₦airaland Forum

Five months after losing power to the All Progressives Congress, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday begged Nigerians to join the opposition party.

The party said Nigerians interested in the PDP were free to do so without any condition.

It said that both the new and the old members would be treated equally.

The Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday.

He spoke during the inauguration of the PDP e-Membership Registration Committee.

The committee is headed by Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

Secondus said with the idea of e-registration becoming a reality, godfatherism would soon become a thing of the past in the party.

He said, “This occasion is significant to us as a party because it is a dream come true.

“You will recall that the idea of having an electronic membership registration for our party has been in the works for so many years…

“I’m appealing to all Nigerians to come and join us. There is room for everybody. Journalists here are also free to join us and become our members.”

He said for the party to succeed in its objective of rebuilding, its leaders must be courageous enough to implement the e-membership registration now.

The acting chairman of the party, which ruled Nigeria for 16 years, said that everybody agreed that this solution was imperative for any organisation that wanted to run efficiently in the IT-driven world.

He said, “We believe that for us to succeed in our objective of rebuilding the party, we must be courageous enough to implement the e-membership registration now.

“Everybody agrees that this solution is imperative for any organisation that wants to run efficiently in the IT driven world we find ourselves.

“Also, it is obvious that this is the only thing that would empower the grassroots and ensure internal democracy in the operations of the party.”

He said that the committee had what he described as a onerous task of marketing the programmes of the PDP to ensure members that the exercise would be transparent.

He added that the committee should work with the aim of returning the party to the people.

“Look at our slogan, which is ‘Power to the People.’ We are now returning the party to the people. While the committee will determine the cost, the duration of this exercise is just six months,” he added.

Dokpesi, who is the chairman of the committee, promised that the exercise would be transparent.

Some other members of the committee, which has the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the party, Senator Walid Jibril as secretary include Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, Governor Ibrahim Dankawambo of Gombe State and Senator Godswill Akpabio as members.

www.punchng.com

I Think This Should Be A Crime Henceforth.

THERE is no doubt that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has portrayed himself in recent times as a governor that believes so much in prayers as there is hardly any Sunday that the Ikwerre-born politician is not seen among congregations of different Christian denominations.

Ordinarily, clerics would not have noticed Wike as a man that has a penchant for going to church to pray, but because he occupies a position of authority, he is always the cynosure of all eyes any time he is in church.

Before the heat of the general election in March and April 2015, the governor’s level of appearances in churches was not as high as it is now.

Within the past one month, he has been to many churches seeking and getting prayers for himself and the success of his administration.

Just last week, Wike was at the Royal House of Grace International Church where another guest of the church and a renowned cleric, Dr. Uma Ukpai, prayed for him and described him as an asset to the state.

The General Overseer of the Royal House of Grace, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, also prayed for the governor.

A week before his visit to Apostle Aggrey’s church, Wike had been to The Lord’s Chosen Church, Pastor Lazarus Mouka where he also got a large dose of prayers from the general overseer of the church. It was at the Lord’s Chosen Church that he ordered that a major road leading to the church be reconstructed based on his pledge during his previous visit before the general election.

The ‘praying governor’ has also received clerics from the Methodist Church and Archibishop Ignatius Kattey of the Anglican Church at the Government House in Port Harcourt and none of them left without praying for him and the success of his administration.

There is no doubt that this coming Sunday, Wike is likely to be found on his knees in a church praying or being prayed for.

With such an outpouring of prayers for Wike, his supporters hope that the ongoing election petition tribunal will rule in his favour.

www.punchng.com

I believe this is very true about bachelorhood. You will always find your stuff where you kept them .

midolian:
The husband and son of immediate past Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, are set to open a multi-million dollar hospital in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
https://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Iweala_hospital.jpg?itok=zhgQztJE
Prototype of Iweala's multi-million dollar hospital in Abuja

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s husband, Ikemba Iweala, and their son, Uchechi Iweala, are teaming up to establish the Capital Health and Surgical Care Center in Abuja. Both men, who are medical doctors, will serve as chairman of the board and medical director respectively at the medical facility described as state of the art. 

The hospital was originally to be formally opened last June by former President Goodluck Jonathan, on the assumption that he would be reelected. Mr. Jonathan’s defeat froze the idea.

