A middle-aged man who narrowly escaped death in the hands of angry teachers for allegedly impregnating a secondary school girl was on Wednesday confirmed to be a Personal Assistant to the Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime. Our reporter gathered that the true identity of the man (names withheld) was found in his Kia car impounded by the angry teachers. The car was still lying at the premises of Metropolitan Girls Secondary School located at Ogui New layout Enugu as at the time of this report along with his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and other documents found in the car. However, indication were rife that the powers that-be have intervened and directed the officials of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) presently handling the investigation to soft pedal. When our reporter visited the Enugu zonal office of NAPTIP located at GRA in Enugu yesterday afternoon, a top female official of the command who refused to disclose her identity said, “we don’t comment on cases being investigated, so no comment”. The suspect who was earlier mistaken for a local contractor was beaten to pulp and stripped naked for allegedly impregnating an SS1 student of the school (names withheld). The cat was let out of the bag when the victim suddenly slumped on the ground during morning assembly on that fateful Wednesday bleeding profusely. She later named the man responsible for the pregnancy. He was therefore lured to the school where he was mobbed. State Commissioner for Education, Professor Uche Okolo who earlier confirmed the incident told reporters that “a man was apprehended. The man defiled a girl. The girl got pregnant. The child was bleeding and rushed to hospital. The school made a report to NAPTIP. The man came to the school to take the girl and he was arrested. The good thing is that he has been apprehended. He should go and face the law”, he added. -
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Jonathan to kick-start N700b Abuja City Centre project
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has concluded plans to kick-start the development of the Abuja City Centre, which will cost 3.5 billion US Dollars (about N700 billion) before May 29, 2015. Disclosing this yesterday in Abuja when investors in the Abuja City Centre project made an in-depth presentation to the FCT Administration’s team, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed noted that the project was one of the milestone achievements of the Transformation Agenda of President Jonathan in the Federal Capital Territory. Senator Mohammed explained that Chicason Group would execute the multi-billion-naira project in partnership with an international developer, Eagle Hills, adding that the Federal Government under President Jonathan was determined to make Abuja a tourist destination of Africa. He said that it explained why the development of the 17 hectares of prime land was on the front burner of the government. The Minister revealed that the Abuja City Centre would be a mixed-use development that has the capacity to generate about 10,000 jobs with its multiplier effect on the economy of the entire country. According to him, the FCT Administration would enjoy 5 percent equity share holding in the Abuja City Centre Development Company Limited, being a special purpose company incorporated to own and operate the Centre; whilst the Abuja Investment Company Limited would hold such share in trust for the Administration. He said, “The land premium as well as the development control charges accruable to the FCT Administration would be used as its equity contribution to the project.” “In addition, the investors would construct a National Mall at the cost of 40million US Dollars at no cost to the FCT Administration.” The FCT Permanent Secretary, Engr. John O. Chukwu, FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr. Adamu Ismaila as well as other technical directors of the FCT Administration attended the presentation session. Also speaking during the presentation, Jaimal Shergill, Executive Director (Africa), Eagle Hills, Abu Dhabi, disclosed that the Abuja City Centre project comprises of four international hotels, residential houses, offices, shops as well as condominium which would further stimulate economic activities not only in Abuja but in the entire West Africa sub region. He assured that the ground breaking of the Centre would be undertaken before May 29, 2015, adding that the entire project would be executed in two phases. On the team of the investors were the Chairman of Chicason Group, Chief Chika Okafor and Odunayo Ojo, Director of Development and Projects, Eagle Hills, Abu Dhabi
2015: With me as governor, Jonathan can’t lose in Bauchi – Yuguda -
Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, is one of the outgoing Peoples Democratic Party governors, whose political sagacity is being tasked in the bid to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan come March 28 this year.
By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
Although he has won many political battles in the past, the forthcoming election remains a test case that may push his political wizardry to the limit given the challenge being thrown at him from within and without his party. But in this interview, the two-time governor boasts that he is equal to the challenge, insisting that Jonathan cannot lose in Bauchi with him presiding over as the governor of the state.
Excerpts:
From your assessment of the political atmosphere in your state, can you say with confidence that Bauchi State is ready to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28 this year? The question is pertinent given suspicion that some northern governors want to elect Buhari and then work for their cronies in the PDP to succeed them. Any truth in this?
Well, I must say that for any governor of northern extraction to take that kind of position would be a very satanic betrayal because for me, I am not in PDP to tell the president that I am with him and will turn round to do something against him as the president and leader of my party. That would amount to betrayal and betrayal is one of those things that is forbidden by Islam. I will never be a party to that. I would rather have told President Jonathan face to face, just like the other governors who left had done that they would not work with him and I would have walked away rather than remain in the party to work against him. After all, what have I not seen in this country? I have been part and parcel of the Nigerian project. I had served before as a two time minister, a banker and as a governor for eight years. Having come this far in the politics of this country why can’t I tell the truth and stand by it as a governor of a state?
But are you not afraid that your people would see you as an infidel if you don’t work for Buhari?
Look, there is no such issue. The issue at stake is this: are you talking about the votes of the governors themselves or the votes of the people under them? There is no way Nigerians in Bauchi will not vote of Jonathan and Buhari during the election. What we should be talking about is the percentage of votes for each. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you that the votes will be cast for one person. It is not possible in today’s Nigeria. But I want to assure Nigerians that Jonathan will win in Bauchi to enable him to continue the good work that he is doing in Aso Rock. In that case, I want to assure the president that he cannot lose election in Bauchi State when I am the field commander.
There is this allegation that Jonathan was stoned at the Bauchi Stadium when he came for campaign. Was he really stoned because as we speak, no such picture has been released to the public domain?
I want to say that I am not aware of the destruction of vehicles during the rally. All I am aware is that at the time when we were at the venue of the rally, there were some incidents of some youths throwing missiles at the podium when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was speaking. That I knew about. Again, at the time I came with the president and we were going round, some miscreants pelted us with some stones. Also, as we drove into the town with Mr. President, some youths were organised to raise brooms as our convoy was passing by.
That I know was organised ostensibly to give the erroneous impression that Isa Yuguda is hated by his own people. But that is not the true position. I think the social media carried some clips that seemed to suggest that there was stoning of some people on the podium.
But I want to assure all Nigerians that President Goodluck Jonathan was not stoned at the Bauchi Stadium on the day he came to campaign there. I was also not stoned while making my own speech on that day. In fact, when the president stood up and shouted Asalamilekum, everybody stood up and answered him and when I came and shouted, “Nigeria!” the same crowd rose and answered, “Sai Jonathan” up to five times.
That was the reaction of the people of Bauchi to Mr. President when he came campaigning in the state that day. So, that goes to confirm the acceptability and the support that Mr. President has in Bauchi as against the impression being given by some persons that he was stoned and rejected in Bauchi. That is far from the truth and Nigerians should know that. Mr. President is definitely welcome in Bauchi. If that was not the case, I would have told the President and pleaded with him to allow me go elsewhere. But to the extent that I know the people of Bauchi are with me I have the comfort to tell the president that I am with him.
There is this open suspicion that the three most senior PDP leaders in the state -the National Chairman, the FCT Minister and you the governor-are not working together in the process of delivering the state to Mr. President. What could be the problem or the missing link?
Well, what I can say is that I have tried very hard to work closely with these people you have mentioned to bring about peace and success for the party and the president. I think that if the two of them do not want to work with me, Nigerians should understand why it is so. They should understand that I stand out as the elected governor of Bauchi State and that they are appointees of the president.
I am the field commander for Mr. President in my state. I won my election after leaving PDP in January 2007 and two months later I won my election as governor under the platform of the ANPP, defeating PDP and the same party should know today that I decided to return to PDP after leaving ANPP. They should also remember that in 2011, I stood for election under PDP and won despite the fact that these same set of people fought against me. So, it is the will of Allah that I am with my people. And it stands to reason that if I am with Mr. President, my people too, are with him and there is no reason to fear. I can say that there is no reason Jonathan can lose election in my state except some of these people you are talking about are sabotaging us.
