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 Politics / Re: Tale Of Lagos Under -bridge Sqatters by coputa(m): 6:31pm On May 05 |
OneCandleAway:No, he's lazy upstairs |
| Politics / Re: Tale Of Lagos Under -bridge Sqatters by coputa(m): 5:30pm On May 05 |
muyico:I read it over and over again before I posted it.Readers are leaders,learn to be patient to read contents 1 Like |
| Politics / Re: Tale Of Lagos Under -bridge Sqatters by coputa(m): 5:25pm On May 05 |
muyico:why can't you read 2 Likes |
| Politics / Tale Of Lagos Under -bridge Sqatters by coputa(m): 5:14pm On May 05 |
Squatters at Dolphin Estate in Lagos are trying to adjust to the reality of their displacement after the state government chased them away from their “abode” and cleared the shanties where they lived. Some of the affected “residents” narrated their ordeals to Daily Trust on Sunday. The Dolphin Estate bridge was deserted on Thursday when one of our correspondents visited. A once bustling and busy slum has been turned to a ghost of itself, adding to the increasing number of displaced Lagosians battling the challenges of homelessness. During the week, the Lagos State Government blew a cover of 86 apartments under the Dolphin Estate bridge, Ikoyi, where tenants reportedly paid N250,000 annual rent. The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a video post via his X account on Wednesday. He added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilised for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate bridge. Sharing videos, the commissioner wrote, “18 individuals squatting illegally under the bridge leading from Dolphin Estate were arrested yesterday, April 30, 2024 by the officials from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, also known as KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline). “A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate bridge. “They have all been removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.” A special adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, further confirmed the eviction of illegal settlers under the bridge towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi. Rotimi-Akodu said 23 individuals were arrested during the eviction, which was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as KAI on Tuesday. And 24 hours later, the government said it discovered another illegal settlement under the Osborne bridge in the Ikoyi area of the state. Wahab, on his X handle on Thursday, stated that the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as Kick Against Indiscipline), had begun an immediate clearance operation. “Another illegal settlement was discovered under the Osborne bridge, Ikoyi. Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial commenced an immediate clearance operation,” he tweeted. Our correspondents visited the Dolphin Estate bridge, Ikoyi and spoke to some of the displaced squatters. Usman Hassan, a 75-year-old Ghanaian, was one of them. He was a teacher at Remo Divisional High, Ogun State before relocating to Lagos. Also known as Baba Baraka, the Ghanaian said he was not around during the ‘attack’ by the Lagos officials and he lost some of his belongings to the onslaught. Telling the story behind the apartment, he told Daily Trust on Sunday that, “The man who owned the place doesn’t force people, the engineers working in this company (referring to a company around) begged him for their workers to stay nearby so that when they needed them for work they would go to the place. “I don’t know exactly how much he collects from them, but personally, he didn’t collect anything from me. “For people paying, whether it is N250,000 or not, I don’t know.” He explained that people found solace in the under-bridge apartments because “town is hard and they could not afford rent within Lagos.” Hassan said, “You see, conditions are hard for people in the country and not everyone can afford houses in the town. “I have been in this country since 1981 in Ogun State. I was a teacher at Remo Divisional High School for about 11 years before I came to Lagos. “No work in town to survive on. This man pitied my condition and gave me space here (under the bridge). So, when this thing happened, I took my belongings and I am going again.” Asked what is the hope for the future, he responded, “Well, everything is in the hand of God. Sleeping under the bridge is dangerous, but the condition of the country made people resort to this. “As you can see, I don’t have a dime in my pocket.” Also, Usena, a 12-year-old girl from Kogi State, said her elder sister brought her from the village. On how much residents there paid as rent, she said, “She is paying, but I don’t know the amount. “I don’t really enjoy the place. I want a new house where I can stay with my parents in peace and enjoy ourselves. “We had to stay under this bridge with my sister so we could raise money for a new house. My elder sister, who works in a supermarket, has been staying here for the past 20 years.” Saheed Yusuf, a farmer, admitted that he paid an initial N40,000 and subsequently N20,000 quarterly to stay in the apartment. “I have been staying there for about four years. “Not all of us are paying. When I first got here, I paid N40,000, and after that, I started paying N20,000 quarterly. I have been here for four years. “I am a farmer. I plant bananas around here. If you get to the other side you will see the plantation and vegetables I planted. I stayed here to be close to the farm.” Also, Madam Eunice Johnson, who works at LAWMA, said she was not paying anything. The latest displacement is just one out of the long list of displacements in the state as many people find it extremely hard to get decent accommodation in the city centre owing to the exorbitant prices of rent. From Otodo Gbame, Oworonshoki to other places, the state government said there was the need to sanitise the environment and maintain the urban master plan of the state. But observers said this had only added to the woes of homelessness in the state in the absence of a social housing policy that caters for the poor of the poorest. Several reports estimate that the housing deficit in Lagos sits at over 3 million and the available houses are out of the reach of the low-income and middle income earners, forcing many Lagosians to adopt unconventional approaches to solving the accommodation challenge under various bridges. The government had earlier cleared squatters under Obalende bridge and more people are in awe of the impending displacement. Deji Akinpelu, co-founder, Rethinking Cities, whose organisation has raised concerns severally over the ongoing displacement in Lagos, insisted that the absence of a social housing policy had worsened the plight of the poor people in Lagos. According to him, it is easier to dislodge the squatters, but a comprehensive strategy to bridge the housing deficit should be adopted. Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, Akinpelu said, “As a government, you need to understand that there is a situation called homelessness, and homelessness is not a crime. There is homelessness all over the world and every responsible government has a policy about homelessness.” According to him, the government must be able to leverage on partnership with non-governmental organisation, the private sector to tackle homelessness for the people. “What is shocking for me is the fact that the government went on site and found out that some people are paying N250k per annum. What does that say to you as a government if you are trying to investigate who is collecting the money? It is not about who is collecting the money that is a problem, it is the fact that these people have a minimum of N20,000 per month to be paying for housing. That means there is a structure for housing that can be created for these people to be finding their level within a N20,000 home rental. “It doesn’t take any intelligence to do what the commissioner is doing – going to chase them out of those places. The real hard work is when you build homes, not LAGHOMS but special structures to address the issue of homelessness across different local governments through partnerships. There is funding, there are opportunities to address the issue of homelessness. There is a design that is available. You build the homes and move the people into the homes and profile them—‘Where are you from? What do you do? Where do you work? And so on. There is no data on this.” He said it was regrettable that people are living under the bridge when there are infrastructures that are not occupied. “People are homeless and you have empty state infrastructure and there is no plan,” he added. He also dismissed the claim of arrest of the squatters, saying that is tantamount to criminalising homelessness, even as he added that environmental management should not be addressed from the prism of law alone. “I don’t understand it. Is it that becoming homeless now is illegal? Environment is not just based on law, it is about understanding the city. I think the commissioner needs advisers who are urban planners to also help because he only sees things from an illegality perspective. He doesn’t see it from a town planning perspective or a responsive government.” info@dailytrust.com 1998 - 2024 Media Trust Limited. |
| Politics / Former Education Minister, Kenneth Gbagi Is Dead by coputa(m): 2:56pm On May 05 |
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the last election in Delta State, Olorogun Barr Kenneth Omemavwa Gbagi, FNIM OON, is dead. Gbagi, a former minister of Education and an industrialist died at the age of 62. The foremost Criminologist and senior lawyer died on Saturday, May 4th 2024. A statement signed by his eldest son, Chief Emuoboh Gbagi on behalf of the Gbagi family, confirmed his death. According to the statement “It is with profound sadness but gratitude to God, that we announce the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, husband, and brother, Olorogun (Barr.) Kenneth Omemavwa Gbagi, FNIM, OON; Former Minister of Education, who departed this life on the 4th of May 2024 at the age of 62. “We take comfort in the fond memories of his life, his achievements, and the impact he made on the lives of countless individuals and communities. “We kindly request your thoughts and prayers for our family during this challenging time of loss. “May his soul rest in perfect peace”, the statement added. Copyright © 2024 Blueprint Newspapers Limited. |
| Politics / Re: Graft;how 58 Ex-governors Allegedly Looted N2.187trillion by coputa(m): 6:17am On May 04 |
123yes:If not for anything but for record purposes, for posterity. It can also serve as a study in political science |
| Politics / Re: Graft;how 58 Ex-governors Allegedly Looted N2.187trillion by coputa(m): 6:12am On May 04 |
