Politics Herald

Reach Thousands of Decision Makers: Advertise in Contemporary Who's Who in Cross River at Slashed Adverts Rates

The publishers of Contemporary Who's Who in Cross River State have approved a huge slash on advert rates specifically for young entrepreneurs wishing to advertise their brands in the book.

In a statement by the publishers, young entrepreneurs who want to advertise their brands have a lifetime opportunity to reach tens of thousands of potential clients.

A full page that was originally fixed at N250,000 is now N125,000, while a half page that was N150,000 is N75,000.

This is part of the commitment of the publishers of Contemporary Who's Who to increase the visibility of start ups and direct traffic to their brands.

For details, please contact Kammonke Abam on 08037265719

FG To Begin Payment Of Salaries By 25th Of Every Month – AGF

The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, says the Federal Government plans to begins payment of staff salaries by the 25th of every month, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Idris, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, said “this is going to be given a test, I believe, by this month’’.

The AGF also said that the government was working on a new arrangement, which, if approved, would ensure payment of the salaries before the monthly meeting of the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

According to him, usually, salaries are paid after the FAAC meeting, where revenue accruing to the federation’s account are shared between the federal, state and local governments.

“There is a standing instruction of Mr President to pay salary on or before 24 or 25 of every month and we will try as much as possible to comply and to abide by that.

“We are taking a step further to make a provision whereby we can accommodate salary payments even before FAAC.

“This is going to be given a test I believe by this month.

“We will go to seek for necessary approval of our political masters to make sure that at least salary and other statutory payments are made even before FAAC.

“Because we can project how much they are and therefore we can prepare and hit the ground running to make them realisable and actualised.

“Even where we delay FAAC, we can still pay salary.’’

Idris dispelled the widely held belief that the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy is responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries and attributed the situation to the crash in global oil prices, which has affected the inflow of income to the country.

“Nigeria is practically making about 30 to 40 per cent of what it used to make by way of revenue from oil and that has affected inflow generally.

“These inflows are what the federal, state and local governments receive to service the economy.

“It is when we receive these resources and sit at the end of the month for FAAC that the resources are shared among the three tiers of government.’’

Citing the benefits of TSA, Idris said that more than N2.7 trillion had been realised under a single account domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He also said that the cost of borrowing by government agencies had been reduced substantially and that the economy was already a beneficiary of the policy.

“The monies are stimulating the economy in a way that delivery of social goods, services and efficiency in government expenditure are being achieved.

“So I believe that they are already serving the purpose for which they are meant and they are within the economy.’’

He said he was optimistic having seen the benefits of the TSA policy to the Federal Government, states governments would key into it.

Idris said that any insinuations that the policy would lead to laying off of staff by deposit money banks was unfounded as the policy was not intended to disrupt the operations of those banks.

He, therefore, advised commercial banks to re-strategise on how to make profit without relying on government funds.

“I think banks need to really focus themselves and re-direct themselves to face traditional banking business and not rely heavily on public resources.

“They should be more strategic and focused and I believe that they will be better for it.’’

NAN reports that the TSA policy was introduced in Sept. 2015 to ensure that government resources are centralised in a single account.

It was introduced to block leakages in the system to ensure transparency and efficiency in the management of government resources. (NAN)

Buhari Appoints a Cross Riverian, Obono-Obla, as Special Adviser to Hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation

A renown human rights activist and celebrated lawyer, Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla, has been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Special Adviser to Hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

Obono-Obla is a well known cerebral lawyer, essayist, activist, and traditional ruler. He holds LLB degree from the University of Jos.

Born October 30, 1966, he attended St. Andrews Primary School, Ishobori, Ogoja (1970-1976); Mary Knoll College, Ogoja, 1976-1982; Federal School of Arts and Science, Ogoja, 1982-1983; University of Jos, 1985-1990; Nigerian Law School, Lagos, 1989-1990.

He started his career as a Counselor, National Youth Service Corps Secretariat, Benin City (NYSC Legal Aid Scheme) where he started a clinic to provide legal aid to indigent people, September, 1990 September, 1991. He joined the firm of KANU G. AGABI & ASSOCIATES, Calabar, Cross River State, February, 1992 May, 1994. Thereafter, he founded his firm, Obono, Obono, & Associates, a firm of lawyers based in Abuja.

