₦airaland Forum

XMAS DAY BOMB SUSPECT REARRESTED AT THE BORDER
Font size:   19/01/2012 08:45:00

The Christmas Day bomb suspect, Kabir Sokoto, who escaped from the police custody, has been rearrested by the Nigeria Police with the aid of an alleged popular marabout named Alhaji Ali Quran.

Sokoto, according to police sources, was rearrested at the   Nigeria/Chad Border in Borno State few hours ago.

The Police were said to have sought the assistance of Quran who is popular with tracking down suspects with voodoo powers.

Police detectives are on their way back to Abuja with the suspect.

President Goodluck Jonathan, irked by the questionable escape of the Boko Haram suspect, had issued a 24 hours ultimatum for the suspect to be rearrested.


Kabir Sokoto who was linked to the Christmas day bombing that claimed about 43 lives escaped from Police custody under questionable circumstances. His escape was said to have been facilitated by Zakari Biu, a Commissioner of Police who has been suspended from the Police.


SOURCE: http://pointblanknews.com/new/exclusive/3500-xmas-day-bomb-suspect-rearrested-at-the-border.html

Gunmen kill five policemen in Yobe

JANUARY 11, 2012 BY AGENCY REPORTER LEAVE A COMMENT
Gunmen killed six people, including five police officers, on Tuesday in a pub in Potiskum, Yobe State, where Islamic sect, Boko Haram, had carried out a wave of bloody attacks.

Also, gunmen killed two people in separate attacks despite an increased security presence in Borno State.

Police chief Lawan Tanko, confirmed the Potiskum attack without giving casualty numbers, while a resident said five policemen had died in the beer garden shooting carried out by suspected Boko Haram militants.

“Five policemen and one bartender were killed in the attack,” said Miko Hamidu, a resident of Potiskum.

“The policemen had gone to drink,” he said, adding that the gunmen were suspected Boko Haram members.

Another resident gave a similar account, adding that the attackers had sped off on a motorcycle.

Col. Victor Ebhaleme of the Special Task Force said the gunmen attacked two Christian homes on Monday evening in Maiduguri.


SOURCE: http://www.punchng.com/news/gunmen-kill-five-policemen-in-yobe/

Gunmen Kill Two University Of Maiduguri Students
SUNDAY, 08 JANUARY 2012 00:00 FROM NJADVARA MUSA, MAIDUGURI AND ABIODUN FAGBEMI, ILORIN NEWS - NATIONAL 
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TWO students of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) have been reported killed by three suspected Boko Haram gunmen at about 8pm in their Mairi ward residences, south of the University campus, Borno State commissioner of police, Simeon Midenda has disclosed.

The police chief made this known yesterday to newsmen while speaking on this week’s serial attacks and killings on Christian residences and people living in Dala and Mairi wards of Maiduguri metropolis.

He said the sectarian attacks have taken a different dimension, where suspected gunmen target not only the military patrol vehicles of Joint Task Force (JTF) and policemen, but residences of policemen and Christians living in Jere, Bama and Biu council areas of the state.

The three council areas are also under the state of emergency in addition to Maiduguri Metropolitan and Gambouru/ Ngala.

He said the suspects came in unmarked vehicle with two Kalashnikov rifles hid under their flowing gowns, before they fired several gun shots into the heads and chests of the male and female students.

He said the two students are from Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

He added that the former chairmen of a council area; and National Union of Roads Transport Workers (NURTW), were also killed in Mairi ward last year. No arrests, he said were made in the assassinations of University students.


SOURCE: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73169:gunmen-kill-two-university-of-maiduguri-students-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

5000 megawatts power generation not realistic’

JANUARY 1, 2012 3 COMMENTS

There are strong indications that the country may not meet the 5000 megawatts electricity power generation promised by the end of 2011.

A source at the National Control Centre, Osogbo, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday that power generation had even dropped further from 4,089.4 to 3, 881 megawatts.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, had in August said government was exploring various short-term measures to get power generation to 5000 megawatts by December.

A source at the NCC however told NAN that the power generation, which stood at 4,089.4 on Thursday evening, had dropped to 3,881 megawatts by Friday morning.

“The current power generation as at Friday morning stood at 3, 881 megawatts as against yesterday night which stood at 4,089.4 megawatts.

“The country’s power generation is primarily fluctuating all over, but we cannot hit 5000 megawatts this December,’’ the source said.

The source also said some of the country’s hydro plants were undergoing overhauling.

The Egbin Power Station, which contributes about 1,080 megawatts into the national grid, has dropped to 800 megawatts and this has adversely affected electricity distribution and supply to customers in the country.

When contacted to confirm the drop in electricity production, Mr. Hussain Labo, Managing Director of PHCN, said, “Please, I don’t know anything about generation; I don’t want to comment on the power generation.

“You can call the generation section for an update.”

Efforts by NAN to get the power minister for his comments were abortive.



SOURCE: http://www.punchng.com/news/5000-megawatts-power-generation-not-realistic/

Is it just me or does she look like Queen Latifah?

I heard it originated from the Jollof tribe in Gambia.