AllenSpencer:legendary in currupt practices |
| Politics / Graft;how 58 Ex-governors Allegedly Looted N2.187trillion by coputa(m): 4:17am On May 04 |
If the allegations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC were anything to go by, no fewer than 58 former governors have looted, embezzled, laundered or misappropriated the sum of N2.187 trillion in 25 years. This figure excludes seized properties across the globe and others under probe, which run into billions of Naira. The N2.2 trillion looted is equivalent to the Lagos State 2024 budget of N2.25 trillion and the entire South-East states’ 2024 budget of N2.29 trillion. It is several billion higher than the North-Central states’ 2024 budget of N1.89 trillion, and North-East’s N1.60 trillion. The 58 former governors the EFCC is probing, probed, investigated and prosecuted are drawn from all parts of the country. Since the return to civil rule on May 29, 1999, the 36 states of the country have had no fewer than 170 governors. Abia State has produced four governors, namely Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji, Okezie Ikpeazu and Alex Otti. Anambra State produced six-Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Chris Ngige (annulled election), Peter Obi, Virgy Etiaba (acting), Willie Obiano and Chukwuma Soludo. In Ebonyi, it is four, namely, Sam Egwu, Martin Elechi, Dave Umahi and Francis Nwifuru. Enugu State also had four governors— Chimaroke Nnamani, Sullivan Chime, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Peter Mbah. Imo State produced five – Achike Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim, Rochas Okorocha, Emeka Ihedioha (annulled election), and Hope Uzodimma. In Akwa Ibom there are four Victor Attah, Godswill Akpabio, Udom Emmanuel and Umo Eno. Bayelsa has seven, namely, late DSP Alamieyeseigha, Goodluck Jonathan, Timipre Sylva, Werinipre Seibarigo (acting), Nestor Binabo (acting), Seriake Dickson and Duoye Diri. Cross River produced four helmsmen viz- Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, Ben Ayade and Bassey Otu. Delta State had four-James Ibori, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ifeanyi Okowa and Sheriff Oborevwhori. It was also four in Edo with the likes of Lucky Igbinedion, Oserheimen Osunbor (annulled election), Adam’s Oshiomhole and Godwin Obaseki. Rivers State produced five – Peter Odili, Celestine Omehia (annulled), Rotimi Amaechi, Nyesom Wike and Siminalayi Fubara. Lagos is among the states with four governors following the stints of Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Ekiti, which is the second least populated state in Nigeria, has the highest turnover of governors with eight. They are Niyi Adebayo, Ayo Fayose, Gen Tunji Olurin (sole administrator), Tope Admiluyi (acting), Segun Oni (annulled), Tunji Odeyemi (acting), Kayode Fayemi and Biodun Oyebanji. Ogun produced four governors viz: Segun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel, Ibikunle Amosun and Dapo Abiodun. It was five in Ondo led by the late Adebayo Adefarati, late Olusegun Agagu, Olusegun Mimiko, late Rotimi Akeredolu and Lucky Aiyadatiwa. Osun State also had five via Bisi Akande, Olagunsoye Oyinlola (annulled) , Rauf Aregbesola, Gboyega Oyetola and Ademola Adeleke. Oyo State produced five-, the late Lam Adesina, Rashid Ladoja, late Christopher Alao-Akala, late Abiola Ajimobi and Seyi Makinde. In Benue State, there are four, namely, George Akume, Gabriel Suswam, Samuel Ortom and Hyacinth Alia.. Niger State also produced four in Abdulkadir Kure, Babangida Aliyu, Sani Bello and Mohammed Bago. Kogi has had six men occupy the Government House since 1999. They include the late Abubakar Audu, Ibrahim Idris, Clarence Olafemi (acting), Idris Wada, Yahaya Bello and Usman Ododo. Nasarawa produced four through Abdullahi Adamu, Aliyu Doma, Tanko Al’Makura and Abdullahi Sule. Kwara also had four – Mohammed Lawal, Bukola Saraki, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Abdulrasaq Abdul Rahman. In Plateau, there are five- Joshua Dariye, Michael Botmang (acting), Jonah Jang, Simon Along and Caleb Mutfwang. Adamawa State produced six – Bonnie Haruna, Murtala Nyako, James Barka (acting), Umaru Fintiri, Bala Ngilari (acting), and Bindo Jibrila. Bauchi elected four governors within the period – Adamu Muazu, Isa Yuguda, Mohammed Abubakar and Bala Mohammed. Borno also has four late Mala Kachala, Ali Mode-Sheriff, Kashim Shettima and Babagana Zulum. Gombe is among the states with four with the likes of Abubakar Hashidu, Danjuma Goje, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Inuwa Yahaya. In Taraba, six persons had become governor as follows: Jolly Nyame, the late Danbaba Suntai, Garba Umar (acting), Sani Danladi (acting), Darius Ishaku and Agbu Kefas. Yobe produced four Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, the late Mamman Ali, Ibrahim Geidam and Mai Mala Buni. Jigawa also has four-Saminu Turaki, Sule Lamido, Badaru Abubakar and Umar Namadi. In Kaduna, there are six – Ahmed Makarfi, Namadi Sambo, the late Patrick Yakowa, Ramalan Yero, Nasir el-Rufai and Uba Sani. Kano produced four – Musa Kwankwaso, Ibrahim Shekarau, Umar Ganduje and Abba Kabir Yusuf. Neighbouring Katsina also had four – late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Ibrahim Shema, Bello Masari and Dikko Radda. In Kebbi, they are five – Adamu Aliero, Usman Dakingari, Amina Jega (acting), Atiku Bagudu and Nasir Idris. Sokoto also has five – Attahiru Bafarawa, Aliyu Wamakko, Abdullahi Salame (acting), Aminu Tambuwal and Ahmad Aliyu. Zamfara State also produced five governors, namely, Ahmed Yerima, Mahmoud Shinkafi, Abdulaziz Yari, Bello Matawalle and Dauda Lawal Among 170 governors, 18 were acting governors or those whose elections were nullified by the courts; 36 are currently serving and 114 were elected governors who served for one or two terms. Among the 134 former governors, no fewer than 58 have had fraud-related tangos with the EFCC of which only four were convicted. Those convicted were Chief Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), late DSP Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa), Jolly Nyame (Taraba), and Joshua Dariye (Plateau). No ex-gov among EFCC’s 6,981 convictions in 3 years Between 2020 and 2022, the EFCC secured 6,981 convictions, according to data obtained from its website: www.efcc.gov.ng. In 2020, the commission secured 976 convictions; did 2,220 in 2021, and an unprecedented 3,785 in 2022. The data for 2023 is yet to be released. No former governor is among the 6,981 persons convicted for fraud in the last three years. A host of the cases are still in court, some have been dismissed for lack of diligent prosecution by the anti-graft agency and those affected acquitted. Some former governors visited the EFCC over the petitions against them and nothing was heard thereafter. Also, some former governors are dead and so are the cases against them. 58 ex-governors under EFCC’s radar The 58 former governors who are having or have had brushes with EFCC and alleged amounts involved include late Abubakar Audu (N10.966 bn), TA Orji and sons (N551 bn), Yahaya Bello (N80.2 bn), Chimaroke Nnamani (N5. 3 bn), Sullivan Chime (N450 million), Kayode Fayemi (N4bn), Ayo Fayose (N6.9 bn), Abdullahi Adamu (N15bn), Danjuma Goje (N5bn), Aliyu Wamakko (N15 bn), Sule Lamido (N1.35 bn), Joshua Dariye (N1. 16 bn) and Timipre Sylva (N19.2 bn). There are also Saminu Turaki (N36bn), Orji Uzor Kalu (N7. 6bn), Bello Matawalle (N70 bn), Lucky Igbinedion (N4. 5 bn), Musa Kwakwanso (N10bn), Peter Odili (N1000 bn), Jolly Nyame (N1.64 bn), James Ngilari (N167 m), Abdulaziz Yari (N84 bn), Godswill Akpabio (N100bn), Abdul fatah Ahmed (N9 bn), Ali Mode-Sheriff (N300bn), Willie Obiano (N43 bn), Ibrahim Dankwambo (N1. 3bn), Darius Ishaku (N39bn) and Ramalan Yero (N700m). Others include Achike Udenwa (N350m), Rochas Okoro ha (N10. 8bn), James Ibori (N40 bn), DSP Alamieyeseigha ((N2.655bn), Gabriel Suswam (N3. 111bn), Samuel Orton (N107bn), Murtala Nyako (N29bn), Rashid Ladoja (4.7bn), Christopher Alao-Akala (N11. 5 bn), and Abdulkadir Kure (N600m). The rest include Babangida Aliyu (N4bn), Abubakar Audu (N10bn), Idris Wada (N500m), Ibrahim Shekarau (N950m), Adamu Aliero (N10bn), Usman Dakingari and wife (N5. 8bn), Attahiru Bafarawa N19. 6bn), Jonah Jang (N6. 3bn), Aliyu Doma (N8bn), Tanko Al’Makura (N4bn), Boni Haruna (N93bn), Bindow Jibrila (N62bn), Adamu Muazu (13bn), Isa Yuguda N212bn) and Mohammed Abubakar (N8. 5bn). The petitions against some former governors are hazy, and figures were not attached. Last January, the commission reportedly said that it would revisit the N772 billion alleged fraud cases against 13 former governors. Apart from being acquitted, a host of the former state helmsmen are claiming that they are innocent of the allegations and accusing the EFCC of a political witch-hunt. However, the anti-graft has insisted on revisiting some of the cases and ensuring that those indicted are brought to book. It is to be seen how far it would go in its latest offensive. © 2024 Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria |
| Politics / Only 21% Of Nigerian Households Are Food Secure - Report by coputa(m): 4:45pm On May 03 |
With the rising insecurity and high cost of food in the country, only about 21 per cent of Nigerian households are food secure. This is contained in the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrients Survey report launched in Abuja by the Federal government in collaboration with foreign partners and other stakeholders in the food sector. The report also shows that aside this number, 79 per cent households are food insecure in Nigeria, while 59 per cent is moderately food insecure and another 20 per cent are severely food insecure. Presenting the preview of the report, one of the researchers, Dr. Olarinwaju Isiaka said about 41.5 percent households in the country did not have money to buy food in the past 7 days preceding the survey, whereas, 4% households has very minimal . He explained that the report which does not frequently come by said it focused on women in their productive age, children from 0-59 months and girls in their adolescent year. On the issue of hygiene, he said about 23 percent households in Nigeria are not having toilet facility. Further breakdown of the report indicates that 62.9% of households in Nigeria within the period under review have access to improved water sources and another 42.6% have access to borehole water system, while 17.40% households have access to protective well water. Also, the report says 1.1% households have water piped into access to pipe borne water. On the geo-political level, it was shown that South East and South South zones had lowest percentage of pipe borne water and highest borehole access, whereas the Western and Northern regions fare better followed by South South geo-political zone. Speaking on the report, the Country Director of GAIN , Dr. Michael Ojo said it was worrisome ‘‘that we are not going forward in water supply from 11-1.1%, showing a decline of 10% within a period of 10 years’’. He said the reason why Nigeria has issue with food system was because every stakeholder had been working in silos without addressing the root cause of problem. According to him, concerted efforts is needed to fix the nation’s food system, adding that what happens before and after the food system has to be put in the right perspective. Continuing, he said 20-24% of food produced pre-post production usually waste away and called for increased capacity building and value addition. To address the worsening poverty in the country, he noted that issue of poverty must be must addressed and food made available for people to eat. © 2024 Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria |
| Politics / Re: Trapped In Escravous:150 Million-Litre Vessels Behind Petrol Scarcity by coputa(m): 3:31pm On May 03 |
luizpippo:demand for AGO petrol is more than diesel,80% of vehicles uses petrol |
| Politics / Re: Trapped In Escravous:150 Million-Litre Vessels Behind Petrol Scarcity by coputa(m): 3:29pm On May 03 |
Blossomcresty:result of endemic corruption, |
| Politics / Trapped In Escravous:150 Million-Litre Vessels Behind Petrol Scarcity by coputa(m): 9:30am On May 03 |
Seven daughter vessels carrying a combined total of 150 million litres of petrol trapped on the high sea at the Escravos channel, a key oil terminal in the Niger Delta, have been identified as the reason for the current supply crises.https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday.ng/news/article/trapped-in-escravos-150m-litre-vessels-behind-petrol-scarcity/%3famp 5 Likes 5 Shares |
| Politics / Obaseki's N70,000 Minimum Wage's Greek Gift - Okpebholo by coputa(m): 3:42am On May 03 |
Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has described the recent increment of workers minimum wage to N70,000 as a Greek gift, incapable of swaying the electorate.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/05/edo-guber-obasekis-n70000-minimum-wages-greek-gift-okpebholo/amp/ 8 Likes 1 Share
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| Politics / Senegal, Singapore: Continuous Belittling Of Nigeria by coputa(m): 5:17pm On May 02 |
Senegal has a population of a little over 18 million people, and Singapore about six million. These very modest population figures have not deterred some Nigerians from deprecating their country of about 220 million people in light of those two countries. Senegal never came under military rule since becoming independent in August 1960 after dissolving its union with Mali (French Sudan), but it has had little to show for decades of independence other than a fairly stable democracy severely tested in the past two decades. Singapore, which is at once a city, capital and state, has been a phenomenal economic, social and political success. But it remains geographically small and demographically compact. If it must be compared with Nigeria, such comparisons must be guarded. For decades, many Nigerian social and political commentators have belittled Nigeria in terms of the Singaporean experience. Now they are also deploring Nigeria‘s democracy in terms of some perhaps transient Senegalese success. Senegal’s stable but sometimes troubled democracy must be lauded. But two things about Senegal should restrain Nigeria’s exuberant commentators who specialise in comparing generally unlike terms. Firstly, despite having a modest population, more than double that of Israel, Senegal’s economy has underperformed compared to Nigeria’s. According to 2023 estimates, Senegal has a nominal GDP of a little over $31bn and per capita of $1,714, compared with Nigeria’s nominal GDP of $390bn and per capita of $1,755. Secondly, despite Nigerian democracy being repeatedly truncated by inept military rulers, the country has stabilised in the past 25 years, and looks set to consolidate democratic rule. Senegal may have a unicameral legislature and run a parliamentary system, which some revisionists believe is superior to the presidential system, nothing suggests that recent political developments and appointments would give Senegal the upper hand, let alone confer greater stability upon it. Though Nigeria needed a coalition of political parties to win the 2015 presidential election, and losers in the 2023 presidential election are contemplating the same formula, Senegal with its presumed superiority in political development, has also thrice needed coalitions both to win elections and reelections as well as govern. Exuberant Nigerian analysts whoop over the new Senegalese president’s youthful age – Bassirou Diamaye Faye is 44 years old – but he was fairly unknown and untested, compared to his mentor whom he has appointed as prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, 49. Mr Sonko placed third in the 2019 presidential election and is well known. Mentoring each other and forming a coalition to win an election are a different kettle of fish from governing harmoniously. With Mr Sonko more tested and more charismatic, there are no guarantees that the relationship between the two would be stable and progressive in the face of dire and continuing economic hardship, especially with Mr Faye gently walking back his fiery speech and position on Senegal’s financial links with France. Initial appearance may be deceptive, and Mr Faye may eventually become a revelation, but for now no one can determine conclusively that both the president and his prime minister would go the long haul if the economy proves unamenable to every known panacea and the president needs a scapegoat. Mr Sonko put Mr Faye forward for the presidential election and backed him with all the powers of the coalition, but the months and years ahead will show how wise that arrangement has been and whether the cooperation between the two would not turn out to be contrapuntal. Singapore and Nigeria do not suffer the inhibitions of two heavyweights sharing office, and their political systems, parliamentary and presidential respectively, are not circumscribed by any expedient agreements or even coalitions. Indeed, Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) governs with lesser parliamentary majority than it did decades ago (about 61 percent winning tally in the 2020 election to nearly 90 percent in 1968), while Nigeria’s winning tally managed to cross the 50 percent level in the last presidential poll; but the former’s economy and to some extent its politics and military, unlike the latter’s, are inextricably and dangerously intertwined with the West. There is so much to be said for Nigeria, despite its chequered history. It may not have risen to the greatness and independence of say China, but it has the potential to rise phenomenally under certain conditions far much quicker and steadier and more durable than both Senegal and Singapore. At least, with high absorptive capacity and transformative review of trade policies and regulations, Nigeria retains the capacity to expand far more broadly than Singapore. Even discounting the monarchical undertones of Lee Hsieng Loong’s emergence as Singapore’s prime minister in 2004 at the age of 52 (he is the son of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew), he was like Mr Faye at 44 and Mr Sonko at 49, a young leader when he took office. Mr Loong is now 72 years old, and continues to preside fairly efficiently over the affairs of Singapore. For Nigeria’s fawning commentators to arbitrarily deploy age as a factor of governance or of winning elections is both dishonest and irrational. Analysts who continue to deprecate Nigeria are invariably endorsing sentiments, poor understanding of political science, and wild generalisations of international relations. Nigeria may be assailed by many demons, but it is unhelpful to view its prospects in terms of the neatly compartmentalised understanding of other countries, many of them far smaller geographically and demographically. Two major problems dog Nigeria, thus limiting and even stultifying its development and stability. One is its inability to devise the right political structure that should help undergird its stability and growth; and two is the related influence of a ponderous and toxic mix of ethnicity and religion. These limiting factors are not unassailable. Singapore’s storied secularism demonstrates why those negative factors can be defeated, and Senegal’s generally disciplined approach to ethnicity demonstrates why Nigeria, if it tries harder, can overcome its limitations. 2024 The Nation Newspaper, Ltd. |
| Politics / Re: Poorest Countries In The World by coputa(m): 1:02pm On May 02 |
kenny714433:Nigeria is not a poor country,she is only mismanaged by currupt and wicked leaders |
| Politics / Poorest Countries In The World by coputa(m): 11:07am On May 02 |
The world’s poorest countries suffer from civil wars, ethnic and sectarian strife. COVID-19, soaring inflation and the war in Ukraine made their bad situations worse. The world has enough wealth and resources to ensure that the entire human race enjoys a decent standard of living. Yet, people in countries like Burundi, South Sudan and the Central African Republic continue to live in desperate poverty. For other likely contenders for the undesirable title of the world’s poorest country—Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea—years of political instability and conflict make it impossible to even attempt an assessment due to the lack of reliable economic figures. So how do we determine the poorest countries in the world? While GDP per capita is often considered the standard metric, compensating for differences in living costs and rates of inflation by using purchasing power parity (PPP) can better assess an individual’s buying power in any given country. It is hard to pinpoint a single cause for long-term poverty. Corrupt governments can make a very rich nation into a poor one. And so can a history of exploitative colonization, weak rule of law, war and social unrest, severe climate conditions or hostile, aggressive neighbors. Weaknesses compound: A country in debt will not be able to afford good schools, and a poorly educated workforce will limit capacity. Underprivileged households worldwide suffered the severest social and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. In the world’s poorest nations, where high levels of informal employment are also prevalent, there were no social safety nets or temporary loans to keep businesses open and workers employed. The World Bank has forecasted that in low and middle-income countries, the current generation of students could lose up to 