₦airaland Forum

What a jobless president.

ABUJA — President Goodluck Jonathan declared, yesterday, that though the country was facing some challenges, especially in the area of security, he would discharge his responsibility in accordance with his oath of office and ensure that the life and property of every Nigerian is protected.

Speaking on the country’s democratic journey 13 years after, President Jonathan said his government would confront this (terrorism) “threat against our collective peace and security, and bring the perpetrators to justice. We will confront the few misguided persons who falsely believe that through violence, they can impose their agenda of hate and division on this nation of good people.


President Goodluck Jonathan addressing the Nation at The State House in Abuja. on Tuesday
“We must confront all those who think they can derail us by engaging in indiscriminate violence and mass murder, perpetrated in places of worship, in markets and public places, against the media, and security personnel. Nigeria is a nation of resilient people. We will never yield to the forces of darkness. Nigeria will never, ever, disintegrate.”

Enjoins Nigerians to be loyal

The president further enjoined all Nigerians to “be loyal to our country. If we believe this to be a sacred obligation, it will not matter whether we are Christians or Muslims, or politicians, irrespective of political parties or divide. It really will not matter whether we are civil society agents, social activists or union leaders. What matters is Nigeria. This nation exists because we are one. We must, therefore, remain as one family and work together to defend our country.”

Achievements of his administration

Speaking on the achievements of his administration, President Jonathan said though there were challenges, he was determined to ensure that these challenges were over come.

He said: “Our democracy is stable. Its foundation is strong and firm. Its future is bright. Last year, I had spoken about the policy of ‘one man one vote, one woman, one vote, one youth, one vote.’ I am glad to see that the Nigerian people in all elections have continued to respect the principle of fair play. Since this administration came into office, we have gone to great lengths to strengthen our democratic institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission. There are still persons who believe that elections should be violent and unhealthy, but they are in the minority.”

On corruption

He reiterated that his administration was committed to fighting corruption, saying that though concrete steps have been taken to strengthen the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission, these agencies would need the support of the courts to ensure that corrupt persons are convicted and made to face the full wrath of the law.

According to the president, “the courts will have to do more in the area of fighting corruption in the country that they are doing now.

“I want to reassure all Nigerians that this administration remains committed to waging a sustained battle against the menace of corruption. In the last one year, we have taken specific steps to reduce opportunities and avenues for corruption, and to strengthen the capacity and integrity of our institutions.

“We have strengthened the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). Both agencies are being re-positioned for more effective service delivery. We will continue to strengthen the law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies for optimal performance. We will also need the support of our courts. The courts have to do more.”

On agriculture

In the area of agriculture, the president said the ultimate aim of his administration was “directed at promoting local production, substituting for imported foods, and adding value to our locally produced crops. Government’s policy to ensure rice self-sufficiency by 2015 is already paying off.”

He said the emergence of new rice mills by the private sector to mill locally produced rice as see by Ebony Agro Industries in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Umza rice mill in Kano State and the Ashi Rice Mill in Benue State are indications that government action in the agricultural sector especially on rice production is yielding results.

On oil and gas sector

In the oil and gas sector, Jonathan said his administration had charted a new course that would ensure enduring transparency and accountability, adding that his administration has commited N11 billion provided in the 2012 Budget for Hydro-Carbon exploration in the Lake Chad Basin.

“We are re-drafting the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to ensure it meets the aspirations of all stakeholders given the current realities and future expectations in the global energy landscape. Work on the PIB will be concluded in June 2012 and formally submitted to the National Assembly. Additionally, Special Task Forces dealing with Governance and Control, Petroleum Revenue and National refineries are finalizing their work to ensure probity across the oil and gas sector, and self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products.”

Power sector

On the power sector, the president said the commitment of his administration to the provision of regular and uninterrupted power supply remained strong and unwavering, pointiong out that “adequate and regular power supply will be the significant trigger to enhance this nation’s productive capacity and accelerate growth.

