₦airaland Forum

The tussle between the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), Lagos and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) may resume soon with the planned takeover of the terminal by FAAN.

A source close to the Ministry of Transport, Aviation Unit, told SaharaReporters over the weekend that the ministry had given the management of FAAN the approval to take over the terminal on the expiration of the 12 years consensual agreement between BASL and the agency.

It was learnt that the 12 years would elapse on May 7, 2019, which was the exact date the terminal commenced operations with flight service by the rested Chanchangi Airlines from the terminal. Our correspondent gathered that the planned takeover of the terminal is also causing some instability among the staff of BASL, who are already looking elsewhere for alternative jobs in case the threat by the government comes to fruition.

It was, however, learnt that Wale Babalakin, the Chairman of BASL, is also making frantic efforts through some of his contacts in the presidency to frustrate the takeover of the terminal on the due date, claiming that the concession agreement between the two was for 36 years, but FAAN is adamant to take possession of the terminal as spelt out in the agreement by May 7.

Our correspondent learnt that while Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation, proposed a 36-year tenure to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the latter refused to approve it and referred Fani-Kayode to the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) through his comment on the proposal.

It was gathered that the only document that mentioned 36 years was a ‘Letter of Offer’ signed by a director in FAAN, when Fani-Kayode was still a minister in the sector, but was turned down by Obasanjo.

As a result of this, the proposed 36 years, which Babalakin is laying claim to, did not receive the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The source said: “The government has directed FAAN to take possession of the terminal by May 7, 2019, which is when the terminal would clock 12 years as agreed with the concessionaire by the government. The government is not relenting on its efforts to take possession of the terminal this time around and it’s actually battle-ready for this.

“Presently, there is panic among the workers as most of them don’t know their fate. Though, Babalakin too as usual wants to rely on his several ‘jankara’ court injunctions to stop the takeover by the government and he’s already bragging that he is waiting for FAAN to take possession of the terminal.

“The only document that actually mentioned 36 years was a Letter of Offer signed by one director in FAAN during Fani-Kayode era. Don’t forget that Fani-Kayode is a close ally of Babalakin, but the letter did not receive approval from Obasanjo. Just be ready because by May 7, government will take possession of MMA2.”

Efforts to get Ayotunde Osowe, the spokesman of MMA2, for his comments on the matter was unsuccessful as he neither picked his call nor responded to a text message sent to his mobile phone.

FAAN and MMA2 managements have been at loggerheads since the terminal came on stream almost 12 years ago.

While Babalakin insisted that the terminal was for 36 years, FAAN has consistently claimed that it was for 12 years.

Besides, Babalakin, in one of his briefings with the media, agreed that the initial agreement for the terminal was 12 years, but said it was later increased to 24 years and subsequently to 36 years due to the expansion of the terminal.

“We did not bid to construct this terminal. When Sanderton, which won the bid, could not deliver on its promise, we were called upon by the Federal Government. Though, the initial agreement was 12 years, the government said they wanted something better than the burnt terminal. At this point, the government said we should improve it, which we did. Looking at the amount of money expended on the project and the quality of job delivered, the government approved 36 years for us on this terminal. That is what we are holding on to and we will abide by it,” Babalakin said at the time.

However, Babalakin is yet to show to the public any document showing the 36-year approval for the terminal as claimed by him.

https://www.247nigerianewsupdate.co/2019/03/tension-as-hostile-takeover-of-lagos.html?m=1

The tussle between the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), Lagos and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) may resume soon with the planned takeover of the terminal by FAAN.

A source close to the Ministry of Transport, Aviation Unit, told SaharaReporters over the weekend that the ministry had given the management of FAAN the approval to take over the terminal on the expiration of the 12 years consensual agreement between BASL and the agency.

It was learnt that the 12 years would elapse on May 7, 2019, which was the exact date the terminal commenced operations with flight service by the rested Chanchangi Airlines from the terminal. Our correspondent gathered that the planned takeover of the terminal is also causing some instability among the staff of BASL, who are already looking elsewhere for alternative jobs in case the threat by the government comes to fruition.

It was, however, learnt that Wale Babalakin, the Chairman of BASL, is also making frantic efforts through some of his contacts in the presidency to frustrate the takeover of the terminal on the due date, claiming that the concession agreement between the two was for 36 years, but FAAN is adamant to take possession of the terminal as spelt out in the agreement by May 7.

Our correspondent learnt that while Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation, proposed a 36-year tenure to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the latter refused to approve it and referred Fani-Kayode to the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) through his comment on the proposal.

It was gathered that the only document that mentioned 36 years was a ‘Letter of Offer’ signed by a director in FAAN, when Fani-Kayode was still a minister in the sector, but was turned down by Obasanjo.

As a result of this, the proposed 36 years, which Babalakin is laying claim to, did not receive the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The source said: “The government has directed FAAN to take possession of the terminal by May 7, 2019, which is when the terminal would clock 12 years as agreed with the concessionaire by the government. The government is not relenting on its efforts to take possession of the terminal this time around and it’s actually battle-ready for this.

“Presently, there is panic among the workers as most of them don’t know their fate. Though, Babalakin too as usual wants to rely on his several ‘jankara’ court injunctions to stop the takeover by the government and he’s already bragging that he is waiting for FAAN to take possession of the terminal.

“The only document that actually mentioned 36 years was a Letter of Offer signed by one director in FAAN during Fani-Kayode era. Don’t forget that Fani-Kayode is a close ally of Babalakin, but the letter did not receive approval from Obasanjo. Just be ready because by May 7, government will take possession of MMA2.”