10% of their future average annual income. Before Covid-19, the fraction of the world’s population living in extreme poverty—meaning on less than $1.90 a day—had fallen below 10% from more than 35% in 1990. The pandemic not only halted but reversed that progress: since the onset of the health emergency to the end of 2022, when in response to the rising cost of living the International Poverty Line (IPL) was also revised to $2.15, the World Bank estimated that an additional 198 million people were likely to have entered the ranks of the extremely poor. More recently, the institution has also stated that half of the world’s 75 most vulnerable countries are facing a widening income gap with the wealthiest economies for the first time in this century. Over the past two decades, it was widely believed that—as a result of lower-income nations generally improving their living standards faster than mature economies—the progressive economic convergence of richer and poorer countries would ultimately take place. Yet, one out of three in this particularly vulnerable group of 75 nations home to a quarter of humanity, 1.9 billion people, today is poorer than it was on the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic. The numbers are striking: in the 10 richest countries in the world the average yearly per-capita purchasing power it is over $110,000, in the 10 poorest is less than $1,500. The worst part is that poverty is often likely to foster more poverty. In the latest edition of the World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) explains how impoverished nations could slide further into hardship: “The growth decline implies worsening prospects or living standards and global poverty reduction. An entrenched low-growth environment, coupled with high interest rates, would threaten debt sustainability and could fuel social tension and hinder the green transition. Furthermore, expectations of weaker growth may deter investment in capital and technologies and so, in part, become self-fulfilling.” Top 10 Poorest Countries in the World Below is a ranking of the ten poorest countries, starting from the country ranked tenth poorest and progressing to the country ranked as the top poorest in the world for 2024. For the complete ranking of the world’s countries from poorest to richest, click here. 10. Yemen 🇾🇪 Current International Dollars: 1,996 | View Yemen’s GDP & Economic Data This country of roughly 35 million, one of the most impoverished on the Arabian Peninsula, has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014 as a result of the power struggle between the Saudi-backed government and the rebel Houthi movement. The war has claimed the lives of more than 150,000 people, shattered the economy and destroyed critical infrastructure. As a result, today, in this oil-rich land over 80% of the population lives in poverty. 9. Madagascar🇲🇬 Current International Dollars: 1,979 | View Madagascar’s GDP & Economic Data Since becoming independent from France in 1960, Madagascar has experienced bouts of political instability, violent coups and disputed elections. Elected in 2019, president Andry Rajoelina came to power promising to tackle corruption, reduce poverty, and develop the economy. Mostly, they turned out to be just that: promises. Madagascar still holds one of the highest poverty rates in the world at about 75%, growth is sluggish, and inflation stands at nearly 8%. Still, Rajoelina was re-elected in December 2023. To be fair, the country was also faced with an unprecedented series of challenges. Along with the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, when in 2022 grain deliveries from Ukraine collapsed following the Russian invasion, food prices skyrocketed, deepening the suffering of the citizens of the island. In addition, Madagascar ranks among the top 10 countries globally most vulnerable to climate hazards, with drought, floods and cyclones resulting in deaths and population displacement, and damage to homes, infrastructures and crops. 8. Liberia🇱🇷 Current International Dollars: 1882 | View Liberia’s GDP & Economic Data Africa’s oldest republic has ranked amongst the poorest countries in the world for many years. Expectations were high when the former football star George Weah became president in 2018. His years in office were instead marred by high inflation, unemployment and negative economic growth, until in 2023 he was defeated by opposition leader and former vice-president Joseph Boakai in a new round of elections. Boakai might have it easier than Weah: after contracting in 2020 and 2021, growth re-started in 2022. It is now projected to reach about 5.3% in 2024 and to stay above 6% in the years ahead. 7. Malawi🇲🇼 Current International Dollars: 1,712 | View Malawi’s GDP & Economic Data One of Africa’s smallest nations, Malawi’s economy—largely dependent upon rain-fed crops—remains vulnerable to weather-related shocks. Food insecurity in rural parts is extremely high. Malawi has enjoyed stable governments since it gained independence from Britain in 1964. However, in 2020, the constitutional court annulled former president Peter Mutharika’s win in the general elections citing vote tampering. Theologian and politician Lazarus Chakwera, who was sworn in his place, declared that he wanted to provide the kind of leadership that makes everybody prosper, but structural changes have been slow to materialize. Today, Malawi is grappling with an economic crisis that has led to fuel shortages, a surge in food prices, and a sharp devaluation of the currency. In 2023, according to the World Bank, over 70% of the population was estimated to be living below the international poverty line. 6. Niger🇳🇪 Current International Dollars: 1,675 | View Niger’s GDP & Economic Data With 80% of its landlocked territory covered by the Sahara Desert and a rapidly growing population dependent upon small-scale agriculture, Niger is under threat from desertification. Food insecurity is high, as are disease and mortality rates. Recurrent clashes of the army with the Islamic State (ISIS) affiliate Boko Haram have displaced thousands. In 2021, Niger inaugurated a new president—ex-teacher and former interior minister Mohamed Bazoum—in its first democratic transfer of power. With the economy expanding by 12% in 2022, things appeared to be looking up. Yet, in the summer of 2023, Bazoum was ousted and imprisoned by members of his presidential guard. The military junta has remained in power ever since. 5. Mozambique🇲🇿 Current International Dollars: 1,649 | View Mozambique’s GDP & Economic Data Rich in resources and strategically located, this former Portuguese colony has often posted average GDP growth rates of more than 7% in the past decade. Yet it remains mired among the ten poorest countries in the world, with severe climate conditions and political instability being some of the main culprits. To make things worse, since 2017 attacks carried out by Islamic insurgent groups have plagued the gas-rich northern part of the country. Still, according to the IMF, the economy remains in high gear: it will expand by about 5% in 2024 and 2025, and it is projected to reach double-digit growth in the latter part of the decade. 4. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)🇨🇩 Current International Dollars: 1,552 | View DRC’s GDP & Economic Data Since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, the DRC has suffered decades of rapacious dictatorship, political instability and constant violence, making it a regular in our rankings of the world’s poorest countries. About 65% of the country’s roughly 100 million population gets by on less than $2.15 a day. Yet the World Bank says the DRC has the resources and potential to become one of the richest countries in Africa and a growth driver for the entire continent. The country is already the world’s largest producer of cobalt and Africa’s leading source of copper—essentials in the production of electric vehicles. 3. Central African Republic (CAR)🇨🇫 Current International Dollars: 1,123 | View CAR’s GDP & Economic Data Rich in gold, oil, uranium and diamonds, the Central African Republic is a very wealthy country inhabited by very poor people, and has been among the poorest countries in the world for the better part of a decade. For the first time since its independence from France in 1960, in 2016 the Central African Republic has democratically elected a president: former mathematics professor and prime minister Faustin Archange Touadéra, who campaigned as a peacemaker who could bridge the divide between the Muslim minority and the Christian majority. Yet, while his successful election has been seen as an important step towards national reconstruction, large swaths of the country remain controlled by anti-government and militia groups. Despite problems and setbacks, in recent years growth has moderately picked up, driven by the timber industry, the revival of the agricultural sector, and the partially resumed sale of diamonds. 2. Burundi🇧🇮 Current International Dollars: 916 | View Burundi’s GDP & Economic Data Tiny landlocked Burundi lacks natural resources and has been scarred by a civil war lasting from 1993 to 2005, whose aftermath is still a contributing factor to its ranking of the second-poorest country in the world. With about 80% of Burundi’s roughly 13 million citizens relying on subsistence agriculture, food insecurity is almost twice as high as the average for sub-Saharan African countries. Furthermore, access to water and sanitation remains very low and less than 5% of the population has electricity. President Evariste Ndayishimiye has made an effort to relaunch the economy and repair diplomatic relationships, and in 2022 both the US and the European Union resumed aid after lifting financial sanctions. Unfortunately, while growth is picking up, inflation is projected this year to be around 22%. 1. South Sudan🇸🇸 Current International Dollars: 455 | View South Sudan’s GDP & Economic Data The very poorest of the world’s poorest countries, South Sudan has been wracked by violence since its creation in 2011. Rich in oil reserves, the landlocked state of roughly 15 million represents a textbook example of the “resource curse,” whereby abundance fosters political and social divisions, inequality, corruption and warfare. The majority of the population is employed in traditional agriculture, although violence and extreme climate events often prevent farmers from planting or harvesting crops. This year, an estimated 9 million people, over 60% of South Sudan’s population, will be in need of humanitarian assistance. Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook April 2024. © 2024 Global Finance Magazine |
| Politics / Historic Discoveries Of Sunken Continent by coputa(m): 6:45am On May 02 |