Looming Disaster!!!!!!

No Work On New Refineries

Ogbia, Bayelsa: Stalled At Preliminary Survey Stage

Lekki, Lagos: No Sign Of Construction Activities

Itobe, Kogi: Communal Crisis Over Proposed Site

CONTRARY to the belief that the Federal Government is focusing on constructing and completing the three Greenfield Refinery projects “it has started” in Lagos, Kogi and Bayelsa States, facts on ground indicate that nothing has been done to commence actual construction at the designated sites.

When The Guardian visited the three proposed locations last week, it was discovered that 14 months after the idea was mooted, work was yet to commence in any of the sites.

From Lagos to Kogi and Bayelsa, it was a story of uncertainty even as potential host communities are reportedly engaged in a battle of wits.

Denying reports in an Indonesian newspaper — Jakarta Post — which claimed that the Federal Government had agreed to invest $2.68 billion to fund the construction of a 300bpd refinery in Indonesia, the Group General Manager (Group Public Affairs Division) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Levi Ajuonuma, had maintained that government was focusing on constructing and completing the three Greenfield Refinery projects it had started.

“The Corporation is presently on the verge of building three Greenfield Refineries in Lagos, Bayelsa and Kogi States with the country’s international partners and therefore it does not make any sense to embark on any such project,” he said.

“The Federal Government,” he said, “does not have any hand in this fictitious project…. The Federal Government is focused on its transformation agenda and committed to delivering on the three Greenfield Refineries on schedule.”

SOURCE: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65195:-no-work-on-new-refineries&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

Zenon/Otedola will benefit from the FG "buying" their loan, ditto Geometric which has strong ties/links with Barth Nnaji the Minister of Power. Some things never change eh?

AMCON acquires N275b bad loans of Zenon Oil, Geometric Power, Seawolf

Prompted by a desire to avert another systemic crisis in the Nigerian banking industry, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Thursday announced it has acquired another N275billion delinquent credit from about 6 banks in respect of various transactions with three indigenous firms.

The firms whose bad debts were taken over under the arrangement include Zenon Petroleum, Geometric Power Limited and Seawolf Industries Limited. Under the arrangement which AMCON Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr Mustafa Chike Obi said was in the best interest of the nation’s economy, the corporation purchased a total of N150billion debt owed about five banks that financial petroleum products imports by Zenon Petroleum a few years ago.

The company Daily Sun learnt has been servicing the facility promptly until disagreement arising from interest charges threw spanner into the wheel of the transaction. Banks believed to have funded the Zenon Petroleum deal include, Access Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, FCMB among others.

Similarly, AMCON boss hinted the corporation has concluded discussion with First Bank Plc, to take over an estimated N100billion exposure to Seawolf Industries Limited while it has also concluded transactions on the N25billion debt owed Diamond Bank by Geometric Power Systems for the financing of the Independent Power Project in Aba, Abia State.

He said ‘’Certain banks have been compelled, in consultation with AMCON, and the Central Bank of Nigeria to sell systematically important loans to AMCON to forestall any further crisis in the future. Most notable among these are loans to Zenon Petroleum, Seawolf Industries and Geometric Power Industries’’.
But given a breakdown of the transaction, Chike –Obi stated that AMCON’s involvement in the firms debt imbroglio was basically due to the usually large size of the facilities which he feared could create another systemic crisis if the debtors suddenly default.

He explained that though the loans are still performing, it would be dangerous to leave it with the banks because it could destroy the industry if nothing was done. The AMCON boss allayed fears that the corporation’s takeover of the facilities would not mean taking over the indebted companies but strengthen their governance structures and ensure that the loans are repaid promptly, stressing that this would ensure there would be no job losses while critical activities in the firms and their banks are not unduly disrupted.

Meanwhile Chike-Obi has said AMCON will conclude its acquisition of non-performing loans of banks by October 31, 2011 having injected about N1.16 trillion for the face value of an estimated N2.78trillion delinquent credit owed 21 banks in the country. This according to him also represented about 95 per cent of all outstanding non -performing loans in the nation’s banking industry.

SOURCE   http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/businessnews/2011/oct/21/bussines-21-10-2011-001.html

@ POSTER

Be wise, be very wise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your/his tribe is immaterial. Even if you are Mongolian and he is from the Hottentot tribe, so what?

Four questions you need to ask your self are:

Do you really love each other?

Are you willing to fight for the love you profess?

Are you going to live with each others parents or with each other?

Will marriage to the boy/girl next-door from your village guarantee a successful relationship?

At the end of the day, the decision is yours; but if I were you I'd respectfully agree to disagree with the parents. Just play it wise, "Mummy/Daddy we are getting married on X date, we know you disapprove but we still need your blessing which we really value etc"

After the marriage be very wise. Make sure that at every opportunity you leave no room for criticism, you should be the first to send presents/greeting cards to your parent-in-laws at birthdays, Christmas etc. If any of your parent-in-laws fall ill, you should be the first person to visit them in hospital and go there on a daily basis to support them/show that you love/care for them etc. My friend, just use love to overcome all these obstacles and don't get involved in any controversy.

