Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has become the first African entrepreneur to lay claim to a $20 billion fortune as the stock value of his largest holding, Dangote Cement, leaped just about three-fourths since March when Forbes released its annual ranking of the world’s richest people.



The Black Billionaires 2013 Mfonobong NseheMfonobong Nsehe Contributor

The African Billionaires 2013 Mfonobong NseheMfonobong Nsehe Contributor

Nigerian Billionaire Aliko Dangote Raises $4.5 Billion To Build Refinery Mfonobong NseheMfonobong Nsehe Contributor

South African Billionaire Patrice Motsepe Joins Giving Pledge Mfonobong NseheMfonobong Nsehe Contributor

Aliko Dangote’s 93% stake in the cement company is now worth $19.5 billion. Add this to his controlling stakes in other publicly-listed companies like Dangote Sugar and National Salt Company of Nigeria and his significant shareholdings in other blue-chips like Zenith Bank, UBA Group and Dangote Flour; his extensive real estate portfolio, jets, yachts and current cash position, which includes more than $300 million in recently awarded Dangote Cement dividends, Dangote is now worth more than $20 billion.

Put into context, the Nigerian billionaire is now among the top 25 richest people in the world, richer than Russia’s richest man, Alisher Usmanov, richer than India’s Lakshmi Mittal and running neck and neck with India’s Mukesh Ambani. He is catching up to such Americans as Google’s billionaire founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

The unprecedented surge in Dangote Cement’s share price is largely a market response to the company’s impressive 2013 Q1 results.

The cement manufacturer’s unaudited results for the three months ending March 31 showed that the company’s pre-tax profit rose to $339 million, representing an 80.6% increase from last year and a strong indicator of the company’s future earning potential. The results also indicate a 79.5 % rise in its earnings per share over the corresponding period last year.

Explaining the company’s share price boost in an email to Forbes, Carl Franklin, Dangote Cement’s Head of Investor Relations in the U.K said that in the first quarter of 2013, the company had a huge increase in demand across Nigeria, gas supply improved considerably and the capacity was much more ramped up.

“So Q1 was the first sign of just how profitable we can be in Nigeria. The amazing thing is that 66% of our gas-fired production in Q1 was done at 84% gas. Imagine what would happen to margins if we did the same amount at 95%. This has given investors a good sense of what we can really do when everything goes in the right direction,” Franklin said.

With a current market cap of $20.5 billion, Dangote Cement becomes the first Nigerian company to achieve a market capitalization of over $20 billion.

“It’s certainly a landmark for a Nigerian company and we’re proud to be the first to achieve it. Obviously we are focusing on building long-term and sustainable value for shareholders through our investments in Nigeria and Africa. Nigeria is a very entrepreneurial country and I can assure you that other companies will follow us in achieving this.”

Other companies might eventually achieve this, but it’s going to take a bit of time. Dangote Cement currently accounts for more than a quarter of the total market capitalization of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The second largest company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) is currently Nigerian Breweries, West Africa’s largest manufacturer of Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The company has a market cap of $8.5 billion.

Dangote debuted on the FORBES billionaires list in 2008 with a fortune we pegged at $3.3 billion. His fortune dropped to $2.5 billion in 2009 and plunged further to $2.1 billion in 2010. His fortune surged 557% in 2011 to $13.8 billion after he took Dangote Cement public. He dropped to $11.2 billion in last year’s rankings, but rebounded at $16.1 billion this year. Since March, his fortune has jumped another 30%.

Dangote was destined to shine in business. At age 8, he apparently gave packets of sweets he had made to the house servants to sell for him. His father Mohammed Dangote was a successful businessman and an associate of his maternal uncle Alhaji Sanusi Dantata. Dantata and his brother controlled the trade in kola nuts and livestock conducted by 200 agents. Dangote started building his fortune over three decades ago after taking a loan from Sanusi Dantata. He started trading in commodities like flour, sugar and cement.

He became a billionaire by later manufacturing these items. He started making pasta, salt, sugar and flour in 1997. But he found his gold mine in cement, when he was awarded a government’s state owned cement business in 2000 and began building his own plant in 2003. He listed Dangote Cement in 2010.

Today, it is Africa’s largest cement company providing cement to Nigeria and other African countries that otherwise would likely have to pay to import much of the materials.

Dangote still likely has bigger ambitions. He told Forbes Wealth Editor Luisa Kroll at Davos in 2011 that he expected his firm to have a market cap of $60 billion within five years. At $20.5 billion, Dangote Cement still has a long way to go to live up to that dream, and while it is quite unlikely that Dangote Cement could hit a $60 billion Market Cap by 2016, don’t write it off as ‘impossible’. With Dangote, you never know.




http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2013/06/01/aliko-dangote-is-africas-first-20-billion-man/?utm_campaign=forbestwittersf&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

EDEN JUICE.
Its taken 3 yrs to make this a reality.

Never ever give up.Rest if u must,but never give up.

Hello Juiceguru,

My name is Deji Anubi and I am in the process of building a fruit juice factory located at lakwe of lekki-epe expressway.Our machineries have d capacity to produce 4000 bottles an hour but we hope to begin wit a 1000 bottle an hour production.

I procured my machines from england,although I had offers from china,I felt I could not trust chinese products and I did not feel comfortable investing millions of naira on chinese machinery,although it was cheaper the risk was too high.

If you need advice/partnership,you can email me,Anubisky@yahoo.com.My phone number is 08102663063.

Goodluk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man said he had no shoes

The people searched his face and felt his aim was true

Although he’d hemmed and hawed and his words were few

Fans said he was the angel not the devil we knew



Spin doctors insisted there would be nothing to rue:

‘Our man is so fresh, he’s something new

Vote for him and you‘ll see

He’s even got a PhD

He’ll make things as easy as ABC.’



The people said ‘he’s been so lucky, how can we lose?’

Those who questioned got torrents of abuse

And looks that implied that they belonged in zoos

As though they were inspired by lots of booze



So the people voted thinking ‘surely he’s paid his dues.’

Now he’s king but he’s got no clues

Although ministers and advisers are profuse

Stale bromides are all they can produce



He’s too far and too high to hear our views

Soon we might be spending days and nights on petrol queues

And hours aplenty warming dusty pews

Craving reprieve from God, any god, even Zeus



It’s like the ship of state has blown a fuse

We are adrift at sea, not on a cruise

With regret, we must now pay for an expensive ruse

Where once we heard only delightful coos

There is naught but a chorus of hisses and boos



When next we are called upon to choose

We should look beyond one’s ethnic and religious hues

We should ask for his ideals and values

And the whereabouts of his muse

When next someone says he had no shoes

Shoeless hoards should not act like moose



For the contender is no worse than those he woos

He is only the gander to our golden goose

It is not enough to vote on tribal cues

Lest we trap our necks in a tightening noose

To err is human, to repeat it is obtuse

Folly cannot continue as its own excuse

High definition hindsight is of no use

When precious time is what we lose

If to the outside world we amuse

Consider the evidence they adduce

If chances come for change but we refuse

Who but ourselves can we accuse?



For now we must endure the Nine O’clock news

Democracy is the right to stew in our own juice

Let us brace ourselves; this is the deuce

The powers and the people shall know no truce

For the next few years we’ll be singing the blues

(No wonder this sounds like Dr Seuss)
By Chris
http://www.facebook.com/notes/chris-ngwodo/voters-remorse/10150469226803278

sorry,i couldnt post d facebook message.but him and some other radio broadcasters confirmed it.

am so angry

Fuel Subsidy: NBC Trying to Censor Radio & TV Stations in Nigeria?

Femi Sowolu is a well respected and very popular broadcaster in Lagos, and here's what he wrote on his Facebook wall this evening,



Can you guys believe this? What kind of government is this? Well you can buy TV and radio stations over, but you can't censor blogs, twitter and Facebook, and trust me FG


http://lindaikeji..com/

The Senate has asked groups angered by the marriage of one of their colleagues to a 13-year-old Egyptian girl to go to court rather than come to the Senate for a redress of the issue.

Senate spokesman, Ayogu Eze, said this on Tuesday following protests to the Senate by female senators and a coalition of Nigerian women’s groups. He said the accused senator had not broken any rules of the Senate by the alleged marriage.

Shortly before the Senate began plenary, members went into a closed-door session in anticipation of a petition that Ufot Eme Ekaette (PDP, Cross River state), leader of the women senators, planned to present against Ahmed Sani Yerima (PDP, Zamfara state). The Zamfara politician is accused of marrying a minor.

During the session, Senate leadership stopped Mrs.Ekeate’s petition. However, while briefing the media outside the chambers, Mrs.Ekaette said she has the permission of the Senate president to present the petition today (Wednesday).

Mrs. Ekaette’s coalition had planned a seven-day no-comment protest of the Senate, where they would stand in silent protest before the National Assembly to call on lawmakers to suspend Mr. Yerima for his action. They also called on the people of Zamfara West senatorial zone, which Mr. Yerima represents, to recall the senator. Mrs. Ekaete added that the coalition will back civil society to prosecute the offending senator.

The petition, written by Roland Ewubare, the executive secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, asks the Senate to investigate Mr. Yerima for his alleged marriage to a minor in violation of the provisions of section 21 of the Child Rights Act and other international and human rights instruments, to which Nigeria is a party.

Medically unsafe, legally wrong

The women argued that Mr. Yerima’s action both medically unsafe for the child-bride and legally wrong. They also asked that the senator return the child to her Egyptian parents or face more protests and possible court action.

Chinelo Iriele, the president of Global Association of Female Attorneys, said the group is compiling enough evidence to charge the senator to court, where he faces serious consequences if found guilty.

