₦airaland Forum

It is very difficult for anyone to fault Gej on the composition of his cabinet. We have as ministers and special advisers men and women of integrity who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of human endeavor.

The Finance minister who also doubles as the Co ordinating Minister leads the pack. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala has in less than one year integrated payment systems online so that govt expenditure could be easily monitored from her desk. The so called delays for the payment of salaries and allowances of corpers was as a result of this new initiative. The woman has initiated bio metric verification exercises across several ministries, departments and Agences in order to eliminate ghost workers and cut govt expenditure. Already, her efforts in this regard are yielding positive results as the police pensions scandal was exposed and the culprits charged to court. She has also saved about 2 billion that would hve been spent on ghost workers in the Minidtry of police Affairs.More agencies are in the pipeline. She headed the task force that sanitized the ports and created the enabling environment for 24 hrs operation at the ports.

Do we need to talk about Adeshina, the Agricutural minister who has demolished the cartel in the distribution of fertilizer? The minister has been able to deregulate fertizer distribution and has made the commodity accessible at open market. He's driving force is that fertilizer should be accessible at the market just like coca cola. He is spearheading the cassava bread revolution which is another landmark policy geared towards growing the local production of cassava. The minister has also imposed higher import tariffs on the importation of wheat so that it will be attractive to buy these cassava bread .

In power, Barth Nnaji has revived the abandoned NIPP initiative and has completed the Mambilla and Zungeru power stations with massive repairs on Kainji dam and Utorugu plant. Presently, transmission infrastructure is being repaired . While plans are ongoing at the long run for the privatization of PHCN. the private sector is also being called to invest in our distribution network. It is expected that new upward review of tariffs will create the environment for more private sector lparticipation. In Aviation, all the four major airports are undergoing total rehabilitation. It's just unfortunate that we suffered a very very major disaster recently. But that will not obliterate the hardwork of the aviation minister but will only strengthen their regulatory roles over the sector. In works, several road projects are either ongoing or have been completed by this administration in less than a year, these include Kolo-nembe- brass, apapa- oshodi, Auchi-Okene, Onithsha-owerri, Lagos -Benin expressway, Zaria- Funtua-Gusau, Keffiyeh-Akwanga-Lafia, Kano - Maidugri, Hadejia- Zungeru.etc,

The president has established additional 9 new universities in less than a year, he has also set up new law campuses of the Nigerian law school at both Yenagoa and yola. He has launched the Almajiri school project which is geared towards catering for itinerant Islamist pupils in the north. A new curriculum has been evolved taking into cognizance Ict technology. There's increased funding of the Education sector in the 2012 budget by over 12 percent. in the transport sector, construction of light rail lines are ongoing commencing from 4 cardinal points in the country. the energy sector is witnessing a whole new revolution with the formulation of the petroleum industry bill and the local content Act. In labour and productivity, this govt has increased the minimum wage of workers to 18, 000 naira monthly. Youth Corpers now take home as much as 30, 000 monthly.

In information, this govt appointed a foremost activist and students union leader to inform Nigetians on the activities of govt. For the first time in this country, we saw a ministerial platform briefing session where all the ministers were called upon to give an account of their stewardship in governance before the public. This govt has signed into law the FOI Act which successive govts in Nigeria avoided. GEJ is working.and surely needs our support to complete it. This is just one year.