But let me say that winning election requires only 25 percent and Jonathan is going to get it this time around. In 2011, he did not get it but this time around he is going to win in Bauchi. But I should be allowed to carry my cross and deliver the state to Jonathan; I don’t need anybody’s assistance. I only need God’s assistance and I am praying that Mr. President gives me his support. Let him allow me to do my job as his field commander. He does not need to come back to Bauchi for campaign. I am there for him. I will deliver for him. After all, there are many states which do not have Abuja politician and they are winning elections for him. Jigawa is one of them, Niger is another. , Sokoto was one of them and many others. So, If I can perform the feat that other governors have not performed, they should give me the chance to prove my capacity as I did before, that is leaving PDP, defeating PDP, coming back into the PDP and defeating the opposition, then they should know I am not just there to make noise but to deliver.
As you are about to hand over to your successor in May, have you been able to deliver on your promises to the state and its people?
Yes, absolutely. I can say that I am more than satisfied with what I set out to do when I assumed office in 2007 and 2011. I can say without fear of contradiction that I have delivered on all the promises I made to the people of the state. Of all the things I promised I would do, there is only one that is yet to take off, that is the Kafinsa Dam project, which is a Federal Government Project.
Can we have an idea of some of the projects?
Let’s start with health: I have constructed over 50 brand new hospitals and a specialist hospital, which is now a referral one, which is the best hospital in West Africa today. I can boast that there is not one of its kind anywhere in Nigeria as at today and I challenge any hospital management in any part of Nigeria to visit Bauchi to see things for themselves. Nigerians don’t need to go outside for any medical attention with the completion of this hospital in the state. All the equipment are there and it is not mere talk. I have delivered on all the rural projects I promised. These are in terms of roads, water supply and electricity. I have constructed over 400 motorised boreholes and schools. I have constructed over 1000 primary health centres, I have rehabilitated almost 90 percent of all secondary and primary schools in the state and fitted them with chairs and tables and 6 billion books. Bauchi and Lagos states are perhaps the only states that have been able to supply books from the primary to the secondary schools to their people.
I have established a state-owned university with all faculties except that of of Medicine. I have made it possible for us to have a teaching hospital. I handed over the facilities of the then Bauchi Specialist Hospital to the Federal Government to set up one and it is one of the best. I have constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria and it has one of the most modern facilities as at today. It is ready to support the economy of the country because it can handle any type of aircraft.
There is a rumour that you are owing workers’ salaries. Why have you not paid?
I do not owe anyone any salary. I have said it before because some people claim that the state is owing them one month salary arrears. I still maintain that it is not true we are not indebted to any category of workers. What happened was that I was going to pay what we call 13th month salary to workers as a bonus but since they claim that it is a debt; I have withdrawn the bonus so that we maintain a clean record of payment of staff salaries. Bauchi state is the only state that does not owe any salary arrears to its workers. That is the truth.
By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
Although he has won many political battles in the past, the forthcoming election remains a test case that may push his political wizardry to the limit given the challenge being thrown at him from within and without his party. But in this interview, the two-time governor boasts that he is equal to the challenge, insisting that Jonathan cannot lose in Bauchi with him presiding over as the governor of the state.
*Gov. Yuguda
From your assessment of the political atmosphere in your state, can you say with confidence that Bauchi State is ready to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28 this year? The question is pertinent given suspicion that some northern governors want to elect Buhari and then work for their cronies in the PDP to succeed them. Any truth in this?
Well, I must say that for any governor of northern extraction to take that kind of position would be a very satanic betrayal because for me, I am not in PDP to tell the president that I am with him and will turn round to do something against him as the president and leader of my party. That would amount to betrayal and betrayal is one of those things that is forbidden by Islam. I will never be a party to that. I would rather have told President Jonathan face to face, just like the other governors who left had done that they would not work with him and I would have walked away rather than remain in the party to work against him. After all, what have I not seen in this country? I have been part and parcel of the Nigerian project. I had served before as a two time minister, a banker and as a governor for eight years. Having come this far in the politics of this country why can’t I tell the truth and stand by it as a governor of a state?
But are you not afraid that your people would see you as an infidel if you don’t work for Buhari?
Look, there is no such issue. The issue at stake is this: are you talking about the votes of the governors themselves or the votes of the people under them? There is no way Nigerians in Bauchi will not vote of Jonathan and Buhari during the election. What we should be talking about is the percentage of votes for each. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you that the votes will be cast for one person. It is not possible in today’s Nigeria. But I want to assure Nigerians that Jonathan will win in Bauchi to enable him to continue the good work that he is doing in Aso Rock. In that case, I want to assure the president that he cannot lose election in Bauchi State when I am the field commander.
There is this allegation that Jonathan was stoned at the Bauchi Stadium when he came for campaign. Was he really stoned because as we speak, no such picture has been released to the public domain?
I want to say that I am not aware of the destruction of vehicles during the rally. All I am aware is that at the time when we were at the venue of the rally, there were some incidents of some youths throwing missiles at the podium when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was speaking. That I knew about. Again, at the time I came with the president and we were going round, some miscreants pelted us with some stones. Also, as we drove into the town with Mr. President, some youths were organised to raise brooms as our convoy was passing by.
That I know was organised ostensibly to give the erroneous impression that Isa Yuguda is hated by his own people. But that is not the true position. I think the social media carried some clips that seemed to suggest that there was stoning of some people on the podium.
But I want to assure all Nigerians that President Goodluck Jonathan was not stoned at the Bauchi Stadium on the day he came to campaign there. I was also not stoned while making my own speech on that day. In fact, when the president stood up and shouted Asalamilekum, everybody stood up and answered him and when I came and shouted, “Nigeria!” the same crowd rose and answered, “Sai Jonathan” up to five times.
That was the reaction of the people of Bauchi to Mr. President when he came campaigning in the state that day. So, that goes to confirm the acceptability and the support that Mr. President has in Bauchi as against the impression being given by some persons that he was stoned and rejected in Bauchi. That is far from the truth and Nigerians should know that. Mr. President is definitely welcome in Bauchi. If that was not the case, I would have told the President and pleaded with him to allow me go elsewhere. But to the extent that I know the people of Bauchi are with me I have the comfort to tell the president that I am with him.
There is this open suspicion that the three most senior PDP leaders in the state -the National Chairman, the FCT Minister and you the governor-are not working together in the process of delivering the state to Mr. President. What could be the problem or the missing link?
Well, what I can say is that I have tried very hard to work closely with these people you have mentioned to bring about peace and success for the party and the president. I think that if the two of them do not want to work with me, Nigerians should understand why it is so. They should understand that I stand out as the elected governor of Bauchi State and that they are appointees of the president.
I am the field commander for Mr. President in my state. I won my election after leaving PDP in January 2007 and two months later I won my election as governor under the platform of the ANPP, defeating PDP and the same party should know today that I decided to return to PDP after leaving ANPP. They should also remember that in 2011, I stood for election under PDP and won despite the fact that these same set of people fought against me. So, it is the will of Allah that I am with my people. And it stands to reason that if I am with Mr. President, my people too, are with him and there is no reason to fear. I can say that there is no reason Jonathan can lose election in my state except some of these people you are talking about are sabotaging us.
But let me say that winning election requires only 25 percent and Jonathan is going to get it this time around. In 2011, he did not get it but this time around he is going to win in Bauchi. But I should be allowed to carry my cross and deliver the state to Jonathan; I don’t need anybody’s assistance. I only need God’s assistance and I am praying that Mr. President gives me his support. Let him allow me to do my job as his field commander. He does not need to come back to Bauchi for campaign. I am there for him. I will deliver for him. After all, there are many states which do not have Abuja politician and they are winning elections for him. Jigawa is one of them, Niger is another. , Sokoto was one of them and many others. So, If I can perform the feat that other governors have not performed, they should give me the chance to prove my capacity as I did before, that is leaving PDP, defeating PDP, coming back into the PDP and defeating the opposition, then they should know I am not just there to make noise but to deliver.
