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[] | 2016-08-26T13:02:21 | null | 2016-08-23T07:08:41 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fzimbabwe-government-wont-pay-diamond-miners%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Diamnd-man-550.jpg
|
en
| null |
Zimbabwe government won't pay diamond miners
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
| null |
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/zimbabwe-government-wont-pay-diamond-miners/
|
en
| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/72aab9242b70a497bcbf0969d36039137709246e9392a65a7387290b2382079f.json
|
[] | 2016-08-26T13:03:56 | null | 2016-08-26T10:48:50 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fhigh-court-okays-mega-demonstration%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/court2.png
|
en
| null |
High Court okays Mega Demonstration
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
The High Court has just okayed the mega-demonstration by several political parties to press for comprehensive electoral reforms ahead of the next election.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/high-court-okays-mega-demonstration/
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/eefb872dd9428acd3a0f3ce8466484ba7899b3dcda074ec9d7a7aba177b1ce6c.json
|
[] | 2016-08-30T14:52:36 | null | 2016-08-30T14:24:36 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fmad-info-police-arrest-human-rights-defenders%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Co7h7pRWEAQEa0j.jpg
|
en
| null |
Mad info police arrest human rights defenders
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
14:24 by Crisis Publications Have your say: Mad info police arrest human rights defenders
Masvingo - Seven Human Rights Defenders were arrested yesterday by police in Masvingo but five were released and two remain incarcerated.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/mad-info-police-arrest-human-rights-defenders/
|
en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/217626e6bcaf8dc147a42ab7a909e13e580ef3507cf38c2567f52547447c267e.json
|
[] | 2016-08-26T13:04:19 | null | 2016-08-26T12:14:27 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fu-s-embassy-calls-for-non-violence-and-respect-for-human-rights%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/beaten.jpg
|
en
| null |
U.S. Embassy calls for non-violence and respect for human rights
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
12:14 by Staff Reporter Have your say: U.S. Embassy calls for non-violence and respect for human rights
The United States is troubled by the economic policies and financial strains that have prompted numerous recent protests in Zimbabwe and we join many Zimbabweans in their deep concern over reports of violence during some of the protests.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/u-s-embassy-calls-for-non-violence-and-respect-for-human-rights/
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/90a8fe2f74704253807e2c5ffa8249c5e7ed11fbb1b4d555b31f6807f37c3dc5.json
|
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:00 | null | 2016-08-26T11:07:46 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fngo-expo-2016%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/nango_logo-300x140.jpg
|
en
| null |
The Zimbabwean
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
National Association of Non Governmental Organizations (NANGO) on annual basis organizes an NGO Expo to provide its members and non-members an opportunity to exhibit some of their products and services, which they offer.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/ngo-expo-2016/
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/12edc332db70c55ced105d6860b50e79675775ac7e686d996f912e1919d88662.json
|
[] | 2016-08-30T06:52:24 | null | 2016-08-30T05:34:41 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fzimbabwe-now-a-police-state%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/riot-police2.jpg
|
en
| null |
Zimbabwe now a police state
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
5:34 by Jacob Mafume Have your say: Zimbabwe now a police state
The successive police brutality in Harare portray that Zimbabwe is now a police state and that the Zanu PF government wants to declare war on citizens and a state of emergency.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/zimbabwe-now-a-police-state/
|
en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/7e69b4db06a15fb7f047db84f97dfad435b4f1dac211d248baa5edcc1e6f0adf.json
|
[] | 2016-08-29T08:51:46 | null | 2016-08-29T06:57:50 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fcambridge-woman-turns-fairy-tales-and-stories-into-zimbabwe-paralympic-reality%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Rachel_Davis_and_crew___Content.jpg
|
en
| null |
Cambridge woman turns 'fairy tales and stories' into Zimbabwe Paralympic reality
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
6:57 by Cambridge Times Have your say: Cambridge woman turns ‘fairy tales and stories’ into Zimbabwe Paralympic reality
ZIMBABWE – Rachel Davis joked that her experience in forming Zimbabwe’s first Paralympic rowing team would make a Hollywood movie rivalling that of Cool Runnings.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/cambridge-woman-turns-fairy-tales-and-stories-into-zimbabwe-paralympic-reality/
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/dd73f065cab3ce64daff4c1fa9bbc51401410c11b8ee649fa7dcd865bcb4b802.json
|
[] | 2016-08-31T12:53:19 | null | 2016-08-31T11:14:13 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fun-please-replace-mugabe-regime-with-transitional-authority%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Ban-Ki-moon.jpg
|
en
| null |
UN, please replace Mugabe regime
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
To Ban Ki-moon (Secretary-General of the United Nations): UN, please replace Mugabe regime with transitional authority - please sign Vigil petition
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/un-please-replace-mugabe-regime-with-transitional-authority/
|
en
| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/a3558e64e328dc7ff322a97d770aab33b30ae32dbb3d8944511cb647c1b4b439.json
|
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:20 | null | 2016-08-26T10:46:06 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Faustralian-embassy-condemns-use-of-violence%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/demo4.jpg
|
en
| null |
Australian Embassy condemns use of violence
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
10:46 by Staff Reporter Have your say: Australian Embassy condemns use of violence
The Australian Embassy shares the concerns of many Zimbabweans at the violence which has occurred over recent weeks in Zimbabwe. The use of violence is not acceptable under any circumstance.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/australian-embassy-condemns-use-of-violence/
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/4bbc338eb933b0290f1c8db10a089b29489f8b9b08da75eef11703e1d2dd1f8a.json
|
[] | 2016-08-31T12:53:25 | null | 2016-08-31T10:56:07 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Foxfam-vacancy-notice-phe-recruitment-deadline-2-sept-2016%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Oxfam-LOGO.jpg
|
en
| null |
Oxfam Vacancy Notice: PHE Recruitment, Deadline 2 Sept 2016
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
10:56 by Martin Have your say: Oxfam Vacancy Notice: PHE Recruitment, Deadline 2 Sept 2016
Oxfam is recruiting for a PHE Officer to support Emergency Response in the Matobo district. The deadline for applications is Friday, 2 September 2016.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/oxfam-vacancy-notice-phe-recruitment-deadline-2-sept-2016/
|
en
| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/e2c4285c67a68f55e65a6e13d38af55cb720ed7a8d2f9a367d7f9409e9ebddda.json
|
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:20 | null | 2016-08-28T12:21:25 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fthe-art-of-midwifing-elections-in-africa%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Raila-Odinga-2.jpg
|
en
| null |
The art of midwifing elections in Africa
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
Search for: Any Category Business Agriculture Business Analysis Economy Manufacturing Mining Cartoon Entertainment Arts Dance Film Literature Music Theatre Featured Lifestyle Education Environment Faith Food Health Relationships News Africa News Analysis World News Zimbabwe News Opinions Editor: Wilf Mbanga Letters to the Editor Opinions & Analysis Top Bloggers Politics Gender Equality Human Rights Mugabe Succession Parliament Political Parties Zimbabwe Elections Sport Athletics Cricket Football Golf Rugby Tennis Zimbabwe Sports News Tech Top Stories Travel Uncategorized
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/the-art-of-midwifing-elections-in-africa/
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/1851dd56ad72a253d806cc2a404d914aa7ca5c8955a90761fda3522028761cef.json
|
[] | 2016-08-29T06:51:46 | null | 2016-08-29T05:49:52 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fwoza-message-to-opposition-leaders-video%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/jenni-williams.jpg
|
en
| null |
Woza message to opposition leaders (VIDEO)
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
Search for: Any Category Business Agriculture Business Analysis Economy Manufacturing Mining Cartoon Entertainment Arts Dance Film Literature Music Theatre Featured Lifestyle Education Environment Faith Food Health Relationships News Africa News Analysis World News Zimbabwe News Opinions Editor: Wilf Mbanga Letters to the Editor Opinions & Analysis Top Bloggers Politics Gender Equality Human Rights Mugabe Succession Parliament Political Parties Zimbabwe Elections Sport Athletics Cricket Football Golf Rugby Tennis Zimbabwe Sports News Tech Top Stories Travel Uncategorized
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/woza-message-to-opposition-leaders-video/
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/1a5e86891d9557e8ffd2b4fcf67de360f876e3bc9a2231250689d9989efe74a2.json
|
[] | 2016-08-29T06:51:50 | null | 2016-08-29T05:53:07 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fwoza-women-in-london%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/IMG-20160828-WA0003.jpg
|
en
| null |
Woza women in london
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
Mazimbabweans hosted Jenni Williams (WOZA) in their outreach programme yesterday in Woking - Uk and she was given all the time to presnt her thoughts on the current situation in Zimbabwe.Though Jenni is on mission to collect her mum from England on medical grounds she was able to share a lot with a few Mazimbabweans Yes We Can members who managed to turn up for this briefing.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/woza-women-in-london/
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/b2bd779c4a8966794c11d13396ac246568f47932f75464dd81b19fff1b1d817b.json
|
[
"Nomusa Garikai"
] | 2016-08-26T13:01:01 | null | 2016-08-23T08:37:23 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Felectoral-reforms-are-a-key-component-of-free-and-elections%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/election.jpg
|
en
| null |
Electoral reforms are a key component of free and elections
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
8:37 by Obert Gutu Have your say: Electoral reforms are a key component of free and elections
The MDC would like to express its deep satisfaction with the progress that eighteen (18) political parties under the national electoral reform agenda (NERA), have so far made in jointly pushing for the adoption of electoral reforms. Indeed, without the adoption of electoral reforms as more fully disclosed in the NERA trajectory, it will not be possible for Zimbabwe to hold free and fair elections in 2018. As President Morgan Tsvangirai has lucidly pointed out to the media, it would be utter and complete folly for the MDC to blindly go into an election without reforms. We have learnt the bitter lesson that the Zanu PF regime will always rig any election that is conducted without electoral reforms. Once beaten, twice shy.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/electoral-reforms-are-a-key-component-of-free-and-elections/
|
en
| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/f5bcc3b041c644df1edd02769a1c3417b4b116451f715bdc0ce9bee91765f175.json
|
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:26 | null | 2016-08-28T12:08:01 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Furgent-motion-on-zimbabwe%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Flag-map_of_Zimbabwe.png
|
en
| null |
Urgent Motion on Zimbabwe
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
The 39th FIDH Congress, meeting in Johannesburg (Republic of South Africa) from 25 to 27 August 2016, wishes to express its solidarity and its support with human rights defenders in Zimbabwe.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/urgent-motion-on-zimbabwe/
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/113d5a9942f931ae379c0cc7f7bdff4c3c8030ca05d16e90e74b6fb1690988cf.json
|
[] | 2016-08-30T16:52:37 | null | 2016-08-30T15:08:34 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fstate-marginalising-disabled-persons%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/wheelchair.jpg
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en
| null |
State marginalising disabled persons
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
We, as persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe remain under represented and are the poorest of the poor.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/state-marginalising-disabled-persons/
|
en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/bc7d2ce5d22aee586f677d1fcc401fa2d8dd5bac54ded54bc1a68f9dec28bf24.json
|
[
"Simon M",
"Patrick Guramatunhu"
] | 2016-08-26T13:02:46 | null | 2016-08-24T06:25:56 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fsouth-africas-naivety-towards-zimbabwean-crisis-worrisome%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Robert-Mugabe-and-Jacob-Zuma.jpg
|
en
| null |
South Africa's naïvety towards Zimbabwean crisis worrisome
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
Recent comments by South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, to the effect that her government would not intervene in the Zimbabwean crisis, as the people of that country could sort out their own problems through the 2018 elections, exhibits the most worrisome height of naïvety and disingenuity, not to be expected of a regional power, as it is a very serious abrogation of its responsibility.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/south-africas-naivety-towards-zimbabwean-crisis-worrisome/
|
en
| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/7bedbb74cbe41bc0034f016c0183851f1d6215132b95d3351b16fe7483bf0a97.json
|
[] | 2016-08-26T12:58:47 | null | 2016-08-24T06:37:12 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fgeorge-rutanhires-unnecessary-attack-on-joice-mujuru%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Joice-Mujuru-250.jpg
|
en
| null |
George Rutanhire’s unnecessary attack on Joice Mujuru
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
6:37 by Ben Paradza Have your say: George Rutanhire’s unnecessary attack on Joice Mujuru
In a recent interview Cde George Rutanhire poured blame on Joice Mujuru for the loss in battle of one Cde Chipembere and for climbing the ladder of command by using her then youthful good looks and affectionate indiscretions with senior commanders. This has left a bad taste in my mouth. Let me make one thing clear — I write as a genuine war veteran not as a Zimbabwe People First sympathiser. However, when an injustice is glaringly obvious, I will always speak without fear or favour.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/george-rutanhires-unnecessary-attack-on-joice-mujuru/
|
en
| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/09435dcadf57cad3f4b9f52387e99784eef86fbad024b2057f3fbe4691a45e9c.json
|
[] | 2016-08-31T12:53:17 | null | 2016-08-31T10:59:58 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fcizc-supports-zimshutdown%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/zimbabwe-protests.jpg
|
en
| null |
CIZC supports Zimshutdown
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
10:59 by Martin Have your say: CIZC supports Zimshutdown
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) stands in solidarity with disgruntled Zimbabweans on the event of the #ShutdownZim campaign set for August 31, 2016.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/cizc-supports-zimshutdown/
|
en
| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/e024382658bcfb1a7c21d0a9aaa45f4266321a295a901048c18946f516b48549.json
|
[
"Peter Kozelj"
] | 2016-08-29T14:51:48 | null | 2016-08-29T11:52:15 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fzimbabwe-investigate-fate-and-whereabouts-of-disappeared-pro-democracy-activist%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Itai_Dzamara3-e1440513525145.jpg
|
en
| null |
Zimbabwe: Investigate fate and whereabouts of disappeared pro-democracy activist
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
11:52 by Amnesty International Have your say: Zimbabwe: Investigate fate and whereabouts of disappeared pro-democracy activist
The continued failure of Zimbabwe’s authorities to launch an effective investigation into the enforced disappearance of pro-democracy activist, Itai Dzamara, sends a chilling message about the security of other government critics, said Amnesty International today marking the International Day of the Disappeared.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/zimbabwe-investigate-fate-and-whereabouts-of-disappeared-pro-democracy-activist/
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/5901cb6554475a8106bd7d5314bb7bc5466247421f6fffdea7c512145eed1459.json
|
[] | 2016-08-31T12:53:24 | null | 2016-08-31T12:12:02 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fhigh-court-to-hand-down-ruling-on-glen-view-residents%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/court.jpg
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en
| null |
High court to hand down ruling on Glen View residents
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
12:12 by Zivai Mhetu Have your say: High court to hand down ruling on Glen View residents
THE High Court will on Wednesday 31 August 2016 hand down the ruling for seven out of 29 Glenview residents, who were arrested in 2011 and charged with contravening section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 following the death of Zimbabwe Republic Police Inspector Petros Mutedzi on 29 May 2011.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/high-court-to-hand-down-ruling-on-glen-view-residents/
|
en
| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/b261d8423110bfa513bbbca3b04aa3232ac9712ebbb6caa49e1e819cc4e07dda.json
|
[] | 2016-08-26T13:04:40 | null | 2016-08-26T12:31:06 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fcops-target-mkwananzi-over-police-brutality-protest%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ZvishavanePoliceStation.jpg
|
en
| null |
Cops target Mkwananzi over police brutality protest
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
12:31 by ZLHR Have your say: Cops target Mkwananzi over police brutality protest
ZIMBABWEAN police on Friday 26 August 2016 charged pro-democracy campaigner Promise Mkwananzi with committing public violence following a demonstration staged this week against worsening police brutality.
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/cops-target-mkwananzi-over-police-brutality-protest/
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/4985d7f3f3981aadb0bf12cdc21bf24e43ead51942b964ad9d21c5b2c513a1f9.json
|
[
"Simon M"
] | 2016-08-26T12:57:58 | null | 2016-08-26T07:38:53 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thezimbabwean.co%2F2016%2F08%2Fzimbabwes-government-is-standing-by-as-its-wildlife-is-slaughtered%2F.json
|
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rhinos2028.jpg
|
en
| null |
Zimbabwe's government is standing by as its wildlife is slaughtered
| null | null |
www.thezimbabwean.co
|
7:38 by The Guardian Have your say: Zimbabwe’s government is standing by as its wildlife is slaughtered
It was a normal day in the Chipinge Safari area when two police officers, Robert Shumba and Vengai Mazhara, headed into the bush in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands after getting a tip about a poacher armed with an AK-47.
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/f8c535fcd1f569a26a9489cfca96201c5ec5535559a33c2438d8ce1896ca23e1.json
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[] | 2016-08-29T14:52:07 | null | 2016-08-29T13:05:15 | null |
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Constitutional Right to Fair and Public/Transparent Trials
| null | null |
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Search for: Any Category Business Agriculture Business Analysis Economy Manufacturing Mining Cartoon Entertainment Arts Dance Film Literature Music Theatre Featured Lifestyle Education Environment Faith Food Health Relationships News Africa News Analysis World News Zimbabwe News Opinions Editor: Wilf Mbanga Letters to the Editor Opinions & Analysis Top Bloggers Politics Gender Equality Human Rights Mugabe Succession Parliament Political Parties Zimbabwe Elections Sport Athletics Cricket Football Golf Rugby Tennis Zimbabwe Sports News Tech Top Stories Travel Uncategorized
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
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[] | 2016-08-31T12:53:27 | null | 2016-08-31T12:17:08 | null |
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ZHRC on protests and police conduct
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12:17 by Veritas Have your say: ZHRC on protests and police conduct
Harare -This bulletin contains the exact text of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission’s Press Statement on public protests and police conduct. Veritas is distributing the correct statement as unfortunately various media outlets and politicians have quoted it either inaccurately or selectively to back their own opinions.
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http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/zhrc-on-protests-and-police-conduct/
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| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.thezimbabwean.co/05c1a6689b6c3ec871dd93f73b7a215afb58da5f9f61306eb8e3c4c2b5631a17.json
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[] | 2016-08-31T12:53:31 | null | 2016-08-31T11:23:29 | null |
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Heal Zimbabwe on enforced disappearances
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11:23 by Heal Zimbabwe Have your say: Heal Zimbabwe on enforced disappearances
Heal Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The special day is commemorated annually on the 30th of August. The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was passed under resolution 65/209 on 21 December 2010 which expressed great concern on the rising cases of involuntary disappearances.
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| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
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[
"Simon M"
] | 2016-08-26T12:58:21 | null | 2016-08-26T07:51:10 | null |
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Police arrest activists ahead of demo
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7:51 by Staff Reporter Have your say: Police arrest activists ahead of demo
Police have arrested some activists from their homes ahead of today's demonstration.
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http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/police-arrest-activists-ahead-of-demo/
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en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
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[] | 2016-08-30T06:52:26 | null | 2016-08-30T05:42:27 | null |
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Unwarranted attacks on the judiciary unacceptable
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5:42 by ZLHR Have your say: Unwarranted attacks on the judiciary unacceptable
ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is deeply concerned by the recent attacks directed at the judiciary by the state-run Herald and Sunday Mail newspapers and identified public figures, which brazenly interferes with the independence and integrity of this arm of government.
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http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/unwarranted-attacks-on-the-judiciary-unacceptable/
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:44 | null | 2016-08-26T12:21:34 | null |
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CIZC condemns police for defying court order
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12:21 by Crisis Publications Have your say: CIZC condemns police for defying court order
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) condemns the continued disregard of the country’s supreme law by law enforcement agents who are supposed to act as custodians of the law.
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http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/08/cizc-condemns-police-for-defying-court-order/
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
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Dialogue Best Option in Resolving the Niger Delta Crisis - Okowa, Tambuwal
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Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and Sokoto State Governor, Mr Aminu Tambuwal, have restated the dialogue option as the best means of resolving the resurgence of violent agitation in the Niger Delta with its crippling effects on the Nigerian economy.
Speaking on Saturday in Asaba on the second and concluding day of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba as part of activities commemorating the Silver Jubilee of the creation of Delta State, both leaders noted that sincere dialogue and understanding would engender speedy development of the country.
They noted that early application of dialogue could have averted the security challenges in the oil-rich region, before it in particular could not have degenerated to the current situation where the country was losing huge revenue owing to bombing of pipelines.
They therefore advised that the agitation in the region should be peaceful with an open mind to dialogue with the Federal Government.
Governors Okowa and Tambuwal agreed that the Niger Delta region has great potentials for meaningful growth if the resources of the region were properly harnessed under atmosphere of peace and cooperation among the stakeholders.
Nevertheless, the Sokoto State governor, who is also the chairman of the governors forum, expressed delight at the visible development strides and plans of the Okowa administration, describing the people of Delta as peace loving and generally hard working.
“I bring you felicitations from the Nigeria Governors Forum on your state’s silver jubilee celebration”, Tambuwal said. “Delta State is known for peace, and a lot can be achieved when dialogue is applied. I want to call on the youths of the Niger Delta Region to embrace dialogue and peace in their agitation;, let us have dialogue on the various issues affecting the region.
“We need peace and tranquillity in the country so that we can harness all our resources for development. Therefore, I urge the youths of the Niger Delta to engage the Federal Government through dialogue so that solutions can be found.”
Speaking earlier, Dr Okowa observed, “We seek peaceful environment from our people so that a lot of development can take place. We need to cooperate with ourselves so that we can right the wrongs of the past.
“A lot of the investment community are ready to partner with us to develop the state, but, we need to ensure that we sustain the peace and security in our communities so that investors can come in; it is not wrong to agitate but we can do that through dialogue, we will get better result when we agitate through dialogue.”
The governor then assured the people of the state that his government would take all necessary measures to implement its resolutions without fail.
“The presentation at the summit gives us hope for the future”, he noted, saying “this summit would not end up as a mere talk show. I have instructed my executive council that all the suggestions and resolutions at this summit should be brought up at a special executive council meeting within the next two weeks so that we can begin to implement them.”
Okowa particularly commended all the participants and various leaders, including former military administrators and civilian governors of the state, for charting the way forward for the state, and sued for the cooperation of all citizens in the provision of enabling environment for investment to thrive.
The two-day Delta State Economic and Investment Summit was declared open by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday with the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and numerous captains of industry, professionals. traditional and religious leaders as well as top government functionaries in attendance.
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http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/08/27/dialogue-best-option-in-resolving-the-niger-delta-crisis-okowa-tambuwal/
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| 2016-03-14T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/03c95a6bdeb3d12bd7e9c5d0e0c069f501cabcc2ff7f39336cceb2bb9c46db84.json
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It’s About Time Buhari Courted Private Sector
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THIS REPUBLIC By Shaka Momodu [email protected] 0811 266 1654
A time like this when the country is enmeshed in a myriad of economic and political challenges can transform leaders from mere mortals into extraordinary human beings in the hearts and minds of the people. Their exploits in the service of their people become idolised in nation-building folklore. But leaders who when faced with challenges like we have resort to lamentations day and night and consistently blame others even when they are at fault never rise to the level of great men or statesmen. Instead, they earn derision, scorn and the wrath of the people.
It is no longer news that Nigeria’s economy is in a precarious situation – and is growing worse by the day. It is also no longer news that this government is practically clueless on how to manage this unenviable situation and prevent the country from sinking even deeper into recession. Granted, the economy was not in the best of shape when this government took over power 15 months ago but revitalising it was a major campaign plank of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The truth is this government by its actions and inactions has accelerated the slide of the economy into recession and made a not-so-bad situation far worse.
It appears its only strategy for getting the economy back on track was to hope and pray that oil prices would bounce back pretty quickly from months of progressive decline so that the country will once again be awash with the green back. All the talk about diversifying the economy will once again fade from their lips. So far, there is hardly any blueprint in place to achieving the much-talked about diversification of the economy.
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister and by all accounts one of the greatest visionaries who ever walked on this earth, supervised the transformation of his once poor and backward Third-World country to a First-World country. Singapore is today clearly one of the most successful countries on the planet. The once very poor colony has become one of the wealthiest in the commonwealth. A commentator once said: “Singapore has achieved an astonishing degree of prosperity, social cohesion, and comity. It is almost certainly the most successful welfare state on the planet: able to protect the poor and the middle class while keeping taxes low, all run by one of the world’s most famously efficient technocracies.
While Singapore’s strategic location in the midst of the world’s most important shipping lane clearly aided its success, there is also no one who doubts that most of its prosperity is due to the amazing, difference-making work of Lee and his governing agenda. There are dozens of former colonies with great inherent assets, but only one Singapore.” Now, many forget how poor and backward this country once was.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the prime minister and the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates in 2006, and is responsible for Dubai’s meteoric rise and transformation into a lavish business destination with infrastructure many Western countries are struggling to match. That is what visionary leaders do. Malaysia is another perfect example where leaders with a vision have made the difference and lifted their people out of poverty into prosperity. Firmly and proudly, they repositioned their countries in the global arena for good. Rather than lament and whine endlessly, they rolled up their sleeves and went to work.
Our dear country has not been nearly fortunate to have “men of timber and calibre” at the helm of affairs; men with a pan-Nigerian vision who when faced with challenges, stared them down with grit, guts and gumption to steer new pathways to lift it from adversity to prosperity.
I have watched this government fiddling about with the economy in a manner that has left many in utter bewilderment. Certain economic decisions requiring rigour, thoughtfulness and impact assessment have been taken with brash military alacrity thereby causing more damage than good to the economy.
The recent pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that he is adverse to private sector inclusion in his economic team underscores the narrow premise of the vision of this government on how to revamp the economy. It is a premise that has been re-echoed by the vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, who should be eternally grateful to his godfather for making him the vice-president, no matter how uninfluential he may be (I doubt if he commands any respect within the power circle). He is always more than happy to align with his boss’ position no matter its futility.
In the face of strong adverse criticism that his administration lacked an economic team, Buhari disdainfully responded: “What do they mean by team? The vice-president heads our Economic Management Team. You have the finance minister, the budget and planning minister; the minister of trade, industry and investment; the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the national economic adviser and others and yet some people still ask for a team. We will listen to everybody but we are averse to economic teams whose private sector members frequently steer government policy to suit their own narrow interests rather than the overall national interest.” He may have a point but I beg to disagree. The overall national interest is served in terms of job opportunities and contributions to the nation’s GDP by such companies.
Reacting to this development, Chief Dr. Bassey Edem, National President, NACCIMA, noted:
“It is a shame that Nigeria is said to have an Economic Management Team with no representative from the Organised Private Sector (OPS). We in NACCIMA sent a memo to President Buhari when the team was being constituted but there was no response. I even raised the issue during the Economic Summit Round Table session with the Vice-President Osinbajo in attendance, yet no action.”
Continuing, he stated thus: “The economic team is for Nigeria as a whole and not just for the public sector. It is still not too late to co-opt the organised private sector into it, especially NACCIMA which is the ‘Voice of Nigerian Businesses to balance it up”. The president of Sapele Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Prince David Iweta, also said that he was surprised that the current economic team of the federal government didn’t encompass the private sector. As for me, I have resolved to no longer attend seminars called by the government because they end up as paper–tigers. Who are the ones to diversify the economy? Is it the ministers in Abuja; is it the directors of CBN or the foreign speakers? The answer is no. It is those who are already involved in agriculture, mining and manufacturing as private sector that will diversify the economy.”
Only recently, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) decried the continued decline in capacity utilisation, warning that the situation posed a major threat to the already ailing real sector of the economy which has resulted in massive job losses.
The association explained that the manufacturing sector recorded a 20 per-cent drop in capacity utilisation at the end of the second quarter of 2016, stressing that the sector currently operates below 20 per cent of its capacity. It blamed the decline primarily on the scarcity of foreign exchange for raw materials’ replenishment and the declining purchasing power of consumers in the country. According to a recent report quoting MAN, 272 companies have shut down in the last one year and 180,000 jobs have been lost to the closures.
In the last 16 years, the country’s economy grew exponentially to become Africa’s biggest economy with a GDP of $574 billion contrary to the narrative out there that has been disingenuously christened “The 16 years of waste” by a crooked party, the APC. In just one year of Buhari in office, that GDP has dropped to $296 billion. Is this progress or retrogression? The truth is this government has practically crippled the private sector which is the engine room of economic growth.
Beginning from the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, the federal government got serious and began to take steps towards import substitution. The managers of the nation’s economy at the time started taking one commodity after the other, with a view to implementing policies that would encourage dealers in such commodities to transform from simply importing and trading in them, into fully integrated local manufacturers.
Obasanjo’s effort resulted in a lot of investments in soft drink manufacturing, leading to the rise of brands like 5Alive, Funman fruit juices, Chivita, etc. It also resulted in the development of the packaged-water manufacturing industry. But it was when the Goodluck Jonathan administration took office that this policy became the underpinning principle for the transformation of the economy.
What was different in the Jonathan government approach to import substitution was that it was developed into two broad economic programmes with various components called the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)/Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES). While the NIRP was being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, under the leadership of Olusegun Aganga, an expert poached from Goldman sachs, the ATA/GES was anchored by a first-class agricultural economist and now the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who were then ministers of Industry and Agriculture respectively.
These two policy frameworks, which were inextricably linked at many points, were being implemented in an orderly manner with backward integration strategies, leading to massive investments in cement production which invariably transformed Nigeria from a net importer of cement with less than 5 million tonnes per annum capacity, to a substantial net exporter with over 50 million tonnes per annum production capacity, after nearly $20 billion had been injected into the sector by private individuals with strong government support through waivers and tax exemptions.
The same programme was being implemented for the fertiliser industry, automobile industry, downstream petroleum industry, petrochemical industry, sugar industry, rice production, cassava flour in place of wheat and aquaculture industry, among others. This plan, although not entirely perfect, provided a clear vision and direction that seemed to lead the nation away from its dangerous dependence on other nations for its essential commodities.
Also, it made progress quite rapidly because of the robust and coordinated economic team which had a coordinator in the person of the then minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, working in conjunction with other ministers and private sector heavyweights to ensure a smooth implementation of the plan. Entrepreneurs like Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, and others were given waivers and tax exemptions as incentives to invest massively in cement production and various other sectors of the economy that significantly contributed to lifting the economy to Africa’s premier status.
Wait a moment – imagine that people like Dangote, Samad, and co. didn’t invest massively in cement production, and we were still importing this all-important building material with the present forex problems attendant upon importation of goods into the country. What would have been the fate of the construction industry? Today, the nation is waiting patiently for the Dangote refinery
with an installed capacity that surpasses that of the nation’s four refineries put together to come on stream so that the country can finally be able to meet the local demand for fuel and put the ghost of importation behind it thereby conserving foreign reserves. This same Dangote alongside Femi Otedola with their Bluestar company, it should be recalled, acquired the obsolete Port Harcourt and Warri refineries from government in 2007 for about $750 million, but was reversed by the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration following public outcry. Today, those refineries are worth far less than that amount. Sadly, they have continued to be a drain on government coffers with hundreds of millions of dollars spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) with absolutely nothing to show for it except further enriching contractors and conniving government officials.
It is a shame that Buhari thinks including some members of the private sector in his government’s economic team is not a good idea. For the avoidance of doubt, there is nothing wrong with the OPS trying to influence government policy in furtherance of growth of local companies; it is for the ultimate benefit of the economy. All the government needs to do is to strengthen regulation, weigh and balance the quest for private benefits with the national economic interest to take informed policy decisions.
Interestingly, and perhaps sadly, whenever Buhari travels abroad ostensibly to woo foreign investors, he doesn’t travel with private sector operators. Instead, his trips are usually packed full with all sorts of strange nomenclature of naive government officials while the entrepreneurs who can network and form business alliances are left out in the cold all because according to the narrative, he doesn’t want businessmen to hijack his government.
Ironically, the investors he is wooing from abroad are not government officials of those countries, or are they? Those investors are private sector operators who have attained global acclaim due to the right policies and enabling environments created by their home governments.
From Buhari’s disdain for capitalism and contempt for entrepreneurs whom since his emergence, he has consciously kept at arm’s length, it is quite easy to second-guess him on the economy had he been in power for eight of the last 16 years. His attitude to businesses and his lack of full appreciation of the fierce urgency required to unsentimentally tackle immediate challenges are responsible for where the economy has found itself today. Also worrying and baffling is the insensitivity about some rash decisions like the rushed implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which has led to the loss of thousands of jobs and put the financial system in a precarious situation.
Just look at the decision to order nine banks to remit over $2 billion to the TSA within 24 hours. How can any sensitive government do that when even the CBN doesn’t have enough dollars to fulfil its financial obligations? Why not allow the banks to gradually remit the money to the TSA within an established timeframe? The immediate result of that decision is the fall in the value of the naira. Without a doubt, such a brash military-style approach only further compounds the economic crisis in the land.
Now, what has happened to all those laudable programmes inherited, expanded and implemented by the Jonathan administration earlier referred to? The truth is that in the mad frenzy to denigrate everything done by Jonathan, Buhari forgot that he would be judged not on Jonathan’s record but on his own performance. Everything done by the last government no matter how noble or well intentioned became fair game and in the twinkling of an eye was reduced to rubble in a brutal campaign that entertained the mob but unfortunately, has not put food on their table.
Clearly, this government and its crooked supporters including false prophets and clerics have mastered the art of approbation and reprobation. It’s little wonder that the Bible warns us against such “men of God”, that they will perform miracles in God’s name, and will lead many astray. I think these masters of doublespeak have been going about doing just that in a desperate attempt to exonerate Buhari of blame for the economic crisis in the land. Instead, Jonathan is now the fall guy as if the problems of Nigeria started with his administration.
Even though Buhari is not the root cause of the economic crisis in the country, the blame for the worsening situation most certainly rest squarely on his shoulders. So far, he has totally mismanaged the economy and the fault lines thereby exacerbating the poverty level and ethnic tensions in the country.
By the way, what does Buhari need emergency powers on the economy for? If he had not been so lethargic in decision-making on the economy, we won’t be where we are now. Where are all those who hailed and urged him on to take his time before constituting a cabinet? They have all kept quiet. He took his time and landed the country in a morass. Well, all he needs to do is to free the economy from his command-and-control management, shake off lethargy, aggressively court the private sector operators, co-opt experts of great renown into his management team and galvanise them into action. As a corollary to that, he should embrace fresh ideas and new thinking in a globalised economy. Otherwise, no amount of emergency powers will change anything; things are only going to get worse.
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en
| 2016-02-24T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Shola Babsaro-Lambo",
"David Soul",
"Jon West"
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http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisdaylive.com%2Findex.php%2F2016%2F08%2F28%2Fjohn-kerrys-recent-visit-to-nigeria-the-untold-dimensions-of-nigeria-us-relations%2F.json
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John Kerry’s Recent Visit to Nigeria: The Untold Dimensions of Nigeria-US Relations
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Vie Internationale with Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846 e-mail: [email protected]
John Kerry is the incumbent US Secretary of State, the equivalent of Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. He had come on official visit to Nigeria twice in the past. His third and most recent visit to Nigeria was on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23, August 2016. It was a two-day visit. The visit generated much interest from different perspectives: why did the visit take place at this material time? Why didn’t President Barack Obama come in person in the spirit of reciprocity, especially that President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) had paid official visits to the United States, and more so that President Obama had also visited many African countries without deeming it fit to visit Nigeria, a de facto giant leader in Africa? What does John Kerry want in, or from, Nigeria with his august visit? In fact, the question has also been asked: of what benefit is the visit at this time in the context of Nigeria-US bilateral relations which are still fraught with suspicions?
If questions are raised as to why the US president did not come himself to Nigeria, several reasons can be adduced. First, Obama may have a very tight schedule already agreed to several months back. Presidential visits take a long time to plan. Besides, Nigeria’s relations with the US were not all that good towards the tail end of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, hence contemplating a US presidential state visit to Nigeria would not have been a priority. Unless there are critical issues warranting an urgent attention, there wouldn’t have been any basis for giving priority to visiting Nigeria.
Second, if we admit that Nigeria is important enough to warrant the visit of the US president, a two-day visit may also not be enough for a state visit. In other words, Obama is not likely to just come to Nigeria on a simple working visit, or officious or official visit. What will be befitting is a state visit but the little time left for him to complete his second term in office cannot easily allow, hence the need to send his Secretary of State.
