatau,an aspirant for the Governorship ticket under the platform of the PDP whom many have touted as the Joker to beat the likes of JT USENI to clinch the ticket is calling on parents and Government to be proactive as it concerns the yearnings of the young minds. In a press statement issued by his media team Mr JATAU stated: Arc Samuel Nanchang Jatau has called on governments at all levels and parents to listen and take action on the yearnings of children. Arc Jatau stated this in a solidarity message to mark the 2018 Children's Day. The PDP Governorship aspirant regrets that issues that concern children such as their rights and needs as well as poor education, poverty, violence and abuse are not handled decisively. Arch Jatau observed that as leaders of tomorrow, children deserve special attention so as to embolden their patriotism and trust in the nation and its leadership. The PDP Governorship aspirant says if elected, he will propel a collective effort towards greater sensitivity on children issues and driving specially tailored programs for them, as he wishes the children a rewarding celebration. SNJ Media Team. #SHIFTPLATEAU2019

THREE YEARS PERFORMANCE OF LALONG ADMINISTRATION

On May 29th,2018 it will mark three years that the Plateau People gave the rescue administration it's mandate to steer the affairs of the state as captained by the Alert Governor Dr Simon Bako Lalong and his Deputy Prof.Sonni Tyoden. The Rescue administration rode on its campaign promises of a five pillar thrust,MunatareNews carefully examine the performance of the LALONG led administration along these lines. The 5-Point Policy Thrust of the Lalong administration 1.      Peace, Security and Good Governance 2.      Human Capital Development and Social Welfare 3.      Agriculture and Rural Development 4.      Entrepreneurship and Industrialization; and 5.      Physical Infrastructure and Environment Finance 1.      Payments of salaries from Paris Club, bail-out funds and overdraft 2.      N220bn inherited debt profile – amount being defrayed through salary payments, contractual obligations, amongst others 3.      Unapplied and excess charges 4.      Savings from tax audit making savings of N1.042bn 5.      Improved IGR through consultants who scaled up the revenue and employed over 500 youths 6.      Introduction of TSA/staff audit Peace and Security      Inherited a State without peace. Strategies adopted 1.      All inclusive government 2.      Dialogue with warring communities 3.      Establishment of the Plateau Peace Building Agency 4.      Restoration of confidence among the ethnic nationalities 5.      Resolution of boundary issues within and outside the state 6.      Good governance 7.      Working in synergy with the Federal Government in providing logistical support to security agencies 8.      Return of social life and recreational activities 9.      Jos is becoming a tourism destination, attracting conferences and boosting economic activity.                                                                                                   Works and Urban Development 1.      Massive construction of township roads and bridges 2.      Completion of Federal roads, bridges and street lights 3.      Construction of 17 roads across the 17 LGAs to connect the state. 4.      Provision of vehicles for VIOs Health 1.      Support of health systems – CANCER awareness, PLACA etc 2.      Support to International organisations – UNICEF, IHVN, etc 3.      Provision of health facilities – Ambulances, drugs, equipment 4.      Completion of abandoned hospital projects – Riyom General Hospital, rehabilitation of Plateau hospital 5.      Encouraging private sector involvement (private hospitals) 6.      Training and retraining of manpower 7.      Tertiary health institutions – accreditation of health institutions in Vow and Zaman, they won laurels for the State Micro Finance, Small and medium Enterprises 1.      Train over 3,000 women and youths in vocational skills acquisition 2.      N2bn with Bank of Industry (BOI) as matching grants for access by entrepreneurs 3.      Established the 1st micro finance bank in West Africa 4.      Establish the artisan job center in Jos 5.      Entrepreneurship and skill acquisition training of 500 youths and support with starter-pack in collaboration with ITF. Information and Culture 1.      Reopened the PRTVC 1224 MHz transmitter at Miango road which was shut since 2010 2.      Empowered PRTVC to assess signal from Star Times Digital Switchover and take-off of pilot scheme with the it being among the 15 stations on the set-top boxes. 3.      PRTVC has extended operations from 12 hours to 18 hours 4.      Acquire equipment worth N52ml for the Government printers Education 1.      Paid scholarship to Plateau State Students especially in critical areas 2.      SUBEB – massive construction of blocks of classrooms and school equipment as well as training. 3.      Reopening of the Plateau State University, Bokkos with the provision of infrastructure and accreditation of additional courses. About 500 lecturers were funded to improve their skills at different levels including PHDs 4.      Other institutions also empowered and strengthened are PLAPOLY Barkin Ladi, School of Agriculture, Garkawa, College of Education, Kurgwi etc. The Teacher’s Service Commission was also empowered. 5.      Employment of 500 teachers Lands and Survey 1.      Completion of PLAGIS project 2.      Reduction in the cost of procuring title documents   Youths and Sports 1.      Plateau United FC here elevated to the premier league and eventually won the competition 2.      Hosting of the Continental championships in Jos 3.      Completion of work on the Zaria road stadium which was approved to host international matches 4.      