₦airaland Forum

[quote author=WizardOfNG

The best place to live in Lagos, for many reasons, is Ikeja GRA if one can afford it.[/quote]Even Ikeja GRA is no longer what it used to be.

Too many developments, bad roads, and the place is getting over commercialised.

The Lagos State government is just so irresponsible when it comes to spatial planning.

Lagos State Government abdicated its responsibilities in that axis starting from the 1990s when it had the opportunity to take charge and put proper infrastructure and planning in place.

It didn't then, and it isn't doing so now.

Terrible.

Many of these ideas have been reharshed over the years, but only few are achievable due to entrenched intetests.

That's because many of these changes require chance of several laws, and with the sort legislators we have who see most things through ethnic lens, it would be very difficult to make many of these charges.

See what happened to the tax bills. And that's just one set of laws o.

If a President says I want to merge this and that agency, a section of the country dominating these agencies will cry foul and claim the President is against them.

You want legislators to go part-time? You think Nigerian legislators will vote for that? A turkey never votes for Christmas.

So these are the challenges that any President that tries to make these changes will face.

The white guy must be wondering why so many senior government officials turned up for the handover of 2 helicopters.

And then the ridiculous sitting line up for pictures under the scotching sun

Too many chiefs, too few Indians.

I told people Gtb was the biggest bank in Nigeria.

Very few branches compared to first bank, Zenith, Access, and UBA, but still makes more profit, pound for pound.

The few people that threatened to close their accounts because a man was arrested the other day would make zero difference to GTB bottom line.

GTB - a very decent bank.

Agbegbaorogboye:
No government in Nigeria's history has achieved increases in inflation of over 100% within 2 years
No government in Nigeria's history has made the naira the worst performing in Africa within 2 years
No government in Nigeria's history has halved our GDP within 2 years
No government in our history has thrown 75% of the populace into poverty within 2 years
This government is the worst in the history of mankind!!

Oh dear

In less than 2 years, this administration has increased crude production from less than 1m barrels to around 1.7m (including condensate) or about 1.5m without condensate.

Oil theft significantly reduced.

$7 billion debt overhang cleared.

IMF debt cleared.

Record revenues for States.

Massive projects everywhere.

FX reserves rose from $3 billion to $24 billion in less than 2 years.

Student loan + N20,000 free money per month for each student.

Local government autonomy coming.

In my opinion, this is the best government since Nigeria's independence 65 years ago.

If you disagree, please provide the facts that show any other government in Nigeria's history achieved more than the current government within 2 years.

No need for histrionics. Just provide the facts.

Nigeria is on the cusp of long term economic stability and progress if we do not bring in another government in 2027 that will torpedo many of the achievements of this government and start their own unproven experimental policies.

Let's give this government a chance. The prosperity will spread and reach every nook and cranny of this country. But it will take time.

malali:
1. FX Liquidity Is Fragile:
CBN’s reserves and interventions aren’t deep enough to stabilize demand.

2. Parallel Market Feeds on Uncertainty:
Importers and investors panic-buy dollars due to low faith in consistent policy.

3. Rates Are Artificially Split:
Two markets (official + black) with different incentives = arbitrage and volatility.

4. Oil Revenue Is Weak + Debt High:
Nigeria earns less FX than it needs. Supply ≠ Demand.

Bottom line: Until Nigeria exports more non-oil value or builds real FX buffers, naira will continue falling.

This looks like a copy and paste from the past. Today's reality is different.

1. FX reserves is around $40 billion. That's good.

2. Nigeria's dependence on oil as sole source of FX is reducing. Positive balance of trade and growing remittances through official channels are changing the narrative. That is why, despite the recent dramatic fall in the price of crude oil, the Naira remained gidigba.

3) Arbitrage opportunities between official and black market rates have dwindled significantly as the difference in prices between the 2 markets have narrowed massively. That's why speculators have run away.

4) Non oil exports are booming, hence 2024 record positive trade balance of around $6.5 billion. The Nigerian economy is no longer all about oil. Cocoa is pumping dollars and Euros. So are sesame seeds and others.

The economy is rebalancing, but some people still live in the past believing in outdated statistics that bears no relation to the present.

PlasmaTV:
You need help ASAP.

You didn't deny what I wrote.

There is no other country in the world where people obsess needlessly about small movements in their currency.

