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 Politics › Re: 10 Most Powerful Militaries In Africa by explorer250(m): 2:02am On Oct 22, 2014 |
Giftedgreen:This is trash. Nigeria spends nothing less than $4bn in her defence budget. How can they put the labour force of Nigeria at 130,000 when nigeria has a labour force of over 100,000,000. Pls i dnt think that the list is genuine. Ethopia spends very little with less labour force than naija yet the still rank higber than us. Or are they well trained than our soldiers that has accomplished numerous oustanding victories at the african and international peacekeeping mission?. Nigeria should at least rank 2nd on the list. *smells something fishy in thread* |
| Politics › Re: Please What Has Our President Actually Done Wrong(a Must Read 4 Nigerians) by explorer250(op): 11:14pm On Oct 21, 2014 |
IdiAmin1:lolz. i know that you think that i am an internet warrior.But i am not. I only want to tell we nigerians the truth nothing else. 7 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Please What Has Our President Actually Done Wrong(a Must Read 4 Nigerians) by explorer250(op): 11:11pm On Oct 21, 2014*. Modified: 2:37pm On Oct 22, 2014 |
please i want to know the sins of jonthan,if there is any,from my fellow nigerians. We would observe that none of these APC warriors post in this thread simply because everything i just said is true! Watch out and see 2 Likes |
| Politics › Please What Has Our President Actually Done Wrong(a Must Read 4 Nigerians) by explorer250(op): 10:56pm On Oct 21, 2014*. Modified: 1:30am On Oct 22, 2014 |
Jonathan this,jonathan that. WHAT IS IT THAT JONATHAN HAS ACTUALLY DONE WRONG? Why are we nigerians filled with much hate for our dear president? Jonathan is the best president so far since the independence of Nigeria. Among all the heads of states and presidents that ruled nigeria so far, who among them can compete against jonathan in times infrastructure,power,food security,transparency,good governance and all other sectors of the economy?. Do we know that Nigeria cleared its debt from the world bank during jonathan administration?, do we know that power is more steady in Nigeria during his administration?, do we know that the price of petroleum products was most stable in jonathans administration compared to the previous one?, do we know that nigeria became the largest economy in africa during jonathans administration?, do we know that we recorded so many victories in our sports uner Gej administration?. The things mr president has done for this country is unspeakable. If we say that jonathan is corrupt, then he would be a saint with respect to previous administrations. During obj administration there was a hike in the prices of petroleum products, the economy was in shambles, the naira kept loosing its value etc. But despite these facts no one opposed or lambasted him as many is doing to Gej. Simply because he was kept there by the north. Nigeria was in total darkness and debts during previous administrations but there was an improvement during Gej regime. Are we going to talk of federal roads that was built during Gejs administration? Do we know that our airports was raised to world standard during Gej regime? For those who has been to our airports will bear me witness. The question i am still asking is "what on earth has jonathan done wrong on this country?". Lets move to the political arena. Corruption is at every nook and crany of the country, agreed. But to say that PDP is corrupt and that APC is not or less is a hypocritical statement because not less than 50% of APC members are from PDP. I am not here to render any political support to any party but i must say the truth that the north and the APC is playing politics of bitterness. I woke up one morning only to hear from my television that jonathan just commissioned a 100bn project at the insurgence ravished north east. I was very amazed and suprised. Jonathan has done a lot for the north in terms of federal projects. I can not arguably say that over 70 to 80% of the federal project commissioned by the president is at the north. Jonathan is working, only at the north, i have not felt the impact of federal projects here in the east. The only thing i know that jonathan has done for the east is the making of enugu airport an international one, the so called(which am not sure) second Niger bridge and the appointment of some igbos as key ministers which the general populace of igbos is not benefiting from. The only good thing we igbos has benefitted from jonathan since his ascention to the throne of presidency is that our goods are no longer seized by yorubas at the lagos wolf, under the disguise of contra-ban goods which are later found at the market but this time in the hands of yorubas traders who bought the "expensive igbo goods" at give away price from their fellow yoruba high ranking custom officials. Apart from these, there is no meaningful thing igbos has benefited from Gej administration. But