₦airaland Forum

Kano State governor and senator-elect representing Kano Central, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has advised the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to act fast by coming out with an acceptable zoning formula for the National Assembly positions.

“The longer this decision takes, the more challenges it will pose to the party”, Kwankwaso said.

In an interview with newsmen in his office at the Government House, Kano, yesterday, Governor Kwankwaso said his party should come out with acceptable guidelines for the zoning, adding that failure to do so may erode the people’s confidence and repeat the mistake of the PDP in the 7th Assembly.

Kwankwaso recalled that Speaker Aminu Tambuwal took advantage of the PDP’s delay to go round and campaign, and garnered support from members of the House who voted him as the speaker.

Kwankwaso explained that the PDP, as an experienced party in the game, may want to capitalise on this mistake, a situation the APC national leadership would not want to happen because it won the elections overwhelmingly.

The governor advised the APC leadership to come out with a zoning formula that would be acceptable, adding that failure to do so may pave the way for PDP to snatch the leadership of the National Assembly.

“I am one of those experienced in this game; I was a deputy speaker in 1992. So the issue of leadership is very important; the party should come out with guidelines, so that confusion can be reduced to the barest minimum”, he emphasised.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/kwankwaso-apc-must-decide-on-zoning-now/

Postal employees under the aegis of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) have expressed readiness to resist an alleged plan to sack 150 workers due to planned privatization of the Nigeria Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT)
.
This is as the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) appealed to the Federal Government to urgently facilitate payment of their April pensions as many of them depend on the monthly stipend.

The President of NUPTE, Comrade Sunday Alhassan, speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, disclosed that the union has already enlisted the backing of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to resist the planned sack, and privatization of the organisation.

He added that a letter has already been sent to the Ministry of Communication Technology informing the Minister of the union’s position.
Instead of putting it for sale, Alhassan urged the government to properly fund NIGCOMSAT and make it viable by compelling government agencies to subscribe to it for their satellite bandwidth needs.

He explained that the union is against privatisation because most government enterprises that have been privatized, and purchased by individuals, are not doing well.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/postal-employees-vow-to-resist-sack-of-staff-due-to-planned-privatization-of-nigcomsat/

The Nigerian edikaikong soup has over the years topped the list of Nigerian popular soups because of its nutritional value and ease of preparation.This soup is native to the efiks, people from cross river state. The name edikaikong simply translates to “vegetable soup”. This Nigerian soup recipe is nourishing in every sense of the word.

The downside to this soup is that it loses its nutritional value when refrigerated over a long period of time. It is advisable to make what would be enough for few days, one week at most.
INGREDIENTS

Stock fish
500g Dried fish or roasted fish
Ground or Pounded Crayfish
Water-leaf
Fluted pumpkin (ugwu leaf)
Palm oil
Meat of choice (preferably assorted meat)
Salt and pepper to taste
Periwinkles (optional)
Onions

Click link to site to see cooking procedure
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/nigerian-cooks-chops-how-to-prepare-edikaikong-soup/

The Senate Thursday passed Oil and Gas Free Zone Amendment Bill 2015 with the intention to enhance Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) and simultaneously address the defects in the original Act.

The bill also seeks to enhance the domestication of business activities in the oil and gas sector; promote job creation; foster transfer of skills and technology to Nigerians in the oil and gas industry as well as strengthen the regulatory framework on the operation of free zones in the country.

The bill was passed after the presentation of the report of the Joint Senate Committee on Trade, Establishment and Public Service on the bill by the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Odion Ugbesia.

According to Ugbesia, Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne and Ikpokiri was established by Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) Act 1996 to regulate, control and manage the free zone.

However, Ugbesia noted that 18 years after the establishment of OGFZA, the free zones are far from achieving the purpose for which they were established. He attributed this drawback to poor regulatory framework, inherent inadequacies and operational challenges.

He said: “The Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne/Ikpokiri was established by Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) Act, 1996 as the premier oil and gas free zone in Nigeria. The same Act also established the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority to regulate control and manage the Free Zone.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/senate-passes-oil-and-gas-amendment-bill-to-boost-gdp/

Two of Nigeria’s eminent personalities have given divergent prognoses on the just concluded 2015 elections, with Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, stating that he chose Major-General Muhammdu Buhari (rtd) over President Goodluck Jonathan because he was the “better of the two evils”.

