Nigeria fuel subsidy report shows $6.8bn lost due to fraud

Nigeria’s parliament has discussed a report said to reveal that $6bn (£4bn) has been defrauded from the fuel subsidy fund in the past two years.

The debate, which was televised live, made official findings that have been widely leaked in recent days.

The fuel sector probe was set up in the wake of angry nationwide protests in January after the government tried to remove a fuel subsidy.

Nigeria is a major oil producer but has to import most of its fuel.

“We are fighting against entrenched interests whose infectious greed has decimated our people,” House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said as he opened the two-day debate.

“Therefore, be mindful they will fight back and they normally do fight dirty.”

The 205-page parliamentary report uncovers a long list of alleged wrongdoings involving oil retailers, Nigeria’s Oil Management Company and the state Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.

According to the leaks, a total of 15 fuel importers collected more than $300m two years ago without importing any fuel, while more than 100 oil marketers collected the same amount of money on several occasions.

The leaked report also says that officials in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan were among those who benefited from the subsidy fund.

Many of the people named in the document have denied any involvement in fraud, with some taking out full-page adverts proclaiming their innocence in local newspapers.

The BBC’s Bashir Sa’ad Abdullahi in Abuja says at least some of the findings are likely to be adopted by Nigeria’s lawmakers because of the huge public anger over the attempt to withdraw the subsidy.

Many Nigerians were livid when they were told by their government that the fuel subsidy was economically unsustainable – only to now find out the scale of fraud in the operation of the fund, our correspondent says.

Despite being a major oil producer, Nigeria has not invested in the infrastructure needed to produce refined fuel, so has to import much of its petrol.

The annual $8bn subsidy means prices are lower than in neighbouring countries – and correspondents say many Nigerians see cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from their country’s oil wealth, much of which is pocketed by corrupt officials.

After a week of street protests and a general strike, the government agreed to restore some of the subsidy – and reduce the pump price of petrol to 97 naira (about $0.60) per litre after it had doubled to 140 naira when the subsidy was removed without warning on 1 January.

But President Jonathan defended the subsidy cut, saying Nigeria must either “deregulate and survive economically, or we continue with a subsidy regime that will continue to undermine our economy.”

GHANA MMA

Related stories: Mass protests across Nigeria over fuel subsidies

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Winners of the 2012 African Movie Academy Awards

Ghanaian play boy actor, Majid Michel and Nigerian actress Rita Dominic last Sunday night won the top prizes as they walked away with the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress' awards at this year's edition of the prestigious African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

Majid picked up the coveted award for his lead role in the 2011 movie 'Somewhere In Africa' while Nigerian Dominic won the 'Best Actress' award for her lead role in the Kenyan film 'Shattered' beating the likes of Nse Ikpe-Etim, Uche Jombo and Yvonne Okoro to clinch the prize.

South African actress Terry Pheto was also named Best Supporting Actress for her role in Charlie Vundla's debut film noir thriller, "How To Steal 2 Million" which also won Best Achievement in Editing (Garreth Fradgely), Best Director, Best Film and Supporting Actor(Rapuldna Seiphemo). With five awards, "How 2 Steal 2 Million' was the most awarded film at this year's AMAA.

Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun's 'Adesuwa' followed closely, winning three awards which includes 'Best Nigerian Film'. Kunle Afolayan's 'Phone Swap' wasn't left out as it won the 'Achievement in Production Design' award while Akin Omotoso won the 'Special Jury' award for 'Man on the Ground'.

Nigeria won a total of 12 awards out of 25 awards given out at this year's AMAA, which held at the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos and attended by a host of Nollywood actors, film makers, musicians, comedians and other stakeholders iincluding outgoing president of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN)Segun Arinze, former AGN boss Ejike Asiegbu, Tee-Mac, Fidelis Duker, Florence Ita-Giwa, Airtel Chairman Oba Otudeko and many others.

Other winners were Sara Bletcher's "Otelo Burning" which picked two awards; Cinematography and Best Child Actor (Tsepang Mohlomi) awards. The film had led with 13 nominations.

There were a number of other double award-winners. State Of Violence by South African Khalo Matabane won for Best Film in an African Language and Best Sound. Just as Danny Glover's "Toussaint Louverture" was named Best Diaspora Film. Kenyan's "Shattered" film also won the Best Make-Up. "Alero's Symphony" won for Soundtrack and Young/Promising Actor (Ivie Okujaye).

According to the jury, headed by Dr. Asantewa Olantunji, Director of programming of The Pan African Film Festival, AMAA received 328 entries from across Africa in 2012, up from 220 in 2011.