at the side of the north countless roads, dams, irrigation projects, airports, school, infrastructures etc has been built for them by Gej. Not Everybody at otuoke and the entire ss,se and sw has gone to school but gej took the pains to educate the illiterate almajiris, provide fertilisers,improved seeds and farm machines to them for their agricultural devpt. Yet the north has still vowed never to see him at 2015. Am not suprised since they said that they are born to rule. Igbos are people that do not depend on governnent yet the are among the few most succesful ethnic group in Nigeria likewise the west. I think that the north should focus more on the development of their people educationally. Encourage hardwork among their people and not to play the politics of bitterness, vowing to hold power at the detriment of other at all cost. If any region should oppose the re-election of jonathan i think the south west is justified to do so. Because despite their support for him, he has not lived up to expectations to them. I blame Gej for wasting his 6yrs trying to please the north at the detriment of sw,se and ss. Under normal circumstances the whole south shouldnt vote Gej it should be the north that should do everything possible to vote him considering the various things he has done for them. But yet the have accused him of a lot of things he is innocent of. I will describe the action of northern politicians opposing Gej as "INGRATES". Do we know that if you tell those accusing Gej to say what he has done wrong, none of them can present something tangible?. Please, have we ever heared that Gej has illegally looted of any money from the nations coffers? But it is on record that Buhari was not probed for the missing oil $2.8bn when he was the minister of petroleum. So what happend to that money?. Or have we forgotten about his religious and tribal speech? To the supporters of buhari, if you say that you want to vote Gej out based on corruption or on the basis of being tribal or religious then you are a hypocrite, this is because Gej is a saint if the sins of buhari are counted, Pls anybody can quote me wrong on this. I am not to be anti buhari but i want we nigerians to be honest on our resons of voting. If we say that Gej is corrupt then please feel free to present your evidence. I think that the problem with we nigerians is that we have been blinded by tribal and religious sentiments. I think that the only sin jonathan has committed is that he is not a northerner! This write up is written to address people who are opposing the good regime of Gej. So i want people who think that Gej should be voted out to present their tangible reasons or propose a better candidate and why the candidate is better. So present your cases especially the aggrieved northerners lets debate on it! FOR NIGERIANS AND IGNORANT NAIRALANDERS MUST BE TOLD THE TRUTH! 33 Likes 6 Shares |
| Politics › In Liberia, Bribes Paid So Families Can Keep Ebola Bodies by explorer250(op): 7:48pm On Oct 14, 2014 |
Health workers scrambling to contain the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia now have to contend with an outbreak of corruption among those detailed to collect the bodies of victims. The Wall Street Journal reports that retrieval teams are accepting bribes from families of Ebola victims to issue death certificates that say their loved ones died of other causes, allowing them to keep their bodies for a traditional burial. “The family says the person is not an Ebola patient, and [the retrieval team] pull them away from the other people,” Vincent Chounse, a community outreach worker on the outskirts of Monrovia, told the paper. “Then they say, ‘We can give you a certificate from the Ministry of Health that it wasn’t Ebola.’ Sometimes it is $40. Sometimes it is $50. … Then they offer bags to them and [the family] carry on their own thing.” A teenager in Montserrado told the Journal he saw the father of his neighbor pay $150 for a certificate that said his son’s corpse was Ebola-free. Government Information Minister Lewis Brown told the paper his office has received reports of health workers issuing fake death certificates, but he added that no burial team has “a capacity to go and issue certificates.” According to the World Health Organization, more than 4,000 Ebola cases have been reported in Liberia, resulting in 2,316 deaths since the outbreak began. But local health officials say the numbers are not adding up. “We are not receiving the amount of community calls that we should be,” Agnes “Cokie” van der Velde, who oversees body collection teams for Doctors Without Borders, told the paper. The grim task of removing bodies infected with Ebola is critical, health officials say, because the dead are a major source of contagion. Working against them is the stigma associated with Ebola among West Africans, and the desire for the family to have a traditional burial. Often, communities will assume that one person infected with the disease means his or her entire family is infected and therefore is discriminated against and shunned. Van der Velde said while she was not aware of body retrieval teams accepting bribes, they are nonetheless in a tricky position. “We try to be very respectful, but in the end what we’re doing is taking their loved one, zipping them in a ba |