Efforts to get Ayotunde Osowe, the spokesman of MMA2, for his comments on the matter was unsuccessful as he neither picked his call nor responded to a text message sent to his mobile phone.

FAAN and MMA2 managements have been at loggerheads since the terminal came on stream almost 12 years ago.

While Babalakin insisted that the terminal was for 36 years, FAAN has consistently claimed that it was for 12 years.

Besides, Babalakin, in one of his briefings with the media, agreed that the initial agreement for the terminal was 12 years, but said it was later increased to 24 years and subsequently to 36 years due to the expansion of the terminal.

“We did not bid to construct this terminal. When Sanderton, which won the bid, could not deliver on its promise, we were called upon by the Federal Government. Though, the initial agreement was 12 years, the government said they wanted something better than the burnt terminal. At this point, the government said we should improve it, which we did. Looking at the amount of money expended on the project and the quality of job delivered, the government approved 36 years for us on this terminal. That is what we are holding on to and we will abide by it,” Babalakin said at the time.

However, Babalakin is yet to show to the public any document showing the 36-year approval for the terminal as claimed by him.

https://www.247nigerianewsupdate.co/2019/03/tension-as-hostile-takeover-of-lagos.html?m=1

Please nairalander, this guy here ran away with an okada in which my brother was the one that stood for him as guarantor from micro finance. His name is Christopher A.K.A Backup.... If seen pls call 08036078213. Thanks...

Veteran comedian and the father of Stand-up comedy in Nigeria, Atunyota Alleluya Akporobomerere, popularly known by his stage name, Ali Baba, has taken to his Instagram page to react to the comments made by Lagos clergyman, Pastor Yomi Kasali, about comedians being invited to churches to perform.

It was gathered that during one of his sermons recently, the clergyman frowned at pastors that invite comedians to perform during service and also at comedians making jokes using pastors and clergymen.

He had said the day a christian laughs at a comedian cracking a joke abusing God or men of God, then such a person is no longer a christian, while also berating other clergymen for organizing comedy shows in their churches.

In a swift reaction, Alibaba on his Instagram wrote:

Show me where in the bible where the bible says anyone who smokes will go to hell? Were there cigarettes and tobacco then? The heart of some smokers is holier than some priests. The only vices some people have is of not following the command of moderation. A little wine is good for your heart." These and many more lessons did I learn from this man Monsignor Martins.

He told me, truly, human factor is always at war with the spiritual standards, But that the greatest standards between man and spirituality are human interpretations of spirituality. Thanks to Uncle Emmanuel Ijewere... who took me to him. One time he sent Uncle @iraborsoni to call me. It was during one of the harvest bazaars I worked at.

He told Soni,... "tell him I am going, he should come and take his knock on the head, I have been carrying it around for too long. After today it will be more than one knock." I went to meet him, and as I approached him, he asked why I was smiling... I said I just sold a cow to Chief Ojukwu (not #ikemba) 400k... and he said, "Ole ni gbogboyin and you are smiling abi? Just bring your head
I lowered my head expecting a play play knock. My knees buckled. As I was rubbing the spot, he said go and sell more, the parish priest promised me 4 crates of eggs. And with that they drove off. When I got back, there was nothing I did not start selling from N20,000. Even a 25 litre of groundnut oil, I started at 25k.

The chairman of the bazaar had to ask kilode. You see, there is nothing wrong with a sense of humour in the Christian environment. The problem is allowing people who do not know the limits of hilarity to desecrate the sacred institutions and it's custodians. Humour is God sent. That's why God is the God of Isaac. The application is the problem. The talent itself is not the problem. Having s-x is not wrong. Having unapproved sexual activity is what is wrong.

So banning comedy from the pulpit is a tall order. Nearly wrong. In fact a wrong way to go. Because, you can not, say no to comedy in church yet say yes to tithes and offering from runs, prostitution, bribery robbery and looting of government coffers... and so on and so forth." here, I'm in a hurry."

I lowered my head expecting a play play knock. My knees buckled. As I was rubbing the spot, he said go and sell more, the parish priest promised me 4 crates of eggs. And with that they drove off. When I got back, there was nothing I did not start selling from N20,000. Even a 25 litre of groundnut oil, I started at 25k.

The chairman of the bazaar had to ask kilode. You see, there is nothing wrong with a sense of humour in the Christian environment. The problem is allowing people who do not know the limits of hilarity to desecrate the sacred institutions and it's custodians. Humour is God sent. That's why God is the God of Isaac. The application is the problem. The talent itself is not the problem. Having s-x is not wrong. Having unapproved sexual activity is what is wrong.

So banning comedy from the pulpit is a tall order. Nearly wrong. In fact a wrong way to go. Because, you can not, say no to comedy in church yet say yes to tithes and offering from runs, prostitution, bribery robbery and looting of government coffers... and so on and so forth."

https://www.247nigerianewsupdate.co/2018/08/alibaba-blasts-pastor-who-condemned.html?m=1

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has fined DAAR Communications (owner of AIT/Raypower) N500,000 for persistent violation of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

NBC’s Head of Public Affair, Maimuna Jimada, via a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, said comments made on Raypower’s programme “Political Platform” was against the broadcasting code.

Mrs Jimada said that the organisation was sanctioned due to “provocative, inflammatory and divisive comments” by anchors of the political platform.

She said the Commission on May 2, 2017, Aug. 15, 2017 and February 2018, held meetings with staff of DAAR Communications to caution them on unprofessional manner of anchors of the programme.

She stated that the Commission had charged the team handling the programme to be fair, and balance their reportage.