On this year's awards, the jury observed thus; "this year may prove to be the beginning of a new era for AMAA. Not only did AMAA witness an unprecedented number of film submissions from more countries throughout the African continent and its Diaspora, it also witnessed a remarkable increase in the quality of the films submitted. From their technical qualities to the acting and directing, the 2012 film slate is most impressive. Indeed, for the jury, the task of selecting the "Best" in each category has been challenging."

Some of the biggest names from black Hollywood who graced the awards night were Emmy Winner and Golden Globe nominee Lynn Whitfield (The JosephineBaker Story and Without a Trace); Morris Chestnut (American Horror Story, Boyz in the Hood); Rockmond Dunbar (Prison Break, Sons of Anarchy) and Maya Gilbert (General Hospital, Days of Our Lives).

Hollywood actor Jimmy Jean-Louis and Ambo awards winner O.C Ukeje hosted the prestigious awards, which included performances from Asa, 2Face Idibia, yinka Davies, Edge and Senegal's Viviane Ndour.

Here is a complete list of the winners:

AMAA 2012 BEST SHORT FILM

JAMAA – Uganda
Look Again – Kenya
Maffe Tiga – Guinea
Winner: Braids On Bald Head – Nigeria
Hidden Life – South Africa
Mwansa The Great – Zimbabwe
Chumo – Tanzania
The Young Smoker – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner: African Election – Nigeria / Germany
Beyond The Deadly Pit – Rwanda
Awa Ogbe An African Adventure – Algeria
Dear Mandella – South Africa
White & Black, Crime And Colour – Tanzania
The Niger Delta Struggle – Ghana
There Is Nothing Wrong With My Uncle – Nigeria
How Much Is Too Much – Kenya

AMAA 2012 BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

Winner: Toussanat Louverture – France
Ghetta Life – Jamaica
High Chicago – Canada
Elza – Guadelupe
Better Must Come – Jamaica
Kinyanrwanda – USA

AMAA 2012 BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

Winner: The Education Of Auma Obama – Germany
White Wash – USA
Almendron Mi Corazon – Guadeloupe
All Me The Life And Times Of Winfred Hubert – USA

AMAA 2012 BEST DIASPORA (SHORT FILM)

John Doe – USA
Winner: White Sugar In A Black Pot – USA
The Lost One – USA

AMAA 2012 BEST ANIMATION
Winner: The Legend Of Ngog Hills – Kenya
Oba – Nigeria
Climate Change Is Real – Kenya
Egu – South Africa
Chomoka – Kenya

AMAA 2012 BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD

Winner: Mystery Of Birds – USA / Nigeria
Housemates – United Kingdom / Nigeria
Ben Kross – Italy / Nigeria
Paparezzi Eye In The Dark – USA / Nigeria / Ghana

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

Somewhere In Africa – Ghana
Winner: Phone Swap – Nigeria
Otelo Burning – South Africa
Adesuwa – Nigeria
How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

The Captain Of Nakara
Winner: Adesuwa – Nigeria
Rugged Priest – Kenya
Somewhere In Africa – Ghana
Queens Desire

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

Rugged Priest – Kenya
State Research Bureau – Uganda
Adesuwa – Nigeria
Somewhere in Africa – Ghana
Winner: Shattered – Kenya

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

Otelo Burning – South Africa
Winner: Alero’s Symphony – Nigeria
Adesuwa – Nigeria
How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

Behind The Mask
Somewhere In Africa – Ghana
Winner: Adesuwa – Nigeria
State Research Bureau – Uganda
Otelo Burning – South Africa

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

Winner: State Of Violence – South Africa
Otelo Burning – South Africa
How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
Man On Ground – South Africa
Algiers Murder – South Africa

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
Winner: Otelo Burning – South Africa
Rugged Priest – Kenya
Masquerades – Ghana
Man On Ground – South Africa / Nigeria

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

Algiers Murder – South Africa
Man On Ground – South Africa / Nigeria
Unwanted Guest – Nigeria
Winner: How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
Otelo Burning – South Africa
Alero’s Symphony – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY

Winner: Ties That Bind – Ghana
Mr & Mrs – Nigeria
How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
Otelo Burning – South Africa
Unwanted Guest – Nigeria
Two Brides And A Baby – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 BEST NIGERIAN FILM

Unwanted Guest
Family On Fire
Alero’s Symphony
Winner: Adesuwa
Phone Swap

AMAA 2012 BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
Chumo – Tanzania
Winner: State Of Violence – South Africa
Family On Fire – Nigeria
Otelo Burning – South Africa
Asoni – Cameroun

AMAA 2012 BEST CHILD ACTOR

Rahman Junior Bande (Greg) – Behind The Mask
Winner: Tsepang Mohlomi (Ntwe) – Otelo Burning
Reginna Danies (Jenny) – Bank Job
Benjamin Abemigisha and Racheal Nduhukire (Derick and Margaret) – JAMAA
Ayinla O Abdulaheem – ZR-7