As you are about to hand over to your successor in May, have you been able to deliver on your promises to the state and its people?
Yes, absolutely. I can say that I am more than satisfied with what I set out to do when I assumed office in 2007 and 2011. I can say without fear of contradiction that I have delivered on all the promises I made to the people of the state. Of all the things I promised I would do, there is only one that is yet to take off, that is the Kafinsa Dam project, which is a Federal Government Project.
Can we have an idea of some of the projects?
Let’s start with health: I have constructed over 50 brand new hospitals and a specialist hospital, which is now a referral one, which is the best hospital in West Africa today. I can boast that there is not one of its kind anywhere in Nigeria as at today and I challenge any hospital management in any part of Nigeria to visit Bauchi to see things for themselves. Nigerians don’t need to go outside for any medical attention with the completion of this hospital in the state. All the equipment are there and it is not mere talk. I have delivered on all the rural projects I promised. These are in terms of roads, water supply and electricity. I have constructed over 400 motorised boreholes and schools. I have constructed over 1000 primary health centres, I have rehabilitated almost 90 percent of all secondary and primary schools in the state and fitted them with chairs and tables and 6 billion books. Bauchi and Lagos states are perhaps the only states that have been able to supply books from the primary to the secondary schools to their people.
I have established a state-owned university with all faculties except that of of Medicine. I have made it possible for us to have a teaching hospital. I handed over the facilities of the then Bauchi Specialist Hospital to the Federal Government to set up one and it is one of the best. I have constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria and it has one of the most modern facilities as at today. It is ready to support the economy of the country because it can handle any type of aircraft.
There is a rumour that you are owing workers’ salaries. Why have you not paid?
I do not owe anyone any salary. I have said it before because some people claim that the state is owing them one month salary arrears. I still maintain that it is not true we are not indebted to any category of workers. What happened was that I was going to pay what we call 13th month salary to workers as a bonus but since they claim that it is a debt; I have withdrawn the bonus so that we maintain a clean record of payment of staff salaries. Bauchi state is the only state that does not owe any salary arrears to its workers. That is the truth.
Jonathan’ll not sack Jega but… – FG
The Minister of Culture and Tourism and the Supervising Minister of Information, Chief Edem Duke, has debunked the rumour making rounds that President Jonathan has an agenda to sack the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, illegally.
The Minister spoke during his maiden meeting with information correspondents at Radio House, Abuja, adding however, that ‘’this is not to say that, if it is time for INEC chairman to naturally exit his office, then the natural course of public service rule will not take place when he has reached age of retirement or exhausted his tenure.”
He said, “I align myself with Mr. President that he has no plan to sack the INEC chairman. President Jonathan reaffirmed the confidence reposed on the INEC chairman and reiterated that the administration has no plan whatsoever to send the electoral umpire illegally packing. Bu nothing would debar the INEC boss from proceeding on retirement when the need arises, in line with the civil service rule and as enshrined in the constitution.’’
Although the Minister did not explain further it was gathered that the administration was angry with Jega for introducing the Card Reader as a means of accreditation for the general elections without briefing the Federal Government over the issue.
‘’Jega wants to try a new system of accreditation without briefing the Presidency over the issue. No freedom is absolute. Section 125 of the constitution forbids electronic voting. Although the card reader can not be used for voting, it is for checking voters.
‘’Secondly, the point Jega also missed is that Nigeria is not a place you can introduce that type of system without trial or experimentation. You try some of these things using local government elections .You can start with council election, beginning with councilors, local government chairmen in that other before you proceed to governorship and presidential elections.
‘’But Jega is starting his experiment with the presidential election, It is wrong even though people are playing politics with the matter,’’ the source told Saturday Vanguard.
Meanwhile, Duke has urged media practitioners to beware of rumour mongers and ensure that that they separate truth from propaganda that was now the order of the day in the country due to the ongoing electioneering campaigns.
“With the elections around the corner, it is important for every one of us to apply some sense of decorum, sense of patriotism and sense of judgmental guide in a manner that whatever we do, especially at this critical time of our nation’s development, we must be guided strictly by spirit of professionalism and love of our country.
‘Those who are competing for offices in the course of these elections are the ones feeding social media with propaganda because they have no records to back their aspiration; they had spent a lot of resources, time and ingenuity building social media propaganda so that by the time campaign commenced, they were ready with propaganda against government in power.
“They embark on massive publicity campaign, recruit electoral PR companies to sell products that do not exist and these are thrown to the public during election. But we must realise that truth struck a thousand times will always rise again because the eternal age of time belongs to truth.
“You can’t use social media to say 14 new universities were not build, import bill has not dropped with marshal plan for agricultural revolution. You cannot use the social media to blindfold Nigerians that government has not build over 125 Almajiri schools or that 22 airports were not remodeled or five new international airports are not being built. You can’t say Nigeria is not the biggest economy in Africa and that inflation is not at single digit with a growth rate that has positioned Nigeria as one of the six fastest growing economies in the world,” he further said
The Minister spoke during his maiden meeting with information correspondents at Radio House, Abuja, adding however, that ‘’this is not to say that, if it is time for INEC chairman to naturally exit his office, then the natural course of public service rule will not take place when he has reached age of retirement or exhausted his tenure.”
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega
Although the Minister did not explain further it was gathered that the administration was angry with Jega for introducing the Card Reader as a means of accreditation for the general elections without briefing the Federal Government over the issue.
‘’Jega wants to try a new system of accreditation without briefing the Presidency over the issue. No freedom is absolute. Section 125 of the constitution forbids electronic voting. Although the card reader can not be used for voting, it is for checking voters.
‘’Secondly, the point Jega also missed is that Nigeria is not a place you can introduce that type of system without trial or experimentation. You try some of these things using local government elections .You can start with council election, beginning with councilors, local government chairmen in that other before you proceed to governorship and presidential elections.
‘’But Jega is starting his experiment with the presidential election, It is wrong even though people are playing politics with the matter,’’ the source told Saturday Vanguard.
Meanwhile, Duke has urged media practitioners to beware of rumour mongers and ensure that that they separate truth from propaganda that was now the order of the day in the country due to the ongoing electioneering campaigns.
“With the elections around the corner, it is important for every one of us to apply some sense of decorum, sense of patriotism and sense of judgmental guide in a manner that whatever we do, especially at this critical time of our nation’s development, we must be guided strictly by spirit of professionalism and love of our country.
‘Those who are competing for offices in the course of these elections are the ones feeding social media with propaganda because they have no records to back their aspiration; they had spent a lot of resources, time and ingenuity building social media propaganda so that by the time campaign commenced, they were ready with propaganda against government in power.
“They embark on massive publicity campaign, recruit electoral PR companies to sell products that do not exist and these are thrown to the public during election. But we must realise that truth struck a thousand times will always rise again because the eternal age of time belongs to truth.
“You can’t use social media to say 14 new universities were not build, import bill has not dropped with marshal plan for agricultural revolution. You cannot use the social media to blindfold Nigerians that government has not build over 125 Almajiri schools or that 22 airports were not remodeled or five new international airports are not being built. You can’t say Nigeria is not the biggest economy in Africa and that inflation is not at single digit with a growth rate that has positioned Nigeria as one of the six fastest growing economies in the world,” he further said
‘Why Obasanjo is having issues with Jonathan’
Chief Augustine Onyemaechi Mazie, is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, New Paradigm Transformation Initiative, NPTI, and strong advocate of unity, peace and progress of Nigeria. A retired Air Force personnel, he served as the Chairman Unity Campaign Team for the Election of the National Chairman and National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2001 and is a two-time Principal Secretary of PDP, 2001 and 2005. In this interview, he bared his mind on the chances of the presidential candidates of the two major political parties in the forthcoming elections, saying that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari would have toppled Jonathan’s administration if he was still in the military. He also spoke on why former President Obasanjo is having issues with President Jonathan. Excerpts.