“Nigerian women are sad because under the Child Right Act section 21 prohibit[s] child marriage. Nobody marries a child, whether boy or girl, under the age of 18,” said Ms.Iriele. “Today, one of our senators, Yerima, is sitting at the highest law-making body of this country committing the same offence that attracts the penalty of N500, 000 or five years imprisonment - or both of them.”

Mma Wokocha, a gynaecologist and the national president of Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, argued that the marriage will expose the child to vagino-vesicular fistula (VVF).

This is a situation where, because the child’s pelvis is too narrow to give birth, pressure from the baby’s head blocks the circulation in the area between the bladder and the vagina, killing the tissue and creating a permanent hole in which urine constantly passes through the vagina.

The Senate’s leadership, however, seemed unconcerned,saying they did not have any official notice of Mr. Yerima’s marriage to a minor, despite the presence of some principal officers of the Senate at the National Mosque where the marriage was allegedly conducted last month.

“The Senate cannot fish around for these things because we are not an investigating body to fish around for somebody who has broken the law,” said Mr. Eze. “If there are people who feel strongly that he has broken the law, the course of action is to take him to court to seek redress.It is not the responsibility of the Senate to go to court on behalf of those who feel he has broken the law,” he added.

Serial paedophile

According to the petition, the 13-year-old is not the first underage girl Mr. Yerima has taken as a wife.

“The senator is in the habit of marrying minors and has gained notoriety in enticing girls to marry him, having contracted one in 2006 with a 15-year-old (Hauwa’u) whom Mr. Yerima allegedly caused to drop out of school at JSS 3, as his fourth wife,” the petition read.

Hauwa’u who has one child with Mr. Yerima, will turn 17 today. However, the senator recently severed the marriage to make room for the 13-year-old Egyptian girl.

According to the women groups, Mr. Yerima’s request to marry the minor was turned down in Egypt because marriage to children is prohibited there. They accused the senator of luring the girl’s family with money, paying them a bride price of N15 million and sponsoring about 30 members of the child-bride’s family to attend the wedding ceremony.

Mr. Yerima, the former Zamfara State governor who was famous for his introduction of Sha’ria law to the state, was absent at the Senate while the protest lasted. He was also not reachable on phone for his comments.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5560909-146/senate_muzzles_opposition__to_yerimas.csp

I am not a regular participator is debates,i just like to read people comments,but this becomrich guy really cracks me up,sometimes i think he is really insane,or maybe he does what he does intentionally.he serves as a comic relief,especially with those his maps.

anyway,if he was to leave this forum,it wud become a very dull place,although i think d guy has lost it,am his biggest fan,i read all his tread just so i can have a very good laugh.

Guys wat do u think,is oga becomrich mad or is he doing what he does intentionally,or maybe he is a creation by seun to serve as a pure comic relief,cause i do not see how a normal person would reason like becomrich.

He believes his maps are d answer to all of mans problem,for example who killed dele giwa,becomrich would bring his map to show how dele was killed.

d guy is so hilarious,he is hilariously insane.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Honourable Wole Oke, yesterday said President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s absence at the recent United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, was a deliberate diplomatic protest.
Oke said it was "a deliberate diplomatic protest against the United States of America, whose body language towardsNigeria in recent times had been seen by the Federal Government as unfair."
This is coming on the heels of indications that Nigeria may pull out her troops serving in the United Nations peace keeping contingent in Darfur, Sudan, in protest over the seeming refusal by Washington and other world powers to appreciate its contribution to global peace.Oke said the Nigerian government had been uncomfortable with the rather frosty bilateral relations between Washington and Abuja, since the election of President Barrack Obama.
In an interaction with newsmen in Abuja, Oke said despite Nigeria’s favourable disposition and widespread support for the election of the first African American President of the United States, the first shocker was when Obama shunned Nigeria in his first visit to Africa and rather, chose to make uncomplimentary remarks about the country while in Ghana.As if that was not enough, Oke said the US Secretary of State,Senator Hilary Clinton, who finally visited Nigeria in the course of her tour of Africa, also chided the Nigerian government on the allegations that it has become less enthusiastic on the war against corruption.
He said in view of the developments, Nigeria has no businessretaining her peace keeping troops in Sudan, as her role in promoting world peace had not been appreciated by the United States of America. He lamented that despite Nigeria’s leading role in peace keeping operations in Africa and beyond, the United Nations did not accord her the honour of holding the commanding position in the peace keeping efforts in Sudan.“America is only after its own interest.
Our President is aware of this, and is uncomfortable with it. That is the reason he stayed away from the meeting. Although Federal Government was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe, the absence of the President meant something was wrong,” he said.
According to Oke, the US can neither claim that Nigeria is not serious about anti-graft war, nor can it dictate to Nigeria on how to curb corruption, as corruption remains a global menace that cuts across various sectors and various climes. Nigeria, he said, has lately demonstrated some level of seriousness in the fight against corruption, given the fact that some persons hitherto believed to be sacred cows have been arraigned on charges of corruption.


http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=156823

n

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/06/17/adeboye-kanu-ojukwu-gani-soyinka-win-living-legend-poll/#comments

LAGOS — THE search for Nigeria’s 5 greatest living legends, initiated by Vanguard Media Limited and Silverbird Group, ended yesterday as five winners out of 20 nominees were announced in Lagos.

The winners who emerged after the collation of results of votes cast by Nigerians through text messages are Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye; Nwankwo Kanu; Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu; Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Professor Wole Soyinka.


The winners who emerged after the collation of results of votes cast by Nigerians through text messages are Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye; Nwankwo Kanu; Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu; Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Professor Wole Soyinka.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who is the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God scored the highest number of votes with 30.8 per cent of the total votes cast followed by the current captain of the National football team, Nwankwo Kanu with 10.4 per cent of the votes. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu polled 8.9 per cent of the votes to come third, Chief Gani Fawehinmi emerged the fourth winner with 7.6 per cent votes while Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka came fifth with 6.2 per cent.

The other 15 nominees and their votes are Professor Dora Akunyili 5.6 per cent; General Yakubu Gowon 4.7 per cent; General Olusegun Obasanjo 4.5 per cent; Anthony Cardinal Okogie 4.4 per cent; Chief Anthony Enahoro 3.2 per cent; King Sunny Ade 2.6 per cent; Professor Chinua Achebe 1.3 per cent; Phillip Emegwali 1.3 per cent; Alhaji Aliko Dangote 1.3 per cent and Professor Pat Utomi 1.0 per cent.

Others are Mallam Balarabe Musa 0.8 per cent; Chief David Dafinone 0.7 per cent; Chief Akintola Williams 0.6 per cent and Hakeem Olajuwon 0.5 per cent.

The criteria for nomination was based on selfless service; enduring achievements; sincerity of purpose; resilience; patriotism; uprightness; respectability and incorruptibility.

According to Vanguard and Silverbird, the project was borne out of the fact that “for too long in Nigeria, so much emphasis has been placed on materialism and wealth, which in turn has led to the get rich quick syndrome and the erroneous praise of visibly corrupt and irresponsible individuals, a situation that has led to undeserving and unworthy people being bestowed with National Awards while the real heroes of our time, who have contributed selflessly to the upliftment and development of our fatherland have had their achievements gone unnoticed because of the present day celebration of mediocrity and corruption”.

An award ceremony for the winners will hold on a date to be announced by the organisers.

At the press conference held at the premises of the Silverbird Group to announce the winners were the General Manager of Silverbird Galleria, Mrs Naomi Iwugo, Mr Jacob Akinyemi Johnson of Silverbird, Mr Ikeddy Isiguzo, Vanguard Editorial Board Chairman and Mr Victor Omoregie, Corporate Affairs Manager of Vanguard Media.




What is wrong with nigerians,how can adeboye be called a living legend,what in God goes name has he ever done for nigeria apart from opening churches,what sacrfices has he made,how many hospitals/clinics has he built,how many times has he stood up and condemned nigeria politicians.Anyway poverty is a bitch,in a country were 70 percent living under a dollar,according to karl max,religion is d opium of d people.I WEEP 4 NIGERIA,I REALLY WEEP 4 NIGERIA,it is extremely tragic that when d average nigerians hears d title pastor or evangelist etc,he shoves his critical intelligence up his arse and stops thinkinG,D Bible says that my people suffer because of lack of knowledge.[/i][/b][/b]

Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Adamu Aliero have said those plotting against President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s second term in office will fail.
They both argued that Yar’Adua deserves a second term and that the President has performed satisfactorily.
The two PDP bigwigs spoke in separate interviews with THISDAY at the weekend in Dutse, Jigawa State and Abuja.
Yar’Adua’s first term ends on May 29, 2011.
While Aliero said the country’s constitution and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) make it “normal, legitimate and encouraging” for Yar’Adua to aspire for a second term, Lamido said the PDP was solidly behind the President.
Lamido who is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aliero, former governor of Kebbi State, spoke against the backdrop of THISDAY’s exclusive report last week of a plot by some Northern leaders to block Yar’Adua’s re-election in 2011 on account of his reported health challenges.
Those behind the plot include retired generals and some politicians from the North, with former Minister of Defence, Lawal Batagarawa, and former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba, as their foot soldiers.
The group allegedly aims at preventing Yar’Adua from clinching PDP’s presidential ticket but in the event of their failing to achieve this, they also allegedly plan to engineer a mass exodus of credible politicians and leaders away from PDP to another party platform with which they hope to defeat Yar’Adua at the poll in 2011.
But responding to the plot, Aliero dismissed it as inconsequential ranting of “political featherweights”.
The Jigawa governor condemned the reference to the President’s alleged health problems as immoral and indecent, contending that Yar’Adua is fit to continue to rule the country.
Lamido said: “The Nigerian constitution is very clear. It gives the incumbent the right to go for a second term. Our own party, the PDP, is solidly behind the President and therefore it is not for anybody outside the PDP to begin to think on behalf of or for PDP members. We will work very hard as a party. We will campaign vigorously. We know we are the only party that Nigerians can afford to trust. We know Nigerians cannot think of an alternative.
“The issue is that some persons and groups are afraid. There are 50 political parties in Nigeria and PDP is only one of them, yet they are afraid of PDP. PDP as a party has got its own programme, its own strategy and intelligence. We will campaign very vigorously and it is left to others to work by their action, not by asking us not to field anybody. So, Yar’Adua is a PDP member and the PDP has its own constitution. That constitution is very clear about your rights as the President and therefore we do not have any reason to answer to that kind of question because it is our own affair. It’s a PDP affair and we have not seen anything wrong with Yar’Adua’s style, his integrity, his commitment.”
On the reference to the President’s health challenges, Lamido said he was saddened by the fact that all the hues and cries about Yar’Adua are coming from the North.
According to him, “I’m more saddened and more disturbed that they are coming from his people in Katsina State. I’m equally worried about the vicious propaganda of some persons in the North who offered themselves as presidential materials but were rejected by Nigerians. The same people have found their way again to begin to take on Yar’Adua at personal level. It is simply indecent. It is immoral; it is evil. How do you expect our own brothers, our own kit and kin, our fellow Muslims, to find a pastime in perpetually picking on Yar’Adua, simply because they lack the moral standing he commands in the North?”
Lamido said those plotting against Yar’Adua were “simply fighting a lost battle” stressing that “they will end up with disgrace”.
Dismissing their arguments against Yar’Adua’s candidature as “the ranting of failure”, the governor said: “They are people, who are failures comprehensively, failures politically, failures morally, failures patriotically, failures in understanding the Nigerian dynamics. These are people who take things for granted and who are seeing Nigeria from their very narrow prism and it offers them a personal avenue for selfish attainments. I know them, all the characters involved. Mention them by names, go to their wards, their local governments and their states and find out what is their standing. They are nowhere.”
Commenting on allegations that Yar’Adua was slow and had failed to build on the foundations laid by his predecessor, Lamido hit back at the critics to take into consideration the type of transition the nation was going through.
He said part of President Yar’Adua’s burden was to ensure complete transition from a quasi to a full blown democracy.
“We transited from military rule to a democracy headed by a retired military man. So under Obasanjo’s administration there were still manifestations of some of those instincts of a military culture. Now, under Yar’Adua, the country is moving into an era of full blown civil democracy and that is why he has placed a lot of emphasis on rule of law, “he said, adding that Yar’Adua believes that democracy could only work under defined rules which the people believe in and upholds.
Said Lamido: “If you want this culture of doing things right to work out as a logical step forward from the para-civilian system under Obasanjo, that can only flourish under defined rules and regulations. What Yar’Adua is doing is to bring the country to equilibrium, to proceed as a strong country under law and order. So, Yar’Adua is doing wonderfully well. It is people who are simply so narrow in their outlook; who fail to relate and link up; people who fail to appreciate our background by looking at history; people who don’t consider the warped value system that we have been through for so long, that hold the notion that we are not doing well.”
The FCT Minister said the President is in a sound health for a second term. “Health is something that is in the hand of God. Today you may look healthy and tomorrow you may be sick. Few days ago I was sick and I couldn’t just stand up, suddenly here I am now. That is in the hands of God but I can assure you Yar’Adua is in a sound health to continue the leadership of this country. I meet with him regularly; I can say I see him more often than any other minister and from what I see he is sound and healthy and he can continue his second term.”
Aliero was the first politician to say categorically that the President would run for second term.
He denied that he was pushing Yar’Adua into contesting for a second term, saying rather that the President is as determined as anyone of them pointing out that in politics there is no compulsion.
Aliero gave reasons why some of them are backing the President’s ambition for a second term, saying “this is going to happen because we believe he is focused, he is honest and he is committed to moving Nigeria forward. Look at the electoral reform, never in the history of Nigeria have you got a leader who has come out to implement a reform that is credible, a reform that is transparent, a reform that is devoid of any selfish interest, a reform that has no hidden agenda whatsoever”.
He also praised the president’s approach to power problem pointing out that “Yar Adua is going to solve the power problem, all the mistakes of the past have been identified, solutions have been proposed; money has been gotten both from the Federal Government and from the states. What remains to be done is the implementation; the road map to getting out of the wood as far as the power problem is concerned is designed. We are simply following it and by the grace of Allah by the end of this year we would be able to generate 6000 mega watts. That will solve more than 60 per cent of our power problems’. Because of all these we are all solidly behind him, all the people that matter”.
Aliero said that the plot against Yar’Adua’s second term was being hatched by people trying to seek political relevance, but added that all those that matter politically in the North were solidly behind Yar’Adua’s bid to get second term.
He said: “I can assure you that the political leadership in the North is solidly behind President Yar’Adua and when the time comes we are all going to gather ourselves together to give him the necessary support to clinch the ticket.
“The political class in the North are unanimous in their support as far as President Yar’Adua is concerned and this would be demonstrated en masse when the time comes to enable him get a second term.”
The FCT Minister said that opposition is non-existent in the North and this was facilitated by his exit from the ANPP followed by some of his other colleagues, adding that the remaining elements in the North would soon follow suit.
According to him, “If you look at it generally where really is the opposition party in the North. If you talk of the North-west I come from the North-west, we killed the opposition in the North-west. I moved out of the ANPP, not only did I move but I also moved supporters and luckily my sister state governor, Mahmud Shinkafi, also joined. Politically, historically if you look at it, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara have always been in one direction right from independence up to the Second Republic when the entire zone was NPN and then third republic when the entire zone was also NRC. In this republic, the entire zone was ANPP and later PDP. Jigawa joined long time ago, the only state we have left is Kano and we will do our very best to get Kano.”
Aliero said: “We know those who are plotting against Yar’Adua. We are watching them. We know where and when they hold their meetings. We are monitoring them closely.”
The issue of second term for Yar’Adua left the rumour mill to the front burner last month when former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Anthony Anenih prayed at a public function attended by both Yar’Adua and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that God should grant President Yar’Adua good health to enable him complete his remaining two years and his second term.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=140138

Traffic in Lagos is horrible, it takes me three hours to get to work, i have to leave my house by 5am.
Now lagos is an island, the next logical step would be how to develop an efficient water transport system, it is very practical and cost effective, if i am working in Ikeja and leave in Ajah, i should be able to take a ferry from ajah to cms and then from cms to ikeja, there should be terminal in different parts of lagos, the ferries should be of good standard in order to attract the average nigerian.
Developing water transportation has to be the next logical step for the lagos traffic chaos, like i said LAGOS IS AN ISLAND,AN EFFICIENT WATER TRANSPORT SYSTEM WILL SOLVE D PROBLEM,lagos has a population of 18 million people, if ten person use the waterways,this will surely degongest lagos roads

NIGERIANS have been told to prepare for fuel price hike as the Federal Government has concluded plans to increase prices of petroleum products, including that of petrol by gradually removing the subsidies the products are currently enjoying.


This was made known by members of the nation’s Economic Management Team (EMT) in an interview with journalists in Lagos on Monday.


The team comprised prominent members of the Federal Executive Council such as the Minister of Finance, Shamsudeen Usman; that of National Planning, Senator Sanusi Daggash; the Minister of State for Petroleum, Odein Ajumogobia, and the Directors-General of the Debt Management Office (DMO) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), among others.


Ajumogobia, who stated that the move already had the blessing of President Umar Yar’Adua, said the planned hike was premised on the dual reasoning in government quarters that the subsidies on such products never get to the masses for whom they are meant, but rather ended up in the wrong pockets.


According to him, a subsidy of as much as N700 billion had so far been given on petroleum products by the government this year alone, despite this, the final consumer for whom the subsidy is meant still ends up paying the full price.


“Where then does the subsidy go? In whose pockets do they end?” Usman asked.


He stated that the second reason for the planned hike was the attempt to gradually make petroleum product pricing more competitive within the country so as to attract investment into the sector.


“Despite the huge demand and potential for petroleum products, most investors still shy away from putting their funds into building or running refineries simply because the products’ prices are non-competitive and do not make for lucrative business, thereby scaring investors from the ventures,” he stressed.


The team would, however, not disclose by what extent the subsidy would be removed or by what percentage petroleum prices would be hiked come January.


The team emphasised that it was not unaware of the emotive nature of petroleum products pricing in the country, and added that the Federal Government would graduate the subsidy removals and price increases to alleviate the sufferings of the masses.


“We are aware of the interface between fuel prices and the prices of other products and the Federal Government will put in place adequate measures to buffer the effects of the planned hike. We are also working with organised labour and the private sector to ensure that smooth arrangements are made on the issue,” Usman stated.


Ajumogobia added that the truth of the Nigerian petroleum situation is that “we will continue to import fuel for the next 45 years in significant quantities, and it is equally a myth that improved operations in the country’s refineries will reduce petroleum product prices. In fact, we do not expect the refineries to start operating in appreciable capacity in the near future.”


Speaking earlier, Usman had indicated that contrary to widely held opinion about the 2008 budget, it was actually being implemented and “about 77 per cent of capital votes in the approved budget has already been released to date.


“In spite of the fact that the National Assembly is yet to assent to the slightly lower budget proposal by the executive arm, the president is allowed by law to spend as much as was spent in the previous year’s budget.