In contrast, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku yesterday said Nigerians owed Jonathan a debt of gratitude for his roles in the conduct of the successful elections this year.

Soyinka, in his characteristically blunt manner, termed the outcome of the elections as a stark choice between a failed president and a former military dictator, saying Buhari was the better of the two evils as the incumbent president was an “unmitigated disaster and failure”.

Delivering a lecture titled, “Predicting Nigeria, Electoral Ironies”, at the Harvard University Hutchins Centre for African & African American Research, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Soyinka also condescendingly described Nigerians of Igbo extraction as “predictable” and “greedy” following their choice to vote en masse for Jonathan in the just concluded general election.

Defending his support for the former military dictator, the foremost dramatist said on a personal level, it was a “painful decision to tell people to vote Buhari, but the country needed a new beginning. I was more against Jonathan, than I was pro-Buhari”.

He informed the sold-out audience that if the incumbent had been anything near competent, Buhari’s most “maladroit statement” about the dog and the baboon being soaked in blood, would have been enough to scuttle his presidential ambition for the fourth time.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/soyinka-buhari-was-better-of-two-evils-jonathan-was-an-unmitigated-disaster-and-failure/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of setting traps for the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari, through last-minute appointments as well as the removal and immediate replacement of heads of strategic government parastatals.

Chairman of APC in the state, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, advised the in-coming administration to reverse some of the sacks and appointments, which it said was aimed at planting mediocres that will undermine the lofty ideals of the party and present it in bad light for the 2019 general election.

Ikanya said, “We are appalled and disappointed by this gale of appointments, sacks, and replacements by a go-slow president who was hitherto known for his inability to remove erring public officers and replace ministers and heads of government agencies who either retired or resigned their appointments.

“The last-minute rush by President Jonathan to remove and replace heads of strategic government departments and agencies is therefore nothing but an attempt to set traps for the incoming Buhari Administration in the hope that reviewing these illegal actions would result in the loss of goodwill by the successor-administration.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/jonathan-setting-traps-for-buhari-with-last-minute-sacks-appointments-apc/

The House of Representatives will on Tuesday next week commence consideration of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)

Deputy speaker, Hon Emeka Ihedioha who disclosed this during yesterday’s plenary, announced that clean copies of the PIB report has been circulated to lawmakers.

It would be recalled that the Ad-hoc Committee led by the House Chief Whip, Hon. Ishaku Mohammed Bawa, had presented the report, in March 2015 after almost three years of its assignment.

The committee had scrutinised the whole 363 sections and annexures of the original bill and made some amendments and recommendations.

The 23-member Ad-hoc Committee had held public hearings in the six geopolitical zones, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which afforded stakeholders and general public the opportunity to make contributions to the law.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/reps-to-consider-petroleum-industry-bill-next-week/

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday fixed June 18 to deliver judgement in the alleged money laundering case involving the director of Media of Goodluck Jonathan 2015 Presidential Campaign Organization, Femi Fani-Kayode.

The trial judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia fixed the date after counsel to Fani-Kayode and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) adopted their final written addresses.

Fani-Kayode, who is also a former minister of Aviation is standing trial on a two count charge of laundering the sum of N2.1 million, while he was serving in the Obasanjo’s administration as minister of Aviation and minister of Culture and Tourism respectively.

He was specifically accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of conducting financial transaction exceeding N500,000, which was not done through a financial institution by accepting cash payment of various sum which was further carried in cash to First City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB)) through some of his associates.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

While Adopting his client’s address, the former minister’s counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), told the court that the EFCC has failed to link him with the crime.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/money-laundering-fani-kayode-knows-fate-june-18/

The 2015 election season has produced a sizeable number of cross-country trekkers, with the latest joining the healthy trend in honour of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Accordingly, preparatory to the May 29 hand over date, Kogi-born Oladele John Nihi, on monday began his walk from Abuja to Otuoke, Bayelsa State, in honour of the president. All others before him had elected to walk hundreds of kilometres from far-flung cities to Abuja in honour of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Nihi said he decided to embark on the 700-kilometre journey because he wants to celebrate Jonathan as the true hero of democracy.
Nihi who began his trek at about 6 am, said he chose to walk for Jonathan because he conceded defeat after the presidential election, thus sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.