ubandire: I read tthru the interview and and my worries increased. All these people making noise in this forum for Jonathan may be in for a shock. From what I read, we still have a long way to go. The matter no be here. The minister says he's deploying a 2 pronged approach. One, it's a quick fix of existing infrastructure. Two, it's the privatization of PHCN and the distribution network for efficiency and sustainability. According to the minister, the distribution infrastructure is in a deplorable state such that even after they have succeeded in repairing some power plants to generate according to installed capacity, they still have problems distributing this power to the end users. This is why most Nigerians complain that even after they hear that govt has been able to generate up to 4000 megawatts yet the impact is hardly felt. It's a major challenge. This govt must step up efforts to improve on existing infrastructure so that the little megawatts that Mambilla and Zungeru are adding to the national grid will be transmitted. I must admit that Gej's govt is actually working very hard to reform the power sector. It's not easy to complete both Zungeru and Mambilla power plants in less than a year. In his democracy day broadcast, Gej said his govt is working on transmission lines covering over 6000 km, that will be a welcome development. The involvement of General Electric in the sector is a landmark foreign direct investment in a sector that requires huge capital. I am also impressed with the steps taken to privatize PHCN , that is where the ultimate solution to our problems lie. Initially, I had reservations over the upward review of electricity tariffs. I questioned why this govt is always eager to remove existing subsies. But having watched Sam Amadi's interview on this subject matter, I was convinced that we needed to pay the right tariffs so that production can be sustained by the prospective private investors. It will pay us better. But I'm yet to understand how they re going to go about classifying consumers. I think these are the issues where clarity is needed. The govt is trying very excellently, no doubt. But adequate efforts should be made by the Ministry of power to diseminate information to the public on the ongoing reforms. People need to know why they have to pay more for electricityMambilapower

@ubamdire, you spoke well and sounded contradictory as well . You referred to those of us who chronicled Gej's achievements in the power sector point blank as " those making noise" but I will not begrudge you for that because you ended up re echoing almost the same facts I put forward as to why Gej has done brilliantly well in les than one year. Maybe it's a matter of diction or a lack of boldness to acknowledge that Gej deserves a passmark so far.

Our problem in this country is that we have a default mindset that Gej is weak and so even when he scores a major point, we seem to overlook it or in the internative underrate it. There's obviously little nexus between ur earlier predictions that we re in for a shock and ur later admissions tthat the reforms are really Ongoing. Your post was educative with regards to the construction of additional transmission lines. You see, this govt is really working.

However, I agree with you that the govt must take extra measures to educate the masses on its workings and performance. Such is the stuff participatory democracy is made of.

swintiney: @captainajama, u should hav said what i said that isn't true either, how many times did obj boast of achieving 4MW? So shocked that wen GEJ/JEG came he still claimed of reaching 4MW, or ar we in 2nd 4MW? Or have we not noticed dat GEJ uses constant power supply 2 decieve us while lunching killing measures? I'v gone a step ahead of the facts u askd 4 to give u the truth. GEJ is showing signs of failure, if he does, then u & i would agree we ended up losing about 20yrs of our development to virtually OBJ & GEJ.

Mind u, GEJ has startd making up excuses 4 anticipated failure by saying dat the country was already this bad b4 he became presido, did he not know this before becoming presido?

swintiney: @captainajama, u should hav said what i said that isn't true either, how many times did obj boast of achieving 4MW? So shocked that wen GEJ/JEG came he still claimed of reaching 4MW, or ar we in 2nd 4MW? Or have we not noticed dat GEJ uses constant power supply 2 decieve us while lunching killing measures? I'v gone a step ahead of the facts u askd 4 to give u the truth. GEJ is showing signs of failure, if he does, then u & i would agree we ended up losing about 20yrs of our development to virtually OBJ & GEJ.

Mind u, GEJ has startd making up excuses 4 anticipated failure by saying dat the country was already this bad b4 he became presido, did he not know this before becoming presido?

i commend you for reading the link but it is obvious that you did not read thru or you read it with malice. For your sake, I will attempt to summarize what I read from the llnk and hope that this time reason will prevail. We appreciate that the present govt has some shortcomings and challenges especially in the area of security. But it will be most unfair for anybody to say that nothing is happening.

The truth is that this govt is working and has recorded much successes in key areas but it remains a matter of time for this successes to be felt by the common man. Like I said , governance is not an oral activity. you cannot fix Nigeria's power problem overnight. It's a long term project. But with the steps taken so far, you will know that Nigeria is on the right track. First, the govt keyed into the power sector reform Act enacted by Obj. Gej launched the power sector roadmap which is largely anchored on NIPP and the privatization of PHCN.

For generation, the govt is focusing on increasing their generation capacity by the revival of NIPP, which was initiated by Obj and abandoned by Yaradua. This govt has worked on Utorogu gas plant, completed the Mambilla and Zungeru. As at last December, govt had hit 4000 megawatts but due to the challenge of gas supply the dividends was short lived. To this end, govt has signed bulk purchase trader agreements with many companies like Siemens, General electric co etc. They are to participate in the distribution of power.