Third, it may also be that the issues to be attended to are not worth the while of the US president. In fact, it does not make much sense for the US President to visit Nigeria now when there is no accredited Nigerian ambassador to the US who would have the responsibility to coordinate the visit with the US Secretary of State. The best that could happen was the visit of John Kerry.
In any case, there is no way John Kerry would have come to Nigeria without a purpose, thus legitimising the many questions asked. First, deepening threats of insecurity can be one of the major rationales for the visit. The US government had given an advisory according to which American citizens residing in Nigeria should be more security conscious when travelling to some states that are considered conflict spots. Demands for self-determination are increasingly made forcefully. Nigeria has also been recognised as another terra cognita for international terrorism. In fact, the US led the international recognition when it labelled the Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation and as the deadliest in the world.
Second, Nigeria has also been internationally described as fantastically corrupt. The US is pretty much interested in PMB’s anti-corruption drive, and may therefore want to give active support to PMB’s effort. The interesting question to ask is that everyone knows that Nigeria is quite corrupt and that, according to the Chairman of the Political Bureau, Professor J.S. Cookey, in 1987, corruption and indiscipline constituted the bane of the Nigerian society since 1967. Why did the developed countries of the world keep quiet about it? At the La Baule Conference in France in 2005, emphasis was not only placed on good governance, democracy was also made a conditionality for any development assistance. Are the developed countries unaware that, since 2005, corruption still remains the bane of the Nigerian society?
Thirdly, and specifically on US interest in John Kerry’s visit to Nigeria, it can be posited that Barack Obama is already preparing for his end-of-tenure report card. In this regard, how many of the US allies are still with him as at today when compared with the time he assumed duty as US president? Will Nigeria still remain friendly or friendlier, especially in light of the deepening special entente with the Chinese? In fact, will US interests and expectations in Nigeria be better protected? These questions cannot but have informed John Kerry’s visit.
The Politics of the Visit
John Kerry’s visit is another best business as usual. It appears to be more of an evaluation of the Nigerian situation for purposes of redefinition of US strategy towards Nigeria, in particular, and Africa in general. Besides, Nigeria-US relationship is always vertical in which the US always offers an advice to Nigeria on what to do in dealing with her problems and Nigeria will not only accept with much gratitude, but will also be asking for more help. Additionally, it was the usual visit during which both parties would have one another tell the other what it wants to hear. The US would not only expect expression of gratitude for what it had done for Nigeria in the recent past but would also await possibly a new list of requests. This has been one of the patterns of the relationship, even though both countries are said to have sovereign equality on paper, especially at the political level.
In light of this, it is argued in this column that what is known about the visit is not as much as what is not known about the visit. The untold aspects of the visit are multidimensional in design and strategy, and therefore go beyond the visit. They concern more about the US global strategy. But let us first focus attention on the reported conversations of the visit which has both an official and officious character.
It is an official visit because it has a government-to-government content. John Kerry met with the elected President of Nigeria, PMB. He was not only given a presidential audience but also had the opportunity to exchange official views on issues in Nigeria-US relations. It is also officious because, as a government man, John Kerry visited the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, a quasi-government establishment, to discuss the aspect of religious tolerance in containing Islamic extremism.
At the official level of Buhari-Kerry dialogue, emphasis was placed on insecurity, democracy, corruption and the economy, as well as on US assistance. On insecurity, PMB acknowledged the training and intelligence given to Nigeria, both of which, in the words of the Nigerian leader, ‘has made Boko Haram less of a threat to Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region, while the military hardware has given our troops added confidence.’ The appreciation is largely predicated on the consideration that Nigeria, on her own, is not in the position to muster them. In this connection, PMB said he would not use real force in dealing with the Niger Delta militancy, except when constrained to do so. The issue is the determination of the extent of the tolerance: At what juncture will the constraint come in?
In terms of democracy and corruption, PMB was not in any way surprised that the US intervened before the 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria to demand for free and fair elections. This is because of what the US stands for in international relations. In the words of PMB, the US did not intervene ‘because of what it stands to benefit from us. You (the US) did it for the Nigerian people. It tells so much what the US stands for in the world.’ Interpreted differently, the US was only protecting its own vested interests by seeking to defend free and fair election. Democracy is a western value that all efforts are being made to market to the whole world to buy, keep and cultivate.
The issue of corruption was given greater attention for obvious reasons: it is acknowledged to be the major source of development setbacks in Nigeria. PMB made it clear that the anti-corruption war will be sustained and institutionalised in such a way that the war on corruption will be irreversible in the short and long run. As he explained it, public servants will be retrained and government will ‘insist on the standards we’re establishing. We are laying down administrative and financial instructions in the public service that must be obeyed. any breach will no longer be acceptable.’
More significantly, Government ‘will re-train our staff, so that they understand the new orientation. And those who run foul of these rules will be prosecuted, no matter who is involved. But we will be fair, just and act according to the rule of law. Anyone perceived (to be) corrupt is innocent till we can prove it. We will work very hard to establish documentation for successful prosecution, and those in positions of trust will sit up.’ This statement looks good, except to the extent of its assumptions. It first assumes that the agents of corruption are only Nigerians and that the commission of an act of corruption is not a resultant of trans-border networking. In other words, how will the Government of Nigeria prosecute those who aid and abet corruption in Nigeria but do in countries with which Nigeria does not have extradition treaties?
Secondly, it is assumed that corruption in Nigeria is not largely driven by Nigeria’s political system. The Nigerian system itself is sharply corrupt, especially by rewarding and honouring people who should not have been honoured. Seeking to punish offenders without reviewing the laws that gave room for such corruption cannot but be an effort in vain.
On the issue of the economy, PMB also made it clear that the main focus of his administration is diversification in order to limit the much dependence on oil. A breakdown of the modalities for the diversification was not given and it was not also clear from the Buhari-Kerry conversation the extent to which the US would want to provide assistance to Nigeria on the diversification strategy.
In all the foregoing, John Kerry heard what he expected to hear. He said what he heard constituted opportunities and challenges on the basis of which to build stronger ties, cooperation and commitment. It was in light of this that he commended PMB for all his efforts. In presenting the position of the US, he said: ‘we applaud what you are doing. Corruption creates a ready-made playing field for recruiting extremists. You inherited a big problem, and we will support you in any way we can. We will work with you very closely. We don’t want to interfere but will offer opportunities as you require.’
This statement does not say much in terms of real commitment beyond applauding what Nigeria is allegedly doing. And inquisitively enough, what really is Nigeria doing? PMB is trying to bring to book those who had allegedly embezzled public money but also consciously or otherwise covering up what the Government had stolen from the general public. Government collected deposits from the general public in 1994 for houses that would not be built. Government has neither allocated any house, nor refunded the monies it collected, nor bother to want to have it discussed even as at 2016. How do we describe this type of government theft of public money? Is corruption not made endemic because of Government’s own malpractices?
John Kerry pledged support for Nigeria in the fight against corruption and insecurity. but subject to capacity and capability of his country. More notably, the US does not intend to interfere in Nigeria’s domestic affairs but wants to provide opportunities if required. In other words, Nigeria will need to make a demand for the opportunities to be created. This is how Nigeria has always been forced to be happily dependent on the US and its allies in such a way that Nigeria has never seen the light to seek development on the basis of self-reliance. In fact, John Kerry has it further that, in dealing with humanitarian challenges in the Boko Haram-inflicted terrorism areas in the North-East of Nigeria, the US pledged to get the UK, France and other allies ‘to augment the support,’ because Nigeria is of priority and the US ‘won’t miss the opportunity to work together because you (Nigeria) are making significant progress.’
At the officious level, John Kerry not only condemned the Boko Haram insurgency, arguing that it does not have any agenda beyond burning schools and places of worship, killing and maiming of people, especially teachers which ‘is the opposite of religion,’ but also noted that extremism cannot be defeated by repression or fear. Additionally, he noted that corruption costs the world $2.6 trillion annually and that this amount was enough to improve the living standard and provide decent livelihoods for them.’ More importantly, he said that ‘corruption is not only a crime but also very dangerous and it must be tamed.’ He expressed the US commitment to fight corruption and ensure the entrenchment of good governance globally.
The Untold Dimensions
The national strategic interest of the US is crystal clear but that of Nigeria is not, and it is, at best, arguable. The US wants to maintain its strategic leadership of the world, thanks to unipolar politics, until 2030 at least. This is why emphasis is largely placed on the AFRICOM (Africa Command) which was set up in February 2007, launched officially on October 1, 2007 as a sub-unified command under the US European Command (EUCOM),, and an autonomous command with effect from October 1, 2008. The mandate of the AFRICOM is to promote US national security objectives in the whole of Africa but with the exception of Egypt.
About ten years ago, the Washingtonian authorities made strenuous efforts to relocate the headquarters of the AFRICOM from Stuttgart, Germany to Africa. The US had much interest in Nigeria hosting it but the Nigerian environment was quite hostile to it. Many other countries expressed interest in hosting it but the US was not pleased with such requests. This prompted the decision to suspend the relocation of the AFRICOM for ten years. It is almost ten years now, the US may be re-strategising for its relocation in the belief that the Buharian environment is much likely to be more favourable.
Secondly, there are currently four competing main centres of global power: the US, the European Union, China and Russia. All of them, excepting the US, have a foreign policy favouring multipolar politics. They are staunchly against unipolarism, that is, they want several centres of power. hence they are directly and indirectly against the US. In fact, a new Cold War, particularly between the US and Russia is currently in the making, while China is already also giving the US a sort of dog-fight in the quest for global leadership. Consequently, the US needs very strong and reliable partners in Africa in dealing with China and Russia in the foreseeable struggle. US needs are no longer essentially oil or raw materials for now, but reliability of its so-called friends.
Most unfortunately, Nigeria only has tactical strategic interests that do not respond to any ultimate-goal setting strategic interest. Nigeria’s foreign policy has generally been reactive. If there is to be any seriousness of purpose in Nigeria’s foreign policy, what prevents Nigeria from seriously partnering with the US on the condition that the US will give active support to making Nigeria the Africa’s power house? What also prevents securing the US support for a future Permanent Seat on the UN Security Council? It has now become necessary to do away with all the so-called partnerships, strategic partnerships, commissions and bi-national commissions, etc, if they will not be predicated on an evolved national strategic interest.
If Nigeria is to really have a great power status in international politics, there will be need to revisit some of Professor Bolaji Akinyemi’s arguments on the need to use Nigeria’s current elements of power to achieve greatness through active participation in global diplomacy in well-defined forms. The Concert of Medium Powers was a case in point.
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| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/d0531a8e4e59d3b0f06f17b555fd870da360f33e91656aeb6358f032d6565ccf.json
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Ondo Guber: Confusion As APC Shifts Primary Election Again
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By James Sowole in Akure
The controversy that arose on the gubernatorial primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to select the party’s flag-bearer for the November election continued on Friday as there was conflicting information on the actual date of the exercise.
THISDAY learnt from a source close to the camp of the embattled State Chairman of the party, Isaacs Kekemeke that the National Executive of the party had postponed the primary election from the August 31 date.
While this information was being circulated, the camp that was opposed to the chairman’s camp debunked the postponement of the primary.
The Director of Publicity of the party, Steve Otaloro said the primary election had been postponed, but the Publicity Secretary, Omooba Abayomi Adesanya, issued a one paragraph statement that the primary would still hold on Wedenesday, August 31.
Abayomi stated: “Ondo State APC primary election will hold on Wednesday (31st of August) as rescheduled. Please, disregard rumour of another postponement. Thanks”.
The postponement made it the second time that the primary election of the party would be shifted.
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| 2016-03-01T00:00:00 |
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Bala-Usman Moves to Reposition NPA, Redeploys 19 GMs
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Eromosele Abiodun
Less than 48 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari approved the composition of the Governing Boards of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the new Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, has redeployed 19 senior management staff, a move aimed at repositioning the agency.
A significant development in the redeployment was that southerners now head the London office and Abuja liaison office of the agency for the first time.
They are Mrs Akinbayo C. O. and Ephraim Okon who were Asst. General Managers Admin and Commercial respectively.
While Akinbayo is to head the London Office as Ag. General Manager, Okon will now oversee the agency’s Abuja liaison office as Asst. General Manager. The London office and the Abuja Liaison Office were formerly headed by Abdullahi Buhari and Mohammed Nasir Anas respectively.
The London office in particular is seen as a pathway to becoming the agency’s Managing Director.
In a memo sent to the affected staff, the NPA boss directed that the redeployment takes immediate effect and asked all affected staff to report to the MD and other EDs for the duty assigned them.
Top on the list is the General Manager ND & JV, Mrs Madubuike Ugowho, who is now General Manager, Special Duties while the General Manager, Western Ports, Ajayi Micheal Kayode was asked to report to the Managing Director for duty as General Manager, Public Affairs.
Capt. Ebubegu Ihenacho who was before now the General Manager, Public Affairs was asked to report to Executive Director, M & O for duty as General Manager, M & C Western Ports.
Also, Talabi Tolulope who was General Manager, C&SP was asked to report to the Managing Director for duty as General Manager, NB&JV while General Manager, Marine and Operations, Goje Abdulahi Aliyu, was asked to report to Executive Director, M&O for duty as General Manager, Eastern Ports.
On his part, General Manager, London Office, Abdulahi Buhari is to report to the Managing Director for duty as General Manager, SERVICOM.
General Manager, Abuja Liaison Office, Mohammed Nasir Anas, is to report to Executive Director, F&A for duty as General Manager, Admin while the current General Manager SERVICOM, Kabir Edward was asked to report Executive Director, M&O for duty as General Manager, M&C Eastern Ports.
The General Manager, PP&D Yusuf Ahmed, was redeployed as General Manager, HSE and is also to report to Executive Director, M&O while General Manager, Maintenance, Obinomen Peter Micheal, was directed to report to the Executive Director, E&TS for duty as General Manager, Capital Projects.
General Manager, Eastern Ports, Asanga Joshua, was redeployed to Marine operations as General Manager and he is to report to Executive Director, M&O while Mohammed Ahmed Rufai who was General Manager, Capital Projects was asked to report to Executive Director, E&TS for duty as General Manager PP&D.
Others are the General Manager, Special Duties, Efere Caroline (Mrs), now General Manager, Superannuation; Ag, General Manager, HSE, Gbadamosi R.A. is now Ag. General Manager, Western Ports; Ag. General Manager, M&C, Onuenyenwa Simeon Obumneme now Ag. General Manager, Corporate & Strategic Planning, Ag. General Manager, Procurement, Jatto Adeiza, is now Ag. General Manager, Maintenance and Asst. General Manager, Operations, Dandare Ahmed, is now Ag, General Manager, Procurement.
Buhari had on Thursday approved the composition of the Governing Boards of the NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
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| 2016-07-12T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/b352a94bd2f26f0d6b8af17c6a4978eb9e5c04517c022ddb24dd85c0ac65494f.json
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UNICEF: 22% of Children Under Five in South West Suffer Stunted Growth
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By James Sowole
The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) raised fresh concerns in Monday over the prevalence and effect of malnutrition in the South-West geo-political zone of the country, stating that 22 per cent of children under five years in the zone have stunted growth.
The UNICEF Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, gave the figure in an opening remark at a media dialogue organised by the UNICEF for select journalists in some states of the South- West.
He added that it was erroneous to believe that malnutrition is prevalent only in the Northern states.
Quoting a 2013 survey, Njoku said survey had shown that malnutrition is prevalent among children of the rich people of the South West under the age of five, saying malnutrition is a national problem and harped on the need to share responsibilities in investing in simple cost interventions.
Njoku, who narrated his Owerri hometown experience in the South Eastern part, Imo State, revealed that 13% of children born to rich families also suffer malnutrition in the geo-political zone.
A resource person from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Mrs Ogunbumi Omotayo, noted: “Nigeria has the highest number of stunted children under age five in sub-Saharan Africa and second highest in the world with 37% of all children stunted, 18% wasting and 29% underweight.”
Mrs. Ada Ezeogu, the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, lamented that the Nigeria Nutrition Indices (2013) disclosed that only 17 per cent of Nigerians engage in Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF), which is far below the 50 per cent international standard requirement.
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| 2016-02-29T00:00:00 |
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LASG to Enforce Original Masterplan of Ikoyi, Lekki, VI
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Gives 14-day ultimatum to owners of illegal structures
By Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Lagos State Government in Sunday disclosed its plan to restore the original masterplan of Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria, noting that it would no longer tolerate the distortion of the masterplan.
The state government, also, asked all the owners of illegal structures, shanties, kiosks and trading points and food courts in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island to vacate within a period of 14 days.
The warning was conveyed in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, noting that the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode “is determined to restore the original master plan of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki.
As contained in the statement, Bello said the state government would check the activities of roadside automobile repairers who had converted dual carriage lanes to single lanes with indiscriminate packing.
He said those who converted walkways into trading points and food courts in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and the Lagoon Front of Lekki to remove such illegal structures on or beforeSeptember 10.
He said the state government “will no longer tolerate unauthorised parking of vehicles, trucks and unsightly state of drainage infrastructure. Owners of such vehicles and properties with unkempt drainages will be prosecuted.”
He explained that it was totally unacceptable for people “to stockpile and display wares such as bags of charcoal on major Roads like Ahmadu Bello Way and Federal Secretariat Road, Ikoyi. Henceforth, such goods will be confiscated and the owners prosecuted.
“We are using this medium to sensitize residents of the affected areas who are involved in these illegalities to immediately take right action and do the needful as the State Government will take the necessary steps to enforce its environmental and sanitation laws forthwith.
“All those engaging in roadside display of wares, street trading and all illegal squatters on undeveloped land and all those who have converted road median to commercial uses in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki are being advised in their own interest to put a stop to the illegalit
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| 2016-07-02T00:00:00 |
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Osinbajo Preaches Hope as Ambode, Kerry Urge FG to Restructure Economy
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Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos and John Shiklam in Kaduna
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday urged Nigerians not to despair over the prostate state of the economy, saying that with the measures being taken by the federal government, speedy recovery from recession was on the way.
He spoke in Kaduna at the 4th Progressive Governance Lecture Series organised by governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the theme, “Building the Economy of States: Challenge of Developing Inclusively Sustainable Growth.”
He assured Nigerians that government was on top of the situation, hinting that some policies to be unveiled shortly would reverse the prevailing economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
The vice-president’s hope raiser coincided with the United States Secretary of State John Kerry’s and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s interventions on Nigeria’s dwindling fortunes advocating separately that the nation needed to restructure and diversify its economy in order to realise its great potential.
While Ambode recommended that the federal government should play the lead role in encouraging states to unbundle their potential by concentrating on their areas of comparative economic advantages, Kerry called for an urgent diversification of the economy, particularly at these times of low oil prices.
Ambode spoke in Kaduna at the Progressive Governance Lecture Series, stating that the federal government had a critical role to play in addressing the fundamental structural challenges undermining sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the states of the federation, among which is unbundling the potential of each of the federating units.
He said the federal government should allow states to develop natural resources within their domain and create the necessary infrastructure that would attract investors.
Ambode, who spoke on the Lagos experience of de-emphasising reliance on oil, said governors should also be encouraged to tap into multiple streams of income in their respective states.
The governor said it was absurd that governors had power over land but could not exploit the resources, including water that is under it, arguing that the law must be amended to empower states to have control of their resources.
He said: “We need to start looking at some changes that we need to make within and among ourselves as a government irrespective of whether it is federal, state or local government – that will now unbundle the potential of each state, which is the cornerstone of the whole message we are talking about.
“There is a great need for all of us to decide once and for all to unbundle the potential of each state; take the comparative advantages of each state and fuse them together for the benefits of our people.
“Governors are the owners of the land in their states but underneath the land and even inside the water, the federal government is structured in a way that it controls those potential.”
Ambode said the spoon-feeding of states through the monthly allocation from the Federation Account should stop, contending that it was a disincentive to the unlocking of the potential of the states.
“In a situation where the states are being spoon-fed, because I call the federation account more or less like spoon-feeding. The federal government collects total revenue on Value Added Tax (VAT) and various revenues on behalf of all of us and makes us to come to Abuja and more or less share it to us as peanuts thereby not allowing us to reach our potential as competitive states individually,” he said.
While alluding to the fact that the insignia of progressivism in Nigeria should be first seen in the APC states, Ambode said all critical actors must work together in the common interest of the people.
He said: “There is just one economy in this country and so we need to first of all accept the fact that there is nothing like private sector as against public sector; there is nothing like federal government as against state governments. We are collaborating together to drive the economy of this country. So if that describes what Nigeria is and what it ought to be, we also want to say that government should be seen as an enabler; a platform that more or less creates the enabling environment for the public sector to thrive.”
Also speaking at the event, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, said Nigeria was facing unprecedented and tremendous political and economic challenges with global and local dynamics.
He also said for the current war against corruption to be successful and enduring, it must be tackled from the systemic level rather than dealing with the symptoms.
According to him, economic growth in Nigeria would not be inclusive unless poverty is broken and states take advantage of their comparative and competitive edges.
He noted that politicians and elected officials were under pressure to deliver quick short term benefits to the people while in reality what might be needed to address the economy were painful long term solutions.
“There seem to be a potential conflict with what the people want and what the country needs to survive sustainably,” he said.
Speaking on the topic “Fragile State with a Failing Economy, Making Progressive Change Work for Nigeria”, the former CBN governor maintained that the APC must move from a coalition of political parties that won election to that of a coalition of governance.
He said Nigeria was not secured and made politically sustainable especially through the de-strangulation of the hold of the federal government over states.
He warned that the global economy was unravelling and the burst might be there for a while, stressing that there was need to look at the long term solution.
According to him, the realities in the Nigerian economy is marked by localised trapped economies plagued by terrorism, kidnapping, militancy and other social vices which also threatened opportunities for attracting investments.
Soludo recommended the restructuring of the economy from consumption driven to production with consistent micro economic policies. He advocated fiscal federalism in ways that allow states to have greater control of their resources as well as the evolution
of a master plan for mass export oriented industrialisation that answers the economic questions of today’s realities.
In Abuja, the US Secretary of State, Kerry, urged the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, strive to diversify the economy, especially with the global reduction in the price of crude oil.
Kerry said this at a meeting with the staff and families of the US Embassy in Abuja, reiterating the commitment of the US government to curbing forced child marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
He said the free fall of the price of oil had challenged the economy, adding that the way forward was for the country to diversify its economy, promising that the US would be a willing ally in that direction.
“We will also do everything in our power to help adjust the economy to a change. No country should be single-resource dominated in its economy, and the lesson is you’ve got to diversify,” he said.
Speaking on female genital mutilation and child marriages, he said: “I just came from an amazing meeting with a group of young women, Nigerian women. We know that there are 6 to 8 million, 10 million girls who aren’t in school in Nigeria.
“And we know the difference that educating young women can make to the capacity to build a future for a country. And I quoted the Egyptian poet, Hafez Ibrahim, who said, ‘educate a woman, you build a nation’.
“That is so true. You cannot have a country that works leaving half of your population on the side lines.
“So we are committed, deeply committed, to helping girls to be able to go to school, to helping girls to be able to have opportunity, to trying to change this notion of forced marriage in childhood – 10, 11, 12 years old – and also trying to deal with the problem of female mutilation, which we really need to see stopped.
“So there’s so much on the table here. This is a country that has enormous capacity, enormous potential, and we want to help tap into it.”
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/fae3b897f530445c86f02c48c4761978840d3a1381c311d8ad9190a360029103.json
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[
"Online Editor",
"Segun Abiodun"
] | 2016-08-29T10:50:50 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null |
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Nigeria is No. 1 Scrabble Nation in the World, Yet Team Denied French Visas
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Nigeria is the English-speaking world’s Scrabble superpower. Africa’s most populous nation is home not only to the global Scrabble champion, but team Nigeria ranks as the world’s top Scrabble playing nation — ahead of the U.S. in second place.
The Scrabble world champion is Wellington Jighere. He’s 33, has a soft voice, a slow smile and a penchant for fedoras, earning him the nickname “the Cat in the Hat”. Jighere acknowledges that he’s taciturn by nature, but also has an explosive, infectious laugh, though he considers Scrabble serious business.
“You can’t afford to waste too much energy doing unnecessary chatter,” he says. “During a tournament, I see it as business time. And that is no time to be joking around.” Jighere plays chess to relax, “and for fun,” he says.
Jet-lagged and weary, Jighere was crowned the world Scrabble champ last year in a grueling 32-round competition in Australia. Up to 30 of the top 100 global players are from Nigeria, which has the highest percentage of any country in the top 200. The Nigerians’ apparent collective strategy — short words that rack up the points.
Nigerians have been credited with perfecting that tactic under the tutorship of senior team coach, Prince Anthony Ikolo. He says Nigerians are passionate about Scrabble and the short word method gives them an edge. Many put Nigeria’s towering Scrabble prowess down to its players’ ability to “choke the board” as they say, with this defensive play.
“The game of Scrabble is actually built around short words — especially five letter words,” says Ikolo. “If you have such a word base, then you are good to go. But it would be a very big mistake for the world to think our players only know short words, especially five-letter words,” he warns.
The coach says “the short words help you to be defensive (by blocking longer words from opponents, but when it’s time to be offensive, we know those long words also. Nigeria is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Scrabble”.
Ikolo, who’s also a university mathematician, came up with lists of five-letter words and distributed them to his players, including Jighere the world champion, to train them how to block the board. The coach says, armed with these, the Nigerians could take on and beat competitors playing seven-eight or even nine-letter words.
The other strategy was to gather his players at a hotel, before the tournament, and have them play two days of non-stop Scrabble. It appears to have worked.
Jighere though says his personal strategy is to have “no strategy at all. I play a fluid kind of game. Yah. I really don’t have a particular kind of style that you can pin me to”.
“So, when you are expecting me to do the traditional thing, I will just choose to do something that is uncharacteristic. It’s what sets me apart from everyone else,” he says.
Jighere should know. He and team Nigeria triumphed at the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association world championship in Australia in November 2015. They fully intend to hang onto that success when they defend those titles next year in Kenya, he says.
Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, phoned Australia to congratulate him, says Jighere with a big smile. “It felt so warm to have him speak with me right then and there. It was a very, very important experience. He told me how proud he was of my accomplishment and how proud I have made the nation as a whole, not just the nation but Africa as a whole. And that it has really gone to prove that we are truly the giants of Africa.”
Jighere bested a Briton in Perth, while Team Nigeria dethroned the U.S., which had been at the pinnacle for about decade, with Nigeria yapping at its heels, determined to topple the Americans.
“We are currently ranked No. 1 nation in the world for Scrabble,” says the champ. “In the world we have the highest number of persons in the top 100 rated Scrabble players. We have as many as 20 to 30 tough masters in Nigeria that can really give you a tough fight any time any day.”
Ikolo, the coach, will attest to that. Jighere’s friends and fellow Scrabble masters cut him no slack, in the jovial, noisy and garrulous atmosphere during the Lagos tournament.
Ikolo gleefully told NPR that until the Nigeria National Scrabble Players competition in the main city of Lagos, at the tail end of July, Jighere had failed to win any significant tournament after his success in Australia last year.
“Since he became the world champion, he has been beaten black and blue by his colleagues. It tells you how strong Nigeria’s Scrabble is. It tells you that the Scrabble scene we have here is a very tough one. It’s highly competitive and nobody can boast tomorrow that I’m going to win this, I’m going to win that when it comes to Nigerian Scrabble playing.”
So why Scrabble? “Ah, I didn’t exactly choose Scrabble,” says Jighere. “I ran into some friends who were tournament players and I beat them. They told me ‘Ah, if I could do this well against them, that means I should come to the next tournament’.” He adds, “And I was like, ‘Ah, you mean they play this in tournaments? OK, let’s go.’ And the rest, as they say, is history.” And he laughs.
That was in 2002. Today, Jighere sits atop the global Scrabble tournament ladder. He describes how he had to overcome fatigue and jet lag to win in Australia. Learn those words, commit them to memory and stay cool – and awake.
Scrabble was given official recognition as a sport in Nigeria in the 1990s. But local players, coaches, parents, officials and tournament organisers say government assistance has been patchy and more must be done to support, sponsor and finance Scrabble.
“Why will the government and corporate firms not look the way of Scrabble?” laments coach Okolo. “Government and corporate firms should come to the aid of Scrabble.”
The Lagos State Government provided the venue — Teslim Balogun stadium for indoor sports — for the recent tournament, as well as organising some logistics.
But senior team coach Ikolo says while cash prizes are welcome, the authorities — and corporate sponsors — should do more to capitalise on Nigeria’s global success at Scrabble. “We don’t value that Nigeria is ranked the best Scrabble playing nation in the world,” says Ikolo, “and we have the world Scrabble champion, Wellington Jighere”.
And yet Scrabble has caught on in Nigeria in a big way, among veterans and youths. There are scores of clubs up and down the 36 states of a nation of 180 million people. Daylong and weekend tournaments are held regularly and young players, like 10-year-old Angela Osaigbovo, are champions in their own right.
She’s been playing Scrabble since she was five and began competing at age six. “Scrabble for me is a fun way of using my academics, to help me in my hobbies and afterschool life,” says Angela with a big smile. Thrusting her Scrabble board into the air, she then shakes her bag of tiles, and tells me, “I’m good in Math and Literacy. And I think it’s due to Scrabble.”
As a Scrabbler, she likes using “premiums, or bingos, which are 7-letter words – such as zaniest, quiting and players.”
Relaxed and confident, Angela sits next to Vincent Okere, who’s 13. The teen won the local players championship and the trophy in the youth category in Lagos. He spent most of the tournament weekend prowling around the Masters, watching every Scrabble move by the veterans and, no doubt, learning.
But no hard feelings, says Angela, who came in second. She was working hard in the build-up to the youth championship at the Mind Sports International (MSI) global tournament in Lille, France, starting Saturday.
Every other year, MSI organises a championship for all-comers, while WESPA holds its tournaments the other years.
“Yes, I’m very excited. I’m aiming to win the WYSC – which is World Youth Scrabble Championship” in Lille at the end of August, Angela says, adding. “I’m not very shy!”
Her mother, Toyin Osaigbovo, is delighted that Angela loves Scrabble and says her daughter possesses what Nigeria has in abundance — focus and determination.
“Nigerians are very determined and dogged people,” says Osaigbovo. “And once we set our minds to something, we achieve it.”
Angela had this warning for their global competitors — “Watch out, because Nigeria is coming, with force!”
However, Angela’s disappointed mother says her daughter was refused a French visa, so won’t be able to compete in Lille since the youth championship began on Saturday.
The champ, Wellington Jighere, announced yesterday that he and other Nigerian players who applied had also been denied visas to travel to France. Social media has been twitching with outrage. Now Jighere says they’ve been told to report to the French Embassy today to be issued with visas.
So Scrabblers, you’re warned, Nigeria’s champions are on the warpath!
· Culled from NPR
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
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[
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Military Amasses Troops, Weapons for Exercise as Plateau is Placed on Alert over Boko Haram
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Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Nigerian military has amassed troops, arms and ammunition in readiness for Operation Crocodile Smile exercise, designed to battle the criminals, militants and other armed groups in the Niger Delta region of the country.
This is as Major General Rogers Nicholas; Commander of Security Taskforce in Plateau State has charged residents to remain on the alert and watch out for strange faces amongst them, noting that the call became necessary to avoid fleeing members of Boko Haram that still posed security risks, from settling down among them.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement yesterday, said that the army had made available the necessary logistics for the exercise.
Usman also provided several photographs of troops training and large cache of weapons, arms and ammunitions “in preparation for Exercise Crocodile Smile”.
He said: “The military training exercise embarked upon by the Nigerian Army to train its Special Forces, formations and units located in the South-South geo-political zone of the country has commenced in earnest.
“Recall that we have shown you the massing up of the troops yesterday, today, we are showing you photographs of the logistics build up and most importantly, the human side of the exercise; ongoing free medical outreach for Sapele communities in Delta State.”
The Army Spokesman also said that apart from the combat aspect, the military was also poised to provide medical and humanitarian services to the affected communities in the Niger Delta.
Here, he said, the Nigerian Army Medical Corps had fully deployed, attending to medical needs of the communities free of charge.
Some of the weapons include Patrol and gun boats, trucks, vests and battle tanks amongst others
The Commander in Jos stated this in his maiden media briefing to newsmen on current security developments in the state.
He said, “I have established a monthly media briefing to keep Plateau citizens abreast of issues regarding peace and security in the state under my command.
“I want to use the opportunity to let Plateau citizens know that they need to be on the alert and be very vigilant of their environment because there are feelers that members of Boko Haram who have been displaced from the North-East might make Plateau state their safe haven.
“With such information, residents need to be very vigilant at all times and report to security agencies as soon as they notice strange fellow amongst and around them. There is also need for residents to tighten their cooperation with security agencies and learn to report promptly.”
General Nicholas also observed that crime in Jos city was on the increase, adding that “we have arrested over 120 suspects in the last few weeks and we have handed them over to the police for full investigation.”
“Though we believe the rise in crime could be attributed to mass unemployed youths in the state, police investigation will reveal the true identity of the criminals. All we have to let the people know is that they should be vigilant at all times to avoid these criminals hiding amongst them.
“Due to current security situation in the state we have taken measures to spoil the plan of these criminals, one of such measures is banning the use of tricycle at night from 9pm till 5am. This is because the use of tricycle at night is posing serious security risk to us in the state.
“Also, we will begin to enforce total ban on motorcycle within Jos metropolis. There is an existing law banning the use of motorcycle in this state, the law has not been fully enforced, we shall ensure full enforcement of that law immediately.
“We are also going to drive market women from around the Terminus market, because the population of the market is increasing and such huge population can be of great security risk considering recent experience of repeated bombing of the market places.
“The actions we are taking should not be seen as abuse of rights of citizens, especially the commercial tricycle users, but should be seen as action taken in the interest of safety of lives and prop
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/059c1c7e0f7bec5edb2457c34f3a2bdf86835fa8eada6bc074dde30f4fd7a4e9.json
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[
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Ighalo, Ekong, Other Arrive Uyo ahead of Tanzania Clash
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The Super Eagles of Nigeria opened camp yesterday in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State ahead of formality Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Tanzania on Saturday
Home boys Emmanuel Daniel, Ikechukwu Ezenwa (goalkeepers) and Jamiu Alimi (defender) arrived in Uyo yesterday alongside a number of overseas –based professionals, including defender William Troost-Ekong and forward Odion Ighalo.
Team captain John Mikel Obi, fresh from leading the Nigeria U23 to Olympic bronze in Brazil, is expected to arrive at the team’s Le Meridien Hotel today.
Both the Super Eagles and Taifa Stars have little other than pride to battle for in Saturday’s game, as Egypt’s Pharaohs have already picked the lone ticket from the group to Gabon.
But the Eagles and their new Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr will use the match to set the tone ahead of crunch 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Series Match-day 1 clash against Zambia in Ndola on 8th October 2016.
.Gernot Rohr who keenly followed Nigeria’s campaign at the Rio 2016 Olympics and travelled to Spain to see the country’s domestic stars in a couple of friendly matches against Spanish La Liga sides also arrived camp yesterday as he eyes a victorious winning debut as Super Eagles Technical Adviser
FULL LIST:
Goalkeepers: Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah)
Defenders: Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); William Troost-Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); Jamiu Alimi (Kano Pillars); Abdullahi Shehu (Uniao da Madeira, Portugal); Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia)
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium); Nosa Igiebor (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Imoh Ezekiel (Al-Arabi Sporting Club, Qatar), Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England); Brown Ideye (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany)
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/ae68ecb1e0c74317f41d18e36bee47d6f59eb5875717ef083bd3856554d6769a.json
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[
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Kachikwu: $40bn Spent on Niger Delta in 12 Years without Result
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President not thinking of military force to resolve militant crisis
Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu on Friday said there was nothing on ground to justify the over $40 billion that has accrued to the Niger Delta region in the past 12 years through various intervention agencies.
The minister, who spoke at a meeting held at PTI Conference Centre in Warri, Delta State involving prominent leaders from the coastal states, including representatives of the various ethnic groups, Isoko, Ijaw, Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ibiobio and others, said the $40 billion came mainly from oil companies, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, 13% derivation and other intervention funds.
He declared in the presence of monarchs, youth leaders, politicians and Secretary of MEND: “I’ve been to the creeks myself and discovered that there was no meaningful development of the riverine communities as expected by the federal government despite the huge amount disbursed to the region.”