Promotion of Golf Tournaments in Jos thereby making Plateau the No 1 golf destination in Nigeria. For the first time, the State hosted the golf professionals qualifying school. The golf academy is also created. The Gov was honored with the prestigious position of the Life Vice President of the Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria. Culture and Tourism 1.      Introduction and hosting of the Jos Carnival 2.      Nzem Berom and other cultural festivals where reintroduced Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs 1.      Agwom izere chieftaincy stool reinstated after 20 years in Limbo 2.      Filling of other chieftaincy stools without acrimony Agriculture 1.      Completion of Fertilizer blending plant and commencement of operations 2.      Provision of fertilizer and other farming inputs to farmers on time and at affordable rates 3.      Reopening of the Panyam Fish Farm 4.      Improvements in rice cultivation 5.      The hosting of the Agric Summit created a road map in agriculture Water Resources 1.      Reactivation of the Water Board for optimal performance 2.      PURWASWA has been revived to improve access to quality water Commerce and Industry 1.      Composition of the Economic Team as a body of technocrats to advice government. 2.      Completion of institutional framework for the Jos Main Market, Jos Sheraton Hotel, Jos Hill Station hotel and the Plateau hotel 3.      Reactivation of the PIPC 4.       Reopening of the Plateau Bottling company. It is however not Uhuru for the Lalong administration as pockets of violence in the rural areas rear it's ugly head intermittently in places like Riyom, Bassa,Bokkos,Barkin Ladi etc conscious efforts needs to be employed by both the Government and the locals to tackle the menace completely to put an end to the killings on the Plateau. The area of employment needs attention as thousands of graduates and youths need to be engaged and empowered to add to the socio-economic development of the state. As we approach the Local Government elections and the general elections, it is now left for the Plateau people to either give a pat on the back to the rescue administration for a job well done or try an alternative with the opposition. happy Democracy day. #Makut Alfred Mashat

We Gave Lawmakers N17bn To Pass 2015 Budget -Okonjo-Iweala

Former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has revealed the blackmail and arm twisting that characterised budget passing by the National Assembly during the Goodluck Jonathan Administration. She cited an instance in 2015 when the National Assembly leadership forced the executive arm to part with N17 billion for the federal lawmakers to pass that year’s budget. That, she said, was at a time crude price had gone down drastically. The N17 billion alleged bribe, according to Okonjo-Iweala in her book Fighting Corruption is Dangerous:The Story Behind the Headlines, was besides the NASS N150 billion annual ‘standard’ budget. She described federal legislators as a tough political group to deal with. Her words: “The legislature was concerned largely about three things—the size of its own budget; the nature and the size of the capital budget, particularly investment projects; and the number and geographical location of the projects. “Senators and Representatives felt that their role as appropriators of the budget was not just to vet and approve budget parameters and oversee budget implementation, but also to shape the size and content of the budgets, including details of specific projects.” She said members of the NASS Finance and Appropriation even felt ”they had the right–indeed the duty–to get into the details of the budget formulation and preparation process all along the budget value chain.” The ex-minister said the NASS leadership, working through the various committees, “sought to add more to individual projects or create completely new, unappropriated major projects, thereby distorting the budget.” But she explained that “not all National Assembly members supported these unfortunate manipulations of the budget.” She added: “National Assembly members had negotiated large increases in the National Assembly budgets and would brook no discussions or challenges on the issue. “Their operational budget had ballooned to N150 billion or 16 per cent of the budget and almost 3.5 times the 2006 budget (in naira).” Okonjo-Iweala said when it was proposed that the lawmakers should give up some of their benefits in view of dwindling revenue in 2015, they bluntly refused to do so. “By the time we presented the budget on December 16, 2014, oil prices had fallen further to $58 per barrel. “We were prepared and we knew we had to trigger the additional expenditure and revenue measures in 2015 to make the budget work. “This would be tough, given that we had entered an election year,” she said.  ”Indeed, legislators initially refused to accept any cuts to their regular N150 billion budget, despite dwindling revenues. “But eventually, they agreed to a 13 per cent cut against a backdrop of ministers accepting a voluntary 50 per cent cut to their basic salaries. “In a tough session with the National Assembly’s ad hoc committee on the budget (made up of chairs of the Finance Committee and Appropriation Committee of both chambers and other leaders of the National Assembly), an additional N20 billion was re-introduced as election expenses for National Assembly members. “We insisted the amount be dropped because it nullified the 13 per cent cut made to their statutory budget, but managed to reduce the N20 billion figure by only N3 billion to N17 billion. “This became the price to pay to have the 2015 budget passed.” Okonjo-Iweala was Jonathan’s finance minister from August 17, 2011 to May 29, 2015. She had served in the same capacity in the Obasanjo government. The Federal Government proposed to spend N4.454 trillion that year.