According to her, during the Feb. 7 meeting, the Commission stressed the need to comply with the broadcasting code to avoid sanctions.

“The Political Platform episode on July 24, was marked by sensational and heated expression of opinion by its anchors, who went on to make unproven and inciting allegations.

“For avoidance of doubt, the Director-General drew the attention of DAAR Communications to the following provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code: (1) Section 1.9.3:

“A presenter/anchor shall not express his or her personal opinion in a programme.”

“Also Section 5.2.7: ‘A broadcaster shall, in using political material for news, avoid taking inflammatory and divisive matter in its provocative form and Section 5.2.5 stated that political broadcasts shall be in decent language,’’ she said.

Mrs Jimada reiterated that broadcasting stations should ensure that anchors of their programmes were properly informed and trained on the ethics of the profession as well as the provisions of the broadcasting code.

Authorities at Ray Power said they will not comment until Monday. They said they needed to listen to a copy of the July 24 programme before giving a response.

http://www.trendingistng.com/2018/07/fg-clamps-down-on-ray-powers-political.html?m=1

#punchng #EkitiDecides2018 #EkitiDebate2018 #EkitiDecides #EkitiSR2018
#FayoseChallenge #Inec #Photos
Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose receive US Consular-General, John F. Bray in his office ahead of the election on Saturday.Bray is one of the Election Observers'

#punchng #EkitiDecides2018 #EkitiDebate2018 #EkitiDecides #EkitiSR2018
#FayoseChallenge #Inec #Photos
Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose receive US Consular-General, John F. Bray in his office ahead of the election on Saturday.Bray is one of the Election Observers'

A London-based nurse has been convicted of trafficking five Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to "voodoo" rituals.

Josephine Iyamu forced the women to swear oaths to hand over money to her during "juju" ceremonies.

Iyamu, 51, formerly of Bermondsey, was convicted of five counts of arranging or facilitating travel for sexual exploitation at Birmingham Crown Court.

Jurors also found her guilty of perverting the course of justice.

The rituals saw the women forced to eat chicken hearts, drink blood containing worms, and have powder rubbed into cuts, the court heard.

Iyamu is the first person to be convicted under Modern Slavery Act laws passed in 2015, allowing prosecutions of British citizens for overseas sexual trafficking.

She was born in Liberia, but became a British citizen in 2009 having been allowed to stay in the UK due to her nursing qualifications.

Her husband, 60-year-old Efe Ali-Imaghodor, was acquitted of doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice.

Psychological control
Iyamu declared a modest income of around £14,500 in 2016/17 from her work as an NHS agency nurse, the court heard.

But after her arrest last year investigators found she was able to afford to spend thousands on air travel and a large home in Benin City, Nigeria

Prosecutor Simon Davis said by performing rituals Iyamu gained psychological control over the women.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said Iyamu had "enlisted the help of a voodoo priest" to put the women through a "juju" ceremony which was "designed to exert control" over them.

The victims and their families were threatened with serious harm if they broke their oath to Iyamu, according to the NCA.

The court heard Iyamu was "willing to put the women at risk of serious injury and or death as they made their journey from Nigeria to Europe".

They were too afraid to challenge her or fail to pay her back tens of thousands of Euros she charged them to be trafficked into Germany, the court was told.

Opening the case, Mr Davis said: "The debts incurred by the women were enforced through fear.

"Each of the women were put through what is known to some as a voodoo ceremony."

Iyamu will be sentenced on Wednesday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-44645937?#_=_

Could this be as a result of wickedness or ignorance? He said he knows how to swim and could have saved her, but he just didn't see anyone to give his phones to first.

Here’s a viral photo of a Ugandan man who decided to save his phone, instead of saving a drowning woman. According to the Twitter user who shared his photo, the man who was interviewed at the scene of the incident claimed he could swim, but he couldn’t jump in to save the woman because he had his phone in his pocket.
Here’s his tweet;
http://www.lailasblog.com/ugandan-man-decides-save-mobile-phones-instead-drowning-woman/

An 11-Month old Baby (name withheld) is currently battling between life and death after She was raped by a 27-year-old Uncle, identified as Ibrahim, in Ijebu Igbo area of Ogun state.
It was gathered that the mother of the litttle child had dropped her off with the Ibrahim who lives next door in a bid to get some food stuffs in the nearby market.
Witnesses further disclosed that Ibrahim used his fingers to tamper with the child’s sexual organs while she was in a deep slumber before trying to penetrate with his manhood.
“It was at this point that we shouted an that attracted the attention of other neighbors”, and eye witness said
Further details are still sketchy. However, Ibrahim has been arrested and is currently helping the police with investigations.

aitnews.com.ng/2017/02/26/11-month-old-baby-raped-by-27-year-old-uncle/

An 11-Month old Baby (name withheld) is currently battling between life and death after She was raped by a 27-year-old Uncle, identified as Ibrahim, in Ijebu Igbo area of Ogun state.
It was gathered that the mother of the litttle child had dropped her off with the Ibrahim who lives next door in a bid to get some food stuffs in the nearby market.
Witnesses further disclosed that Ibrahim used his fingers to tamper with the child’s sexual organs while she was in a deep slumber before trying to penetrate with his manhood.
“It was at this point that we shouted an that attracted the attention of other neighbors”, and eye witness said
Further details are still sketchy. However, Ibrahim has been arrested and is currently helping the police with investigations.