To find true love is not easy, if you eventually decide to please your parents and things start to go wrong, then who do you blame? At the end of the day, these same parents will only "advise" you whilst you have to face the consequences all alone.

I know of two cases personally, the first one is a very close friend who has been happily married for over 10 years with 2 beautiful kids. When she wanted to get married; it was the same scenario like you, she was told so many negative stories about the other tribe. The parents threatened hell and brimstone but she followed her heart and the rest is history. Unfortunately, her senior sister married a chap from the same village who treats her like dirt. He pulls all the usual antics of an irresponsible man, drinks all day, only interested in watching football, doesn't support the family financially although they live under the same roof and have 3 kids. The sister is trapped in a loveless marriage and was one of the people advising her kid sister not to marry the guy she loved just because of his tribe!! The parents eventually saw reason and even prefer to stay with my friend whenever they are in town because their home is cosy and peaceful.

My own sister faced this same kind of irrational bias but on a more ridiculous level. They are both of the same tribe but different states. His parents were totally against it because they wanted him to marry someone from their home town. At the end of the day, my sister and her husband decided to follow their hearts. Only my parents attended the wedding. They are still happily married 11 years later with 3 lovely kids. His parents even visit spradically and seem to have accepted the situation but even if they don't, is it a crime to marry and live happily with the person you love??

Let your parents live their lives and allow you to live yours!!!!!!

Here is the rub:

Awo lost the swing states of Cross River and Rivers States to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). In addition, he couldn't capture Kwara which voted 60/40% in favour of the NPN.

Whilst campaigning in the East, he told the crowd that he would ban the importation of Stock fish from Norway. This cost him the few votes he may have garnered from the East. Furthermore, many voters from the East didn't vote for Awo because of his alleged role in the civil war. He allegedly advised Yakubu Gowon to block any salt from going to the east, effectively "legitimising" starvation as a tactic of war. This act was a major catalyst in the resultant Kwashiokor epidemic. Even if these factors are discounted, it would have been an almost impossible task for Awo to get any sizeable votes in the East; considering that the East fielded a well respected candidate in Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Awo made it very clear in his extensive campaigns across the country that he would probe the military. His naivety or frankness (depending on how you view it) must have cost him badly behind the scenes.

After the first 4 elections it became clear that the NPN would win the majority number of votes cast. There was talk of all the other parties asking their supporters to vote for the Unity Party of Nigeria. The "merger" was at the best inconclusive and didn't amount to much.

The free education at all levels was no big deal to the North. If my memory serves me right; education was free at the time for Northerners. (I may be wrong on this one, but I schooled in the North and vaguely remember LEA primary schools being free, ditto the Government Colleges. All northern states paid handsome bursaries to their students that were in higher education. I’m almost certain that tuition was also free).

In addition to the above, the perennial problem of rigging reared its ugly head. (The election definitely wasn't free and fair but I'm not in a position to evaluate how this affected the final outcome).

Awo's last hope of a legal interpretation that would have resulted in a 2nd poll were dashed when the court ruled in favour the submission of Richard Akinjide for the NPN.

No way!!!!!!

We've had enough of the Yuk of Yak

splitnaija:
Yar'Adua was ill so could be excused but what the f_____k is wrong with GEJ? He's so dull!!! I guess it hasn't dawn on him that he's the President of Nigeria!!! Someone wake him up plssssssssssssssssss

@ splitnaija

Yardie had no kidneys
Jonny B. Good has no balls!!!!

I hope this answers your question.

ehie:
holding parties and jubilating about yourself for being an avid underachiever is like jerking off while watching a por.n flick starring you.yourself and you

ego o.rgy

@ Ehie,

Ouch, that hurt!!!!! Your comment will pole-axe our very Ordinary Joe!!!!!!!

i dey laff o

@ All

The lack of running water is also a major problem in this equation.

Decent toilets are scarce in Nigeria; be it at airports, local government offices, banks, schools, homes, name it. However, even where decent toilets exist they soon become incubation centres for diseases such as cholera, typhoid and what have you due to the lack of running water. In my experience, most toilets I have encountered in Nigeria are unhygienic eyesores.

I remember going to a local govt office which stank to the high heavens because the limited number of toilets were blocked and couldn't be flushed due to the lack of water.

In 2011 it is a shame that there isn't a single village, town or city in Nigeria that can boast of 24/7 clean, potable, pipe-borne, running water. Not one!!!!!!

As a result, all the normal good toilet etiquette such as flushing, washing your hands after visiting the loo etcetera are difficult to achieve in Nigeria.

Gov Amaechi also states his case for the removal of the petrol subsidy.

'Landers, what do you make of this?

Why Government Is Bloated – Rotimi Amaechi
Written by  Nosa Igiebor font size     Print E-mail 1 Comment

Amaechi: ‘We are an oil-producing country and because of the subsidy, people are not even interested in allowing refineries to be established. So we need to remove it (subsidy); it increases corruption’ Photo by Sunday Adedeji

He is fond of doing the unexpected. Last Wednesday when he visited Tell head office in Lagos, he drove himself into the compound followed by his security details. It was unexpected of a state governor in today’s Nigeria. But for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, driving himself once in a while is a display of humility and an attempt to get closer to the people.