JANG TO PAY 100 MILLION AS COURT GRANTS HIM BAIL

A Jos High Court has granted former Governor of Plateau state, Jonah Jang bail. Justice Daniel Longji granted the Former governor bail with Two sureties with the sum of 1000m naira. One of which must be a first class traditional ruler. Details shortly.

I Am Privileged To Sleep On Thesame Bed Obasanjo Slept In Jos Prison-JANG

while addressing over 200 clergymen at the Opening Ceremony of 94th General Church Council of Church of Christ in Nations and responding to Senator Jonah Jang who had accused him of sending him to PrisoN, Governor Lalong said: "Before I became the Governor of Plateau State, as a Speaker of the State House of Assembly then I also slept 40 days in prison, and when I was there I received a lot of revelations and I was ready to face the allegations against me and was also cleared at the end of the day". "Now as a Governor I know when I vacate the office there will be a time for me to account for my stewardship, but when somebody refused to humble himself to accept his imperfection, then the law takes it over". The Governor urged the church leadership to pray for his administration as well as unite the state to stand for justice, saying he view the church leaders as partners in the formulation of policies of Government. Governor Lalong attended the General Church Council accompany of his SGS Hon. Rufus Bature, Chief of staff Government House chief John Dafan, Hon. Daniel Mang, Hon. Bulus Bot, Mr Emmanuel Samuel Nanle amongst other commissioners and advisers. Senator Jang had during a goodwill message to the Church through his former Commissioner of Information and communication Pastor Yiljap Abraham said that his being in the prison is divine intervention and nobody should boast of sending him to the Prison. Yiljap who read Senator Jang message said, "For me being in the Prison is a great lesson in humility, when I was at the EFCC Abuja I slept on the floor, but here in the Prison I have the privilege of sleeping in the same bed that Former President Olusegun Obasanjo slept when in Jos Prison", he said. It would be recalled that Senator Jonah Jang representing Plateau North In the National Assembly was ordered by the Jos High Court to be remanded at the Jos Prison pending the determination of his bail application on Thursday, 24th, May, 2018.