aitnews.com.ng/2017/02/26/11-month-old-baby-raped-by-27-year-old-uncle/

As part of activities to mark his one year in office, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, addressed a press conference yesterday where he listed the gains of the three ministries under his watch.
Read the text of his address below
Ladies and Gentlemen, Our memories will recall that on 11th November 2015, Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, concluded the process of constituting his cabinet by administering the oath of office on ministers.
I was assigned to consolidate a newly merged ministry of Power Works and Housing, shortly after which I briefed members of the public and the press about our plans, in my maiden press briefing tagged "Setting The Agenda."
While some of the assumptions may have altered somewhat about the timing of the budget, a budget was eventually signed into law on Friday 6th May 2016 (6 months ago) and we have set about implementing the budget of N260.082B with releases of N70B made in June (for Quarter I) and N60B made in October (for Quarter II).
It is now exactly a year since we were sworn into office, and I believe it is an appropriate time to acquaint you with our progress of work.
Because 3 (THREE) ministries are involved, I will dwell on summaries in order to manage time, but from time to time I will highlight some details whenever they are necessary to explain a point and to reinforce our commitment to remain accountable to you, our employers.
WORKS
This ministry as we all know is responsible for civil Works especially the construction of roads, bridges, buildings and other similar civil engineering undertakings.
As I mentioned during my briefing on the agenda setting, we had inherited about 206 road projects already contracted out; with outstanding completion costs in the region of N1.5 Trillion.
Although the works ministry share of the 2016 appropriation was N260 Billion, which was a lot more than the 2015 budget of only N18 Billion that the last administration left, it is a drop in the ocean against the liabilities that were outstanding to contractors.
Our interactions with contractors showed that many of them had not been paid for an average of 2 to 3 years before we resumed, and this explained the stoppage of works, by the contractors, the layoff of workers, and consequently poor condition of many roads.
With limited resources against liabilities, with debts already owed, we had to make difficult choices of deciding which of the 206 roads under contract we should start with, and how many.
Our choices were informed by the realities of our economy and the size of our resources,
We resolved that all roads are economic roads but that some were more urgent and more impactful than others.
So our choices were determined by roads that carried the heaviest cargo, to allow farmers, businessman, industries and travelers move their goods and themselves across the country in order to drive productive activity.
Secondly, we chose roads that support our energy sufficiency and put our resources in roads leading to and from petroleum tank farms so that we can move petrol, diesel and kerosene across Nigeria.
We also chose roads that led to and from our major sea and airports so that maritime business can go on, to drive the economy.
Therefore, we re-mobilized contractors back to work on roads across the 6 (SIX) Geo-Political zones, with the list provided in Annexure I to this brief which I will leave with you.
Some important roads in this category are:
- The Port Harcourt- Aba Road, where mobilization was delayed until Monday 31st October because of rains, and the difficulty of establishing a works yard.
- Sokoto – Tambuwal - Makera-Kontagara Road where work is going on, - (Sokoto-Kebbi-Niger States)
- Ilorin-Jebba Road, - (Kwara State)
- Loko-Oweto Bridge, - ( Nasarawa/Benue States)
- Shagamu- Ibadan , - (Oyo-Ogun State)
- Shagamu – Lagos, - (Lagos-Ogun State)
- Ogbomosho-Oko-Ilogbo-Osogbo , -(Oyo-Osun State)
- Funtua-Katsina , -(Katsina State)
- Wukari-Akwana , - (Taraba State)
- Abriba –Arochukwu – Ohafia , - (Abia State)
- Abuja – Lokoja – Airport , - (FCT/ Kogi State)
- Oji-Achi-Obeagu-Mmaku-Awgu-Ndeaboh-Mpu-Okpanku , -(Enugu State)
- Ajase Ipo – Offa – Erinle – Osun State Boundary , - (Kwara State)
- Ikot Ekpene Border- Aba – Owerri Dualisation , - (Akwa Ibom/Abia and Imo States)
We also paid consultants who are supervising these roads and had been denied payment for 2 to 3 years. This has helped to recover lost jobs, and put some money back in circulation, as part of a government strategy to build out of this recession.
As I said during our first briefing, our short-term objectives are to complete uncompleted road contracts, restore motability back to as many roads as possible, improve journey times and reduce the cost of travel for commuters.
This has clearly started on the roads I have spoken about; and the results will accrue as progress on the works improve over time and the roads are completed.
In the medium to long term, we intend to cover more roads as our resources permit, and increase our maintenance capacity of road assets to ensure that we do not neglect our highways again in the manner we have done over the years to our collective detriment.
The first step to maintenance is to restore the authority of all the states controllers of works, to charge them to take responsibility for all federal roads within their states posting, and to bring up an annual budget that will be submitted to Parliament.
This will help us decentralize authority over road maintenance, vest responsibility on the people who are on ground and closer to the Roads so that they can resurface damaged roads, clear over-grown vegetation, enforce axle-load compliance, install signs and lane marking and gradually restore our highways back to contemporary quality.
2017 AND BEYOND – WORKS
Going forward in 2017, we have developed proposals for the budget to intervene in critical roads in the 6 (SIX) Geo-political zones that lead to and from major food producing states based on information supplied by the Ministry of Agriculture.
We plan to do the same for states that produce minerals from mining activity, and for states where we have strategic fuel depots.
For decades, we have paid almost no attention to bridges built across the country as though they are indestructible.
We are beginning to see erosion, stress, and in some cases failures and near collapse in Kano (Tamburawa), Lagos (Ijora), Kogi (Lokoja) Ogun (Long bridge on Lagos-Ibadan) Kaduna (Jaji) and other places.
Although we have started some work in a few places, we have only about N2 Billion to work in the 2016 budget.
We have nonetheless developed a 3 (THREE) year plan to cover 42 (Forty-Two) bridges that will require about N277 Billion authorization by Parliament over the period.