Information available on the hospital’s website, http://www.chscnigeria.com/home/page?id=Press, states that the hospital “is conceived to improvetertiary-level healthcare delivery in Nigeria and Greater West Africa by providing top-rate service of international standard.” The hospital, which has been quietly under construction and development in the last three years, is equipped with 50 beds, three operating rooms, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and CT scan.

The undisclosed financiers of the project apparently spared no expense in conceiving the project. The project’s architectural design was undertaken by Perkins + Will Global (http://perkinswill.com), a major player in the world’s architectural scene. The firm is based in Washington, DC with offices in more than 24 countries all over the world. The firm of architects has designed various multi-billion dollar projects in the US, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. The hospital’s interior design was done by Perkins + Will/DAR Group.

Another US-based multinational company, General Electric, handled the hospital’s technological equipment and infrastructure. The project does not list any indigenous Nigerian company as being involved in the conception or execution of any aspect of the hospital. 

While the hospital’s website does not provide any cost estimate, two sources familiar with the project claimed that the Iweala’s hospital cost between$100 and $150 million.

An Abuja-based architect also told this reporter that the profile Perkins + Wills suggested that the hospital was pricey. “If we go by the scale of projects that Perkins + Wills gets involved in, then we can conclude that this was a major project,” the US-trained architect said.  

https://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Iweala_announces-hospital.jpg?itok=7C0u0lhH
Screenshot of Dr. Iwealas announcing the project

The hospital’s website provides no information about the financing of the project. SaharaReporters contacted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to ascertain whether the anti-corruption agency knew the financial backers of the project. “No, we are not aware,” a senior EFCC official told our correspondent. He added that the agency had no reason to investigate the source of the hospital’s funds. He added, “The only issue is that the arrowheads of the hospital are family members of the former Coordinating Minister of the Economy. But we cannot just investigate unless we receive information that public funds were somehow committed to the project.”

http://saharareporters.com/2015/08/23/former-finance-minister-okonjo-iweala%E2%80%99s-family-open-multi-million-dollar-hospital-abuja

This is a very good development. I believe the funds used for the execution of this projects are earned legitimately.

dre11:
http://newtelegraphonline.com/afenifere-buhari-is-behaving-like-a-dictator/

who is afenifere again? Is he a former governor or minister?

ShineuEye:
[size=15pt]Usain Bolt beats Justin Gatlin in 100m final[/size]
https://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/1380386371_usain-bolt_2269961b.jpg



http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/aug/23/world-athletics-championships

cc:lalasticlala, murkina2, obinoscopy, ishilove

No be bolt ? Na him way.

Annkorede:
Why cant you just chill and save up to buy tecno Camon c8

How much is it?

Last year over 1.5 million people were diagnosed with cancer. But few people know that foods they are eating contain deadly carcinogens or are harming them in a way that might cause cancer. Is what you are eating killing you?

1. Highly Processed White Flours

After refining, processed white flours not only lose most all of their nutrients but they are also bleached with a chemical called chlorine gas. The EPA sites this gas as dangerous, irritant, that can be lethal. It is also very highly glycemic and bad for your blood sugar. Not only are they making us fat they might also be contributing to rising cancer rates.

2. Microwave Popcorn

Everybody loves a yummy bag of popcorn. Making it in the microwave is easy and convenient. Unfortunately, according to wikipedia the bags of microwave popcorn are lined with perfluorooctanoic acid ( PFOA). This chemical is also found in Teflon. Studies have shown that this chemical can be linked with infertility in women and exposure significantly increases risk of kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas and testicular cancers. Find more out at cancer.org. Many microwave popcorns also still use diacetyl which Conagra stopped using due to employees using it getting lung cancer.

3. Alcohol

Over consumption of alcohol can lead to many health issues including diabetes, obesity and many types of cancers. A recent study showed that postmenopausal women who drank one drink per day or less had a 30% increase in breast cancer rates than women who did not drink at all. Alcohol is the 2nd leading cause of cancer following tobacco. Experts working with the World Health Organization Research on Cancer found evidence that alcohol is the main cause of mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum, and female breast cancers.

4. Artificial Sweeteners

If you have to avoid sugar, are on a diet or have diabetes you might be using artificial sweeteners. However, many studies show that people usually GAIN weight when using them and can make it harder to control blood sugar. More studies are coming out that show aspertame, when broken down becomes a deadly toxin called DKP. This breakdown of chemicals is known to cause certain brain tumors.