The Naira has been very stable since before the beginning of the year, and this year so far, average volatility has been around 2%.

That's a solid performance that has driven currency speculators into redundancy. Speculation is mostly dead.

Every currency moves either way. What's important is the movements should be relatively small. That's where the naira is right now.

The CBN has done an excellent job of making the Naira stable.

The most innovative and reformist CBN in the history of Nigeria.

"He put his people in many of the most important offices'. But it is mostly working out well for the country.

1. CBN - Mr Cardozo - the most battle-proven CBN Governor in history.

2. Ministry of Interior - see all the innovations with Passports, and also at the major airports.

3. FIRS - unprecedented revenues for Nigeria

4. Tax innovations - spear headed by FIRS guy & the Committee Chairman (can't remember his name)

And many more like that.

If sharing key government posts based on where people come from was so good, how come non of the previous quota system holders of the ministry of Interior, including Yoruba ones, could carry out the tangible reforms that the current Minister has achieved.

Why was FIRS transformed into a revenue generation monster in less than 2 years, despite several decades of being in the doldrums.

A President must be allowed to put the best people he can find in certain key positions irrespective of where they come from. Less significant positions can be distributed on the usual quota system.

The entire country benefit from this approach.

I have a family member whose result JAMB has refused to release apparently because he is under the age of 16 or something like that. The boy started WAEC last week depressed.

Certainly not the best frame of mind for going into WAEC exams.

JAMB, why would you collect money from candidates, allow them to write an exam and then seize their results!

If the Federal Ministry of Education says under 16s can't be admitted to university, fine. But how does that translate to JAMB's refusing to release exam results. This is unlawful.

Kingosytex:
By the time he is done, he will become the sole authority and numero uno that one must bow to before he ascends the presidency. If he can lord over Lagos, he can certainly lord over Nigeria too.
For this politics matter, leave am for Bobo Chicago, him know am wella.
.

I don't believe that. Highly unlikely.

Interests at the top will be too diverse to converge under one person.

Once Mr Tinubu leaves office, the next President automatically becomes too powerful for an ex president to control. See what happened to Mr Obasanjo.

If I were Mr Tinubu, the day I leave the Presidency is that day I retire from politics. Even Lagos politics, I will withdraw 100%. Anything short of that is to leave yourself opened to being rubbished.

He has reached the zenith of politics in Nigeria, and has established himself as one of the most accomplished politicians in Nigeria's history.

Better to quit at the top, than return to Lagos and start playing competitive politics with the likes of the Lagos Speaker. Some of these people will not listen to him anymore anyway. That's life.

Given that the price of crude oil has been averaging around $65 or less per barrel for nearly a month, I would have expected petrol price to fall significantly more than it has done.

If petrol price can't go to around N750 when crude oil price has fallen so much, that's a bad sign.

It means petrol price in this country will probably not fall to N700 for several years to come.

Fantastic!

Exploding non-oil exports.
International loans being repaid.
Record revenue for States.
Projects every where.

And many more achievements in just 2 years.

Best President in Nigeria's history. Full stop.

Yet some insist they want another President who will reverse all these magnificent gains, bring his own trial and error policies and set the country back again.

Ok o.

If you are an assistant to a strong oga, one way to succeed in such a role is to do your work effectively and keep a low profile.

You don't want to give off a perception that you are competing for attention with the OG.

You can't declare a shadow cabinet in a Presidential system of government.

In a Presidential system of government, you are effectively declaring an alternative government, and setting a terrible precedent which can lead to chaos.

Next thing, you'll have this being replicated at State level by some other people.

This man knows exactly what he's doing. He is trying to create anarchy. He wants to be arrested for treason so he can raise his profile and claim he is fighting for the people.

Must the words 'shadow cabinet' appear in the name of the organisation you're setting up.

Could he try this under a past military government He would not even try it with a President of Northern extraction. Where was he during Mr Buhari's government.

If you don't like a government, fine. Oppose it, but do so responsibly, without trying to forment chaos.

To make matters worse, Mr Utomi has a very poor record of managing anything. He was MD of Volkswagen Nigeria, but he ran the company aground. Yet, you see him everywhere pontificating like he is the only one who knows the solution to Nigeria's problems.