What is NTI’s assessment of Jonathan’s re-election bid?
The New Paradigm for Transformation Initiative, NPTI, is a socio-economic and Non-Governmental Organization, committed to the improvement and sustenance of peace, unity, positive transformation of Nigeria, and socio-economic wellbeing of the Nigerian people. In essence, one of the cardinal principles of the organization is to support any leader that upholds the principles of good governance.
Presently, it is pledging its support to President Goodluck Jonathan because the members were convinced that the President truly inspired them through his transformational policies and initiatives like FoI law, free and fair elections, institutional restructuring, economic reawakening and the ongoing infrastructural revival. As stakeholders in Nigeria, we in NPTI can talk about what is wrong with Nigeria, if the President is not tackling the Transformation Agenda, which he promised Nigerians, but if Nigerians are misunderstanding what he has been doing, we will help him to project his good work.
Don’t you feel jittery that the President is not getting the expected support?
Well, I can tell you that there is no fear at all in the Jonathan camp as I speak. I have come to realize that some people criticize everything that is begin said about the President without actually knowing what is being done. Some people said that President Jonathan has not built roads and other infrastructure, you cannot say that of him. If they are saying that, what were the situations of our roads when he became President? If you travelled during the last Christmas and saw the condition of the roads. You would agree with me that he is working.
But some people will wonder if it is only roads you could point at?
But he has performed in other areas as well. Take a look at our railways. I was so happy because I have little children who didn’t know when the rail were running, but this past December, we saw train running from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
The President has not hidden his plan for the aviation sector. When you go round, you will realize that he has worked on that sector too, including agriculture, economy, and attracting foreign direct investments.
What is your take on his anti-corruption war?
I am surprised that the opposition is talking about corruption. Obasanjo in his inaugural speech as President in 1999, commented on corruption. He said he was going to fight corruption, but this corruption turned back to fight them. And you can see that is what is happening to Jonathan now.
Do you think his approach to the fight is yielding result?
The fact that the President has not jailed anybody does not mean he is not fighting corruption. He said “I am putting structures in place to be sure that if you block the way people steal money, there will no more corruption’’. The President is devising a system that was created by past leaders that will not tempt people to commit corruption. He said we have to put some processes, checks and balances in place, so that people do not just steal money anyhow. If those things are put in place, how do you think people will engage in corruption?
But the opposition insists his government is corrupt?
Those pointing accusing fingers at the President have not cleaned their cupboard very well. How could Buhari say he wants to come and fight corruption? When he was Minister of Petroleum, it was reported that $2.8 billion was missing. He has not accounted for it till today. At that time, one NTA journalist, Ms Vera Ifudu, reported it extensively.
There is also this case of 53 suitcases that passed through Buhari’s ADC, Jokolo, which has not been accounted for till date. What do we see in this country as corruption? Those corrupt people who fought Obasanjo are still fighting back. Buhari committed the greatest disservice to Nigeria by toppling a civilian government. If Buhari was still in army, the way he is fighting to become president, he would have toppled this present government. If Jonathan were to be like Buhari, he would have probably sent Buhari to jail for the atrocities he committed.
Do you think the Transformation Agenda is real?
Remember that the President told Nigerians that when he was growing up, he had no sandals. The same man who said he had no sandals after going to school is now trying to prove to Nigerians that there are so many people like that by building 125 Almajiri schools. That is impacting because most of these Almajiris did not have the privilege to go to school, rather, they go pan-in-hand begging for food.
These young lads, through Jonathan’s intervention, are now in classrooms and would be future leaders. So, if you are building for the future, you are impacting lives. We were spending billions of naira importing rice. The agricultural reform plan of this administration has changed all that, that we now have rice.
What is NTI’s assessment of Jonathan’s re-election bid?
The New Paradigm for Transformation Initiative, NPTI, is a socio-economic and Non-Governmental Organization, committed to the improvement and sustenance of peace, unity, positive transformation of Nigeria, and socio-economic wellbeing of the Nigerian people. In essence, one of the cardinal principles of the organization is to support any leader that upholds the principles of good governance.
Chief Augustine Onyemaechi Mazie
Don’t you feel jittery that the President is not getting the expected support?
Well, I can tell you that there is no fear at all in the Jonathan camp as I speak. I have come to realize that some people criticize everything that is begin said about the President without actually knowing what is being done. Some people said that President Jonathan has not built roads and other infrastructure, you cannot say that of him. If they are saying that, what were the situations of our roads when he became President? If you travelled during the last Christmas and saw the condition of the roads. You would agree with me that he is working.
But some people will wonder if it is only roads you could point at?
But he has performed in other areas as well. Take a look at our railways. I was so happy because I have little children who didn’t know when the rail were running, but this past December, we saw train running from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
The President has not hidden his plan for the aviation sector. When you go round, you will realize that he has worked on that sector too, including agriculture, economy, and attracting foreign direct investments.
What is your take on his anti-corruption war?
I am surprised that the opposition is talking about corruption. Obasanjo in his inaugural speech as President in 1999, commented on corruption. He said he was going to fight corruption, but this corruption turned back to fight them. And you can see that is what is happening to Jonathan now.
Do you think his approach to the fight is yielding result?
The fact that the President has not jailed anybody does not mean he is not fighting corruption. He said “I am putting structures in place to be sure that if you block the way people steal money, there will no more corruption’’. The President is devising a system that was created by past leaders that will not tempt people to commit corruption. He said we have to put some processes, checks and balances in place, so that people do not just steal money anyhow. If those things are put in place, how do you think people will engage in corruption?
But the opposition insists his government is corrupt?
Those pointing accusing fingers at the President have not cleaned their cupboard very well. How could Buhari say he wants to come and fight corruption? When he was Minister of Petroleum, it was reported that $2.8 billion was missing. He has not accounted for it till today. At that time, one NTA journalist, Ms Vera Ifudu, reported it extensively.
There is also this case of 53 suitcases that passed through Buhari’s ADC, Jokolo, which has not been accounted for till date. What do we see in this country as corruption? Those corrupt people who fought Obasanjo are still fighting back. Buhari committed the greatest disservice to Nigeria by toppling a civilian government. If Buhari was still in army, the way he is fighting to become president, he would have toppled this present government. If Jonathan were to be like Buhari, he would have probably sent Buhari to jail for the atrocities he committed.
Do you think the Transformation Agenda is real?
Remember that the President told Nigerians that when he was growing up, he had no sandals. The same man who said he had no sandals after going to school is now trying to prove to Nigerians that there are so many people like that by building 125 Almajiri schools. That is impacting because most of these Almajiris did not have the privilege to go to school, rather, they go pan-in-hand begging for food.
These young lads, through Jonathan’s intervention, are now in classrooms and would be future leaders. So, if you are building for the future, you are impacting lives. We were spending billions of naira importing rice. The agricultural reform plan of this administration has changed all that, that we now have rice.
Lessons from Forensic Audit report on NNPC
Finally, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Forensic Audit Report draws the curtains on the fifteen-month drama in which the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was docked in the court of public opinion. The allegations that NNPC was not faithful to its fiduciary responsibility to the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria began like a child’s play. Initial steps taken to douse the issue including the inter-agency reconciliation committee led by the Ministry of Finance failed to get Nigerians to give NNPC a clean bill of health.
From exchanges back and forth during the long drawn drama, it was clear that Nigerians were angry with NNPC. Some, in bitter postulations imagined that the Corporation was a haughty, profit-minded, slave-driving multi-national. However, nothing would obliterate the fact that the giant National Oil Company is 100% a Nigerian baby established and managed by Nigerians for Nigeria.