Stating that the state of infrastructure is disappointing despite the huge effort to alleviate the infrastructural defect in the region. He called for an audit of money expended in the region so far to know what exactly went wrong to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
“I think we need an audit because it will not be wise to have agitation of this kind in circle after each agitation will come back again to demand for the same thing when intervention funds had made no impact on the lives of the ordinary people.
The minister also used the forum to assure leaders of the zone that President Muhammadu Buhari was not thinking of using the military to resolve the crisis in the region.
Instead, he maintained that the President was desirous of using dialogue to find a lasting solution to the problem.
The meeting yesterday was convened by Ijaw National leader, Chief Edwin Clark in reaction to last Thursday visit to the minister by Ijaw Monarchs.
The minister urged the leaders to prevail on their youths to allow peace to reign in the region noting that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of violence.
He told the Niger Delta leaders that the federal government was committed to the development of the region promising to come out soon with short and long term plans in that direction.
Clark had told the minister that he should no longer entertain any group or groups that visited him under the guise of the Niger Delta struggle without asking them whether they had the permission of their leaders.
He said the Ijaw Monarchs that visited the minister caused great embarrassment for him as other ethnic groups thought the struggle was that of Ijaws.
Earlier, the Secretary of MEND, Timipa Jenkins Okponipene told the meeting that his group had accepted Clark’s leadership of the proposed team that will dialogue with the federal government.
He however said MEND would nominate three persons while Chief Clark’s team will nominate another three with slots for other ethnic groups.
Meanwhile, in a telephone interview with THISDAY last night, Kachikwu disclosed that Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and all other militant groups have agreed to dialogue with the federal government, to resolve the crisis in the region.
He stated that he has the full confidence of the president on this matter and had briefed him regularly the progress he was making on how he was able to win the confidence of the millitants who had resisted all entreaties for peace.
He said it took a lot of work behind the scene with the help of people like Timi Alaibe who made contacts that had finally resulted to the ceasefire that we have now. It was a delicate balancing act that still requires a lot of work to consolidate, we are not there yet, but we will get there,” he added.
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| 2016-05-02T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/ecb9555345f4252b4126abe7c714606ef50af59d519bfb5e48fde160688ff288.json
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B’Haram Stalls Prisoner Swap with Abducted Chibok Girls
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Joseph Ushigiale
Fresh facts have emerged on why President Muhammadu Buhari has remained steadfast on his position that the federal government would only negotiate for the release of the abducted Chibok girls with those who are directly holding them.
It has emerged that two recent attempts in recent weeks by the Federal Government for prisoners swap with the so called representative of the terror group may have reached a dead end as each time security officials arrive at designated locations with Boko Haram prisoners for the swap, Boko Haram representatives fail to show up as they are required to produce at least 50 verifiable Chibok girls for the first wave of the swap, security officials tell THISDAY.
Two hundred and seventy six girls were kidnapped from their school dormitory on April 14, 2014, and although 59 were able to escape, one recently, 217 have remained in captivity, sparking global outrage over their abduction.
THISDAY exclusively gathered that the federal government had through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in conjunction with the Directorate of the State Service (DSS), have in the last two weeks reached back channels agreements with some on the leadership of the sect on the venue, date and other logistics necessary to facilitate the swap of identified Boko Haram prisoners from specific prisons for the Chibok girls.
The source familiar with the back channel deal said at the appointed time and date, when all was set and the identified prisoners were moved to the location slated for the swap, neither the Boko Haram representatives, its commanders nor the Chibok girls were anywhere near the vicinity, prompting the federal government to return the Boko Haram prisoners to their prison cells.
Boko Haram’s inability to deliver the girls, the security source revealed is frustrating the federal government’s efforts to recover the girls.
Given its propensity for reneging on its promise, the source told THISDAY that the development informed the president’s insistence that, going forward, although the federal government remains open to negotiations with the sect for the release of the Chibok girls, his administration would only contemplate further negotiations with any group within the sect’s bona fide leadership who are in possession of the girls as that would have to provide proof of life, as well as verifiable guarantees through credible 3rd parties, including the Red Cross, that they know the whereabouts of the girls.
It is the same reason, the source added, that Buhari two days ago asked the sect to nominate an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation (NGO) that would negotiate on its behalf for the release of the girls.
The president, while addressing the issue in Nairobi, Kenya, on the sidelines of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), said: “If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation, convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know.”
The federal government, starting with the Goodluck Jonathan administration, has made a number of efforts to rescue the girls since 2014, but all attempts have failed to date.
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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Gov UdomVisits Injured Akwa Utd Supporters
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Injured supporters of Akwa United Football Club got a pleasant surprise on Sunday when Governor Udom Emmanuel paid an un scheduled visit to them.
On Saturday, 27 supporters of Akwa United FC on their way to supporting their darling team in a league match against Enyimba in Port Harcourt got involved in a motor accident that claimed the life of a supporter and left others severely injured.
On hearing the news,
Governor Udom yesterday morning went to the hospital to soothe the injured where he promised them that government will take full responsibility for their hospital bills.
He ordered those whose cases were serious to be transferred to the state specialist hospital and insisted that their case should be treated with utmost priority.
“They were on state duty as it were and we must accord them that honour. I came to cheer them up and to tell them that government will make sure they
get the best of treatment until they recover fully,” observed the governor.
The state Sports Commissioner, Monday Ukoh, told journalists that he was grateful to the governor for the prompt reaction and interest for the well being of his fellow statesmen.
He sympathised with the club for the loss of a life and prayed the good lord to give the supporters club and the family of the bereaved the fortitude to bear the loss.
In his reaction, Akwa United FC Chairman, Mr Paul Bassey, said it was a sad day for Akwa Ibom sports and thanked the governor for alleviating the pains of the injured.
“You needed to be there to see the relief on their faces as the governor spoke to them individually. I do not think they believed he would come around, but he did, shelving other state engagements. It is a big psychological boost that will quicken their recovery,” stressed Bassey.
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| 2016-03-16T00:00:00 |
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Is Buhari’s Nepotism, the Worst in Nigeria’s History?
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THIS REPUBLIC By Shaka Momodu [email protected] 0811 266 1654
Fellow Nigerians, have you read the bombshell that was exploded in an interview in Saturday Punch published July 23, 2016, by the former Joint House Leader of the defunct Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), who was also the Chairman, Foreign Relations Committee and a member of the Defence Committee in the Second Republic, Dr. Junaid Mohammed? In the interview, he pointedly accused President Muhammadu Buhari of the worst form of “nepotism” ever in the history of Nigeria. If you haven’t, then I am providing an excerpt for you to read and make your judgment. If what Mohammed stated in that wide-ranging interview is true (the presidency has not debunked the weighty allegations as yet), then it means the change we are dealing with is a marvelous and rewarding one for Buhari, his family members and a few of their close associates alone.
Let it be stated here without equivocation, Junaid Mohammed is unapologetically an ethno-religious irredentist. His divisive utterances have earned him a conspicuous spot in the hall of ethnic champions. For those who may have forgotten, he is the Convener of the Concerned Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen (CPAPM) group and a one-time defender of Buhari who has suddenly turned against him. Of course we’ll continue to question his road to Damascus and the depth of his new pan-Nigeria conviction.
Whatever has informed this embrace of a New Nigeria remains a mystery. But I can bet an arm and a leg that it is a fleeting moment of self-remission that won’t obliterate his past disservice to the Nigerian dream. However, in the fierce urgency of this moment of national infidelity to the mantra of change and unfaithfulness to scores of promises made during electioneering, I am wearily willing to momentarily ignore Mohammed’s past petulant behaviour and situate his damning revelations vis-a-vis the change that was promised and the caricature we have today.
The audacity of actions and abuses he accused the president of committing leaves one open-mouthed and justifiably frightened by his (Buhari’s) agenda for this country. The fact that this has not drawn any reaction from the presidency beggars belief.
When asked about his thoughts that a cabal within Buhari’s inner loop has hijacked the presidency, a charge the presidency has strenuously denied, Mohammed shot straight from the hip without mincing words, unleashing a tidal wave of revelations about the Buhari presidency. Here is how he responded: “Let me say straight away that whether one calls it a cabal or a mafia or power within the presidency under Buhari, whatever you say it is; it is, and a lot worse. First, the most influential person in the presidency today is one Mamman Daura whom as you know, is a nephew of the president. His father was Buhari’s elder brother. In addition, Mamman Daura was the one who single-handedly brought up Abba Kyari, the current chief of staff to the president. In fact, Abba Kyari knows Mamman Daura more than he knows his own father.
“Next, the personal assistant to Buhari himself is the son of Mamman Daura, next is the State Chief of Protocol (SCOP), and is also a son-in-law to Mamman Daura because he is married to Mamman Daura’s daughter. Next, the minister they unilaterally chose, against the interest of the party and against the wishes of Sokoto people, happens to be the daughter of the younger sister of Mamman Daura’s wife. Both of them are daughters of Sultan Dasuki, who was sacked by General Abacha. We have the aide-de-camp to Buhari himself, Colonel Abubakar. He is married to the granddaughter of one of Buhari’s elder sisters. Next we have the woman who represents Kaduna in the Federal Executive Council, she is a cousin to Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai. It is a well known that el-Rufai is one of the closest governors to Muhammadu Buhari.
“Next, we have the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Minister of the FCT is the man called Musa Bello, who used to be the Managing Director of the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation, which used to be the biggest holding company that belonged to all the northern states. His only qualification to be the FCT minister is the fact that his father has been Buhari’s friend over the years. Now, there is a young man called Sabiu Yusuf, nicknamed Tunde – probably because of the late General Tunde Idiagbon. He is another PA to President Buhari. He is also a grandson of another sister of Buhari.
“This is enough to prove to you that this is shamelessly the worst form of nepotism in the history of government in Nigeria. In fact, in the history of Africa, let me make bold to assert that I have never seen any level of nepotism that has equalled or surpassed this in my entire life – I am now in my 67th year. Another thing I also want you to know is that Amina Zakari, who was and is still a national commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission representing the entire seven states in the North-west; it is being claimed that Buhari knows nothing about her appointment (before he became the president), it is a lie.
“When President Goodluck Jonathan was reorganising INEC and he was bringing in Prof. Attahiru Jega, he reached out to Buhari and asked him to nominate somebody from the North-west so that, that person would be a national commissioner. Of all the people in the North-west, Buhari decided to nominate his own niece, the daughter of his elder sister – Amina Zakari. She has been there; when Jega left, Buhari was determined to make her the chairman, it was because of the massive backlash that he dropped the idea like hot potatoes. As we are talking today, that woman is a national commissioner which means she is one of the principal members of the election umpire.
“Throughout my reading of history, political science and social sciences generally, I have never heard of any dictator or any tyrant under any system of government whether totalitarian or fascist, appointing his own niece to conduct elections in which he was either a party or going to be a party to; Buhari has done that. The immediate younger brother to Amina Zakari is currently the Minister for Water Resources representing Jigawa State in the same Buhari government. In addition, even though they are from Kazaure, Kazaure is contiguous to Daura. The eldest sister of both of them is now the Commissioner for Education in the All Progressives Congress government in Jigawa State. If this is not nepotism, then I don’t know what nepotism is. For somebody who had the guts and the brutal arrogance to appoint these relations, not bothered about public opinion, about the sense of justice, and about competence, then you can see that he has a very serious question to answer.”
I have always suspected that Buhari exhibits all the character portraits of a sectional leader contrary to his public posture and what the change agents want Nigerians to believe. But I never imagined nepotism was one of his attributes as Mohammed’s interview has revealed. Even though some of these things have been said in hushed whispers in the past, they were treated more as rumours than facts from “conspiracy theorists” out to undermine the president. This is the first time someone, not just anyone, but someone with a rabid northern agenda as his focal objective is putting a face to the allegations and frontally attacking the president.
It is worthy of mention that criticising the president and his government is not something I enjoy doing. But the more I try to take a breather from criticising them, the more they give me a reason to do so. I know for sure there are some perverse and ridiculous individuals out there who would yet again make silly excuses for these abuses with the same pompously dishonest and reductionist response: are they not Nigerians? My answer to such people is: are they the only Nigerians? The often-touted strength in diversity which finds convenience in courting the people’s sense of patriotism appears to be an empty rhetoric after all.
Now let’s for a moment imagine it was a president from another part of the country, especially from a minority ethnic group that did this. All hell would have broken loose by now with some activists heading to the court to challenge it. But we have not heard a whimper from the fiery self-appointed custodians of public morality and defenders of the constitution. The question now is: can their reputations survive their silence? It is ironic that these groups no longer see anything wrong with the abuse of power, violation of the very same rule of law, and the protection of human rights they once passionately fought and sacrificed a lot for.
Rail of Hope from ‘16 Years of Waste’
President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line on Tuesday, July 26. The president’s supporters were in a celebratory mode. A friend called me up to say, “As you can see, Buhari is now working.” Wow! It struck me immediately that it took over one year and the inauguration of a previously completed project for even Buhari’s most ardent supporters to admit that he is “now working”. Really? So I asked him what Buhari had been doing in the last 14 months. He stammered and muttered inaudibly, “He was cleaning the 16 years of rot left behind by the PDP.”
When I reminded him that the Abuja-Kaduna rail is a legacy of the “16 Years of Waste” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he stubbornly refused to believe. He even claimed that it was Buhari who built the project from scratch.
I asked, with which money; when the president met an “empty treasury?” I then reminded him of how he mocked the revival of the railways as “old fashioned locomotives that were phased out in Europe” when it was touted as one of the achievements of the last administration during electioneering. Caught with egg on his face, he angrily hung up the phone.
It’s unfortunate that some diehard supporters of Buhari are celebrating what he did not build. This was the same way they celebrated the “wonders” of body language barely two weeks of Buhari’s inauguration as president. Everything that functioned at all was attributed to the magic of body language, from the marginal improvement in electricity supply, to barely functioning refineries, etc. But as it’s always the case, anything based on falsehood doesn’t last. These same crooked people turned round to make up excuses for Buhari when it became clear that the economy was being dragged into crippling recession. In case they haven’t heard, South Africa has overtaken Nigeria as Africa’s biggest economy in just 15 months of Buhari being in power. It’s going to get old saying I told you so.
During the electioneering, the media and publicity director of the APCPCO, Malam Garba Shehu disparaged the achievements and the transformation of the railways as “bogus lies and a fraudulent product of overactive imagination”.
Shehu stated further: “One railway project Mr. President and his media personnel have been silent about is the Abuja Rail Mass Transit. What Mr. President will not tell the people is how many Nigerians truly benefit from the hundreds of billions purportedly spent on the rehabilitation of rail lines and whether value for money has been achieved. What he will not tell Nigerians is that it costs about N10, 000 per passenger to produce that Lagos-Kano service, which his railway corporation sells at N1, 930 per passenger.” He concluded derisively that the huge railway contracts awarded by the PDP-led Jonathan government did not include most of the railway sidings and passing loops, effectively limiting the capacity of the lines in terms of the number of trains that could run on them at any point time, thus “making an unviable rail service even more unviable”. It’s ironic that, that is what they are celebrating today.
The truth here is that the Abuja-Kaduna rail was practically completed by the immediate-past administration. Only the finishing touches were done by this administration. So Buhari or the APC cannot take credit for this. We must at least be happy that petty politics did not get in the way of its final completion, as is usually the case. Even the Lagos-Calabar rail project that attracted some controversy recently was conceived by the last administration. The contract had already been awarded before that government was voted out of office.
Interestingly, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who is always eager to highlight the faults and failings of the last administration did not have the modesty to give credit to whom it is due. He was flushed with success during the event.
Let me digress for a moment. Did anyone see photographs of Amaechi carrying the cross of crucifixion on his shoulder adorning the front pages of all the newspapers during the last Good Friday celebrations to mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? This question became imperative because I was surprised I didn’t see his pictures with the cross depicting his “suffering” and “persecution” in the papers which became something of a yearly ritual during his time as the governor of Rivers State. Interesting! Roles have changed, he is no longer being “persecuted”, instead he is now the persecutor? This life.
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| 2016-02-24T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Buhari D Daft Cow."
] | 2016-08-31T06:51:28 | null | 2016-04-04T00:00:00 | null |
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Again, Sheriff Rejects PDP BoT Peace Deal
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Asks Jibrin, Makarfi to resign Group bemoans continued shutdown of party secretariat
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has rejected the latest peace arrangement put forward by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party.
The embattled former chairman of the PDP had earlier rejected previous peace arrangements aimed at reconciling aggrieved members of the party, but instead relied on court injunctions to stall the national convention of the party on two occasions.
In what appeared to be Sheriff’s response to Monday’s proposal by the BoT to move the next national convention to Abuja, and to disband all previous convention planning committees, Sheriff’s next in command and Deputy National Chairman of his faction, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, said the peace proposals fell short of their expectations and as such, stands rejected.
In a statement issued yesterday by Ojougboh, the aggrieved faction fell short of accusing the Chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, of constituting a clog in the wheel of the party’s reconciliatory efforts.
“We completely reject the vote-of-confidence passed on the illegal caretaker committee because a committee that has failed twice to successfully organise a convention on two occasions is a failure. Consequently, we can now confidently inform the public that well meaning Nigerians have been urging Makarfi to resign to save democracy,” he said.
Ojougboh said the problem with the party was the “still-born illegal caretaker committee,” adding that the BoT should have advised that the illegality be addressed.
Ojougboh’s statement read: “Having deliberated on the reported outcome of the BoT meeting of August 29, 2016, we have resolved to state as follows, that the resolutions fall short of the decision reached with the Dickson/Mantu reconciliation committee.
“The agreement we had is that Sheriff should Chair a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where Makarfi will attend as a member of the BoT, at the meeting, a Chairman of Convention Committee will be agreed upon, a new convention committee setup, including all other sub-committees: zoning, finance, accreditation, etc.
“The venue of the convention will be in Abuja, where a new leadership of the party will emerged, internal democracy will be respected and confidence will return to the party.
And we had hoped that opportunity will be given where everybody will meet under one umbrella and shake hands and will see the PDP reemerge for the challenges ahead.
We therefore state as follow: “We therefore call on his friends and associates and family to advice him to do the needful and resign now to save multi-party democracy in Nigeria and stop impunity that has been the bane of internal democracy.
“That the BoT Chairman, Jubril, has brought crisis to the party. In any case, his tenure has expired as he has spent more than 10 years as Secretary and Chairman BoT which runs contrary to the constitution. A party where we have eminently qualified persons like Senator David Mark, Babangida Aliyu and others cannot be led by unstable individuals controlled by the love for money.
“That the source of irritation in the party is the still-born illegal caretaker committee and the BoT should have advised that the illegality be addressed.
“Whereas the National Working Committee (NWC) had agreed terms with the reconciliation committee on numerous occasions but the BoT will go public and make misguided and provocative statements. The leadership of the BoT must immediately be reconstituted to move the party forward.
“We thank the numerous PDP faithful nationwide and Nigerians for their understanding and patience. We make bold to state that until we get it right and check impunity, the Nigerian opposition party won’t perform as required.
“As we move towards reconciliation, PDP should prevent any person or group from hijacking the party. Rest assured that the PDP will emerge stronger as we note that impunity marred the party’s success in 2015 general election.”
Meanwhile, a group with political interest in the PDP, the PDP Media Watchdog, has lamented the over three months of lock down on the secretariat of the party by security agents.
The pro-opposition party group, in a statement signed by Mr. Tunde Lawal, described the role of the police under the All Progressives Congress as (APC)-led administration as high-handed.
“It is no longer news that the national secretariat of the PDP is still under lock and key for over three months by officers of the Nigerian Police Force on the pretext of protecting lives and property due to the leadership crisis in the PDP,” the group said.
The group noted that since 1999, Nigeria has never witnessed a situation where the government in power will use the security agencies to scuttle and shutdown the national secretariat of a major opposition political Party
The statement read: “The role of the Nigerian Police Force in the PDP affairs under the administration of the APC is unbecoming of an unbiased umpire and a clear sign of autocracy in full practice in Nigeria.
“Since the inception of democracy in 1999, Nigeria has never witnessed a situation where government in power will use the security agencies to scuttle and shutdown the national secretariat of a major opposition political party with no serious or cogent reasons except to destroy all opposition voice.
“The Nigeria Police Force today has several security issues to deal with and show how proactive the force can be by tackling the various herdsmen attacks, kidnapping, armed robbery and other civil disturbances but are only proactive when it comes to the PDP affairs.”
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| 2016-04-04T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Full Blooded Nigerian"
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Urhobo Militant Group Mocks Military, Launches “Operation Crocodile Tears”
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*Claims to have blown up major pipeline in Delta
By Sylvester Idowu
An Urhobo militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Movement (NDGJM), on Tuesday dared the ongoing military operation code-named “Exercise Crocodile Smiles” by launching its own counterforce, “Operation Crocodile Tears”.
To demonstrate its seriousness, the group claimed responsibility for breaching an Ogor-Oteri major delivery line, operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and Shorelines Petroleum in Delta state.
The group, in a statement by its spokesperson, Aldo Agbalaja, claimed the attack took place at about 3.00 hours, saying it was executed by its Uproot Team B.
It said the attack on the oil facility was also to launch “Operation Crocodile Tears” since the military had launched “Operation Crocodile Smile” to supposedly worsen the Niger Delta crisis.
“The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate will no longer sit quietly watching the endless harassment of our people in various parts of the region by the Nigerian military”, it stated.
THISDAY checks however revealed that the said trunlines had not been put into use for a long time now and could not create any adverse effect on the economy.
The Urhobo militant group said it had had once warned against the victimization and harassment of defenseless people of the region, especially in the creeks, but rather than heed, the Nigerian military has increased its presence and made life more difficult for the people.
“They are now killing our people on the basis of mere suspicion, this cannot continue. With the launch of their ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate is also serving a notice on the commencement of our ‘Operation Crocodile Tears.’
“It shall from now on be an eye for an eye; for every military atrocity carried out in the creeks and hinterland of the Niger Delta, the Nigerian armed forces will have the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate to contend with.
“To this end, we are alerting all those working in the UQCC/UPS Erhomukokwarien in Ughelli, Eriemu Pigging Manifold in Agbarha, Otorogun Gas Plant, Olomoro Flow Station, Warri Refinery, Port Harcourt Refinery, Eleme, OB-OB and Obite gas plants in Omoku to evacuate because what is coming to those facilities are beyond what anybody has seen before.
“We do not want innocent blood being spilled, therefore, we advise all indigenes living in the vicinities of the facilities to relocate for the time being.
“The world should, however, note that the bloodbath that is about to commence in our already beaten, battered, squeezed and impoverished homeland, the Niger Delta. It is all the baby of the Nigerian government; they are the people, who are in one breath preaching resolution through dialogue and also breathing bullets and bombs on a troubled, but trusting people.
“Hold the Nigerian President responsible for the genocide that his armed forces is about to unleash on our people,” it said.
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| 2016-05-07T00:00:00 |
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Court Stops Factional PDP Primary as Jimoh Ibrahim Emerges Candidate
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By James Sowole
Despite the relocation of the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State to Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday for its primary election, an Akure High Court in Monday restrained the faction from conducting the primary outside the state.
The restriction was contained in an order given by Justice Omolara of the Akure High Court, who ordered that none of the aspirants should present him/herself in the parallel primary.
She noted that the only legally recognised primary of the party was the one conducted on Monday August 22, 2016, by the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction that produced Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, as the party’s flagbearer.
However, the Sheriff faction under the State chairmanship of Mr. Biyi Poroye had pre-empted the court order by relocating the primary election to the party’s South West zonal office.
The aspirants, Jimoh Ibrahim, Chief Sola Ebiseeni, Bamiduro Dada, Niran Sule and Mrs Abiye Ademuyegun, had assembled with their supporters at Premier Hotel, Ibadan, on Sunday night.
It was gathered at the time of filling this report that the primary, headed by Mr. Ahmed Gulak, as the chairman pf the electoral committee, conducted the election in the early hours of Monday.
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| 2016-03-06T00:00:00 |
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Military Commences on Onslaught Against N/Delta Militants
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•Kill 5 militants, arrests 23 suspects
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Nigerian military has commenced the planned onslaught against the Niger Delta militants to ride the region of all criminal activities, militancy and sabotage of the nation’s economic infrastructures.
This is coming after the Nigerian Army amassed troops, arms and ammunition for the special exercise code-named Crocodile Smile in support of the larger Operation Delta Safe within the nine states of the region.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement on Saturday, said: “The 133 Special Forces Battalion of Nigerian Army troops have carried out a precursor operation to Exercise ‘Crocodile Smile’ aimed at getting rid of all forms of criminal activities in the Niger Delta geo-political region of Nigeria”.
Usman said that in the course of the operation, “five militants that attacked the troops were killed in action, while numerous others were injured and 23 suspects were arrested”.
He noted that the operations which was conducted on Friday, was carried out by the Special Forces at the militants camps.
He listed the items recovered from the camps to include two AK-47 rifles, 11 pump action guns, a locally made revolver pistol, 292 cartridges of live ammunition, 199 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition, four electricity generating sets and a camp gas cooker.
He said the troops also recovered an abandoned engine boat left by the fleeing criminals.
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| 2016-03-04T00:00:00 |
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Attacks: Enugu Police Nab Herdsman with AK 47 Rifle
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By Christopher Isiguzo
A 20-year old suspected Fulani herdsman, Ibrahim Adamumale from Nasarawa state, was on Tuesday nabbed by operatives of the Enugu state police command for allegedly being in possession of an AK 47 rifle with 24 rounds of live ammunition.
The arrest of the suspect came three days after the command equally arrested another 20- year old Umaru Isah from Gusau, Zamfara State, suspected to be one of the herdsmen that attacked and killed a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor, and injured four others, including a pregnant woman.
That attack had taken place at the Ndiagu Attakwu-Akagbeugwu community in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu state in the early hours of Thursday last week.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, the police command said Adamumale was arrested in Affa Udi Local Government Area of the state on Monday evening. Upon interrogation, he claimed to be from Nassarawa State but lives at Hausa quarters, 9th Mile.
“He claimed to be a herdsman with some cows at Affa Udi bush. He was nabbed by the combined efforts of the police and the members of the public from Affa acting on a tip-off. It was further gathered that before he was nabbed, the suspect had expended about six shots in the air to evade being apprehended but fell to the superior effort of the police and members of the public who had gathered information about the suspect’s antecedents in relation to bearing of sophisticated weapon within Affa axis and its environs.
“The suspect is now helping the police in their investigations in relation to how he came about the rifle,” Amaraizu noted
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| 2016-08-01T00:00:00 |
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[
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"Kenny Dee",
"Lawrenece Ifo"
] | 2016-08-28T20:50:44 | null | 2016-05-23T00:00:00 | null |
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Ijaw Youths Berate Buhari Over Threat to Apply Boko Haram Treatment to Niger Delta Militants
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By Sylvester Idowu
The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Sunday hit hard on President Muhammadu Buhari for his alleged stance to apply Boko Haram treament in resolving the Niger Delta crisis.
The group described the warning to Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face Boko Haram treatment credited to President Buhari while discussing with the Japanese leader in Nairobi, Kenya, as reckless and prejudicial to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the region.
According to a statement signed by IYC spokesperson, Eric Omare, the Ijaw youths maintained that there was no basis for that statement considering that the circumstances of the Niger Delta were different from the Boko Haram crisis.
“We have just read a press statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Affairs, Mr. Garba Shehu in Nairobi, Kenya wherein President Buhari while discussing with the Japanese leader warned Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face the Boko Haram treatment.
“The IYC condemns the statement and state that it is reckless and prejudicial to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta”, it added.
While maintaining that the statement completely displayed the Federal Government’s lack of commitment towards negotiation, it said there was no basis to threaten Niger Deltans with the Boko Haram treatment when discussions are ongoing and considering the fact that the circumstances of the Niger Delta are different from the Boko Haram crisis.
“It shows that the government has made up its mind to use force against Niger Delta communities. The IYC wishes to alert Nigerians and the international community that the Buhari government is executing a predetermined agenda against the Niger Delta region which is to attack and kill innocent people. “
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| 2016-05-23T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"William Norris",
"Segun Abiodun"
] | 2016-08-29T12:50:58 | null | 2016-03-10T00:00:00 | null |
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Intercellular Bounces Back with New Identity, Launches 4GLTE
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* Targets 10m subscribers in 5yrs
Emma Okonji
Intercellular, one of the oldest Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators, also known as fixed wireless operator that had gone under alongside 26 other CDMA operators in the past, has re-launched its telecoms service offering that is completely different from CDMA service offering.
The telecoms company last week re-launched itself into the telecoms space with new brand identity and new service offering, targeting 10 million subscribers in the next five years.
It rebranded from Intercellular to InterC Network, on a 4G LTE network, also known as the fourth generation long term evolution network.
Announcing the new brand identity in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of InterC Network, Mr. Emad Sukker said the new company would shift completely from offering CDMA services, while focusing on broadband data services on its 4G LTE platform. He said InterC Network would not be offering voice service in the meantime, but would rather concentrate on broadband data service only.
Sukker explained that InterC Network would be rolling out services in Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Kaduna, with plans to expand to other cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Jos, Kano, soonest, before covering the entire country.
The return of Intercellular with a new brand identity of InterC, but with different service offering from CDMA service offering, is an indication that CDMA has no future in the Nigerian telecoms space, according to some of the guests present at the relaunch.
CDMA operators were very profitable in Nigeria before the advent of operators of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) in 2001. Shortly after the emergence of GSM operations, the CDMA operations started losing relevance, until all the 26 registered CDMA operators fizzled out of telecoms business. The last operator standing was Visafone that was eventually acquired by MTN in January 2016.
Commending InterC Network for the bold return, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said: “I commend InterC Network not only for coming back to the stage, but also for retaining its initial name, with emphasis on connectivity, because there is power in a name and brand identity. The telecoms market is big for every player to carve a market niche for itself and I salute your courage for focusing on data services, which has turned out to be the new trend in the telecoms sector.”
Announcing the new offering on InterC Network, Sukker said the telecoms company would be offering subscribers free one month data of 50 Gigabyte at first recharge, and a 25 per cent discount on total cost of recharge, at the second recharge. He said InterC Network would be working with Huawei as its technology partner and IHS as its colocation partner, as well as Yudala and Transium as partners that would help it reach out to large scale customers, while promising high speed data service offering to its customers.
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| 2016-03-10T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Edward Osadebay",
"Lord Vuga"
] | 2016-08-28T10:50:36 | null | 2016-06-24T00:00:00 | null |
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Senate Vows to Probe Diversion of IDPs’ Food Items upon Resumption
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Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
Senate President Bukola Saraki on Saturday vowed that the Senate would investigate the severe hunger and nutrition crisis rocking the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the North-east.
Saraki also called on the Nigeria Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other law enforcement agencies to immediately commence investigation into alleged diversion of food aid deliveries, noting that government officials and contractors should be held accountable for how truck-loads of provisions meant for the IDPs camps mysteriously got missing.
“Anyone that is found to be diverting the food aid deliveries should be investigated and brought to book if investigations prove their participation in these vicious schemes. Profiting from a complex humanitarian crisis is unacceptable. The people of the North-east have suffered enough indignities in the past four years from the marauding Boko Haram terrorists. Stealing food meant for starving children is beyond the pale and only adds insult to injury”, Saraki stated.
The threat to probe the situation was the fallout of last Thursday’s protest by hundreds of women from various camps in Borno State who took to the streets and barricaded the Maiduguri-Kano-Jos Road over alleged diversion of foods meant for them.
Saraki described the development as desperate as he called for better coordination amongst government and international aid agencies managing the affairs of the camps. He also emphasised the need for Nigeria to quickly operationalise a more effective and efficient humanitarian response infrastructure to address the dire situation.
“It is important that we all focus on eliminating the coordination, access and food supply issues hindering us from successfully feeding the millions of IDPs. This is particularly important for the many children who are dying daily from starvation. It should break every Nigerians heart to know that our own women and children are enduring such horrendous hardships”, he stated.
He restated the call for an international summit on the North-east that would be similar to the one held in London for Syria where about $10 million was raised. He also disclosed plans to move a motion on the situation in the North-east when the Senate reconvenes from recess next month.
He said the motion would lead to the establishment of a Senate ad-hoc Committee on the North-east adding that the motion would also call for the conduct of a public hearing that would enable the Senate to use its oversight powers to review Nigeria’s humanitarian policies and hear testimony from witnesses representing the government, humanitarian experts and the IDPs themselves.
“The situation in the North-east has been underreported and under-resourced for far too many years. In terms of scale and complexity, the situation in the North-east is direr than South Sudan. Yet, apparently, the crisis appears not to be sexy or star-studded enough to attract greater international attention and support,” he stated.
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| 2016-06-24T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"William Norris",
"Supplyline Enterprises"
] | 2016-08-28T16:50:40 | null | 2016-03-12T00:00:00 | null |
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Ugwuanyi’s Curious Love for Amaka Anajemba
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•Governor appoints ex-convict as waste management boss
T he nuisance of the tropics is the sheer necessity of the fizz and temperate region. Little wonder Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, appointed an ex-convict into his government, particularly at a time when the country is reeling and groaning under the weight of bad image and corruption.
Why would Governor Ugwuanyi, appoint Amaka Anajemba? Was it his way of showing appreciation and payback for some significant work done, or support in gaining entry into a powerful political clique controlling immeasurable wealth and authority? Or was it simply an outpouring of human kindness, reflective in the Christ-like injunction: “Go and sin no more?”
Whatever the truth is, Ugwuanyi’s appointment of Amaka Anajemba, a woman widely acknowledged as Nigeria’s Queen of 419 (Advanced Free Fraud), as the Managing Director of the Enugu State Waste Management Agency (ESWAMA), is ruffling a lot of feathers in the state. Since Anajemba’s appointment was announced, several commentators on the social media have expressed dissatisfaction with the state government’s preference for a woman convicted for fraud.
Back in 2005, under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Anajemba bagged a prison term of two and half years for conspiring with others to commit a scam to the tune of $242 million in faraway Brazil.
She was convicted in July 2005 by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja.
According to a news report in Daily Trust on July 26, 2005, “by her conviction, Mrs. Amaka Martina Anejemba, mother of four, became the undisputed Queen of the scam that continues to wreak havoc to our international image and integrity.”
Her conviction had earned a presidential recognition, with Obasanjo writing a letter of commendation to the EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, for the first time, for a job well done in the successful prosecution.
REALITY BITES! OKOCHA, NIGHTCLUB NOT SOCCER PITCH
The finest plans have always been spoiled by the littleness of those that should carry them out. Even emperors couldn’t do it all by themselves, likewise Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha. The former Super Eagles mercurial midfielder and playmaker could not replicate his success on the soccer pitch in the challenging world of nightclub management thus the failure of Bar 10, his wondrously constructed nightclub. The venture which cost the former Paris Saint German and Bolton Wanderers mercurial midfielder quite a fortune became the favoured watering hole of many fun seekers in Lagos until the sad news of its closure stealthily crept in.
Though there was no specific reason attributed to the closure, rumour has it that Okocha had persistently complained about the viability of the business. Okocha reportedly lamented that he was not making money from the capital intensive venture claiming he regretted venturing into bar business. He was quoted as likening the bar business to another failed investment of his in the distressed Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN) where he lost about $1million. Though he was lured into the business by some bootlickers, we gathered he has gone back to the drawing board to repackage the business.
ON THE LOCAL PASTORS’ ALPHA WIVES
One of the great trends of the current century is undoubtedly the rise of the alpha female; that highly educated and motivated new breed of woman. Like unquenchable cultural fire-starters, these women are threatening to tear apart what many believe as gospel when it comes to changing gender roles and modernity. Many have described their emergence to be a result of the sexual revolution that has spawned a relatively new being called the “Alpha female”. Affluent and successful, the alpha female’s fast-living world is that of powerful, influential professionals – she holds jobs that only men used to have. Many of them become neurosurgeons, pilots, marine combatants, pastors to mention a few. Some however, simply choose to support their husbands by assuming more challenging roles and becoming more visible in the Church.
This latter breed represents a tectonic shift in gender roles and perception according to the gospel. As wives to prominent pastors, no more are they scarcely seen and never heard. Today, they have become more visible, more assertive and fashionable too. The dawn of the 90s no doubt triggered a new awakening for these women in the Lord’s vineyard. Their fashion culture changed, so did their attitude to various other issues. Not that they have grown less subservient but they have become self aware and enamoured to do things their own way.