Using the hashtag #TrekForGEJ (Trek for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan), he said his walk could be tracked as he intends to update people on his whereabouts.

Days before commencing his walkathlon, Nihi had walked from the Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe, Abuja to the National Hospital in the city for tests and then proceeded to the police force headquarters to submit a notification letter to the acting Inspector General of Police.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/man-begins-trek-from-abuja-to-bayelsa-for-jonathan/

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday said it would resume the exploration of crude oil in the Chad Basin, following the improvement of security in the North-east region of the country.

Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, who disclosed this in a statement signed by Mr. Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said NNPC was forced to suspend exploration in the region due to rising insecurity, stating that it planned to resume activities there in the next few days.

Dawha, stated this at the 21st Annual General Meeting of Integrated Data Services Nigeria Limited (IDSL), the NNPC subsidiary responsible for carrying out the seismic data acquisition in the country.

He said: “With the remarkably improved security situation in the North-eastern part of the country, the NNPC is to resume oil search in the Chad Basin.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/nnpc-to-resume-oil-exploration-in-chad-basin/

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said that it has resolved not to sit aloof anymore when critical issues of state are being worked out, adding that it has over the years been at the receiving end of programmes and policies of government whether good or bad.

The student body also said it has carefully selected individuals whom it is convinced have provided exemplary leadership in their various capacities and it would only be proper to commend such people while urging others to emulate them.

Among them are the INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, Emir of Kano, Dr Sanusi Lamido, Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola and others.

NANS in a statement signed by its president, Comrade Tijani Usman, explained that it would henceforth make inputs in critical programmes of government rather than wait to suffer and complain about the consequences of unfavaourable actions.

He stated further that the students constitute a significant voting population and must take advantage of their strength.

‘That is why at the risk of being misconstrued as dabbling into partisan politics, NANS has taken stands on issues that it believes are for the good of the entire nation. We rose up recently to say no to zoning in the leadership of National Assembly but threw our weight behind merit.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/nans-to-honour-jega-emir-sanusi-fashola-others-for-good-governance/

The chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, has called on the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari to sanction the global renowned auditing firm, PriceWaterCoopers (PwC), for allegedly carrying out a shoddy forensic audit on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) regarding the alleged missing $20 billion from the corporation’s coffers.

The committee chairman also called on the incoming government to, with immediate effect, suspend PwC from carrying out any further financial audit or investigation on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria or any of its agencies.

Adeola, who made this statement when he spoke to journalists on the PwC’s report said that the firm did not actually carry out full audit of the NNPC accounts, adding that the House Committee on Public Accounts had long ago noticed something fishy in the PwC report as the said report averred that the only amount of money that the NNPC ought to remit was just $1.485 billion.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/house-committee-calls-on-buhari-to-sanction-pricewatercoopers-pwc-over-nnpc-forensic-audit/

The police have uncovered a cabal operating within the Presidential Implementation Committee on Sale of Government Properties who specialise in fleecing unsuspecting people seeking to buy federal government properties of millions of naira.

The Police Special Fraud Unit came to a conclusion that a cabal had been operating under the PIC to defraud properties buyers while investigating a petition submitted to the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Fraud Unit by a company, Multiplication Global Trade Limited‎,.

The police report into the petition, which was obtained by our correspondent, details how some members of staff of the PIC colluded with outsiders ‎ to defraud sitting tenants by denying them their right to buy the properties contrary to government’s laid down procedures for the sales.

