Saturday, 19 November 2016

Brazil oil giant gets bribe money back




Brazilian prosecutors leading a major corruption investigation have returned $60m (£49m) to state oil giant Petrobras.
The money was retrieved from senior politicians, civil servants and businessmen who agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
The kickback scheme cost Petrobras an estimated $1.8bn, said company boss Pedro Parente.
The scandal has rocked the country and led to mass street protests.
Dozens of politicians and some of Brazil’s wealthiest businessmen have been arrested as part of the inquiry, known as Operation Car Wash, over the past two years.
Under new legislation, they were allowed to tell what they knew and return some of the corruption money in exchange for shorter sentences.
Many in Brazil criticised the operation, saying it was politically motivated and targeted mostly members of the

Innoson delivers 1st indigenous vehicles to military





To enhance the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists in the country, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous auto plant, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Ltd, has designed and built IVM G12 series, a special purpose range of off-road light trucks, for use by the military and related security organisations.
The first indigenous military vehicle was officially handed over to the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Bornu State, last week to enhance the operations against insurgency.
Presenting the IVM G12 series to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, at the tactical headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maimalari Barracks in the Borno State capital, the chairman, Innoson Group, Dr Innocent Chukwuma, assured that the vehicle would be at home on the challenging terrains the army is used to in its operations.
Chief Chukwuma introduced Innoson IVM G12 series as a highly mobile and tactical pick-up van, with double reinforced shock absorbers that can show strength and ability to cope with military functions, especially in the Northeastern part of the country.
Receiving the truck, General Buratai praised Innoson’s vision of manufacturing vehicles that serve the specific

Buhari demands transparency from Boards of NNPC, NCDMB, NNRA

President Buhari in a group photo with Members of Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) shortly after inaugurating Board of Parastatals in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources at the State House on 18th November 2016.Facebook/Femi Adesina



President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the boards of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), with a call on the board members to uphold transparency in the management of ‎the organizations.
He also asked them to come up with new ways to overcome the present economic challenges.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, will chair the boards of the agencies under his ministry.
In a short remark, the president charged the members to ensure propriety in the management of the agencies.
The president noted that the boards came at a time when the global petroleum industry was going through a downturn in purchase which he said, had also translated into dwindling production by most producer nations.
He said Nigeria had been hit by the misfortunes of oil industry adding that several countries had been hit much harder.