| Politics › Re: Please Consider This Before You Vote P.d.p I Mean Jonathan by explorer250(m): 8:39pm On Oct 13, 2014 |
this post is totally rubbish. How can you relate corruption to a party?. Corruption is a problem of the mindset and not a problem of party. Are you trying that no APC governor is corrupt?, or can you swear for them?. Beside have you forgotten that 90% of the so called APC governors are former PDP governors. NB: orji uzor kalu(fmr gov of abia) is not from PDP but PPA and he is not in any court for corruption. Infact 60% of people you mentioned here are neither in court nor standing corruption trial, 90% of people you mentioned are from north so why on earth should we not vote Gej?. Pls stop decieving people with your lies simply because you are APC e-warrior. Removing religeous and tribal sentiments we all know that gej is the best president that has ever led nigeria. But pls do me a favour of voting gej at 2015, mind u being e-warrior should not make you stop voting the best person for our dear country Nigeria@OP |
| Politics › Re: 2nd Ebola Case: Nigeria actually got something right by explorer250(m): 5:54pm On Oct 13, 2014 |
i have said this time without number, Ebola is a biological weapon manufactured by America in libera through their africom base but went out of control. Or dont we know that this current ebola is another specie of the zaire ebola. Dont underestimate americas ability. Do you know that america can manipulate the human and program it to be seeing things that dont exist, feel pain, do things that a person wont do under normal circumstances etc?. Some of us thinks we are still in nuclear age where nuclear weapon/energy/technology is the supreme or maximum. We are now in the biological age where biological weapons are the deadliest(i.e ebola. Malbug haemorrhagic fever etc). I am only sorry for Nigeria that dont know what the CIA(American central intelligence) is planning to do to her at 2015. But at least thank God that nemesis is now pursueing America. *sits down and mourns for Nigeria because of america* 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: How significant Is The North-east Of Nigeria? by explorer250(op): 11:09pm On Oct 12, 2014 |
pls i am not trying to be tribalistic. *takes a lump of garri and waits for comment* |
| Politics › How significant Is The North-east Of Nigeria? by explorer250(op): 11:07pm On Oct 12, 2014 |
As we all know that the north east is among the six geo-political zones in Nigeria and is therefore expected to have its own quota in the contribution to national development. It is a known fact that the north east is ravaged by insurgency, violence and radical ideology which has to political instability in the region for the past five years. Under normal circumstance it is expected that the economy of the country would crumble. like in the case of the south-east/south-region, when militancy came to play, it was seen that the whole economy was in shambles due to the instability in the region. It even came to the stage that the whole country could not afford to pay the work force due to the deficit in the national budget and every state, nook and crany in nigeria was affected. But it is something totally different in the case of north-east. Despite the height of killings,bombings and instability it can be seen that the economy of the country is doing so well. Our economy was thriving so well that we overtook south africa as the largest economy in africa and became the 26th largest in the world. Despite the amount of houses and properties burnt and destroyed not even a single set back was seen in our revenue generation. Our market capitalisation has doubled from about 6trillion at 2009 to about 13trillon in 2014. Nigeria is still seeing increased foreign investment despite the turmoil in the north east and other northern part of the country. The recent growth in the GDP that gave us the reputation of the largest african economy has over 90% of it coming from the south. So the million dollar question becomes " HOW SIGNIFICANT OR IMPORTANT IS THE NORTH-EAST OR THE WHOLE NORTH IN NIGERIA? |
| Politics › Review: The Bitter Truth On How Nigerians Money Are Spent. by explorer250(op): 3:16pm On Oct 12, 2014 |