Recently, Gej convened an emergency session on power and gas where he educated the 36 governors on how he intends to increase tariffs in order to make it cost reflective and attractive for private companies to invest. It's unfortunate that many seek to create the mischievous impression that Jonathan deliberately wants to suffer the masses. Sadly, it is the same people who go to Uk and pay as much as 600pounds as electricity bills that come round to deceive the people. I was happy when I read in THISDAY of Saturday 16th that El Rufai himself admitted that a 300-400 percent increase is needed to salvage the power sector.

Please brave man Brave don num 3333333 whatever your num's I need my answer so I can address some of the issues you raised,in order to set the records straight and avoid misleading this lovely forum,the comedian's done.

hercules07: Working ko Working ni, you guys should stop fooling yourselves, the power sector is as comatose as ever.

I am very sure you didn't read that link. And I'm also sure you re one of those who have sworn oath to hate GEJ irrespective of whatever he does. Its unfortunate. At least I had expected you to supply us some facts in support of your hatred. Or in the alternative refute some of the claims made by the minister. But u did none of that. You re just content on hating even when it means doing it ignorantly. I want to see that your beloved presidential material that will not take these steps to initiate these reforms but will just come and perform abracadabra in 1 year and the power crisis of over 52 years will end overnight.

This is good. Finding out that our young people ae beginning to follow issues that concern us, thereby sharpening their political awareness. Jonathan is actually working.

I am so happy that Farouk has finally come to face the law. All this while, it has been an issue of media trial. And I wondered aloud whether the immunity clause now extends to lawmakers. I found it very difficult to reconcile why neither the SSS nor the Police nor the EFCC deemed it fit to apprehend the suspect in the face of glaring evidence of corruption. But im happy now and await patiently for his formal charge to court. This is the mother of all bribery scandals. Even the Etteh saga is a child's play compared to this. At least in Etteh's case, the issue was that the house leadership earmarked 529 or 640m fr d renovation of their official quarters. The moni had not been used and at least some would have still gone into the actual renovation of the house. The grouse was that the contract was overinflated yet Farouk ran riot and formed the integrity group until Etteh was impeached. Now Mr integrity has been caught in a more direct case of bribery. The gist is that he was caught in direct taking of bribes in what is going to be a classical precedent of corrtuption. In the history of corruption in this country, no body has been caught pants down as in this case. I laugh when People accuse GEJ of sponsoring Farouk's ordeal. What can be more foolish? Is it GEJ that asked Farouk to sneak into Otedola's house at night to collect money . Or is it GEJ that asked him to substitute those companies in the list like Willie Willie? Did Gej also order him at gun point to admit taking the bribe money after initially denying ever collecting such money? People should leave d president alone. I heard the NLC president blamed the president. I have not confirmed it officially. So for me, it's all rumors. He can't say such a thing. He's the one who has been at the vanguard of the fight against corruption in the management of the oil subsidy regime. So he can't reprobate to condemn the capture and exposure of what has come to be the biggest casualty in this subsidy scams. Let's celebrate and work towards catching more.

Mandelaguy: If Gej decides to contest in 2015, I will give him my vote. No sentiments. The president has done in one year what some of his predecessors could not achieve in their whole tenure. If not for any other thing, construction work has begun on the Lagos-Ore-Benin road. Onitsha-owerri has been completed. Afikpo- Okigwe has been awarded.A friend of mine told me that He passed thru Zaria-Gusau-Funtua and then keffi-Akwanga-lafia that construction work is ongoiing by stalini & co. At the same time, all the major airports in Nigeria are being renovated. Even Enugu airport was completely shut down and is under serious rehabilitation. In less than 1yr, Gej set up 9 universities across the country. He equally established 2 additional campuses of Nigerian law school. He has built and commissioned the Almajiri school system. He has also increased funding of Nigerian universities and upgraded the retirement age of university lecturers to 70yrs. In transportation, GEJ has succeeded in reforming the ports. Lagos ports are now billed to operate 24 hours. The number of law enforcement agencies @ d ports have also been reduced from about 15 to 6. It's now easier and faster to clear goods at the wharf. The light rail projects are under construction. The Abuja light rail construction appears to be nearing completion and a drive through central area to Garki will clear any doubts. The Govt has initiated its cassava bread campaign which is intended to encourage local production and consumption of cassava bread so as to discourage importation of wheat as it kills our economy. The govt has also eliminated the cartel that feeds fat on distributing fertilizer for farmers. Fertilizers can now easily be accessed by farmers in the open market. Within a year, Gej has completed the construction of the Mambilla and Zungeru power stations and it's expected to add about 2000 megawatts to the national grid. He is vigorously pursuing his power sector reforms agenda which includes the privatization of PHCN and the new cost reflective electricity tariffs. Gej increased minimum wage to N 18, 000 . NYSC members now even earn higher