5. Processed Meats

Like some hot dogs, sausages, bacon and other processed meats? Most of them have excessive salts and chemicals. Some studies show that people who regularly eat processed meats increased their chance of early death by as much as 43%. Sodium Nitrates are the biggest offenders and also a well know carcinogen with smoked meats being particularly bad.

6. Refined Sugars and Soda Pop

Many believe that refined sugars are the preferable food for cancer cells which helps them grow. High Fructose Corn Syrup being one of the main culprits because it is most easily metabolized by cancer cells. This puts most cakes, sodas, sauces, juices, etc on the NO NO list.. Sorry sweet tooths!

7. Canned Foods

Many canned foods and obviously found in cans. Most cans are lined with a chemical called bisphenol-A or BPA. Study about 2 years ago showed that BPA’s affect the way genes worked inside rats’ brains. The FDA seems to agree this is a problem and is supporting efforts to reduce, replace or eliminate the amounts found in canned foods. The high acidity leaves tomatoes more dangerous because they can leech the BPA more readily from the can lining.

8. Potato Chips

They sure make a great tasting quick snack but the negative effects far outweigh the short term pleasure. High in both fat and calories the cause weight gain. Add in often high Trans-Fats with sodium and you have the recipe for cancer and heart disease related health problems.

9. Smoked, Pickled and Salted!

These foods often have nitrates that turn into N-nitroso that is associated with higher cancer risks when digested. Smoked meats that are high in fat can help lead to stomach and colorectal cancer.

10. Hydrogenated Oils

These are vegetable oils. They must be chemically removed from their source and are often deodorized and colored. Also, excessive Omega-6 fatty acids cause health problems.

dayo72:
Check Techno H3 or H5

Thanks

knostbrown01:
https://m.facebook.com/411894715515848/photos/a.909959052376076.1073741826.411894715515848/924662450905736/?type=1&source=46&refid=17

At least I know the word anomie, it is derived from indomie .

Please I need a good techno phone of between 10,000 and 15,000. if you know of any good one , please let me know. Thank you.

Ladies, please beware of the kind of friends you visit.


Kemi Arobieke, May your gentle soul rest in peace.

My girlfriend is an official member of a leading Pentecostal church and she takes her religion seriously – so much so that she always recoils at the idea of having sex. She says it’s against the teachings of the Bible. This makes me sad. I am a Christian myself and I go to a reputable orthodox church from time to time. My girlfriend’s attitude is really upsetting me. I know a lot of our religious friends who are happy in fulfilling sexual relationships, why should our situation be different? At times I even wonder if she’s not hiding something more sinister from me. I’ve asked her to reach some sort of compromise by giving me MouthAction but she says nothing can be done sexually until we are married. It seems as if she is using her religion as a bait for us to get married. What can I do? If she turns out to be a pig-in-a-poke after we get married, what could I do? Do you think there’s anything I can say to change her views? I want her so much.

Please advice on what to do.

www.vanguardngr.com

AN ad hoc group of influential Nigerians, known as the National Peace Committee, has been parading the corridors of power of late, scheming to exploit its connections at the highest level of government to advance a suspicious agenda. Led by a former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, the NCP contingent met with President Muhammadu Buhari last week to “update him on the activities of the committee and how members could help nurture peace in the country.” The intention about peace is apparently noble, but the agenda of the committee is nebulous and its real motive is unclear and questionable.

Their mission, which was to emerge after the meeting, is to advise Buhari to tread with caution in his iron-cast resolve to rid the country of corruption and culture of impunity. In its sanctimonious arrogance, the self-appointed group purportedly lectured Buhari: “This is no longer a military regime and under our existing laws everybody is innocent until proven guilty,” Matthew Kukah, a Catholic priest and their spokesman, said. Although investigations are ongoing, the group jumped to the conclusion that the rule of law had not been followed.

Uncomfortable with the public perception of the NCP mission, Kukah, the priest who claimed to have empanelled the committee in the first instance, said there was no way that he or any member of the committee could have been told to go and beg Buhari for favour in anything relating to corruption. “His body language does not suggest that and only a fool would undertake that kind of mission.”