“It is for this reason that I remain optimistic that the reforms we have initiated, the decisions we have taken so far and the plans we intend to faithfully prosecute will yield the desired results.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/jonathan-promises-to-tackle-corruption-terrorism/

Another infested mad cow disease leader - oya why not start by killing your parents

jason123: You wan make dem attack you?!

Bloody useless country!!!

is not a shame - not a single picture commissioning any single FG project

Not a single picture showing gej comissioning a single well talkless of luxury bus ? Why do we have square peg in round hole type leaders

All the hail the president GEJ of the Ijaw nation

all haill the president of the ijaw nation

i Award gej a p8

God Forsaken leaders - from obj to yar adua and the current president of the Ijaw nation GEJ

Death is knocking at some peoples door

Mr double speak

These are same people you claim are unhappy abroad and claim to have mental issues

Which one we go believe now

ariy: his amen has been exhausted, so shall it be

Amen to that

Amen limits - written in the Nigerian consititution - I hope my eye no dey deceive me

Dullards from top to bottom

fixed number of Amens

Almighty God may i never reach my quota of amens and blessing you have for me.



gEJ is a corrupt fu ck

Oya beaf come and interpret

i never understand what this dullard is talking about - I never knew we have protocol not to say amen - for so called christian president.

As BEaf states " he is re organising at the moment " yet Corruption continues

hopefully reorganization will complete before 2015

who be this monkey

3 pages and counting , no Beaf

ha, ha, haha

Banana republic - One day oil will finish or Oyinbo man will move to another source of fuel.

nenepea: Hello Ladies, I have been a silent reader of this thread for a long time even though am not ttcing at the moment. You ladies have being a source of encouragement and strength to me, I admire you all greatly. You are indeed great women of faith. Just wanted to share a testimony of my friend who has been ttcing for 16 years but this morning, God has made her a joyful mother. I know dat the God dat did it for her is still on the throne and He who did it for even wen everybody tot all hope was gone will do it for us. We will all carry our babies in Jesus name. Sisters let us remain strong in our faith becos delay is not denial.

I tap into that miracle on behalf of my wife - My God is an Awesome God.

For allegedly blocking the Lekki-Epe Expressway with a truck at Ilasan area of Lekki, Eti- Osa, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, thereby causing obstruction to the convoy of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday, a driver, Mr. David Abiodun, 31, has been arrested by the police at Ilasan Division.

He was arraigned Wednesday before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on a five-count charge of dangerous and reckless driving without regard to other road users and causing obstruction to the Lagos State governor’s convoy.

The police stated in the charge sheet that the accused was arrested when he used his Mack truck with registration number XY 33 GGE to block the entire lane on the Lekki-Epe Expressway for unjustifiable reasons and in the process prevented the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola and his convoy from having easy passage to their destination.

During interogation, it was alleged that Abiodun could not give satisfactory reasons on why he blocked the road.

He could not also produce his driver’s licence and the vehicle’s particulars on demand.

The offences, the police prosecutor, Inspector Clifford Ogu said, contravened Sections 28(i), 39(3) of the Traffic Act 548, 36 (P), 44 (1) Cap. 172, Vol. 7 of the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State of Nigeria and Section 126 (1) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and the presiding magistrate, Mrs. Famobiwo, granted him bail in the sum of N20,000 with two sureties in like sum who must produce evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and they must also be resident in the state.

She adjourned the matter till 6 June, 2012 for mention.

The defendant was moved to Ikoyi Prison when he could not perfect his bail conditions

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/05/24/driver-sent-to-prison-for-blocking-fasholas-convoy/

Excuse my ignorance

I am also ttc, what has tooth for sweet things got to do with a man's spearm quality.

if you are a thief AND have no respect for your fellow masses , you will automatically respect GEJ.