And today, these Pastors’ wives have become as prominent and conspicuous as their husbands; even dandier and more outstanding to the delight and amazement of their teeming congregation. Such pastors’ wives include Ifeanyi Adefarasin, Ibidun Ighodalo, Nike Adeyemi, Faith Amaga, Siju Iluyomade to mention a few.
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| 2016-03-12T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"William Norris",
"The Dawn"
] | 2016-08-30T20:51:23 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null |
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Umar Cautions Buhari Against Use of Force in Niger Delta
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John Shiklam in Kaduna
Former Military Governor of Kaduna State , Colonel
Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd) has cautioned President Mohammadu Buhari against using military force on the Niger Delta militants.
Umar said in a statement on Tuesday in Kaduna that the military option is likely to inflict collateral damage to the nation’s fragile economy.
He maintained that the Niger Delta issue cannot be equated to Boko Haram insurgents, whose ideology and activities are not the same and called on the President to engage in a meaningful dialogue to end the crisis in Niger Delta region.
In the statement in titled; “War In The Niger Delta: A Most Dangerous Option,” Umar said the sudden escalation of crisis in the region was very disturbing.
“I am really frightened by the sudden escalation in the Niger Delta region from where there are reports of skirmishes between our security forces and the Niger Delta militants.
“This is happening after the President was quoted as vowing to deal with the militants as he did Boko Haram,” Umar said.
While condemning the position of President Buhari on the crisis, he argued that “all factors considered, the use of military force in an attempt to resolve the lingering crisis is not a good option and must therefore be discarded”.
He maintained further that “as a retired General, Mr. President is well aware of the serious and daunting challenges any military will face in its operations in the most difficult and densely populated Niger Delta region.
“The creeks are so heavily polluted with oil, rendering them highly inflammable. It will take the firing of a few high explosive shells to set the whole area on fire, resulting in inestimable collateral damage among innocent civilians.
“It is also difficult to see how an armed conflict can secure our oil and gas assets in the region, instead it will aid the destructive activities of
the militants and lead to total shut down of all oil and gas operations in the area”.
According to him, “The Niger Delta militants cannot be said to be terrorists in the real sense of the word and I believe they are amenable to meaningful dialogue.
“I need not remind the President that a war in the Niger Delta will be viewed and opposed by most objective Nigerians and the International community as unjust and merely aimed at control and exploitation of the region’s oil and gas resources”.
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[
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"William Norris",
"Oduche Azih",
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Gas Suppliers: Nigeria Not a Good Destination for Investment
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Ejiofor Alike
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry have passed a verdict that following the slash in domestic gas supply by more than half due to the Niger Delta crisis, Nigeria is no longer a good destination for investment in the sector.
Speaking at a special session of the 2016 conference organised by energy reporters in Lagos, the operators declared that with the renewed attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s operating environment has become a high-risk environment that is not suitable for investment.
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, represented by the Managing Director of National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), a subsidiary of the corporation, Mr. Siky Aliyu raised the first alarm when he told the session that militant attacks have curbed gas supply to the domestic market by more than a half.
According to him, the current supply of about 700 million standard cubic feet per day is less than the domestic supply before the militants first bombed the gas infrastructure in February this year.
Also speaking at the session, the Chairman of Geometric Power Limited and former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji insisted that Nigeria must secure gas infrastructure to guarantee electricity supply.
“Gas-to-power is critical for electricity generation. Brazil generates 100,000 megawatts. If Brazil has 100,000 megawatts and we aspire to be like Brazil by 2020, then a lot has to be done on gas-to-power,” Nnaji said.
In his contribution to the session, the Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Oil, suppliers of gas to Calabar, Alaoji and Ibom Power Stations, Mr. Dada Thomas said the only solution to the Niger Delta crisis was good governance, which he said was lacking in Nigeria.
Thomas, whose company’s gas supply to the domestic market accounts for 450 megawatts of power generation, advocated for both the use of the full weight of law and the involvement of the political leadership of the oil-rich region in resolving the crisis.
He argued that criminality should not be rewarded to avoid creating more criminality.
“A high-risk environment like Nigeria is not a destination for investment. We are not a fantastic investment destination. Good governance is the only answer to vandalism but this is lacking in Nigeria since independence. The short-term solution is to apply the full weight of law. When you reward criminality, you create more criminality. But the government should also get the political leadership involved in the negotiating table,” Thomas explained.
Thomas argued that Poland had also experienced similar crisis when the people in the eastern part of that country like the Nigeria’s Niger Delta felt that the western part of the country was exploiting their God-given resources.
Thomas further disclosed that the Polish government resolved the crisis through good governance, adding that Scotland also had the same issue.
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
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[
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From Dog Owners to Journalists, Free Expression Being Challenged in Nigeria
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A series of arrests of bloggers, newspaper reporters and even a dog owner has advocates worried about a chill on freedom of expression in Nigeria.
While the constitution of Africa’s most-populous country guarantees freedom of speech and the press, Peter Nkanga, West Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said those rights are under attack.
“More and more, that freedom is being eroded,” Nkanga said. “How is it being eroded? By the actions of government institutions and government authorities, who are ensuring that, that freedom of expression, that freedom of the press that freedom to hold opinion, gradually, steadily, is being eroded.”
Nkanga pointed to a number of episodes in recent months as instances where Nigerian security forces went after people simply because of something they said or wrote.
This month, the army said it wanted to question a journalist who had posted a link to a video released by the Boko Haram extremist group.
A journalist investigating arms smuggling was assaulted in June 2015 after a meeting at a Nigerian border post. Nkanga said customs officers looked on as the journalist was attacked without intervening.
Musa Azare, a blogger known for being critical about the government of Bauchi State, also found himself under arrest this month.
“They were dispatched from Bauchi to come and arrest me,” Azare said of the police officers who travelled 450 kilometers to his house in the capital, Abuja.
He was driven to Bauchi and told that he was being taken in on suspicion of cyber stalking and criminal defamation, before being released. A Bauchi State official denied the government had anything to do with Azare’s detention.
It’s not just journalists that are facing threats. Police took a man in Ogun State this month into custody for naming his dog “Buhari”, after the president.
Nigeria’s leaders have pledged to respect the freedom of the press, with Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed saying in June that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari does “not intend to do anything to stifle press freedom”.
Mohammed was not available for comment.
Laws on the books have allowed local politicians to go after journalists and bloggers for their statements, says Mai Truong, manager of advocacy group Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net programme.
She said a law passed last year criminalising “cyber crimes” such as hacking and cyber stalking has become a tool for politicians seeking revenge against online commentators.
“We’ve seen (kind of) an uptick of bloggers, particularly, being targeted for arrest and charged under the cyber crime law for various types of writing related to posts about local governors or officials,” Truong said.
Buhari came into office last year pledging to tackle corruption in Nigeria.
The country is Africa’s largest economy but little of the wealth trickles down to its poor due in part to graft in the federal and state governments.
Shuaib Leman, national secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), says much of the ire directed at journalists come from politicians who don’t appreciate seeing allegations of corruption against them printed or broadcast.
“I am not surprised that daily you find one instance or the other where a journalist is either picked up at the insistence of the state governor or a powerful politician for writing against corruption or for bringing up issues that need public attention and adequate scrutiny,” Leman said.
When a journalist is attacked, Nkanga said the perpetrators of the assault rarely face charges.
“Until you start to ensure that those who perpetrate attacks on journalists are brought to justice, there will hardly ever be a time when there will be (no) chill on them,” Nkanga said. “It has become the norm.”
• Culled from VOA
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| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
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] | 2016-08-30T00:51:03 | null | 2016-02-25T00:00:00 | null |
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Herdsmen and the Killing Field
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The verdict By Olusegun Adeniyi: Email: [email protected]
On 30th July, 2013, the parents of the ten Directorate of State Security (DSS) operatives killed two months earlier by the Ombatse cult in Nasarawa State staged a peaceful protest in Lafia where the then Vice President Namadi Sambo was due to commission some projects. The protesters were responding to the statement by the then DSS Director General, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong that the service had ‘forgiven’ the criminals who killed the DSS operatives while on a legitimate duty.
“Our children were sent on an operation to save other Nigerians, and they were not given any protection. We can’t see them alive; we can’t see their corpses. They only sent us the death certificates of our children”, said Dr. Nandul Durfa, 64, father to a late operative called Timman Durfa. Another protester, Nimsel Nanyal, 57, said it was unthinkable that security men were killed and the federal government could not give them justice. “In Britain, one soldier was killed on the street, not even in the line of duty like our children, and the British Prime Minister was everywhere making statements. He even attended the burial. Here, we were sent death certificates, and that is all,” Nanyal added.
It is now almost three years since that tragedy which claimed the lives of 55 police officers and 10 DSS operatives who were deployed to restore order in a community called Alakyo. The corpses of those 65 agents of state were never recovered and I will not be surprised if their families have also been abandoned. Yet the message conveyed by that so-called forgiveness famously proclaimed by Ekpenyong was that the Nigerian State could neither protect its own personnel who were on lawful duties nor seek justice for them after being killed in a most gruesome manner. But the larger implication of the way we managed that tragedy was that we were invariably telling the whole world that life makes no meaning in our country. That is the sort of disposition that emboldens criminals to believe they can take the lives of innocent citizens without consequences.
Incidentally, someone who spoke the minds of Nigerians at the time is a certain Muhammadu Buhari who is now the president. He said most memorably: “The SSS boss or whoever that said he has left everything to God has no right to do that. Nigerians can practice any religion they want or even if they don’t want, they can be atheist or anything they want to be, that is constitutional. But nobody should hurt a citizen of Nigeria and then get away with it, not to talk of slaughtering law enforcement agents and then somebody coming out from the system to say such a thing. It is either that person doesn’t know what he was talking about or he shouldn’t even be there. Those that killed the security men must be hunted and prosecuted no matter how long it will take because this is the bottom line about law and order, and security in the country. They can’t be forgiven, they can’t override the constitution, Nigerians are being hurt and killed in their duties and those that killed them must be brought before the law”, Buhari said.
That was candidate Buhari who was seeking to be our president. Now that he is on the saddle, we have not seen any such forthrightness in dealing with the sectarian violence that threatens to tear the country apart. Yet at this most challenging period, the president must stand up and be counted because, as I stated last week, there can be nothing more grievous than for someone or a group of people to believe they can take the lives of others without being held to account.
For those who may have forgotten, there were three elements involved in the 2013 Ombatse tragedy in Nasarawa State: Ethnicity, religion and politics, even though there was also a little dose of superstition. Unfortunately, the underlining issues in the current tragedies, whether in the South East or in the North Central, are not dissimilar. So, for us to resolve them and bring about lasting peace, we need our president to rise above himself. Unfortunately, he has thus far not shown that inclination–at least, that is what his body language suggests and with that, he has only provided ammunitions for politicians who feed on tragedies by capitalizing on our fault-lines.
To worsen matters, on the issue of herdsmen, President Buhari is already a suspect given the record of his intemperate session with the late Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina a few years ago. The situation is compounded by the recent “your-people-have-killed-my-people” statement by his kinsman-DG of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura. But even when I believe Buhari’s silence on the recent tragedies has been unhelpful, I am also aware that most of the hysteria about herdsmen are political and may be no more than a campaign of calumny essentially targeted against the president, just because he is a Fulani man.
However, it was very reassuring last night that President Buhari would condemn “the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo community in Enugu State and other such acts of extreme violence against communities in other states of the federation”, as stated by his spokesman, Garba Shehu. The president has also directed the Inspector General of Police, the General Officer Commanding the 82nd Division of the Nigeria Army and the Enugu State Director of DSS “to personally oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits.”
Indeed, it is the political slant to a crisis that has been with us for many decades that is actually now causing the problem even when most people are aware the real issues are environmental, economic and criminal. But I believe, from my own experience, that we can deal with some of these issues if our politicians and other critical stakeholders, including those of us in the media, decide to be open-minded. I highlighted some of the points two years ago in Kaduna at an “International Conference on Security and Development Challenges in West and Central Africa” where I delivered a paper. Put together by the then National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, I had opportunity to interact with the real herdsmen—the big men who own the cows as I told the story of my village in Kwara State that has a Fulani settlement called ‘Gaa Okanla’.
I grew up to meet the settlement and virtually everybody in our village now say the settlement had been there before they were born. It was founded by a nomadic Fulani man called Anfani who reportedly mixed freely with our people. His first son was named Okanla and I grew up to know him as Baba Okanla with some of his children, especially Baba and Musa as my contemporaries and friends even till today. So in my village, we have had five generations of Fulani men who have lived in harmony with our people and I am aware there are many communities like that in Kwara State.
Notwithstanding, I am also aware that several other issues have come in such that the real lasting solution is to discourage the nomadic culture in our country. Even before it became a national security challenge, it was no longer ideal to have able-bodied young men and women roam about the country with cows. It is both primitive and a gross abuse of the young men and women who ordinarily should be in school. Besides, there are health hazards to these cows that are being paraded through the forest and may have attracted all manner of diseases. But the main worry for now is the human tragedy.
That we have a serious problem on our hands is not in doubt though it is comforting that the federal government is very much aware of the challenge and now looking for workable solutions. Two weeks ago, Interior Minister, Lt General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) convened an inter-ministerial meeting in a bid to finding a lasting solution to what, according to him, “threatens the very fabric of our country’s unity and progress”.
Dambazau, from what he said at the forum, appreciates the fact that the entire herdsmen menace has graduated from isolated instances into a discernible and even predictable pattern of criminal behavior with grave and urgent national security implications. What Dambazau and his team, working in collaboration with other stakeholders, must now do is to isolate all the issues as they seek enduring solutions which will not happen until we deal with the challenge of law and order in our country. Even though the menace of the herdsmen is much more complex than many people imagine, those with criminal tendencies in our midst must know that the State will punish, rather than forgive, them for heinous crimes.
“While the ongoing conflict is centred on Nigeria’s internal security, I believe it might be necessary to also consider the larger West and Central Africa region in arriving at an understanding of the Niger-Benue basin as an arena of conflict because of its rich pasture and water resources where pastoralist converge seasonally to graze their cattle,” said Dambazau who added: “It is duly recognized that the conflict spawns beyond the immediate Niger-Benue river trough to even south-eastern and western Nigeria, where similar conflicts even with violent tendencies are being recorded regularly. Indications are also that there are opportunistic criminal angles to this conflict, in the nature of cattle-rustling, armed robbery and kidnapping. There are also recent reports that the Boko Haram terrorists are taking advantage of the situation to further their dastardly agenda.”
Against the background that the history of group confrontations in Nigeria can be traced to the simplistic North-South, Christian-Moslem pattern, the authorities should be worried about such dangerous dimensions to what is already a serious problem. Unfortunately, we are in a precarious moment when dire economic conditions are pushing neighbours, families and groups to a brittle point. That then explains why acts of violence that are staged in places where they can be given “they versus us” interpretations will hurt our national security very badly if not properly handled.
President Buhari therefore needs to move swiftly on this matter before he has on his hands a dangerous internal conflagration to add to Boko Haram, a simmering trouble in the Niger Delta and an economic downturn that has already put many Nigerians on edge.
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| 2016-02-25T00:00:00 |
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PRESIDENT BUHARI, DON’T OFFEND THOSE KIDS
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PENDULUM BY DELE MOMODU
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them,
For to such belongs the kingdom of heaven…”
-Matthew 19:14
“Your wealth and your children are only a trial,
whereas God, with Him is a great reward (Paradise).”
-Quran 64: 15
Fellow Nigerians, the holy books are replete with anecdotes of the importance of little ones. The Prophets actually frown at anyone trampling on the rights of children. They are considered innocent as they did not come to the world of their free volition. This is why children are treated as delicately as eggs. They can do no wrong and cannot be punished like we do to adults. Even in war situations, everything is usually done to protect them. Every May 27 is dedicated by nations the world over as a public holiday to celebrate children.
Nigerian children are exceptionally brilliant and gifted. They are also very ambitious and adventurous. They excel in every field of human endeavour. Anywhere you go, you must find one or more Nigerians at the top. The secret is simple and straightforward. Our craving for knowledge is unassailable. Education is thus the master-key that unlocks the door of prosperity. That is why our parents say the best inheritance that a child can be given is education. I certainly grew up with that aphorism and I also saw the practical side with my mother sacrificing all pleasures to pay for my education at one of the best secondary and tertiary institutions of the time.
Nigerians have been travelling abroad for studies as far back as the 19th century. An Egba man from Abeokuta was recorded to have travelled to England where he graduated and qualified as a Medical Doctor in London. On November 17, 1879, Christopher Alexander Sapara Williams was called to the English Bar. Same with Herbert Macaulay. They both returned home to become influential in Nigerian politics. Since then too many Nigerians have travelled by sea and air in search of the proverbial Golden Fleece. Even long after the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier institution of higher learning, was established in 1948, it was still the dream of many young Nigerians to travel abroad. And the various Governments of the day supported their ambitions by granting many scholarships to allow them to fulfil their dreams and return to contribute their quota to national development.
The reason and purpose of my sermon today is predicated on one major controversy, the debate over whether to cancel the concessionary allocation of foreign exchange at official rates to Nigerian students abroad. As a matter of fact the speech and body language of President Muhammadu Buhari has shown unequivocally that he does not consider those schooling outside Nigeria the priority of his government. I beg to disagree Sir. We should stretch the argument and logic by all means. When asked why he sent his own kids abroad, our people’s General retorted that he could afford it. But I wish to say categorically that education should never be the exclusive preserve of those who can afford it. Poor people have sacrificed to send their children to the best schools and being assisted by Government to do so is not a bad idea. Why does this administration not want to be different by demonstrating its vision of transforming Nigeria through quality education? Indeed, the debate negates President Buhari’s much-appreciated and advertised credentials as a friend of the poor.
Education is the ultimate leveller. The best schools in the world are not likely to admit anyone based on your bank statement. The students still have to undergo very intensive and rigorous examination, interview and general screening exercise. I cannot over-emphasise that it is the dream of every reasonable and loving parent to send their children to the best schools all over the world whether they can afford it or not. It ought to be the dream of every responsible government to help its youths attend Ivy League schools and donate them to the academic world. Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Buchi Emecheta, Ben Okri, Chimamanda Adichie and others would probably have remained local champions if their talents had been limited and restricted to Nigeria. I’m not sure they were all born with silver-spoon.
It is wrong to say those who cannot afford school fees should return home. What it means is that the children of the rich and those of privileged government operatives would be the only ones remaining to attend great institutions. No government should encourage such disparity. I quite understand the frustrations of this government and sincerely sympathise with our President but no investment is bigger and better than encouraging our children to rule their world by exposing them to global experience. Those encouraging the President to take anti-people decisions are doing him no good. This government can step on powerful toes but it should not invite the wrath of the younger generation who are not the cause of our backwardness.
Are we saying students who are already in schools all over the world should return home because they campaigned and supported APC in their collective wisdom or stupidity? When some of them went out of their ways to vote for change I’m sure it was not to make their situation worse but they would have expected some marked improvements in their lives. It is not their fault that our economy has taken a cataclysmic fall. We should not punish them for the recklessness and rascality of the elders. No matter how bad the condition of our nation is today, the kids should remain under our firm protection. They should not be made to regret their support for the change movement.
Some may argue that Nigeria cannot afford this and that harsh decisions have to be taken in the face of our really despondent situation. However, education should not be on the blacklist of banned items because brains are not commensurate to goods. Nigeria alone has not been able to provide jobs for our army of unemployed. Most of them are naturally unemployable within and outside for various reasons. Nigerian universities are not highly rated and the certificates are not well regarded. The few jobs available at home are thus reserved for those who have been to good schools while many of those who studied abroad often get employed in a jiffy by blue chip companies. Why do we want to deprive our kids such opportunities when we have nothing good to offer them right away?
Our foreign exchange basket is leaking not because of school fees but largely because of the profligacy of various governments of the past, including the present, and the terrible lack of fiscal discipline. For many decades, a country that is supposed to be secular has spent its resources on sending pilgrims to Mecca and Jerusalem. There is no doubt that religious obligations are important but education cannot be treated less so. Indeed, if there is a choice between government support of religious pilgrimages and education, I am sure even the sensible pilgrims will choose education.
It is important to guide our kids and encourage them to work and study hard if they wish to enjoy government loans, subventions and scholarships. This can be activated simultaneously with the rehabilitation of our campus infrastructure and the reactivation of our school curricula to meet international standards. We cannot cancel something for nothing but should replace nothing with something. That should be our goal. Nigeria desperately needs its best brains to germinate and blossom all over the world. Nothing should be done to discourage and frustrate them. We should make the necessary sacrifices for them and not the other way round. Nigeria would be greater and thankful for it sooner rather than later.
Even when we have something in the form of good educational institutions, we must not be parochial, insular or myopic especially when the world has become a global village. It will take a long time before we can come anywhere near our desired destination of good schools for our children. If we eventually breed a decent crop of teachers, where are the physical and material resources that will complement them and provide sound thorough education the kind of which we received many years ago? In those halcyon times, no Government ever toyed with the idea of effectively outlawing foreign education for the middle and lower class or even the wealthy upper class! Every Nigerian, rich or poor, has a right to education wherever they choose, based on the suffering they are prepared to endure and Government must assist and not scupper this choice.
As if to buttress my views, I met a young Nigerian two days ago who rekindled my hope in the unlimited possibilities available to some of our youths. The story of Ayodele Daniel Dada of the University of Lagos has been a celebrated one in the media both traditional and social. We were requested and challenged by many youths to find and promote the academic exploits of this prodigiously gifted genius who had a 5.0 grade point average in Psychology. The Ovation Media Group took up the challenge and we assigned The Boss newspaper, our online publication, to locate and invite Ayodele over. It was a most difficult task which yielded fruits after a few days of camping around University of Lagos, Akoka.
I was surprised when Ayodele walked into our offices. The first thing that struck us was his mild manner. He was simple, modest and humble. We asked him a couple of questions and he came across as someone who truly knows his onions. We asked about his future plans and he revealed his dream of travelling out to the United States of America to study at Yale and hopefully meet his academic idol, Professor Robert Sternberg. I asked if he has any scholarship yet and he said No.
Life is indeed very strange just as God is very merciful. Ayodele arrived at a time a good friend of ours, who wishes to remain anonymous, was also visiting. Our friend listened to Ayodele’s trajectory with rapt attention and immediately got hooked. The good news is that our wonderful friend has offered to help Ayodele realise his dream of attending Yale. The offer came when I asked how he would feel if the foreign exchange debacle renders his plans useless and he said he would be totally disappointed and heartbroken. I’m sure there are many Ayodeles carrying their dreams around the way Jesus carried His cross in Calvary. No one should be subjected to such pain and anguish at this time and age for God’s sake.
According to a Yoruba adage: “if the Gods cannot make our lives better, then they should please leave us the way they met us.“
True, President Buhari should do nothing to aggravate the agony of his core supporters, the Nigerian youths. They are already suffering enough under the weight of the economic crunch. This is my kobo advice Sir.
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| 2016-02-24T00:00:00 |
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Nigeria’s International Airport Hits a New Low, as Passengers Board Flights in Darkness
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The Murtala Mohammed international airport on Saturday night hit a new low as darkness enveloped the premier airport due to power outage at the time passengers were boarding flights to different foreign destinations.
The power outage at the airport occurred between 10pm and midnight, when about four international flights – British Airways, Air France, South African Airways, and one other – were boarding.
The departure lounge was pitch dark as airlines officials deployed gas-powered lanterns and battery-powered flashlights to check-in passengers and walk them through the boarding gates.
Passengers groped their ways through the boarding gates into the aircraft.
They discussed the security implications of conducting check-in and boarding processes in darkness in a country currently battling terrorism and at a time when aviation security should be a high priority.
“The place was full of heat and people were sweating. It was a disaster. Our international airport has reached a new low,” a passenger on one of the flights told THISDAY.
The cause of last night’s power outage at the airport could not be ascertained at the time of going to press.
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| 2016-04-18T00:00:00 |
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Osinbajo: FG Will Set Up Technology Hubs in All Geographical Zones
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* Targets 400,000 youths for ICT training
Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
In recognition of the role of innovation and technology in national economic growth, the Federal Government has said it will establish technology hubs across the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the flag-off ceremony of Google Digital Training for Youth Empowerment with the theme “Diversifying Nigerian Economy: Enabling Youths through Digital Skills Training”.
He also announced that 400,000 youths would be trained in partnership with Google.
According to him, in partnership with several major technology companies, two super hubs will be established in Lagos and Abuja and six regional hubs in the six geo-political zones.
He said the hubs would be fully resourced with infrastructure and capacity building tools.
He said: “Each hub will be designed to produce relevant innovative technology, solutions to a wide range of business, commercial and government problems. For example, alternative energy solutions, creative technology, public services delivery in health, education and government processes, import substitution etc.
“Several major technology companies are partnering with us in the provision of infrastructure and opportunity in the hubs.
Also starting this year, we have budgeted for the training of 65,000 young Nigerians in hardware and soft ware services and more sophisticated software hardware such as animation. This would mean that we would be building more local capacity to build, assemble hardware and to write innovative programmes.
“We will also be focusing on technology for media and entertainment.
“We intend to create a reservoir of human capacity in technology that can be exported internationally”.
Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the event, said Nigeria could lead India as a market for technology and innovation talent.
According to him, the present administration has launched a special initiative on innovative technology and start ups and presentation of prospective participants have already been done in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
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| 2016-02-27T00:00:00 |
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Nigerians Will Witness Positive Change in 2 Years, Says Amosun
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By John Shiklam in Kaduna
Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governments at all levels will deliver the change promised to Nigerians in the next two years .
Amosun, who stated this in an interview with journalists shortly after the Progressive Governors Forum’s lecture in Kaduna on Thursday, admitted that challenges confronting the nation were enormous, but said they were surmountable.
“Yes we have challenges, but the challenges are not insurmountable. We are already on the right track, but we need to do more.
“The issue is that the problems we met on ground are far more than what we are portraying to Nigerians. Irrespective of these challenges, however, we are determined; we are challenged, we are ready and we are equal to the task,” the governor said.
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
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Judiciary Workers Declare Oshiomhole Anti-Workers Governor
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Call for end to ‘no work no pay’ principle
Paul Obi in Abuja
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Sunday described Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, as anti-workers as he is bent on enslaving workers in the state only to turn round and castigate other governors for the same reason.
The workers said Oshiomhole has continued to display a high level of ‘hypocrisy’ by using legal provisions as a ‘shield’ to protect himself and as a ‘sword’ to fight the poor workers.
They stressed that a situation where governors won’t pay salaries as stipulated by law, and when workers embark on strike, no work no pay principle is applied would not promote industrial harmony in the country.
National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Adamu, who was speaking during the 3rd National Delegates Conference of the union in Katsina, therefore advocated that no work, no pay be expunged from the trade dispute act.
Adamu explained that this is necessary because such provision negates the whole excess of collective bargaining, social dialogue and of course increase productivity.
“I read in the dailies where a state governor who owe my members seven months salaries, on the pretence of no work no pay, 18 months for local government workers, 42 months arrears of pension and gratuities is saying it is a criminal breach of contract for employer not to pay workers’ salaries, what a hypocrisy.
“It is sad that Oshiomhole who is a product of court himself will go against a court order, instructing him to respect the provision of the constitution, even when he did not appeal against the judgement,” Adamu stated.
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| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
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A Case for Political and Economic Restructuring of Nigeria
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GUEST COLUMNIST BY OLAWALE OLUWO
A trajectory of available statistics suggests that the Nigerian economy may be heading towards a recession. For emphasis, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), through its quarterly report on the economy, has revealed that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria contracted by -0.36% (negative growth) in the first quarter. Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reported that economic activities declined faster in June, indicating that the Nigerian economy may have entered into recession in the second quarter of 2016 (official data for second quarter performance will provide formal confirmation).
The IMF has forecasted that the Nigerian economy would contract by 1.8%, while the Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has also confirmed the imminence of a technical recession. In theory, economic recession is a period of temporary or general decline in productive activities, which is typically measured by fall in GDP in two successive quarters. In reality, Nigeria is on the verge of full blown stagflation, a condition of slow economic growth, high unemployment accompanied by rising prices or inflation.
The Present Situation is Dire and Unsustainable
The reasons may not be far-fetched, considering the unwholesome combination of internal and external factors at play. The price effect of the drastic fall in global oil prices, coupled with the drop in export volume from the pipelines bombing campaign of the Niger Delta Avengers, depleted Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings. The fallout has been the massive devaluation of our currency, increase in unemployment rate, inflationary pressure (at 16.5%), increase in interest rate (the yield on FGN Treasury Bills – risk free instruments – was 21% on 15/08/16!) and general downturn in other economic and social indices. Expectedly, being a mono-cultural economy, the collapse in oil prices has had disastrous impact on governance at all levels, as the Nigerian economy is not insulated from the global economic crises.
Some state governments find it extremely difficult to pay staff salaries and associated pension contributions, with no immediate solution in sight. The nation’s woes is further compounded by growing restiveness and ethnic agitations, among which is the Boko Haram insurgency (which is now abating), the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) agitation for the actualisation of Biafra, and the endless conflict between herdsmen and farmers in various parts of the country, with the attendant implications for agricultural output reduction. Further delay in arresting the present trend could lead to serious political and social instability.
A New Thinking and Approach is Required
Our problems are multi-faceted, covering economic, political and social, and the solution must be multi-dimensional in approach. Clearly, it cannot be business as usual anymore as concerted efforts must now be made to appropriately diagnose the problems and proffer workable solutions in order to avoid plunging our economy into full depression. Pertinent questions must be asked…Where did we go wrong? How did we arrive here? How did we move from one of the fastest growing economy to an economy on the brink of recession? How can we navigate our way out of the present quagmire? And more importantly, how do we comprehensively restructure Nigeria in a way that will support our aspiration for a productive and egalitarian economy, a stable polity, and a fairer society. There is a need for reality check by all tiers of government in Nigeria (Particularly the Federal Government of Nigeria). Perhaps, in the process of conducting a reality check, we might just be able to retrace our steps by embarking on a far reaching and comprehensive restructuring beyond the cosmetic approach that the nation has been accustomed to over the decades.
The reality check by the federal government must start with asking the following questions:
1. Is it realistic to increase the size of the projected federal budget from N4.49 trillion in 2015 to N6.1 trillion in 2016 in the face of dwindling oil price and production cuts from militants’ bombing campaign?
2. Is it realistic to increase budgeted non-oil receipts from N800 billion in 2015 to N1.5 trillion in 2016 without a corresponding structure to drive the increase? Are non-oil earnings capable of 88% elasticity in the face of limited investments and government incentives?
3. Is it realistic to project external sources of financing a N2.3 trillion deficit in the 2016 budget when there is global recession and a downgrade of the country’s rating?
4. Is it realistic to project N1.5 trillion for debt servicing when capital expenditure is a meagre N1.6 trillion.
5. Is it sustainable for the federal government to continue to hold on to over 50% of the revenue of the nation, only to spend it on debt servicing, recurrent expenditure and subsidising the foreign exchange market, the natural gas market, the electricity transmission sector and downstream petroleum sector?
The Problem is Structural!
The direction of the on-going debate on the restructuring of Nigeria has been skewed towards yet another political restructuring. Nigeria, since independence, has undergone series of political restructuring programmes from creation of states at different times, to the complete change in the political system from parliamentary to presidential, to revenue mobilisation and allocation restructuring, and other forms of adjustments that are political in nature. It is as if every government at the federal level wants to conduct its own political/constitutional conference to restructure Nigeria.
The fact that all the political restructuring initiatives to date have not addressed Nigeria’s problems is evidence that the problems are structural (and substantially economic). While the nation has carried out different political reforms, the only period that Nigeria can be said to have had serious economic reforms that had significant effects on the structure of the Nigerian economy were the reforms of 1985 to 1992 that divested government interests in various business concerns; and the reforms of 2002 to 2015 that restructured some of the commanding heights of the economy – banking, insurance, telecommunications, power among others. It is therefore clear that the solution to solving our structural economic problems must commence with the dismantling of the structural rigidities that have held the country down economically for decades.
Over centralisation is stifling
The advent of the military in governance created a highly centralised political and economic system, with enormous power and resources concentrated at the centre. Instead of using the resources to build a solid economic base for Nigeria, a regime of over-bloated federal recurrent expenditure (almost 80% of budget year-on-year, subsidised government owned monopolies (Nitel; Nepa; Nigerian Railway; Nigerian Airways; NNPC; Nigerian Gas Company etc) with huge unfunded pension funds were foisted on the nation. Now that reality has dawned and the federal government’s revenue profile has reduced, the federal government cannot carry on with the existing administrative structure. The time to take the bitter pill is now. Accordingly, the federal government should carry out the following reforms:
1. Prune the existing structure and divest itself of some unwarranted administrative responsibilities.
2. Reduce ministries, merge functions and devolve more responsibilities to states.
3. Hand over intra-state roads to states while keeping only inter-state highways to itself to connect the vast and scattered communities in Nigeria.
4. Give more autonomy to states with respect to control of inland water ways.
5. Hands off control of lottery business in states.
6. Limit the responsibilities of the Ministry of Solid Minerals at the federal level to regulation and cede control of solid minerals to states.
7. Divest itself from involvement in distribution of VAT (sales taxes).
8. Abolish the law that vests all mineral resources under the soil of Nigeria in the federal government. This will allow states to partner with the private sector to exploit mineral resources and pay agreed derivation to the federal government.
9. Review mechanism for administration of PAYEE, to give the states more control.
10. Reduce taxes for companies and entrepreneur.
11. Allow more private sector involvement in the economy.
12. Divest from the natural gas infrastructure of Nigeria (including removal of subsidies) in order to create a competitive gas sector that will attract private investments and support the economy.
13. Divest from the Transmission Company of Nigeria and break the national grid to regional grids. This will allow private sector investments and eliminate the subsidy distortions.
14. Fully deregulate the downstream oil sector.
15. Abolish all forms of subsidy intervention in the foreign exchange market so the market can operate competitively and allocate resources appropriately.
16. Diversify earning capacity of the federal government to increase revenue. Access to increase in revenue may lead to increased government spending, which may alter the recession narratives, provided the right policies prevail without the usual leakages.
For instance, we have an abysmally low level of tax revenue to GDP (estimated at 1.6% in 2012 and currently 7%) compared to other African countries. Ghana’s tax revenue as a percentage of GDP is 14.9%, Kenya – 15.9%, South Africa – 25.5%, Egypt – 12.5% while Nigeria stands at 1.6%
From the available statistics, anything less than 200% increase in tax revenue, in the first instance, will still be sub-optimal. To effectively close the gap in the above table, there is the urgent need to come up with effective tax reforms.
Another low hanging fruit for the diversification of revenue is the natural resources that abound in various states of the federation, this will engender the much desired fiscal federalism and put states in a position to invest in the solid mineral sector.
Kogi State, for instance, has tantalite deposits. Tantalite is used in the electronics industry for capacitors and high power resistors. It is also used to make alloys to increase strength, ductility and corrosion resistance. In the international commodity market, tantalite traded above USD250/kg which has now fallen to USD132/kg compared to crude oil price at below USD50 per barrel. However, this precious metal has remained buried under the ground.
Approximately 70% of our population engages in agricultural production at a subsistence level. The sector could boast of about a quarter of our GDP, yet we have not been able to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. We spend about $11billion importing food each year, including wheat, rice, sugar and fish. A swift correction of this menace is bound to create thousands of jobs, less pressure on our foreign exchange and indeed a positive narrative for our food security. We have no business importing food but rather we should be exporting food to other countries. Furthermore, we must discourage raw export of agricultural produce for value added purposes, which will in turn create jobs and more tax revenue. The menace of herdsmen must be curtailed in order not to deplete capacity in the agricultural sector.