But Kukah unveiled the true mission of the NCP when he deployed shrill rhetoric in an interview later that Nigerians should be eternally grateful to Jonathan for conceding defeat in an election he clearly lost. As he puts it, “the singular decision that Jonathan took and I think that, as Nigerians, we must become sufficiently serious and realise that that singular act is what has kept us as a nation. So, I think that even for that singular act alone, Nigerians must be appreciative of what President Jonathan did…even if he stole all the money in the world.”

That is a patently dishonest argument. It also raises larger questions about our values. Whatever peace deal the NCP struck, it only offered Jonathan a ladder to climb down. The appalling revelations of financial scandal and corruption that engulfed his administration like a dust cloud also enraged Nigerians.According to Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo State, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation allegedly withheld N3.8 trillion out of the N8.1 trillion the country earned from crude oil sales between 2012 and 2015. In another telling insight, the Department of Petroleum Resources was alleged not to have remitted N109.7 billion royalty from oil firms, while a minister in the last government reportedly made away with $6 billion. The Niger Delta Development Commission has not accounted for N183 billion, while $13 billion dividends from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas is also said to be unaccounted for. All this must not be lost in the heat of partisan warring. Open government is the very essence of democracy.

But it sounds even more comical that Buhari has reaffirmed the need for this committee to continue and robed it with the title “council.” The group that came into prominence during the 2015 general election, over the fear that there might be violence after the elections, if it had any relevance at all, should consider its assignment completed. Its rumoured peace deal brokered between the two presidential candidates then was at best a good gesture to save a good friend from self-destruction. Now, the NCP, which also has the likes of Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto; Ayo Oritsejafor, president, Christian Association of Nigeria; John Onaiyekan and Nicholas Okoh (both clergymen), has become a distraction, a veritable platform for making excuses for tainted former public office holders. What manner of advice or intervention do most of the NCP members want to give Buhari beyond what can be offered by the existing constitutional bodies of which some of them are already members?

Indeed, Buhari erred in conferring such specious legitimacy on the NCP. As a group, the committee has the right to come together either as a pressure or interest group, but certainly not with an official stamp. Running government through illegal ad hoc committees should not happen again. The 1999 Constitution makes provision for enough bodies and agencies through which the Nigerian state should operate.

The Third Schedule assigns the role of advising the President on a number of issues to the Council of State, where Abdulsalami holds a permanent seat. This includes “the maintenance of public order within the Federation or any part thereof and on such other matters as the President may direct.” There is also the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, similarly initiated as a voluntary association, but which the Olusegun Obasanjo government later granted the quasi-government agency status, and where Oritsejafor and the Sultan’s positions are secured.

Under Buhari, Nigeria has a rare opportunity to make a break with the oppressive yoke of corruption. And in waging the war, there should not be any sacred cow. There must be no room to tolerate crooked public officials and those who hope for windfalls from powerful friends in high places. Last April, the anti-corruption war in Guatemala claimed a major scalp when the vice-president, whose private secretary was implicated in a fraud that saw the customs reducing import duties for kickbacks, was forced to resign his job. The President, Perez Molina, ordered his deputy’s bank accounts frozen, property raided and banned from travelling abroad during the period of investigation.

It is said that peace without justice is tyranny. Buhari should set the wheel of justice rolling without let or hindrance. “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organised conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them,” Frederick Douglas, an African-American writer and statesman, once said, “neither persons nor property will be safe.''
www.punchng.com

ArodewilliamsT:
egoat long time! When are you reviving your long dead web business career?

You dey vex oo, egoat collect your girl friend ni ? which kind question is this?

queenfav:
I woke up this morning with a lot on my mind. So much that I didn't know when tears started rolling down my cheeks.

I am getting frustrated. To think I did everything right in school to ensure I left with with a 2:1 grade. I ask myself ,where did I go wrong? To make matters worse, my family members think all is well since I am a "barrister".

I am slowly beginning to regret my decision to be a lawyer. Though I am still serving as a batch C corps member,I get scared. So scared that I may have to take up work in a firm that pays 15000 naira. God knows I have tried. I have sent out more than 200 applications, yet nothing!

Which job recuitment site have I not signed up with? This was not what I envisaged for my career when I was being called to bar. Even in the midst of the mass failure of my set, I bagged a 2.2 from law school; still nothing to show for it. I know people from my university that graduated with 3rd class now working with top law firms.