Mugu jam Mugu

it is impossible for me to be duped - I have no greed in me

imagine for n3000 - i get n50000

mtn is profit making business and not santa claus

OMG

Nigeria and its high fees - How business go survive - not a friendly business environment at all.

to do , will do , promise to do , i am about to do , we are going to do

Oya Foolish Nigerians come here quick and swallow another Retarded Promise

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER

IKEJA – Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, raised the alarm over oil spillage in the state. He said this has led to outbreak of skin and cancer diseases in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, he has signed into law, a bill that empowers the state Chief Judge to make necessary amendment to the rules of the state High Court.

Fashola, who spoke during a courtesy visit by members of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream Sector), said it was high time the Federal Government checked the activities of the downstream sector in that part of the state before Lagosians,who reside in those parts of the state, were wiped out.

He explained that although the Federal Government had the constitutional rights to regulate activities in the sector, the government was empowered to decide on where petroleum assets were to be sited in the state, adding “such power is strictly municipal to avoid locating petroleum infrastructure in the wrong place.”

He listed some of the areas affected by the oil spillage to include Baruwa in Alimoso Local Government Area, Ilado axis and others.

Fashola urged the lawmakers to visit the places in the state that had been badly affected by oil spillage, saying “apart from denying the people the opportunity to engage in their daily business activities, the communities are now at the risk of deadly diseases such as cancer and skin diseases owing to their polluted water.

“If this continues, then we will begin to sow seed of poor health for the future. This is because these resources are toxic and poses environmental difficulties for the residents, as many of them may begin to encounter respiratory disorder.
“That is the level of pollution in most part of Alimosho and this had resulted to skin diseases and emerging cancer infections.”

Fashola noted that legislation alone cannot solve the problem because there is a rich body of legislation that had not been enforced, adding that what was required was enforcement of the legislation made the apex lawmakers.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/fashola-raises-alarm-on-oil-spillage-in-lagsos/

President Goodluck Jonathan has a date with the long suffering people of the Niger Delta and he alone would have to decide how he wants history to judge him. For the first time in the history of this country, a son of a fisherman from Otueke, a remote village in Bayelsa State, emerged as president of Nigeria against all political permutations. The general belief of the region, in the last 365 days or so, is that if somebody from a minority could be president of a nation with a population of over 160 million people, then, there is hope for the region and others.

Along with his plans for the entire nation, the people of the region are anxiously waiting to feel the sense of belonging in the equitable distribution of the national resources – in terms of human and physical developmental projects. And from the look of things, this would be the sole parameter they would use to measure his performance or otherwise at the end of his first term in 2015. And if there is one project the people look forward to, for the president to complete before his tenure, it is the planned 704km East-West coastal road. They believe strongly the project would inestimably help in opening up the Niger Delta region for development, unlock its economic potential and assist in dousing the brutality which impede the movement of goods and enable the people to perk up their living standards.

From the design, the project sprawls over a total of nine coastal states: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers. These states, according to experts, account for 25% of the nation’s population with coastal areas stretching inland for a distance of 15km in Lagos, in the West to about 150km, in the Niger Delta about 25km.

From documentary records, the resources in the coastal and marine environment have high implications for our nation’s economy. The oil and gas from the region form the main spine of our economy because it provides nearly 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 65% of budgetary revenues.

The proposal for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region, as prepared by a Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under Timi Aliabe’s leadership, laid the theoretical groundwork for the project in 2004. Before the master plan, the Niger Delta Environmental Survey in formulating development priorities for the region, also proposed the construction of the coastal road in 1998. Again, the international conference on the development of the Niger Delta Region held in Port Harcourt in December 2001, under the aegis of the NDDC and UNDP, emphasised the urgent need for the road.

Indeed, the conference attended by experts around the world came to a reasonable conclusion that there could be no meaningful development in the region without the proposed coastal road. According to them, it was designed to serve as a strong east-west spine from Calabar towards Lagos, with several north-south “ribs” connecting growth poles – central and northern Nigeria.

The aims of the regional road are to link centres of economic activities with their business connections, raw materials and markets; to provide fast links between sub-regional roads and expansion poles; and to give attention to regional traffic on a few routes that would give good reason for a viable rail transport.