From the Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly during Peter Odili’s civilian administration, Amaechi rose to be the governor of the state after a court verdict in 2007. Ever since, he has been a rising star on the nation’s political firmament. He is not just a governor. His is with distinction having, like Governor Babatunde Fashola in Lagos, been adjudged to have performed creditably well.

Now on a second term, Amaechi has ruled the state with courage, dignity and humility. He has squared up with challenges posed by militants and kidnappers, an effort that has brought relative calm in the area of security in the state.

When he drove into our headquarters last week, it was to do what he knows best – telling people about governance and raising hope of a better Nigeria.

For over an hour, Amaechi sat down with TELL editors and reporters to discuss the efforts of his administration towards improving security in his state, in the country as well as tackling sensitive issues like the controversial minimum wage and fuel subsidy. Characteristically, he was down to earth canvassing opinions that appear anti-people but which he believes could take Nigeria out of the woods.

As chairman of the Governors’ Forum, he could have easily gone away with subtleness. But, Amaechi, schooled in Marxism during his university days, is better known for his no-nonsense approach to issues. His passion for the welfare of the ordinary citizens was clearly evident as he answered every question bordering on personal, political, socio-economic and national issues with candour.

But the governor is unhappy that many Nigerians perceive governors as thieves, saying quite unbelievably, that many Nigerian governors become poor after leaving office. As the governor personally drove out of our premises last Wednesday, he never knew that he stole the hearts of several people. Excerpts:

The N18,000 minimum wage controversy has shown that in Nigeria, we pretend to practice a federal system of government, but we don’t respect all the other things that go with the system. Apart from the issue of the minimum wage, what informed the Governor’s Forum to come up with that recommendation that the issue of subsidy need to be addressed?
It’s not the issue of minimum wage per say. Even if they remove fuel subsidy, the money from the subsidy cannot sustain the salary, so it’s not enough. What informed it is the fact that Nigerians are not getting the benefits from the subsidy. Outside Lagos, Rivers and Abuja, tell me where the subsidy is working. Go to Imo State, Abia, they are selling fuel N150 per litre. Go to Sokoto, Borno, Kano and Maiduguri and all those states, Nigerians are not getting the benefits. So when we say we want the subsidy removed, it’s not because we are not mindful of the pain. But at the end of the day, that pain would be reduced in the next few months. There will be refineries; we have not been able to establish refineries because of the so-called subsidy. We are an oil-producing country and because of the subsidy, people are not even interested in allowing refineries to be established. So we need to remove it(subsidy); it increases corruption.

Has the (Governors’) Forum formally presented its position to the President or discussed with him?
Yes, we have.

Over the years, the government has been unable, unwilling or both, to educate the public on the benefits of removing the subsidy and also making them understand that the poor they say they are defending are not really the one benefitting.
They are not. But we must realize that this is not about wages, or about government looking for cheap revenues for funds to be able to pay salaries or do some other things. This is about the development of the country. The moment you remove subsidy, you have refineries. Take the oil producing states, for instance, people would establish refineries that would employ Nigerians, not just Rivers, Delta or Akwa Ibom people. You would create industries (and) employment by removing the subsidy. At the end of the day, the initial suffering would reduce. That’s what we think and we believe that it’s the right way to go and the federal government should take the decision. The more they delay, the more they make it an issue. How many people remember that (late President) Yar’Adua removed the subsidy on kerosene?

Kerosene, or diesel?
Kerosene and diesel. They did that quietly.

From your own perspective, how do you think this issue can be dealt with in a way that goes beyond just talking about it? For example, do you think that legislation would be required to effect it?
No, it doesn’t. I think it’s the president.

Do you think the president can do it?
He has all the powers of the president. It’s like asking me if I can be governor. I’m governor. The president can.

The president has said that he would take some hard decisions. Why we are worried is that sometimes governments make statements and as soon as they come out with their plans, there’s a lot of pressure and criticisms and then they beat a retreat.
There is serious plan on the part of the federal government to remove fuel subsidy. I’m sure the country knows that the president is very patriotic. He knows the economic benefits the removal (of subsidy) would bring to the country, he knows.

Labour has threatened to take on the governors…
Well, I don’t know why Labour should take us on. We are partners; we should sit down and talk. It’s not Cameroonian Army versus the Nigerian Army. We are all Nigerians, from the same stock. So if there are areas of differences, we should be able to resolve them.

The elections have come and gone and there are some changes in terms of election results. Given what happened thereafter as regards the violence in the North and all that, how do you see the next four years for this country?
That’s why the governors are becoming more vocal. Before, everybody would have kept quiet. If we don’t take the very hard decisions now, those indecisions will kill us. Nigeria has been going down like this for ages. If you don’t want us to go that way and be buried, then it is time to stop. We need to take decisions for this country. This country is too big to be allowed to fail. And we can’t continue to have everything for free.