“When the proposed budget of N2.567 trillion is eventually passed, as we believe it will be, it will commence being implemented with adjustments made in the last quarter of the year.”


He said that in order to get an early passage of the budget for 2009, presentations would be made to the National Assembly as early as October 2008 on it.


http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

Adedibu is a psycopath,a mad man,thank GOD HE IS DEAD,his was a clog in the wheel of democracy

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php/content/view/2980/55

FEDERATION ACCOUNT

How They Share N892bn in May 2008



From documents obtained by the Economic Confidential a total sum of N892bn was allocated to the tiers of government in May 2008. The amount released at the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja was the highest disbursement ever made in the history of federal allocation for any given month.



The Economic Confidential in a computed table (below) shows that huge disbursement came from accounts of Statutory and VAT, Excess Crude Proceeds and differential in the Excess Foreign Crude Proceeds (for 3month Jan-March2008) paid to federal, states (with their Local Government Councils) and two revenue generating agencies (Nigerian Customs Service and Federal Inland Revenue Service) . The reason for increase in the release from the excess crude may not be unconnected with agitations and pressure from governors who continue to declare that the Excess Crude Account is illegal.



From the jumbo package in May 2008, the highest recipients are mostly oil producing states of Rivers which received N42bn, Akwa Ibom N29bn, Delta N21bn,d Bayelsa N19bn and Ondo N12bn. The highest recipients from non-oil –producing states are Kano N15bn, Lagos N13bn, Oyo N11bn and Katsina N11bn.



The lowest recipients with less thanN7bn as is authoritatively revealed in this table by the Economic Confidential are Ekiti N6.5bn, Nasarawa N6.4bn, Gombe N6.3bn and Ebonyi N5.6bn. Economic Confidential can also confirm other disbursements in April 2008: Federal N331bn, FCT Councils N1.5bn. Though the revenue generating agencies could not benefit from the bonuses from the excess crude disbursement they nevertheless received the monthly statutory and VAT Allocation. Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) received N1.5bn and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) N2.16bn.



Please see the details:

S/N
Governments
Statutory/VAT

N513bn
Excess Crude Proceeds

N67.bn
Excess Crude Proceeds Differential Jan-March

N311
Total

1
Abia
4,080,925,298.31
731,774,531.26
3,359,136,662.27
8,171,836,491.84

2
Adamawa
4,277,024,176.78
750,627,048.04
3,445,677,225.74
8,473,328,450.56

3
Akwa Ibom
13,618,773,028.05
2,893,599,465.39
13,282,774,454.24
29,795,146,947.68

4
Anambra
4,278,193,805.86
752,065,271.43
3,452,279,244.16
8,482,538,321.45

5
Bauchi
4,864,247,116.87
871,208,198.82
3,999,192,751.45
9,734,648,067.14

6
Bayelsa
8,659,926,926.69
1,841,291,179.57
8,845,260,147.05
19,346,478,253.31

7
Benue
4,762,358,438.42
838,597,236.70
3,849,495,442.00
9,450,451,117.12

8
Borno
5,381,595,748.56
942,740,048.43
4,327,552,441.90
10,651,888,238.89

9
Cross River
4,257,036,808.80
848,171,238.90
3,893,443,926.71
8,998,651,974.41

10
Delta
9,853,012,504.85
2,011,844,721.96
9,235,168,860.91
21,100,026,087.72

11
Ebonyi
3,114,547,395.35
545.335,720.94
2,503,308,239.33
5,617,855,634.68

12
Edo
3,907,947,447.56
693,084,672.67
3,181,534,796.00
7,782,566,916.23

13
Ekiti
3,299,092,989.45
576,038,326.46
2,644,245,431.65
6,519,376,747.56

14
Enugu
3,880,220,047.47
662,421,307.20
3,040,777,731.16
7,583,419,085.83

15
Gombe
3,155,673,626.09
567,582,662.98
2,605,430,567.24
6,328,686,856.31

16
Imo
5,212,775,136.88
946,213,550.68
4,343,497,201.18
10,502,485,888.74

17
Jigawa
4,937,345,078.82
867,585,528.90
3,982,563,253.11
9,787,493,860.83

18
Kaduna
5,485,303,192.45
962,068,003.02
4,416275,454.34
10,863,646,649.81

19
Kano
7,879,567,875.76
1,371,359,467.11
6,295,086,350.10
15,546,013,692.97

20
Katsina
5,803,190,722.35
1022,320,850.59
4,692,860,031.47
11,518,371,604.41

21
Kebbi
4,120,706,446.68
744,831,466.75
3,419,073,198.47
8,284,611,111.90

22
Kogi
4,265,685,507.90
755,371,407.15
3,467,455,724.38
8,488,512,639.43

23
Kwara
3,631,934,898.61
641,083,878.80
2,942,830,433.26
7,215,849,210.67

24
Lagos
7,907,240,184.27
1,031,444,992.71
4,734,743,479.16
13,673,428,656.14



25
Nassarawa
3,289,104,732.96
566,028,399.24
2,598,295,877.43
6,453,429,009.63

26
Niger
5,027,962,762.82
906,988,534.76
4,163,438,749.53
10,098,390,047.11

27
Ogun
4,163,858,019.73
718,683,890.48
3,299,045,405.33
8,181,587,315.54

28
Ondo
6,086,088,012.62
1,189,141,952.53
5,458,635,356.58
12,733,865,321.73

29
Osun
4,314,901,043.88
775,707,709.78
3,560,807,456.15
8,651,416,209.81

30
Oyo
5,506,434,554.95
984,508,216.04
4,519,284,973.04
11,010,227,744.03

31
Plateau
3,902,413,675.85
696,057,140.29
3,195,179,606.68
7,793,650,422.82

32
Rivers
19,297,055,653.47
4,082,873,210.10
18,742,014,789.43
42,121,943,653.00

33
Sokoto
4,531,056,939.12
793,744,898.67
3,643,605,339.78
8,968,407,177.57

34
Taraba
4,040,573,102.30
698,722,465.81
3,207,414,512.79
7,946,710,080.90

35
Yobe
3,979,455,925.06
687,108,469.49
3,154,101,642.28
7,820,666,036.83

36
Zamfara
3,787,198,931.46
671,782,351.30
3,083,748,653.32
7,542,729,936.08

37
FCT-Abuja
953,119,654.54
108,345,291.58
497,348,056.81
1,558,813,002.93


State’s total
199,513,547,411.58
36,748,353,306.53
168,689,583,466.38
404,951,484,184.49

38
FGN
157,855,152,274.81
31,092,589,579.97
142,727,374,513.52
331,675,116,368.30

39
Customs
1,504,454,707.41
0.00
0.00
1,504,454,707.41

40
Transfer to Excess Crude
145,515,839,320.34
0.00
0.00
145,515,839,320.34

41
FIRS
2,166,235,577.82
0.00
0.00
2,166,235,577.82

42
Total deduction
6,448,422,261.12
0.00
0.00
6,448,422,261.12

43
GRAND TOTAL
513,003,651,553.08
67,840,942,886.50
311,416,957,979.90
892,261,552,419.48


This table was created and computed by the monthly Economic Confidential Magazine

I'm sorry but i think nigerians are very short-sighted and tend to forget the evils of our past leaders when there is a new one to hate. I bet in a few years, Yar'adua will be in vogue to hate in Nigeria.

But no matter what Nigerians should never forget the ills that the megalomaniac called Abacha did to us. How can these leaders come and say he was not corrupt. OK  so the billions of money that have been returned to nigeria from other countries where he stashed his loot (switzerland, Uk etc) have all been what, gifts?? a gesture of goodwill?? Please abacha was not only a thief, he was a bloody dictator as well. Can we not remember the important people he killed, ken saro-wiwa to name but one. Can we not remember how he forced all the parties in Nigeria to elect him as the presidential candidate to ensure that he will win the election (happily his plan did not come to fruition). On a personal level, a family friend of mine who owns a television station in nigeria, was called to aso rock and threatened for his refusal to run the election campaigns as instructed, on his way back from abuja his driver was killed in an ambush, luckily he had arrived early and taken a taxi home.

Mr Landis, abacha was a dictator and we suffered terribly under 5 years of his rule so the matter of saint does not come into this. OBJ was much better than him in terms of human rights, economic growth, due process  , and in almost every other area except provision of electricity. I leave the ex presidents for God to judge, especially IBB who in the past condemned abacha and now is praising him

AWidow of late General Sani Abacha, Mariam, has said she has forgiven former President Olusegun Obasanjo and all those who cast aspersion on the late head of state.
Speaking to journalists yesterday at the Gidado Road residence of late general, the former first lady said she had forgiven all those who still have one issue or the other with either her late husband or any member of the family.
She said even Obasanjo who trailed Abacha family members to a point of incarcerating her son and confiscating some of their property has also been forgiven adding that wished him well.
On life without her husband, she said that there was “nothing one can do as death is the final arbiter on any living thing either human or animal and at any given point of time” adding “death is certain and can come to anybody and by whatever means.”
On her pet programme “Family Support Programme” she said though subsequent first ladies must have their respective programmes however, she urged the present first lady to use her good office to better the lots of women and further implored her to adopt what she feels can assist her to achieve success from her previous initiatives of family support programme.
She said during her husband’s tenure she did a lot to alleviate of the sufferings of families in Nigeria, recalling her initiative of organising Nigerian women for the conference in Beijing, China.
On the 10th anniversary of the death of the former military ruler, Mariam said prayers will hold on Sunday which will witness the convergence of Islamic scholars to pray for the repose of his soul.

Rejects report on FCT budget

THE Senate yesterday rejected a motion of commendation to United States Senator Mr. Barrack Obama, the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party of the United States.