Appendix to Press Release: a Nigerian senator earns more in Salary than Barack Obama and David Cameron Effective from January 1, 2001, the annual salary of the president of the United States was doubled to $400,000 (N60m) per year, including a $50,000 expense allowance making the president the highest paid public servant. The $400,000 includes everything and $350,000 out of it is taxable. Below is a table of the earnings of some politicians in the US: Public Officers Earning per year ($) Earning per year Naira (million) President 400000.00 60.0 V. President 227300.00 34.1 Speaker of the House 223500.00 33.5 Majority Leader (Senate) $193,400 29.1 Minority Leader (Senate) $193,400 29.1 Other Senators 174000.00 26.1 Majority Leader (Representative) $193,400 29.1 Minority Leader (Representative) $193,400 29.1 Cabinet Secretary $193,400 29.1 * Exchange rate is set at $1.00 = N150.00*Please note that US Vice President is also the Senate president.Below is a table showing some of the items in the new (reduced) package for the members of the Nigeria National Assembly: Items Senator (N) Representative(N) Basic salary/Regular allowances 11,145,200 9,926,062 Furniture 3,039,600 2,744,454 Motor Vehicle Loan 5,066,000 4,963,031 Duty Tour Allowance per day 23,000 21,000 Severance Gratuity 6,079,200 5,955,637 Estacodes $600 $550 Other allowances expressed as percentages of basic salaries are: Hardship Allowance @ 50% Constituency allowance @ 200% Newspaper allowance @ 50% Wardrobe allowance @ 25% Recess Allowance @ 10% Accommodation @ 200% Utilities @ 30% Domestic Staff @ 75% Entertainment @ 30% Personal Assistance @ 25% Vehicle Maintenance Allowance @ 75% Leave Allowance @10% Analysis This analyses translate to the fact that in addition to the regular and legitimate salaries and allowances of N17 million ($113,333) and N14.99 million ($99,933) which senators and reps were collecting yearly and the irregular allowance of estacodes, duty tours etc, they were also collecting N192m ($1.28m) and N140m ($0.93m) respectively in illicit quarterly allocation which is not provided for by RMAFC. Effectively, a Nigerian senator was taking home at least $1.40m ($1.28m quarterly allocations + $0.113m regular salaries and allowances) as against the $0.174m an American senator takes home hence a Nigeria senator earns at least 8 times as much as an American senator and more than 3 times the American president. Whereas a Senator in the U.S earns N21, 146,000, the same as a member of the House of Representatives; a UK Member of Parliament earn £64,766 (N14, 896,180) In other words, a Federal Legislator in Nigeria is paid more than double what a Member of British Parliament earns per annum. Senate President David Mark alone takes N250 million quarterly or N83.33 million per month. Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu gets N150 million per quarter or N50 million a month. Mark and Ekweremadu earns in 4 months, six times what the UK Prime Minister earns in a year. David Cameron goes home with  £190,000 per anum (N43, 700,000) In a Next newspaper news article entitled ‘An Assembly for looting’ written by Musikilu Mojeed with Elor Nkereuwem, the authors rightly claimed that each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives were getting N35 million in cash money in quarterly allocation while each of the 109 Senators pockets N48 million each. These allocations have however been slashed by 20% to N27 million ($180,000) and N38 million ($253,333) respectively due to the 20% reduction requested by the late president. The cut has been a source of a major controversy in the House of Representatives in the past few days where members are agitating to jerk up the sum to N42m quarterly at a time when the government is lamenting being broke and when the already signed 2010 budget is being cut by as much as 40%. What a bunch of greedy inhuman lots! The discordance has caused members of the House to force the speaker, Dimeji Bankole to reduce his quarterly allowance from N140m ($933,333) to N100m ($666,667) or from an annual allowance of N560m ($3.73m) to N400m ($2.67m). According to data obtained from CIA World Factbook, Nigeria has an estimated per capital income (purchasing power parity) of $2,400 in 2009 as against USA’s $46,400. This means that the average earning in the US is 19.33 times as much as in Nigerian. With the reduced salary package, a Nigeria senator still get paid N11 million ($73,333) in regular salaries and allowances annually and N152m ($1.03m) in four (quarterly) allocation making a total of $1.11m plus irregular allowances like estacodes and duty tour allowances. The Senate has allocated N1, 024,000,000 as quarterly allowance to its 10 principal officers, known collectively as the Senate leadership - Each of the eight other principal officers take home N78 million every three months or N26 million per month. Besides, for this year, the Senate has voted N2.6 billion for local travel, N2.45 billion (foreign travel), N1.25 million (security), N2.28 billion (contingency), N750 million (guest houses for Mark and Ekweremadu), and N500 million (establishment of radio and television stations). The Executive Branch of government A Nigerian Minister is paid N31,915,800 (32 million) per year, comprising salary (2,026,400), and benefits plus allowances (N29,889,400), American secretary (N23,488,000); British Secretary (N29,736,000) German Minister (N30,287,667.20)." A