Some think the interest of Mr Al Makura from Nasarawa and former Katsina governor and several other northern political heavy weights in APC will somehow converge and melt together with that of Mr El Rufai from Kaduna and Mr Atiku from Adamawa under a so-called 'one North'.

Many politicians of Northern extraction will put their personal interest above any 'one - North interest', especially when despite the noise, there is no actual evidemce that Mr Tinubu has specifically targeted the North for poor treatment.

The CPC people supporting the President know that the President may return the APC presidential candidacy to the CPC part of APC come 2031. So it is in their interest to support the President now.

Why on earth do people think these ones will leave their interest in APC where they are leaders and move to Messrs El Rufai and Atiku who have nothing to offer, at least for now.

People also forget that most PDP northern heavyweights who colluded with APC to get rid of Mr Jonathan have never recovered to become anything in politics again. They lost their chance in politics forever.

Many of today's Northern APC politicians will have learnt from that episode- that the sort of treachery against your own party in pursuit of some vague 'Northern interest' come at a very heavy personal price.

Could be a good idea.

If members of the medical corps can be paid N250,000 per month; and teachers corps around N200,000, that could encourage more corpers.

But this will create new problems as existing teachers in particular will be very unhappy.

Whatever it is, it is good to finally see a Nigerian government that is willing to look at challenges in a new and different way.

kingthreat:
The next theme park will be in the city of Lagos, Nigeria.

Something like this can actually work in a place like Epe if there's enough land, and if:

1) the new Lagos airport is in place

2) other parts of the Lagos transport network is improved

3) purchasing power improves significantly across Nigeria and West Africa.

In 10-15 years time, may be

It will draw in people from across West and parts of Central Africa.

Another win for Mr Tinubu's resounding reform of the oil sector.

Nigerians, please give this man a chance. This is Nigeria's best President, the one that has the courage to change many things for the better.

Given all the problems that have piled up in the country since independence 65 years ago, no single President can solve all the problems in 8 years, let alone 2 years.

He is our best shot for now.

Under Mr Obasanjo, $12 billion dollars was allegedly spent on power, to little effect.

Under Mr Buhari's 8 years, a military General, oil production reduced to about 950 thousand barrels per day.

In less than 2 years, Mr Tinubu has increased production to 1.7 million barrels. That's including so many other silent achievements that opposition dismiss as nothing.

From being a chronic import-dependent country for so many years, in less than 2 years of Mr Tinubu's government, we now export more than $6 billion worth of goods than we import. An unbelievable turnaround.

Yet, some people want to throw all these achievements away because garri is more expensive today than it was under Mr Jonathan . Some even go as far to compare prices with under Mr Obasanjo!

Let's be patient with Mr Tinubu.

Mr Tinubu is the best we have right now.

From the day Mr Tinubu was sworn in and declared fuel subsidy was gone, and swept away the fraudulent 2 - tier exchange rate system, I told a family member, this is the best President Nigeria has ever had.

This was in those early days of fuel shortage and skyrocketing prices when virtually everyone to a man hated Mr Tinubu. Even then, as a lone voice, I could see it that this man was different.

I have also said it repeatedly here on Nairaland that when you look at all the reforms, from local government autonomy (it will happen), reduction of debt repayment to revenue ratio from over 90% to 65%, Student loan, Lagos- Calabar coastal road, reform of the petroleum sector, and many more like that, this is the best leader we have had for a long time, perhaps since independence 65 years ago.

I remain absolutely convinced that if we allow this fearless Southern leader to lead this country and give him a breathing space (he doesn't appear to care about the pressure anyway), this man has the potential to set Nigeria on a strong economic foundation for the future.

To those who can read between the lines, this $650 million road combined with the Lagos - Calabar road is one of the final jigsaws that will permanently elevate the economy of the Island, Ajah etc axis over the mainland.

With that road connecting the free trade zone around Dangote refinery to Benin - Ore road, Apapa ports is guaranteed to be supplanted by ports on the island axis in the future.

When you add the coming Lagos State Airport, it is going to be a case of, Island/Ajah...o ti lo.

Buy you next land in that axis. That axis is the future of Lagos.

showboy2301:
Jagaban projects. And some people says they can't see what Tinubu is doing.

Especially, people living in Lagos.

Do they think Mr Atiku or Mr Obi would have done any of these mighty projects for Lagos?

By the time Mr Tinubu leaves the Presidency, Lagos will barely need Nigeria anymore.