The report stated: “Discreet investigations reveal that there actually exists a cabal within the PIC whose modus operandi is described below:

“That as soon as sitting tenants of any government property expresses interest‎ to buy their flats in accordance with government policy and the PIC has profiled such tenants and found them qualified, the information about such property is immediately passed to members of this cabal who would approach the tenants and offer to buy the property off them at very ridiculous rates, usually between N10 million and N12 million maximum per flat, with subtle threats …that either they accept or they shall be disqualified.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/police-uncover-fraud-in-sales-of-government-properties/

Despite threats of sanctions by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the leadership crisis in the party continues to deepen, as aides of President Goodluck Jonathan have moved to replace the embattled national chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu, with an outgoing governor from the South-south.

This is coming as the former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, has warned against any leadership change that would remove Mu’azu or members of the NWC, cautioning that the problem of the PDP stems from lack of discipline and internal democracy, which the incumbent NWC was not allowed to enforce at both the national and state levels.

Reports gathered that the move by the presidential aides and associates of the president is aimed at altering the zoning of offices in the PDP, which would see the national chairman of the party coming from the South-south, while the presidential candidacy will be zoned to the North, preparatory to the 2019 election.

In this regard, there is are speculations of a plot to make the outgoing Governor of Cross River State Liyel Imoke the next national chairman of the party at the national convention. If they get their way, the national convention will take place in the second week of June this year.

It was also gathered from a party source that all offices of the NWC would be affected.

He said: “If Imoke becomes the new national chairman of the party, the national secretary would come from the North, thus making room for the next presidential candidate of the party to also come from the North.”

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/presidency-moves-to-replace-the-national-chairman-of-pdp-with-a-ssouth-governor/

Seated Yoga Pose

Sit in a cross-legged position. Ease your right foot on top of your left thigh, gently pulling your heel toward the top of your inner thigh. Repeat with your left foot.
Benefits– This poses provide some of our deepest muscle opening and opens the hips.

Bridge Pose

Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees straight up, bringing heels just behind your hips. Lift hips up to knee height, and interlace fingers underneath you with arms straight. Squeeze shoulder blades together and breathe middle and upper just open over your chin.
Benefits– This pose Opens up in the spine and chest feels great and strengthens our connection to intuition.

Shoulder Stand

Lie down on your back with arms alongside your body, and bring knees into your chest. With legs either bent or straight, lift your hips and reach your feet toward the floor behind your head. Interlace your fingers with arms straight on the ground, and squeeze your shoulder blades and elbows close together. Bend your elbows and support your middle back with your palms, fingers facing up. Either one at a time or together, lift your legs up vertical, gently pressing your knees and ankles together.
Benefits– This pose is good for balance, opens the neck and back. Good for circulation.

Read full story and see picture examples
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/top-5-basic-yoga-exercises-with-their-benefits/

Pacific Drilling Nigeria is recruiting to fill the position of Subsea Technician. Below is the full details and requirements needed:



Job Type: Full Time
Qualification: BA/BSc/HND
Experience: 1 year
Job Field: Engineering / Technical Oil and Gas / Energy

Job description
Position Summary

The Subsea Technician is a ‘fast track’ trainee of the Subsea Department. He or she is responsible for learning as much as possible about the subsea equipment to gain deep insight as to the various tasks and methods of the drilling vessel subsea environment. The technician will also be responsible for interacting with as many Subsea Supervisors as possible in the first year of the program.

Department / Location
Operations/ Global

Position Scope
The Subsea Technician program is intended to produce competent Subsea Supervisors from technically trained personnel in one year and on to Senior Subsea Supervisors in two years. The first year of the program is effectively full time while the second year will be (almost) equal time on and off and assigned to a drill-ship.

The first year will be broken into four stages, the first of which will have the Technicians assigned to the Subsea Superintendents, the second stage will have the Technician assigned to one of our drill-ships.
The third stage will be assigned to a different drill-ship (probably in a different country) and the fourth stage will have the Technician assigned to shadow the Subsea Superintendents again.

During this first year there will be many training courses to attend and during both years there will be many assignments to complete and reports to write.

The technicians will be evaluated and tested after each stage. A failure of any evaluation, an assignment or of the written test will prevent graduation. We will, however allow one opportunity only to correct such a failure.

