NNPC has started refunding unremitted $1.48bn –Alison-Madueke

                                              Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke

The Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has started refunding the $1.48bn unremitted fund into the Federation Account as recommended by an audit firm, PriceWaterHouse Coopers.

She however did not disclose how much has for far been refunded by the corporation.

She also denied reports that she was seeking the assistance of some highly-placed persons in order to escape prosecution for alleged corruption from the incoming administration of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Alison-Madueke spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Reduce charges on bank deposits, LCCI urges CBN

                                      President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to reduce charges on bank deposits, especially the 0.5 per cent fee payable to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and another 0.5 per cent to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.

The LCCI, in its first quarter review released on Wednesday, said the additional costs were invariably passed on to investors in form of high cost of fund.

The President, LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, noted that the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee, at the end of its meeting last month, decided to sustain the tight monetary policy regime, as it retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 13 per cent, Cash Reserve Ratio on private sector deposits at 20 per cent, CRR on public sector deposits at 75 per cent and liquidity ratio at 30 per cent.

FG summons S’African High Commissioner over attacks

                                                     South African Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni

The Federal Government on Wednesday summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria,   Lulu Louis-Mnguni, over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other black Africans.

The government also demanded compensation from the South African authorities for the Nigerian victims of the violence by black South Africans.

A statement   from the Public Communications Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Louis-Mnguni met in Abuja on Wednesday with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,   Musiliu Obanikoro.

The statement explained that during the meeting, Obanikoro expressed Nigeria’s concern over the fate of its and other nationals in South Africa.

He underscored the fact that since South Africa was a major player on the continent, it should   make its nationals to live in peace with citizens of other countries.

Suspect steals N3.2m during PDP campaign rally

Tokunbo Ojo

A suspected thief arrested by the police in Lagos, Tokunbo Ojo, says a master key he owned made it easy for him to steal from vehicles during public functions such as weddings and burials.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ojo recently got lucky as he stole N3.2m from a car parked at the campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Our correspondent gathered that 49-year-old Ojo, who hails from Aramoko, Ekiti State, was nabbed by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad with the master key on Tuesday, April 14.

What will history say about Ayo Fayose?

                                                                                   Governor Ayodele Fayose

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State is an enigma. I know a lot of Nigerians would find even the contemplation unacceptable but then truth must be told. To drive the point home appropriately, let us attempt a definition of the word “enigma”.

The online dictionary, oxforddictionaries.com, defines enigma as “A person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand.” I do not know a better word to describe any man who sponsored some of the most virulent advertisement against the person and candidature of Muhammadu Buhari before the recently concluded presidential election but would equally be the first to congratulate him when it became obvious that Buhari was winning the election. Fayose just seems so adept at compartmentalising his emotions even if just fleetingly. But this is not the only testimony of enigma of Fayose and I am going to attempt a systematic construction from here.