MUST READ: HOW FILLING STATIONS SHORT-CHANGE CONSUMERS

Filling stations are still engaging in the fraudulent practices of short-changing consumers despite Department of Petroleum Resources’ reported efforts at curbing them. In view of the endless complaints by motorists and other consumers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called fuel, about the sharp practices perpetrated by most filling stations in Nigeria, I visited 12 filling stations to ascertain the veracity of some of these complaints. I randomly chose six filling stations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and six in Lagos State. In each of the filling stations I visited, I bought fuel like every other Nigerian, but I kept my eyes wide open unlike many. To achieve a high level of accuracy, my investigation in each state was conducted on the same day using a newly-purchased plastic can. All the filling stations I visited, both in Lagos and in Rivers State, dispensed fuel at the official pump price of N145 per litre, except NNPC which sold at N143 per litre. Port Harcourt, April 16, 2018 On Monday, April 16, 2018, I arrived at Rainoil Filling Station on Station Road, Port Harcourt, at about 9am with a brand new 4-litre plastic can. I told the attendant, who gave her name as Jennifer, to fill up the can. I kept my eyes glued to the metre and by the time the can filled up, it read 4.15 litres instead of 4 litres. In other words, to fill a 20-litre plastic can in this filling station would require the consumer paying for 20.75 litres instead. Similarly, a consumer who pays for 20 litres of fuel here goes home with 19.25 litres of the product. Leaving Rainoil Filling Station, I quickly emptied the can of fuel and in a few minutes, I was at Karibi Joy Intl Ltd, located opposite Salvation Ministries Church, on Iwofe Road. Karibi Joy Intl Ltd, Iwofe Road, Port Harcourt A middle-aged female attendant who told me her name was Obele got up immediately she saw me with a can and excused herself to switch on the generating set. When she reappeared, I told her to fill up the can. She did and hung up the nozzle. When I looked at the metre, it read 4.35 litres and the price was N630.75. I told her 4.15 litres costing N600 had filled the same can only a moment before. “I don’t understand,” the attendant said as she sat down. We argued back and forth, until the manager sauntered in and asked what the problem was. I explained. “You can only complain if the difference is up to 0.5 litres, but the 0.2 litres is nothing. There is no argument in zero point something,” the manager told me. “If it’s up to 1 litre or 0.5 litres, you can argue. Turn the fuel in that can into another container and go back to that first filling station, you might not get exactly that 4.15 litres,” he said. When I told him I’d do as he advised, he got irritated. “You can be doing that, measuring fuel from one filling station to the other, if you like to do that. You can be checking like that,” he said and walked away. I paid and left as a vehicle drove in. From my calculation, a consumer who paid for 20 litres of fuel at this filling station would go home with 18.25 litres as 21.75 litres of fuel, and not 20 litres, would fill a 20-litre can. At Anele Filling Station, which is a few minutes’ drive from Karibi Joy Filling Station, I met a young lady who told me they had fuel but could not dispense because there was no power supply. Anele is located beside Clen-phil Hotels and Suites and opposite Adah Shopping Mall. Anele Filling Station, Iwofe Road, Port Harcourt From there, I went to Soltech Energy Services Limited on Ada George Road, just opposite Cosy Plaza. Here, 4.16 litres of fuel filled the 4-litre can at the total price of N603.20. This means that the quantity of fuel that would fill a 20-litre can at this filling station is 20.8 litres. If a consumer purchased 20 litres of fuel here, that consumer would go home with 19.2 litres. My next stop was Chinda Petroleum Ltd on Ikwerre Road. At the far left end of the filling station is Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, while adjacent to it is the Nigerian Police Divisional Headquarters building. Here, I paid N623.50 for 4.30 litres of fuel to fill the 4-litre can. The implication is that a 20-litre can would require 21.5 litres of fuel to fill up at this filling station. If a consumer paid for 20 litres of fuel here, what would be dispensed would be 18.5 litres. Chinda Petroleum Ltd, Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt Again, I complained, but the attendant, who gave his name as David, said to me, “Your money is supposed to be N700. I’m surprised seeing N623.50. It’s N700 that normally fills this kind of can but maybe yours is smaller. You are not supposed to complain.” When I pressed further, he pointed at the price displayed on the metre, saying, “This is what our metre gave us and it’s okay, or do you work with DPR?” “Do I look like someone who works with DPR?” I asked. “Then, just pay what you see there,” he said and started dispensing fuel to another customer, a motorist. Seeing I was persistent in seeking further explanation, he said, “I don’t know. That’s how the metre runs. That’s the best way I can explain it to you.” I requested to see his superior but he said he was the only one