Also turned down yesterday was the report of the Senate Committee on Appropriation on the 2008 budget estimates for the Federal Capital Territory.

The motion to commend Senator Obama was proposed by an excited Senator Ayo Arise (PDP, Ekiti) who came by way of orders 42 and 52 of the Senate standing rules.

“I have approached the Senate President on the need to raise a motion to commend Obama on his victory as the first black person to score the nomination of a major party in America,” the Ekiti Senator said yesterday.

But once he got up, Senator Mark stopped him telling the whole chamber his own encounter with Senator Arise.
“He came to me and said he would like to say a word or two about Obama’s victory. The problem I have is that there’s no official nomination and Clinton hasn’t even conceded yet. Leader, what do you have to say?”

Responding to the prompting, the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin joined the Senate President in expressing caution.
“This Chamber should not be hasty. It’s not been confirmed yet. We should be careful in this matter.” The leader’s position was further supported by Senators Bukar Abba Ibrahim (ANPP, Yobe) and Jubril Aminu (PDP, Adamawa Central).

“I’m in support of the Leader’s observation that the endorsement hasn’t been made yet. Clinton hasn’t even conceded yet. We can just congratulate him,” Senator Ibrahim said.

Bringing his own counsel to bear, Senator Aminu said, “It’s good for Obama for one thing but I don’t like how efforts are being made to portray him as a racist. It wouldn’t serve him right for the largest Senate in black Africa to portray him in such light.

“We should also remember that the former US President, Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, were very friendly to Nigerian and Africa when they were in power.”

Upon the submissions, the Senate President ruled Senator Arise out of order and dismissed his motion.
In rejecting the report on the FCT 2008 budget presented by the Senate Committee on Appropriation the Senate in plenary noted what it described as discrepancies in the proposals presented by the Committee.

Of particular note was the observation by Senators that the revenue profile did not match the expenditure pattern presented by the Committee on Appropriation.

Senators were miffed that the Committee on Appropriation jerked the total expenditure to N73.9 billion from the N69.5 billion proposed by President Umaru Yar‘Adua.

The report was rejected and returned to the Senator Iyiola Omisore led Committee on Appropriation for further action.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

Adamawa

Governor – Murtala Nyako
Party – PDP
Sworn-in – April 28 2008
LGA - 21
Population – 2.8 million
Internally Generated Revenue N5,003,223,211,09
Federal Allocation: N31.7b

By the time the history of this political dispensation is written, Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State would go down as one of the governors who took oath of office twice in one year. This was consequent upon the nullification of his election by the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Jos last February. Even with this ironic fortune, the people of Adamawa re-elected him in a re-run election last month. This happened, not because the people liked his face, but because right from when he was first sworn in on May 29, 2007 the Nyako administration was able to show the people what governance should be.
Perhaps, what drives the governor to perform in his first year in office was because, he happened into a very buoyant economy. While other governors were busy complaining of empty treasuries, the in Adamawa was different.
Six months to the end of his predecessor, Boni Haruna, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the account of the state government. This denied the former governor access to state funds until he left on May 29, 2007. It was these allocations that the incoming administration of Nyako met to complete and execute his projects.
But perhaps, far more than any issue, is the attempt by the administration to reposition the state in terms of achieving the millennium development goals especially in the areas of health, education and social infrastructure. Nyako’s 2008 budget of over 43 billion naira, tagged "Budget of Definitive Hope", is essentially geared towards laying a solid foundation for the socio-economic take-off of the state. To ensure that this budget is fully implemented, and poverty wiped away, the governor has appointed 10,000 special assistants to monitor progress in their respective domains.

Potable Drinking Water
The criticism of the governor’s initial extra budgetry expenditures of N540 million to restore water supply to the Yola metropolis, Numan, Mubi, the commercial nerve centres of the state and Ganye, the ancestral home of Atiku, faded out as water begins to gush out of pipes after almost seven years. Before the new governor mounted the saddle, taps had stopped running in the state for more six years.

Roads Construction
For most people who have not visited Yola, the state capital, a pleasant surprise awaits them following the sudden and significant changes recorded in terms of township roads, especially with the return of two construction giants, Julius Berger and PW and their equipment of the long-neglected roads. In no time, the state started wearing a new look making people to know that the Boni Haruna government had actually failed them.
However, works have reached appreciable levels on the Mubi road-Gimba road, PZ Roundabout-Yola City Gate-Sangere Jimeta By-pass and GMMC road. Other road projects awarded include Kiri-Shelleng road, Maiha_fulbere-Zhedinyi-Pela road and Mubi-Digil-Mayobani road, all valued at over N7billion.

Health
Another important intervention came in the health sector. The situation inherited by the Nyako administration as far as the health is concerned was deplorable. Statistics made available to THISDAY show that out of every 100,000 live births, 1,500 casualties were recorded, making Adamawa State the worst in the North East in terms of maternal mortality. Drugs were more expensive in the public health system than outside while manpower required by the sector was grossly inadequate as a result of brain-drain resulting from poor remuneration. The Murtala Nyako administration promptly went into action toward turning things around for responsive and responsible health care delivery. Already pregnant women from day one to delivery as well as children under the age of five are enjoying free health care services. About 50,400 patients have so far benefited with over 1000 of this figure being surgical cases.
Similarly, the pandemic of polio which broke out in parts of Song local government which the government met upon assumption of office was promptly addressed and a mop-up campaign was effected. This was followed by a state-wide preventive campaign, so also was the third round of the immunization plus days covering the months of September to November. This campaign boosted the immune status of children under five. The coverage has jumped from 34% at the inception of this administration to 63 per cent in less than a year.
On the problem of inadequate medical equipment in the health sector, the current administration has signed a MoU with the World Medical Relief, Africa Partners- a non-governmental organisation for the supply of equipment worth N20.2billion.

Education
In its resolve to address the rot in the education sector and make it the pivot around which genuine development is realised, a total of seven science and technical colleagues in the state are to gulp N8.4 billion. Already tenders for construction of the schools have been advertised. This is because of the indispensability of science and technical education in the growth and development of a people and a nation.
Government has also released funds for the rehabilitation of senior secondary schools in the state to make them conducive for teaching and learning. The General Murtala Muhammad College (GMMC) and the Government Girls Secondary School Yola have been designed as premier colleges and money has been made available for their total overhaul. N2.5 billion has also been approved for the establishment of skills acquisition centres in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. The centres to be sited in Mubi, Yola and Mayo-Belwa will train teeming unemployed youths in various trades with a view to empowering them for self reliance. This is in addition to vocational training centres to be established in all local government areas for comprehensive skills acquisition in technology oriented fields. Added to all, the government has in the past few months released about N300 million for the purchase of science kits, textbooks as well as exercise book.

Agriculture
In the area of agriculture which the Nyako administration identified as a veritable weapon to fight poverty and jobs, strategies have been evolved toward ensuring food security. Already 22 new tractors have been acquired to address the shortage of agricultural implements in Adamawa while demonstration farms and agricultural consultancy units have been established in all local government areas to train farmers and provide consultancy services. N40.6 million was paid as counterpart contribution for community-based poverty eradication projects tagged Fadama II programme. Also, a new Ministry of Livestock and Nomadic Settlement was established to further underscore the importance attached to agricultural.

Scorecard: Average

Bauch
Governor - Mallam Isa Yuguda
Sworn-in April 29 2007
Party – ANPP
LGA – 20
Population:
Federal Allocation from May 2007 to April 2008--N35.1b
Internally Generated Revenue from May 2008 to April 2007-N1,560,636,938.69
Excess Crude from May 2007 to April 2008--N127,230,378,308.88
VAT from May 2007 to April 2008---N3,829,172,555.20

Bauchi State, created in 1976, is an agricultural state with 20 local government areas. The state is home to the popular Yankari national park, a choice destination for holidays, animals and nature lovers.
When Mallam Isa Yuguda, became Governor of Bauchi, he came with the lofty dream of pursuing a five point agenda, which at swearing in he promised his administration will tackle. They include human development, water supply, health, agriculture and rural electrification.

Human Development
This is perhaps the most visible area of Mallam Isa Yuguda’s achievement in the last twelve months. He is said to have met a high unemployment rate in the state. About 60% of the population is unemployed youths and he is said to have largely concentrated his efforts in giving them a means of livelihood. His predecessor, Alhaji Muazu is credited with transforming the aesthetic looks of the state, like the wide modern roads and beautiful structures that dot the metropolis.
This is indeed a legacy that Mallam Yuguda is building upon as he works on the human side that his predecessor is alleged to have neglected. The government is planning to secure a N1 billion loan facility to construct 1,000 housing units for civil servants. He has also bought 1,000 cars for workers. This is to be accessed via a loan of N1million naira each. The administration has also increased the salaries of 20,000 workers in the state and paid N600 million pension arrears. It has approved the recruitment of 50,000 youths as cleaners in the state.

Agriculture
Agriculture is the main stay of Bauchi’s economy and the Yuguda administration has mechanised farming in the state by giving the farmers agricultural subsidies. The government acquired 150 new tractors for the farmers and renovated 45 others. It purchased and distributed 35,000 metric tones of fertilizer for sale at 50 percent subsidy. It released N150 million for the Sassakawa project to train 5,000 farmers on modern techniques and 2000 youths for the Sassakawa global project.
Government partnered in a joint venture with the Federal Government to irrigate 120,000 hectares of land to produce one million tons of sugar annually and ethanol for fuel in the bid to provide one million jobs annually. It made available 400million for purchase of more tractors to improve farming in the state. The administration has purchased grains and 1000 units of irrigation pumps for farmers. It released N1 billion for purchase of excess grains to beef-up strategic grains reserves in the state.
.
Roads
Yuguda’s predecessor, Alhaji Muazu left a very good legacy in the area of roads. Bauchi has beautiful roads with interlocked pavements and walkways that give it its cosmopolitan look, all put in place by the preceding government. The Yuguda administration is adding to this legacy by constructing three major roads that will link rural areas that successive governments had ignored because of its treacherous terrain at 1.85 billion for the construction of the Azare –isawa Giade road, at 5.388 billion and the Ningi Burra road at 3.072 billion for the Alkaleri Fiuilk road.