Reporting Relationships
Direct Manager/Supervisor – The Subsea Technician will report to his (her) mentor on a daily basis.
Functional Manager/Supervisor – The Subsea Technician will ultimately report to the Director of Operational Excellence.

Supervisory Relationships
None. This is a training function.

Work Environment
Rig, office, classroom and factory.

Desired Skills and Experience

The Subsea Technician is required to have:
• A sound knowledge of hydraulic systems, with either mechanical or electrical related experience.
• A technical education with a degree, a diploma or equivalent.
• At least one year of supervisory experience (even if there was only one subordinate).
• Worked a rotating schedule, with long periods away from home, preferably on foreign assignments.
• The ability and willingness to perform self-study.
• A sound knowledge of hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
• The ability to read drawings and schematics.
• Be able to collect and process information required for the assignments.
• The capability to write detailed, though concise, technical reports.
• Always promote Pacific Drilling in a positive manner.
• Display continual loyalty to Pacific Drilling.
• Customer focus.
• An enthusiastic, self-driven and dynamic pro-active attitude.
• Adaptability.
• Priority Setting.
• Problem Solving.
• Attention to details.
• Strong organizational commitment.
• Written and oral communication skills.

Click link to apply
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/new-job-at-pacific-drilling-s-a/

Bidding farewell and expressing gratitude for the co-operation he has enjoyed from the State’s workforce in the last eight years, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN on Friday joined members of the organised labour in commemorating the 2015 Workers Day with a charge that organised labour must resolve to sacrifice, participate and be determined to be a part of the solution at all times.
The Governor who spoke at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, before a gathering of labour union members and their leaders, added that organised labour must resolve not to be a part of the problem but must choose negotiation and dialogue over strikes and lock outs.
He reiterated that the organised labour must resolve at all times that strike must be a last and reluctant resort when everything else had failed.
Governor Fashola said very substantial revenue was always lost in monetary terms anytime the nation resorted to strikes and that such colossal amounts could have been deployed to improving the lives of the citizens.
He stated that he recently directed a low scale study to be carried out on strikes between the year 2007 and 2014 and the results showed that almost 30 different strikes took place between that period with about 1,279 days lost to the strike actions.
“Let me dimension what that can mean if it took place in Lagos alone, this state generates an approximate N20 billion every month. So every day, it is about N600 million. If you do it in Lagos, it would be N852 billion. Imagine what that would have done in your lives”, he stressed.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/make-sacrifices-fashola-urges-labour/

The federal government said it had paid N156 billion debt to oil marketers in line with its commitment to prioritise payments in spite of revenue constraints.

This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu in Abuja.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the statement noted that the payment had two components comprising `I owe you’ (IOU), given in March and interest on payment.

“The first consists of the cash backing of the N100 billion IOU which the marketers were given in March. The second is N56 billion in interest payments for the marketers according to the PPPRA template.

“This leaves a balance of N98 billion certified by PPPRA as the amount owed the markers,” it stated. It explained that the N156 billion was the latest in a series of significant payments made to the oil marketers within the last five months.

It explained that these included over N300 billion in two instalments in December last year and N31 billion in interest differentials recently.

The statement stated that in all, oil marketers had received over N500 billion within the past five months.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/fg-makes-payment-of-n156bn-debt-to-oil-marketers/

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it had cancelled the third toll plaza on the Lekki-Epe-Eti-Osa expressway, which it said, was concluded after listening to the yearnings of the people and feedback from concerned residents.

The state government also said it had agreed to pay a sum of N40 billion to a consortium of senior lenders, which provided facilities to develop the project then contracted under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ayodeji Gbeleyi, gave details about how the state government bought back the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the then concessionaire of the expressway at a news conference he addressed at Alausa.

Gbeleyi, who addressed the conference alongside the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba and Accountant-General of the state, Mr. David Sumonu, said the state government had cancelled the initially planned third toll plaza on the expressway having paid fully for the buyback of the expressway.

He said: “We have listened to the yearnings of the people and feedback from concerned residents. We took policy decision to cancel the initially planned third toll plaza on Lekki-Epe road that will have been located around Pan Atlantic University. Today, we will only the two toll plazas that have been built along the expressway.”