I must also point out that we received representation from parliamentarians about roads in their constituencies and from the monthly FRSC reports all of which have been factored into our next three-year plan.
How far we go, how much we get and how much we can do, now depends on how much money the country can get, and how much she gets approval to spend.
POWER
Following the privatization in 2013, the ministry is now largely a policymaker, and regulator through NERC [Nigerian electricity regulatory commission] and is now only directly responsible for expansion and maintenance of the transmission line through (TCN) and completion of projects started before the privatization which were uncompleted and about which I will share a few details.
The story in power is not different from that of works in terms of uncompleted projects in transmission.
As I said in my meeting briefly, we inherited over 100 transmission projects for which contractors were not paid for about three years.
This not only resulted in stoppage of work, laying off of workers, but left projects uncompleted.
But it also resulted in contractors abandoning over 800 containers, which contained transformers, switches, panels and other equipment needed as materials to complete transmission projects because they could not pay for them.
To compound the situation there was no provision in the budget of 2015 to pay them as only N5 Billion was budgeted for the Ministry of Power.
All this has changed. The ministry has N24 Billion for 2016 and has started paying contractors and getting the necessary approvals for them to return to work.
Examples of these are in Sokoto, Maiduguri, Okada, Alagbon, Damboa, Nasarawa, Gurara, Osogbo, Kashimbilla, Kumbotso, Ikot Ikpene to mention a few.
This puts a lie to the narrative that the transmission grid is static at 5000 MW and is not expanding because these projects add to the capacity.
Furthermore, with the budget we have started paying the shipping companies and warehouse owners who kept custody of the containers, and the report I received last week indicates that a first batch of about 400 containers will be released to contractors to go out and do their work.
In addition to transmission, we are working to complete uncompleted power generation projects to deliver on the incremental power program of our roadmap of incremental, steady and uninterrupted power.
Some of the projects that should start coming to conclusion in 2017 are the 215 MW Kaduna Power, 40 MW Kashimbilla Power (Hydro), 40 MW Gurara I Power (Hydro), 29 MW Dadin Kowa Power (Hydro), 10 MW Katsina Power (Wind) 1,125 MW (14 Solar projects) and the 240 MW Emergency Power Project for Afam (Gas).
We are working with the generation companies to increase their power generation capacity through repairs and maintenance.
Egbin has restored all its turbines even though it has suffered a gas outage as a result of vandalization.
Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro have increased the number of functional turbines, so they are producing 300 MW extra power during this year's rainy season, more than they did last year.
As at 5 November 2016, reports reaching me from the control center showed a peak generation of 4010 MW, and this is without the 3000 MW lost to gas pipe vandalization.
I am aware that efforts are in progress to repair and restore the damaged gas pipelines, and also to fast-track emergency gas supply.
Government has also recently provided a guarantee to ensure supply of gas to Calabar power plant, which has power and transmission, but no gas to operate efficiently.
On the distribution side, we continue to work with the DisCos to improve their customer service and in particular meters supply.
As you heard on a recent TV program hosted by Channels TV called 'The Crux' some of the local meter manufacturing companies attest now to improvement in orders to supply of meters.
As you will have also seen, I have been involved in meter distribution flag offs in Kano, Benin and Sokoto.
All told, while there is still work to do, and there is the big problem of liquidity to overcome, the promise ahead looks good, the plans are clear and our resolve to implement is unwavering.
2017 AND BEYOND - POWER
Going forward we intend to roll out our Rural Electrification Implementation program which Mr. President has now approved as required by the law.
Our objective is to improve access to power for rural communities.
You will have heard of our education intervention project, which is indeed a rural electrification implementation project.
We are using universities as one of the anchors because they are in rural areas and they represent a quick way to penetrate the rural areas and also expand to villages and towns in rural areas, close to the Universities.
We are starting with 37 federal universities, seven teaching hospitals, to which we plan to deploy 37 independent power plants of nine gas plants, and 28 solar plants to guarantee a cumulative 120 MW, to replace 1,105 generators that are producing a wasteful 210 MW.
We have done the audits and planning of all the schools and if we get financing authorization we can implement, to provide access to power to our people in the rural areas.
The second anchor of our Rural intervention is the use of small Hydro dams; that are in the rural areas to support agriculture and Agro processing by providing power.
The approval for the first 6 (SIX) is pending for consideration by the Federal Executive Council.
All of these sources of power, with embedded power from Paras Energy 40 MW gas in Lagos, the expected completion of Azura power in Edo, expected gas supply to Ihorbor Gas power plant, Gegeru power, Olorunsogo, Omotosho, Gbarain and others make me hopeful that we can get incremental power.
How well we do with making the incremental power steady and ultimately uninterrupted will depend on how we as a people resolve issues like vandalization, electricity theft, electricity conservation, invocation of court powers in utility regulation and of course strikes.
HOUSING
We have not yet started constructing houses. But tenders have been considered and over 500 contracts are now ready to be issued for work to start in earnest.
However, we have received land from 27 (TWENTY-SEVEN) states as at 24th October and more are still responding.
We have completed simple designs of one, two and three-bedroom bungalows for the northern states to respond to the cultural, climatic and land use peculiarities.
We have completed simple designs of one, two and three bedroom blocks of Flats for Southern states also in response to similar peculiarities.
We have identified inputs like doors, windows, tiles, paint, roofing materials that can be made locally and we have resolved to use only made in Nigeria inputs unless there is no local production capacity.
We have done some inventory of quantities of materials needed in order to provide investment information for local manufacturers to position to respond and supply in order to create employment and get factories back to work.