around. Just then, the motorist he had just dispensed fuel to offered to help. “I’m not justifying what they are doing,” said the motorist who could be in his late fifties. “There is an unwritten agreement between independent marketers and NNPC. So, they adjust their metre to 0.2.” When I told him I knew of an error gap of 0.5 for 20 litres and 0.25 for 10 litres, he paid the attendant and, turning to me, said, “That is their agreement with NNPC, but as for this other one, the metre, I don’t know.” He threw his hands into the air, signalling he had given up on me, entered his car and drove off. I paid and took my leave. Next, I went to NNPC Filling Station at Lagos bus-stop, but the attendants insisted they don’t dispense fuel in cans. I pleaded all I could but my pleas fell on deaf ears. So, I left for Conoil in Rumuomasi on Aba Road. At Conoil, 4.13 litres of fuel filled the 4-litre plastic can at the total price of N598.85, which means that 20.65 litres of fuel from this filling station would fill a 20-litre can. If a consumer pays for 20 litres of fuel, what is actually dispensed into his gallon is 19.35 litres. From Conoil I went back to Anele Filling Station. The electricity company in charge of the area had restored power. I asked the attendant to fill up the empty 4-litre can and, to my amazement, it took 4.43 litres of fuel to fill the can at the total price of N642.35. What this means is that 22.15 litres of fuel is needed to fill up a 20-litre can in this filling station. As such, a consumer purchasing 20 litres of fuel would go home with 17.85 litres. “What!” I exclaimed as soon as the female attendant hung the nozzle. She smiled, fetched a rag and began cleaning the body of the gallon as if she was instructed to do so. When she was done cleaning, she stood staring at the metre and smiling. I told her I had filled the same can with N600 earlier in the day, but all she did was smile. I requested to see her manager but she laughed. Apparently, she found that amusing. “You want to see my manager?” she asked, looking away. “She is not around.” I told her I was not going to pay more than N600 which was what I paid for the same quantity of fuel not longer before. At this point, we were joined by the young lady I met earlier. She asked what was wrong and I explained. “Auntie, we only sell, we don’t know about metre,” she replied. I asked if they had been receiving complaints from consumers about their metre and they replied in the affirmative. “They used to complain but we only sell,” the young lady volunteered while the attendant who sold fuel to me stood smiling. When I asked if they didn’t relay the complaints to their manager, the lady said, “She knows.” I insisted on paying N600 but they pleaded. I paid and took my leave. Lagos, April 18, 2018 TOTAL Filling Station, Ilupeju, Lagos. On Thursday, April 18, 2018, I was in Lagos State. I searched for a 4-litre plastic can at different retail stores but seeing none, I opted for a 5-litre can. My first stopover was at Total Filling Station at Industrial Estate, Ilupeju, a walking distance from Taiwo Odukoya’s The Fountain of Life Church. As usual, I requested for a fill-up. 4.99 litres of fuel filled up the 5-litre can and my bill was N723.50, which means that 19.96 litres of fuel would fill up a 20-litre can. I paid N725 and left. In no time I was at General Filling Station in Gbagada, opposite Lagos State Internal Revenue Service office on Oshodi-Oworo Expressway. “This keg looks neat. Is it the first time you are buying with it?” a male attendant at the filling station asked when he saw how neat the can was. I replied in the negative. He went on and filled up the can as instructed. The can took 4.91 litres of fuel at the total cost of N711.95. This means that 19.64 litres of fuel would be required to fill up a 20-litre can at this filling station. One thing was clear to me by this time: this white can which had the number ‘5’ boldly written on it was less than 5 litres. From there I moved on to the Island. At Mobil Filling Station, just a stone’s throw from Federal Palace Hotel and Casino and beside Nigerian Army Bonny Cantonment on Victoria Island, the can took 4.77 litres of fuel at the total price of N691.50. This suggests that 19.08 litres of fuel would fill up a 20-litre can at this filling station. Mobil Filling Station, Victoria Island, Lagos. Few minutes later, I was at NNPC Filling Station by Palmgrove bus-stop, which is located beside Mama Cass and opposite Ijebutedo Primary School. I told the male attendant, who gave his name as Ibrahim, to fill up the can. He started dispensing fuel but after dispensing 1.29 litres, he became nervous. “This is a new keg o!” he said to himself. “Is this the first time you want to use it or you have used it before?” he asked in Pidgin English. I told him I had used the can before. “For where?” he queried. “For where you go buy am?” I ignored the question but he persisted, “You don’t want to answer me, Madam?” I kept quiet while he continued to dispense fuel. While he was at it, a female attendant drew close and asked him how many litres I was buying and he replied, “Fill-up”. When he was done dispensing, the metre read 5.56 litres and my bill stood at N795.08. I asked why a plastic can that was filled up with less than 5 litres of fuel