Lakes will be converted into colossal power plants: free electricity in the U.S. Humanity has reached a milestone: this genetic modification changes everything on our planet The next imminent threat for our country just confirmed: National security in danger A historic discovery has just begun to rewrite the geography books. A continent that has lain sunken for years has just come to light – though not to the surface. The most curious thing of all? It has a population of its own and new countries you may never have heard of. It is as curious as this territory that the UN is asking Spain to return and we will never see again. A continent lost under the sea: the seventh on the planet, and the subject of legends. There was a time when Oceania, mostly made up of bodies of water and islands, was considered to have emerged from a sunken piece of land. It was between 2020 and 2023 when Zealandia was discovered through satellite measurements, which allowed to draw a spectacular underwater silhouette. However, Zealandia was identified as a continent in its own right in 2017, after decades of research. It was previously thought to be part of the Australian tectonic plate, but geological studies showed that it has a distinct continental crust. At 4.9 million km² in area, Zealandia covers 6 % of the planet’s land surface. Despite being mostly submerged, Zealandia is home to two large emerged land masses. These correspond to countries, colonies of European powers (which still exist) and islands. The location of Zealandia, the lost continent: these are its countries Zealandia is located in the Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia. It stretches from New Zealand in the south to New Caledonia in the north, covering an area of some 4.9 million square kilometers. Can you imagine how spectacular its underwater mountains must be? Although most of Zealandia is submerged under the sea, some islands emerge as part of this sunken continent. The main islands are New Zealand, composed of the North and South Islands, as well as the Macquarie, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes, Chatham, Bounty, Snares, and other smaller islands. Zealandia is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by the Tasman Sea to the west and the Coral Sea to the north. It is separated from Australia by the Tasman Sea and from the Antarctic continent by the Ross Sea. Its remote location in the southern hemisphere makes it a unique and isolated region. The origin of this sunken continent is finally revealed: we have known about it since last year. Zealandia is believed to have formed some 60-85 million years ago as a result of the breakup of Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent that grouped Africa, South America, Antarctica, Australia and India. When Gondwana fractured, Zealandia was isolated. Then, it began to sink progressively under the ocean due to its lower density with respect to the surrounding oceanic plates. By about 23 million years ago, most of Zealandia was already submerged, with only a few islands and archipelagos remaining emerged. The sinking continued until it reached its present form, with 94% of its surface under the sea and only New Zealand and New Caledonia visible. Despite being mostly hidden under water, Zealandia maintains its status as a continental landmass. In terms of relief, Zealandia presents a submerged continental plateau of low altitude, with some submarine ridges and mountains that emerge forming the islands. Of particular note are the Lord Howe Ridge, the Norfolk Ridge and the Challenger Ridge, which contains the deepest point at -10 882 meters. It is clear that Zealandia is a lost continent, but also enigmatic and beautiful in equal parts: who wouldn’t want to explore its coral-covered atolls, its white sandy beaches blurred with the blue sea or its tropical forests with flora and fauna never seen before in Europe? The most curious thing of all is that it is very close to these territories that Spain lost and will never be able to recover. ECONews © 2024 by ECOticias |
| Celebrities / I Am Nigeria's Youngest Billionaire -bbnaija Winner Iiebaye Declares by coputa(m): 10:45am On May 01 |
Big Brother Naija reality show season 8 winner Ilebaye Odiniya, has expressed how excited she is to be one of the youngest multi-billionaires in Nigeria. In a recent interview, she expressed how grateful she is to God for using Big Brother to make her the star she is today, saying that it is a really good privilege. Speaking on her fashion sense, Ilebaye revealed she is inspired by Gen Z Baddie, adding that she is her own fashion icon. “My outfit is inspired by Gen Z Baddie. I am my own fashion icon. “It feels so good to be one of the youngest multi-billionaires and winning the All Stars. I am grateful to God for using Big Brother to make me the Star that I am. It’s a really good privilege”, she said. Leave Phyna alone - Etinosa blasts critics Recently, Ilebaye pocketed N120 million after she won the All-Star edition of the reality show in October last year. In a recent Instagram live session with fans, she confirmed that she has received the prize money. Her revelation came after Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Phyna called out the organisers, claiming that she has not yet received the N100 million she won from the show in 2022. Ilebaye said, “I have received my [BBNaija prize] money. I haven’t even touched tiny part of it. My money haven’t finished. I haven’t touched my prize money. And this is a fact.” The Big Brother All Stars prize presentation ceremony had in attendance, Oluwakemi Adedeji, Marketing Communications Manager, HFM; Dr Busola Tejumola, Executive Head, Content & West Africa Channels, MultiChoice West Africa; Ilebaye Odiniya, Winner, Big Brother Naija All-Stars; Chinedu Oparaku, Director Product Marketing, Moniepoint. Receiving the prize, Ilebaye expressed her gratitude towards her fans, the organizers, and her fellow housemates. Copyright © 1994 - 2024 PM NEWS | |
| Business / Re: Opay Clarifies New CBN Directive, Reassures Customers Funds Are Secure by coputa(m): 10:30am On May 01 |
Hezzyluv:They make banking and monetary transactions seamless |
| Fashion / Re: Helping The Poor These Days Is Very Dangerous by coputa(m): 10:28am On May 01 |
Testiebobo:The best and appreciable way to help someone is for him or her to request for it |
| Sports / Mike Tyson To Fight Jake Paul In Heavyweight Bout by coputa(m): 10:10am On May 01 |
Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson’s July 20 fight against YouTube sensation Jake Paul in Dallas will be a sanctioned heavyweight professional bout, fighters and promoters has announced. The fight will be over eight two-minute rounds with the result to count on the record of both Paul and Tyson, who lost his last official bout in 2005. Tyson, 50-6 with 44 knockouts, has not won a fight since beating Clifford Etienne in 2003. There had been concerns over sanctioning anything more than an exhibition due to the age difference of the fighters. Paul is 27. Tyson turns 58 on June 30. “Mike Tyson wanted it to be a pro fight. Netflix wanted it to be a pro fight. So I agreed to make it a pro fight. Winner takes all,” Paul posted on X, formerly Twitter. The bout will be at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. “Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome,” Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in an X post. “Over the past six weeks we have worked with our partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul vs Tyson.” Tyson won his first heavyweight world title in 1986 and became undisputed champion in 1987, nearly 10 years before Paul was born. After a stunning upset loss to Buster Douglas in Tokyo in 1990, Tyson made a comeback in 1996 to win a world crown before losing the title to Evander Holyfield. Copyright © 2024 Blueprint Newspapers Limited. |
| Politics / Re: Yahaya Bello Unravels by coputa(m): 7:03am On May 01 |
samomoli:The immunity clause is to shield and protect currupt presidents and governors in Nigeria |
| Politics / Clark Urges EFCC To Reopen Abandoned High Profile Cases by coputa(m): 5:57am On May 01 |
The Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has urged chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ola Olukoyede to revisit all abandoned high profile cases pending in court.https://punchng.com/revisit-high-profile-corruption-cases-clark-tells-efcc-boss/?amp 8 Likes 1 Share
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| Politics / Yahaya Bello Unravels by coputa(m): 4:27am On May 01 |
…as “White lion’s” date with law divides Nigerians Yahaya Bello may never have contemplated his present fugitive status in the same country he was part of the high and mighty in the past eight years, as a governor and confidant of the former president. “Power, they say, gives illusion of eternal security, which itself reinforces the reign of impunity.” May be at some point in his imperial reign, the former Kogi State governor, with a sweet sobriquet: The White Lion, actually believed in the eternal inviolability of his immunity”, says Professor Adeagbo Moritiwon, a political scientist, this, “perhaps, may be the plausible reasons for his inability to reconcile current ordeal within himself.” For the past two weeks, the political landscape as well as the social and mainstream media has been entertained with a melodrama between The Economic and Financial Crime Commission on the one hand, and Bello, on the other hand, as the former is trying to bring him to accountability for his eight years in office as governor of the conference state, as it is popularly called. The roiling drama was explained last week when the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, claimed on Tuesday that investigation by the anti-graft agency showed a layer of corruption committed by the former governor, the most ludicrous of which was that the embattled former governor withdrew $847,000 from the state’s coffers to pay his child’s school fees in advance. The EFCC Chairman said he had personally put a call through to Bello, inviting him to clear the air on the issues but he refused to honour invitations. This was after series of appeals sent to him to come to the anti graft agency’s Abuja’s headquarters. Olukoyede spoke with editors, Bureau Chiefs, and media executives at the EFCC Headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, last Tuesday, amid the raging controversy and counter-claims between the EFCC and the ex-governor. On his side, backed by many lawyers, as his case has divided opinion among lawyers and civil society, Bello is insisting that the attempt by the EFCC to arrest and prosecute him for an alleged N80.2bn fraud was in violation of a February 6 order of the Federal High Court in Lokoja restraining the anti-graft