Has it been discussed at the national economic council level?
Yes, we are part of the debate at the public forum and won’t shy away from it by the fact that people are criticising us and saying we are anti-people. We cannot be anti-people because at the end of the day, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress and of Trade Union Congress do not go to the people for election, but we do. We should be afraid of meeting the people’s opposition. The fact that we are saying that, ‘no, gentlemen, let’s review this subsidy and deal with the issue now’ means that we need an improvement in the economy so that the people in Rivers, Sokoto, Ondo, Abia or Imo can be employed.

Still on the minimum wage, some of the critics of the Governors Forum’s position say that the state governments seem to be crying after the milk has been spilt, and that the governors didn’t challenge the N18,000 minimum wage at the time it was being discussed?
We were not consulted. If you remember, Under Yar’Adua, a committee was set up. I was a member of the committee, Bukola (Saraki, former governor of Kwara state) was a member, then Vice president (Jonathan) was chairman, on the issue of removal of fuel subsidy under Yar’Adua. When the president became Acting President, he chaired a meeting which I attended, on the removal of fuel subsidy. Then N18,000 (minimum wage) wasn’t on the table and our argument was that if this economy needs to be productive, you need to remove fuel subsidy, you need to deal with security, power, industrialization of the economy. We have no business tying down the economy the way we have done. It’s what you call being penny-wise pound -foolish. We’re soliciting your support for this reform. It is not a personal gain. We do not have more than four years to stay in office so, you can’t say we are doing that to be perpetually rich or want to steal money. People generally assume that governors steal money. And it’s unfortunate that some people use corruption as an excuse against every decision the governors take or move we make. I can assure you that all those moves that we make are informed by patriotism.

On the issue of states’ creation, you hear some Nigerian leaders saying that they would create more states especially at a time when it is evident that too much money is being spent on maintaining public bureaucracy.
First of all, don’t forget that I’m the chairman of the Governor’s Forum. State creation is a bit ethnic. Different ethnic groups are asking for it and they have their reasons. My comment is that if there is justice and even development in the country, probably some people won’t be asking for creation of states. It’s because the Nigerian economy is based on the sharing principle. The more states you create, the more people have this need for sharing.

As Chief Security Officer of your state, you’re in the position to know what the security challenges are across the country generally. And the growing concern is that the security agencies seem to have lost control of the situation. What do you think should be done to reduce the security threat?
I don’t think the security agencies have lost control. If they have, you won’t be here. What causes insecurity is poverty. And poverty in the country is endemic whether anybody accepts it or not. It’s unfortunate. But there is progress. The way Nigeria is now is different from the way it was in 2008. There is actually progress. There are lapses and if you ask me the solution, it must be two-pronged. One is social security; you must provide for the people. The economy must be productive. You must invest in agriculture, remove or repeal those laws that inhibit economic growth. I’m looking for how to reduce crime in my state. I’ve found that the only way to reduce crime in my state is industrialization.

It’s a big headache.
Honestly, I’m sure those who planned to be governor don’t know what it is until they come in (general laughter). If I say that I enjoy it, I would be lying to you. Moreover, what is worse in being a governor in Nigeria is that anywhere you go, people regard you as a thief.

But isn’t that perception correct in some cases? Some governors are richer than their states and the EFCC has accused some former governors of stealing public fund.
But why do people perceive governors in that light? It is because they (governors) are not able to tell you the truth. I don’t know why they hide it. Once you’re transparent, then you have nothing to hide and people would begin to have confidence in you. I think it’s what my colleagues need to do and I need to tell them, let the people see the books. When they see the books and know that there is no money, then they won’t be calling us thieves for nothing, because actually, there is nothing to steal.

Could it be that the public sees some bloating in government bureaucracy? For instance, I read of a state governor submitting names of about 32 commissioners. And then, apart from the commissioners, there is a legion of special assistants, special advisers and all that.
We have 29 (commissioners).

So why do you have 29 commissioners?
It’s employment generation! Because by the time you finish your politics, everybody is supporting you. So you have two categories of people to deal with, those who want appointments and those who want contracts. If you don’t satisfy the two of them, you won’t last for four years. People would try to go to the Assembly to impeach you. Others would be looking for food to poison you. If you would need to stay alive and be the governor, okay, take this one as commissioner for following me around, special assistant for handkerchief, for eyeglasses… you create all sorts of avenues so that the governor can have some rest. So what do you do? What you do is that the states and the federal government must come together, review some of these wholesome laws that don’t work and make the economy move forward, invest in the economy.  We must insist as a people that we must invest in agriculture, because that is the first step to mass employment. When you invest in agriculture, then you begin to look at other aspects of industrialization. If you don’t put food security in place, nobody would come here to invest. Human capital, Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) would only come in when the man knows that I can come into Nigeria. You must have an entry and exit plan, if you don’t have, nobody would come. So when you say governors are appointing 32 commissioners, it would open up more spaces. You know the new thing now in Nigeria is to hire both indigenous and non-indigenous commissioners. So if you hire one man from Hausa and one from Yoruba and Ibo, so you would have created three vacancies…. The pressure is there. Doctors come to see governors regularly now… to see whether you are alive (laughs). I don’t know what else the government can do to satisfy the people. The best you can do is to ensure that there are reforms and, it must not be led by the governors; it must be led by the Press. How they see the governor is the image created by the Press. You must also, let me use a wrong English, ‘uncreate’ what you created.