Health
In the past one year, the new state government is said to have constructed four new general hospitals. They were said to have been closed down because of grave concerns. One of the hospitals, Tafawa Balewa hospital, a 144 bed state of the art hospital was built at a cost of 586 million. Three others were built at between 489 million to 577 million. The Governor also plans to build a new General Hospital in each local government area before the end of his tenure. The administration has also bought generating sets and erected boreholes in the hospitals it found aground. An indication of his human development drive is making healthcare delivery free for pregnant women and children from one to five years. The infant mortality rate was said to be in the region of 140/1000, child mortality 260/1000 and maternal mortality 1549/100.000 in the state. In a bid to ensure optimum healthcare in the state, the Yuguda administration has created four new agencies to ensure efficient healthcare delivery in the state. The administration has signed a malaria booster agreement worth $9.75 million dollars.

Water Supply
Government purchased 2MB electrical transformers for 80million naira to boost water supply in the state. It also bought 1500KVA generators to boost water supply at Gubi Dam to aid steady water supply. The Yuguda administration is reactivating the GRA Yelwa water system for 70 million and has secured approval for the construction of an Earth Dam that will ensure uninterrupted water supply.

Rural Electrification
The Yuguda administration has commissioned one rural electrification project that will connect nine local government areas in the northern part of the state at a cost of N250 million. The administration is also said to have bought transformers to electrify the rural areas across the 20 local government areas at an undisclosed amount.

Education
Budgetary allocation from the state government is said to have increased from N2.6 billion to N6.5 billion to tackle the decay in education. The Government is also said to have released 180 million naira quarterly as feeding money to boarding schools in the state. It renovated several schools - primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across all the 20 local government areas of the state at the cost of N3 billion. Government awarded scholarship to 20 students to study engineering in the United states and 45 other in different institutions across Asia and Europe. Yuguda has also sunk boreholes with overhead tanks in all the schools in the state.

Security
The Yuguda administration has been able to combat the menace of youth-like cult groups in the state known as the sara suka. They were a feared bunch of youths who used to attack people at will and forment trouble in the state. Yuguda is said to have created a Spider web security outfit to run them out of the state and curtail their menace. The state administration also procured 25 new Toyota Hillux cabin pick up vans. Now incidences of violence on innocent citizens, going about their legitimate businesses has been curtailed.

Challenges
The most pressing issue faced by the state was said to be the inherited debt profile of 22 billion. 6-7 billion were bank debts from the previous administration that needed immediate payment. The state reached an agreement with the banks to give it a favorable repayment schedule.
The other problem was a problem of water, which the state government is tackling through the installation of transformers, generators etc
The demand for water in the state is high because of its agricultural activity. Present efforts have led to the activation of the old pumping facility which is now said to pump about 2.4 million gallons.

Scorecard: Average

Imo

Governor: Ikedi Ohakim
Sworn-in: May 29th 2007
LGAs: NA
Population: NA
IGR from May 2007- April 2008 : N3.5bn
Value Added Tax (VAT): N4,261,564,098 4.9
Excess Crude 7,214,523,285,4.3
Federal Allocation: N39.7b
TOTAL : N52.8billion

Things appear to be working in Imo State. A visit to many parts of the capital, Owerri, confirms this. So does a chat with most people. No, it is not our run-of-the-mill El Dorado, but it is widely agreed that the Governor Ohakim administration appears to have hit the bull’s eye with its approach to governance.
This seems to have given dynamism a new definition. Critics are wary of being too loud because of the weight of the government’s accomplishments, although there still are some reservations.
As at Wednesday, work was going on at a frenetic pace, though the increased tempo might have been for the celebration of the first anniversary of the government. In keeping with the administration’s slogan, Clean and Green, the roads, many of which are in good condition, are spick and span. There is some reasonable level of order, although critics would say the rampant cases of kidnappings, of recent, appear to rubbish this.
However, with the restriction of commercial motorcyclists from certain roads, the sanitisation of the traffic situation is all but obvious.
Of course, the major attainment of the Ohakim government is in the area of road constructuction and rehabilitation.
In all, over 200km of road-works are ongoing. Among them are the 14.8KM Shoe Industry-Amulu-Mbieri road being constructed by Solid Foundation for N1,099,519,575.00; dualisation of the 4.6KM Owerri-Orlu road by Zerock (Nig.) Ltd. For N920,118,761.10; the 7.4KM Okwelle Ezike-Umuduru road which Amico (Nig.) Ltd. is constructing at a cost of N465,745,156.80. In all, there are 33 of such road projects.
And considering that roads had been the number one problem often complained of by this highly nomadic group of citizens, this is indeed a great feat in just one year.
Indeed, an apparently overwhelmed NLC chairman for Imo State, Comrade Isidore Okpara, told THISDAY: “This is one governor that has made a great difference. This time eight years ago, the governor could not understand governance, but this governor is impacting the citizens positively.”
Pointing specifically at the access roads within the Owerri metropolis, he said: “This is the first time we are seeing a difference in our lives following the positive impact Gov. Ikedia Ohakim has made.” The labour leader disclosed that the “workers-friendly” governor had approved in principle the payment of the 15 per cent salary increment which had been a contentious issue with many state governments and some Federal Government agencies. In addition, he said, Ohakim has approved the contributory pension, which was passed on Tuesday by the legislature. He also said the governor had reduced the backlog of unpaid pension considerably.
Opara also commended the Clean and Green initiative which he said has brought befitting beauty to Owerri, the state capital and other urban centres. For these and more, he scored the government 70 per cent. Asked if other workers would share the same opinion, he said his was a modest score and that the likelihood was that other union leaders would individually score the administration higher. This was not far-fetched as the governor’s footprints were virtually everywhere.

Media
The State Government awarded a N766.325 million contract to acquire new transmitters for the radio and television services of Imo Broadcasting Corporation while it gave a N15 million lifeline to Imo Newspapers to refurbish some printing machines, among others, under the Ministry of Information and Strategy, such as the redesigning of the state website and the creation of a new ICT department.

Transport
In transport, the government launched Imo Transport Services comprising taxis and buses; launched a joint security team equipped with vans and communication gadgets; Installation of solar-powered street lights and repairing existing street lights as well as providing standby generators for these lights.

Education
One hundred model primary schools were built in all local government areas of the state; Owerri Main Market was fumigated; Owerri master plan is being restored along with monthly sanitation exercises; e-government has been initiated while Michael Okpara College of Agriculture has been upgraded to a polytechnic.

Utilities
Water schemes have been revived; police formations in the local government areas have been provided with state-of-the-art communication equipment while outstanding gratuities owed from 1982 – 1996 are being paid by this administration. Another feat of the government is the creation of Imo Job Centres; tractors have been procured for mechanized farming; Okigwe regional water scheme was rehabilitated and commissioned; Imo Wonder Lake Resort and Conference Centre was initiated; and facilities at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport were upgraded with night landing aids while its surroundings have been beautified together with the approach from Aba-Owerri road.

Also upgraded was the protocol lounge of the airport with a conveyor belt provided for the airport, which also got a 500KVA generator. Thirty-three transformers were energised in the 27 LGAs.

Health
Five thousand patients benefited from the free medical services offered by the Ministry of Health. Two thousand, three and seventy four patients were treated for Acute Gastro-enteritis in six Local Governments.
One hundred and eighty Village Health Workers and 156 ward Development Committee members were trained on integrated management of childhood illnesses. More than 80% routine immunization coverage was achieved. The State also treated over 500 tuberculosis and 29 leprosy patients. Sixty million naira micro-credit loans were disbursed to Imo indigenes in collaboration with Oceanic Bank and NAPEP. Finally, the governor has laid the foundation of a new Government House.
All these in a day’s job, as it were, there is little wonder that there is hardly anyone who does not acknowledge these tremendous accomplishments in just one year.
Except manufacturers who, perhaps, see Gov. Ohakim as “anti-industry”. As far as they are concerned, in all of his glory, the governor has done nothing to indicate he has availed his mind to the industrialisation of the State.
According to the State chairman of manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Udemba Jacob, the industrial layout in Owerri has been abandoned for so long that it has been overgrown by weeds, and that the invitation extended to the governor to attend its Annual General Meeting where the industry’s problems in the state were articulated went unheeded.
Essentially, he thinks the governor did not provide enough infrastructure for manufacturers to rev up the industrial sector, a very valid observation. Another shortcoming is that there are still potholes in a number of roads and rubbish is still evident in a number of places such as Relief Market. As at Thursday evening though, workers were still frantically working the clear the drains both manually and mechanically, with most of the drains looking free of impediments so much so that with the heavy rain witnessed on Wednesday morning in Owerri, no flood was recorded.
Imo is relatively clean although not yet completely green. But the administration is certainly on the right track and only needs to pay greater attention to industrial development of the state that will create jobs faster than anything he has done so far. That way, the incidence of kidnapping, which is giving him and the rest of the denizens of the state sleepless nights, will either disappear or reduce drastically. For a short spell of one year, it is not possible to do everything there is to do. Judging by what’s on ground and the mood of the people, Ohakim is certainly on track.