Well, I have been told to stop wasting my time by applying for associate jobs on the websites of law firms. The reason being that they rarely employ lawyers anonymously. It is mostly through recommendation or connection. God knows I really want to practice law, but the job is not forthcoming. I have my rent to pay, bills to take care of and cannot survive on 15k a month after 6 years of going to school. I am open to suggestions anyways.

Someone even adviced I start a business or learn a trade! Yes, that's how sad it is. Many may feel am overreacting. All fingers are not equal. Family members and friends I thought would be able to help out are now giving me the cold shoulder. I have cause to be worried since I am solely responsible for myself now. I can't even bear the thought of going back home to depend on my parents. If I had known it was going to be this way, I wouldn't have wasted my time and resources becoming a lawyer. What's the point? I am still looking and bringing myself to apply to firms.

After december, I may have to think of something else to do.

Bros but why ? wetin you for study sef ? did you say you are still serving? anyway, you are just too scared of the future, and you know what? God fit vex for you. Talking about studying law, it is one of the best course to study in the university. Now,this is my own piece of advice: Try going into practice, it is not easy but at the end, you will carve a niche for yourself. Good luck

kennygee:
I have never seen a red Mop before, this one looks good on her head.

Why is her hand packing the boobies that bra should be packing?

The boobies are face with the law of diminishing return. in basket mouth language, low self esteem.

In Africa and many part of the globe, it is the responsibility of a man to go out in search of a wife for himself.It is also his responsibility to cater for her needs and that of her children eventually. The two major faith which is Islam and Christianity even encouraged this.
Now the question is, is it normal for this traditional role of man to be taken over by a woman?

Using the ATM may be a daily occurrence, but that doesn’t mean we should become rude when we use them. Here are some guidelines to help you use an Automated Teller Machine with grace, artistry and self-awareness

Don’t take too much time

One of the most important things to remember is that when you use a cash machine, don’t take up too much time. Have your card ready and waiting to be used, and if you must use more than one card, have that card ready too. Searching around in your bag for the appropriate card takes up a lot of time, and tries the patience of everyone who’s waiting behind you in the queue.

Be courteous

Because everyone has to use the ATM, you need to keep your eyes on any changes to the machine – especially if it looks like it has been tampered with in some way. However, the second most important thing to do is if the machine runs out of money, and there is a queue of people waiting behind you, tell them that the machine needs to be refilled. This is a case of simple courtesy, as there is nothing more upsetting than waiting for a while to use the ATM, only to find out that the person in front of you got the last of the cash, and didn’t tell you. We all have to use cash machines, so why not be as considerate to other users as possible, and let them know if the machine isn’t working.


Safety

It is an unfortunate fact of life that when we use a cash machine to withdraw money from a bank account, we are slightly vulnerable to having our money stolen. This means that by using a cash machine, we are more attractive to thieves. However, there are many ways to stop this from happening. When using a cash machine, make sure that you are aware of your surroundings; take your card as soon as the machine instructs you to, and don’t leave the machine until you have your card, cash and your wallet safely in your bag or in your pocket. If this means taking up extra time at the machine, don’t worry. This is about your personal safety so, take your time until you feel comfortable.

Respect personal space

When you use an ATM, you will be in a confined space; so it’s important for you to feel comfortable and safe. However, there are

ATM users on a queue

some people that have no notion of personal space, or simply aren’t aware that they are standing too close to others. This is especially true in queues for the ATM, so if you’re standing in line, or especially if you’re using the machine, don’t be afraid to ask the person behind you to step back while you use the machine. When you ask, be polite, be courteous, and remind that person that you need to have your personal space when you are using the ATM.

Keep it simple

If you need to carry out major transactions, go inside the banking hall. While ATMs can deposit checks, let you transfer money, and are for fast transactions, be considerate of other people waiting to use the machine. If you have complicated or multiple transactions, take care of them at a time of the day when people are less likely to be waiting in line to use the ATM. Limit your transactions to two at a time.

Make it quick

When you visit the ATM, keep your transaction simple, but also make it quick. Do not waste time in front of the machine trying to decide if you need a receipt or not. If you choose to get a receipt, grab it and leave. You do not have to file it away neatly in your purse or wallet while people are waiting behind you. You can do that once you have walked away from the machine.

Do not multitask

While making transactions at the ATM, concentrate on the task at hand and try not to multitask. Some people are in the habit of taking phone calls or having a conversation with others at this point. This could cause distractions or let you make mistakes. Use the ATM only for the purposes they are meant for.