From the economic evaluation and other studies conducted, the coastal road was identified to assist in giving direct access to waterways that are presently not utilized, and encourage the setting up and growth of maritime industries such as ocean terminals for deep anchorage, ship repair/maintenance and engineering facilities to handle large ocean-going vessels, boat building facilities, passenger cruise terminals, fishing terminals etc, and help to improve fishing activities in the coastal region by at least 27.5%. The majority of the coastal people engage in fishing.

Among others, the coastal road was also planned to boost trading activities within the region by 24.4%, generate-revenue drive, curtail rural-urban drift because the rural people (fishermen, traders) will benefit most, open up opportunities to the unemployed (skilled and unskilled), reduce unemployment rate across the region, aid investment in the region and encourage the growth of local technology. The road is to serve as the shortest route linking Lagos to the coastal areas of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states and also connects the north-south vertical routes.

As one international expert with wide knowledge of the Niger Delta challenges once put it, “This road is crucial not only because of the vital communication links that it would provide, but the wider benefits of acting as a catalyst in the development of the region and unlocking the vast tourism potentials and opportunities in the region”.

But crucial as this project is to the economic and social well-being is to the most economically brutalised region in the country, the Niger Delta, the federal government – especially the NDDC, the Ministry of Niger Delta and others – have continued to foot-drag on the project. Understandably, a couple of challenges have been identified by the minister of the Niger Delta, Elder Goodsday Orubebe, as hindering the execution of the project, especially the issue of funding.

True, from the project’s budget, the planned coastal road is expected to cost a total N1.8 trillion ($6.5 billion). And weighing this huge cost, some other alternative means of funding the project have also been suggested - including soliciting the support of state governors whose states lie along the corridor of the road, oil companies, international donor agencies and willing investors. While this option looks reasonable for President Jonathan and Orubebe, it is important that they also devise some internal mechanisms that could further assist them in sourcing significant finance to carry out the project. As experts have said, this could come in the form of deductions from oil revenues, which are principally generated from the coastal states. This suggestion borders on the consciousness of the people that the coastal road is crucial to life of the coastal states - they need this infrastructural development to enhance the economic base of their areas.

But come to think of it, Orubebe’s excuse of lack of funds for abandoning the project is unreasonable. Brainless as his reason might sound, I doubt whether he knows the huge problem he is indirectly creating for President Jonathan - by not insisting on the completion of the project before 2015 – because the president might have no home to return to if he fails or refuses to finish the project before the end of his tenure. He might as well stay in Abuja till the rest of his life. I am too sure the people of the Niger Delta will not take any excuse from him. Since that project was initiated, the federal government has taken billions of dollars from the resources generated from the region in expanding Abuja for the comfort of the rich.

If there is no fund to execute this very important project, as they are saying, where did they get the trillions of naira they wasted as petroleum subsidy? The minister should give that excuse to fools and slow-thinking people and not the aggrieved people of the Niger Delta. The president and Orubebe would have to go and look for money, even if it means stealing, to execute the project. For the people of the region, I am sure the coastal road is a matter of life and death.

http://leadership.ng/nga/iyobosa_uwugiaren/25502/2012/05/23/playing_life_niger_delta.html

Sorry to say

Retrogression in action and Government run on the front of Newspapers

Lame duck seating government. if doesnt suit them , they circum navigate the courts , now it suits them " they say matter is in the courts"

Abeg spare us from this retardeen government.

Is this the best 11 from the ND

na wa ooo

The SW region will always align with any combination that will remove incompetency from Presidency and none of that foolish fresh air or i had no shoes mantra will work the second thing. Nigerians are tired of retrogression.

I think I would agree with the OP on this one. Past actions can be a good indicator of what will in happen in the future. So the ultimate question remains. What did gej achieve as a gov of one off the richest states in Nigeria. It will be nice to know so I can guide my future expectations..

Waiting till 2014 might be too late and not a sensible approach