Scorecard: Above Average

Plateau

Governor: Jonah David Jang
Party: PDP
Sworn-in: 29th May 2007
LGA : 17
Population: 3.2million
Federal Allocation: N30.8b

Plateau State faces many challenges. Located in the North-Central zone of Nigeria, it enjoys a few comparative advantages in the areas of agriculture and mineral resources. With a history of ethnic and religious violence, the State strives to adopt best practices in good governance to ensure service delivery to the citizens.
Still reeling from a N1.1bn Ecological Fund diversion corruption scandal which occurred between the previous administration led by Reverend Joshua Dariye and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a regressive State of Emergency period, mountains of filth and huge default in counterpart funding, many would have given Plateau State little hope of survival, let alone deliver the necessary dividends of democracy. But things seem to be far from expectant public innuendo.
However, the story appears to be uplifting given the gradual but effective steps taken by the current administration led by Air Commodore Jonah Jang (rtd), who has declared his own state of emergency on the education and sanitation sectors, and proffered a 10-point agenda to lift a state, rich in tourist spots, out of the doldrums. The State’s ten-point agenda, which is based on laying a solid foundation for sustainable poverty reduction, wealth creation and stable democratic governance structures, include sustainable peace and security; governance and administrative reforms; education and human resource development; improved taxes and finances; agricultural, among others.

Allocations-Budget Outlay
According to statistics from various relevant Ministries in the State, the current administration met a partly-implemented budget of N35.4 billion in May 2007, being N23.7bn for recurrent expenditure and N11.6bn for capital expenditure. Also, for the period between May 2007 - Jan 2008 the revenue breakdown was: Statutory Allocations/VAT/ Excess Crude N19,436,757,560.20 Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) N1,401,990,368.79 Total N20,838,747,928.99 Inherited debt: N72 billion However, for 2008, the overall budget of Plateau State, which has 14 Ministries under the State Government, was N63 billion, comprising N25.6bn as recurrent expenditure (41 per cent of total budget), and N37.3bn as capital expenditure (59 per cent of budget).

Short-term Achievements
Civil Service reform (in process) N150 million saved monthly from ghost workers Road rehabilitation within Jos metropolis: over 70 km
Over 1,000 women (mainly widows) recruited for sanitation and refuse clearing in Jos. Due Process mechanism instituted with about N6 billion saved15 fully-equipped Hillux vehicles purchased and handed over to security agencies for peace and security.
Medium-term Plans Construction of 2 major roads in each of 17 Local Govt Areas in Plateau State Construction of a 5km road in each LG headquarters Planting of 1 million trees in Jos for beautification and wind breaks 17 borehole drilling machines to be bought and supplied each LGA Specialist Hospital to be sited in each of 3 Senatorial Districts of the State Resolution of labour dispute on per cent increase in worker allowances

Priority Focus Education:
Budget = 2.49 billion
No of Pry Schools = 2,498
No of pupils = 821,027 (Male: 422,530, Female: 398,492)
Post Pry-Schools = 542 public, private 247 (147,737 students overall)
Teachers = 21,743 (male 13,360; female 8,383)
No of classrooms = 10,667
Adult Education Centres = 711 (with 14,360 students)

Environment:
Budget: N843.8 billion
Drainage channels and gutters constructed in Jos to check flooding
Over 70 km of roads rehabilitated within Jos metropolis
N6 million spent on procurement and installation of 1,000 side-walk refuse bins to improve sanitation in Jos
Efforts are on to check illegal open-pit mining practice.
N50 million spent on relief assistance to windstorm and rainstorm victims in Kyarang-Dawang, B/Ladi LGA and rain storm in southern Plateau.
Purchase of water tankers to water township plants and improve environment.

Administration & Security:
Ongoing efforts at resolving labour disputes over allowances increment Prompt payment of salaries (25th of every month)
Purchase of Hillux pick-up vehicles to enhance security of lives
Inclusion of 80 per cent of previously ignored pensioners

Poverty Reduction Efforts
The best effort of the current administration regarding poverty alleviation has been the payment of pensions and gratuity of retired workers, which has helped to lift many families out of poverty and boost their self-esteem. Also the recruitment of the 1,000 women to clean the streets of the State capital has helped to improve the livelihood of several families in Plateau State.

Major Challenge
According to THISDAY findings, the main challenge facing the Plateau State Government is the need for quick resolution of the labour dispute. Although the recent third workers strike over increment in percentage of allowances is currently suspended, there is an uneasy calm. This, concerned observers fear, may disrupt the desired rapid growth of the State’s economy, if the issue is not promptly resolved. There are various versions to the face-off. One version states that the State is prepared to pay the 15 per cent increase in salary on basic wages only, a move the labour union wants extended to other forms of remuneration including allowances. Another version states that the 15 per cent issue has been resolved by both the State officials and labour leaders, with the issue of payment of increment on allowances yet to be resolved.
The source disclosed that while the previous administration agreed to pay 20 per cent increase in allowances to workers, the workers are asking for 40 per cent increase from the current administration. To agree, the State Government is saying it has to streamline its work force, which is the reason for the current stand-off. THISDAY also gathered from official sources that the State Head of Service, Dr. Mamzhi had to be replaced at the negotiation table by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Bukar Bello, to ensure speedy resolution of the negotiation process.
Jang: Governance with Dispatch Air Commodore Jang (rtd.), who was formerly the Governor of Benue and then Gongola States, may appear benign in appearance and curt in his decision-making, but objective stakeholders told THISDAY that the ex-military leader and businessman cannot be faulted on two issues; his dogged commitment to good governance and dislike of official corruption. The 64 year old retired-Airforce officer was also accused of allegedly ignoring the people and sometimes the Legislature in policy formulation processes; and as being autocratic in his stance. But his commitment to developing Plateau was not in doubt; a trait buttressed by his victories at the Plateau State Election Petition Tribunal and the upper Court of Appeal. Given his agenda for rebuilding a previously unpopular State, and his strict adherence to the Rule of Law and implementation of budget provisions, many are of the opinion that he should be allowed to lift Plateau State to a higher level in terms of good governance and service delivery.

Scorecard: Average

Men of the Kaduna State Police Command have arrested 50 youths for allegedly lynching one Kingsley Onu over the alleged disappearance of the manhood of 25-year-old Israel Seth at Jagindi-Tasha, Kafanchan, Kaduna State.

The suspects also allegedly attacked and burnt down a police station in the area before they set ablaze the late Onu’s shop and personal belongings estimated at about N5m.

Parading the suspects before newsmen on Tuesday, the Deputy Commissioner of Police at the command, Mr. Adams Audu, said that the young men, armed with dangerous weapons and led by Seth, invaded the police station where the late Onu was being detained over the matter, forcefully removed him from the cell, killed him, burnt his body to ashes and subsequently set the police station ablaze.

Audu said that the arrested youths had confessed to taking part in the lynching of the suspect and the burning of the police station in the area.

Audu said, “On 19th May, 2008 at about 1600hrs, intelligence report at our disposal revealed that some youths numbering about 50 jointly attacked and attempted to mob one Kingsley Onu, aged 25 years old, for allegedly causing the disappearance of one Israel Seth’s manhood at Jagindi-Tasha, Kafanchan area.

“On receipt of the report, policemen in the area acted swiftly and rescued the suspect. While in police custody and during interrogation, one Israel Seth mobilised youths of the area with dangerous weapons and invaded the police outstation.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200805282135325

Embattled Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, wife of the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, will be spending her fourth day in prison today following the failure of her lawyers to secure a surety to fulfill one of the conditions for her bail.


Mrs. Ibori was arraigned on Monday in a Westminster magistrate court, London, on a four-count charge of money laundering under the British Acts and was granted bail on Tuesday by the same court, but under what was termed stringent condition by her husband.


According to an agency report monitored on Friday, Mrs. Ibori remained in prison at the all-female Holloway Prison in the Borough of Islington as she waited to fulfill the conditions specified in her bail.


An online news agency, Saharareporters, reported yesterday that the former governor’s friends in London were scared that the Metropolitan Police might investigate their finances should they step forward to bail his embattled wife out of prison.


“A source with the Crown Prosecution Service told Saharareporters that Mrs. Ibori’s stiff bail conditions owed to her status as a “flight risk” as well as her prior conviction in 1992 by a UK magistrate court for stealing and dishonesty,” it reported.


A Westminster Magistrate court judge had on Tuesday, granted Mrs. Ibori bail at 250,000 pounds. Her Nigerian Passport was also to be deposited with the court. These conditions were yet to be met by 3 pm on Friday.


Although, she was yet to satisfy the bail condition as at press time yesterday, this will make her to be spending the fourth night inside prison while her lawyers search for a surety for her.


A statement released last Tuesday by Mr. Tony Eluemunor, Chief James Ibori’s Media aide, not only confirmed the efforts to satisfy the bail conditions, but protested the stiff conditions attached to it.

It gave an indication that Ibori might appeal against the decision of the court to seize Nkoyo’s Nigerian passport.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

The Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly (LRA), Pastor Tunde Bakare has urged Nigerians to remain prayerful for President Umaru Yar’Adua so that his health may not fail completely.

In an interview with Daily Sun in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Bakare said such an ugly development would create a constitutional crisis for the country as forces around power would not let the vice president step into his shoes.

“Mark my words, Nigeria is at the verge of constitutional crisis. Currently, President Yar’Adua’s health is not in good shape. If we are not prayerful and God does not intervene, if the unthinkable happens, there will be crisis because the forces around power will not let the vice president step into his shoes. Quote me. If they inaugurate him in the morning, he will be out in the evening. It will be that quick. That’s the challenge we are facing now. I pray God restores Yar’Adua’s health.”