These include:
A) Materials
i) 22,288 - Doors
ii) 27,849 - Windows
iii) 3,502 - Water cisterns
iv) 3,502 Wash hand basins
v) 2,830 - Kitchen Sinks
vi) 261,299 - Sq. Meters of floor tiles
vii) 178, 680 - Sq. meters of wall tiles
viii) 561,119 litres of paint
ix) 342,960 Sq. Meters of roofing material
B) Skilled Labour
413,000 Man days
C) Unskilled Labour
440,000 - Man Days

While our planning and research continues, the above is at least indicative of the kind of attention and dedication we are demanding of our staff and the response we are getting.

2017 AND BEYOND - HOUSING
Going forward in 2017, we plan to build more houses first to stimulate jobs.
Thereafter, we plan to assess the affordability and the acceptability of our designs.
Thereafter, we plan to industrialize the production of the most affordable and acceptable designs.
We will then increase supply using private sector as developers while government will then concentrate on strengthening institutions like the Federal Mortgage Bank to deliver on its core mandate of providing mortgages to working class people to own their homes.
It is my belief that if we can achieve this, the size of our housing deficit will not appear that daunting again, because it will be a system that can respond every year, instead of once in a while, to repeat housing construction, delivery and acquisition.
How much we can then deliver will be defined by the size of our resources and our ambition, and not by the absence of a workable plan.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am done. I thank you for listening.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing​


www.lasgidionline.com.ng/2016/11/fashola-lists-achievements-of-his.html?m=1

una don hear abi

[quote author=NaijaMutant post=51015571]Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, in a warning to Nigerian politicians, has raised an alarm that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are likely to lose key personalities this year.
In a no-holds-barred chat with our correspondent, the revered Nigerian prophet noted that the PDP is under a spiritual attack and unless they go for cleansing, they are not likely to be free.
He added that the party will break into two and while the new version of the party will go, “the old will remain. The Makarfi/Sheriff synergy will not work.”
The Spiritual leader of the INRI Evangelistic Spiritual Church thereafter made a very damming prediction of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu floating another party.
“Some APC governors will dump Buhari and Tinubu while some PDP governors will be at crossroads and find it difficult to make certain decisions when it matters most.
“There shall also be unexpected removals from President Buhari’s cabinet members while the SGF will run into crisis with the Chief of Staff. I see a change of affairs in Customs as well,” Primate Ayodele explained further.

Ondo election
The man of God spoke also on the fast-approaching election in Ondo state, stating categorically that the date for the election will be postponed.


another prophesy

The wife of Lagos State University (LASU) lecturer, Mrs Kafayat Oyekunle, has revealed that she is now pregnant for her bricklayer lover, Fatai Alimi.
Alimi was arraigned in court on Thursday for allegedly snatching her from her husband, Suraju Oyekunle in Lagos, Nigeria.
The 36-year-old woman made the revelation when she went to the court to bail Alimi from custody.
She also said her decision to dump her husband and move into Alimi’s home was due to her inability to bear another child after 13 years she had lived with Oyekunle.
She revealed that after their only son was born 12 years ago, they had tried all they could to bear another child to no avail until a few months ago when she met Alimi and she immediately became pregnant for him.
Kafayat denied she was abducted and said it was a decision she took voluntarily because Oyekunle was not taking care of her.
She said since she met Alimi, things had changed in her life and she now had rest of mind.
She also revealed that her family was aware of the development and are in support of her decision.
She added that she will do everything possible to bail Alimi.
When asked to compare Alimi with Oyekunle, she said Alimi was better in everything despite his poor status in the society.
The 34-year-old Alimi was arrested and charged before a Lagos court for allegedly snatching Kafayat.
The incident happened in Igando area of Lagos, Nigeria, where Oyekunle resided with Kafayat and their only son.
Kafayat was allegedly so much in love with Alimi that she packed all her property and moved into the bricklayer’s small apartment in undisclosed place in the same Igando with their only male child.
Kafayat had married Oyegunle for 13 years and the marriage produced their only son before she met Alimi and moved out of her matrimonial home on 15 October, 2016.
P.M. EXPRESS gathered that Kafayat told her neighbours that she decided to consolidate on the new relationship by moving into Alimi’s apartment when her husband travelled.
When her husband returned from his trip and did not find his wife and son, he started making inquiries and neighbours informed him that his wife had moved into Alimi’s house as his new wife.
Oyekunle went straight and reported the matter at Igando police division who trailed Alimi and eventually arrested him at a construction site in Igando where he had gone to work.
Ogun State-born Alimi was brought to court on Thursday and charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace by taking Kafayat and the only son produced through her marriage to Suraju, knowing full well that she was legally married.
He pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mr A. A. Fashola granted him bail in the sum of N25,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail condition.
The matter was adjourned till 12 December, 2016.

pmexpressng.com/im-pregnant-for-my-bricklayer-lover-varsity-lecturers-wife/

Chad has withdrawn from the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifiers due to the economic situation in the country. They will not honour the return leg against Tanzania on March 28, according to Chad Football Association Secretary General, Mahamoud. This means that if Nigeria’s Super Eagles lose to Egypt in the return leg tomorrow they won’t partake in the next African Cup of Nations tournament slated for Gabon next year.

According to CAF regulations, if a team withdraws from a qualifying group or tournament, all matches played against that team will be counted as null and void as stipulated in Article 61 of CAF rules.
This means the teams in Group G have been reduced to three, Egypt, Nigeria and Tanzania, the Pharaohs are first with four points, followed by Nigeria, who have drawn two games and garnered two points, and last-placed Tanzania.