somehow I have a feeling that this is d most underrated govt in history. Perhaps due to the peculiar security challenges being faced by Gej and his seeming quiet disposition to life generally, people now take that for weakness. But the truth is that the guy is really working.

I appreciate his revival of the NIPP and his power sector reform roadmap. I saw on channels Tv the completed Mambilla power stations and was impressed. I also learnt as part of the privatization process of PHCN that some big companies lincluding General Electric co and Siemens have all signed bulk purchase trader agreements . It's a good step. I appreciate any endeavor that will lead to the extinction of PHCN and allow the private sector to drive our power sector. I watched live the emergency power session convened by the presidency and with all the 36 states governors in attendance. It will be wonderful if the resolutions reached at that session are followed to the latter. But I think the Minister of power is a bit slow . Earlier he fixed June as the deadline for full privatization of PHCN but later extended it again. I understand they have issues with Electricity workers union, the Fg should be more pro active and settle it so that this long awaited privatization can be sealed once and for all. All these efforts will mean nothing to the common man unless it translates to steady power supply in his home.

On roads, I want to add Kolo-Nembe-Brass to the list of roads under construction by this govt. Apapa-oshodi expressway was also awarded to Julius Berger. Auchi-Okene to setraco. Work is ongoing at Abuja-Lokoja road but at a very slow pace. The govt needs to redouble their efforts on that Abuja-Lokoja because of its strategic importance. Enugu-Port Harcourt is an eyesore and should be given urgent attention. I salute the sanitisatisation of the ports. It has really helped business at the ports. A friend of mine, last month, cleared his Suv in less than 10 days. At the Lagos town hall meeting on subsidy last December, Olisa Agbakoba publicly hailed Okonojo Iweala for the port reforms. But it is not enough that the ports now run 24 hours, adequate security measures must be put in place to ensure that operations run smoothly at night.

mbhs139: I don't need to read through ur whole epistle to know or note that it is ur own comment that was done in bad faith. All I just needed to do was to go through the post you made response to and see what the ealier poster has said about your beloved GEJ.from my observation, it seems you have been paid to come and defend GEJ on this platform, and you are shamelessly doing so. You're only doing your job and you're doing it good. But remember , how will posterity judge you?

it's obvious you have a phobia for truth and objectivity. Posterity will judge you for hating and speaking evil against a man on an issue you know little or nothing about. I had expected you to refute some of the facts contained in my post. But as you said, you didn't bother to read it. As far as you are concerned , GEJ is corrupt and is responsible for Farouk's corrupt act. Hypocrisy can't come in a better form. I pray that somebody will visit you with the same treatment in any capacity of leadership you find yourself. I don't have access to GEJ and I don't need to do so before saying the truth. But from the way you have blinded your eyes to reason and by your own confession that "you didn't need to read thru", it's safe to conclude that you are the one who has been paid by sworn enemies of this govt to rubbish unnecessarily and you are bound to fail.

I meant otedola in the first paragraph of my earlier post. The error is highly regretted.

1025: pdp is as shameless as a poor village dog. only under this pdp did nigerians hear a man confessing to rigging an election to the favour of another. i am talking about chris uba of anambra who told nigerians that he rigged chris ngige into power and obasanjo pushed ngige out and promoted chris uba to pdp board of trustees.
now an obasanjo projected/shameless otedola is out to prove that he bribed a man that is investigating his case.
the most unfortunate thing is that nigerians are busy blaming the bribe taker and from all indications, the man that gave the bribe will end up as our hero.
jonathan has reduced nigeria to a zoo where animals and their characters are on displays.
the party and the country is all about corruption and blood shield yet these fools are discussing 2015 yet jonathan and his vice are more interested in winning edo state than in saving the lives of innocent nigerians in the hands of boko haram.
unless we decide to go out against these godforsaken vampires, they will end up killing us one after the other and suck our bloods.