But it bears observing that the Corporation over the years had treated mildly or even whitewashed similar allegations. Perhaps unconsciously, it assumed that simply adhering strictly to its enabling legislation and internationally acceptable corporate governance standards and ethics, it owed no duty to the man on the street. For those who held this opinion, the allegation of unremitted $49.8bn became opportunity to deflate the mighty NNPC: It was not important whether the allegation was fabricated or not, making it stick would make the Corporation look bad, and lose face. Sad.
Maybe the furore and near-panic in government circles that greeted the allegation of missing $49.8 billion crude revenue could be attributed to the personality of the person who made the allegation, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (now the Emir of Kano).
Moreover, the drama may not have played out for so long if Sanusi had remained consistent in his allegations. From the original $49.8 billion, the former CBN governor later came down to the sum of $10.8 billion as the amount that was unremitted by NNPC. That was at a press conference where the Inter-Agency Reconcilliation Committee announced its preliminary findings that $39 billion had actually been remitted to the Federation Account. Members of the Committee were drawn from the Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Petroleum Resources; Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS); the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR); the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the CBN.
That same afternoon while appearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, Sanusi informed the Committee that the balance of unremitted revenue to the Federation Account stood at $12 billion, not the $10.8 billion which he had earlier concurred to at the Inter-Agency Reconciliation Committee press conference. At this point the Senate Committee dismissed the Inter-Agency Committee urging it to reconcile their positions before next appearance.
Two months later when the Inter-Agency Committee returned to the Senate Committee and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who led the team reported that out of the outstanding $10.8 billion previously stated, it had certified and signed off on the claims of NNPC to the tune of $8.7 billion for petroleum products subsidy. Sanusi, who was present at the hearing, expressed satisfaction with the findings of the committee.
It was at that hearing that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala averred that the Committee had no technical competence to verify the claims of $2.1 for pipeline repairs and maintenance, and strategic reserves and suggested that forensic auditors be engaged to examine the expenditure as claimed by the NNPC.
However, like one launching an ambush, stepping out of the Senate Chambers, Sanusi in a prepared press statement stated that $20 billion was the new amount yet to be remitted to the Federation Account by NNPC and not the $12 billion he had earlier alleged or the 10.8 billion given by the Inter-Agency Committee.
Sanusi’s allegations raised other issues including questions as to whether or not kerosene was still being subsidised; how much is NNPC allowed to hold back in its kitty from crude oil sales to defray its operating costs and expenses; and how much should it keep for holding Strategic Stock Reserves.
Fifteen months later, the PricewaterhouseCoopers forensic audit report not only affirmed NNPC’s long held position that allegations of unremitted crude oil revenue or missing oil revenue – whether $49.8bn or $20bn or $12bn or $10.8bn – was a farce from day one, it also answered the questions on kerosene subsidy.
The report asserted that the entire revenue accruable to the Federation Account during the period under investigation was $50.81 billion and not $48.9 billion as alleged by Sanusi. The amount has been fully accounted for and clearly categorised under the various components of the accruable revenue.
The report confirmed the earlier position of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, that subsidy on kerosene was still in force as the Presidential directive of October 19, 2009, was not gazetted as required by law, and that there exists no other legal instrument cancelling subsidy on kerosene.
The PwC report did also raise the issue of ‘outstanding $1.48 billion’ being ‘signature bonus due for divested assets and taxes/royalties’ which it recommended should be remitted by NNPC to the Federation Account. Was that not an indictment on NNPC?
The NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph T. Dawha in his explanation described the $1.48 billion as comprising of signature bonus, taxes, and royalties on the oil wells divested by Shell, which NNPC acquired and transferred to its upstream subsidiary, the Nigeria Petroleum Development company, NPDC. Signature bonus, according to Dr Dawha, represents the book value of the assets and was estimated at $1.847bn by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
However, NNPC raised issues with the parameters used in calculating the signature bonus since the assets involved were old wells. NNPC had paid $300 million pending when both parties would come to terms on a mutually acceptable estimate of the book value of the assets.
The NNPC boss submits therefore that the $1.48 billion was not part of the alleged unremitted revenue from crude oil sales or missing oil revenue. And going by the explanation, the $1.48 is not an amount willingly withheld by NNPC but rather an amount which was in dispute by two sister agencies and so the recommendation of the PwC forensic audit report can be seen as a resolution of the dispute. It is therefore erroneous for anyone to see it as an indictment of the NNPC in anyway.
It would be recalled that the Senate had also come up with a similar report after its painstaking investigation of the allegation. The Senate Committee on Finance’s probe report also answered in the affirmative questions raised over the right of NNPC to defray its operational costs before remitting to the Federation Account and the subsistence of kerosene subsidy. It concluded just like the PwC Audit Report that NNPC’s right to defray its operation costs is established in the NNPC Act.
Many Nigerians obviously do not like this; but this does not make it illegal. The Senate as part of the National Assembly holds the solution to the problem through the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill which has been proposed to give legal backing to the reforms recommended in both reports.
Beyond the hoopla and hysteria, were there any lessons gained from the Sanusi allegations? Several! A significant lesson is that openness and transparency should be the rule of the thumb in the transactions of a public enterprise like the NNPC.
Secondly, the public deserves to know how its oil wealth is being managed. As a matter of fact, one assumes that the NNPC has learnt the vital lesson that explanation of issues regarding its transactions does not have to be just once and that it owes it a duty to the Nigerian public to explain as many times as necessary till the people understand and assimilate the issues.
All said and done, the legislature and executive must be proactive in terms of putting in place legislations, institutions and processes that make for robust inter-agency interactions to eliminate the kind of misunderstanding that led to the allegation in the first place. If such proactive measures had been in place the pains and costs of the past fifteen months could have been avoided.
NNPC
But it bears observing that the Corporation over the years had treated mildly or even whitewashed similar allegations. Perhaps unconsciously, it assumed that simply adhering strictly to its enabling legislation and internationally acceptable corporate governance standards and ethics, it owed no duty to the man on the street. For those who held this opinion, the allegation of unremitted $49.8bn became opportunity to deflate the mighty NNPC: It was not important whether the allegation was fabricated or not, making it stick would make the Corporation look bad, and lose face. Sad.
Maybe the furore and near-panic in government circles that greeted the allegation of missing $49.8 billion crude revenue could be attributed to the personality of the person who made the allegation, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (now the Emir of Kano).
Moreover, the drama may not have played out for so long if Sanusi had remained consistent in his allegations. From the original $49.8 billion, the former CBN governor later came down to the sum of $10.8 billion as the amount that was unremitted by NNPC. That was at a press conference where the Inter-Agency Reconcilliation Committee announced its preliminary findings that $39 billion had actually been remitted to the Federation Account. Members of the Committee were drawn from the Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Petroleum Resources; Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS); the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR); the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the CBN.
That same afternoon while appearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, Sanusi informed the Committee that the balance of unremitted revenue to the Federation Account stood at $12 billion, not the $10.8 billion which he had earlier concurred to at the Inter-Agency Reconciliation Committee press conference. At this point the Senate Committee dismissed the Inter-Agency Committee urging it to reconcile their positions before next appearance.
Two months later when the Inter-Agency Committee returned to the Senate Committee and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who led the team reported that out of the outstanding $10.8 billion previously stated, it had certified and signed off on the claims of NNPC to the tune of $8.7 billion for petroleum products subsidy. Sanusi, who was present at the hearing, expressed satisfaction with the findings of the committee.
It was at that hearing that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala averred that the Committee had no technical competence to verify the claims of $2.1 for pipeline repairs and maintenance, and strategic reserves and suggested that forensic auditors be engaged to examine the expenditure as claimed by the NNPC.