Based on the regulations of CAF, the 13 group winners and the two best overall runners-up will qualify for the tournament, but a group with three teams is not considered when determining the best runners-up.

Nigeria play Egypt tomorrow after playing a 1-1 draw with the Pharaohs at home.

http://www.hotupdateng.com/news/chad-withdraws-from-afcon-meaning-super-eagles-will-not-qualify-for-afcon-if-they-lose-tomorrow/

Go Girl!!!

Of course you will say yes! You can change the ring later…:

I am disappointed Awujale of Ijebu story did not
include his root from Whadah with no connection with
the DNA of Oduduwa.Among Oduduwa children Awujale
has no seat, he is just a tolerated king in Yorubaland
without the true blood of Oduduwa. Alake came to Abeokuta as a KING and as a descendant of the direct sixteen children of Oduduwa who finally settled in Abeokuta. If Alaafin was chased out of Old Oyo Empire after the Fulani attacked Oyo Ile will that destroy his role as first among equals when he finally found another
location in the present Oyo town?
NO!
Like Awujale told Gov. Bisi Onabanjo in 1981, the Ijebu
were never Yoruba or had the DNA of Oduduwa they
came from Whadah and must not be given a seat
among Oduduwa Children.
For Awujale to down grade Alake to junior king is to
show that he got too comfortable with history and
forgot how he manipulated his ways into the hearts of
Oduduwa children, trust me, he has just reopened the
primitive war files between the Egba and Ijebu. And it
is not going to look good.
Awujala should stay away from the history of the Egba
because the history is about the children of Oduduwa
not where they relocated to after wars, he can’t use
internal politics in Abeokuta to score a political point.
Awujale was economical with the true position of Alake
as a direct descendant of Oduduwa and the politics of
the Egba.
Alake supported his position with a 1937 photograph
with Ooni, Oba of Benin, Awujale, Alake , at the grade
of the Kings in Yorubaland. Awujale did his own with
the hatred between the Egba and Ijebu before
colonization. I am disappointed in him.
O ma se o.o

The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resuscitate War Against Indiscipline, WAI, to restore orderliness, sanity and discipline in the country. This call followed the joint motion moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Lanre Ogunyemi, and seconded by the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Yinka Ogundimu.The lawmakers decried the break down of law and order, good behaviour and sanity in the society. Ogunyemi said that the programme would help build the culture of cleanliness, humility, dutifulness, honesty among others in the country. According to him, “There is no more sanity in the society, people don’t see anything bad in evil and indiscipline again. Abnormal things have become normal in our society,” he said. Highlighting some of the indisciplined acts, he said, defecation in open space, street fighting, disobedience to traffic lights, littering roads, blocking of drainages with waste, failure to use pedestrians bridges, beating of security operatives among others. Ogunyemi called on the Federal Government to support the security agencies to ensure that Nigerians behave responsibly in the society. Also speaking, Ogundimu said, “Indiscipline has taken over the society, what were considered abnormal before are now regarded as normal. We are now undisciplined.” Another lawmaker, the Chairman, House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Abiodun Tobun, said, “ there is no more fear in the heart of our people and this makes everyone to be indiscipline.” Tobun called on all the security operatives to lead the discipline campaign and be alive to their responsibilities. In his submission, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa described the loss of orderliness as ‘shameful’ and called on Buhari to resuscitate the programme.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/lagos-assembly-calls-on-buhari-to-resuscitate-wai/

A Zion Christian Church prophet who was filled with the
Holy Spirit and thought the Lord wanted to use him to show His power over animals, recently challenged a pride of lions to a duel in the Kruger National Park. Pretoria based man of God, Prophet Alec Ndiwane was with members of of his church in the Kruger National Park where they had gone sightseeing when he suddenly went into a trance and started to speak in tongues. Ahead of them were the lions busy eating their impala. Prophet Ndiwane must have thought he was the biblical Samsom or Daniel as he opened the car door and charged towards the lions. On seeing the man
running towards them, the abandoned their food and ran towards the prophet. Ndiwane immediately came to his senses when he saw the predators. He turned and
ran for his life. But before he could safely reach the confines of the car, one lion had snapped its paws on him causing serious damage to his buttocks. He was saved by the game ranger who fired shots into the air
with his gun to scare the lions away. The injuries the prophet sustained was so severe that he had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
“I don’t know what came over me,” Prophet Ndiwane confessed,”I thought the Lord wanted to use me to show His power over animals. Is it not we were
given dominion over all creatures of the earth?” he asked.

Source: Daily Post SA
http://naijapot.com/2016/03/prophet-challenges-lions-to-a-fight-at-kruger-national-park-to-prove-gods-power-and-almost-died-photos/

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 governorship in Rivers, as director-general of Nigerian Maritime administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

NIMASA is under the supervision of the ministry of transport, which is headed by Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state who spearheaded Peterside’s electioneering campaign.

Yetunde Sonaike, director of public relations in the ministry of transportation, confirmed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.

She said the appointment was with immediate effect.

The statement said Peterside holds a doctorate degree in Management Science from the University of Port Harcourt and MBA in Business Administration.

He also holds a Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences (B.MLS) in Hematology from Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

Peterside was a member of the house of representative between 2011 and 2015.
https://www.thecable.ng/breaking-buhari-appoints-peterside-rivers-apc-candidate-as-dg-of-nimasa

Good for her...


Both that one no mean say cct won't continue your husband trial oooo....