.
This post was obviously done in extreme bad faith. What did Gej do to you again? A member of House of Reps, who prides himself as a leader of integrity, went behind to collect bribe at the residence of an oil marketer. Jonathan never sent him to do so. Neither did Gej assist him with the vehicle that he used to convey himself to adenuga's house at midnight to collect $600,00 dollars. The truth remains that GEJ has shown a demonstrable courage to fight corruption in Nigeria. But it's unfortunate that the northern power bloc who are displeased with his present tenancy in Aso rock is really working hard to whip up hatred against him .

Unlike other presidents, Gej is the only president that doesn't throw money at the National Assembly to push his policies thru. If it were obj during the subsidy debate, we would have had gist of Ghana must go spreading around the lawmakers and subsidy would have sailed thru easily. Go and verify. Lawmakers were paid as much as 40 million before GEJ but when Gej came he reduced it to 15m quarterly before the lawmakers jerked it up in the 2012 budget to 29m quarterly. GEJ personally directed the EFCC to go after Bankole and prosecute him for the 10 billion loan scandal. When GEJ noticed that Farida was incompetent and so many graft cases were being mishandled, he sacked Farida and replaced her with Lamorde who is believed to have worked as second in command to Ribadu.

It was this same Gej that signed the FOI bill into Law, a legislation which is a veritable instrument for the fight against corruption by a press that knows its onions. Thru the minister of finance, Gej's administration has been able to integrate online payment systems for all Ministries! Departments and Agencies. This govt is undertaking bio metric evaluation of workers in federal service, an exercise that exposed the monumental corruption in police pension. It was as a result of this move that the senate pensions probe was kick started. And unlike what obtained in the past, those indicted so far have been charged to court. following revelations at the subsidy probe, GEJ could not even wait for the report to come out before he set up a presidential task force to handle oil revenue. He appointed his opponent in the presidential elections in the person of Ribadu to head such committee. Which other president has or can display this selfless courage? Not done, he engaged Olisa Agbakoba , Udo Udoma And other experts in the private sector to formulate the PIB ahead of the full deregulation of the oil sector. It is believed that full deregulation will divest govt of control of the oil sector and thus curb corruption. GEJ's govt has offered the atmosphere for all kinds of probes to be initiated in the system. GEJ is not the kind of president who will want to bulldoze anybody into submission.

Under this govt, you re free to initiate any probe whatsoever. To reduce. Corruption in the system, Gej is the first president to have set up a committee to cut down the number of parastatals in the country. on the issue of subsidy report, it's funny how some people have politicized it in order to get at GEJ. Unlike previous govts in the past, this govt accepted a report from the National Assembly and even directed the Attorney General to review it and take necessary steps with the relevant anti graft agencies. But the opposition will hear none of that. Gej must enforce the report immediately as pronounced by lord justice Farouk lawan. Where on earth does the executive jail people on account of an inquiry undergone solely by the legislature without recourse to laid down judicial process. It's so funny.

Imagine the kind of injustice that would have manifested if Gej had heeded the mob call for Deziani's sack in the light of the present scandal rocking the probe committee. Now any right thinking person would appreciate that it would have been very hasty for GEj to undertake an immediate implementation of recommendations based on a report submitted by a committee chairman, who talks tough in the afternoon and nicodemusly crawls to the residence of those under his probe at night to collect bribe.

Those calling GEJ naïve for this statement are themselves more naïve.After the attacks yesterday, GEJ did not come out immediately with this message.he must have made far reaching consultations and enquiries before he arrived at this position.He is a Niger Deltan himself and must gotten across to MEND.we are not privy to their discussions.so we can't say with mathematical exactitude that MEND was indeed responsoible. Do u know whether MEND denied responsibility before GEJ. Or are we foreclosing the possibility of someone launching attacks and circulating e mail messages as Gbomo jomo

Opportunism at its peak. Chukwumerije is a threat to truth and good consience.After romancing with Orji kalu for 8yrs now,he suddenly woke up to the realisation that he is in wrong company.Opportunist par excellence! We've seen him hold brief for Abacha. We saw him defend the cult known as PPA. Now that the Governor has decamped,PPA has suddenly become a mess for Chukwumerije.