agency. Bello had earlier rushed to Lokoja Federal High Court to obtain injunction restraining EFCC from arresting him. He noted that though the EFCC had appealed the order, he could not be arrested or arraigned until the order had been lifted. This development was a sequel to a failed attempt to arrest him in his Abuja residence last Wednesday and the ex-governor’s absence from the Federal High Court, where he was scheduled to be arraigned last Thursday. Feeling frustrated, the EFCC declared him wanted, and had encouraged sister security agencies to be on the lookout for him, while the Nigerian Immigration Service placed him on watchlist. He has been in hiding since. Competent sources told Business Hallmark that his rushed visit to Presidential Villa to see Tinubu yielded no result. Ironically, last week, some youths in Kogi State protested the move by the EFCC against Bello. The protesting youths barricaded the popular Lokoja-Abuja Road, causing a gridlock on the highway. Also last week, hundreds of civil society organisations (CSOs) took to the streets of Lagos to protest “the continued disrespect for the rule of law and undue harassment of a citizen of Nigeria” by the EFCC. The activists condemned the fact that the EFCC chairman failed to provide any documentary evidence of an official invitation sent to Bello, yet the Commission declared him wanted and had subjected him to “unprecedented and reckless media trials despite a subsisting court order, which protected him at the time they laid a siege on his residence.” They alleged that the EFCC-Bello saga appeared like a case of selective justice targeted at an individual for no concrete cause. The movement, led by the chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, and several frontline anti-corruption and human rights crusaders, led the protest. The activists addressed a press conference before staging the rally. Adeniran called on the younger ones in the mix to rise up and become activists if they were not already, saying that a society, where fundamental human rights were not obeyed and rule of law broken by enforcement agencies could not stand the test of time. The activists said it was sad that the agency had so much thrown away professionalism but played to the gallery on a daily basis without any legal substance other than the threats and application of brute state force, irrespective of what the court says. As in Lagos, in Abuja a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and human rights lawyers last week issued a warning to Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the EFCC, regarding the handling of corruption allegations against Yahaya Bello. ADVERTISEMENT During a press conference held in Abuja two Sundays ago, Kayode Mogbojuri, representing the coalition stressed the importance of the EFCC maintaining its integrity and not becoming a pawn in the hands of politicians seeking to settle scores. In Lokoja, a civil society group had shown solidarity with the embattled governor. Addressing journalists in Lokoja, last week, the Convener, Coalition of Civil Society for Democracy, Richard Otitoleke, said the groups were on the ground in defence of the rule of law and democratic governance. NBA disowns protesting lawyers Meanwhile, last week, the Nigerian Bar Association, disclaimed a protest by lawyers over what they called the illegal approach of the EFCC in handling its allegations against Bello. The no fewer than 500 legal practitioners from across the country, last Monday, stormed the Supreme Court complex. The lawyers, under the umbrella of Judicial Watchdogs, faulted the siege on the ex-governor’s residence in a bid to arrest him, despite a valid court order to the contrary, which had not been vacated. But the NBA, in a statement last Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Habeeb Lawal, said the protesters were not lawyers. “The Nigerian Bar Association is aware that some news outlets have reported this news. “Please be informed that while the NBA respects the rights of citizens to assemble and protest, we insist that this particular group of persons is not lawyers. “For completeness, their supposed leader or convener, Sylvanus K. Alewu, is not a name known to us,” the NBA said. Also Femi Falana, a foremost human rights lawyer and activist supported EFCC’s siege on Bello’s residence, saying even in U.S the Federal Bureau of Investigation had adopted similar tactic, when it set fire on the house of an accused, which forced him to rush out and was subsequently arrested. Professor Ademola Akintaro, a sociologist said “Bello is not above the law, he must account for his stewardship, his immunity is gone. He should respect the law.” Foremost human rights lawyer and immediate past Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes, Mr. Kayode Oladele, also admonished Bello to toe the line of honour by submitting himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for proper investigations on the alleged N84 billion theft rather than embarking on acts of impunity. The EFCC chairman has consistently insisted that the anti-graft agency’s move against Bello was constitutional, given the alleged fraud uncovered against him. Olukoyede said, “A sitting governor, because he knew he was going, removed money directly from the government’s account (and sent) to Bureau de Change, and used it to pay his child’s school fee in advance. Olukoyede insisted that the EFCC did not violate any law by trying to arrest the former governor at his residence. “Rather, we have obeyed the law. I inherited the case and I didn’t create it. Why has he not submitted himself to the law?” he asked. The EFCC chairman said anyone obstructing Bello’s arrest would have the law to contend with. Olukoyede said, “I have arraigned two past governors who have been granted bail now – Willie Obiano and Abdulfatah Ahmed, former governors of Anambra and Kwara states respectively. Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned till May 10 to rule on Bello’s request to have the arrest warrant issued against him lifted. His lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe (SAN), said Bello would have been in court on Tuesday for his rescheduled but for the arrest warrant. He, therefore, urged Justice Emeka Nwite to set aside the arrest warrant, insisting that the EFCC obtained it in breach of the law. But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), opposed the application, saying Bello had no right to seek any prayer from a court before whom he had failed to appear. Pinheiro said were Bello to come out of his hiding and show up, he would personally pray the court to lift the arrest warrant. Pinheiro said, “As his prosecutor, I will personally apply that the arrest warrant be set aside if he comes to court the next adjourned date. “If he (Adedipe) gives an undertaking that his client will be in court on the next date, I can assure him that the arrest warrant will not be executed.” “The main issue should be ascertaining the whereabouts of the defendant. All these applications he is filing are nothing but dilatory tactics intended to delay his arraignment and frustrate the proceedings. “Our position is that the defendant should be denied the right of being heard until he is physically present before this court,” Pinheiro maintained. Pinheiro also argued that by the provisions of Section 396 of ACJA, 2015, the court could not effectively assume jurisdiction to decide any application or objection in the matter, until the defendant was arraigned. After taking arguments from both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the case till May 10 for ruling. Copyright © 2024 Business Hallmark Newspapers |
| Culture / Pro-yoruba History: Traditional Council Suspends Five Benin Chiefs by coputa(m): 1:29pm On Apr 30 |
Five Benin traditional functionaries in Edo State have been suspended from their roles for engaging in sacrilegious conduct against Benin Custom. The Benin Traditional Council announced their suspension in a statement signed by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe on Saturday. The statement said the affected functionaries visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, where they falsely claimed to be emissaries of the Oba of Benin and rendered inaccurate and disjointed account of the connection between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife. The statement reads, “The attention of the Benin Traditional Council has been drawn to video clips circulating on social media in which a group of self-serving traditional functionaries from Benin engaged themselves in a sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood against the Benin Custom. “In the said clip, the individuals who have been identified as Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S.E. Aigbiremwen, Efesieoghoba (Ogbelaka) and two other Ogbelaka functionaries identified as Ogbeide Osagie and Osamudiame Edo were in the presence of the Ooni of Ife, falsely claiming to be emissaries of the Omo N’ObaN’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin. “These individuals not only declared themselves subjects of the Ooni but also rendered inaccurate and disjointed accounts of the connection between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife. “While the BTC does not wish to be drawn to restating the well-known connection between the two thrones of the Oba of Benin and the Ooni of Ife, the general public is urged to disregard the inaccurate accounts rendered by the ill-bred individuals named above.” The Council further described the conduct of these functionaries as “inappropriate, sacrilegious, and calculated to ridicule traditional history and to bring disrepute to Benin custom.” It added, “Consequently, on the authority of the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin the Prescribed Authority over Benin Custom, the BTC hereby announces the suspension of the individuals mentioned above from their role as Benin traditional functionaries. “The general public is advised to refrain from having anything to do with them as traditional functionaries in Benin kingdom throughout their suspension.” punchng.com © 1971- 2024 Punch Nigeria Limited |
| Foreign Affairs / Re: Top 10 Most Powerful Countries On Earth In 2024 by coputa(m): 2:19pm On Apr 25 |
Shomek:Yes ,in corruption 4 Likes |
| Foreign Affairs / Top 10 Most Powerful Countries On Earth In 2024 by coputa(m): 2:06pm On Apr 25 |