at another filling station less than thirty minutes earlier would now consume almost 6 litres. The female attendant licked her lips and walked away, leaving Ibrahim to do the explaining. “Your money is N795, and you will pay N30 for keg,” he said and looked away. I tried to explain again that I had used the can to purchase fuel barely few minutes earlier, but he interjected, visibly irritated, “N795! Shebi you can see it there, or can’t you see? You will pay N30 for keg. So the total money I will collect from you is N830.” At that point, I told him he was right about the can being a new one but that I had used it to purchase fuel earlier that day. NNPC Filling Station, Palmgroove, Lagos. His facial expression changed. “Where did you buy the fuel?” he asked. “Mobil Filling Station,” I replied. “I thank God you were here when I sold the fuel to you, you didn’t go anywhere, and you saw it,” he said in self-defence. “If you had gone somewhere and you were not here the time I sold fuel to you, you would have thought in your mind that I cheated you. Thank God you were here.” I requested to see the manager but Ibrahim called the supervisor instead. I told the supervisor I wanted to understand why 4.77 litres of fuel filled the can a while earlier whereas it took almost 6 litres to fill the same can at their filling station. He couldn’t explain. I told him something was wrong with their metre and requested to see the manager, but he said the manager was not around. Turning to Ibrahim, the supervisor told him in Yoruba language to collect N700 from me, but I refused and insisted on paying N690, which was what I had paid at Mobil Filling Station. At this point, another supervisor named Taiwo joined us and told me they usually filled a 5-litre can with N750. When I told him I had filled the same can with N690 a while earlier, he rubbed his head and kept quiet. I told him I wanted to see the manager and he asked, “For a 5-litre jerry can?” I asked if he knew how much they would be cheating consumers who buy as much as 20 litres or 25 litres of fuel. “Oya, give Ibrahim the N690,” he said. “But the fuel is more than N690.” I insisted it wasn’t. Both supervisors walked away leaving me with the attendant, who then said, “No be me get metre. It’s not my fault.” I paid N690 and began to leave, but the attendant called me back, gave me back my money and took the can of fuel from me. “They said you should return the fuel,” he said. He dropped the can and told someone to get him an empty container. Taiwo and the female attendant surfaced again. They communicated in Yoruba. A male attendant handed Ibrahim an empty 10-litre can and he turned the fuel in my can inside the 10-litre can. As he did, he shook the 5-litre can to remove the tiniest drop of fuel in it while Taiwo and the female attendant had a good laugh. Ibrahim handed me my empty can and I left the filling station. It was then I did the math. If 5.56 litres of fuel filled a 5-litre can, it follows that 22.24 litres of fuel would be needed to fill a 20-litre can in this filling station and a consumer buying 20 litre of fuel here would go home with about 17.76 litres. From there, I went to ASCON Filling Station on Osolo Way, located opposite the international headquarters of Vineyard Christian Ministries Inc. I asked for a fill-up and the attendant told me it was N700. I asked him to go ahead. 4.83 litres filled the can at a total price of N700.35. At MRS Filling Station opposite Diamond Bank on Mushin Road, Isolo, 5 litres of fuel filled the 5-litre can and the price was N725. I requested for an explanation after telling the attendant that I had bought same quantity for N690 a moment earlier. I insisted on seeing the manager. Even though I knew I could not win the argument, I decided to try all the same. “But it’s exactly 5 litres on the keg,” the manager said as I tried to explain that I had filled it for 4.77 litres earlier. “Had it been that it passed 5 litres, I would have known the judgment to give. It’s exactly 5 litres that filled the keg and I don’t know what to do about that.” He had a point, I reasoned. So, I paid and left. Going concern An independent oil marketer who has been in the business for over 10 years let BDSUNDAY in on the different ways filling station owners and staff swindle unsuspecting consumers. The various ways, according to the oil marketer who prefers anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, include adjusting the metre, selling low quality product, selling above the pump price or not wiping the last reading on the metre before dispensing to another buyer. “Some directors could buy 30,000 litres of PMS at N133 per litre from the depot and 15,000 litres of Straight Rung Gasoline (SRG) at N120 per litre. When the average cost of the products is taken after the cost of transportation had been factored in, the cost price of the mixed product would be around N130 per litre,” he explained. “The mixed product is sold at N145 per litre and the filling station owners make more profit than they should. Some greedy owners mix more quantity of SRG with less of PMS,” he said. The oil marketer said the product does no damage to vehicles but it burns so fast, leaving the motorist worried that his vehicle is consuming much fuel and as such he spends money trying