A daniel has finally come to judgement.The chicken is also coming home to roost.Things have fallen apart and now the centre
can no longer hold in my Abia state.All the forces who have held Abia prostrate for the past 11yrs are now at loggerheads.The felons are now at war over the spoils of their loot.For years, we have prayed for the exposure of this cabal.For over a decade,we have been carried away into captivity.since 1999, we have been wondering how to sing the lords song in a diabolical mamacracy. Freedom is finally at sight. KE NAKO, MY ABIA STATE !

Its obvious the PPA led govt in Abia state has failed us.The situation is horrible.yet they want to come for second tenure.Abians we must arise to stop this Kalu hegemony in Abia state.Enough is Enough.

baba!

That's chidcris for you. His take on any issue is from the prism of his paymaster-Former Gov. Kalu.it takes his kind to compare EL Rufai to accomplished criminals like IBORI and Orji Kalu.

What's the guarantee that the northern president will hand over power to the south in 2015

Good riddance to weak leadership

Nice delegation.but I don't like the inclusion of ohakim.

Did oyedepo really go there? We need to hear him speak because he cannot just lie.

@chidichris you never cease to amuse me with ur comments. The world knows that Ribadu is the anti corruption czar.A man who secured over 52 convictions including top shots like IG of police, Senate President,Ministers,Governor Alams. Ribadu established prima facie evidence of corruption against 31 governors and had prosecuted 6 of them including Orji Kalu, your paymaster.Ribadu's sin is that he made Ibori to spend his xmas in kaduna prison.Its on record that Ribadu rejected a bribe of 15 million dollars given to him by Ibori.Even the CBN governor has corroborated this fact.Ribadu is held in high esteem by the whole world.Hilary clinton made it clear that anti graft war in Nigeria stoped when Ribadu left. The US congress gave him a standing ovation.EU offered millions of euros as grant. The brazillian bank that was duped by Nwude & co.are full of praises for the recovery of their 242 million dollars.Every one saw all these except you

How did the court arrive at ubanese victory? with the results generated by Uba and INEC. You cannot build something on nothing. You cannot by legal gymnastics award victory in a contest that was not there after all.the best that could be ordered would have been a re run.

This is one case where jugdement will work great hardship to the people.ubanese wouldn't have won.how? Who voted for ubanese? What's the strenght of anpp in anambra? Even in the last febuary polls,where was ANPP? The truth is that there was no election in Anambra in 2007.Andy Uba merely allocated figures to people. So how come the ANPP victory? The verdict should have been a bye election. And Emodi will floor Ubanese any anytime.

Na so u like groove? No body send you. 25k na lawyer salary.

@Damola 1, bros na so u like groove? Abeg make we hear word. No be nairalanders send you make u go pay vip. Dis ur story dey make person vex when fuel matter dey ground. Dat 25k for reach 2 feed 50 pple 4 ur area.

Its an insult on nigerians for the north to call for goodluck's resignation. I'm igbo and i've never known what it feels like to have a brother as president.

I voted for yar'adua. But if he is no longer able to lead, he should hand over to goodluck. The north should stop mounting pressure on vp to resign. This nation belongs to us all. I'm igbo and have never known what it feels like to have a brother as president.

I voted for yar'adua. But if he is no longer able to lead, he should hand over to goodluck. The north should stop mounting pressure on vp to resign. This nation belongs to us all. I'm igbo and have never known what it feels like to have a brother as president.

I voted for yar'adua. But if he is no longer able to lead, he should hand over to goodluck. The north should stop mounting pressure on vp to resign. This nation belongs to us all. I'm igbo and have never known what it feels like to have a brother as president.

Can anyone tell me the difference bw tinubu and chris uba?

@sagamite, your rantings evaporate into hot air in the face of the hard fact that  our boys passed the MRI scan. you can go and hug a 500kva transormer when our boys lift the trophy.