1. United States The United States is the country with the most dominant economic and military power in the world. Likewise, its cultural footprint is spread throughout the world, largely due to its popular culture expressed in music, film and television. As a federal republic based on a constitution consisting of 50 states, the US economy is the world's largest in terms of gross domestic product and also the most technologically powerful. 2. China China managed to rank second among the 10 most powerful countries in the world in 2024. This country is the most populous country in the world and is considered the second largest country by land area. China has become one of the countries with the fastest economic growth in the world, since its former leader Deng Xiaoping carried out reforms in 1978. Apart from that, China has also made significant technological advances, especially in artificial intelligence and 5G, which has made this country position itself as a global technology leader. 3. Russia Russia plays an important role in global geopolitics by exploiting its abundant natural resources and military capabilities. Reporting from the Forbes India page, this country is focusing on its space program, with plans to launch several missions in the coming years. These missions aim to explore the moon and other celestial bodies, thereby contributing to our understanding of nature. 4. Germany Germany, the most populous country in the European Union, has one of the world's largest economies and its role in the international community has steadily increased since reunification. Its economy is one of the largest in the world and Germany is one of the world's leading importers. Services including industries such as telecommunications, healthcare, and tourism make the largest contribution to the country's economy. 5. United Kingdom England is a developed country that has great international economic, political, scientific and cultural influence. The country is focused on post-Brexit trade deals and negotiations aimed at building new economic partnerships. The country is also making progress in the technology industry, with London being its startup hub. 6. South Korea South Korea continues to be a global leader in technology and innovation. The country is home to several leading technology companies, which contributes to its strong position in the global economy. Apart from reducing carbon emissions, South Korea is also adopting renewable energy sources to promote green energy initiatives. 7. France France's influence on the world, both past and present, is difficult to overstate. Located in Western Europe, France is one of the oldest countries in the world, and its reach extends across the globe through science, politics, economics, and perhaps most importantly, culture. 8. Japan In the latest Henley Passport Index, Japan is ranked first with visa-free or visa-on arrival access to 194 countries. This makes his passport one of the most powerful passports in the world. Famous for its automobile and electronics manufacturing, the country is the world's 4th largest economy with a GDP of $4.23 trillion. The country is heavily focused on growing chip manufacturing, AI and electric vehicles to dominate the next wave of technology. 9. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia continues to rely on petroleum production as its main source of wealth and influence with oil exports worth more than $300 billion annually. This country has 17 percent of the world's crude oil reserves, around 267,192 million barrels. As the United States' closest ally among Arab countries, Saudi Arabia has great influence in OPEC. Huge investments are being made in tourism and projects such as NEOM city to attract tourists and investors with Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup. 10. United Arab Emirates The UAE is focused on its space program with plans to send a mission to the moon. This mission aims to explore the lunar surface and contribute to our understanding of the moon. The UAE is also an important player in the global oil industry, contributing to its strong position in the global economy |
| Politics / Yoruba Nation: A House Divided Against Itself by coputa(m): 6:46am On Apr 25 |
There is “two fighting”, as we used to say in those kindergarten days, between two prominent Yoruba Nation agitators – Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leader, Gani Adams aka Iba Gani Adams and Are-Ona-Kakanfo. Igboho alleged that Gani Adams defamed him, damaged his reputation and assassinated his character in a leaked video that went viral. It makes no sense to repeat the contents of the video here. Igboho is pained and, like Shylock in William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, he wants a pound of flesh from Gani Adams, first, to redeem his allegedly viciously damaged character and, secondly, to teach Adams an object lesson. Therefore, Igboho has approached the courts and is demanding damages in the region of N500 million from Adams. Efforts made by Adams and other concerned Yoruba leaders to placate Igboho has been in vain. Explanations by Adams that he meant no harm has fallen on Igboho deaf ears. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Therefore, supporters of the Yoruba Nation project at home and abroad are miffed that two foremost generals of their cherished cause are bent on washing their dirty linen in public. Rather than let wise counsel prevail, they have chosen to dance naked in public. If I were Adams, I would have been circumspect enough not to voice what he was alleged to have said about Igboho. And if I were Igboho, I would be mindful to control the damage already done in the interest of the cause that I hold dear, and for which I have already suffered irreparable losses in the hands of the Nigerian state. The altercations and vituperation between two Afenifere groups led respectively by Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Pa Ayo Adebanjo appeared to have receded in recent times from the very bad tempers that was witnessed in the period preceding, during and immediately after the last election. While it lasted, the disagreement was ferocious; it was also humbling. Two generals who share in the glory of the Awolowo years, still seen, till tomorrow, as the golden age of the Yoruba people, tugged relentlessly at each other as supporters urged them on. Truth be told, it was a war of proxy of sorts, which some of the supporters instigated as well as cashed in upon to feather their own nests. Now, I imagine if I were the son of a nonagenarian, whether I would allow that he be denied his well-deserved retirement and rest and be tossed up and down, dragged here and there by people cashing-in on his goodwill for self aggrandizement. Elders must learn to hand over the baton to the younger generations, not only in politics but also in business as well as in ministry. To the supporters or followers: Allow our living ancestors to take a bow! Leave them to retire and enjoy a well-deserved retirement! When Mrs. Modupe Abiola-Onitiri made her declaration of the sovereign state of Yoruba land, she was both grandstanding as well as making history. If a census is taken, I will not be surprised if there are elements of the Yoruba self-determination struggle that would support her move: audacious to some, reckless to others. But such is the history of struggle the world over. When Isaac Adaka Boro decided to take up arms and fight for his Ijaw or South-south people, he was a fool to many; today, however, he is the hero of his people with monuments erected in his honour in many places. The first persons to disown Onitiri were her erstwhile comrades in the agitation for a Yoruba Nation. What points were they trying to make? There are occasions when silence is golden. I am not a fan of Onitiri’s style of agitation. I do not think her modus operandi will achieve the desired result but I will not jump at the slightest opportunity to castigate her publicly. If you disagree with her style, go on with your own style and leave her with her’s. Demolishing the house where she made her declaration is infantile and begs the issue. What has the house got to do with it? Many of those parading as leaders of the Yoruba Nation struggle are mere agitators with no sound knowledge of struggle. They are lumpen elements led by pseudo-radicals with no sound knowledge of the theory and praxis of struggle. The blind leading the blind. I believe that one day, the Yoruba will have their Yoruba Nation, just like every other nationalities desirous of taking their destiny in their own hands will do – because it is the right thing to do; because it is the surest way to Nigeria’s greatness and development; and because it is the ONLY solution to the problems bedeviling the country. Point at one developed country where ethnic groups dominate ethnic groups. Nationalities are respected and allowed to control their own internal affairs and develop at their own pace. Whether we like it or not, that is where Nigeria must head. Those castigating Onitiri for declaring Yoruba Nation came out a few days later to write a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu demanding a referendum that would take the Yoruba people out of Nigeria! Tell me, where do they differ from the woman? Their point of divergence is “how” to achieve the same goal. But history teaches that no particular “how” suits the defenders of the status quo. So, if you think that because you stand on the rooftop to announce that your approach is non-violent, the authorities will be kinder to you than those who advocate armed struggle, you delude yourself. And let no one think that those who are run underground today, dubbed as terrorists, will always remain so. Mandela was a “terrorist” before he became the first black president of South Africa. Fidel Castro and his comrades languished in jail before the tide turned against Fulgencio Batista. Mao Tse-tung and Lenin were “terrorists” who became leaders of their respective countries when their revolution succeeded. My advice to Yoruba leaders is this: Stop castigating one another. They want to quit Nigeria; leave them to agitate for what they believe in. They want restructuring; let them go ahead and agitate for restructuring. Leave those who want to quit to quit. Those that want restructuring should focus on restructuring. Many roads, not one, lead to the market. The message is the same; only the rendition differs. So, why get in each other’s throat? The Yoruba have sterling qualities in many areas of human endeavour but, placed side-by-side Nigeria’s other nationalities, they are not known as good political strategists. This is also showing in the way the leaders are prosecuting the Yoruba Nation struggle. They are quick to throw one another under the bus. How can a house divided against itself stand? © 2023 . New Telegraph, Nigeria |
| Politics / Top Manufacturers List Woes,incurs N266b Losses In 1yr by coputa(m): 10:25am On Apr 22 |