You can’t really blame it on the Press, governor, because the Press is not responsible for some state governors slipping their hands inside their treasuries as if it’s their private property.
Name the governors.

Many have been named, the EFCC named some of them.
He who alleges must declare proof. Has there been any proof?

Even when they produce evidence, nothing happens, because the governors, like president and the Vice President have immunity.
Okay, what about when they leave office?

They settle EFCC! ( general laughter).
I’m not aware. Look at the past, how many former governors are living comfortably now, in terms of wealth?

They are comfortable. I’m not aware of any former governor who would say he cannot eat three square meals in a day or cannot pay his children’s school fees.
No, I can call their names. These are well disciplined elders. When they are in office, it’s ole ole, thief, thief. But when they leave office, it is suffering.

Which former governors are you talking about, is it the recent ones or the ancient ones?
(laughter)
A former governor is a former governor. Wait and see. Even in the recent past, how large were they living? How were they managing?

There are some former governors who own their states.
I have no comment. But you have only named one or two persons out of nearly 36.

On a serious note, sir, I’m not naming names, but these are facts because they have not been contradicted. There’s a former governor that practically owns the state because everywhere you turn, he’s there.
You can say so because maybe everywhere you go, you see his posters and billboards…

No. I’m aware that his company approached my state to be collecting tax on behalf of the state government. But the governor said well, this is a South-South state and if I do it, I would be run out of the state. I can give you road contracts….
I’m not aware. You know you people have more access to more information than we do (general laughter)

Sir, how is Rivers state going to handle the Freedom of Information bill? How open can you be?
I thought we were as open as possible. Once we start our retreat, next thing I want to do is go to the stakeholders meeting, I would say, gentlemen, this is how much we received, spent, and ask them what they think we’re not doing well, especially in the health sector. We would address the doctors, lawyers, then hold education summit, transport summit and others. We hold what is referred to as an open government policy. We hold regularly stakeholders meeting for every three months and render accounts. We felt that villagers were not participating enough because if you go to the hall, there are about 2,000 persons, shown live all over the country. But it was not enough, because there are so many people in my village, other villages without television, even if they do, PHCN may have struck. So we moved that a step further to say okay, we now have a stakeholders meeting which we refer to as town hall meeting; LGA by LGA. Town hall meetings afford you the opportunity of hearing directly from the people. No barrier. Don’t gag them or tell them the questions to ask. The governor is not looking for image laundering. Let them confront the governor. I told them I’m not the emperor, if you want to abuse me, come forward, I will abuse you back. There’s no law that says the governor shouldn’t. The governor (also) has not right to jail anyone who abuses him.

You would remind them of what you were saying sometimes that you used to be a member of one Port Harcourt youth group (laughs)
I’m still a member of the Port Harcourt Boys Company. So that is the way it should be. I think the moment you do that and people know how much you are getting and what you are spending, then they begin to have confidence in you. There’s one stakeholders meeting that I attended, I’ve forgotten where it was. I said to them, look I’m worried. They asked why are you worried? I said I want to find out from you, am I a thief? They all shouted ‘No!’ Then somebody said ‘how do we know’ because I’m not a thief? But the thing is that because you are open, you leave them with the image of ‘I have nothing to hide’.

Your Excellency, I saw the work you’re doing concerning security and what you’ve put in place that led to reduction of militancy in the state. But in recent times there have been cases of insecurity, especially with the kidnappers coming back. Do you feel worried?
I don’t think you’re completely right. Let me give you an instance. What we used to have before in Port Harcourt is that you wake up in a day, you have 15 kidnap cases. The period you’re talking about is last month and this month. Last month, we had 15, not inside Port Harcourt city. Now I have asked for security reports and they told me this month (June) there are 7. From 15 to 7, shows you that we are doing something to bring it back to zero. You see when people write these things; take the last kidnap in Akwa Ibom for instance. Some people wrote the Resident Electoral Commissioner to Rivers State daughter kidnapped. But when you read the story you know it’s Akwa Ibom. “Rivers REC daughter kidnapped”, those who us who don’t read papers, that’s what we are going to see and move on. It’s only when you read the story, you now know that this man went to his state, spent five days, Saturday, went to church on Sunday with his family and they walked into the church. But because he is REC in Rivers State, the heading was “Rivers REC’s daughter kidnapped”. Now I have asked for security reports yesterday and they told me this month, 7. From 15 to 7, shows you that we are doing something. Again, (these cases are) not inside Port Harcourt… I’m chairman of Governors Forum, I’m no longer as fiery as I used to be. But I would say a statement that the kidnappers did not come from Rivers State. And that’s because of the cosmopolitan nature of Rivers state. I don’t want to say all that, just to say that clearly, they had agents in Rivers State. In fact, I can tell you that the agents are from my village and we arrested them. Even in my village is one town away and you’re in the next state.  Having arrested the agents and they release the people and we say don’t pay, because the law says if you pay, six months or three month imprisonment, no option of fine, that’s what our law says. The law says if you kidnap, death, and if you’re the victim and you pay, you go for six month because if you do not pay money, the business would stop. It’s a business, not a protest. So, if you pay and we catch you, you go for six months. If you don’t pay, we would help you release the people. Now, if you check, Port Harcourt kidnap is either non-existent or if it exists. For instance all the measure here is Obu-Igbo, a boundary town, Ikwerre, my area, is a boundary town. These are areas you’re heating (about). The last one the Bayelsa King wrote about is outside Port Harcourt. But if anything happens anywhere, it’s Port Harcourt they report. But again, I tell my security men, it’s not enough. The fact that it’s not happening in Port Harcourt does not mean that the other parts of Rivers State do not belong to us.