Another key sector that seems to hold the ace for the Nigerian economy is the power sector. Relative stability in electricity supply will go a long way in boosting industrial productions and indeed SMEs, which will ultimately improve our GDP growth and youth employment. However, with less than 4,000MW power generation, Nigeria will need a minimum of $20 billion investments to generate additional 20,000MW. Another $10 billion may be required as investments in the transmission and distribution value chain of the power sector. While the generation and distribution have been privatised, the transmission still remain in the tight grip of the federal government. Beyond mere privatisation, what will ultimately unlock value and attract investors into the sector is full deregulation where states are supported to generate their own power through regional grid transmission structure or off-grid embedded power programmes. Yet, the federal government has continued to artificially fix the price for power as well as the feed stock, thus stifling the emergence of a competitive trading in bulk power where market forces determine price and allocation of power resources.
Still, there is the more fundamental issue of fiscal federalism. Over the years, our practice of fiscal federalism has run parallel to our model of market economy. In a market economy like ours, decisions on production and distribution activities are based on market forces in a free price system (or a guided market dynamics with minimal artificial intervention). However, while we profess a market economy, our practices and procedures largely have the semblance of a centrally planned economy, where government decisions drive most aspects of the country’s economy, particularly the commanding heights that have the greatest multiplier effects. This comes at a very heavy price in form of inefficient allocation of resources and unsustainable pricing system.
The call for restructuring of the country is not entirely new. The National Democratic Conference (NADECO) headed by late Chief Anthony Enahoro called for a Sovereign National Conference in the 90s. The agitation was based on the fact that the 1999 constitution were foisted on the nation by past military regimes. The call gained more ground with the introduction of Sharia law in some parts of the north but was never heeded. Professor Tam David West later joined the fray to canvass for a National Conference to examine pertinent issues confronting the country, which decisions could be put to referendum.
Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan convened National Conferences, which recommended the retention of a federal system of government, the core element of which shall be a federal (central) government with states as federating units. The conference did not foreclose the issue of a regional government, saying instead that each state that is regionally based should create a self-funding zonal commission to promote economic development, good governance, equity and security in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
In recent times, however, the likes of Soyinka and Abubakar Atiku have renewed the call for a restructuring on the basis that the current structure is heavily defective, as it does not provide the enabling environment for growth and progress among the 36 component states of the federation.
Considering the fact that most economic decisions are taken in a political environment, there is also the need to restructure our constitution. The restructuring should focus on devolution of power and resources to the states and local governments while the federal government should concern itself with:
• Security (state policing?)
• Foreign affairs
• Economic wellbeing of Nigerians by implementing sustainable monetary and fiscal policies
• Reduce its share of the financial resources of Nigeria. The country’s current sharing formula gives the federal government 52.68%, states 26.72% and local government councils 20.60%. This has to be reviewed in favour of the states and local governments for sustainable development.
The present structure of governance, where petrodollar money is shared every month encourages no state to develop its resources. It should be noted that before the advent of oil in Nigeria, the various regions were encouraged to invest heavily in commodities like cocoa, groundnuts, coffee, palm oil, etc. But fiscal federalism was sacrificed at the altar of the oil-boom. Nevertheless, no political restructuring can move the nation forward without first dealing with the economic malfunction of the Nigerian fabric. It seems settled that regional autonomy belies the real economic independence for survival of the states. The time has come to refocus the restructuring debate on a workable model that advocates appropriate political and economic reforms that is complementary and reinforcing.
• Oluwo is Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources
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http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/08/31/a-case-for-political-and-economic-restructuring-of-nigeria/
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| 2016-06-14T00:00:00 |
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Dangote, Bono Consider Global Partnership to Address Humanitarian Crisis in North-east
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Tobi Soniyi and James Emejo in Abuja
Rock star, Paul David Hewson, (aka Bono) and Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, yesterday met with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa to discuss the possibilities of a global partnership to address the humanitarian crisis in North-eastern part of the country through international advocacy.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said Osinbajo told the delegation that the federal government would welcome a global partnership that would ensure a concerted and focused international response to the humanitarian crisis in the North-eastern region.
Bono leads the ONE campaign group, an advocacy organisation with more than seven million people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable diseases especially in Africa.
It has on its board people like Mo Ibrahim, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg among others. It was founded in 2004.
Addressing members of the delegation that included former UK Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, Osinbajo said: “It is very important that you chose to come and offer some partnership. This is great and we are pleased…Partnership is certainly the way to go.”
He said no matter how prepared a country could be, handling the kind of crisis in the North-east with two million displaced people including children would prove a difficult task.
According to him, a global partnership to address the situation should be coordinated and more focused on what was required to be done, for instance, in addressing the issue of malnourished children and not attempting to do too much things at once.
Speaking earlier, the Irish-born artist, Bono, said he had visited some of the IDPs, saying “We want to be useful to you.”
Bono added that what he saw in the region was “deeply disturbing.”
He also commended the social investment programmes of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, saying: “We have heard of the incredible plans, the social investment funds,” adding also that the level of transparency already seen in the administration is both “very exciting and transforming.”
Meanwhile, Dangote, monday at the meeting, disclosed that a total sum of N4.5 billion had so far been spent by the Dangote Foundation in trying to provide succour to IDPs in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, which have been ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.
He added that the foundation would continue to reach out to the victims until the end of the current programme by government to restore normalcy to the people.
Bono, who is currently in the country to draw international support for victims of insurgency in the North-east said funding to the region needed to be scaled up in order to achieve maximum impact.
Bono further lamented that of the estimated $300 million required as part of the reconstruction programme, only about $100 million had so far been realised, stressing that going by the magnitude of destruction and deprivation in affected areas, there’s need to scale up resources to cope with the humanitarian crisis.
He said working with the Dangote Foundation, he would use his ONE Campaign NGO platform to garner global support towards addressing the plight.
According to both Dangote and Bono, the new partnership will focus on the most marginalised citizens, particularly girls and women, who face the brunt of poverty and help empower those most at risk from extreme poverty, extreme climate and extreme ideology.
Specifically, Dangote said: “I am in ONE and partners across Nigeria to strengthen civil society and help the government respond to our ongoing health needs and the urgent malnutrition crisis in North-east Nigeria. ONE’s extensive network of youth groups and its 2.3 million members will help bring international attention to and action on these issues. All of us can and must do more.”
On his part, Bono, an ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the leader of the rock group, U2, said: ”I am proud to be standing alongside Dangote, whose foundation works for the future of Nigeria and Africa through its young people. The youth of Nigeria, Africa and indeed everywhere are like rocket fuel- there are no limits to how far they can go, they can transform the continent-or they can blow up in your face. Harnessing their energy requires investment in their education, employment and healthcare.”
Bono said he was particularly heartbroken at the condition of displaced persons-some children never knew their parents and some severely malnourished.
A particular account was painted by Dangote, where Bono asked a woman in Borno State why she had not breastfed her child – only for the woman to strip her chest bare, revealing her breasts and telling Bono she had no milk to give to the child – once again, depicting the horrible condition of the humanitarian crisis at hand.
However, the new partnership will help amplify the calls of million of Nigerian ONE members, who have been campaigning for years on issues including health, anti-corruption and agriculture.
This year’s Make Naija Stronger campaign calls for the government to deliver on its commute, net to invest more in healthcare.
ONE campaign is a powerful global advocacy group which was instrumental in Nigeria’s debt cancellation, which led to its exit from the Paris Club and it’s incursion into the country at the request of Dangote is expected to produce more concrete results in the rebuilding of the North-east.
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http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/08/30/dangote-bono-consider-global-partnership-to-address-humanitarian-crisis-in-north-east/
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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Escaped from Insurgency, Now Starved to Death by Government
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The current projections by the United Nations that over 5.5 million Nigerians could suffer from malnutrition within the coming months, has again brought to the fore the humanitarian crisis in the North-east of the country, writes Martins Ifijeh
Just as Nigerians were still grappling with the unfortunate news that about 15 to 30 persons, mostly children, were dying daily in various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across Borno State due to intense hunger and starvation, there seems to be a new alarm, this time, double that amount of persons could start dying every day as from next month due to worse living conditions of Nigerians displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency and the rising inflation of food products due to the economic downturn.
Specifically, a projection released few days ago by the United Nations World Food Programme, showed that 5.5 million Northern Nigerians were likely to be plunged into hunger as from September this year, a figure almost doubling the present number of persons already living in hunger in the same region, even before the country’s recession crisis started.
The UN WFP believed as families and communities have been unable to plant their crops during the heat of the Boko Haram crisis, and with the present economic situation currently experienced in the country, the consequences will be inflation and soaring food prices, which they say could have a severe impact on access to food in the region.
But while the present situation could have little or no impact on people in the region if government and stakeholders, who have identified malnutrition as a major problem, scale up intervention and food aid to the affected areas, there are still concerns, with several reports on displaced persons in the region dying from starvation daily, with children most affected.
Just two months ago, Nigerians were greeted with reports of malnutrition in large scale within IDP camps and communities which were ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency, with the state government officials being accused of diverting the otherwise lean food to their private homes, while some were said to be sold to make money at the expense of the displaced persons.
The reports showed that thousands of IDPs in over 20 camps around Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, were left hungry as officials enriched selves from the sales of diverted food meant for IDPs, with the theft not restricted to food items alone, but medical drugs, toiletries, beddings and wrappers also being diverted to the market and sold by greedy officials.
No wonder a 56-year-old, Mohammed Waliu, who stays in one of the IDP camps along with his family, raised an alarm recently while being interviewed by Cable Network News (CNN), that the greatest challenge that they have in the camp was lack of food, adding that in many instances, they eat only once a day, with the meals only given in small quantity.
It was the fallout of this mistreatment by the government, that Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF), an international, medical humanitarian organisation, reported that, “In Bama, new graves are appearing on a daily basis. We were told on certain days that more than 30 people were dying due to hunger and illness. Between 23 May to June, at least 188 people have died in the camp – almost six people per day – mainly from diarrhoea and malnutrition.’’
MSF’s conclusion, again, lays bare the many agonies of IDPs, who otherwise should have the right to life, food, shelter, among others. But unfortunately they have not enjoyed any of these in recent times. First, they have been displaced by insecurity through Boko Haram attacks, then there is the lack of proper shelter, and then, like a plague, starvation and intense hunger is finally capping their lives, making them live at the mercy of government’s decision.
In the second half of 2015, while the various IDP camps in the country recorded 6,444 malnutrition cases, 450 persons were said to have died with 98 of them being children. However, the relief materials from international charity organisations and local philanthropists have been ineffective because of the alleged corruption and diversion of donations.
Also painting a gloomy picture, the United Nations Education Trust Fund (UNICEF) says every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five-year-olds and 145 women of childbearing age, making the country the second largest contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world, The role of malnutrition in these deaths cannot be over emphasised.
While inflation and the economic downturn has not helped, experts believed the intervention so far made by both the state and federal governments in solving the rising food crisis in the North-east has not been commensurate with the demands of the people, as daily, IDP camps keep increasing.
The Northeast coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammed Kanar, said IDP camps in the region were swelling daily with new arrivals, a situation he said was getting overwhelming, therefore leading to food insecurity. “One camp in the town of Monguno recently grew from 4,000 people to 30,000, and we expect it to grow further,” adding that, other camps were also experiencing the same scenario. “The country alone cannot tackle the problem,” he stressed.
Also, the UN’s regional humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel, Toby Lanzer, while speaking with Voice of Africa, said, “there are over 250,000 children in the North-east who are severely acutely malnourished and if no serious intervention is done immediately, we could lose up to 50,000 children before the end of the year.”
According to experts, malnutrition kills over one million people every year, with most of the casualties occurring in war-torn countries. While hunger affects all human beings, it is more devastating for children.
On the way forward, a Harvard trained Public Health Physician, Dr. Khalid Kaigama, who says he was developing a policy paper on managing humanitarian crisis of this nature, said it was good the people of the North-east and several humanitarian bodies raised the alarm over the malnutrition and wasting of the people due to intense hunger, adding that such alarm was vital in re-designing the intervention methods by the government and other bodies, adding, “no matter how terrible a government is, one thing known to all governments is that they cannot fold their hands to public pressure. Raising alarm on the thousands of deaths from the situation is one good way to get government’s attention in scaling up interventions in that area,” he added.
According to him, if government was sincere in tackling malnutrition, it should be ready not just to provide food aid to the growing number of displaced persons in the region, but must be ready to monitor how these foods were being distributed on a daily basis.
“Sometimes we hear foods estimated for about 6,000 persons were being given to over 30,000 persons in these camps. How does the government expect such food to go round. This is the major problem, yet when confronted, the government will tell you they had distributed food and other basic materials to the camps.”
He also called on the government to sanction those who through their corrupt actions have caused the deaths of several persons, especially children who have died from severe wasting and starvation. “How can people run away from insurgents and then be killed by their own government and its agents. Such agents should be fished out and dealt with because they are as wicked as the Boko Haram,” he added.
Kaigama, who acknowledged that humanitarian bodies like the UNICEF, WHO, UN, USAIDS, other international and indigenous non governmental organisations have been doing their bit through donations of foods, medicines, clothes, as well as beddings, said if the federal government and the affected states do not put task force on ground to measure the disbursement of these aid materials, it might as well discourage the various partners from further supporting these displaced persons.
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http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/08/25/escaped-from-insurgency-now-starved-to-death-by-government/
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| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
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Japan Donates $800m to Fight Malaria, TB, in Nigeria, Pledges $30bn Investment in Africa
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Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed special appreciation to the government of Japan for donating $800 million to the fight against malaria, tuberculosis among other deadly diseases in Nigeria.
The contribution was part of the $1.3 billion made available to the Nigerian health sector by the Global Fund.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday, Buhari gave an assurance that his government would ensure full rehabilitation and resettlement of the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east who are currently scattered in different camps as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The two-day summit which had a theme ‘Advancing Africa’s Sustainable Development Agenda – TICAD Partnership for Prosperity’, was attended by Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, some 35 African leaders and chief executives of at least 80 major companies from Japan.
The TICAD VI agenda and programme specifically focused on three thematic areas which included “Economic transformation through diversification and industrialisation; promoting resilient health systems for quality life; promoting social stability for shared prosperity.
Buhari said the Nigerian military had decimated the insurgents and that normal life was beginning to return to North-east Nigeria. The president however said the welfare of the IDPs remained his primary responsibility. He commended development partners for their help to improve the lives of the two million IDPs in the country.
He said: “The bottom line is that these problems are our primary responsibility. We must tackle them and find lasting solutions for ourselves. I took over the mantle of leadership in Nigeria when the North-Eastern part of the country was being ravaged by Boko Haram.
‘’However, soon after assumption of office, our administration with the support of our immediate neighbours – Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin – and international partners including Japan, faced the challenge frontally.
‘’As I speak, the terror group has been decimated, and life is beginning to return to normal in the affected region. The challenge we currently face which is also being addressed, is that of the IDPs which number over two million to get them re-integrated with their families and their original homes.”
On the gains of TICAD which was holding on African soil for the first time since its beginning in 1993, the president noted that partnerships between Africa and Japan would help create and improve investment opportunities in industries, agriculture, information technology, science and technology among others for the good of the continent and investors from Japan.
He told the conference that already his government had taken concrete steps to diversify the economy. ‘’In view of the challenges Africa is facing, the imperative for a viable partnership like the Tokyo International Conference on African Development cannot be over emphasised. Today, many countries in Africa including the oil producing ones are wisely seeking to diversify their economies away from mono-cropping.
‘’In Nigeria, our administration has already taken concrete steps to diversify the economy by making agriculture not just a development programme but a thriving business. Investing in the economies of this continent especially through Public-Private-Partnership can contribute to building capacity for our economies,’’ he said.
Prime Minster Abe announced that Japan would be investing $30 billion in different areas ranging from agriculture, industrialisation, health, energy, water among other things in Africa. He expressed delight that finally TICAD has come to Africa.
He said: “With 23 years behind us, TICAD is now on African soil, opening a new chapter in the relationship between Japan and African countries. Throughout the continent, I cannot but think that we are witnessing a quantum leap.
“Today, Africa has leapfrogged over legacy technologies and aims at cutting-edge quality. It is little wonder that an increasing number of young people from Japan find Africa intriguing and want to be a part of it.
“For a period of three years from 2016 to 2018, Japan will invest for the future of Africa through implementing measures centering on developing quality infrastructure, building resilient health system and laying the foundation for peace and stability, amounting to approximately $30 billion under public-private partnership.”
The Japanese prime minister recalled that one of the priority areas in the Nairobi Declaration of TICAD VI was that “Japan will steadily translate into action in Africa the outcomes of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit”. He said his country would contribute to African’s human resources development.
He also said: “Japan will provide training to 1,000 people to promote public awareness for intellectual prosperity in Africa. Japan will promote practical training for youths engaged in the IT industry which is expected to grow in Africa under the collaboration among industrial, public and academic sectors.
“Japan will aim by 2020 to have agreements related to investments signed or entered into force in 100 countries and regions and will intensify work towards concluding them with African countries to achieve the goal above”.
While expressing regret that Africa has no permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council despite huge potentials and contributions the continent has made to the world, the Prime Minister said Agenda 2063 was aimed at rectifying the problems by 2023.
He said: “Africa is now up and running, aiming at long-range goals, aspiring to be a certain kind of continent with certain kinds of countries in 2063. Agenda 2063 — the grandness of this concept, to the best of my knowledge, is simply unparalleled.
“However, the enormous continent of Africa has given no permanent member to the United Nations Security Council. Agenda 2063 states clearly that by 2023, it will rectify this situation. Please accept my complete support on this point.
“You in Africa have a right as a matter of course to demand that the international community better reflect your views. Africa should send a permanent member to the United Nations Security Council by 2023 at the very latest.
“Reform of the United Nations Security Council is truly a goal that Japan and Africa hold in common. I call on everyone here to walk together towards achieving it. Can I have your approval of that?”
Welcoming participants to the conference, Kenyan President, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta urged the world to support Africa. He pointed out that terrorism was dismembering African countries.
He said: “I am happy that TICAD will be held every three years. Together we must ensure that global trade is supportive of African aspiration. We must press for open and fair trade for the development of human resource for our people.
“Terrorism in particular is threatening or even dismembering some states. Organisations practicing this illicit and savage form of violence are spreading themselves throughout the world. We must also ensure that global governing system response is robust to Africa security as it does to other parts of the world”, he added.
The Chadian, President and Chairman of African Union, Idris Derby called for the establishment of an African Fund against Terrorism (AFT). He also called for massive Japanese investments in Africa.
“AU is happy to be part of TICAD and will play its role. I plead in favour of massive Japanese investments in Africa agriculture, industrialisation, health, energy, water etc. The trend of terrorism compromises…to contribute to African fund against terrorism as was established”, he said.
In a goodwill message, President of World Bank Group, Dr. Jim Yong Kim said the world must stop the illicit flow of stolen funds, recognising that Africa though faced with numerous challenges still had opportunities in energy.
“African countries face key economic challenges, yet there are significant opportunities especially in energy. There are untapped resources. We must stop illicit financial flows”, he said.
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| 2016-02-26T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/38ddb9b12f6f745d9a353d7cb3c83fe3b7803abea32faa319e7b38b31b4542d0.json
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Mabel Makun 45th Surprise Birthday Party for Husband AY
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By Azuka Ogujiuba
A
yodeji Richard Makun, popularly known as A.Y, one of the superstars in the Nigerian entertainment industry, got a terrific surprise when his pretty wife, Mabel, threw a double s birthday party for him. The multi-award winning and multi-talented comedian, TV presenter, actor, writer, director and MC, was stunned beyond words.
The surprise-party was at the football pitch, when his wife stormed the pitch at fun factory at 12 noon, with friends from the industry, like Ali Baba and his wife, 2Face and his wife, Timaya, Elenu, and among others. They all wore trendy black T-shirt, announcing his new age, and he was presented a birthday cake that had a football and a jersey design.
The second surprise birthday was a glamorous affair. He was still not aware that another party was planned for him, as Ali Baba tricked him that they would attend a governor’s party. When they arrived the venue, dignitaries like Folly Coker, a commissioner in Lagos State, Mo Abudu, CEO Ebony LiveTV, Audu Maikori, CEO Chocolate City, Archie Ezenagu, the CEO Toucan Aviation, Rita Idehen of Blu Victoria, his colleagues from the industry like Okey Bakassi, Gordons, Omo Baba, Klint D Drunk, Princess, Chi Gal, Yaw, and his younger
colleagues like Shakara, Acappella, Pencil, Osh bebe, and other comedians, actors like Gbenro Ajibade, Chris and Damilola Attoi, Bryan Okpara, were not left out including his two younger brothers Lanre and Yomi Makun.
After the eulogies from his colleagues and family, there was the cutting of the cake and the evening was crowned with a Benin traditional dance and the real shindig began.
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/45c785ccc88ca0b47bf5bc9e196aacd70d2ab2e0c8e01340e5b3fceb5ad187b6.json
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Persecution: Northern CAN Asks Christians to Stand Together
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Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
In the face of violent persecutions currently facing its members, the Northern chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Friday urged members to be more united and forge a common course to achieve their common goal, noting that it is only by this that violence against the body of Christ can be overcome.
The association made the plea at its Northern region delegates meeting which took place at the headquarters of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Jos Plateau State.
Speaking at the meeting, former Head of State and Founder of Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon, said that the violent conflicts experienced in Nigeria can only be resolved if the church will agree on a common course.
Represented by the former deputy governor of Taraba State, Dr. Samuel Gani, Gowon, who seemed to suggest that differences of opinion cannot be totally ruled out, however said that the unity of mankind as seen in Genesis is redeemed.
According to him, “Yet Revelation does not suggest that differences are obliterated. There are still worshippers from different nations, tribes, peoples and languages. This diversity reflects God’s glory even further, in that different people are united in common act of worship.”
Gowon posited that as an elder and Christian leader, he is worried that division in the body of Christ is assuming an alarming proportion, asserting that if care is not taken, “this may destroy the body of Christ. The Church must unite to contend for our faith, in the face of persecution and discrimination. This is a task that must be done.”
Earlier, the CAN chairman of the 19 Northern States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Reverend Yakubu Pam, said the events of the recent past are challenges to their faith, both spiritual and otherwise.
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| 2016-07-27T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/f1fb91e6130ff9cc9e01c2c20d098512767941564a7cea32c5e9c1a12482a988.json
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Buhari Gives Nod for NPA, NIMASA Governing Board
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John Iwori
The long wait for the appointment of the chairman and members of the governing boards of two key parasatals in the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) ended yesterday as President Muhammadu Buhari has given a nod for its composition.
The helmsmen of the two parasatals, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman and Dr. Adol Dakuku Peterside have been running the affairs of the multi-billion government agencies since their appointment without any governing board. Stakeholders in the maritime industry have described the situation as very unhealthy for the smooth operations of the two government agencies.
Buhari’s approval of the composition of the Governing Boards of NPA and NIMASA was contained in a statement signed by the Director (Press) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi.
The statement which was obtained by THISDAY yesterday said that while Emmanuel Olajide Adesoye is the Chairman of NPA, Major General Jonathan India Garba is the Chairman of NIMASA.
Other members of the NPA Board include Supo Shasore, Suleiman Ibrahim Halilu, Constance Harry Mashal, Umar Shu’aibu, and Charles Efe Emukowhate Sylvester.
Also in the board are Hadiza Bala Usman, Mohammed Bello Koko, Sekonte Davis, Idris Abubakar, and I. J. Uche-Okoro.
The board members of NIMASA include Asekomhe Oaakhia Kenneth, Mohammed Gidado Muazu, Hon. Barrister Ebele Obi, S. U. Galadanchi, Ms. Nene Betty Dike and Dakuku Peterside.
Other members are Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, Joseph Oluwarotimi Fashakin, and Gambo Ahmed.
The statement was however silent on the appointment of the three executive directors for NIMASA. Since the arraignment of the erstwhile Director General, Dr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi and the three former Executive Directors, namely Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro, Barrister Callistus Nwabueze Obi and Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba, in a Federal High Court over allegations of corruption and abuse of office, Dakuku has been running NIMASA without a fully constituted management team.
While Jauro was the Executive Director, Finance and Administration and was later named the Acting Director General, Obi was the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services.
Agaba who was prior to his appointment a staff of Exxon Mobil, was the Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development.
With Buhari’s silence on the naming of the three Executive Directors for NIMASA, THISDAY checks at the weekend revealed that those who lost out in the race to the governing board composition in NPA and NIMASA have intensified lobby to be appointed into the plum positions in the nation’s apex maritime regulatory authority.
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| 2016-04-08T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/a304cee168a11bc23e7b2c1b0964fd211e35f9e69cf787c15cd2b4772456c159.json
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Bono, Dangote Consider Global Partnership to Address Humanitarian Crisis in North- East
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Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
Rock star artist, Bono, and Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on Monday met with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa to discuss the possibilities of a global partnership to address the humanitarian crisis in north eastern Nigeria through international advocacy.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, said Osinbajo told the delegation that the Federal Government would welcome a global partnership that would ensure a concerted and focused international response to the humanitarian crisis in the North-Eastern region.
Bono leads the ONE campaign group, an advocacy organization with more than seven million people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable diseases especially in Africa. It has on its board people like Mo Ibrahim, Bill Gates, Micheal Bloomberg among others. It was founded in 2004.
Addressing members of the delegation that included former UK Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, Osinbajo said: “it is very important that you chose to come and offer some partnership. This is great and we are pleased…Partnership is certainly the way to go.”
He said no matter how prepared a country could be, handling the kind of crisis in the North-East with two million displaced people including children would prove a difficult task.
According to him, however, a global partnership to address the situation should be coordinated and more focussed on what was required to be done, for instance, in addressing the issue of malnourished children and not attempting to do too much things at once.
Speaking earlier the Irish born artist Bono said he had visited some of the IDPs and said “we want to be useful to you,” adding that what he saw in the region was “deeply disturbing.”
Bono also commended the social investment programmes of the Buhari administration saying “we have heard of the incredible plans, the social investment funds,” adding also that the level of transparency already seen in the administration is both “very exciting and transforming.”
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/89adff08a23efeb5356050ee1118f4fb4499f7e94ff4da33d57665c13d688097.json
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Facts and Myths about NNPC
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Right Of Reply Aliyu Abubakar
In a grossly-opinionated article on the THISDAY Back Page of Tuesday, August 16, 2016, entitled “Baru’s Triumphant Return: Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid!”, the writer, Mr. Toyin Akinosho, succeeded in casting aspersions and mudslinging on the personality, capability and credibility of Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Sadly, the write-up was not only a deliberate effort at disparaging the GMD’s pedigree to deliver on his recent appointment, but also to mislead the general public on some critical developments in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. However, in order to put the records straight and situate them in a proper perspective, we wish to state the following facts:
The write-up claimed Dr. Baru’s appointment as GMD “spelt victory for the old guard at the corporation”. It is a fact that Dr. Baru’s appointment was at the recommendation of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to the president. Thus, the minister must have found Dr. Baru the most fit for the job. Most importantly, Baru’s sterling antecedents that are characterised by his honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability, which are also part of the cardinal principles of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, speak volumes for him. It is on record that he was, for four years (2004-2007), the chairman of the NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee. Therefore, those exemplary traits were part of what earned him the position of GMD of the country’s petroleum conglomerate.
The write-up claimed “NNPC is a political party with a profusion of ranking managers who consider first their personal interests”. We wish to state that Baru does not partake in partisan politics whether internal or external to NNPC. He is an honest and hardworking technocrat who focuses on any assignment he is tasked to do. His proven track record over a very-fulfilled career testifies to this.
On assumption, Baru had stated to the staff and the entire world that he would continue with the good works of the minister. In fact, at a maiden meeting with the staff of the corporation recently, he clarified the issue of NNPC’s achievement in terms of profitability as surplus of cash flow in May 2016 rather than profit as the various obligations of the corporation were not taken into account towards arriving at the figure. This was proven in NNPC’s June 2016 Financial Report that showed a loss of N26 billion which was more in line with the N19 billion loss recorded in April 2016.
The write-up claimed “NNPC could not find a way of solving the Joint Venture cash call challenge”. We wish to state that Baru has expected action from the committee that is negotiating with the JV partners to close out the deal that would not only repay the arrears over the next five years but also put in place a process where the JVs will not be cash calling government and eventually transiting to the Incorporated Joint Venture (IJV) model as is the case with the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), where the IJV would be autonomous under the direction of its board and management. It can fund its operations, pay royalty and taxes to government as well as dividends to its shareholders as a Limited Liability Company.
The write-up claimed that “past NNPC management badly managed the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) debacle”. To the contrary, in 2008, NNPC put up a case for the review of the PSC terms and the then Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Odein Ajumogobia, issued a letter putting on notice the PSC contractors to renegotiate the PSC terms.
Actual negotiations were started between a committee consisting of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the NNPC with the PSC contractors that year. However, when Ajumogobia was replaced, his successor discontinued the engagement. The re-engagement was restored by the current minister and was continued by the team even after the change in baton as GMD.
It is expected that both efforts towards JV cash calls and PSC dispute settlement will be approved by the appropriate authorities when concluded by NNPC and the teams and they will be implemented under the leadership of Baru.
The write-up claimed that “Dr. Baru is too steeped in NNPC’s intrigues and predilection for stalling investments”. We wish to state here that if contacted, the partners that invested in the divested assets by the international oil companies (IOCs) would have opened up to say that Baru’s actions while serving as Group Executive Director (GED), Exploration & Production (E&P) were laudable and would have given the various assets the latitude to sweat the assets maximally.
His vision, which he shared with them from day one was to transit each oil mining lease (OML) to an Incorporated Joint Venture (IJV) like the NLNG model from that date. The IJV would develop the assets as the operator under the guardianship of its board with a management whose managing director would be from the JV partner rather than NNPC. However, due to the insistence of their bankers, they preferred operatorship which is in conflict with the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) signed with the divesting IOCs where operatorship automatically reverts to NNPC on relinquishment of IOCs’ shares except if NNPC opts otherwise.
A middle path was charted by Baru for a joint operation of the assets through Assets Management Teams with the partner taking a lead role as a prelude to converting the OMLs to the IJV model. This middle course has been implemented and the partners are happy with the outcome and looking forward to the JV incorporation within the next few years.
It is instructive to note that the militancy in the Niger Delta has largely contributed to the continuous disruptions of smooth operations of the assets. Militancy is worse in the Western Delta where NPDC and its JV partners have assets than the Eastern Delta where Aiteo and Eroton operate. But with the dialogue between government and the militants, we expect the situation to improve and the full value of Baru’s vision greatly realised.
Interestingly, one of Baru’s 12 Key Business Focus Areas, the growth of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of NNPC, is geared towards reviewing some of the salient contractual arrangements and terminating all bad ones. It will help a lot if energies are expended on promoting the attainment of such laudable objectives which are premised on moving the corporation forward.
For now, it is too early for one to get too feverish with Baru’s appointment or his performance. He is on course. In fact, he is on the sure path of sustainable growth and development of NNPC and the country’s oil and gas industry at large. The train has already left the station.
• Abubakar, Technical Assistant, Communications to the GMD, writes from Abuja
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| 2016-08-21T00:00:00 |
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Buhari: My Comments on Chiboks Girls Have Been Politicised
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·Says FG willing to consider prisoner swap for girls
·Nigeria to join Top 100 Countries in Ease of Doing Business by 2019
Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Tobi Soniyi in Abuja with agency report
President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the preparedness of the federal government to discuss the release of the Chibok girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram terror group since 2014, even as he expressed concern that his comments on the abducted schoolgirls have been politicised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the president as saying in an interview with journalists in Nairobi, Kenya, at the weekend, that government was ready to dialogue with bona fide leaders of the terror group who know the whereabouts of the girls.
He also encouraged the sect to choose a recognised non-governmental organisation (NGO) to act as an intermediary for the release of the girls, adding that Boko Haram could begin negotiations on a prisoner swap if it could provide evidence to the NGO that they had the girls.
“I have made a couple of comments on the Chibok girls and it seems to me that much of it has been politicised.
“What we said is that the government which, I preside over, is prepared to talk to bona fide leaders of Boko Haram.
“If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation, convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know.
“If they do it through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognised NGO, then Nigeria will be prepared to discuss for their release,” he said.
Buhari, who spoke to the media on the margins of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), however, warned that the federal government would not waste time and resources with “doubtful sources” claiming to know the whereabouts of the girls.
“We want those girls out and safe. The faster we can rescue them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us,” he said.
The president maintained that the terror group, which has pledged allegiance to ISIS, had been largely decimated by “gallant Nigerian soldiers” with the support of neighbouring Chad, Cameroun, Niger and Benin.
“Some of the information about the division in Boko Haram is already in the press and I have read in the papers about the conflict in their leadership.
“The person known in Nigeria as their leader, we understand was edged out and the Nigerian members of Boko Haram started turning themselves to the Nigerian military.
“We learnt that in an air strike by the Nigeria Air Force, he was wounded. Indeed their top hierarchy and lower cadre have a problem and we know these because when we came into power, they were holding 14 out of the 774 local governments in Nigeria. But now they are not holding any territory and they have split into small groups attacking soft targets,” he said.
On the militancy in the Niger Delta region, the president said the federal government was also open to dialogue to resolve all contending issues in the area.
“We do not believe that they (the militants) have announced a ceasefire. We are trying to understand them more – who are their leaders and which areas do they operate from and other relevant issues,” he said.
On the Nigerian economy, Buhari pledged to catapult the country into one of the most attractive and easiest places of doing business in the world by 2019.
Speaking at a plenary session on “Dialogue with the Private Sector” in Nairobi at the weekend, Buhari said his administration was implementing policies and measures to create the right and enabling environment for businesses and investors in Nigeria.
Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank in its Ease of Doing Business report for 2016.
In multiple statements issued by his media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu, yesterday, the president told the session attended by several African leaders, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and international business executives that his administration’s vision was to make Nigeria one of the topmost investment destinations in the world within the shortest possible time.
“We believe government has a particular responsibility to create the right and attractive environment for businesses and economic activities to thrive.
“In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council (PEEC) and Inter-ministerial Council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities, and thereby create economic activities and the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria.
“The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that would be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector.
“We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index 20 places in the first year and be in the top 100 within the next three years,” the president said.
Buhari also assured foreign investors that their investments in Nigeria would be fully secured and protected.
Speaking at a bilateral meeting with the Japanese prime minister on the sidelines of the sixth TICAD summit, Buhari outlined several steps so far taken by his administration to secure the country and improve the business environment in Nigeria.
He told the Japanese leader that with the defeat of Boko Haram terrorists by the military, the attention of the administration was now focused on stopping the destruction of the country’s economic assets by militants in the Niger Delta.
He said the militants must dialogue with the federal government or be dealt with in the same way as Boko Haram.
“We are talking to some of their leaders. We will deal with them as we dealt with Boko Haram if they refuse to talk to us.
“As a government, we know our responsibility, which is to secure the environment. It is clear to us that lenders won’t fund projects in insecure environments.
“We realise that we have to secure the country before we can efficiently manage it,” the president said.
Buhari told the Japanese prime minister that security in the Gulf of Guinea, which is greatly affected by piracy in Nigerian territorial waters, is a priority for the federal government.
“We have provided funds to our navy to buy new platforms, train and effectively organise the personnel to protect the area. We are looking forward to support from developed nations for satellite surveillance covering the Gulf,” the president said.
Recalling his audience with G7 leaders in Germany, which was attended by the prime minister, Buhari thanked Japan for responding positively to the requests by Nigeria for the rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram and rebuilding of infrastructure in the North-eastern part of the country.
The president however said there was still more to be done in the area of education, health care and other infrastructure to ensure the quick and voluntary return of displaced persons to their native communities.
On the United Nations Security Council reform, Buhari agreed to work with Japan on the reforms, stressing that the case for a permanent seat for Africa on the council was a moral one.
He equally expressed Nigeria’s support for Japan in its bid for a UN resolution on the problems in East China and South China as well as the “uncontrolled nuclear tests by North Korea”.
“The UN system is sufficient for the resolutions of all disputes and no nation should be above the United Nations.
“This has to be made absolutely clear and I assure the prime minister that I will meet as many leaders as possible at the forthcoming UN General Assembly concerning the issues,” he said.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Abe congratulated Buhari “for courageously tackling Boko Haram terrorism”.
He said Nigeria and Japan must work together to improve the investment climate, in view of the many Japanese companies wishing to invest in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to rapid development in Nigeria through quality delivery of ongoing projects in the country, including the Jebba Hydro Power project and the Lagos rail project.