However, like one launching an ambush, stepping out of the Senate Chambers, Sanusi in a prepared press statement stated that $20 billion was the new amount yet to be remitted to the Federation Account by NNPC and not the $12 billion he had earlier alleged or the 10.8 billion given by the Inter-Agency Committee.
Sanusi’s allegations raised other issues including questions as to whether or not kerosene was still being subsidised; how much is NNPC allowed to hold back in its kitty from crude oil sales to defray its operating costs and expenses; and how much should it keep for holding Strategic Stock Reserves.
Fifteen months later, the PricewaterhouseCoopers forensic audit report not only affirmed NNPC’s long held position that allegations of unremitted crude oil revenue or missing oil revenue – whether $49.8bn or $20bn or $12bn or $10.8bn – was a farce from day one, it also answered the questions on kerosene subsidy.
The report asserted that the entire revenue accruable to the Federation Account during the period under investigation was $50.81 billion and not $48.9 billion as alleged by Sanusi. The amount has been fully accounted for and clearly categorised under the various components of the accruable revenue.
The report confirmed the earlier position of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, that subsidy on kerosene was still in force as the Presidential directive of October 19, 2009, was not gazetted as required by law, and that there exists no other legal instrument cancelling subsidy on kerosene.
The PwC report did also raise the issue of ‘outstanding $1.48 billion’ being ‘signature bonus due for divested assets and taxes/royalties’ which it recommended should be remitted by NNPC to the Federation Account. Was that not an indictment on NNPC?
The NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph T. Dawha in his explanation described the $1.48 billion as comprising of signature bonus, taxes, and royalties on the oil wells divested by Shell, which NNPC acquired and transferred to its upstream subsidiary, the Nigeria Petroleum Development company, NPDC. Signature bonus, according to Dr Dawha, represents the book value of the assets and was estimated at $1.847bn by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
However, NNPC raised issues with the parameters used in calculating the signature bonus since the assets involved were old wells. NNPC had paid $300 million pending when both parties would come to terms on a mutually acceptable estimate of the book value of the assets.
The NNPC boss submits therefore that the $1.48 billion was not part of the alleged unremitted revenue from crude oil sales or missing oil revenue. And going by the explanation, the $1.48 is not an amount willingly withheld by NNPC but rather an amount which was in dispute by two sister agencies and so the recommendation of the PwC forensic audit report can be seen as a resolution of the dispute. It is therefore erroneous for anyone to see it as an indictment of the NNPC in anyway.
It would be recalled that the Senate had also come up with a similar report after its painstaking investigation of the allegation. The Senate Committee on Finance’s probe report also answered in the affirmative questions raised over the right of NNPC to defray its operational costs before remitting to the Federation Account and the subsistence of kerosene subsidy. It concluded just like the PwC Audit Report that NNPC’s right to defray its operation costs is established in the NNPC Act.
Many Nigerians obviously do not like this; but this does not make it illegal. The Senate as part of the National Assembly holds the solution to the problem through the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill which has been proposed to give legal backing to the reforms recommended in both reports.
Beyond the hoopla and hysteria, were there any lessons gained from the Sanusi allegations? Several! A significant lesson is that openness and transparency should be the rule of the thumb in the transactions of a public enterprise like the NNPC.
Secondly, the public deserves to know how its oil wealth is being managed. As a matter of fact, one assumes that the NNPC has learnt the vital lesson that explanation of issues regarding its transactions does not have to be just once and that it owes it a duty to the Nigerian public to explain as many times as necessary till the people understand and assimilate the issues.
All said and done, the legislature and executive must be proactive in terms of putting in place legislations, institutions and processes that make for robust inter-agency interactions to eliminate the kind of misunderstanding that led to the allegation in the first place. If such proactive measures had been in place the pains and costs of the past fifteen months could have been avoided.
Mugabe turns 91 with million dollar birthday bash
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday will celebrate his 91st birthday will a million dollar bash attended by thousands of faithful party supporters. As elephants are slaughtered for the feast at a luxury hotel in Zimbabwe’s famed Victoria Falls, critics are questioning the scale of the festivities, calling them “obscene” in a country where millions live in poverty. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, is the world’s oldest leader. While he is hailed by many of his African peers as a liberation hero, critics say that over the following decades he turned the “breadbasket of southern Africa” into a basket case, trampling human rights, justice and democracy. Mugabe’s violent seizure of white-owned farms triggered food shortages and hyper-inflation, while Europe and the United States imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe over elections seen as rigged.
Obama condemns ‘brutal, vicious’ Nemtsov killing
US President Barack Obama condemned what he called the “brutal” and “vicious” murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin who was shot dead in Moscow on Friday. “We call upon the Russian government to conduct a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his murder and ensure that those responsible for this vicious killing are brought to justice,” Obama said in a statement. “Nemtsov was a tireless advocate for his country, seeking for his fellow Russian citizens the rights to which all people are entitled.” “I admired Nemtsov’s courageous dedication to the struggle against corruption in Russia and appreciated his willingness to share his candid views with me when we met in Moscow in 2009,” added Obama, calling Nemtsov a “dedicated” and “eloquent defender” of rights. -
Bangladesh protesters denounce killing of blogger
Hundreds of protesters have rallied in the Bangladeshi capital to denounce the murder of a prominent Bangladesh-born American blogger, who was hacked to death outside a university in Dhaka.
Students, activists and journalists gathered at Dhaka University on Friday to demand quick police action, a day after the attack on Avijit Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed, who remains in critical condition.
The protesters said the killing raised questions about the government’s ability to protect its citizens from crimes, and uphold democracy and freedom of speech.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, human rights activist Khushi Kabir questioned police inaction during the attack.
Witnesses have told Al Jazeera that police and onlookers were present during the attacks, but no one came to help the victims. Police were not immediately available to comment on the accusation.
The couple were coming from a book fair at the university, when a group of men ambushed them, with at least two of the attackers hitting them with meat cleavers, police Chief Sirajul Islam told the Associate Press news agency.
The attackers then ran away, disappearing into the crowds. Two blood-stained cleavers were found after the attack, he said.
On Friday, Al Jazeera learned from the family of the slain victim that his body will be donated to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for medical research.
Avijit’s younger brother Arijit Roy told journalists that family members have taken the decision to donate the body, according to the wishes of the victim.
Mexico captures most wanted drug kingpin
Mexican authorities have captured the top leader of a major drug cartel, who has been wanted for years, Al Jazeera has learned.
Servando Gomez Martinez, also known as “La Tuta”, was reportedly captured on Friday in the city of Morelia, in Michoacan state, according to local media.
Al Jazeera’s John Holman, who is reporting from Mexico City, said that Martinez was arrested “without an incident.”
Our correspondent said Martinez is now being transferred to a detention centre in Mexico City.
He has been wanted by both Mexico and the US, and authorities have offered a reward of $2-million for his capture.
Martinez is identified as the head of the cartel Caballeros Templarios, or Knights Templar, one of the leading drug gangs that has been involved in violent operation in Mexico.
Martinez was once a school teacher, thus earning him the name “La Tuta.”
The 49-year-old cartel leader was the prime target of President Pena Nieto’s drive to regain control of Michoacan, which has been wracked by clashes between the Knights Templar and the heavily-armed citizen groups trying to oust them.
The arrest came just over a year after the capture of Mexico’s most notorious drug lord, Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman, head of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful drug smuggling gangs in the world.
Al Jazeera’s Holman, however, said that it is unclear if the latest arrest could calm the situation in Michoacan, or create a “power vacuum” that could lead to more violence.
Somali pirates release fishermen held for five years
Four Thai fishermen held hostage by Somali pirates for nearly five years have been released, local officials said.
“We collected the four Thailand men from a remote area,” Omar Sheikh Ali, an official in Somalia’s central Galmudug administration told the AFP news agency on Friday.