Nigeria Minister of State gets N30, 538,248 (salary N1, 957,580; allowances N28, 580,666) higher than those of a South African Minister (N7, 704,558); Compare again to American secretary (N23, 488,000); British Secretary (N29, 736,000) German Minister (N30, 287,667.20) A local government councillor in Nigeria earn over N1 million per month while a university professor, or a director in a ministry is paid peanuts as take home. The salary review of political office holders till date revealed that 17,474 officials earned N1.12 trillion yearly of the N1.12 trillion about N94, 959,545,401.20 billion is spent on salaries and N1, 031,654,689,033.18 trillion goes to allowances annually. While 16,540 out of the political officeholders, as revealed from the document emanating from the Presidency to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) are expected to undergo a pay cut in line with former President Yar’adua’s proposal earlier in the year, this is yet to take effect. The officers are: Federal Executive (472); Federal Legislature (1,152); Local Government Executive (3,096) and local government legislature (8,692). According to the document, officers taken this large lump sum evidently, approximately 17,500 officials only constitute 0.014 per cent (less than a quarter of a percent) of Nigeria’s estimated 140 million people. Again, it is common knowledge that the salaries of these officers amount to nothing compared to the juicy fringe benefits that accrue to them. It could be recalled that ministers, advisers, legislators salaries were all jerked up in 2007 and 2008. While the members of National Assembly got 100% pay rise which would cost Nigerian tax payers N52.4 billion every year, and an additional N15.02 billion as multi- purpose allowances given to the lawmakers on quarterly basis, the package accruing to the federal executives had jumped by over 1,000 percent to N98 billion due to their allowances as compared N65.5 billion paid the federal executives during the last regime. The last time Nigerian workers ever had an enhanced salary package was in 2000 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo announced the N5, 500 and N7, 500 minimum wages both for state and federal workers respectively. Comparison of the Salaries of Politicians vis-a-vis other professions in USA and Nigeria The politicians’ salaries listed above might look big to you but if you look at what is obtainable in the society, you’ll surely get the drift. I’d like to compare the earning of these top political positions with those of surgeons in America. According to ehow.com, several factors such as experience, employer, location, gender and degrees may affect the earnings of a heart surgeon. Salaries discussed here are median earnings from 2009. • Degree: A cardiac surgeon with a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree will earn an average yearly salary of $292,774. If he has completed a Ph.D., however, the annual salary may rise to $400,000 on average. It can be inferred from this that a surgeon earn as much as the president or even more. And in nearly all cases a surgeon earns more than the VP and other public office holders. In the US, top attorneys in a top legal firm earn as much as $500,000 annually, a top journalist (like Christiane Amanpour) earns over a $1m, Wall street guys and top business executives earn $ millions in salaries, benefit, stock options etc. Top Sportsmen and Entertainers earn tens of $ million in salaries, endorsements, advertisements, profit sharing etc. Top CEOs also earn tens and in exceptional cases, hundreds of $ million in salaries, benefit, stock options and profit sharing. If you consider the fact that many top politicians were also top earners before joining politics, you’d be able to understand the sacrifice intended. The annual salary of the Surgeon General is about $190,000. It’s a known fact Michelle Obama, the US first lady was earning much more as a hospital administrator in Chicago than her husband, President Barack Obama was earning as a US senator. According to the couple’s 2006 income tax return, her salary was $273,618 from the University of Chicago Hospitals as Vice President for Community and External Affairs, while her husband had a salary of $157,082 from the United States Senate. In Nigeria, political offices are often seen as a get-rich-quick avenue because the legitimate salaries and benefits are enormous and are probably unobtainable elsewhere in the system. Another reason is that politicians can also meddle with the public funds with impunity. Candidly, public officers do not differentiate between public and private funds and this is probably the main cause of the do- or-die politics. All arms of government collaborate in the looting causing no checks and balances. After the late former president Umaru Yar’Adua complained about the nation's dwindling revenues and that politicians were being overpaid and causing his government a financial stress, there was an approved