The president also promised to sustain concrete measures to diversify the economy by devoting more resources to agriculture in the 2017 budget, noting that African countries had a lot to learn from Japan on developing agriculture.
He said: “This year, in Nigeria, we started an aggressive farming programme that entails organising farmers into cooperatives in the second and third tier of government.
“We intend to put more resources in our 2017 budget, especially in the procurement of machinery for land clearing, fertiliser, pesticides and training of less-educated farmers, as farm extension instructors.
“We have already registered some success this year in a number of states, we identified some 13 states that will be self-sufficient in rice, wheat and grains before the end of 2018.
“We are very positive that soon we will be able to export these food products. We are also lucky that the farming season in the northern part of the country has been very good and we are expecting a bumper harvest this year.”
On his expectation from TICAD, Buhari said Japan’s story of rapid economic growth, hard work and advanced technology should encourage Africans to strive harder and solve its development challenges.
“Japan has greatly advanced in technology, particularly in solar power, and infrastructure to spur growth in medium and small-scale industries.
“Because of the advanced use of technology, farming and agriculture can become competitive.
“Japan has the knowledge, technology and capital to assist African countries to develop and Japanese firms are in a very good position to successfully compete for the development of infrastructure in Nigeria,” he said.
The president called for increased participation of the Japanese government and the private sector in the Nigerian economy.
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| 2016-06-02T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
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N’Delta Avengers: We’ve Not Nominated Anyone Including Soyinka to Negotiate on Our Behalf
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Sylvester Idowu in Warri
Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) at the weekend said it did not nominate any personality, including Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, to lead its dialogue team with the federal government.
It described the report that it had put forward Soyinka as the head of its contact to dialogue with the federal government as a lie of the century.
According to a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, NDA said it was amazed that Soyinka has been taking on the jugular by enemies of the region because of his restructuring stance and need to heed the Niger Delta agitations positively.
“We are amazed that Soyinka, has been taken on the jugular by enemies of the Niger Delta because of his belief that the government of the day should understand the need to restructure and listen to the Niger Delta agitation positively,” it added.
The group also accused the Okah brothers, both of whom are serving time in Nigeria and South Africa prisons, of using disorganised characters from the Niger Delta region to impress the “powers that be at Abuja.”
NDA, while reiterating its support for the Chief Edwin Clark-led Niger Delta Elders and Stakeholders’ conference committee to lead the pan-Niger Delta negotiations/dialogue team, stated that it was ready for talks whenever the federal government is ready.
“The NDA cannot be teleguided by Mr. Charles Okah and Henry Okah from their respective prison cells using disorganised characters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Niger Delta to impress Abuja,” the group said.
The militant group said further: “We are not unaware of the creations of the Nigerian intelligentsia community and security apparatus to sustain the Niger Delta struggle to bloat their pocket and credibility.
“We are amazed that Soyinka, has been taken on the jugular by enemies of the Niger Delta because of his belief that the government of the day should understand the need to restructuring and listen to the Niger Delta agitation positively.
“That if, we the NDA have named Soyinka and some incredible names to advise and lead any group is the Lie of The Century! They says when an handshake goes beyond the elbow it has turned to another thing; amazingly, the handwriting are so clear that our noble laureate name is going the infamous way, as he is being named along as an adviser with some unscrupulous characters as NDA dialogue team with the government of Nigeria.
“Putting the records straight; the name/names parading as factions of the NDA are just the figment of some persons protecting their jobs and hell bent on derailing the wheel of progress in the history of Nigeria and the Niger Delta agitation,”, it added.
The militant group declared: “Our strike teams and command structures have not at anytime contacted these Nigerians at any time to advise or lead any contact with the government of Muhammadu Buhari on the Niger Delta agitation.
“We have shown our respect and restraints to personalities that have been too fixated to impress Abuja in the name of the Niger Delta struggle since the beginning of “Operation Red Economy ” ignorantly or willingly.
“We are not unaware of the creations of the Nigerian Intelligentsia community and security apparatus to sustain the Niger Delta struggle to bloat their pocket and credibility.
“The NDA has unequivocally given its tacit support to the Clark’s Niger Delta Elders and Stakeholders conference committee to lead the pan-Niger Delta Negotiations/Dialogue Team, whenever Nigeria shows readiness.”
Meanwhile, the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) yesterday hit hard on President Buhari’s alleged stance in applying Boko Haram treatment in resolving the Niger Delta crisis.
The group described the warning to Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face Boko Haram treatment credited to President Buhari, while discussing with the Japanese leader in Nairobi, Kenya as reckless and pre-judicial to the peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the region.
According to a statement signed by IYC spokesperson, Eric Omare, the Ijaw youths maintained that there was no basis for that statement considering that the circumstances of the Niger Delta are different from the Boko Haram crisis.
“We have just read a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Affairs, Mr. Garba Shehu, in Nairobi, Kenya wherein President Buhari while discussing with the Japanese leader warned Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face the Boko Haram treatment.
“The IYC condemn the statement and state that it is reckless and prejudicial to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta,” it added.
While maintaining that the statement completely displayed the federal government’s lack of commitment towards negotiation, it said there was no basis to threaten Niger Deltans with the Boko Haram treatment when discussions are ongoing and considering the fact that the circumstances of the Niger Delta are different from the Boko Haram crisis.
“It shows that the government has made up its mind to use force against Niger Delta communities.
“The IYC wishes to alert Nigerians and the international community that the Buhari government is executing a predetermined agenda against the Niger Delta region which is to attack and kill innocent people.
“This is so because the militants attacking oil facilities are not stationed in any particular place to justify the federal government threat to give Niger Delta militants the Boko Haram treatment,” its saved.
IYC recalled that it was the antagonistic posture of President Buhari towards the Niger Delta region that partly contributed to the renewed militancy.
“President Buhari and his advisers should know that force and war can never win them peace to continue with the exploitation of the Niger Delta oil resources. You may win the war with force but you cannot win peace with force,” it added.
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| 2016-06-13T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Abdulrahman Abdulyekeen"
] | 2016-08-31T14:51:31 | null | 2016-05-29T00:00:00 | null |
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Fets Emerges Africa’s Most Trusted Mobile Payment Company
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Funds and Electronic Transfer Solutions (Fets), one of the leading licensed mobile money operators, established by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has won the 2016 Africa’s most trusted Mobile Payment Technology Company. The award was announced at the African Brand Leadership Merit Awards ceremony, which took place in Ikeja, Lagos, recently.
The Institute of Brand Management of Nigerian (IBMN) in collaboration with the African Institute of Brand Management (Afribm) held this year’s edition of African Brand Leadership Merit Awards. The African Prize for Leadership is a prize for excellent leadership experience for selected organisations that have made an impact in the development of the African economy through their innovation, creativity and leadership.
Fets’ mobile money was launched in 2011 to enhance the lives of customers by providing convenient, reliable and affordable payment solutions to the unbanked population in Nigeria as well as offering bespoke services to corporates.
Fets’ mobile money product, fetswallet, enables the transfer of money from one point to another (person, business, government) using electronic value of money on basic mobile phones. The company offers a range of services, which include cash in and cash out at agent location, transfer across locations, micro health insurance, salary disbursements, international remittances, micro finance, disbursement and insurance products. Over the years, Fets has acquired a growing portfolio of corporate clients from several sectors in the country inclusive of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FCMG), Health and government parastatals.
Fets operates through an agent network and currently has an extensive mobile money agent network. The brand’s network exists in 33 states covering all local government areas. Fets’ agent location provides total brand experience to the customers and also deploys bespoke agent solutions to cater for the needs of their corporate customers.
In addition, Fets infrastructure is secure and their information security policies are in line with world standards. The Fets platform is extremely efficient and has a high availability ratio, running multiple transaction types with robust offerings and industry leading security features. The platform user interface is easy to use and will be convenient for customers to use.
Commenting on the award, Managing Director, Fets, Omotade Odunowo said: “We are deeply honoured to have received this award and it further reaffirms the impact we have made in the Nigerian economy and society. Currently, 59 million adult Nigerians and 70 per cent of rural Nigeria have no banking or formal financial institution presence, thus creating a huge physical barrier and high cost in accessing money and financial services. We provide mobile money, banking and formal financial institution presence, thus creating proximity, low cost and affordable access to money and financial services. Corporate mobile payments also present the opportunity to eliminate inefficiencies whilst making substantial cost savings. We will continue to do all we can to maintain our excellent customer satisfaction rate.”
Last year, Fets also received the Best Mobile Payment Technology company from the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology as well as an award for best mobile utilities payment provider in 2016 from the Mobile Money Africa.
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| 2016-05-29T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Dike Victor"
] | 2016-08-27T00:49:57 | null | 2016-03-07T00:00:00 | null |
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Herdsmen Attack: Police Arrest One, as Rep Tasks FG on Protection of Kinsmen
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Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
Enugu State Police command has arrested one of the suspected herdsmen that attacked and killed a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor, and injured four others, including a pregnant woman, at the Ndiagu Attakwu-Akagbeugwu community in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu state in the early hours of Thursday.
The suspect simply identified as 20- year old Umaru Isah from Gusau, Zamfara state, according to a release by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, was arrested through intelligence information gathered.
This came as the member representing Nkanu West/Nkanu East federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Chukwuemeka Ujam and a native of the community appealed to the federal government and the security agencies to protect members of his constituency from further attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Ujam who made the appeal when he visited Attakwu community in Akagbeugwu , Nkanu West local government area, in company of the member representing Enugu East/Isiuzo federal constituency, Kingsley Ebenyi, to pay his condolences and sympathies to the people over the invasion of the community by herdsmen, noted that the killing of the Catholic seminarian and wounding of four others was painful and unprovoked.
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| 2016-03-07T00:00:00 |
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[
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"Baron Roy"
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Edo 2016: Esan South East Monarchs throw weight behind APC Candidate
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Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Fourteen traditional rulers in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo, on Saturday, endorsed the candidacy of Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the September 10 Governorship election in Edo.
The monarchs, spoke through the Onogie of Ewohimi, Peter Usifoh II, when the governorship candidate stopped over at the palace before a rally at the Ewohimi.
With the other monarchs in attendance, the Ewohimi monarch said their decision is based on what the incumbent governor, Adams Oshiomhole has done to bring more respectability to traditional institutions in the state.
The monarchs, who also commended Oshiomhole, and the APC for what have been done to transform the state with developmental projects, noted this was however made posible through the contribution of the likes of Obaseki.
According to Onogie of Ewohimi, “Oshiomhole has govern the state well, there is no words for me to described his person, no traditional ruler or community that have not benefited from his government.
“For us the traditional rulers, he (Oshiomhole) lifted us up from shackle, he has always been supportive of our course. That is why, whenever he calls us, we are always more than willing to oblige him.
“He brought the traditional institutions in the state to limelight and we are to him and his partners, those of you who have been working with him, including you, Obaseki.
“There is no part of Edo State that has not been touched with developmental projects of his government. We will support you, but we will want you to do more than what your predecessor did.”
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| 2016-06-07T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/427d2478ef740dfaa8648dbd1025ac7b9b380c4cdd376922753b4eeea67719dc.json
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[
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As John Kerry Arrives Nigeria
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GUEST COLUMNIST: Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
Nigeria, and particularly our state, Sokoto, will this week host the Secretary of State of the USA, John Kerry, on a two-day working visit. Our August visitor is an important guest whose contributions to his country’s diplomatic engagement have received praise from many quarters. His commitment, and by extension that of President Barack Obama, to international cooperation and preservation of democracy, have fostered friendship and bolstered standards across the globe.
We are honoured that Secretary Kerry has not only decided to visit Sokoto, but has opted to speak to our young people on dangers posed by intolerance and violent extremism.
To start with, Nigeria’s relationship with the United States is a glorious one steeped in history and shared values. As President Buhari pointed out during his last trip to Washington, Nigeria values the special relationship it has with the US, and will work closely with it and other allies to develop governance initiatives whose aim is to ensure that Nigeria’s wealth benefits all its people. The election that brought the present administration to power has reaffirmed the confidence of all Nigerians in democracy as a system of government. Since coming to power in May 2015, concerted efforts have been put in place by the present administration to improve the competence and forthrightness of Nigerian institutions. More than at any moment in our recent history, we are setting credible ground rules for public officials and recovering stolen funds. At the same time, coordinated efforts are being taken to improve healthcare delivery, build critical infrastructure and enhance national integration.
Secretary Kerry will step into Sokoto at a time of renewed interest in the ideals and tenets of the pre-colonial Sokoto Caliphate. The world is now bedevilled by violent extremism whose perpetrators claim to be representing Islam; a religion universally adored for promoting virtues including sacredness of life, freedom of worship, respect for and protection of minorities, treatment of others with justice and kindness, among others. Here now come the lessons we can learn from Sokoto Caliphate. Over 200 years since the establishment of the Caliphate, our people have become known for their religious tolerance, moderation and promotion of understanding among various faiths and ethnic groups especially in Nigeria.
Apparently, such disposition did not start overnight. The founders of the Caliphate made conscious efforts during their lifetimes to instill justice, peace, good neighbourliness and rule of law among its citizens. From its early years and until it evolved into a quasi-federal system of emirates with balanced responsibilities, a central function of the Caliphate leadership has been to try to mediate conflict, and ideally, preempt conflict before it undermines the integrity of the state. Huge success was achieved in that direction because the intelligence-gathering ability of those saddled with the responsibility of maintaining peace was utilised effectively.
In addition, the founder of the Caliphate, Usman Dan Fodio, his son Muhammadu Bello, brother Abdullahi (Gwandu), daughter Nana Asma’u and their key lieutenants, while known for their military skills, also promoted scholarship. Each contributed books of poetry and texts on religion, politics, and history. They encouraged scholarship among members of the society.
Women empowerment and story of Nana Asma’u
The story of Nana Asma’u will provide deep insight into the position of women in contemporary Sokoto life over two centuries ago. As a respected community mobiliser, she joined her father, the revered Sheikh Danfodio, brother and uncle, in devoting significant time to chronicle histories, writing poetry, and Islamic studies. According to Wikipedia, she was well educated in the classics of the Arab and the Classical world, and well versed in four languages (Arabic, the Fula language, Hausa and Tamacheq Tuareg), Nana Asma’u had a public reputation as a leading scholar in the most influential Muslim state in West Africa, which gave her the opportunity to correspond broadly. She witnessed many of the wars of the Fulani War and wrote about her experiences in a prose narrative Wakar Gewaye “The Journey”. As the Sokoto Caliphate began as a cultural and religious revolutionary movement, the writings of its leaders held a special place by which later generations, both rulers and ruled, could measure their society. She became a counselor to her brother when he took the Caliphate, and is recorded writing instructions to governors and debating with the scholars of foreign princes.
Amongst her over 60 surviving works written over 40 years, Nana Asma’u left behind a large body of poetry in Arabic, the Fula language and Hausa, all written in the Arabic script. Many of these are historical narratives, but they also include elegies, laments, and admonitions. Her poems of guidance became tools for teaching the founding principles of the Caliphate. Asma’u also collaborated closely with Sultan Bello, the second Caliph. Her works include and expand upon Danfodio’s strong emphasis on women leaders and women’s rights within the community ideals of the Sunnah and Islamic law.
Others of her surviving written works are related to Islamic education: for much of her adult life she was responsible for women’s religious education. Starting around 1830, she created a cadre of women teachers (jajis) who travelled throughout the Caliphate educating women in the students’ homes. In turn, each of these jajis in turn used Asma’u’s and other Sufi scholars writings, usually through recited mnemonics and poetry, to train corps of learned women, called the ’yan-taru, or those who congregate together, the sisterhood’. To each jaji she bestowed a malfa (a hat and traditional ceremonial symbol of office of the pagan Bori priestesses in Gobir) tied with a red turban. The jajis became, thus, symbols of the new state, the new order, and of Islamic learning even outside women’s community. In part this educational project began as a way to integrate newly conquered pagan captives into a Muslim ruling class. It expanded, though, to include the poor and rural, training teachers who travelled across the sprawling Caliphate.
Contemporary legacy
Asma’u’s continued legacy rests not just on her literary work and role in defining the values of the Sokoto state. Today in Northern Nigeria, Islamic women’s organisation, schools, and meeting halls are commonly named after her. She re-entered the debate on the role of women in Islam in the 20th century, as her legacy has been carried by Islamic scholars and immigrants to Europe and its academic debates. I have highlighted her role to dismiss the notion that women are denied basic rights in this part of the world. That is far from the truth. We are the first to admit that more needs to be done to improve impact and reverse negative statistics of women participation in socio-economic activities. But Asma’u’s story clearly shows that with dedication and commitment, our women can reach the pinnacle of their chosen paths. Few months ago, Justice Aishatu Dahiru retired from the Bench after serving meritoriously for 20 years as the Chief Judge of Sokoto State. Just three weeks ago, Amina Yahaya, a 400 level student of English Language, became the first President of the Students Union Government of Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, a feat so rare that women who have attained such heights in the North in the last 50 years can be counted on the finger tips.
As bequeathed to us by our founding fathers, Sokoto is committed strongly to increasing mutual understanding, keeping good relations with others, and working to keep our community and our nation safe. We believe the world can learn a lot from us in areas like communal harmony, religious understanding, and tolerance towards all faiths. To ensure continued peace in our state, our government has aggregated the needs of our citizens and zeroed down on critical sectors like education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, development of infrastructure, job creation through development of small and medium scale enterprises, women and youth empowerment, development of solid mineral sector as well as implementing community development initiatives at the grassroots level. We have declared a state of emergency in the education sector, and matched our words with action by allocating the highest percentage of funds in our 2016 budget to the sector. The 28 per cent we allocated is more than the percentage recommended by UNESCO.
Through personal and community interactions, we have fostered relationships of trust not just with our citizens, but with peoples of other faiths and ethnic inclination. This level of trust helps contribute to human resource development and strengthening the foundation for nation-building. We, the political and religious leadership under the leadership of Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, have committed ourselves to contributing to the socio-economic development of our state, and to strengthen friendship and mutual understanding between all Nigerians irrespective of tongue or faith.
•Tambuwal is the Governor of Sokoto State
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| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
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FG to Allow Boko Haram Pick NGO Intermediary in Talks to Free Chibok Girls
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Zacheaus Somorin with agency report
The Federal Government would let Boko Haram choose a non-profit organisation as an intermediary in any talks on the release of about 200 schoolgirls kidnapped from the northeastern town of Chibok in 2014, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Buhari first said last year that his government was ready to negotiate with Islamist militants, Boko Haram, over the girls, but the group has not commented on the proposal.
Any negotiations would be the first publicly known talks between the government and Boko Haram, whose seven-year insurgency to create an Islamic state in the northeast has killed 15,000 people.
“The government which I preside over is prepared to talk to bona fide leaders of Boko Haram,” Buhari told reporters at a conference on African development in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, in comments later issued in an official statement.
“If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation (NGO),” he said. Buhari said Boko Haram could begin negotiations on a prisoner swap if they could provide evidence to the NGO that they had the girls.
Around 270 girls were taken from their school in the village of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria in April 2014. Dozens escaped in the initial melee, but more than 200 are still missing. Earlier this month, Boko Haram published a video apparently showing recent footage of dozens of the girls and saying some were killed in air strikes.
Authorities said in May that one of the missing girls had been found and Buhari vowed to rescue the others. Nigeria is fighting the group on the ground and with air strikes. A multi-national joint task force – comprising troops from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin – is also battling the militants.
On Tuesday, Air Force said it had killed some senior Boko Haram militants in raids. Boko Haram pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS) last year, but there are signs of a rift emerging. This month, IS announced a new leader for what it described as its West African operations but Boko Haram’s hitherto leader Abubakar Shekau appeared to later contradict this in a video message.
Buhari said that if the Nigerian jihadists moved to start discussions “through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognised NGO” then Nigeria would be prepared to discuss the release of militant leaders. “We want those girls out and safe. The faster we can recover them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us,” he said.
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| 2016-03-21T00:00:00 |
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[
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Nigeria Can Break up, It’s Not Indivisible, Says Ango Abdullahi
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·Declares N’Delta Avengers worse than Boko Haram
Paul Obi, Peter Omale and Marvellous Okeke in Abuja
A member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and former presidential aide, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, yesterday took on those calling for the restructuring of the country, suggesting that if the amalgamation of the country by Lord Frederick Lugard in 1914 was a mistake, it would be best for each region to go their separate ways.
Abdullahi made this known during the launch of two books by Dr. Hadiza Isa Wada titled, “Boko Haram: The Charade vs. Reality” and “The Life and Times of Umaru Turakin Bauchi”.
He queried agitators clamouring for the restructuring of the country from the present quasi-federalism to true fiscal federalism, or even secession, particularly in the South-south and South-east geopolitical zones.
According to him, such threats remained baseless, given that no region is afraid of secession.
Tracing how several other countries had separated peacefully, Abdullahi argued that contrary to the opinion of some government officials, Nigeria’s unity was negotiable.
“The batures (Hausa for white people) have brought us together. They tried what they could before they left in 1960 to see whether this country could become a political unit that is stable, because without political stability it is impossible to stabilise any aspect of our socio-economic development.
“They succeeded up to a point, but they were very lucky because they had our forefathers and founding fathers who were honest.
“We might not be one, in terms of language or in terms of geographical location or in terms of customs or in terms of history or in terms of religion and so on, but as a people put in one country our first job is to understand one another.
“Let’s understand one another. Understanding one another will be the basis for working together. This wish of being one is Utopian because if you look at examples of other parts of the world there’s a lot to learn from.
“Take for example India that got independence in 1948, yet one or two years later Pakistan was created, and in another one or two years, Bangladesh emerged out of Pakistan, because there was insufficient basis on which India would stay together in the first place,” he said.
Abdullahi held the view that Nigeria’s greatest challenge today is political instability “created unfortunately by politicians and the Nigerian elite”.
“We are responsible for the conditions we’re experiencing today and that we have experienced over the years. This is the basis on which we have made slow or no progress in our development and I think we can accept this as a fact, or continue to pretend and go round and round and round in circles and at the end of the day come back to the same spot.
“What are we hearing? We’re hearing about the restructuring of Nigeria. We’re hearing about secession, we’re hearing all sorts of things and who are the promoters of this rhetoric?
“This is coming from the elite of the country. They’re right to speak their minds, but they should also leave me to speak my mind when the time is right because we cannot continue, because I remember in the last four or five years, particularly when we were headed towards the last elections. We saw all that and then I said it was time.
“If Lugard made a mistake in 1914 let’s correct it now. Why not? If Nigerians cannot live together and allow peace and development to reign, then let’s go our separate ways and to our different places so that we can concentrate and develop our children and grandchildren in peace.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. So many countries have gone through that before. So I don’t believe in all these emotions and sentiments that Nigeria is indissoluble,” he said.
Continuing, Abdullahi said there was nothing like indissolubility in any country. “Take Great Britain, they’ve been a model for 1,000 years of democracy and then a year or two ago Scotland that had been in the union for about 350 years opted for a referendum to get out; same problem with Ireland.
“The Soviet Union was a super power many years ago, today 12 or 13 countries were created from it.
“So what is so special about Nigeria? If we find truly that we cannot develop and guarantee the welfare of our people as a nation and the solution is to go our separate ways, why not?
“So you see this is the thing we have to always discuss at all times honestly, especially if we put into context the history of Boko Haram,” he noted.
On the terrorist sect, he said the “ragtag boys” who were fed up with the things happening to them became members of Boko Haram.
“You ask the question where did Boko Haram got their sophistication and articulation from? No doubt from external connections, but external connections can only thrive if they have internal connections in the country itself.
“But then came robberies and Boko Haram was blamed, then came in political interference.
“Bombs were also put in churches and mosques and they were not entirely put by Muslims but by both religions. But the real offence was people who knew and should have spoken out did not do so.
“Some of us including my teacher and I went to see (Goodluck) Jonathan to discuss it. Some days later, and we heard there was going to be some dialogue, but then two weeks later a state of emergency was declared and Boko Haram was banned.
“So the question is who are you dialoguing with if you have banned Boko Haram? These are some of the contradictions we saw, which were clearly political.
“We the northerners were taking the brunt of it. And those who ought to have said something stayed quiet. It was Murtala Nyako who came out and said something was going on and before you know it he was on exile,” he stated.
While condemning the Niger Delta Avengers as economic terrorists, Abdullahi asked the federal government to deal decisively with the militia group, in order to end vandalism in the oil region.
Describing the group as “economic terrorists”, Abudallahi said: “In the Niger Delta, for example, people who come out openly and say they are avenging something and that they are fighting to avenge something, they’re worse than Boko Haram.
“So if you (federal government) are not going to fight the Niger Delta Avengers then stop fighting Boko Haram.”
Also speaking at the event, elder statesman and the Danmasanin Kano, Alhaji Maitama Sule, commended the author of the book, Dr. Wada, for her painstaking research on the Boko Haram insurgency.
Sule said such work laid out the facts and would educate readers in various ways.
The reviewers of the book, Dr. Sadiq Abba of the University of Abuja and Dr. Abubakar Muhammad of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, pointed out that the thorough research evidenced in the book on the Islamist sect provided in-depth literature on the study of the Boko Haram insurgency.
In her remarks, the author said there was need for the federal government to do more research on Boko Haram, noting: “Our intelligence needs to concentrate on our neighbouring countries, because that is where our support should be coming from.
“Boko Haram is coming from different angles – it has the political angle, religious angle and criminal angle.”
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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Urhobo Militia Dares Military, Blows up Pipeline in Delta
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Troops arrest suspected criminals, militants in oil region
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Sylvester Idowu in Warri
An Urhobo militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Movement (NDGJM), on Tuesday dared the ongoing military operation code-named “Operation Crocodile Smile,” dismissing it as toothless.
It however, launched its own counter exercise called: “Operation Crocodile Tears.”
To manifest its seriousness, the group claimed responsibility for breaching of an Ogor-Oteri major delivery line operated by the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Shoreline Petroleum in Delta State.
The group, in a statement by its spokesperson, Aldo Agbalaja, claimed the attack took place at about 0300 hours, saying it was executed by its Uproot Team B.
It said the attack on the oil facility was also to launch “Operation Crocodile Tears” since the military had launched “Operation Crocodile Smile” to supposedly worsen the Niger Delta crisis.
“The NDGJM will no longer sit quietly watching the endless harassment of our people in various parts of the region by the Nigerian military,” it stated.
THISDAY checks however revealed that the said trunkline had not been in use for a long time and may not have any adverse effect on the economy.
The Urhobo militant group said it had once warned against the victimisation and harassment of defenseless people of the region, especially in the creeks, but rather than heed, the Nigerian military has increased its presence and made life more difficult for the people.
“They are now killing our people on the basis of mere suspicion, this cannot continue. With the launch of their ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’, the NDGJM is also serving a notice on the commencement of our ‘Operation Crocodile Tears.’
“It shall from now on be an eye for an eye; for every military atrocity carried out in the creeks and hinterland of the Niger Delta, the Nigerian armed forces will have the NDGJM to contend with.
“To this end, we are alerting all those working in the UQCC/UPS Erhomukokwarien in Ughelli, Eriemu Pigging Manifold in Agbarha, Otorogun Gas Plant, Olomoro Flow Station, Warri Refinery, Port Harcourt Refinery, Eleme, OB-OB and Obite gas plants in Omoku to evacuate because what is coming to those facilities is beyond what anybody has seen before.
“We do not want innocent blood being spilled, therefore, we advise all indigenes living in the vicinities of the facilities to relocate for the time being. “The world should, however, note that a bloodbath that is about to commence in our already beaten, battered, squeezed and impoverished homeland, the Niger Delta. “It is all the baby of the Nigerian government; they are the people who are in one breath preaching resolution through dialogue and also breathing bullets and bombs on a troubled, but trusting people.
“Hold the Nigerian president responsible for the genocide that his armed forces are about to unleash on our people,” it said.
The group decried moves by some elders and leaders of the region to put a pan Niger Delta body in place to speak on behalf of the area in any dialogue with the federal government noting that they lacked the morality to do such since they used previous opportunities to feather their nests.
“Recent developments around our region, especially as it concerns the issue of justice and our inalienable right to protect our heritage, have proven us right all along. Now it has become clearer who is serious about getting justice for our people and who has been using the name of the region and the destinies of all our peoples to feather their nests, raising dust merely to harass the Nigerian state and the oil multinationals into parting with money.
“Although some selfish machinery merely put together to achieve some pecuniary ends, has been parading in the name of the peoples of the Niger Delta, the NDGJM will not be derailed on its mission to getting justice for the people,” it stated.
The group said those who want to join the self-acclaimed leaders of the region to make quick money in the arrangement they had put together were free to do so, but it lacked confidence in the show they put together, calling it a pan Niger Delta initiative.
It said those people could speak for Ijaw nation, but certainly not all the nations in the region, adding: “When lines are blurred, justice is most likely to be miscarried. If there shall be a negotiation, it must be seen and indeed, must be in actual sense, representing all the individual nations of the region equally.”
The group added: “The drama that trailed the visit of some Ijaw royal fathers to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, in Abuja recently is the more reason why equity must be a factor in setting up a body that will dialogue on behalf of all the peoples of the Niger Delta.
“If the said leader could not respect the royal fathers of his ethnic nation, if he is lording his will over them, what chance do other nations have, which do not have adequate representation?”
The troops of the 4 Mechanised Brigade of the Nigerian Army have arrested suspected criminals and militants as well as medical outreach to various communities in the Niger Delta region of the country
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, said yesterday that the troops on field training exercise nicknamed “Operation Crocodile Smile” have continued the military training with humanitarian activities, patrols, response to distress calls and arrest of suspected criminals in various parts of Delta State.
The troops, Usman stated, have continued to carry out free medical outreach at Otonyasere Community in Sapele, Delta State, in which over 500 persons have so far attended including adults and children.
He said during the ongoing exercise, diagnosis were carried out, medication and drugs were given, some laboratory investigations were conducted out and blood pressure was checked freely to interested persons who thronged the area.
According to him, the medical personnel also gave health talk on good healthy living, HIV/AIDS, Lassa fever awareness and sensitisation and oral hygiene.
He recalled that the troops also carried out similar exercise at Central Area at Otonloye Community near Olu of Warri’s Palace Delta State on August 29, 2016 and continued today.
He said: “It is expected that over 1,000 would benefit from the exercise in that centre alone at the end of the day.”
Usman said the troops while on patrol at Otefe, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State on Monday, responded to a distress call and “discovered that some criminals dressed in military uniforms, suspected to be cultists were harassing and intimidating the students at the area.”
“The troops promptly responded in record time and arrested the three culprits dressed in naval uniform. The impostors are currently undergoing interrogation,” he added.
In a related development, he said troops have also arrested five suspects, (four males and a female) at Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State same day.
He listed exhibits recovered from the suspects to include a locally made single barrel gun, some cartons and parcels containing wrapped substances suspected to be marijuana.
Similarly, he said that the troops also carried out a raid on suspected criminal hideouts at Urudhe and Ala Square, Ozoro community of Isoko North of Delta State yesterday, Monday, August 29, 2016.
During the raid, he said, the troops arrested three suspects; Messrs Noble Alaba, John Aidagho and Edejoro Joel.
According to the army spokesman, the troops also went further to raid another suspected criminal hideout, which happened to be the residence of Mr. Jesse Omuye (now at large), a notorious criminal in Irri community, Isoko area.
“The wife, Mrs. Jessy Omuye, who is also a suspected accomplice in her husband’s nefarious activities has also been taken in for questioning,” he stated.
Usman revealed that the troops also arrested one Mr. Ogbe Akbotu in possession of locally made single barrel gun, cartons and jerry cans containing substance suspected to be marijuana in powered form mixed alcohol, otherwise known as “Monkey tail” and six mobile telephone handsets.
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| 2016-07-01T00:00:00 |
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"Buhari D Daft Cow.",
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] | 2016-08-31T06:51:33 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null |
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Umar Cautions Buhari against Use of Force in Niger Delta
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John Shiklam in Kaduna
Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against using the military force on the Niger Delta militants.
Umar in a statement yesterday in Kaduna, said the military option is likely to inflict collateral damage on the nation’s fragile economy.
He maintained that the Niger Delta issue cannot be equated with the Boko Haram insurgents, whose ideology and activities are not the same and called on the president to engage in a meaningful dialogue to end the crisis in Niger Delta region.
In the statement in titled: ‘War in
the Niger Delta: A Most Dangerous Option,’ Umar said the sudden escalation of crisis in the Niger Delta was very disturbing.
“I am really frightened by the sudden escalation in the Niger Delta region from where there are reports of skirmishes between our security forces and the Niger Delta militants.
This is happening after the president was quoted as vowing to deal with the militants as he did Boko Haram,” Umar said.
While condemning the position of President Buhari on the crisis, he argued that “all factors considered, the use of military force in an attempt to resolve the lingering crisis is not a good option and must therefore be discarded.”
He maintained further that “as a retired General, Mr. President is well aware of the serious and daunting challenges any military will face in its operations in the most difficult and densely populated Niger Delta region.
“The creeks are so heavily polluted with oil, rendering them highly inflammable. It will take the firing of a few high explosive
shells to set the whole area on fire, resulting in inestimable collateral damage among innocent civilians.”
Umar said further that “it is also difficult to see how an armed conflict can secure our oil and gas assets in the region, instead it will aid the destructive activities of the militants and lead to total shut down of all oil and gas operations in the area.”
According to him, “the Niger Delta militants cannot be said to be terrorists in the real sense of the word and I believe they are amenable to meaningful dialogue.
“I need not remind the President that a war in the Niger Delta will be viewed and opposed to by most objective Nigerians and the international community as unjust and merely aimed at control and exploitation of the region’s oil and gas resources.”
Umar appealed to Buhari: “I therefore beseech you, to continue to explore peaceful means of resolving the Niger
Delta crisis, as painful as you may find this and prayed God direct and guide the President on the path of justice.
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[
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Military Begins Operations in Niger Delta, Says Army
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Kill 5 militants, Arrest 23 as FG vows to rid region of criminalities
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
Notwithstanding promises by the President Muhammadu Buhari government that it would employ dialogue, as an option, in dealing with the resurgent militancy in the Niger Delta, the military at the weekend launched an operation to root out militants in the oil-rich region. Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement yesterday that the military campaign was “a precursor operation” to a planned offensive against the militants, code-named operation “Crocodile Smile”.
But in a quick reaction Saturday, president of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, condemned the decision of the federal government to use strong-arm methods against the groups, which had been attacking oil facilities in the region. Eradiri accused the government of insincerity in its pledge to peacefully resolve the emergent armed agitations, saying the use of force may jeopardise efforts by leaders of the people to resolve the crisis.
The Nigerian Army had been amassing troops, arms and ammunitions for “Crocodile Smile”, which it said was in support of the wider “Operation Delta Safe” being conducted to protect the oil infrastructure in the nine oil producing states.
Usman stated yesterday, “The 133 Special Forces Battalion of Nigerian Army troops have carried out a precursor operation to Exercise ‘Crocodile Smile’ aimed at getting rid of all forms of criminal activities in the Niger Delta geopolitical region of Nigeria.” He said in the course of the operation, “five militants that attacked the troops were killed in action, while numerous others were injured and 23 suspects were arrested.”
The army spokesman said the military operation, conducted on Friday, was carried out by the Special Forces at the militants’ camps. He listed items recovered from the camps to include two AK-47 rifles, 11 Pump Action Guns, a locally made revolver pistol, 292 cartridges of live Ammunition, 199 rounds of AK-47 rifle Ammunition, four electricity generating sets, and a camp gas cooker. The troops also recovered an abandoned engine boat left by the fleeing militants, he said.
There was intense apprehension along the waterways of the Niger Delta at the weekend following Friday’s announcement by the army spokesman that the military was amassing as part of a broader “logistics build-up” in the Niger Delta.
“The military training exercise embarked upon by the Nigerian Army to train its Special Forces, formations and units located in the South-south geo-political zone of the country has commenced in earnest,” Usman had stated.
It was gathered that the Sapele waterways in Delta State were used as springboard for the troop deployment to the creeks of the region.
However, the IYC called for caution and advised the federal government to pull the troops out of the area in order not to endanger on-going peace efforts. The IYC president said he had been inundated with complaints by people scampering for safety and fleeing into the forests at the approach of the troops, who operated in military gunboats in the creeks.