You know, Governor, Port Harcourt is the Lagos of the East…
But then, it’s not happening inside the city. What we are trying to do now is the need to expand. Currently, we are focusing on the sports festival. Once we finish with the sports festival, we would expand the security arrangement and improve on it, especially in the rural areas, the boundary, local government areas. That’s why you have to watch movement of people in and out. But I agree that there is a little upsurge, you must expect it. There is virtually nowhere in Nigeria now that kidnapping is not taking place. Again, like I talked about, it has to do with challenges of social security.

I remember my editor-in-chief asked the question about creating so many posts and putting so many people. Are you saying that you have to create jobs for people in order to secure your position and that it is necessary out of pressure, you create these jobs? And some people would say that rather than create this kind of employment, why not channel this money into productive ventures?
If you listened to me, you would have also heard that I addressed the issue of productivity of the economy. I was saying that if Nigeria continue not to make the harsh, I didn’t say hard, the harsh decisions now, for the improvement of the economy and to make the people’s lives better, of the children growing up now, then the children would grow up, especially the poor men’s children, engaging in what you call physical insecurity because of social insecurity. Now, what I’m talking about, I didn’t say it’s exactly the way you understood it. What I meant to say is that when people support you to office, they expect, not just good governance. They expect the opportunities that also exist in government….

As dividends of democracy? (laughter)
…. I just said the opportunities that exist in government including the fact that you have to appoint commissioners. I’m not saying that the offices that you created are not needed. You understand me? But I’m saying that you have to make choices. For instance, it is possible that you could possibly combine the ministry of women and youth affairs and one commissioner holds it. You agree?

Yes.
You look at it. It’s a huge ministry. But because of the pressure, you say okay, this is a huge ministry and the two ministries are needed. Even if one is a department, you still spend the money that needs to be spent on it. What’s the benefit of a commissioner if you convert that into a ministry? The highest is that you buy one more car which the head of department would have also used. Okay, the head of department that you would have transformed would now attend cabinet meetings. So, you’re not just creating jobs for the sake of job creation. That was why I thought you misunderstood me. But the idea is that in a productive economy, we would have been able to rationalize it.

Sir, my question has to do with security. I wonder what the governors do with security votes. One governor has reduced his security votes from N4 billion to two point something. Nigerians suspect most governors hide under the issue of security votes to pinch some money…
You’re seeing me here, am I hiding?

I know sir that you’re a very open governor. What do they do with security votes; can’t they get some money to fund other things?
You know, you’re asking that question because you’re alive. Let me give you an instance. No governor would want security votes if the federal agencies are properly funded. In Rivers State, we are providing between 10-13 APC (Armoured Personal Carriers). Then, when these boys came, the police was afraid to engage them because of their kind of weapons. So we needed to give the police confidence. So we had to buy the APCs. The police had to engage them with the APCs. Do you still want the security votes to come down? I made a comment that you are lucky you’re here today because you don’t know how much the governor of Lagos state has invested to secure your life. Even in terms of intelligence, I don’t have to tell you about security, it’s something you don’t have to know. But there are quite a lot of things that the governors do. Apart from buying the APCs, we came down and said for all policemen who work with us, they get XYZ allowance. For all policemen who work in Rivers State, if you’re killed in the course of duty, we provide you, your family with XYZ amount of money; we train XYZ number of children. We provide bulletproof vests. We’ve paid for 200 now. There are 11,000 policemen. We’re still struggling if we can get up to 2,000 vests. So, if the governors remove their hands from this and one day you’re walking or driving to your job and somebody takes you to the next world, would you like it? Would you like us to reduce the security vote and you go to the next world or you want us to increase it and you continue to stay alive?

You are the chairman of the Governors’ Forum. I don’t know whether the issue of Boko Haram was discussed at the recent Forum’s meeting?
I would repeat what the governors said at the forum: We are not abreast of the details of the situation. Our first position is to condemn the bombings and the killings of innocent citizens. We’ve requested our colleagues in the North, especially those states, Borno, Bauchi, Kano and others to brief us at the next governors’ meeting. It is only when we are abreast of the situation that we can then say this is what we think will be the solution.