He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, World Affairs Council of Arizona, U.S.A.; Member, Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights and Legal Aid Committee, Calabar Branch, (1996 1998); Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Bar Association, Calabar Branch, 1996 1997; Founder/Chairman, The Movement for the Empowerment of Cross River People (Pro-Democracy, Human Rights, Environmental and Anti-Corruption NGO), November, 1997 till date; Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Bar Association, Calabar Branch, 1998 2000; Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Rights Centre for Akwa Ibom/Cross River States of Nigeria, Calabar (1999 till date); Legal Adviser, Women-in-Detention Initiative (Pro-Women Rights NGO, Calabar), January, 2000 till date; Member, Nigerian Bar Association National Human Rights Committee, (2001 till date); Secretary, Financial Impropriety/Verification Standing Committee appointed by the Government of Cross River State to probe the erstwhile Military Administration in Cross River State of Nigeria, June 18, 1999 3rd September, 1999; Secretary, Transparency in Nigeria (Nigerian affiliate of Transparency International) Cross River State Chapter, 2001 till date; Chairman, CONTACT 2000 (Pro-Democracy NGO); Trustee, Lokaa Language Development and Bible Translation Project; Counsel for victims from Cross River State of Nigeria of Human Rights abuses before the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission constituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to look into cases of Human Rights abuse in Nigeria from 1996 1999; Facilitator, Citizens’ Forum for Constitutional Review, Cross River State of Nigeria; Reporter, Nigerian Bar Association 2001 National Annual Conference; Member, Presidential Tribunal on African Petroleum Plc, 2002-2003; Gubernatorial Candidate of National Conscience Party, Cross River State, 2003 General Election; Delegate, United Nations Development Programme Conference on Justice and Security Sector Reform, Oslo, Norway, April, 2003; Chairman, Universal Defenders for Democracy (Pro-Human Rights NGO) Cross River State Chapter, January, 1993 July, 1994; Chairman, Democratic Alternative (Pro-Democracy, Human Rights/Women Rights NGO) Cross River State Chapter, January, 1994 October, 1997; Legal Adviser, NGO Coalition on Environment, Cross River State, Nigeria, April, 1996 till date; Member, National Executive Committee of Nigerian Bar Association, April 2005 until date; Member, Presidential Task Force on Clearance of Abandoned/ Accidented/Scrap vehicles from Police stations, highways and public places nationwide November 2003 until date; Member, Board of Directors, Nigeria National Park Service August 2005 October 2007; Member, Board of Governors, Ijiman Science Academy, Ugep, Urban, Yakurr, Cross River State, and December 2007 till date; Founder, Cross River Movement for Justice (pro-Democracy NGO) 2007; Pioneer National Legal Adviser, Congress For Progressive Change, July, 2009 -January, 2011; Member, Board Of Trustees, Congress for Progressive Change, July, 2009 - January, 2011; Deputy National Secretary, Congress for Progressive Change, January 2011-2014; Secretary/member, Merger Committee of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change that negotiated the merger of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigerian people’s Party, and Congress for Progressive Change, Jaanuary – June, 2013; Co-Secretary, Joint Inter Merger Committee (composed of the Inter-Merger Committees of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Peoples Party, the Congress for Progressive Change, and factions of All Progressives Grand Alliance, and the Democratic Peoples Party that negotiated the formation of All Progressive Congress and drafted its manifetoes and constitution), February to July, 2013; Member, National Planning Committee, Maiden National Convention of the All Progressives Congress, February, 2014; Member, Legal and Security Directorate, All Progressive Congress presidential Council, 2015.

He is a Fellow, Law 457 of the Prestigious Salzburg Global Seminar; Participated in the Young African Leaders Project (International Visitor Program) for Human Rights Lawyers and Judges from Africa under thirty six (36) years) from August 25th 26th September, 1997. The project was titled: “The Role of Law and Administration of Justice.” The project was organized by the defunct United States Information Agency; honoured as a Distinguished Visitor by the Urban Morgan for Human Rights, College of Law, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, on 12th day of September, 1997 for his contribution to the promotion of Human Rights in Nigeria; mentioned in the United States Information Agency (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs International Visitor Program, Biographical Information Handbook (1997).

He has contributed several articles/essays in the media notably in the Guardian, X-Ray, and Leadership, National Interest Newspapers etc on the themes of development, good governance, democracy and Rule of Law.

He holds the traditional title of Obol Kepon of Letampankom (Traditional Ruler) Ijiman Ward, Ugep Urban, Cross River State; Obol Kobil (Minister for War of Ijiman, Ugep). He is married to
Justina Obono-Obla and they both have two children.