Don’t talk too much

When you are waiting in the queue with others, it is wrong to assume that everyone in the queue wants to chat. Respect people’s privacy and keep quiet if they decline your offer for a chat. If you are eventually successful in striking up a conversation with someone in the queue, make it brief and do not prolong it.

www.punchng.com

caption this.

1.Priscilla 2.Aquila 3.Epenetus 4.Mary 5.Andronicus 6.Junias 7.Ampliatus 8.Urbanus 9.Stachys 10.Apelles 11.Aristobulus. 12.Herodion 13.Narcissus 14.Tryphena 15.Tryphosa 16.Persis 17.Rufus 18.Asyncritus 19.Phlegon 20.Hermes 21.Patrobas 22.Hermas 23.Philologus 24.Julia 25.Nereus 26.Olympas.

The above names are all written in one chapter of the bible, can you figure out the chapter ? Have you seen any of your contemporary bearing any of the above names? which one of the names can you name your son or your daughter? which of the name do you think sounds so funny?

Let see if you read your Bible.

A housewife, Mrs. Stella Adepegba, has accused the National Hospital, Abuja, of charging her for a medical procedure for which it had no equipment.

She added that the management of the hospital had refused to refund the N50,000 she paid for the aborted surgical operation.

Adepegba explained that she visited the hospital for a hysteroscopy procedure in May, 2015, and was asked to come for evaluation for two weeks during which she also did some laboratory tests.

She further said that after attending the medical evaluation for two weeks, she was scheduled for the operation on June 25, 2015, by one Dr. Idris.


She said, “On June 25, the day I was booked for the surgical operation, I paid the N50,000 fee and I was directed to the theatre where I waited for the doctors to commence the procedure.

“After some time, a technician who was passing by came to the theatre and asked me the procedure that I was booked for. After I told him, the man expressed surprise, saying the hysteroscopy machine had been bad for over two years and had yet to be repaired.”

According to her, the technician said another patient, who paid for the operation, had been visiting the hospital for the past two years.

“The technician said the woman had been coming to the hospital every month to check if the machine had been repaired,” she added.

Adepegba stated that she demanded a refund of her money, “but the hospital has been playing games with me.”

She explained that she was asked to write a letter for a refund, which she submitted on June 29 with the assurance that the money would be paid to her bank account within three weeks.

“Since I submitted the letter, the National Hospital, Abuja, has refused to refund the money. My husband even went to their finance department, and they said they could not find the letter again. He also made a written complaint to the Chief Medical Director, but the money has not been refunded till date. This made me to conclude that the hospital has been scamming Nigerians by collecting money for medical procedures it lacked the capacity to do,” the mother of one said.

The woman said she had thought that the hospital would be the best in terms of facilities and services, but was disappointed at the lack of professionalism being displayed there.

When contacted, the hospital’s Corporate Communication Officer, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said he was aware of the matter.

He said, “The finance department has been directed to fast-track the refund of Adepegba’s money.”

Copyright PUNCH.
www.punchng.com

Contact: editor@punchng.com

pretydiva:
Buh y will a married woman share dis kinda photo revealing her almost uncovered butt 4 d whole world 2 c ...i tire 4 some women of nowadays oo

She should stop attracting cheap attention 2 herself

GBAM ! you too know book.

I caption it yeye they smell, aka something fishy.

[quote author=whirlwind7 post=36763010]Ok, so the army whips its boys as a part of what?
Punishment or training?



Little wonder they behave like wild animals when they have poor civilians at their mercy.

Gbam! I wanted to consult Ifa to tell me what to say, but after reading your post, I change my mind.

philips70:
Exclusive interview with Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, a former deputy minister under ex president Jonathan.




http://thenationonlineng.net/im-not-ready-to-attack-jonathan-yet-but-he-misruled-us/

tomorrow he will come out and deny granting this interview. anyway, la problem la pass.

tayebest:
Source: http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/news/21590-senators-reps-to-embark-on-4-weeks-recess

Na their way. Let them go and squander their wardrobe allowance.

Miner13:
Youpele complete it I have a meeting to attend



If Nigeria is not at no1

Just I do not comment


Why that picx for ivory coast
What are they mixing

They are gold miners.

AfricanApple:
most beautiful kwa

I tire.