The four fishermen were among 24 crew members seized in April 2010 when Somali pirates hijacked the Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel FV Prantalay 12.
Their nearly five-year captivity is one of the longest suffered by any victims of Somali piracy.
Ali said the freed men were able to contact family members soon after their release on Wednesday.
“They called their families by phone and cried and cried and cried,” he said.
Residents of Galkayo, where the Galmudug administration is based, said a $150,000 ransom was paid but the information could not be independently verified.
After its capture the FV Prantalay was used as a pirate mother ship to launch attacks far out to sea before it capsized in July 2011 and the crew was taken ashore.
Of the original 24 crew members, six died from sickness at various stages during their captivity.
Another 14 crew from Myanmar were released to the government in the Somalia’s northern Puntland region in May 2011 and repatriated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Hostage Support Programme.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia reached its height in 2011 when there were 237 incidents attributed to Somali pirates and 28 vessels hijacked.
But a combination of armed onboard guards and international naval patrols have had a big impact and last year there were no successful hijackings, according to the International Maritime Bureau which tracks piracy incidents worldwide.
India to cut corporate tax, increases farming subsidies
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday presented the first full-year budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, in which, the taxation for corporations will be dropped from 30 percent to 25 percent in four years.
He ruled out cutting subsidies for farmers as has been demanded by the U.S. at the WTO talks, vowing to reinforce support to the agriculture.
“When world is in crisis, India rises at the same time. World is predicting, it’s our chance to rise,” said Jaitley, adding that the country has registered a 7.5 percent growth in the passing fiscal year ending March 31, the highest in the world.
He said the latest inflation rate is 5.1 percent and the whole sale price inflation is negative, while the rupee has become stronger by 6.4 percent.
“I am presenting the union budget in an economic environment which is far more positive than in the recent past. While major economies of the world face difficulties, India is poised for higher growth trajectory,” Jaitley said as he started his 2015- 2016 budget speech in the Lok Sabha.
“The real GDP growth is estimated at 7.5 percent for this fiscal, making India the fastest-growing large economy of the world,” said Jaitley.
He said billions of U.S. dollars of subsidies will be provided to the country’s farmers.
He also said allocations for a host of social sector projects were being enhanced substantially along with new social security schemes. He particularly said the allocation for the rural job guarantee scheme will be the highest ever.
He ruled out cutting subsidies for farmers as has been demanded by the U.S. at the WTO talks, vowing to reinforce support to the agriculture.
“When world is in crisis, India rises at the same time. World is predicting, it’s our chance to rise,” said Jaitley, adding that the country has registered a 7.5 percent growth in the passing fiscal year ending March 31, the highest in the world.
He said the latest inflation rate is 5.1 percent and the whole sale price inflation is negative, while the rupee has become stronger by 6.4 percent.
“I am presenting the union budget in an economic environment which is far more positive than in the recent past. While major economies of the world face difficulties, India is poised for higher growth trajectory,” Jaitley said as he started his 2015- 2016 budget speech in the Lok Sabha.
“The real GDP growth is estimated at 7.5 percent for this fiscal, making India the fastest-growing large economy of the world,” said Jaitley.
He said billions of U.S. dollars of subsidies will be provided to the country’s farmers.
He also said allocations for a host of social sector projects were being enhanced substantially along with new social security schemes. He particularly said the allocation for the rural job guarantee scheme will be the highest ever.
US to reopen embassy in Cuba April
The United States and Cuba said they made progress Friday in talks on restoring diplomatic ties and Washington could reopen its Havana embassy before a key April summit if differences are overcome.
After a second round of historic meetings, negotiators from both countries appeared optimistic about the road ahead, but cautioned there were still outstanding issues to resolve in order to restore diplomatic ties frozen for half a century.
“Today was productive and encouraging. In open, honest and sometimes challenging…conversation we addressed the requirements of each side and the differences we identified in our first discussion in Havana a month ago,” said top US diplomat for Latin America, Roberta Jacobson.
“And we made meaningful progress in resolving them,” she said, cautioning that “serious disagreements remain.”
The head of the Cuban delegation, Josefina Vidal, at a press conference at the State Department, also said she believed progress had been made.
But she renewed a call for Havana to be removed from the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism and urged that provisions be found to enable Cuba’s interests section in Washington to have access to the US banking system.
Vidal stressed that while it was “not a precondition” that Havana be removed from the blacklist in order to restore diplomatic relations, it should happen before ties can be renewed.
“It would be very difficult to explain that Cuba and the United States have established normal diplomatic relations when Cuba is kept on this list that we believe we have never belonged to,” she said.
Secretary of State John Kerry earlier rebuffed communist Cuba’s demand to have the designation — in place since 1982 — lifted immediately, saying the current review would run its course.
“The state-sponsored terrorism designation is a separate process, it is not a negotiation,” Kerry said.
“And that evaluation will be made appropriately and nothing will be done with respect to the list until the evaluation is completed.”
Friday’s talks were only the second between the Cold War foes since President Barack Obama and Cuba’s President Raul Castro surprised the world in December with their decision to restore ties after more than a half century of enmity.
The hope is that within the coming months both nations will agree to reopen embassies in each other’s capitals and appoint full-fledged ambassadors.
After a second round of historic meetings, negotiators from both countries appeared optimistic about the road ahead, but cautioned there were still outstanding issues to resolve in order to restore diplomatic ties frozen for half a century.
“Today was productive and encouraging. In open, honest and sometimes challenging…conversation we addressed the requirements of each side and the differences we identified in our first discussion in Havana a month ago,” said top US diplomat for Latin America, Roberta Jacobson.
“And we made meaningful progress in resolving them,” she said, cautioning that “serious disagreements remain.”
The head of the Cuban delegation, Josefina Vidal, at a press conference at the State Department, also said she believed progress had been made.
But she renewed a call for Havana to be removed from the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism and urged that provisions be found to enable Cuba’s interests section in Washington to have access to the US banking system.
Vidal stressed that while it was “not a precondition” that Havana be removed from the blacklist in order to restore diplomatic relations, it should happen before ties can be renewed.
“It would be very difficult to explain that Cuba and the United States have established normal diplomatic relations when Cuba is kept on this list that we believe we have never belonged to,” she said.
Secretary of State John Kerry earlier rebuffed communist Cuba’s demand to have the designation — in place since 1982 — lifted immediately, saying the current review would run its course.
“The state-sponsored terrorism designation is a separate process, it is not a negotiation,” Kerry said.
“And that evaluation will be made appropriately and nothing will be done with respect to the list until the evaluation is completed.”
Friday’s talks were only the second between the Cold War foes since President Barack Obama and Cuba’s President Raul Castro surprised the world in December with their decision to restore ties after more than a half century of enmity.
The hope is that within the coming months both nations will agree to reopen embassies in each other’s capitals and appoint full-fledged ambassadors.
Kurdish fighters rout IS militants from town near Iraq
Kurdish fighters Friday fought their way into a northeastern Syrian town that was a key stronghold of Islamic State militants, only days after the group abducted dozens of Christians in the volatile region, activists and Kurdish officials said.
The victory marks a second blow to the extremist IS group in a month, highlighting the growing role of Syria’s Kurds as the most effective fighting force against the Islamic State. In January, Kurdish forces drove IS militants from the town of Kobani near the Turkish border after a months-long fight, dealing a very public defeat to the extremists. But it is also tempered by this week’s horrific abductions by IS militants of more than 220 Christian Assyrians in the same area, along the fluid and fast shifting front line in Syria.
The town of Tel Hamees in Syria’s northeastern Hassakeh province is strategically important because it links territory controlled by IS in Syria and Iraq.
The province, which borders Turkey and Iraq, is predominantly Kurdish but also has populations of Arabs and predominantly Christian Assyrians and Armenians.
“We are now combing the town for explosives and remnants of terrorists,” said Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish fighters, known as the People’s Protection Units or YPG.
