LAGOS — Following the public outcry over the Federal Government’s plan to contract theservices of Elbit Systems, an Israeli firm to spy on Nigerian Internet users, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has defended government’s action, arguing thatthe move was in the best interest ofthe country.
Speaking on the contract, at the Democracy Audit organised by the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, in Lagos to mark June 12, Maku argued that there is nowhere in the world where e-mails are not monitored bygovernment.
At the 14 years Democracy Audit, convener of SNG, Dr. Tunde Bakare, spoke on, ‘From Hope ‘93 to 2013: How Far Has Democracy Brought Nigeria?’ noting that since the historic June 12, 1993 election, Nigeria had remained impoverished and the problems late MKO Abiola promised to tackle remain unsolved.
While Maku said that the Federal Government was making progress in the areas of power supply by commencing the building of 10 power plants; stopping fertiliser racketeering to boost agriculture; delivering 32 roads in 2012; saved N118 billion from ghost workers, among others, majority of those at the event, hissed in disagreement.
Maku cited power, agriculture, education and transportation as major areas, President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had fared well, two years into office.
Defending the Internet spying project, he said: “Everywhere in the world, e-mails are seen by government. Even, the world super-power, America, spies on citizens’mails to checkmate the activities of unscrupulous elements capable of threatening its internal security.
“There’s no government all overthe world that is uninterested in what comes in and goes out of its territorial boundaries.”
12 new NIC judges unqualified — TUC
By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
LAGOS — TRADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, weekend, rejected the 12 new judges for the National Industrial Court, NIC, claiming they are not qualified to be appointed judges of NIC, going by the Act setting up the court.
In a petition to the President of NIC, TUC called for full investigation into the appointment of the judges, to ascertain why individuals, who did not meet the requirements spelt out for the appointment of NIC judges were appointed.
TUC argued that all the new 12 judges of NIC did not meet the required qualifications under Section 2 of the National Industrial Court Act of 2006, which provides for the appointment of legal practitioners for the court.
TUC in the petition by its President-General, Mr. Peter Esele, said it had confirmed that none of the new judges of NIC met the requirement of the law and therefore, were not qualified.
The petition copied to President Goodluck Jonathan, read: “Sequel to the recommendation of NIC to President Goodluck Jonathan on the appointment of 12 new judges for NIC in May, 2013 and to our utter dismay, the 12 new judges are not qualified under Section 2 of the National Industrial Court Act of 2006, which provides for the appointment of legal practitioners of not less than 10 years standing with ‘considerable knowledge and experience in the law and practice of industrial relations and employment conditions in Nigeria”or a graduate of recognised university of not less than 10 years standing and has “considerable knowledge and experience in the law and practice of industrial relations and employment conditions in Nigeria.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/maku-defends-fgs-n6-2bn-internet-spy-contract-to-israeli-firm/

This money should have been spent on agriculture or education, so that people`s lives will be affected dierctly.
How does the average orange seller down the street who does not know what an e-mail is benefit from an internet spy contract?
Talking about misplaced priorities and bad allocation of resources!

234GT: This money should have been spent on agriculture or education, so that people`s lives will be affected dierctly.
How does the average orange seller down the street who does not know what an e-mail is benefit from an internet spy contract?
Talking about misplaced priorities and bad allocation of resources!

when boko haram are communicating over the internet, learning how to make bombs and bombing churches and schools that 'average orange sellers' attend.

hope i helped?

234GT: This money should have been spent on agriculture or education, so that people`s lives will be affected dierctly.
How does the average orange seller down the street who does not know what an e-mail is benefit from an internet spy contract?
Talking about misplaced priorities and bad allocation of resources!

All advanced countries in the world have their cyber space monitored. Nigeria's bad international reputation is born out of a loose cyberspace.