Parking his car at a corner of the busy road, Oluwaseun Akinyele was soon besieged by a flurry of customers – mostly women – just as soon as he started displaying the different collections at the roof and bonnet of his vehicle. One after the other, the ladies checked out shoes, clothes and bags, turning to one another for advice on which items to settle for from the vast array on display. Before long, the men also joined the party; scanning through available shoes, jackets, shirts and trousers ahead of making a choice. As the minutes ticked away, so also did the number of customers that stopped by Akinyele’s ‘mobile shop’ swell. But even with such impressive patronage, the father of four cannot afford to rent a shop in Lagos capital – Ikeja – where he drives to everyday to service his teeming customers. Displaying goods in his car became his only response to the challenge.


“I can’t afford to rent a shop in Ikeja where most of my customers are located,” he said. “I tried renting a shop around Allen Avenue sometime back and I was asked to pay N5m for two years. There was nowhere I could get such money from. So, this idea came to my mind. I felt that if I could get a car for around N800, 000 and then get the items I want to sell for about N1million, I could move around the city with the goods and make reasonable sales and profits. Since I started, things have been fair,” Akinyele said.

A former bank employee, the young businessman lost his job a few years ago during a massive retrenchment exercise that greeted the industry at the time. With employment opportunities proving hard to come by and five mouths to feed – four children and a wife – Akinyele knew he had to look for a way out.

“I graduated from the university in 1999, I have four kids to cater for and I can’t afford to beg or sit without doing anything. I used to work in a bank before a lot of us were laid off. A lot of my friends in the United Kingdom were hawking drugs on the streets but since I cannot do such, I decided to look for a decent means to earn a living here no matter how difficult it could be. That was how I got into using my car as a mobile shop,” he said.

Akinyele is not the only one who the high cost of renting shops, has forced into using cars as mobile shops in most parts of the country today, he is in fact, among a growing number now embracing the trend.

At the popular Computer Village in Lagos, one of Africa’s largest Information and Communications Technology markets, Chinedu Okoye has been selling jewellery and herbal mixtures in his car for about three years now. Like Akinyele, the high tariff of shops has left Okoye using his Mercedes Benz car to display his stocks at a section of the popular ICT hub. But the activities of touts in the area, he says, now threaten his only source of livelihood.

“Before they could allow me to put my vehicle on one of the streets to sell, I had to pay N30, 000. Apart from that, every day, I pay a total of N800 as levy whether I make sales or not. Different groups come at different times of the day to collect this money.

“But recently, some touts came and asked that I remove my vehicle from the place and that they don’t want to see me there again. I went to report the matter to the DPO of the station inside the area but he told me to go back to the touts and settle with them. I am still watching the situation before knowing the next step to take. If not for this car, there is no way I could have been displaying my goods at the market. I am really grateful to God for providing me with it,” he said.


Ekene Eze sells trousers, shoes, belts, shirts and wallets not too far from where Okoye parks his car at the Computer Village. His vehicle, a Nissan Space bus, serves as his shop and lets him reach customers in other parts of the metropolis as well. He explained to our correspondent how the idea came to him and what business had been like since he adopted the method.

“I used to own a shop at Oshodi but after I could no longer afford N500, 000 as rent for a year, I had to leave the place. I gathered some money, bought the car and wanted to do transportation business initially but after everything I experienced at the hands of touts on the road, I decided to go into the business I am doing right now. That was how the car became my shop.

“To rent a shop in computer village is very expensive; you must be prepared to have at least N2.5m. I have been here for six years but the only challenge is the constant harassment from area boys who demand N800 from us every day. They don’t care if you had sold any item for that day or not. That is the only challenge at the moment otherwise it has been a great experience displaying my goods on my car,” he said.

But the trend is not limited to Lagos as businessmen and women in Abuja, the nation’s capital and Port Harcourt in Rivers State are now also embracing the trend in the face of rising cost of shops and spaces in major parts of these cities. From clothing to health products, food items to home appliances, the wares on display in many of these ‘mobile shops’ have no limits.


Eucharia Charles who drives to Gwagwalada every morning and evening to showcase kitchen utensils and appliances like pots and blenders in the boot of her car, told Saturday PUNCH that with the expensive nature of the city, there was no way she could afford to pay for a shop in the city. She said the profit she makes is barely enough to sustain her family let alone securing an expensive space to do business.