One militant group, the Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta, also warned that the military would only succeed in maltreating innocent locals, who have always borne the brunt of such exercises.
Eradiri said it amounted to insincerity on the part of the government to be pronouncing dialogue while at the same time conducting a major military operation in the region.
He said, “The EK Clark committee has brought all Niger Delta leaders together. The MEND and the Avengers support them. The other day, the Minister for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu, met with them again.
“The unfortunate fact is whether government is sincere in this whole business. How can the military within the period announce that they are carrying out an exercise in the Niger Delta? They should have suspended whatever exercise they wanted to carry out. There is heavy presence of military mobilising into the Niger Delta through Sapele. But whether it is for ordinary exercise or not should have been suspended at this period.
“The communities are apprehensive and many people are now running away from their homes. As at yesterday (Friday) night, there was this rumour that they were going to attack Gbaramatu and the entire community started scampering into the forest because soldiers were seen mobilising in Sapele.
“When we asked, they said the military had met the governor and said they wanted to do a two-week drill in Niger Delta. It is wrong. They should suspend any form of activity because there is an interpretation of a sinister motive in their activities.”
The IYC leader urged Buhari to demonstrate sincerity of purpose in solving the problems in the Niger Delta. According to him, “President Buhari has not shown sincerity. He must withdraw the military from the Niger Delta if he wants genuine discussions. We are sceptical seeing many soldiers mobilising and jumping here and there.
“We don’t have a Sambisa forest where militants are stationed and waiting for the federal government, like in the North. There is nothing like that. This battle is more of an intelligence-civil strategy instead of an invasion that is old-fashioned. It will clearly jeopardise the dialogue.”
In its own reaction, the Supreme Council of Militia Forces under which the Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta operates, warned the military to be extremely cautious, threatening that it will not take the killing of innocent civilians lightly. The group said in a statement, “The Supreme Council of Militia Forces is also asking the military to be professional and cautious with its on-going exercise in the Niger Delta waterways. It is unfortunate that we have a military that is lagging behind in amphibious training at this digital age compared to their counterparts in other climes and want to use the Niger Delta crisis as an excuse to further perpetuate their evil of causing panic and fear within our communities.
“This is what the Nigerian Army is known for; violation of human rights and abuses are their hallmark, they seize by the butt of the guns what doesn’t belong to them, including sending our poor farmers and fishermen/women out of the rivers because they want to show off their strength.”
It added, ”You send local people whose only means of eking out a living is fishing to stay away from their occupation without any palliative for them as if there are no rivers in the northern part of country where they can candidly embark on such training.
“But we will not be provoked; we are not for them and we will not give them the room to attack our communities. If anything unpalatable happens in the Niger Delta now that stakeholders have secured a ceasefire deal from agitators, the whole world will know who should be held responsible because the deployment of military devices, personnel and gunboats at a time the region is still fragile is to provoke the sleeping dogs.”
The Ultimate Warriors also welcomed the decision by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta to disband its AARON TEAM 2 and lend its support to the elders, monarchs and stakeholders committee headed by elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark.
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
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"Online Editor",
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] | 2016-08-31T00:51:24 | null | 2016-03-09T00:00:00 | null |
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Nigerians Would Have Become Refugees Under PDP, Says APC
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Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
A Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Segun Oni, has said that the present state of affairs in the country would have become worse if the Peoples Democratic Party had remained in power.
He said that there is presently an active thinking going on within the government circles aimed at getting Nigerians more involved in the process of governance.
He said that as far as managing the economy is concerned, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, remains one of the best hands to coordinate the strategies needed to turn things around.
Speaking in an interview with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Oni said that APC-led administration has been overwhelmed by the expectations of Nigerians who are almost asking the government to do everything including the impossible to turn around the economy.
According to the party chieftain, the country would have faced more difficult times if the PDP had not been voted out of office, adding that with the level of impunity and bastardization of the economy, the people would have become refugees in their country.
“The reality on ground is that if the previous government were in power by now Nigeria would have virtually packed up. Maybe many of us would be refugees by now. So it is very easy not to remember where we are coming from. Yes, we are elected to do the impossible, we will do our own best. I just want to plead that people should give us more realistic expectation,” he said.
Oni said that APC met an economy that was trumatized by a government whose only agenda was to win another round.
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| 2016-03-09T00:00:00 |
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Alleged Terrorism: US Bans Chagoury, Eko Hotel Owner
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By Iyobosa Uwugiaren
Nigerian-Lebanese billionaire Gilbert Chagoury, owner of the giant Eko Hotel in Lagos and the ground breaking Atlantic City, is no longer allowed to enter the United States.
The billionaire Bill Clinton Foundation donor was banned from getting a visa on terrorism grounds for allegedly funding a political coalition, Hezbollah, which the United States deems a terrorism group.
The Los Angeles Times, which did a deep dive on Chagoury — in its August 30, 2016 edition, said that Chagoury’s visa troubles likely stem from his support of a Christian Lebanese politician. The politician, Michel Aoun, is part of the same political coalition as Hezbollah, which the United States deems a terror group.
Chagoury been in the news of late because the Bill Clinton Foundation’s Doug Band wanted him to get access to a top State Department official, while the controversial US Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, pointed to Band’s ask and said it was an example of the Clintons’ ‘pay-to-play’ scheme between the foundation and State.
‘’Chagoury’s name has been brought up of late, because of an ask Clinton Foundation head Doug Band made of Hillary Clinton’s State Department – he wanted to put the donor, whose parents were Lebanese, in touch with the American government’s top Lebanon person’’, the US’s daily stated.
‘’Donald Trump, among others, used the correspondence to try and show that the Clintons were running a ‘pay-for-play’ enterprise between the State Department and the family foundation, where Chagoury had been a million dollar donor.’’
Chagoury was ‘known to have funded’ Aoun, the Times reported, with a Lebanese government minister telling U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman in 2007 to ‘deliver to Chagoury a strong message about the possibility of financial sanctions and travel bans against those who undermine Lebanon’s legitimate institutions.’
Chagoury never received the warning, the Times wrote, as Clinton Foundation head Band pushed for the donor to get access inside of Hillary Clinton’s State Department once she took over the reins in 2009.
As Hillary Clinton runs for the White House, her family foundation has become politically problematic with Republicans suggesting she and husband Bill Clinton were running a ‘pay-to-play’ enterprise between the Clinton Foundation and the State Department.
Band’s email to the secretary of state’s top aide Huma Abedin was one of the most heavily pointed to when detractors – including Republican nominee Trump – suggested the Clinton were operating a ‘pay-for-play’ enterprise from within the State Department.
Chagoury had donated at least $1 million to the family foundation, if not more, documents show.
‘We need Gilbert Chagoury to speak to the substance guy re Lebanon. As you know he’s key guy there and to us and is loved in Lebanon. Very imp,’ Band
wrote.
No meeting ever happened, however, according to both Feltman and Chagoury’s spokesperson, who explained that Chagoury just wanted to pass along information about the Lebanese election.
A year later, Chagoury’s trouble with American security officials began.
He was pulled off a private jet in Teterboro, New Jersey, and questioned by Homeland Security officials for four hours because his name was now on the no-fly list within the United States.
The billionaire was especially angry because the questioning delayed his travels and made him unable to see the L.A. Lakers play in the playoffs.
‘I just love the Lakers,’ he told ABC News and the Center for Public Integrity at the time. Chagoury owns a house in Beverly Hills too, where he would spend several months of every year.
Chagoury later received a letter that said his name was taken off the list and he was now considered a ‘selectee,’ meaning he was allowd to fly, but would receive extra scrutiny.
Another Homeland Security document, according to the L.A. Times, cited that the billionaire had unspecified links to terrorism.
Yet another document – a letter written to Chagoury – apologized to the businessman ‘for any inconvenience or unpleasantness’ that he experienced during this questioning.
In 2013 and FBI intelligence report claimed Chagoury sent funds to Aoun, who, in turn, gave the money to Hezbollah. The report said the information was unverified from a source, who also said the Lebanese Christian politician was ‘facilitating fundraising for Hezbollah.’
As a businessman, Chagoury has been a confidant of many African leaders and serves as ambassador of St Lucia, in the Americas.
His business empire has interests in construction, real estate, property development and hotels.
He co-founded the Chagoury Group with his younger brother Ronald Chagoury in 1971. Gilbert and Ronald Chagoury founded C & C Construction in the late 1970s, which was the forerunner of Hitech and ITB. The family has an estimated wealth of $4.2 billion.
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Akin Malaolu",
"Ibu Anyi Danda",
"Adeola Majesty"
] | 2016-08-26T16:49:40 | null | 2016-03-18T00:00:00 | null |
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NAICOM Releases Names of Qualified Insurance Brokers
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Ebere Nwoji
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has made public, names of insurance brokers that are qualified to operate insurance broking business in the country.
The Commission published the names in its official website.
The qualified brokers are 300 in number as against over 500 firms that parade themselves in the list of brokers.
The commission, in a statement said only the 300 insurance broking firms have valid licences to operate.
The Commission had in December 2015, published names of 108 insurance brokers for their failure to meet the regulatory requirements, especially, failure to renew their licenses.
It was learnt that majority of the errant firms were sanctioned for violating certain provisions of the insurance law, such as; late submission of their returns to the regulatory body, while some did not even submit returns for several years, non-renewal of operating licence, among other offenses.
When their names were made public then, the Commission said the affected firms would not be allowed to renew their operating licences, while those who are still interested to continue operating in insurance industry would be asked to apply for a fresh licence.
The commission, through a circular, said, an insurance broker whose licence had lapsed and wishes to re-register under the same name should submit a Letter of Appeal stating reasons why the last licence lapsed and payment of non-refundable fee (N250,000.00) for processing of the appeal.
Moreover, it charged the intending broker to equally submit application for re-registration, adding that if appeal is sustained by the commission, such interested broker must pay a payment of application fee of N250,000, submit Certified True Copy of CAC’s Forms C02 and C07, Evidence of payments of the fee and payment of all outstanding ISS levies due before the license lapsed.
Other requirements listed in the circular included: Nomination of qualified CEO and Executive Management for NAICOM’s approval; Submission of a Management Account/Statement of Account as at the last day of last month of the period since the last approved account and apply for NAICOM’s approval of the Members of the Board of Directors.
NAICOM pointed out that there would be re-registration inspection of brokers to determine non-violation of the Insurance Act and payment of penalties for identified violations/non-compliance, while the interested broker is to attend and be successful at the re-registration interview.
According to the commission, interested brokers are requested to submit; professional indemnity, sworn declarations, other declarations, tax clearance for the expired period of license, certificate on oath from the external auditors and payment of license fee of N2,250,000.00, after which the licence would be issued to those that fulfill all the listed requirements.
To remain in business, the embattled brokers were enjoined to urgently embrace merger to enable them take advantage of the opportunities provided by the commission.
Industry analysts said the only option left for the affected brokers is to put their resources together to surmount the enormous demands confronting brokers.
“The affected brokers should take advantage of sharing scheme. Those who are good in marine underwriting should unite with others that are good in oil and gas; aviation; and other business classes to form bigger firms for which they would be respected.”
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| 2016-03-18T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Jon West"
] | 2016-08-30T22:51:23 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null |
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If Lugard Made a Mistake in 1914, Let’s Go Our Separate Ways, Says Ango Abdullahi
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*’Niger-Delta Avengers worse than Boko Haram’
* Tells FG, ‘if you can’t fight Avengers, stop fighting Boko Haram’
Paul Obi, Peter Omale and Marvellous Okeke in Abuja
A member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and former presidential aide, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, on Tuesday berated Nigerians calling for the restructuring of the country to true fiscal federalism, saying that if the amalgamation in 1914 of Nigeria by Lord Lugard, the then colonial Governor-General, was a mistake, it is better for each region to go their separate ways.
Abdullahi made this known during the launching of two books by Dr Hadiza Isa Wada, titled “Boko Haram: The Charade vs Reality”and “The Life and Times of Umaru Turakin Bauchi”.
He queried agitators clamouring for restructuring of the country from the present quasi-federalism to true fiscal federalism and secession, particularly in the South South and South East geopolitical zones.
According to him, such threats remain baseless, given that no one is afraid of secession.
Tracing how several other countries have separated peacefully, Abdullahi argued that contrary to the opinion of some government officials, Nigeria was negotiable.
“The Bature’s (white) have brought us together. They tried what they could before they left in 1960 to see whether this country can become a political unit that is stable because without political stability it is impossible to stabilize any aspect of our socio-economic development. They succeeded up to a point but they were very lucky they found our forefathers and founding fathers who were honest.
“If we cannot be one in terms of language or in terms of geographical location or in terms of customs or in terms of history in terms of religion and so on but as a people put in one country our first job is to understand each other.
“Let’s understand each other. Understanding each other will be the basis of working together. This wish of being one is Utopian because if you look at examples of other parts of the world there’s a lot to learn from them.”
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Ako Luter"
] | 2016-08-28T22:50:43 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null |
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Enugu Herdsmen Attack: Victims Still in Coma as Councillors Seek Ban on Cattle-rearing, Grazing
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*Our people now live in fear says Nwuruku, INEC chief
Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
Irked by last Thursday’s invasion and gruesome murder of a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor, at Ndiagu Attakwu-Akagbeugwu community in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu state by suspected herdsmen, the Councillors’ Forum in the state in Sunday called for an outright ban of all forms of Cattke rearing and grazing in the state.
The 260 councillors, led by their chairman, Hon. Chidiebere Okoh, made the call when they paid a sympathy/condolence visit to the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Greg Ugwu.
While expressing dismay over the activities of herdsmen in the state, the councillors recalling that the dust raised in the massacre of about 48 persons at the Ukpabi Nimbo community when similar attack occured in April 25 this year was yet to settle before the latest attack, noting that they would no longer fold their arms as leaders at the grassroots while herdsmen continued to enjoy a field day.
This came as fears gripped the people of the Akagbeugwu community following threats by the youths to carry out reprisal attacks against the Fulani herdsmen that allegedly attacked their community. The youths warned the herdsmen to immediately vacate the community as they were no longer comfortable with their stay.
Also, the three remaining victims of the attack are still battling for their lives at the Mother of Christ hospital and Parklane Teaching hospital as a result of the impact of the injuries they sustained. One of the survivors, a 65-year old Ifeoma Agbo lost the battle, early Saturday.
Speaking during the condolence visit to the community, the leader of the councillors forum, Okoh said the unprovoked attack by the herdsmen was dastardly but urged the angry youths of the area not to take laws into their hands as the security agencies were already working hard to unmask those behind the “heinous act”.
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| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"Sunday Government"
] | 2016-08-28T06:50:36 | null | 2016-06-27T00:00:00 | null |
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EFCC: Nigerian Bar Populated by Rogues, Vultures
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Faults NBA president’s call for reduction of commission’s prosecutorial powers
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken a swipe at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for demanding that its prosecutorial powers be whittled down. According to EFCC, such call should not be made by a bar peopled with suspected rogues and vultures incapable of being professional and objective in the on-going anti-corruption war.
The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, who rebuked NBA in a statement yesterday, disagreed with the association’s proposition, which specifically stated that the role of the commission be limited to investigation alone.
The NBA had at its 56th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State advocated the reform of EFCC and the Judiciary. Its President, Abubakar Mahmoud, who delivered his inaugural speech shortly after being sworn in as the 28th President of the NBA at the occasion, called for the review of the broad operations of the EFCC as an investigative and prosecutorial agency, recommending that the commission should be limited to only investigation.
But Uwujaren said the commission viewed with concern, the call by the NBA president that the EFCC be stripped of its prosecutorial powers and deplored the views.
He lauded Mahmoud’s pledge to reinvent the association by reclaiming its moral high ground through a campaign for ethical rectitude by members of the bar, quoting him: “The NBA under my watch will fight judicial corruption. We shall make the legal profession unattractive for corrupt lawyers.”
“This,” the EFCC spokesman pointed out, “is reassuring considering the evidence that senior members of the bar have become complicit in cases of corruption and money laundering, leading to the EFCC, arraigning two members of the inner bar for acts of corruption.”
He therefore argued that, “A bar populated or directed by people perceived to be rogues and vultures cannot play the role of priests in the temple of justice.”
Uwujaren noted that, “The commission’s discomfort over this seeming innocuous proposition, stem from the fact Mahmoud was silent on the reason for his position.
“More importantly, the commission cannot comprehend how the redefinition of EFCC’s mandate in narrow terms, ultimately whittling it down, fits into the clamour by Nigerians and the vision of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for a vibrant and courageous anti-corruption agency.”
“Instead, Mahmoud’s suggestions appears perfectly in sync with a cleverly disguised campaign by powerful forces that are uncomfortable with the reinvigorated anti-graft campaign of the EFCC and are hell-bent on emasculating the agency by stripping it of powers to prosecute with the tame excuse that an agency that investigates cannot also prosecute,” he added.
According to Uwujaren, the question Nigerians must ask the Mahmoud-led NBA is, what is wrong with EFCC prosecution, adding that “Mahmoud is in a position to answer this question”.
The EFCC Spokesman noted that the NBA President was the Attorney General of the Federation’s counsel in the trial of former Delta State governor, James Ibori, at the Federal High Court, Asaba, a case which EFCC lost in questionable circumstances.
He alleged that “the same ingredients from that case were used to fetch Ibori a 13-year jail term in London”, and that “Mahmoud is also the commission’s counsel in the appeal against the infamous perpetual injunction from arrest and prosecution by former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili, which is still pending before the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, many years after it was filed”.
Uwujaren considered it too much of a strange coincidence that the suggestion to strip the EFCC of its prosecutorial powers is being floated few months after the commission, in unprecedented fashion arraigned some senior lawyers for corruption.
For the avoidance of doubt, he stated, the commission had recorded more convictions in the last one year than all the states and federal ministries of justices combined.
Against this background, he added, the current campaign appeared to be self-serving, intended to create a cabal of untouchables who could be investigated but may never be prosecuted.
“The EFCC however wishes to reassure Nigerians that there will be no sacred cows in the renewed fight against corruption in Nigeria,” he stated.
Uwujaren, however, said that the EFCC appreciates the NBA’s acknowledgement of the commission’s strategic place in the fight against corruption in Nigeria and the modest achievements that it has recorded so far.
He said the commission also welcomed the suggestion for reform, saying that its “Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, has repeatedly stated in his public pronouncements, the agency is open to suggestions that will improve its operations as it cannot pretend to have a monopoly of ideas on how to fight corruption”.
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| 2016-06-27T00:00:00 |
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[
"Online Editor",
"God'S Judgement"
] | 2016-08-27T04:50:04 | null | 2016-02-24T00:00:00 | null |
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ANOTHER HOMECOMING TO NAIROBI KENYA
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PENDULUM BY DELE MOMODU [email protected]
Fellow Africans, to say I love Africa is an understatement. It baffles me how most Africans hardly know Africa outside their individual domain. The owners of Africa hardly appreciate the beauty of their own continent. The knowledge of Africa is usually from other people’s narrative and perspectives. The best library collections about Africa belong elsewhere in far-flung places. Africans were kidnapped, stolen and forced into slavery centuries ago. Today, we are forced into voluntary slavery due to our lack of visionary leaders willing to turn the misfortunes of Africa to prosperity. The slave mentality has refused to leave us.
I read so much about colonialism and neo-colonialism in the novels and essays of the famous Kenya author, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, who is certainly one of my favourite African writers. I was endlessly fascinated by the stories of the Mau Mau struggle for Independence. I bought and devoured Weep Not, Child; The River Between; A Grain of Wheat; Petals of Blood; Devil on the Cross; Decolonising the Mind; Writers in Politics; Detained; The Trial of Dedan Kimathi and Homecoming. I read and re-read Homecoming. I wonder what took over our brains in Africa that we stopped reading the African Writers Series, which was published and popularised by Heinemann Books, in those good old days. At least, it helped to introduce Africa to Africans. I knew so much about Kenya long before I ever visited one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa by reading Ngugi, Meja Mwangi, Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga, Jomo Kenyatta’s (his monumental book Facing Mount Kenya is superlative) and others.
I got introduced to Ghana through reading African authors, Ayi Kwei Armah, Kofi Awoonor, Kwame Nkrumah, Ama Ata Aidoo, Kwesi Brew, Adu Boahen (historian), Kwesi A Dickson (former President of the Methodist Church of Ghana and President of the All Africa Council of Churches) and others; Cameroon through Mongo Beti, Ferdinand Oyono, Mbella Sonne Dipoko and others; Senegal through Mariama Ba, Sembene Ousmane, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Birago Diop, Kamara Laye, Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Aminata Sow Fall, David Diop and many others; Egypt through Nawal El Saadawi, Naguib Mahfouz and Tawfiq al-Hakim; others knew Nigeria through Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Cyprian Ekwensi, Chukwuemeka Ike, Elechi Amadi, Buchi Emecheta, Amos Tutuola, J. P. Clark, Flora Nwapa, Ola Rotimi, Kole Omotoso, Christopher Okigbo, Mabel Segun, Zaynab Alkali, Gabriel Okara, T. M. Aluko, Molara Ogundipe, Niyi Osundare, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Festus Iyayi, Femi Osofisan, Ben Okri, John Munonye, D.O. Fagunwa, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Biyi Bandele and a long list of distinguished writers. Wow, I feel so nostalgic today.
We read all these great authors and most of the older generation were on our school syllabus and available in local bookstores. Many of us spent substantial sums of our annual bursary allowance on acquiring and accumulating books. I was a voracious reader of anything readable including tedious ones, I could hardly understand. It enriched my understanding of Africa and the world at large. Africa paraded many scholars in politics and power at the beginning before a generation of mostly “uneducated” leaders took over and ravaged what the West already described as a “savage continent” especially in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. It is the background that informs what I look out for whenever I touch down in many African countries.
I have landed in Nairobi a few times, first as transit passenger and subsequently as proper visitor, in nearly twenty years. Somehow, each arrival had its uniqueness to it. On one occasion, I was coming from Mumbai on the defunct Bellview Airlines and we stopped briefly in Nairobi. We were allowed to alight to visit the duty free area only. I saw an airport that was not so impressive despite the hype surrounding tourism but it was still functional. On another occasion I was flying to Seychelles for a wedding. I flew in such a circuitous manner that I was dizzy with the circumlocution. I had flown from Accra to Lagos but missed my connecting flight to Nairobi. I was then advised to return to Accra to catch an evening flight which arrived mercifully the following morning. The woes continued when we were forced to fly through Lagos again for aviation fuel before flying to Nairobi where I had already missed my connecting flight to Seychelles. It was such an Israelites’ journey.
Exactly two years ago, I returned to Kenya, a country that had just been mercilessly whacked and traumatised by some terrorists on rampage and a terrible inferno that had ravaged the Jomo Kenyatta Airport a year earlier. It was not the best of times to visit but I had promised my friend, Jeff Koinange, formerly of CNN, I would attend his book launch and nothing was going to disturb or discourage me. The airport I met was a shadow of itself. We crawled through some holes and drove that night to my temporary abode at the Kempinski, Nairobi. The drive turned out to be one of my longest journeys ever and my heart was almost flying out of my throat because of the palpitating fear I suffered driving through the streets of Nairobi at such an ungodly hour. I couldn’t tell Kolade Elufidiya, the talented fashion designer, who had graciously picked me up from the airport, the ugly thoughts that danced kpalongo in my belly. Thank God, there was no calamitous incident on that occasion and I returned safely home to Nigeria.
As I flew out of Nairobi, I offered a prayer for the good people of that beautiful country and promised all I could modestly arrange to help promote Kenya to the world via the platforms it has pleased God to bless us with.
Another opportunity recently came for me to visit Kenya again when I received a letter of invitation from Mr Arrey Obenson, the Secretary General at Junior Chamber International (JCI) headquarters in the United States of America as follows:
“Please accept warm greetings from JCI World Headquarters in Saint Louis, MO!
On behalf of nearly 200,000 young global citizens, it is with great excitement and enthusiasm that we invite you to speak at the African Youth Development Summit in Nairobi, Kenya from August 24 – 26, 2016. The event is organized by JCI (Junior Chamber International, Inc.) in collaboration with Tokyo International Conference of African Development (TICAD VI).
Taking place the days prior to TICAD VI at the Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi Hotel, the African Youth Development Summit intends to connect young leaders from across the continent of Africa. United in common purpose they will articulate young people’s commitment to the development of their region and the important role they can play in mobilizing Africans to take ownership of their continent and its future. The event will provide the commitment of African youth to the Tokyo Conference of Africa’s Development (TICAD VI).
Youth representatives from the 54 nations of Africa will be selected to attend the Summit. They will use the experience to work toward organizing grassroots actions in their local communities, fostering participation of young people in policy making and empowering the next generation of African change-makers to lead in the development of their region.
JCI is an international non-profit organization that provides its members — 18 to 40- year-old active citizens – with development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. Through projects in more than 5000 communities across nearly 120 countries, members seek targeted solutions to local problems, creating a global impact.
In summary, we invite you to serve as a Keynote Speaker at the African Youth Development Summit. Further details will be provided upon your acceptance of availability.
We look forward to your positive response.”
Of course, I wasted no time in accepting the invitation as someone who believes so much in the abilities of African youths to excel if given the right tutelage, mentorship and opportunities. We exchanged series of emails thereafter until we agreed on modalities for my visit to Kenya.
I flew out of Accra last Tuesday, August 23 and arrived Nairobi just before 6.00am local time on August 24, 2016. If I expected to crawl through the hole of an airport again like I did two years ago, a pleasant surprise awaited me. The burnt terminal had been rebuilt and airport formalities reduced to the barest minimum. I was able to get assistance in every part of the airport from friendly officers. My “visa on arrival” formalities took less than ten minutes to process and conclude, at a cost of $50. My baggage came out promptly on the conveyor belts that looked like what I always see always in the UK or America. I passed smoothly through Customs and straight into the chilly weather of Nairobi. I didn’t spend more than 20 minutes in total at the airport. Driving from the airport to Kempinski Hotel was even more pleasant. The roads had been generously rehabilitated since my last trip. I couldn’t stop singing the praise of President Uhuru Kenyatta. To most visitors, what concerns us is not so much the local politics of a country but the palpable development on ground.
Definitely, President Kenyatta has started re-directing Kenya from its old ways and striving to establish a very modern State. I saw several skyscrapers dotting the landscape of Nairobi. What I saw first-hand was a nation on forward march and I hope that ugly politics would not destroy Kenya again.
I was happy to deliver my speech yesterday and contribute and answer questions in well organised interactive sessions alongside two great journalists Eric Chinje and Henry Bonsu, who moderated our segment titled “Mobilizing youths through Media. I truly enjoyed myself and gained some fresh insights from different countries. I was delighted as always to meet many Nigerians doing our country proud. I have serious conviction that the challenges being faced by our country won’t last forever. The examples of Ghana, and now Kenya, persuaded me that developing a nation won’t take centuries to achieve. Before our very eyes, nations are transforming from rascality to responsibility.
As I was concluding this, African leaders started flying or landing in Nairobi including our own President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama who landed earlier and went straight into talks with the Japanese leadership.
I must thank the Japanese government for the decision to host the Tokyo Conference on African Development in Nairobi. I really admire how the Japanese stressed the fact that what Africa needs today is not aid and beggarly donations but partnership. Yes, that is the honest truth. Our continent is richly endowed although we have somehow failed to use what this for positive good for the continent and its people. We just need to harness the talents and resources that God has blessed us with and we will become phenomenal in world affairs. We have let ourselves down and have become the laughing stock of the world because of our failure to realise and fulfil our potential. We have chosen a slave mentality over a leadership mentality because of the mediocrity that we have allowed ourselves to enthrone as our leaders. The Japanese know we have promise. Unlike the West, they believe that, as partners, we can make the world a better place rather than make our continent a dumping ground for the dregs of the West.
Let us look within ourselves, search our souls and get down to serious business. May God bless us.
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| 2016-02-24T00:00:00 |
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[
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"Full Blooded Nigerian"
] | 2016-08-30T16:51:27 | null | 2016-03-04T00:00:00 | null |
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Agbakoba, HURILAWS Back NBA’s Call for Reassessing Prosecutory Powers of EFCC
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•Ajie condemns former NBA chief, Allegeh’s, silence on EFCC attacks
By Senator Iroegbu
The Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) has thrown its weight behind the call by the National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), for the whittling down of the prosecutory powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In a statement signed on Tuesday by the Senior Counsel, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), and Legal/Programme Officer, Mr. Collins Okeke, it applauded “the call by Mahmoud for a debate on the efficacy of the war against corruption in Nigeria”.
The NBA President made some commitments and pronouncements at the 56th Annual General Conference of the association in Port Harcourt on major issues of national importance including a recommendation that the anti-graft body should not be empowered to perform both the investigative and prosecutory roles.
This was, however, not well received by the Commission, which berated the NBA and its President, claiming that the Bar is populated by “rogues and vultures” with questionable intent concerning war against corruption.
But Agbakoba and HURILAWS aligned with Mahmoud, saying: “Where corruption is endemic like in Nigeria, strong institutions are critical to achieve success.
“It is in this context that the debate on the propriety of the EFCC investigating and prosecuting financial crimes at the same time is appropriate”.
Part of the statement read: “We support the position of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association. HURILAWS position is supported by international best practice and the need to build the capacity of the EFCC to deliver on its core mandate which is investigation of financial crimes.
“The international best practice is that one agency investigates, another prosecutes and the court adjudicates. The EFCC as currently composed is overworked and will not efficiently deliver on investigation and prosecution.
“Whilst we have no objection with the EFCC investigating or the courts adjudicating, we believe the powers to prosecute should be vested in an independent highly resourced prosecuting agency. We appreciate the enormous work done by the EFCC since its establishment in 2003.”
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| 2016-03-04T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/5b3d85c7ccbcd4a3e4432c9070ef61e3303aabcf916e07a166c1172e325f5ec4.json
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[
"Online Editor",
"Marmar Par"
] | 2016-08-30T02:51:03 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null |
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HWPL to Host “2nd Annual Commemoration of the WARP Summit” in Seoul, South Korea in September
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Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL, Chairman Man Hee Lee) is hosting its “2nd Annual Commemoration of September 18th World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit” from September 17th through 19th. At the 2nd Annual Commemoration many of the world’s political and religious leaders, as well as women and youth leaders, will gather.
Approximately 1,000 public figures from 120 countries around the world are expected to take part in this event, including: the former President of Croatia, Ivo Josipović; the Minister of Justice of Sri Lanka, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe; President of the Spanish Society for International Human Rights Law, Carlos Villan Duran; the Youth Representative of The United Nations Association of New York, Juan Pablo Celis Garcia; along with various ministers, chief justices, high level government officials, and former presidents. During the event, participants will partake in various meetings for the implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).
The meetings that will be held on the 17th and 19th in Seoul will cover important topics such as the role of the legal system to resolve religious conflicts, and the current role of the International Court of Justice of the United Nations in resolving armed conflicts, and will consist of: Advocacy Forum for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, Media Forum for Advocacy of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, The 4th HWPL International Law Peace Committee Meeting, International Religious Leaders Conference, Conference for the Implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, 2016 IWPG Network Forum.
On the 18th, there will be an outdoor event at the Seoul Olympic Stadium. This event will mark its beginning with a parade, bringing in participants from all walks of life around the world. The parade will be followed by a card section performance by 12,000 members of the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) with a theme of world peace and cessation of war. This performance is expected to deliver the inspiration of peace and harmony that transcends all borders of nation, race, and religion.
12,000 youth longing for peace presented card section performance at the WARP Summit 2014.
Through the 2014 WARP Summit, HWPL signed on the Agreement to Propose the Enactment of International Law for the Cessation of Wars and World Peace. In September of 2015, HWPL launched the HWPL International Law Peace Committee, which consists of international law scholars, professors, and chief justices. In March of 2016, HWPL proclaimed the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, along with international law experts from various countries.
Following the Declaration, the “Legislate Peace” Campaign (a global advocacy movement aimed at establishing international law consistent with the DPCW) has been conducted worldwide. Since its beginning in March, 535,493 people from 167 different countries have signed their support for the DPCW.
Road map for Legislate Peace Campaign
HWPL’s Peace Projects
1) WARP Summit: Through the WARP Summit which convened for the first time in 2014, HWPL presented two answers to achieve peace: the implementation of the international law on the cessation of war, and a world alliance of religions. Every year since then, the WARP Summit has been sharing its successes in various fields, finding points of further cooperation and direction of advancement.
2) Legislate Peace Campaign: Please click www.peacelaw.org for more information.
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| 2016-08-22T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/ea1cdebb388be876e3b5a90caa593578efe28e6a6b87d351dc4cf77bfdf2883e.json
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[
"Online Editor",
"Segun Abiodun"
] | 2016-08-29T10:50:50 | null | 2016-02-29T00:00:00 | null |
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Two Months on, Flexible FX Policy Fails to Lift Equities Market
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Goddy Egene
The Nigerian equities market has recorded negative performance two months after the implementation of a flexible foreign exchange (FX) policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This is contrary to expectations that the policy will spur inflow of foreign portfolio and domestic investors and lift the market.
The market has shed N151billion in market capitalisation between June 15 when the policy was announced and last Friday, THISDAY analysis has shown. One of the reasons cited for low portfolio inflow into the market was uncertainty about the nation’s FX policy and the CBN’s capital controls.
Available data from the NSE revealed that Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) accounted for 40.43 per cent (N189.45 billion) of total transactions on the nation’s bourse in the first five months of the year, down from 57.04 per cent (N519.34 billion) during the same period the previous year.
So when the CBN announced a flexible policy, it was highly expected that the market would rebound on positive reactions to the policy by foreign and domestic investors.
Although reactions were positive initially, leading to a rise of 1.12 per cent in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) from June 20 to 30, it began a down ward trend since July to last Friday. In all, the market has declined by N151 billion in capitalisation, falling from N9.579 trillion pre-flexible policy to N9.428 trillion last Friday. The ASI has fallen by 1.6 per cent, from 27,891.96 to 27,450.91.
A market analysts, Jude Fejokwu said the market had a transient boost during the last nine trading days of June before returning to a persistent decline after global markets recovered post-Brexit.
Looking at the impact of the policy on the market, analysts at Cordros Capital Limited (CCL), said although the CBN may have responded to the agitations of the FPIs with its decision to lift restrictions on the local currency, early signs since the kick-off date show that the programme has had no immediate impact on FPI activities in equities.
“FPI consensus is that the Naira is not sufficiently devalued at N282-285/US$. Overlaying this on reports from the grapevine that the liquidity of the local currency exchange rate is still (indirectly) largely under the control of the apex bank (judging by the relative stability of the NGN) risks Nigeria from being eliminated from the MSCI Frontier Market Index at the next index review in September and further dampens expectations of expansionary foreign investment flows into Nigeria’s risky assets in the near term,” they said.
The hike in the Monetary Policy Rate to 14 per cent also had a negative impact on the equities market. According to analysts, they expect attractive yields in the fixed income market (as a result of the hike in MPR) to shift investors focus from equities.
“Also, lower oil price and lack of FX liquidity are expected to continue to dampen economic and corporate outlook. We believe that all these factors will weigh on investors’ confidence in the equities market,” they added.
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| 2016-02-29T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/61928b34ddb0d83a1ffda28a1d67a4adf07cc9fc0db5ee3fb4e3890ca6811580.json
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[
"Online Editor",
"Aloy Kris",
"William Norris",
"Mike O"
] | 2016-08-29T02:50:50 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null |
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Discovering Your Why
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What is your why? It’s your reason for waking up in the morning, it’s the philosophy that drives you to excel, to better yourself as a human being, it the source of your individual motivation. I’m a firm believer that motivation is not generated externally, its an enlightening that happens within you, propelling you to a life of excellence.
Having an excellent life is nothing you ever thought it was before. You will be disappointed to find out that it is not the money, good looks, fortune, fame, or being a philanthropist. Now, although there is nothing wrong with having those things in your life, and sure it does make life pretty exciting and fruitful, having those things is simply what we see in the movies or TV shows.
There is but one simple attribute you can muster up in this very moment that will bring you into alignment. The many masters that walked the earth did so with peace and content in their hearts because they knew this secret. Something that is so ridiculously obvious to some, but not so apparent to others. Keep reading and you will get the clearer meaning of what I’m referring to.
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.” Audrey Hepburn.