to get a mechanic to fix the problem. “Some filling stations have accurate metres but they might be hitting consumers from somewhere else. Their metre may be 1 litre to 1 litre but they know they are not giving consumers real fuel. Consumers will be rushing there because it’s 1 litre to 1 litre, not knowing the filling station owner had compromised the quality of the product,” he said. The mixing also happens with Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), popularly called diesel, and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), he said, adding that the specific gravity (SG) which gives the acceptable range for AGO is 0.720-0.780 and that of fuel is 0.820-0.870 but some stations buy fuels or AGO which are not within the acceptable specific gravity. “Some filling stations buy Kpo-fire (locally refined fuel) and mix with diesel or kerosene for more gain. Kpo-fire might go for as low as N100 while the standard fuel might be as high as N185. They mix and sell at the price of N195,” he said. “This damages the nozzles of vehicles and generating sets. When mixed with kerosene, this causes explosions in homes, leading to possible loss of lives.” He disclosed that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) allows an error margin of 0.5 for 20 litres of fuel and 0.25 for 10 litres of fuel for fluctuation of pump, but most filling stations are not compliant. “The DPR-approved margin for 20 litres is 20.5 litres, which means that what is needed to fill a 20-litre can must not be above 20.5 litres on the pump. It means that for every 20 litres dispensed to a customer, the least he should get is 19.5 litres,” he said. “But some filling stations have set their metres in such a way that if the consumer requests for 20 litres of fuel, what is actually dispensed to him is 17 litres. If the consumer is dispensed 17 litres, what is displayed on the metre is 23 litres.” He also said attendants short-change consumers by not wiping off the last reading on the metre before dispensing to another consumer. “An attendant might sell 10 litres of fuel to a customer. If the attendant hangs the nozzle, the last reading clears off, but they pretend as if they want to hang it and bring it down quickly if the customer is not watching,” he said. “The nozzle has to click and the metre should be at zero before the attendant starts dispensing. If this does not happen, the money for the extra litres goes into the attendant’s pocket,” he said. He also told BDSUNDAY that some directors also set the price of the product above the approved price. The pump might show N145, but these directors instruct the attendants to sell above N145. Sometimes too, he said, the attendants could increase the price on their own, especially during scarcity. According to him, the situation persists because DPR, saddled with the responsibility of managing the up and downstream in Nigeria’s Petroleum industry, does not move round as it should. To avoid being cheated, he advised that consumers should have a good history of their gauge, buy fuel in cans that they know its true volume, or buy from filling stations where commercial vehicles always buy from. “When tricyclists or motorcyclists buy N300 or N400 worth of fuel and shake their tricycle/motorcycle, they know if something is wrong with the metre. Same for commercial cars,” he said. Motorists recount experience Many motorists, including commercial drivers, who spoke to BDSUNDAY recounted their ugly encounters in the hands of these cheating filling station owners and their attendants. Richard Okoroafor, a Port Harcourt-based banker, told BDSUNDAY that once, while travelling to Owerri, the Imo State capital, he had pulled over at a filling station around Port Harcourt-Owerri Road to buy fuel. “My fuel was on half tank and the capacity of the tank is 80 litres. I told the attendant to fill up my tank, but to my shock, she ended up dispensing 75 litres instead of 40 litres, which is the other half that would have filled my tank. I refused to pay a dime and requested to see the director,” said Okoroafor. “The manager came and begged me to let him handle the situation. He said he would lose his job if I involved the director and promised to sack the attendant. I learnt the attendant did not wipe the reading from the previous sale and when I told him to fill up my tank, he thought my tank was empty. I was told to pay half of the bill, which I did,” he said. A motorist at Whimpey Junction in Port Harcourt, who declined to give his name, said he purchased fuel from a Conoil Filling Station and the fuel almost damaged his vehicle. “Conoil filling station on East-West Road sold fuel that was mixed with water to me. I complained to the manager of that filling station, he said they had noticed it and promised to do something about it,” he said. “About two weeks later, I went back there and it was the same thing. I stopped going there to buy fuel. Even if they sell at N1 per litre or even give fuel for free, I would never go to that filling station because I know the damage that water caused to my vehicle. I won’t buy fuel at Ada-George Junction because their metre is not good. If I run out of fuel, I will park my car and take a can to another place and buy,” he said. Ugo Ibezim, a commercial driver stationed close to