Asked to assess the president in the past one year, Bakare said: “Let me tell you for the first time in my life and in the history of this nation, President Yar’Adua is the first I called my president in public. In the days of military rule, I have been trying in my own little way to see a better Nigeria.
“I am not a blind patriot, neither am I partisan in my comment. All I have seen happen in the past one year is like we had a drunk driver before, who put the drive forward. And here comes Yar’Adua who puts it in reverse gear for the past one year to reverse the excesses of the past administration. What I have seen is one step forward, two steps backward. We are not moving forward.

“The reckless and ridiculous election conducted by Obasanjo produced a more or less incapacitated president whose hands are tied because of what looks like a stolen mandate. Both the man who steals and who receives are guilty under the law. I don’t overlook all the excesses. Yet, I call him my president because of his humility and approach to power. He is not behaving like a drunk driver that we had before him. I pray God restores his health.”

On why he always attacked former president, Olusegun Obasanjo despite that he hails from the same town with him, Bakare said: “I am not a politician, but that does not mean that I’m apolitical. I know what I am called to do. I still believe that in my own time, I will see a new Nigeria arise.”
The fiery pastor described as national shame the proposed importation of rice and other grains into the country to check the food crisis by the Federal Government.

Bakare said: “Isn’t that a shame? It might be a temporary solution, but definitely not a permanent one. For every society, where there will a predictable progress, there must be noticeable pillars which include the founders of such a nation, the freedom fighters and the prophetic ones who speak as God directs. So, tyrants fear them because they are men anointed by God to bring order to the society. But if the vision and mission of a nation is not followed, God will raise another leader.”
The cleric who said Nigeria had misplaced her priority asked: “When there was no oil, did we import food? When we had groundnut pyramid in the North, cocoa in the West, palm kernel in the East and parts of the Mid West, we did not import food.”

He recalled how he met an Israeli who prayed him to give him 500 hectares of land in Makurdi alone and boasted that he would feed the whole country. “It is a big and national shame for our leaders. Malaysia which came to pick our oil palm seeds is now the world biggest exporter of palm oil, making more than what we make from oil.

The airport in Malaysia is 10 times the Murtala Muhammed Airport, yet they came to pick their source of power from our soil. We have misplaced our priority. Should agricultural emphasis of this country be private as we have now? Should that not be an agenda of the government? Can’t we use the strength of our youths that are being wasted?”
Bakare also canvassed deployment of members of the National Youths Service Corps for large scale mechanized farming. “To me, importation of food is a temporary thing; it can’t solve the food problems of this country.

“I hope the country is not drifting towards the 1970s when we imported all kinds of things into our country including canned beer. I hope it will not be a repeat history of what happened during the late General Murtala Muhammed regime.
“A nation that can’t feed her people will remain slave to those which can feed them. The difference between a politician and a statesman is that the latter thinks of future generation while politicians only think of next election.”




http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

David pls be quiet,do not potray ur ignorance in d open,it is simply a business idea,it might not make sense to you,but i am sure it makes to others,it is simply an avenue for adults 16 and above to have fun and chill

dude i think it is fantastic idea,it is actually overdue in nigeria,it is a potential money earner if it is marketed properly,dot 4get nigerian like anything foreign,as kids we use to play with toy guns and stuff,i really like d idea,i am currently studying in london but goin to naij in september 4 youth corp,dat is something i wud luv to look ino,i can see d possibities,anyway if u are serious email me aa160@le.ac.uk.lets put heads together, i really see it working, d only problem is going to be funding, but what is necessary is simply an idea and the rest will follow,like i said if u are serious email me and lets brainstorm,i really think it is possible,there are 36 states in nigeria,imagine having dis in 36 states in nigeria,nigeria is a virgin land waiting to be exploited, d possibilities are endless,have faith and do not allow anybody to knock u down, i am an upcoming enterpreneur,nigeria is full of promise if u can manage ur idea properly,getting paints and stuff in naija is cheap,d only problem is going to be d land to use 4 the business,pls email me lets brainstorm and put ideas together.CHINA WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY, IT IS HIGH TIME NIGERIANS START TAKING CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DESTINY AND STOP WAITING 4 GOVERNMENT.
Pls email me, i might even go to naij and implement d idea,get in touch, to heads are better than one.

PORTSMOUTH, England -- FA Cup winners Portsmouth are planning a game against English league champions Manchester United in Nigeria during preparations for next season


Portsmouth manager Redknapp is looking forward to his summer holidays.

Dates for the fixture have yet to be finalized but manager Harry Redknapp said: "Apparently they want us out there and the thinking was that if it is good for Manchester United then it's certainly good for us."

The game would provide a chance for two Nigerians to appear in their homeland --Nwankwo Kanu, who scored the Cup final winner against Cardiff at Wembley on Saturday -- and John Utaka, whose cross set up the goal.

Redknapp, whose squad was cheered by an estimated 200,000 fans on an open-top bus tour of Portsmouth, said: "After Nigeria we come back and play United again at Wembley in the Community Shield and we're looking forward to that, but personally my only plan is for a holiday with my wife.

"I don't think I'll be going to the European Championship this time but there are some interesting matches and maybe I'll take in one or two."

Fans lined the streets five or six deep in places to greet their returning heroes after Portsmouth's first FA Cup triumph for 69 years.

The players, staff and families and the Cup were paraded on three open-top buses that passed through the

At least 43 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in a road accident in the north of the country, according to the Nigerian military.

The soldiers were in a convoy of vehicles travelling to their base when one of the vehicles collided with an oncoming petrol tanker in Yobe state.

An army spokesman said others were injured and receiving treatment.

One report said the soldiers had just returned from a peacekeeping mission in the Sudanese region of Darfur.

Sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission Emmanuel Okeke said poor visibility was responsible for the crash.

"The two vehicles crashed and there was a fire, the people inside were burned. Both drivers also died," he said.

The petrol tanker was empty, he said.

Fatal accidents are common on Nigeria's roads.

Thousands of people die every year as a result of poor roads, dangerous driving, and vehicles that are unsafe to drive.

Fires after accidents are also common because bus drivers frequently carry jerry cans of fuel if they think petrol may be more expensive by the roadside.

rubbish

I agree we should also boycott south african airways,since we are in the season of boycotting, we should tell fifa that as nigeria is the giat of africa and african football,d world cup should not be held in south africa,or else nigeria would boycott the world cup.
yes also we should organise a protest to the south african embassy,dey cannot treat a nigerian like a scape goat, we should also take out plea to the united nations, dey must boycot south africa or else nigeria would boycott the un, we are the giant of africa,we have oil and gas, d world needs us,infact let us boycott everybody that offends us.
SOLIDARITY
SOLIDARITY
SOLIDARITY

N.B NIGERIA WOULD BE SEEN TO BE RACIST IF WE LET DIS ONE LIE,IF WE CAN CALL 4 A BOYCOTT OF BA, THEN WE SHOULD CALL FOR A BOYCOTT OF ALL SOUTH AFRICAN GOODS

BASTARDS


‘Trip is for parliamentary improvement’

The House of Representatives has defended the numerous travels of the Speaker, Hon. Dimeji Bankole who just returned from the United Kingdom a few days ago, saying he is seeking parliamentary improvement.

According to the Chairman of House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Eziuche Ubani, who spoke with reporters at the weekend, the need to build the capacity of the legislators is solely responsible for the incessant travels of the House Speaker.

Eziuche said: "Ther is problem in several parliaments in Nigeria and that is the rate of returns. 80 per cent of the members are now new from their constituencies, and apart from the orientation programmes we had before we were sworn in, or thereabout, not so much has been done in terms of enhancing the capacities of members to be able to do the work. So, what the Speaker has been doing is to get the resources required to bring the members, committees and support staff up to date in terms of what they need to do is enormous.

"Therefore, the Speaker went on some kind of shopping. Shopping in the sense of going to the Parliament of the United Kingdom , he also went to the Westminster Endowment Foundation for Democracy. He went to the Department of International Development of the British Government (DFID). DFID has been involved in founding governance successes in Nigeria here, whether in the states or National Assembly. So, the Speaker went and told them about the problems that we have. That problem is the problem of capacity and knowledge and improving the skills of members in doing their work."

Eziuche said the House got assurances that they would now get direct intervention from these organizations as they had been operating through NGOs previously. He said the Speaker also visited the National Audit office of Britain, which according to him, is equivalent to the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

He said it was impossible to talk about oversight, accountability and transparency unless the office of the Auditor -General is allowed to do its work under the Constitution.

"The other side of this is the Public Accounts Committee of the House. Most of these problems we have with monies appropriated and how finances are used, if we have a well-developed and well-funded public accounts committee that has capacity, some of these offences would have been detected before they weree committed."

Eziuche said reports that were supposed to come from the Auditor-General’s office to the parliament never come, and that since the British Constitution says that the Auditor-General’s office should report to parliament, there were some aspects that could be learnt from them by the Nigerian Parliament.

He said the investigations being carried out by the House is very popular abroad and that the outside world would love to see an outfit like the EFCC run without political interference, and other ministries and departments get very active in terms of programmes.

Eziuche said that it was imperative to have a continuous capacity building programme in place as the House does not have control over if a lawmaker trained by the parliament would be returned by his or her political party or constituency.

"Whether anybody gets back here does not depend on parliament. So, something needs to be in place so that whoever comes in can walk into some kind of template that has already been designed and agreed on.

According to the Lawmaker, the process is an on-going one, as the visits may extend to the United States and India in due course because there are some agencies that are far beyond the UK that are critical to this - we have the NDI and the RII in the US.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html