Manufacturers of consumer goods are counting their losses to high cost of raw materials due to inflation and exchange rate volatility, which resulted to N266 billion loss in 2023, from profit of 320.5 billion in 2022, a development which would likely keep the prices of goods high in the months ahead despite positive trends in exchange rate in recent weeks. The manufacturers have recorded about 25.5 per cent rise in cost of raw materials in 2023 and Financial Vanguard findings indicate that current stocks of raw materials in their warehouses were procured at even higher cost through first quarter of 2024. While most of them tracked by Financial Vanguard have recorded erosion of profit, declaring massive losses in their full year financial statement, the companies have strategized to recover the losses through inflation targeting price mark ups in 2024. Nigeria’s headline inflation surged to 33.2 percent at end of First Quarter 2024, from 21.8 percent at the beginning of last year while exchange rate surged to average N1500/$1 in the Q1’24 from N650/ $1 in the corresponding period of last year. The manufacturers said these two developments resulted in an unprecedented rise in the cost of raw material inputs and cost of producing consumer goods, thereby resulting in massive rise in prices of goods and services which Nigerians have continued to bear. Financial statements of some leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods Companies, FMCG, showed that the amount spent by the companies on raw materials’ procurement rose to N2.77 trillion in 2023 up from N2.21 trillion in 2022, indicating a 25.5 percent increase. The manufacturers said as a result of the increase in the cost of raw materials, the cost of sales jumped 24.8 percent to N3.53 trillion in 2023, from N2.83 trillion in 2022. Moreover, the companies spent more than half of their revenue on raw materials in 2023. Specifically, the companies’ spent 57.8 percent of their total revenue of N4.795trillion in 2023 on raw materials procurement. The huge increase in the cost of sales in addition to effect of revaluation of their dollar loans resulted in a N266.51 billion combined loss before tax, indicating a massive reversal of fortune for companies that had declared N320.5 billion profit before tax the previous year. The companies affected by this adverse fortune includes Unilever Nigeria Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, NASCON Allied Industries Plc, BUA Foods Plc, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, and Champion Breweries Plc. Others are Guinness Nigeria Plc, International Breweries Plc, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, and Neimeth Pharmaceutical Plc. What the companies are saying While attributing the jump in the cost of raw materials to the twin problem of exchange rate volatility and inflation, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, Hans Essaadi, said that the 15 percent drop in the company’s operating profit and N106 billion net loss during the year, were due, mainly, to high input cost. NB posted a 16 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) increase in its raw material costs to N286.06 billion, while the ratio of its raw material cost to the cost of sales stood at 73.9 percent. Speaking at the Pre-AGM media briefing in Lagos last week, Essadi noted a corresponding increase in the prices of raw materials as inflationary pressures heightened and the Naira depreciated. He stated: “Our operating profit fell by 15% due to higher input cost and one-off re-organisation cost despite strong and aggressive cost savings and other efficiency measures. ”Coupled with the impact of the devaluation of the naira which resulted in a foreign exchange loss of N153 billion, the company recorded a net loss of N106 billion during the year. “So, the drivers of our cost were inflation and devaluation. For example, when we have raw materials like malt and barley, they go directly up with devaluation. And because they are imported, there’s a sort of price raising.” He, therefore, said that consumers should expect price increments as a direct result of Naira devaluation and inflation. “And at the moment, on the basis of this inflation, we will continue to see prices go up. ”Food inflation is hitting almost 40% at this point and so for the short term, we will also continue to see consumer pricing going up”. He, however, said that the company’s input costs “are going up more than the prices that we selling today because we are very conscious of affordability.” Also, BUA Foods Plc, in its 2023 earnings release noted that the increase in its cost of sales was 64%, amounting to N468.98 billion in 2023 which was driven by increase in raw materials cost and energy cost. The company stated: “The high input cost environment and further devaluation of the Naira against the US Dollar weighed heavily on prices for raw materials. This resulted in higher cost of production.” Speaking in the same vein, Managing Director, Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, Bolarin Okunowo, attributed the high cost of raw material inputs to removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration in May 2023. He however, stated: “Our performance in the full year 2023 is a testament to our resilience as a business. Despite facing numerous policy and macroeconomic challenges throughout the year- notably the cash crunch from the naira re-design, the removal of petrol subsidies leading to a rapid escalation in the prices of raw materials, general goods and services, and foreign exchange challenges-we steadfastly maintained our reputation for excellence by providing high-quality products and services that delight our customers.” Companies’ remedial actions Owing to the persistent increase in the cost of raw materials and the need to save cost, most of the companies noted that one of their priority areas for 2023 was localisation of their inputs. For instance, Nigerian Breweries Plc explained that it has continued to invest resources in the local development, improvement and commercialisation of its agricultural raw materials, saying: “Our collaboration with relevant local and international research institutes has been expanded to further assess and improve the performance and adaptability of selected registered local sorghum varieties and to develop new sorghum varieties with improved quality for the industry and increased yield for the farmers.” To increase the positive impact of local sourcing of its agricultural raw materials, the company said it has continuously expanded its sorghum cultivation and sourcing areas to new communities. In an explanatory note to its 2023 earnings release, Unilever Nigeria Plc, said: “Certain events in the last half a decade such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia and Ukraine conflicts have necessitated businesses to localise their supply chain. “Localisation is beneficial to companies as it helps corporates to reduce costs, achieve faster delivery times, shield against supply chain risks, reduce their dependence on overseas suppliers, and build a self-sufficient local ecosystem. “As part of our localisation initiative, we have increased our locally sourced agricultural materials to over 50% between 2019 – 2023. “We are focusing first on our main crops, such as palm oil, cassava, turmeric, garlic, and onion.” On its part, Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR) said it’s channeling resources towards ongoing backward integration programme (BIP) in Dangote Taraba Sugar Limited, Dangote Adamawa Sugar Limited and Nasarawa Sugar Company Limited. The company said: “In line with the core objective of the National Sugar Master Plan which is for Nigeria to attain self-sufficiency in sugar production, Dangote Sugar is working on enhancing its existing refinery operations in Numan, Adamawa State, as well as developing its greenfield sites at the Nasarawa Sugar Company Project, amongst other sites. “The company intends to achieve 1.5MT annually from locally grown sugarcane.” The story is the same for Nestle Nigeria Plc, which said that on a continuing basis, it explores the use of local raw materials such as soya bean, maize, cocoa, palm olein, sorghum, cassava and corn starch in its production processes in a number of its products. Increased cost, cause of losses — Adonri Meanwhile, a financial analyst and Vice Chairman at Highcap Securities, Mr. David Adonri, said that besides the factors listed by the companies, insecurity also hampered local sourcing of raw materials. He stated: “Nigeria’s economy has been grappling with cost push inflation for several years occasioned by insecurity which is crippling domestic sourcing of raw materials and depreciation of the Naira causing imported raw materials to be costly. “As the lion share of manufacturing cost, the increased cost has plunged many companies into extraordinary losses from which they require many years to recover,” he said. “All elements in the economy, from loss of tax by government to loss of purchasing power of consumers, are experiencing the negative impact of cost push inflation. “Investors in the capital market are also groaning under this situation as the value of their investment in several manufacturing companies have dwindled considerably,” Adonri added. © 2024 Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria |
| Politics / Obaseki Betrays, Again Edo -pdp-crisis-obaseki -begs -state -exco -members by coputa(m): 10:14am On Apr 22 |
Godwin picks Godwins and he might think there is a God in all of it. But the governor of Edo State may go down as the biggest violator of the rule of law in the history of this republic. He kept a legislature like a mouse in the cage. The lawmakers became happy pawns in the hand of the man whose ancestry is known for playing outside the law and noble path of history. He will descend into history as impeaching a deputy the same day the man is accused and swears in his replacement. It is what you call answer before the question. The same Obaseki, whose stewardship is such an anticlimax for a man who betrayed his boss and ditched his fellow traitor. If his former deputy Shaibu acted the way he did, it was because Obaseki did not treat him as a human being. If you don’t want a deputy to succeed you as governor, call him aside first and tell him. He didn’t. In politics, reward does not follow sacrifice. Obaseki showed that. First to Adams, and later to Shaibu. His worst victim of betrayal is Edo State. He performed poorly as chief executive. His forbears also betrayed the kingdom. This same Obaseki set himself against the palace on artefacts, betraying his king. He may be the first in Nigerian history to betray both state and kingdom. 2024 The Nation Newspaper, Ltd. |
| Politics / Re: Obi's Achievement As Gov Not Better Than Lagos LG Chair -omokri by coputa(m): 9:55am On Apr 22 |
tiger28:Reno always back up his statements with facts and figures |
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