“After the death of my husband two years ago, life became very difficult for me and my two children. I discussed with a friend of mine who was willing to assist me with some money to start a small business. But after doing a survey on the cost of shops in many parts of Abuja, I realised there was no way I could meet up with the rent subsequently even if I paid initially. It then occurred to me that if I could get a small car from the money I was given, I could display and transport my goods in it to different locations in the city. That was how I got into the business. Though, sometimes, law enforcement officials and even touts harass me to either settle them or move away from where I park my car, it has been a rewarding experience so far,” she said.

Renting a shop in busy sections of major cities across the country doesn’t come cheap these days – it is almost becoming the exclusive preserve of the high and mighty in the society. At the Computer Village for example, a small shop costs between N1.2m and N2.5m annually depending on size and location. This is outside related charges like agent fees, agreement and utility charges that could further push up the total amount.

In other parts of the metropolis like Surulere, Maryland, Oshodi and Idumota, the price of a shop per annum is not less than N1m according to findings by Saturday PUNCH. The situation is not too different from what obtains in the three other commercial cities where the cost of shops rises by the day and now runs into several millions, putting it away from the reach of large sections of the populace – many among whom live below the poverty line.

Economist, Theophilus Oladapo, told Saturday PUNCH that if government builds more affordable lock-up shops, create easy access to soft loans at zero or little interest rates, many businessmen and women could have their lives changed for the better rather than resorting to adopting strategies like using their cars as shops as currently witnessed in many parts of the country.

“Part of the ways I think government can tackle some of these problems is for them to embark on the construction of affordable lock-up shops in large scale across the country. Then I think they should also assist new graduates from tertiary institutions with a take-off grant to establish businesses of their choices rather than discarding them immediately after the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

“Soft loans should also be made available for business people to support whatever they are doing. Such loans shouldn’t attract too much interest. In the United Kingdom for example, such loans usually do not attract much interest where they do but in Nigeria, interest rate is quite alarming. So, if people have access to funds, it would make things easier for a lot of people in the country today especially those running small scale businesses,” he said.

In states and cities where government has managed to build complexes and markets, most of the shops have been priced out of the reach of ordinary citizens like Eze and Charles. For example, many traders who once owned a shop at the popular Tejuosho market in Lagos before it was gutted by fire in 2007 cannot afford to rent a space at the place today since it was rebuilt by the state government. A shop at the ultra-modern market begins from N4m – an amount many of Nigeria’s low-income earning citizens cannot afford to put together even in years.

Saint Reuben, a trader in his early 40s, used to own a fully-stocked electronics shop at Tejuosho until a few years ago when fire razed the market. He told Saturday PUNCH earlier in the week how the inability to recover from that loss, raise enough money to rent another shop, has affected his life.

“I had a fully stocked shop at Tejuosho market before fire ravaged the place about four years ago. But today after rebuilding the place, government is selling a shop for between N3.5m and N4m which many of us who used to own shops there cannot afford.

“Each time I pass through Tejuosho and look at what the place is today, realising that people like us can no longer own a shop there, it brings tears to my eyes. Many of my colleagues who could not stand the pains are now in the village, some even died as a result of the shock of losing all their business and not being able to afford a new shop.

“My family and I have been through very tough times since that period. Shortly before that period I lost my mother and on returning to Lagos I lost my entire investment. I am yet to recover from the setback,” he lamented.

As a result of the high cost of renting shops in Lagos and other parts of the country, many market complexes like Tejuosho are yet to be fully occupied thus making some of these places looking like ghost yards.

“There is no sense in building ultra-modern markets and then putting it up at very insane prices which many ordinary citizens cannot afford,” Oladapo said. “I have visited some of these places and each time I get enraged to see how these facilities that could have been given out to the poor who wouldn’t mind paying gradually at a reasonable rate is wasting away because nobody is occupying them. Many of these guys using their cars as shops do so because they cannot afford to rent a shop. But if you give it out to these guys at a reasonable rate, they would surely be adding value to the economy,” he said.

But while property owners cash in on demand to hike the prices of renting shops and spaces for doing business in major Nigerian cities, smart men and women like Akinyele and Charles appears to have found a way around the problem. For them, not even constant harassment from touts and law enforcement agents can frustrate their new-found strategy. Their cars are more than just another four wheels on the road.
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