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/lagos-cancels-third-toll-plaza-on-lekki-epe-expressway/

The federal government, through the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) and the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), on Tuesday formally handed over the assets of the Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) and its mobile arm, Mobile Telecommunications (MTEL), to NATCOM Consortium.

NATCOM became the preferred bidder for NITEL and MTEL following the disqualification of NETTAG Consortium as a result of its failure to submit a bid bond with its technical proposal. Upon full payment of the purchase consideration of $252,221,000 ahead of the April deadline and presentation of certificates to NATCOM, the company is therefore expected to begin to roll out telecommunication services.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who also doubles as the Chairman of NCP, was represented at the handover ceremony in Abuja by Mr. Emmanuel Amadi. While commending President Goodluck Jonathan’s road map for the provision of robust telecommunications services, he said Nigeria would not attain the desired economic growth without adequate reforms and liberalisation of the sector to drive the nation’s economy.

According to him, the successful handover of NITEL and MTEL to NATCOM is a painstaking effort of NCP, BPE, the Ministry of Communication Technology and the liquidator, adding that the entrance of the investor will no doubt increase competition in the industry.

Read full story
[url]monitor9ja.com/2015/04/fg-formally-hands-over-nitelmtel-to-natcom/[/url]

The former inspector general of police, IGP Suleiman Abba, has said that he did his very best and delivered a credible and peaceful election to the country during the 2015 general elections.

Abba was sacked on Tuesday in a statement by the presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati who said the sack was with immediate effect. He was replaced by former deputy inspector general of police in charge of Force Intelligence in acting capacity, Ag IGP Solomon Arase.

Abba made the remark yesterday during the official handing over and taking over ceremony between him and Arase, where he said that the society usually finds it difficult to understand the actions of the police.

He said, “I want to thank the Almighty God, for seeing me into the office of IGP; like He said, He gives and He takes and He is also seeing me out as the IGP, particularly, when it is in good health and with the ovation I’m getting from my colleagues.

“I want to thank the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for that appointment and for also seeing me out at this time because I believe God knows the best. And I want to say that I want to move on with my life believing that life has steps and it is a journey.”

“To my colleagues, I know you have seen it all. We started at a time that was very difficult in Nigerian history, a time when politics had picked up. We were getting ready for the elections and our whole attention, I would say, was on the elections, even though we kept on doing our best in managing our day to day activities”.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/former-igp-speaks-on-2015-general-polls/

Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday said she was being persecuted for stepping on big toes while ridding the petroleum sector of corruption.

She equally declared that she had not sought for assistance from anywhere to protect her name as reported in some dailies, because she has not been indicted for committing any crime.

The petroleum minister, who fielded questions from State House correspondents, said she had done her best for Nigeria and attained many firsts in the history of oil and gas especially in the reforms carried out by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

“In this period of time, I have stepped on many big toes, particularly the feet of the cabals that were in the industry when we came in. Because I have said severally that we will open up the industry to all Nigerians and we have, but that is not to the pleasure of certain cabals.

“And I have been continuously maligned because of this and we have taken millions and in fact billions of Dollars out of the hands of fuming multinationals and their subcontractors and put them in the hands of Nigerians through Nigerian Content,” she said.

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/diezani-im-being-persecuted-for-stepping-on-big-toes-in-oil-industry/

A local government coordinator of the El-Rufai Gubernatorial Campaign Council in Southern Kaduna, Mr. Markus Ishaya, was yesterday murdered at his hometown.

Information getting to us was that some unknown gunmen trailed Mr. Markus Ishaya to his village, Atuku Kasa, Atuku Ward of Jema’a local government area of the state and killed him.

Sources said the late Markus was shot several times. He was the governor-elect’s coordinator in Atuku Ward and did very well in mobilising support for him.

The spokesman of the El-Rufai Campaign Council, Samuel Aruwa, confirmed the incident, saying “His family informed us that unknown gunmen stormed his residence and shot him several times.”