Do you still see yourself as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of your state?
It’s a very difficult question to answer. One reason is that you can’t be a commander-in-chief without troops. So we (governors) have no troops; that’s why we are asking for state police to be able to make that decision. You’re Chief Security Officer of the state on paper, but certainly not in action. It’s more in words than in action. The president is the Commander-in-chief of the country. So at least for security purposes, you need state police to be able to protect, equip them (police) properly, especially in the area of intelligence. You can forestall all these kidnappings, armed robberies, if you have intelligence. And they can’t have intelligence by only physical means. You equip them technologically so that they would be able to forestall any of such activities.

SOURCE: http://www.tellng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=385:why-government-is-bloated-%E2%80%93-rotimi-amaechi

@ all

Are any of these stations online? If so, please add the links for the rest of us.

Thanks.

Fela Kuti would call this "Expensive Shit".

@ Nakedall,

Your post about Mufu the bricklayer had me laughing my head off!   True talk and very humorous analogy.  

I dey laugh oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^^^^^^

@Enyojo,

I understand your predicament, you love Nigeria, but find yourself caught in the middle. Maybe, you should create another ID which will give you the opportunity to spill the beans without jeopardising your position.

enyojo:
My broda, pls try and understand my predicarment. It is not easy to open up on salient and critical issues as regards the Power stuff especially when I'm still with them. If not the Elumelu Panel would have published their reports and let the heaven fall!! And also using my real name as ID. (maybe a mistake of mine)
However, the combination of GEJ/Sambo as it stands now is not favourably disposed to stepping on heavy toes and even crush those toes.
My sincere prayer is that GEJ will suddenly change into an aanti-corruption president from may 29. We are hinging this hope on the fact that he might have been playing along with them just to win, and then begin to show them his true colours. afterall, he has nothing to loose since he openly vowed to run for one term.

@Enyojo,

I understand your predicament, you love Nigeria, but find yourself caught itn the middle. Maybe, you shoudld create another ID which will give you the opportunity to spill the beans without jeopardising your position.

@ all, here is another version of Gov Yuguda's clarification of his comments about the murder of corpers in Bauchi State as culled from Osun Defender!

I did not spit on slain corps members’ graves, says Yuguda
By Yusuf Alli


•To visit parents of the dead soon •The law will take its course, governor insists

Bauchi State Governor Mallam Isa Yuguda has said that some suspects have confessed to killing nine corps members in the Northeast state.

The governor, who has been widely criticised for his reported views on the killings, said yesterday that some 600 suspects have been arrested, and promised that they would soon be prosecuted.

Besides, the governor said his comment on the death of the corps members was misunderstood.

The governor was reported to have said that the youths were destined to die.

But Yuguda said he only spoke in the light of the Islamic injunction that says Allah gives and takes.

Yuguda, who spoke in an emotional briefing in Abuja, repeatedly said: “I am not heartless, I am not a demon.”

He insisted that the law will take its course on the suspects.

His words: “Definitely, the law must take its own course; we have already arrested over 600 people, some of them actually did the thing; we are going to prosecute them.

“And the day I did mention it, I said if the law will allow me, after they have been found guilty, if the law will allow, I will take the gun and shoot them myself.”

Fighting back tears, Yuguda offered his condolences to the families of the bereaved, speaking of his plan to visit them after his inauguration on May 29.

Yuguda said: “I am a parent too and my son was almost mobbed while returning to Bauchi and he had to run for cover; he escaped being attacked by the whiskers.”

“Like I said, what is that comment that led to the editor of a newspaper to write that I spat on the graves of corps members. That was the wicked statement I have ever heard in my life.

“I became news, people were writing articles about me as if they don’t know my antecedent. You portrayed me as an animal, as somebody who is heartless, I think that person who has engineered the write-up, probably, he would have been compromised to run me down as an individual.

“After I cast my votes, the newsmen came to my residence and asked how were the elections. I said … they went on and somebody asked me my comments about the corps members that were killed; I said it was their time.

“Did I bring them to life? I didn’t bring them to life; God brought them to life. I said it was their time to die; they were destined to die. Those that were not destined to die, lived.

“And I tried my best as a governor because I was about the only governor who assembled his corps members in one place in the SSS College in Bauchi to protect them. I fed them, I gave them money to buy clothes. You can ask them if you know any one of them.”

Pressed to clarify his controversial statement, Yuguda said: “I made the statement in the light of my faith. Yes, as a Muslim, that is what Islam says for any Muslim that there is time to come to the world and time to go. How can I spit on somebody who is a dead man?

“I wept even when the Director of NYSC came, when I was making my speech. I had to break my speech because I was remembering the day when those souls will meet me in my grave and they will ask me ‘why did you allow people to slaughter me in your own land when you were a leader?’


SOURCE: http://www.osundefender.org/?p=16359

Life goes on.

Ultimately, elections are decided by the majority of votes. The losers live to fight another day!!!

I'm in the UK and won't be able to vote; but if I had the opportunity to do so, I would never vote for GEJ. However, I think he will win the elections and continue to maintain the political status quo of business as usual.