AMAA 2012 BEST YOUNG / PROMISING ACTOR

Neo Ntatleno (OJ) – State Of Violence
Winner: Ivie Okujaye (Alero) – Alero’s Symphony
Iyobosa Olaye (Adesuwa) – Adesuwa
Martha Ankomah – Somewhere In Africa
Thomas Gumede and Sihle Xaba – Otelo Burning

AMAA 2012 BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Rapuldna Seiphemo (Twala) – How To Steal 2 Million
Winner: Fano Mokoena – Man On Ground
Hafiz Oyetoro – Phone Swap
Okechukwu Uzoesi – Two Brides And A Baby
Godfrey Theobejane – 48
Lwanda Jawar – Rugged Priest

AMAA 2012 BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Winner: Terry Phetto – How To Steal 2 Million
Ebbe Bassey – Ties That Bind
Empress Njamah – Bank Job
Ngozi Ezeonu – Adesuwa
Thelma Okoduwa – Mr & Mrs
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde – Ties That Bind

AMAA 2012 BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Menzi Ngubane – How To Steal 2 Million
Winner: Majid Micheal – Somewhere In Africa
Chet Anekwe – Unwanted Guest
Jafta Mamabolo – Otelo Burning
Karabo Lance – 48
Wale Ojo – Phone Swap
Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Man On Ground

AMAA 2012 BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Nse Ikpe Etim – Mr & Mrs
Yvonne Okoro – Single Six
Ama K. Abebrese – Ties That Bind
Winner: Rita Dominic – Shattered
Uche Jombo – Damage
Millicent Makheido – 48
Kudzai Sevenzo-Nyarai – Playing Warriors

AMAA 2012 BEST DIRECTOR

Adesuwa – Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun
Ties That Bind – Leila Djansi
Rugged Priest – Bob Nyanja
Winner: How To Steal 2 Million – Charlie Vundla
State Of Violence – Khalo Matabane
Man On Ground – Akin Omotoso
Otelo Burning – Sara Bletcher

AMAA 2011 PRIZE FOR BEST FILM

State Of Violence – South Africa
Adesuwa – Nigeria
Otelo Burning – South Africa
Rugged Priest – Kenya
Winner: How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
Ties That Bind – Ghana
Man On Ground – South Africa / Nigeria

AMAA Special Jury Award-Akin Omotosho

Vanguard

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Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi accused of plagiarism

A Nigerian professor based in the United States, Victor Dike, Monday, dragged the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to a Federal High Court in Abuja accusing him of plagiarism.

Dike, an Adjunct Professor at the School of Engineering and Technology, National University, Sacramento, US, in a statement of claims filed by his lawyer, Mr. E.U. Chinedum, said that Sanusi breached his copyrights on two different occasions on November 26, 2010 and December 10, 2010 when he presented lectures.

The first occasion was at a lecture he delivered at the 8th convocation ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, on November 26, 2010, where Sanusi presented a paper titled “Growth Prospects for the Nigerian Economy.”

The second occasion was on December 10, 2010 at the Convocation Square, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, where Sanusi again, presented a paper titled “Global Financial Meltdown and the Reforms in the Nigerian Banking Sector.”

The plaintiff, who is also the Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Centre for Social Justice and Human Development in California, USA, said the CBN governor copied verbatim from his works in the two articles he presented without referring to him as the original author.

He gave the name of the articles from which Sanusi copied from as “Review of the Challenges Facing the Nigerian Economy: Is National Development Possible without Technological Capability?”, “Global Economic Crisis and Power of Productivity” and the “Governance and Nigeria’s Weak Institutions: Is the 2020 Project Achievable?”

The plaintiff averred that Sanusi copied from pages 98, 99 and 100 of his work titled, “Review of the Challenges Facing the Nigerian Economy: Is National Development Possible without Technological Capability?”

He stated the copied lines as follows: “The challenges facing the economy is in-effective institutions and dilapidated infrastructure (bad roads, erratic power supply, limited access to potable water and basic healthcare, and in-effective regulatory agencies, etc). The plethora of reforms and policies are in-effective due to institutional failure (Hoff, 2003).”

The above is just an example of sentences from one of the publications in which Sanusi is alleged to have plagiarised.

The plaintiff alleged that Sanusi also copied verbatim articles originally written and published by him without acknowledging him as the author of the works from where he (Sanusi) sourced the materials that made up his lectures.

He said that the articles wherein Sanusi used his works were still at the CBN website, www.cbn.com.

He alleged that the CBN governor was in breach of the Copyright Act when he copied his materials without acknowledging him as the original author of the works.
In the “Governance and Nigeria’s Weak Institutions: Is the 2020 Project Achievable?” the plaintiff said that Sanusi copied about four pages and presented them as his own in the lecture he delivered at the Igbinedion University’s eighth convocation ceremony.

