Bakare urges FG to prosecute subsidy profiteers

Pastor Tunde Bakare 

Vice-Presidential candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change in 2011 elections, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has called on the government to prosecute those who illegally benefitted from fuel subsidy.

The Serving Overseer, Latter Rain Assembly, spoke at the church’s auditorium on Sunday while delivering the Part Four of a sermon titled, ‘Intervention in Governance: Wisdom for Public Service’.

The cleric, who used the biblical story of King Solomon and the two women who brought a case over the maternity of a child to him as a metaphor, stated that President Goodluck Jonathan must do justice to Nigerians by ensuring that the subsidy fraud was thoroughly investigated.

He said, “God will give the President the wisdom on how to do it. A leader needs wisdom to administer justice. Wisdom is the tree of life. The subsidy issue must not be swept under the carpet. There should be justice because there can never be peace without justice.

“This is not a matter of politics. We should fix the problem before the problem fixes us. There should be no attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet, else every other thing will not work. We need to know who collected certain amount of money and what it was used for.”

Bakare added, “Sometimes, we think that integrity was enough to serve in government but in the Nigerian context, it had shown that it is not. Integrity is not enough, experience counts.”

He lamented that a majority of the Nigerian political leaders are only concerned about themselves while those who elected them wallow in abject poverty.

According to Bakare, no good leader will look down on the people he is supposed to serve and call them “ordinary”, “miscreants” and “masses”.

He added, “No leader that is worth his salt will look down on the people he is supposed to serve and call them ordinary, masses and miscreants. They only become ‘great’ when he was seeking their votes.”

On whether the Save Nigeria Group, which played a major role in mobilising Nigerians during the fuel subsidy removal protests in January had abandoned the fight against unpopular government’s policies, Bakare declined comments.

Why did Osaze snub Keshi?

On the blast of the final whistle Richard Gahonzire, an Executive member of Rwanda Football Federation, approached this reporter and said “why did Osaze snub Stephen Keshi?
When it was clear that Osaze Odewengie was not getting it right in the Nations Cup qualifier last Wednesday he was substituted and Victor Moses came in and showed that he was a star in the making for Nigeria. He controlled the ball well and had precision in his attack.

Osaze Odemwingie in a with the press

When Keshi stood and stretched his hand  to pat Osaze on the back as he was leaving the pitch Osaze ignored Keshi and quickly reached for a bottle of water.
He appeared unhappy that he was being substituted. But Keshi did not look at his face. His eyes were focused on the field and he probably did not see Osaze’s action. But those who watched closely saw what happened.
Osaze wasn’t happy that he was substituted and walked straight to the bench, reaching out for a bottle of water instead of shaking his coach Stephen Keshi. He could have taken the water and still responded to Keshi’s pleasantry. He did not. His countenance pictured his mind.
“I did not even take notice of what he did as I had my eyes on the pitch at the same time,” Keshi said when this reporter asked him about it.
Richard who saw it all was  outraged.
“Was Osaze sad that he was changed,” Richard, rhetorically, asked again?
“I told you that the match would be a David and Goliath affair and your stars from Europe almost made it so. Our fans expected a lot from them but they were no where in this match. These big names have been failing your country and today wasn’t different.”
Richard, like their coach Militi, has been monitoring Nigeria’s football and knew why Nigeria did not qualify for the last Nations Cup.
Keshi, Daniel Amokachi, Sylvanus Okpala, Valere and Shorunmu all agreed that Nigeria could have won the match if they fielded the team that beat Liberia two weeks ago. They have concluded to field more of the local players in subsequent matches especially during the qualifiers for Nations Cup and World Cup.
They have been building a new national team and want to build confidence into the local Eagles. Four played in Kigali and excelled more than the Europe-based players.

Jonathan to reshuffle cabinet

There  were  indications on Sunday that President Goodluck Jonathan might carry out a cabinet reshuffle later this month.

A senior government official who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said those affected were to be asked to go because of poor performance.

THE PUNCH’s investigations in Abuja showed that three ministers would be dropped this month. Another batch, according to a Presidency source, would be shown the way out in June.

The  source said the three ministers that have been pencilled in for removal this month had been in government since 2007. He, however did not give their names.

The source explained that those in the second batch were appointed by Jonathan, when he assumed office as acting President in 2010.

He said, “The cabinet reshuffle  is going to be a prelude to the sacking of  many ministers later this year, possibly June. Three ministers are going this month and some will be moved to other ministries. But in June, many of those who have been in government since 2010 will be sacked, if they failed to perform.”

The Minister of National Planning,   Dr. Shamsudeen Usman and his Petroleum Resources counterpart, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, were initially appointed in 2007 by Yar’Adua and had survived previous cabinet shake-ups.

Ministers, who have been in the cabinet since 2010 include Mr. Segun Aganga (Trade and Investment), Bala Muhammed (Federal Capital  Territory), Ruqayyat Rufai (Education),  Emeka Wogu (Labour), and Caleb Olubolade (Police Affairs)

Investigations showed that among the criteria that would be used in assessing the ministers was what a source in the Presidency described as “public opinion.”

According to the source, Jonathan is sensitive to criticisms against his government.

The source said, “ The President is not impervious to the negative publicity some of the ministers are attracting to his administration. 

“Besides, those who have not made much impact but may be lucky to escape this month’s cabinet shake-up, will not escape the next one. Some of them will be given a second chance and transferred to other ministries.”

It was also gathered that the performance of the 2012 budget would form part of the yardsticks for measuring the ministers’ performances.

“The performance of the budget will be monitored and ministers will be given another chance to improve the budget performance of their ministries as they will be held responsible for any failure. Those who excel will have nothing to fear,” the source said.

It will be recalled that Jonathan had at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday decried the poor service delivery of ministries, departments and agencies, and asked the ministers to sit up.

The council, had at the meeting, discussed the report on Service Compact (SERVICOM) with Nigeria, which is used in measuring the performance of the MDAs.

The Minister of Information and Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, who briefed journalists after the meeting, had said, “The report (SERVICOM report) says we need to improve on our services to the satisfaction of citizens. There is need to re-energise the SERVICOM in government.

“The President emphasised the need for all of us to sit up. He stated that all ministers and all those holding executive positions in government must do their work because the work we do would be measured by the results the citizens get. The President emphasised that all of us must take service delivery seriously.”

Investigations also showed that the cabinet shake-up would be used to address complaints of marginalisation by some zones and states.

It was learnt that the South-West, which lost the speakership of the House of Representatives to the North-West might be considered for more ministerial and board appointments.

Our correspondent also gathered that some members of the outgoing Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee would be among nominees that would replace  the ministers that might be sacked.

The party on Saturday began its ward congresses. Its local government congresses will take place on March 10, while state executives will be elected on March 17.

The national convention, where new officers of the party will be elected, will take place on March 24 and new NWC members will assume office on March 26.

Investigations revealed that the outgoing Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, had been penciled in for a ministerial appointment.

It was learnt that names of  three nominees would be forwarded to the Senate before the March 24 national convention of the PDP.

Besides ministerial posts, it was gathered that  the NWC members would be part of boards of agencies and parastatals, which would soon be constituted.

The Presidency source, who said the President would soon announce the cabinet shake-up, added, “The NWC members who cannot make the ministerial list will be given board appointments.

“You are aware that many of those who worked for the President in the 2011 poll have not been catered for. Mr. President is aware of this and it will be addressed when the boards are be reconstituted.”