The Here and Now
It’s about being present and living in the moment. Too many times in life we let things get in the way of us truly enjoying each and every moment- being present in that moment. It’s one of the biggest mistakes people make, and they do so unknowingly.
Being in the moment is what lets you enjoy life and be fully in tune with it, bringing happiness to your life. When you are not present in the moment, your body is present, but your mind is not. You are only thinking or worrying about other things instead. What you’re doing is wasting your time and the time of others. Snap out of it. Be present in each and every moment that you are blessed with. Enjoy those around you and the experiences that you are currently having. This very moment will never happen again exactly the same way, so you might as well be present and enjoy it to it’s fullest potential as well as make it enjoyable to those around you, all by being present in the moment.
You can have all those things we described above, from the fast cars to big boats, but if and only if you are present mentally; otherwise these moments won’t stay with you long enough to matter.
Be Grateful
Sometimes we get caught up in our 21st century problems and complain when our Internet isn’t working fast enough, or if our phone dies too fast. Yes it is pretty evident that we as a generation and a population have become a bit spoiled on just about every aspect of life. We have lost the hustle and expect to be babied, having everything handed to us for the rest of our lives, expecting things to always fall into place for us. This is basic entitlement, I see able-bodied men looking for handouts everyday and getting upset when they don’t recieve. What we all need to do is stop being babies and appreciate what we have been blessed with in this world.
There are many out there that don’t even have half of what you have, and only dream of your life and the opportunities that you have in front of you. We as a generation have managed to take all of this for granted and have forgotten that it takes hard work to truly get what we want out of life. Before you try to get more out of life, try being grateful for what you already have. If you can’t be grateful now, what makes you think that you will appreciate anything else that you acquire along the way?
Respecting Yourself and Others
Next comes love for yourself and the love for your purpose in life. Once you have those two things you will be able to propel your passion in life and allow yourself to wake up every morning and start the day running rather than being miserable, wanting to go back to sleep. Once you attain the love, that is when you attain the respect for others and receive their respect back. Passion is what drives us.
“Respect yourself and other will respect you.” Confucius
Everything on this planet has a presence, from the rocks, plants and animals, to the soil, worms, and the very core of the earth itself. If you cannot see or feel this to be true, this article will not resonate with you.
Be Healthy
Some of us forget the folk tale saying that your wealth means nothing without your health. What are you going to do? Be the fattest and richest guy in the cemetery? No, to truly enjoy life you need to stay healthy and keep a balance in your mind and in your body. I read an article recently by a fairly successful gentlemen his workout time is more important that his company. This, to me, is more than just an idea, it needs to be common practice.
This life was made for your enjoyment not for you to just throw away and take your body for granted. Eat healthy, exercise and be in shape because that is something that comes with success as well, and is apart of being excellent.
Living an excellent life is a lot simpler than you have ever thought. Stop complicating your life and begin with changing your life by starting with yourself, everything else will follow. Once you have created the perfect balance, created the perfect connection between your mind and your body, that is when you live an excellent life, a life full of true peace.
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| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
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Blasphemy: Yari Explains How Eight People Were Killed in Zamfara
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Says they were Muslims, culprits will be prosecuted
Sultan condemns attack
Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
Zamfara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari, has vowed that perpetrators of the violence in Talata Mafara in the state on Monday, resulting in the death of eight persons will be arrested and prosecuted.
Eight persons were set ablaze following an altercation between two students of a polytechnic in Talata Mafara. One of the students was alleged to have committed blasphemy against Prophet Mohammed, resulting in a mob reaction and violence that led to his death and that of seven others when they were burnt alive in a residence.
The governor, who explained the incident to newsmen after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday at the State House, Abuja, said even though no arrest had been made by the police, investigations were on-going to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime do not go unpunished.
Yari said: “At the time I left Zamfara, no arrest had been made. Immediately the incident happened, the school authority shut down the institution.
“The police and DSS are carrying out their investigation and soon there will be arrests. The government will not take this lightly, people taking the law into their hands?
“If you say the punishment of those who abused the Prophet should be death, and you now kill innocent people, and by the way there is a government in place; there are laws and there are courts where Islamic laws are practised in Zamfara.
“So why should someone take the law into his hands? So definitely all the culprits will be brought to book.”
Dispelling the perception that the violence was religious in nature, the governor explained that it was a fallout of a disagreement between two students.
He explained: “I think what happened was unnecessary and it was not supposed to happen. From the intelligence report I got from the security agencies, there was a fight between two students and I think one of them injured the other and started shouting that his assailant had abused Prophet Muhammad and other students came and beat the other boy who is Yoruba and from Kogi State.
“Some people said he was a Muslim and some said the boy was a Christian, so they beat the student until he collapsed and thought he was dead. Then security personnel requested help from one shop owner who then took the boy to the hospital in his car.
“Then the students heard that the boy was still alive and was in the hospital. So they went to the hospital. However, the boy was rescued by soldiers in the hospital. But I don’t know if the boy is alive or dead now.
“Then the students went back to the polytechnic and burnt the shop of the person who gave his car to rescue the boy and they came back to town again and you know the police in the division, they don’t have enough men to contain riots, so before reinforcement could arrive, the crowd threw tyres on the man’s house and burnt the house down.
“That was how everyone in the house was killed and everyone killed in the house was Muslim and not the rumours going around on the social media that Christians were killed in Zamfara.
“In fact, the mob wanted to go and burn churches and attack non-Muslims but the security forces stopped them. Talata Mafara is my home town and that’s where I live.”
Reacting to the attack in Zamfara, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), an Islamic body led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday condemned the violent attack in the state, following the alleged blasphemy on the Prophet of Islam.
JNI described the attack as “most unfortunate”.
“This recurring matter is becoming tediously monotonous and remains condemned in the strongest terms,” the JNI said in the statement signed by its general secretary, Khalid Aliyu.
The JNI said all Muslims should see themselves as faithful in the practice of the religion and not assume the position of judges to mete out punishment against anyone.
“The nasty behaviour of some miscreants should not be misconstrued as the Islamic teaching,” the JNI said.
It conveyed the condolences of the Sultan to “all the affected victims of the unfortunate incidence” and called on “respective predominant Muslim communities to be very wary and cautious of the crafty art of blasphemy within or around their respective communities and learn to handle such matters with utmost caution no matter the provocations that may arise therefrom”.
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| 2016-04-22T00:00:00 |
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I DON’T DO POLITICS III
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OUTSIDE THE BOX BY ALEX OTTI [email protected]
“The worst illiterate is the political illiterate. He hears nothing, sees nothing, and takes no part in political life. He doesn’t seem to know that the cost of living, the price of beans, of flour, of rent, of medicines, all depend on political decisions. He even prides himself on his political ignorance, sticks out his chest and says he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that from his political non-participation, comes the prostitute, the abandoned child, the robber and, worst of all, corrupt officials, the lackeys of exploitative multinational corporations”.
Eugen Bertolt Fredrich Brecht (1898-1956)
There can’t be a better way to conclude our three part treatise on the apathy of competent people towards politics, than the above words of Eugen Brecht. Brecht may appear harsh, but he said the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. There are tons of excuses that many people give for their refusal to participate in politics. This is not new given that it is natural that failure be matched with excuses. But excuses do not correct missteps, actions do. And act, we must if we are interested in saving this country from groping in the dark.
As we act, we must not be deterred by real or imaginary negative consequences. It was Ray Anderson who said that the powers that hold people in bondage do not relinquish control very easily. We must convince ourselves that what we are doing is the right thing and that the powers that we see today, are man-made and with consistency and commitment, we are bound to see them no more, when we have battled them to submission. We must also agree that we collectively own the country and refuse to accept a situation where a few people lord it over the rest of us more so, when there is nothing to indicate that those people have much more to offer.
Some people would agonise that the way politics of the country is organised, it is foolhardy to take the risk. The organisation is such that in the legislature, if you are not a ranking member, you can hardly become a principal officer. The question no one has been able to answer is: where they got ranking members in 1999 at the inception of this republic; who made up the first set of principal officers they had at that time? This action aptly describes the saying about climbing up with a ladder and removing and destroying the ladder to ensure no one else is able to climb. As a result of the ranking policy, some legislators who have added little or no value insist on presenting themselves at every election so as not to lose their ranks. Unfortunately, the elites have failed in their responsibility to take on these legislators and educate the electorate with a view to retiring them as those ranks are useless to the people they are ostensibly representing.
As if that is not enough, we are now faced with a situation where the state of the economy has left states and the Federal governments prostrate. But the same entities have been saddled with so much recurrent bills to pay that sooner or later, they won’t be able to function. What we see is that our leaders still behave as if they were in the era of $100 dollar crude prices. Not a lot of them are worried that there should be a relationship between income and expenditure. As a matter of fact, some of them do not even have the intellectual depth to understand that you can’t give what you don’t have.
We still have to pay humongous pecks which our leaders approved for themselves in the era of oil boom. Our leaders still maintain fleets of aircrafts and vehicles, a retinue of aides and grandiose lifestyle while seeking bailout funds and loans. Meanwhile, civil servants and other workers are owed several months of salary areas. If more competent people show interest in how we are governed, many of our leaders would have been required to answer questions on how our common patrimony is managed and would be forced to sit up. The reason they carry on with reckless abandon is that the people who have the capacity to raise issues, ask questions or even seek to replace them at elections don’t seem to be interested.
Still talking about the economic recession facing us and the fact that we have become a poor nation as espoused by President Buhari last week, I believe this is one opportunity for more competent people to get into the ring. Because of the fall in oil prices, states now go home from Abuja with less than half of the allocations they were getting prior to this time. Unfortunately, most of our leaders don’t get it. They seem not to understand that while it may look attractive, going cap in hand to Abuja for federal allocation is not sustainable. Most of the states can run their affairs without relying on the centre if their leaders knew what to do.
When you look at their policies, some of them take anti-business positions. They refuse to invest in their states, ignore failing infrastructure, pay lip service to security and sanitation issues, and are not interested in both the educational and healthcare delivery systems. When they do, it is approached as a favour to the people rather than as a way to improve the environment to attract investment. I have no doubt that some leaders may be forced to abdicate their thrones as people increasingly get restive about the situation. We can see the signs today, but it is still early days.
Some people will argue that they do not have the required funds to participate in an election as it is known to be very expensive. I must admit that elections are not cheap in this part of the globe. My response, however, is that we must start from somewhere. Since Rome was not built in a day, we don’t expect that everyone would become politically active at the same time. Even if that happened, all of them cannot participate at the same level. May be the best place to start from is those who can afford it. Truth be told, there are a lot of people who are in a position to foot the required bill but shy away. One of the reasons they shy away is self- interest. They don’t want to risk their businesses and professions to go into politics. That is understandable. But they should reflect on Brecht’s exhortations above.
What if the politician takes a decision that could negatively affect or even obliterate your business or profession? What is the cost of having an incompetent person make decisions and pass laws on matters that they sometimes hardly know anything about? Do they spare a thought about the future of their families in the hands of misfits? The point one is raising is that we should start with those who are in a position to support their ambitions and extend to other competent hands, who, even if they are not able to fund elections, should benefit from pooled resources from those that they know to sponsor and support them to power. This is the same thing that the so called “chartered politicians” do to perpetuate themselves in power. All these are possibilities either within the context of existing political party structure or under an entirely new party platform.
The next point and probably the most important one is the issue of the electorate that cast the votes that the politicians ride on to get to power. Because we are not interested, those who are interested offer themselves and it is only those that offer themselves that can be voted for. You will be surprised that a lot of the elites do not even vote in elections.
Some of them see election days as public holidays, so they just watch television sets and sleep the whole day or visit friends within the neighborhood, since movement is usually restricted. Some do not even have voters’ cards as they are not registered voters. Some are so insulated from their environment that they have no clue who the candidates are and don’t care to know. So, if this is your lot, how do you think you can make a difference in the affairs that concern you the most? The issue of voter apathy is demonstrated by data from the recent elections conducted in Nigeria. In the 2015 general election, out of the 91.7million voting age population, only 67.4million people offered themselves to be registered. Of this number, the average voter turnout was just over 43% even though this is a huge improvement from the 29% voter turnout recorded in 2011. It is instructive here to note that for the 2015 figures, the only exception is a local government known as Obingwa in Abia State that returned about 95% voter turnout just for the Governorship election.
This is basically because in this local government, even the dead woke up to vote for the party in power on election day. That is a story for another day. If we compare voter turnout in Nigeria with those of the US at over 70% and UK at over 65%, you will agree that we have a lot of work to do. I believe that if we managed to push the numbers up, the outcomes of those elections may just have been different. I do not wish away the fact that sometimes depending on what is sold to the electorate, they may vote first and seek to understand why they voted later. An example is the recent referendum on Britain’s exit from the European Union. There are reports that after some people voted to exit, they came back to search for the meaning of EU in Google.
What those who know need to do is to take up the responsibility of educating the rest and raising their political consciousness. The electorate needs to understand the power of their votes. They need to be made to understand that those that share rice and bread during elections do not mean well for them. They need to be made to understand that what is being shared belongs to them. They need to know that even after collecting back their money, they can still vote against those sharing the loot.
They need to be taught that those who rig election and write fake results are enemies. They need to know that it is their right to defend their votes and ensure that their votes count. They need to know that until they do things like these, their conditions will not improve. All these do not require too much, other than political education. It is political education that has made government by brute force unattractive. It is the same education that made the citizens of Turkey poured out on the streets a few weeks ago to resist a coup that had almost succeeded.
It is important to note that just like Emperor Haile Selassie said “throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of Justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph”. Finally, Franz Fanon nailed it simply with the following words “every on looker is either a coward or a traitor”. It is for you to choose where you belong.
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| 2016-03-14T00:00:00 |
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As TSA Clocks One…
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BY Kunle Aderinokun
On September 15, 2016, it will be one full year since the President Muhammadu Buhari administration implemented the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, initiated by his predecessor to minimise the cost of government borrowing and maximise the opportunity cost of cash resources.
While the policy has only been in force for a relatively short time, the mix of hard knocks and accolades that this administration has received for its implementation is increasing by the day.
The TSA is a public accounting system, which collates and deposits all government revenue, receipts and income in a single account, maintained by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It is primarily aimed at ensuring accountability of government revenue, enhancing transparency and avoiding misapplication of public funds. In the case of Nigeria, the adoption of the policy is in line with Section 80 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that all revenues raised or received by the Federation…shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federation.
In recent times, government officials have taken turns to justify the adoption of the policy. They claim it has turned around the country’s fortunes, giving teeth to this administration’s avowed war against corruption in the administration of public funds. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, reiterated these recently when he asserted that the judicious management of the TSA has helped to promote the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s fight against corruption and saved Nigeria from imminent collapse.
While speaking at the All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) 2016 in Port Harcourt, he claimed that this administration had managed scarce resources prudently, thanks to TSA, the anti-corruption fight and elimination of ghost workers. He actually said the judicious management of the policy was the reason this administration had managed scarce resources prudently, taking the country from the brink of economic collapse in the nick of time thereby “averting Nigeria’s collapse”. Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, made the same submission earlier this year. At a workshop with accountants in Abuja, she emphasised that the TSA had provided the government financial information on the revenues of agencies it funds, reducing revenue suppression.
“This information is being used to drive our programme to enforce compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and ensure that revenue generating agencies generate expected surpluses and remit to the Federal Purse,” Adeosun explained.
President Buhari has been no less vocal in his defence of the policy. When he assumed office on May 29 last year, the president claimed he inherited an empty treasury which constrained him from executing developmental projects that would ease the hardship experienced by Nigerians in line with his campaign promises. As such, he lost no time stipulating that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) pay their revenue into the TSA or designated accounts maintained and operated in the CBN, giving them September 15, 2015 as the deadline for full compliance. During an interactive meeting with the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom back in February, Buhari reportedly berated his predecessors for operating multiple accounts which they diverted into private pockets, assuring that he would make every Nigerian accountable going forward.
True to his word, the President’s implementation of the TSA has been far-reaching and impactful. Before the implementation of the TSA, government agencies reportedly operated about 17,000 scattered and poorly monitored bank accounts. Naturally, this bred a culture of corruption, manifesting in fragmented bank accounts, compromised revenue remittances and deposit dormancy. But the story is fast changing. Today, details of funds kept within the TSA could be accessed by each agency holding a TSA account, including the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Ministry of Finance.
More importantly, government can keep close tabs on its income and expenditure, and revenue generated by its MDAs could be tracked with relevant details such as payer, purpose, time and place of payment, etc. The monetary policy management and control of the CBN have been strengthened, and the losses the government recorded from loan repayments greatly reduced. At present, the government can receive funds from any part of the country, pay salaries without necessarily uploading salary schedules from separate software to the e-Payment platform and has overall, ensured accountability and transparency in financial transactions.
“The economic challenges affecting our nation demand optimum efficiency in the management of public funds. TSA at the federal level has allowed, for the first time, visibility of the total quantity of government funds at any point in time,” Adeosun explained while highlighting the impact of the policy recently.
Though the benefits of the TSA may be overwhelming, the policy still has its fair share of critics. A school of thought argues that the TSA is laudable but ill-timed, adopted when the real sector is unable to access credit from banks and the majority of Nigerians are struggling to make ends meet. Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast that the Nigerian economy was likely to contract by 1.8 per cent this year. CBN Governor Godwin Emefelie’s prognosis aligned with this. He disclosed that Nigeria was experiencing economic stagflation, resulting in high rates of unemployment, inflation and a decline in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Banks have since keyed into this argument, claiming that their inflow is weak lack of payment for TSA services rendered.
So far, Diamond Bank laid off 200 staff, Ecobank 1,040 and FBN projects it will lay off 1,000 staff nationwide so it can stay afloat. Last Tuesday, the CBN barred nine deposit money banks (DMBs) from the foreign exchange market following their failure to remit $2.334 billion belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the TSA. First Bank, Diamond Bank, Sterling Bank, Skye Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa, Keystone Bank, First City Monument Bank and Heritage Bank made the list of errant banks. CBN officials assured newsmen the sanction would remain in force until the DMBs remit the funds, after which they would be subjected to further disciplinary action.
But some economic watchers assert it has to get worse before it gets better. They explain that the implementation of the policy is timely, and has exposed Nigeria’s weak financial system, built on banks whose claim to strength was reliance on interest generated from multiple deposits which they ironically loaned to the government at high interest rates. On Tuesday, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) managing director, Umaru Ibrahim, was quoted as saying the full implementation of the TSA had signalled the end of armchair banking. He stressed that over three years ago, banks had been warned to diversify their sources of deposit mobilisation to avoid overly relying on government deposits.
“It is an opportunity for banks to refocus on the original purposes for which they were set up to collect depositors’ funds, keep them safe; engage in intermediation to create wealth and jobs for the economy and in the process earn profit for themselves,” noted Prof. Stephen Ocheni of the Department of Public Sector Accounting, Kogi State University, during a recent lecture on the TSA held in Abuja.
Amidst the public debate, the clock may be ticking on the lifespan of the TSA policy just when it is beginning to gain some traction. Indigenous software giant SystemSpecs invented Remita, the software which powers the TSA. However, despite having a valid contractual agreement with the CBN for a 1 per cent service fee to be shared in an agreed formula with the CBN and DMBs, the ICT firm has not been paid by the government. As such, the implementation of the policy may be unsustainable, since SystemSpecs may be unable to provide its service indefinitely while the government withholds its statutory remuneration for services rendered.
“We must promote and reward indigenous entrepreneurs. Except our nation begins to respect intellectual property rights and reward innovation, we must be careful not to scare intellectuals and core professionals from wanting to do any business with government,” SystemSpecs said in a recent press release.
Its Executive Director, Deremi Atanda, reiterated this during an interview with CNBC Africa recently when he argued that it was tough for SystemSpecs to continually render services to the government but remain unpaid indefinitely. “We have taken this challenge upon ourselves for the sake of other IT entrepreneurs,” he said. “It’s not been easy going ahead without being paid for months. But we know that once this is sorted out, it charts the path for others coming into the market.”
If the impasse lingers and the TSA fails, observers say the economy would virtually grind to a halt. Government would basically be cash-strapped and unable to keep tabs on its income and expenditure. Remita is integrated into the commercial bank and MDAs’ systems. The network is so vast that if the banks stop operating the Remita e-collection arrangement, it will cause some significant disruption to the economic life of these agencies. Civil servants would be left unpaid and more significantly, this state of affairs would mark a return to the era of full-scale corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
Government would be forced to resort to borrowing from commercial banks at high interest rates. Unfortunately, the process would not be as smooth-sailing as it used to be, considering that banks are currently grappling with liquidity problems resulting from the implementation of the policy. So, if according to Lai Mohammed’s submission two weeks ago that the TSA “Averted Nigeria’s collapse”, then Mr President must do all that is in power to ensure that the singular most remarkable achievement of this government is not jeopardised, setting us on the path of “collapse”.
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| 2016-02-22T00:00:00 |
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Nigerian Economy Has Never Been this Terrible, Okojie Writes Buhari
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Says country risk descent to anarchy, corruption not restricted to one party
Paul Obi in Abuja
The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubumi Okojie monday in a worded letter to President Muhammadu Buhari said the Nigerian economy has never been this terrible as compare to the present situation under the incumbent government.
Okojie warned that if drastic actions are not taken to rescue the country from the prevailing crisis by the Buhari’s administration, Nigeria risk a descent to anarchy.
He stated that it was wrong-headed for the administration to continue to lay blame on former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
Okojie said: “The Nigerian economy has never been in a state as terrible as this. You as president are like a pilot of an aircraft flying in turbulence. Turbulent times bring the best or the worst out of a pilot.
“We can no longer blame the turbulence on past administrations. You know quite well that some of the officials of your administration served in previous dispensations. Blame for what we have been experiencing is in fact bipartisan in character.
“The entire political class needs to come together, irrespective of party differences, to acknowledge its collective guilt and to seek ways of saving the sinking ship that our country has become.”
Okojie observed that “this cannot be done if some officials of your administration demonise and alienate members of the opposition.
Today, cries of ‘hunger’ could be heard across the length and breadth of our vast country. Nigerians hunger, not only for food, but also for good leadership, for peace, security and justice.
“This letter is to appeal to you to do something fast, and, if you are already doing something, to redouble your effort. May it not be written on the pages of history that Nigerians die of starvation under your watch. As president, you are chief servant of the nation. I therefore urge you to live up to the huge expectation of millions of Nigerians. A stitch in time saves nine.”
On the way forward, the retired Archbishop of Lagos said: “This is the second year of your administration. You and your party promised to lead the masses to the Promised Land. It is not an easy task to lead. But by campaigning for this office, you offered to take the enormous task of leadership upon yourself. Nigerians are waiting for you to fulfill the promises you made during the campaign. They voted you into office because of those promises.
“The introduction of town hall meetings is a commendable idea. But in practice, you, not just your ministers, must converse with Nigerians. You are the president. You must be accountable to them. The buck stops on your desk. Even if your administration has no magic wand at least give some words of encouragement.
“On this same score, please instruct your ministers, and insist that they be sincere and polite at those town meetings. Their sophistry will neither serve you nor Nigerians. Mr. President, if you want to leave a credible legacy come 2019, in all sincerity, please retool your administration. Change is desirable. But it must be a change for the better. Let this change be real. Change is not real when old things that we ought to discard refuse to pass away.”
According to Okojie, Buhari “needs to take a critical look at your cabinet, at the policies and programmes of your administration, and at those who help you to formulate and execute them. You will need to take a critical look at the manner of appointments you have been making.
“It is true that commonsense dictates that you appoint men and women you can trust. But if most of the people you trust are from one section of the country and practice the same religion, then you and all of us are living in insecurity.
“If a large portion of the blame for the present situation is to be laid on the doorsteps of the entire political class, the search for solution must involve everyone. That is why no one should be alienated. All hands must be on deck. This is the time to revitalise moribund industries, reinvigorate our agriculture, make our country tourist and investor friendly, and enable our young men and women to find fulfillment by contributing to the common good.
“None of these lofty goals can be achieved without good education. On this particular issue, recent appointments you have made in the education sector raise a question: have you really appointed the best? Still on education, it is important that our universities be allowed to use their own criteria to admit students.”
He held that “it is a gross violation of the principles of federalism and academic freedom for the federal government to insist that only a federal parastatal can decide on who gains admission into our universities.
“It is the role of the university senate, not of government bureaucrats, to decide on who gets admitted and who is awarded a certificate.”
On the war against corruption, the clergy said: Mr. President, your desire to wage a war on corruption is just and noble. But a just war must be waged with just means.
“Those who have stolen the wealth of this country have broken the laws of our country. They must be treated according to the law and not outside the law, and the outcome of the judicial process must be respected by government. Even accused persons have rights. Where those rights are violated, we risk a descent to anarchy. It is our candid opinion that corruption is not found in only one party. No political party in Nigeria has a monopoly of looters.
“That is why we need an EFCC that is thoroughly independent of the presidency, and an Attorney General without party affiliation working in partnership with various independent accounting institutes. This will ensure that we come up with an objective list of those who plundered our treasury.
“Mr. President, pardon me if I sound like a gratuitous counsellor. I owe you the truth and nothing but the truth. In my life as a public figure and a religious leader, I have offered my counsel, for whatever its worth, to quite a number of presidents in this country. I do this because I desire that you succeed. For the success of the leader is the success of the citizens. If there is no solution to Nigeria’s problem there may be endless war. You strike one town, you gain it, and you come again to regain it.
“Remember that you cannot put a crown on your head. It is the people who put it on you. Otherwise one day, you will get tired of it. Please listen to the legitimate cries of your fellow citizens,” Okojie submitted.
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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Atiku, PDP and Sheriff’s Allegation
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Tunde Rahman With The Column on Politics and Political Issues
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied the accusation linking him with the current crisis tearing at the heart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The factional Chairman of the opposition party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, claimed the quest for the party’s presidential ticket for the 2019 election was the main cause of the PDP crisis. He had also alleged that one of the party’s founding fathers had a hand in it all.
In a recent interview with African Independent Television (AIT), the embattled chairman accused Governor Nyesom Wike and former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, of plotting to hand over the party’s presidential ticket to a prominent leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). “Wike and Secondus are working to give the party’s ticket in 2019 to a man in APC, a man that is not even bold enough to leave the APC and join us. He was in the PDP before. He was a founding father of the PDP,” Sheriff said, adding, “I don’t have to mention him (his name). Secondus himself told me that he and Wike always meet this man to strategise on 2019. I told him that it is wrong; if the man is bold enough, let him come and join us now”.
Sheriff was apparently referring to Atiku. And the former vice president knows this that much, which was why he quickly responded to the allegation. He said he had no hand in the PDP crisis. Sheriff has not provided any evidence yet to contradict Atiku’s denial. He did not even tender any evidence to back his statement beyond his claim that Secondus allegedly told him that he (Secondus) and Wike had been meeting Atiku to strategise on 2019. While it may be true that Atiku has no hand in the crisis rocking PDP at present, it may not be true that Atiku has no eye on 2019 presidential race, and the former vice president has not said so either. Denying Sheriff’s allegation, Atiku, in a terse statement on his Twitter handle @ Atiku, merely said:”Former VP @ Atiku has no hand in PDP crisis”.
The former vice president nurses a burning ambition to occupy the topmost office in the land. He is a veteran of presidential contests in the country. There is hardly any race for the nation’s presidency he did n’t enlist in since he first indicated interest in the job in 1992 on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). That year, he ran a tight race with late business mogul, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, for SDP’s ticket, eventually losing the ticket to Abiola after a second ballot. Atiku’s undying ambition to be president is widely known. That ambition is believed to have played a part in the ill-tempered face-off between him and President Obasanjo, which rocked their administration from the beginning of Obasanjo’s second term in 2003 till the very end of that regime.
Also, that presidential ambition has seen Atiku in and out of PDP like Sheriff said. In 2007, he contested for the presidency on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the party he ran to when President Olusegun Obasanjo completely annihilated him in PDP and muscled him out of the party, not without putting up a ferocious resistance though. Four years earlier, the time many political analysts saw as his biggest opportunity because Obasanjo’s fabled magnificence was already downhill, Atiku failed to join the race because he was largely indecisive.
Instead, he accepted to be Obasanjo’s running mate on PDP platform, even though the strain was already noticeable in their union. He returned again to PDP in 2011 to contest for the party’s ticket with a sitting President Goodluck Jonathan. Of course, he lost woefully. In 2015 and as one of the political heavyweights that birthed the then-opposition All Progressives Congress, Atiku again came out to contest for the party’s presidential ticket at a time the clamour for General Muhammadu Buhari to mount the saddle was at its zenith. He came a distant third, behind Buhari and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa kwankwanso. Buhari won the ensuing presidential poll, defeating incumbent President Jonathan.
Now, will Atiku throw his hat into the ring for the 2019 presidential contest? Big question! Let me first say that whatever Atiku decides to do in respect of 2019 is his choice. If he decides to run, he will be exercising his fundamental human right. He is eminently qualified for the office. He knows his onions. He is articulate and has wide network of contacts nationally and internationally. He is clear-headed and has outstanding ideas about what he wants to do for this country if he emerges president.
His prescription on restructuring as a panacea for resolving the nation’s political problems, which he unfolded the other day in Abuja, was profound and insightful. I had argued elsewhere before that I would prefer leaders like Atiku who over the years had laboured laboriously, fought courageously to be president and prepared elaborately for the office to mount the saddle some day as opposed to some others like Obasanjo, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Jonathan who had to be goaded into the race and foisted on us when they did not struggle for the office and appeared ill- prepared for it.
But my sense is though the present administration is still battling to make the desired impact and the people are yet to get the ‘change’ they voted for and also we do not know yet what Buhari will do in respect of 2019 race (whether he will do a Mandela option), Atiku will be embarking on another wild goose chase if he ventures into the 2019 presidential race. Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, even with its alleged imperfection, is been waged stubbornly and the president is being applauded at home and abroad for it. That trend seems irreversible and the crusade may sound the death knell of those who have corruption baggage in their bid to occupy leadership positions in future. Atiku is battling the public perception that he is generally corrupt, which may hunt him in 2019, the same albatross that may hunt former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, to his grave.
• Rahman, former Editor, Thisday on Sunday, is Managing Editor of Western Post. Follow him on Twitter @tunderahmanu
Obasanjo’s Rare Rejoinder
It’s not usually in the character of former President Obasanjo to say something and turn round to deny it. He would say something and would stand by what he said. So when the former president denied the statement credited to him in the media that three or four of them from different parts of the country got together and brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015 (perhaps the same way three or four Northerners brought him (Obasanjo) to power in 1999 from prison), I verily believed him. But the statement credited to him is also believable. Obasanjo was reported to have made the statement at a reception organised for him in Jalingo, Taraba State capital where he went on a visit. He has, however, issued a denial, saying nobody can claim glory for Buhari’s election. The problem, as I indicated earlier, is the statement credited to him is believable. It is in synch with the former president’s character to revel in incredulous vain-glory, in moral righteousness.
He likes to see himself as that super being that knows all the nation’s problems and the solutions to them. The sad thing, however, is when he was catapulted to power again in 1999, 20 years after he voluntarily handed over power to a civilian as a military leader, it was n’t a jolly ride to Eldorado for the country as many had expected. Obasanjo tried his best but through some self-conceited decisions and actions, which again was a throw-back to his persona; his era turned out not exactly a glorious one. It’s all well and good that Obasanjo acknowledged that Buhari was brought to power by the collective will of the people, not by any single person or group. A majority of Nigerians voted for Buhari because they were yearning for ‘change’ from the clueless government of President Goodluck Jonathan. More than one year after that historic vote, have the people gotten the ‘change’ they happily voted for? Big question!
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| 2016-08-06T00:00:00 |
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Exercise Crocodile Smile: Military Destroys 7 Illegal Refineries, Others, Arrests 12 Suspected Militants
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Sylvester Idowu in Warri
In what looked like a real war battle, the military under “Exercise Crocodile Smiles” on Tuesday descended on some riverine communities, destroying about seven illegal refineries in Delta State.
The special operation, according to a security source, began on Monday night when access in and out of the communities in Bomadi, Burutu, Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West Local Government areas of the state were cordoned off overnight.
It was learnt that the war like operation began on Tuesday morning when reinforcement were sent through the boats to targeted spots before helicopter gunships were deployed to disclocate the militants and illegal refineries operators as well as Cotonou boats.
“It was just like a real war. The militants did not bargain for what they got. The helicopter gunship, while approaching the targeted spots fired smoke shots into the area while the soldiers in gunboats moved closer to block their escape routes. Before they knew what was happening, the helicopters were hovering over the location with troops descending with parachutes. They were picked just like rain-beaten fowls”, a security source confided in THISDAY.
It was gathered that similar operations were carried out in other marked spots after which about 12 militants and illegal oil refineries operators were arrested.
According to a recorded conversation between a security agent and one of the arrested suspects, a militant, he said: “Oga I didn’t know the soldiers can work like this. I thought we will be shooting and dodging bullets while running in the swamps but they just came like that and took us without firing any shot.
“When the helicopter fired the shots, the smoke is like that of the police. We were running around but before we knew it, soldiers that jumped from the helicopters were just handcuffing us. They wore masks so the smoke didn’t disturb them. I threw my gun away. I won’t fight government again”, he said.
THISDAY observed that while the operations were going on in the creeks, police presence in major roads in Warri, Ughelli, Sapele and environs was massive, apparently to checkmate the hoodlums that might have escaped from the military onslaught in the waterways and creeks.
It was learnt that the police keyed in to the military exercise to, once and for all, reduce the activities of violent hoodlums terrorising the residents, since most of them come from the riverine communities to operate.
The Warri Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, Muazu Mohammed, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said though the police was not part of the operation, the presence of his men at strategic spots in and around Warri was to apprehend fleeing hoodlums from the military exercise.
“I stationed my men in strategic spots to prevent those who might have escaped from the military exercise in the nearby creeks. It is the normal thing for us to do”, he said.
Reacting to the development in the creeks, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Tuesday called on military officers carrying out the military operation, styled Operation Crocodile Smile, in the Niger Delta to stop the constant harassment and intimidation of innocent villagers along the Warri and Forcados Rivers in Delta State.
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http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/08/30/exercise-crocodile-smile-military-destroys-7-illegal-refineries-others-arrests-12-suspected-militants/
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/43ad0913bfa3f078c50fb6d52b579dda3a668f34a7cd2c3f3da2cd8bd8d1bcab.json
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[
"Online Editor",
"Shola Babsaro-Lambo",
"David Soul",
"Jon West"
] | 2016-08-29T00:50:46 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null |
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisdaylive.com%2Findex.php%2F2016%2F08%2F28%2Ffg-insists-unemployed-nigerians-must-register-to-benefit-from-social-intervention-schemes%2F.json
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http://i1.wp.com/leadersandco.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/26161221/Chris-Ngige.jpg?fit=800%2C600
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en
| null |
FG Insists Unemployed Nigerians Must Register to Benefit from Social Intervention Schemes
| null | null |
www.thisdaylive.com
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Paul Obi and Marvellous Okeke in Abuja
The federal government on Sunday insisted that all unemployed Nigerians must register online before they can benefit from any social intervention scheme (SIS) of the government, as registration is now mandatory for job seekers and other empowerment programmes.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, stated this over the weekend while flagging off the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) School-to-Work Programme in Calabar, Cross River State.
He spoke against the backdrop of different agencies of government laying claim to the ownership of the programmes, a move that might isolate the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The minister urged all unemployed Nigerians to register at the online job portal of the Social Intervention Scheme of the Federal Government in order to benefit from different categories of programmes which government is offering.
“Unfortunately, as we speak, by last week, the portal has only recorded about 1.2 million persons. We expect more persons to have been registered in the portal before our screening exercise. The portal closes 31st August 2016 which is just few days away,” Ngige said.
“For those who are not computer literate, we advise state governments to encourage them by using local government chairmen to move into local government areas and register the unemployment persons there, so that they can qualify to be considered for the scheme. Each state of the federation is expected to recruit about 1,500 persons.”
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http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/08/28/fg-insists-unemployed-nigerians-must-register-to-benefit-from-social-intervention-schemes/
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en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.thisdaylive.com/e8d8c8990c459eff56b13cbd6a281eb1636bd118abaa20cdf061fefb2ec68e96.json
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