For those who live in Lagos state who don't pay taxes..y'all have to read this. It's about to get serious.
"The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it would apply the relevant laws to ensure that more Lagosians voluntarily pay their taxes, just as it warned that tax evaders and defaulters would be prosecuted.
State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, who stated this during a press conference held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa Secretariat, said in view of the extreme financial downturn, there was the strong need for government to ramp up its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), stressing that the state would spare nothing in enforcing the laws regulating tax payment.

He said the administration of Governor Ambode had put in place necessary measures to end the era of tax evasion and indeed avoidance in the state, adding that tax avoiders and evaders would be aggressively pursued in line with the provisions of the law.

The Commissioner, who disclosed that the Ministry of Justice had established a Rapid Tax Prosecution Unit to aid the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) in its drive to collect taxes, added that the unit would work closely with the Revenue Court which the Chief Judge of Lagos State recently agreed to set up.

He said: “Prosecution and jail term for defaulting tax payers will be a tool that we will be actively using to ensure full compliance. Tax officers, I understand, will be very aggressive in their collection of taxes and the public is hereby advised to cooperate with them because obstruction of these tax officers in their lawful duty can and will lead to prosecution.

“Tax dodgers watch out because the long arm of the law will eventually reach you. All tax payers are also reminded that giving false information is also an offence and can be used in the prosecution of your tax default. If you pay your taxes regularly, you will have no problem,” Kazeem said.

On his part, the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Mustapha Akinkunmi, said the state generated at least N24.5billion from IGR in the month of January 2016, in line with the efforts of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to reform its tax system and develop a tax paying culture.

Akinkunmi said in the light of the reduction of federal transfers to states including Lagos, the state government was looking inwards to secure sustainable ways of increasing its revenue profile and plugging leakages in the system.

He said majority of the state’s IGR is generated through tax collection, administered by the LIRS.

According to Akinkunmi, the LIRS contributed 79 per cent to the State’s IGR in 2015, which equates to 56 per cent of the State’s total revenue including Federal transfers, adding that the revenue is expected to continue on an upward swing, driven by strong tax collection.

He said, “This trend of strong performance is continuing. In January this year, LIRS has contributed N24.5billion in revenue, attaining 98 per cent budget performance for the month and recording 12 per cent growth from the same period in 2014.”

The Finance Commissioner attributed the improvement in the revenue generation of the state to voluntary tax compliance by tax paying members of the public despite the harsh economic terrain.

On his part, the LIRS Chairman, Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, said the agency had consistently been at the vanguard of ensuring reforms in the state to improve the ease of doing business in Lagos, adding that such reforms would aid voluntary tax compliance.

Ogunsanwo said that government was already working to bring more members of the informal sector into the tax net, saying that the Tax Returns Form had been reduced to two pages as against the six pages document hitherto in operation.

He also said that the agency, in an effort to bring efficient service delivery closer to the people, recently commissioned two new tax offices in Tejuosho and Sangotedo, adding that efforts was also being made to open additional two Tax Stations within Amuwo Odofin/Festac and Alimosho axis.

He thanked willful taxpayers and implored Lagosians to continue to pay their taxes as at when due, saying that in doing this, they empowered the state government to embark on infrastructural renewal and provision of dividends of democracy to the citizenry.

He said so far, the provision of the N4.8billion security equipment, provision of new ambulances, the N25billion Employment Trust Fund, the Light Up Lagos project, massive road construction, among others, had been provided through revenue generated from tax.
SIGNED
HABIB ARUNA
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
MARCH 8, 2016

http://nowtrending.com.ng/index.php/2016/03/08/lagos-sets-up-revenue-court-to-tackle-tax-evaders-defaulters-housemaids-artisans-to-start-paying-taxes/

The former Nollywood actress turned Nurse, penned down an open letter to President Buhari on her facebook page.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153215451087202&id=630377201

This accident took place on my way to sango before the toll gate! Pls don't drive behind a trailer or in front of a trailer cos they are wicked and heartless!!! God will continue to protect us... Amen

Heartless human being!!!

The letter above was purportedly sent by armed robbers to people staying at a street in Karu in Abuja. It was actually posted at the street corner. Read the full letter after the cut

The news crew of Vision Africa Radio station in Umuohia physically visited, saw, interviewed and witnessed the confession of a man alleged to be a fake pastor. Read the story they shared on their Facebook page below...
One suspected fake prophet, Steven Maduabuchi from Afaraukwu Umuahia yesterday evening ran into trouble when some youths from Umuika Okwu Olokoro caught him while trying to bury an object alleged to be charm within the village square. The suspect who claim to be thirty years old said that he sells necklaces at Lagos and explained when asked, that his motive was to organize an outreach in the Olokoro village next week.

The said Steven Maduabuchi disclosed to Vision Africa Radio correspondent, Felix Obani that the secret behind the act was to proclaim fake prophesy in order to attract firm to his ministry. When questioned further, the suspected fake evangelist revealed that he was sent by his leader that resides in Aba called Chibuike John who was busy calling him on phone to ascertain if he has succeeded in burying the charms.

The items recovered from him include one small empty coffin made with plywood, tied red mud pot, old snail shell tied with white wrapper, black rope including sea shell (eze-ego). However Steven Maduabuchi said that he learnt the fake prophesy work from his leader in Aba and the one in Lagos and confessed that the charms are harmless. Investigations revealed that he had successfully buried two charms before he was caught.

Meanwhile the leaders of Umuika Okwu Olokoro including Senator Chris Adighije, Chief Alozie Ukaegbu among others pardoned the fake prophet and forced him to destroy the charm before them with serious warning for him to desist from such unholy attitude. They commended the youths for not taking laws into their hands and advised the young man to embrace God and also look for a genuine job rather that deceiving people and misrepresenting God