Read full story
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/gunmen-kill-el-rufais-coordinator-in-kaduna/

The president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s right-hand men, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, to emerge the next president of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Dr Adesina is the current minister of agriculture and rural development.

To this end, Buhari has communicated his support for Adesina’s candidacy to the Ghanaian president, John Dramani Mahama, who is the current chairman of the sub-regional group, ECOWAS.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Malam Garba Shehu, the president-elect was quoted as saying that he was endorsing Adesina’s candidacy for the AfDB top job not just because the minister was a Nigerian but because he has a record of excellent performance over time.

“Dr Adesina has a proven track record in a career that predates his position as Nigeria’s minister for agriculture and rural development,” Buhari said.

He noted that Adesina had years of experience while working in Francophone and Anglophone countries, and a passion to help eradicate poverty in Africa by reducing unemployment and inequality among African youths.

“Dr Adesina is also an agricultural development expert with 24 years of experience in developing and managing successful agricultural programmes across Africa.

“Until his appointment as the minister of agriculture and rural development in 2011, he was the vice president, Policy and Partnerships Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Additionally, he has held senior leadership positions in a number of agricultural institutions in the world,” the statement added.

http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/buhari-endorses-minister-akinwunmi-adesina-for-african-development-bank-presidency/

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday disclosed that the grave effects of climate change compelled the administration of his predecessor, Senator Bola Tinubu to embark on the Eko Atlantic City project which, he said, put paid to wanton loss of properties and damage of public installations in the state.

The governor, therefore, argued that the adoption of effective mitigation strategies could help reduce grave risks and uncertainties which, he said, climate change posed to human life, public infrastructure, strategic investments and wild life in the world’s major cities including Lagos, which he described as Africa’s model megacity.

He expressed concern at the seventh climate change summit he addressed at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island alongside the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, the British High Commission to Nigeria, Mr. Martins Uden and the German Consul General, Mr. Mitchel Deruz among others.

At the summit, Fashola explained how the previous and present administrations had been combating climate change, noting that the state government had put in place different policies and programmes which, he said, were especially targeted at attaining a sustainable environment in Lagos metropolis and suburbs.
The governor said such programmes “include tree planting, climate change clubs in our schools, advocacy programmes for different groups, improved waste management and effective transportation management system.”

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/fashola-eko-atlantic-city-initiative-was-as-an-effect-of-climate-change/

President Allasane Quattara of Côte d’Ivoire yesterday applauded President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat in the March 28 presidential election.

According to him, unlike former President Laurent Gbagbo who maintained a sit-tight attitude to power, the step taken by Jonathan had saved the most populous black nation from a violent crisis that would have threatened the unity of the country.

Addressing journalists after meeting with Jonathan behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, the Ivorian leader recounted the civil war in his country which broke out following the refusal of that country’s former President, Laurent Gbagbo, to concede defeat.

Quattara noted that by this act of statesmanship, President Jonathan had set an example for the rest of West Africa to follow.

He also said he was in Abuja to congratulate President Jonathan, President-elect Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and the people of Nigeria on the successful general elections as well as to appreciate the leadership Jonathan had provided for the sub region over the period.

Turning to President Jonathan who was present at the press briefing, Quattara said, “And so, I wanted to show you our appreciation over the leadership we have received from you during these years. You know that about five years ago, Côte d’Ivoire had elections and I won the election and the former president decided not to leave office.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/ivorien-president-nigerias-polls-an-example-for-african-countries-to-follow/

Peeved by the continuous and repeated attacks on Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the South African government to bring to a halt the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa or risk the closure of prominent South African investments like the telecoms giant, MTN, Shoprite, Rand Merchant Bank etc., which are operating in the country.
The students’ body in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nwankwo Ezekiel, on Sunday in Abuja gave the warning to the South African government where it condemned the attacks.
The warning came as the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Lulu Mguni, pleaded that Nigerians should neither carry out reprisals nor boycott South African companies and services operating in Nigeria, especially as the attackers in South Africa are already being arrested for prosecution and punishment.