Chinda Filling Station, said he bought fuel from Chinda Filling Station and his car began to jerk. When he reported, they didn’t do anything, so he had to buy fuel from another filling station to neutralise the effect of the bad fuel. “When we drivers complained that they were under-dispensing, they said they would improve. I stopped buying fuel there. That is why the filling station has a bad name but now they are trying to correct themselves,” Ibezim said. A tricyclist at St. Michael’s Junction by Iwofe Road also narrated how he had bought fuel from the first filling station on Ada-George Road through the Agip end, and before he could get to the junction, his tricycle was covered with smoke. He never went to that filling station to buy fuel again. “The metre at Anele Filling Station is bad,” said Ejikeme Victor, a motorist. “If I buy 4 litres of fuel and check my gauge, I discover that it is not up to 4 litres.” A cab driver at Air Force Bus-stop in Port Harcourt, who gave his name as Eugene, said the tank of his cab takes about N6,000 to fill. “But when I go to buy fuel at this NNPC Mega Filling Station,” he said, pointing behind him, “over N7,000 fills my tank. I always make sure my fuel is on reserve before I buy fuel so as to know the difference.” Prince, a cab driver at Rumuola, confirmed most of the complaints, saying it is only DPR that has somehow proved a threat to these cheating filling station owners. According to him, DPR sometimes catches some fuel attendants in the act but releases them under unclear circumstances. On Airport Road inp Lagos, there is a Conoil Filling Station located beside Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) Park and opposite National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) office. Despite its proximity, all the drivers at the park avoid the filling station, which they say is notorious for under-dispensing fuel. “N1,000 fuel takes me from NAHCO Park here to Ikeja for at least two trips, but when I bought the same amount of fuel from this Conoil, the fuel only lasted for a single trip,” said Ayokunle, a commercial bus driver at the park. Ayokunle said he complained to the manager of the filling station and was told that the problem would be fixed, but when he told his colleagues, they warned him against buying fuel there and he stopped. Another driver, who was scared to give his name, said the drivers only buy fuel from the Conoil Filling Station when they are in dire need of fuel to move their vehicles out of the park to a filling station with an accurate pump. “I used to buy fuel from a Conoil Filling Station around Iyana-Ipaja, but when I noticed their metre was not okay, I told the manager that the fuel they sell to us is not always complete. The manager begged me and gave me small money,” the driver said. “Many of us don’t buy fuel from this Conoil Filling Station. Their metre is not complete and their fuel burns quickly. Before you know it, your fuel is finished. If I complain to the attendant, she would say that’s how she saw it. I only buy little fuel when I’m stranded,” he said. Cyril Anyikwa, a driver with Taxify, said he had been cheated many times but he had learnt his lessons. “Once, I requested for N2,000 fuel, the attendant sold N500 fuel and stopped. I told him I asked for N2,000 worth of fuel, he apologized saying he thought I said N500, but I knew he was up to something,” Anyikwa narrated. “He looked at me and pretended as if he wanted to wipe the previous sales of N500 off but he didn’t. He stopped at N1,500 and said plus the previous N500 he sold which I knew he did not wipe off. When he realized I knew what he did, he sighed, wiped it off and added N500 worth of fuel,” he said. MOMAN, DPR react When contacted for his reaction, Obafemi Olawore, executive secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), said that when such irregularities are brought to their notice, such defaulting dealers are usually dismissed. “Whenever such is brought to our notice, I let the managing director know. The MDs will send their own sales team to go and verify. Once they establish a proof, the dealer is terminated,” said Olawore. “I know two or three dealers that have lost their dealership because of such practice.” BDSUNDAY contacted Paul Osu, head, Public Affairs Unit, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), to find out what sanctions the agency has for erring filling stations, including those that continue to default even after the sanction, and how often the DPR team monitors to ensure compliance. “We are saddled with the technical responsibility of measuring quantity through the use of calibrated saraphin can during our routine monitoring and inspections of retail outlets. In some instances, we do it in the full view of the media to boost public confidence,” said Osu via email. “The sanction for any infraction bordering on under-dispensing is the sealing of the defaulting pump and a fine of N100,000 per defaulting pump,” he said. Apparently, these measures are not enough to deter erring filling stations as these infractions go on unchecked, with the unsuspecting consumers perpetually holding the short end of the stick. This investigative report is supported by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (FOSTER) Source : Business Day