$650 million for another major road in Lagos , in addition to the monumental Lagos - Calabar coastal road.

If my maths is correct, that's more than 60% of the total funds approved for roads at this FEC meeting.

If Mr Tinubu's Federal government can partner with Lagos on 4th mainland bridge, then it is over - Lagos becomes economically independent . And I think that 4th mainland bridge may happen if Mr Tinubu wins 2nd term. The bridge seems to be too expensive for Lagos state to fund by itself.

Bayelsa people, dont blame Mr Tinubu o, blame Mr Jonathan.

If you are President and you're forming nationalist and do nothing for your state, it is up to you.

The good news is that everyone living in Lagos, irrespective of your background, will benefit from these huge projects.

It also shocking that many Lagos residents oppose this man. Is it that they can't see what's going on?

Since the Emir is perceived as antagonistic towards the government of Mr Tinubu, and therefore a favourite of the anti-government people on nairaland who usually throng threads such as this to relentlessly launch invectives at people in government, the same people will not see anything wrong here.

Many of them might view the thread but they will quietly leave and not comment. They can't bring themselves to criticise their own.

It is all in line with the selfish and hypocritical 'dey for me, I dey for you' spirit.

This is the Nigeria of today.

spiSeyi:
When did EFCC become NPF or ICPC If VDM hasn't commit any financial crime the EFCC lacks the authority to arrest and detain him .
EFCC left their primary assignment to go after the likes of YahYah Bello and started doing police job.
At the end of the day the EFCC will have no tangible accusation on VDM, VDM should sue their a*SS for millions of USD.
Everything under APC has become a joke courtesy of incompetent fools leading the sensitive agency in the country

1. If a petition has a financial / fraud element to it, it may come under the purview of the EFCC. Unless you have personal knowledge of the content of the petitions written against the man, how can you be sure that the Police rather than EFCC should be handling the matter.

2. EFCC did not leave Mr Yahya Bello as you have claimed. EFCC investigated him over several months, and he is currently being prosecuted. The case is still actively ongoing in court.

3) Again, as you dont know the exact nature of the petitions received by the EFCC, how can you say with confidence that '...EFCC will have no tangible accusation on VDM...'. While that may well turn out to be the case, we simply don't know at this stage. It is up to the EFCC to make a decision once they have considered the allegations in the petitions and the man's response to them.

4) According to you '...everything under the APC has become a joke ...'. So you are saying the laws of Nigeria should not apply to the man because he is more special than the rest of us in this country?

DuBLINGreenb:
Jobless headless EFCC

Only in Nigeria an Agency such as EFCC will catch someone and keep without first investigating or filling charges.

You catch am keep pending investigation where does that happen?

It is not only in Nigeria. That is how Police anywhere in the world works. Even in you people's allegedly 'sane' countries.

When Police receives a complaint/petition against an individual, they will invite that individual to come and give his side of the story (usually by writing a statement), so that the Police can treat both sides fairly.

However, if, as in the case of this man, you repeatedly refuse to honour the invitation, that means the Police cannot perform their duty to the complainant, as they are required to do by law. In that scenario, the Police would be right to obtain a warrant to arrest you particularly if they believe pertinent issues raised in the petition require further investigation and you are preventing the investigation by refusing to come and give your side of the story.

Based on the information that is available in the public domain so far, the EFCC appears to have followed due process, particularly if they obtained a warrant before arresting the man.

The man is not above the law.

So he was even invited several times but refused to present himself.

After that, the EFCC had the right to arrest him anywhere in Nigeria, whether at a bank, inside a hospital, or on a mango tree, provided they have a warrant or summons.

He clearly thought he was above the law. Now he has been humbled.

Exporting cocoa liquor, butter, cake on a large scale...that's big business.

These are hot hot products on the international market.

Excellent.

Nigeria had a cocoa board that was abolished may be 30 years ago.

Since then Nigerian cocoa has gone from having a good reputation to having a not-so-good reputation in the global market today.

It is simply not as good a quality as you get from Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Let's hope a new Cocoa board will help to return us to the production of good quality cocoa.

LagosOrigin:
Shameful

Not necessarily. At least not unless there are other aspects of the story eg, whether the orderly was forced to do it.

Someone around that age might genuinely need help with things like this.

That's the reality of old age.