Speaking to The Associated Press over the phone from the outskirts of Tel Hamees, he said the town was a key stronghold for IS and had served as a staging ground for the group’s operations in the Iraqi town of Sinjar and the city of Mosul.
Dislodging the group from Tel Hamees cuts a supply line from Iraq, Khalil said.
The push on the town’s eastern and southeastern edges came after the Kurdish troops, working with Christian militias and Arab tribal fighters, seized dozens of nearby villages from the Islamic State extremists. U.S.-led coalition forces provided cover, striking at IS infrastructure in the region for days.
The victory marks a second blow to the extremist IS group in a month, highlighting the growing role of Syria’s Kurds as the most effective fighting force against the Islamic State. In January, Kurdish forces drove IS militants from the town of Kobani near the Turkish border after a months-long fight, dealing a very public defeat to the extremists. But it is also tempered by this week’s horrific abductions by IS militants of more than 220 Christian Assyrians in the same area, along the fluid and fast shifting front line in Syria.
The town of Tel Hamees in Syria’s northeastern Hassakeh province is strategically important because it links territory controlled by IS in Syria and Iraq.
The province, which borders Turkey and Iraq, is predominantly Kurdish but also has populations of Arabs and predominantly Christian Assyrians and Armenians.
“We are now combing the town for explosives and remnants of terrorists,” said Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish fighters, known as the People’s Protection Units or YPG.
Speaking to The Associated Press over the phone from the outskirts of Tel Hamees, he said the town was a key stronghold for IS and had served as a staging ground for the group’s operations in the Iraqi town of Sinjar and the city of Mosul.
Dislodging the group from Tel Hamees cuts a supply line from Iraq, Khalil said.
The push on the town’s eastern and southeastern edges came after the Kurdish troops, working with Christian militias and Arab tribal fighters, seized dozens of nearby villages from the Islamic State extremists. U.S.-led coalition forces provided cover, striking at IS infrastructure in the region for days.
Photo: Mobile policeman shoots police boss to death in Bauchi
A mobile policeman in Bauchi state shot dead his superior and former ADC to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Superintendent of Police, Chris Eza (pictured above), yesterday February 26th in Bauchi.According to family sources, Chris Eza had gone out to get food at an eatery along Ahmadu Bello way around 9pm when he saw some police officers on patrol. On observation, he found out that one of them, the suspect, was not properly dressed and immediately cautioned him. The junior officer, a Corporal, got angry and began to grumble for being told to dress properly.
An angry Chris felt his action was unacceptable and warned the officer that he was going to disarm him if he didn't take care. Instead of apologizing, the junior officer cocked his gun and threatened to shoot his boss.
He told Eza that if he came close to him, he would shoot. Calling his bluff, Eza moved towards the officer, who immediately opened fire. Other officers around rushed Chris to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi where he was declared dead on arrival. Until his death, he was the MOPOL 11 Commander.
The officer has since been arrested and investigations into the motive for the killing is ongoing
The blue/black, white/gold dress sales are through the roof
"The company behind #TheDress has put the debate to bed -- it's blue and black -- and the hubbub has done wonders for its business ... thanks to the hashtag hysteria.
#TheDress phenomenon began after a woman posted a photo of her mother's dress for her wedding ... asking people to ID the color. From there...explosion with the likes of Justin Bieber (blue and black), Kim K (white and gold), and Taylor Swift (blue and black) all weighing in. Continue...
As for business, Roman Originals says sales are up 347%.
Nightmares over for student, mother who lost 3 kids on Benin-Ore Road before Goodluck came along
26-year-old TimiAdeoye graduated two years ago from the University of Benin and was a frequent user of the Benin-Ore route. According to him, “traveling on Nigerian roads used to be a nightmare for me; I still remember spending twelve long hours on a trip from Lagos to Benin regularly since I got admission eight years ago. The memory of those trips still leaves a distaste in my mouth”, he continues, “but I had to continue because I had to go school."
Being a road that is the major link road between the West and South of Nigeria, it was appalling that it was in that state of decay. From 2006 to as recent as 2012, anyone who plied the Benin-Ore route would have easily testified to its horrific state. The deplorable condition of the road aside, there were daredevil armed robbers who were lords of the night and perpetual residents of the area and it was inevitable that travellers inclined to always say a prayer to avert terrible traffic jam lasting hours, and loss of lives and property. As Adeoye aptly describes it, it was “hell on Earth”.
TimiAdeoye: Benin-Ore-Shagamu Expressway Under Goodluck Jonathan
Popular columnist, SonalaOlumhense once said, “If you are a Nigerian, chances are you know someone who has spent an entire day, at least once, traveling the 140-mile Sagamu-Benin City road, or been killed trying to do so.“
TimiAdeoye: Benin Ore Road during my days as a Student, before Goodluck Jonathan
As the legend goes, a former Minister of Works was reported to have cried openly while inspecting the said road once, calling it a guzzler of lives. Citizen upon citizen have resorted to pleading with successive governments on national television and through other media to see to the swift repairs of the said road.
Despite all these coupled with criticisms from traditional monarchs especially the Oba of Benin whose domain has been a major victim, unfulfilled promises continued to be the order of the day.
Sagamu-Benin is part of the Lagos-Mombasa, as well as Algiers-Lagos sections of the Trans-Africa Highway, and of Nigeria’s East-West Road. First constructed in the 70s, it was originally a three-hour route. Since it began to deteriorate, contracts have been awarded every other year by different governments. Somehow, nothing concrete has been done.
Then good luck came along, even literally. At last, the cries of Nigerians had broken through to the top echelons and the current government’s determination to get the road fixed and useable again was to put a smile on the faces of those who ply the road.
Tapping into the controversial Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P) funds, the federal government decided to fix the roads once and for all to ease the suffering of commuters. In September 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned the Phase 1 of the road, spanning 75 kilometres. The second phase, as Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen explained had not been fully completed because of technical challenges but was commendably over 60% done.
An excited governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo state – a prominent member of the opposition All Progressives’ Congress (APC) – stressed that the Federal Government’s effort in reconstructing the road is “the most outstanding intervention the road has witnessed over the years.
A road that was once a death trap began to wear a new face and is in its present state, good as brand new. A journey of twelve hours and counting has now been reduced to a third of that time – four hours or less.
“God sent us his son in the form of Goodluck Jonathan!” shrieks Madam Veronica Omoregie who travels every week from Lagos to Asaba to buy goods for her trade that has sustained her and her three children since her husband died tragically in an auto crash on the same road, in 1999.
This transformation was even buttressed by a recent survey conducted by the NOI-Gallup Polls on the 8th of January 2015, which showed that 60% of Nigerians who travelled during the yuletide season acknowledged that the roads had indeed been improved on.
According to the findings released, majority of Nigeria road users found it easier to travel to their different destinations in various parts of the country during the Christmas holiday, unlike the previous year.
The survey read in part, ‘Overall, 69 percent of respondents were of the opinion that the roads had either improved or had improved very much.
As a result of the improved condition of the Benin-Ore road and others in general, transport giants, ABC Transport Company slashed its fare prices in a widely circulated advert carried by The Punch Newspaper in May 2014.
It reportedly added the words, ‘The roads are getting better’, a phrase that is a true reflection of the government’s commitment to infrastructure and national development.
On his way to collect his transcripts last week, Adeoye slept for most of the journey in the 18-seater bus he boarded from Lagos to the university’s main campus in Ugbowo, one of Benin’s many sprawling districts. The inscription “Welcome is the best journey” on the lorry in front of his vehicle one of the few times he was awake barely registered until he got down – the trip was too smooth for him to care.
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Nigerian Woman Shows Off Giant Cassava Tuber She Harvested From Her Farm (Photo)
A woman from Orlu, Imo State showed off a giant Cassava tuber she harvested from her farmland, NairaNaijaNews reports. See photo below.