It is the further averment of the plaintiff that from his work titled, “Nigeria: Reform Efforts and the Unresolved Socio-Economic Problems”, Sanusi also copied works that formed pages 22-28 of the lecture he delivered at the Igbenedion University.

He asked the CBN governor to produce the two lectures he delivered for the use of the court.

He said that he wrote to the CBN governor informing him of the infractions and that Sanusi replied that he acknowledged one “Victor E.D.” in one of the lectures.

But the plaintiff said he told him that more than four of his works were recklessly copied by him (Sanusi) and asked him to stop further copying of his works and requested him to tender an unreserved apology but that Sanusi did not offer any such apology.

The plaintiff said he caused another letter to be written to Sanusi and that four months later, the Legal Department of the CBN wrote to him denying the alleged plagiarism by Sanusi but however apologised to him for wrongly citing one of his article as E.D. Victor instead of Victor E. Dike.

The plaintiff said that his articles and publications were no longer valued by his readers and colleagues after the discovery by his readers that some opinion he expressed were also contained verbatim in another person’s work who claims the authorship.

The plaintiff said that he had lost a great deal of royalties since the incidence of this plagiarism came to the fore, as the journal that looked forward to his articles had become sceptical about accepting articles from him.

He said that unless Sanusi was made to retract those lines copied from his works and adequately compensate him for the  breach of his copyrights, his readers and indeed the whole world would no longer take his opinions serious as same would be seen as not original.

Recently, the Hungarian President Pal Schmitt resigned after losing his doctorate in a plagiarism scandal.

Schmitt, who was elected to his largely ceremonial office in 2010 for a five-year term, said in a speech at the start of parliament's plenary session that he was stepping down because his "personal issue" was dividing Hungary.

His 1992 doctorate was revoked last week after an investigation at Budapest's Semmelweis University found that most of his thesis about the modern Olympic Games had been copied from the works of two other authors.
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarise" means: “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own to use (another's production) without crediting the source to commit literary theft; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

Plagiarism is therefore an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work.

The plaintiff subsequently asked for N15 million as compensation, the cost of filing the suit and the cost of travelling to Nigeria.

He also asked the court to declare that Sanusi plagiarised his works and breached his copyright.

He further asked the court to issue a perpetual injunction restraining Sanusi from citing his papers as his (Sanusi's).
He asked the court to direct Sanusi to retract the papers from the public by removing them from the CBN website.

The plaintiff asked the court to make a publication in a national daily denouncing the authorship of the articles.

Yesterday, the court ordered the bailiff to paste the court's processes at the CBN after the bailiff deposed to an affidavit that the security at the office did not accept service.
The case has been adjourned by Justice Adamu Bello to May 31 for mention.

This Day

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D'Banj signs with Mercury Records UK

African pop giant and former Mo'hits boss Dapo 'D'banj' Oyebanjo has signed with Mercury Records, an imprint in the UK under the Mercury Records Group of Universal Music UK.

Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the The Island Def Jam Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group.

Mercury Records lists D'banj on their official website as one of their acts alongside the likes of UK rock singer-songwriter Elton John, Soft Rock singer Taylor Swift Irish rock group U2, former The Beatles musician Paul McCartney and others.

Although his publicist and management are yet to respond to our E-mails concerning the signing, D'banj seems to have confirmed the news himself as he has updated the bio section profile on his Twitter page.

D'banj has also launched his personal website www.dbanjofficial.com where the Mecury Records logo boldly appears in the bottom right corner.

The new bio reads 'DB/Good Music/ Mercury/IDJ' (IDJ meaning Island Def Jam). When asked by a fan on Twitter what 'IDJ' means, he responded 'island Def Jam bro'.

D'banj is however not listed on the G.O.O.D Music/Def Jam official roaster on the label's website.

D'banj who recently parted ways with his former Mo'Hits label partner Don Jazzy has relocated to the US where he will continue to push his brand and music in the foreign music market.

The entertainer is set to officially release his smash single 'Oliver' (which recently made Scott Mills' Radio 1 'Record Of The Week') in the UK on May 14.

D'banj as announced earlier will also perform at the 2012 Barclaycard Wireless Festival which holds at the Hyde Park, London, on Saturday, July, 7 2012 and at the BBC Hackney Weekend 2012 in London come June 23 and 24.

Leadership

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Video - How ex-governor of Delta state James Ibori started as petty thief in London

On April 17, 2012, former Delta State governor, James Ibori was sentenced to 13 years in prison for money laundering. What many do not know is that the former governor started his stealing career in London as a petty thief at a Wickes Hardware store before he became a governor.

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