NANS “condemns the sudden mysterious death of our own father, mother, brother, sister and loss of their properties in South Africa as a result of xenophobic attacks leaving behind their love ones.”
“It is with a sense of brotherhood that we are mandating the South African government to ensure an urgent solution to bring to an end this killing of our own citizens within the next seven days or it will leave us with no alternative than to go against all the South Africa investments in our noble country Nigeria and will not stop at this but furthermore, make all South Africa citizen uncomfortable in our country,” it added.

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Workers in the Nigerian electricity sector under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have kicked against the reported ongoing discussion between the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission and Russia’s Rosatom Corporation to build nuclear power plants in Nigeria.

The General Secretary of NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero, said in a strongly worded statement at the weekend that it sounded outrageous for Nigeria to toy with the idea of building nuclear power plants when other countries all over the world are abandoning the idea of building such facilities because of the associated consequences.

Ajaero noted that the German Coalition Government through the Minister for Environment, Norbert Rottgen had announced a reversal of policy that will see all the country’s nuclear power plants phased out by 2022, due to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident crisis in Japan.

According to him, a Japanese court has also issued a landmark injunction, halting plans to restart two nuclear reactors in the west of the country, citing safety concerns.

Instead of subjecting the country to the risks associated with nuclear power plants, Ajaero said the Federal Government should concentrate on uncompleted power projects, which would serve as alternatives to nuclear power plants.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/electricity-workers-kick-against-fgs-plan-to-build-nuclear-power-plants/

Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, weekend said with the victories of the All Progressives Congress (APC) both at the presidential, national and state assembly elections across the country he would have no regrets if he retires from politics today.

Elated Oshiomhole while reflecing on numerous political hurdle and battles he fought against those he described as godfathers particularly in Edo State said “ only a nation blessed by God can achieve that without any shot, except with the PVCs.”

The governor who spoke to newsmen in Benin City, the Edo State capital over the victory of the APC in the concluded state assembly election said “ If you recall where we are coming from in this state, you will appreciate how I feel. When I came in, every councillor in this state, local government chairmen, House of Assembly members, the governor and of course you have the presidency, now to imagine that from ground zero we came in to challenge this order and of course we must not forget that when they talk about god fatherism in Nigerian politics, when they talk about the power of godfathers, a small powerful, unaccountable, unelected group, Edo is their home base that is something everybody knows so much that people from outside this state come here for consultation to consult with the Edo godfathers.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/oshiomhole-no-regrets-if-i-quit-politics-today/

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend said only credible, patriotic and knowledgeable Nigerians would make up the transition committee, as part of the first steps to chart an entirely new path for the country.

Screening of members of the transition committee, which will meet with a similar committee from the presidency on the handover from the Goodluck Jonathan administration to the incoming Buhari-led government. We have gotten information that its being handled by Pastor Tunde Bakare among others, who was Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election.

After the screening process, Buhari, it was also gathered, would personally interview each of the members of the committee, as there is the major likelihood that a few of them would be elevated to ministerial posts in his federal cabinet when he takes over as president.

Buhari also assured members of the other political parties, who have been defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) of justice in the party, regardless of the misgivings about their former parties.

Speaking with reporters at his country home in Daura, Katsina State, shortly after casting his ballot in the governorship and House of Assembly elections, Buhari said Nigeria’s problem has been one of lack of accountability and a terrible budgetary system, which has resulted in the death of institutions.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/transition-cttee-buhari-recommends-tunde-bakare-as-heads-of-committee/

Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo hinted that the nation’s teachers will benefit from a free education programme at tertiary levels when the All Progressives Congress (APC) government takes charge of the country come May 29, 2015 during a consultative meeting with members of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Lagos yesterday, said continuous education for teachers is one of the core programmes of APC to raise standard of education in the country.

Osibanjo emphasized that the administration will guarantee regular teacher training noting that education and health would receive priority attention in Buhari’s administration.

The professor said, “If you look at our manifesto, we would spend a lot of time and money on public education that is why this consultation is very important but it is just the beginning of the series of consultations that we intend to have. Fortunately, I am from here, I am one of you and this means there will be direct access which will make it easier for us to do all we want to do.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/osinbajo-nigerian-teachers-to-get-free-education-homes/