reduced remunerative package for the politicians. Based on the this, each of the 107 senators (excluding the Senate President and his deputy) would be collecting N11 million ($73,333) in basic salaries and regular allowances every year while a member of the House of Representatives would get N9.9 million ($66,000). Previously, a senator was getting N17 million ($113,333) while a House member was collecting N14.99 million ($99,933). The regular allowances are accommodation, car maintenance, domestic staff, personal assistant, entertainment, leave, utilities, newspaper/periodicals and constituency. These figures do not include non-regular allowances-- vehicle loan, furniture allowance, estacodes, and duty tour allowance and severance gratuity-- which are paid separately to each legislator as they become due. From a previous salary of about N10,000, a police constable now earns between N22,000 and N27,000 depending on his length of service and accommodation plan, while a sergeant’s pay has gone up from N15,000 to about N30,000. And from a pay slip of about N22,000, a Police inspector now earns at least N50,000 monthly. Let me give an insight of the monthly salary of Nigerian police officers: Constable = N22, 000 (£98) - N27, 000 (£120.27) Corporal = N27, 000 (£120.27) - N28, 000 (£124.73) Sergeant = N31, 000 (£138.09) Inspector = N50, 000 (£222.72) - N52, 000 (£231.63) Assistant Superintendent of Police = N80, 000 (£ 356.36) - N83, 000(£369.72) depending on whether he is a one-star ASP or two-star ASP. A deputy Superintendent of Police = N90, 000 (£400.90) A full superintendent = N100, 000 (£445.45) In some states, while the state government claims not to have money to pay workers, it finds it convenient to pay politicians hundreds of thousands as monthly salary for doing practically nothing than looting the state blind. How can a state government justify the over N300, 000 salary paid to a ward councilor (and over N60, 000 to a councilor’s wife) while the highest paid teachers collects less than 30 percent and the least paid teacher collects less than 4 percent of a councilor’s pay. The total annual salaries of councilors in a state like Osun State (running to over N1.4 billion) are enough to employ 2240 workers on N50, 000 monthly salaries. This is pure robbery! Yet, they reject the payment of N52, 200 minimum wages that the national leadership of NLC and TUC are fighting for. Other Illegalities Of all these allowances, the most intriguing is the constituency allowance. What is constituency allowance? You may ask. It is an allowance approved by Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). The constituency allowance as approved by RMAFC is supposed to be 200% of the basic salary for politician but in reality, they are paid far more than that. The major flaw of this allowance is that the law does not require the politicians to file reports of how the money is spent. The executives are not left behind, infact, the legislative plunder is like a child’s play compared to what the executives are illegally taking away from the system. In addition to their constituency allowances, It is no longer a news that governors collect billions of naira as security votes which are unaccounted for and which makes everyone wonder which security are they providing with the money. According to Davidson Iriekpen in an article titled, Security Vote - for Whose Security? “Every year, billions of naira is allegedly squandered under the guise of security votes. The funds suspected to be illegal, are purportedly being used to provide security for the president, governors and their domains, whereas they are being transferred into personal bank accounts. In spite of these huge sums of money, killings, kidnappings, cultism and other security threats are on the increase across the states. At the federal level, funds are allocated to the Ministry of Defence for the upkeep and welfare of the armed forces and the police, yet billions are still voted for the President as security votes whose impact is unknown.” Many of the governors appropriate the sum ranging from several hundreds of millions of naira to billions monthly as security vote. And also according to human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, security vote is an illegality and irresponsibility on the part of the country's leaders. He condemned the governors for appropriating security votes to them even when they know that it is unconstitutional. He also argued that the governors who indulge in security votes rob the society of essential resources. In a report by RMAFC chairman, Hamman Tukur to the presidency, "He said the Federal, State and Local Governments flout the remuneration provisions made by the commission through frivolous foreign trips, arbitrary appointment of aides and use of excessively large motorcades. He further said “based on the constitution, RMAFC has the final say on the remuneration package of National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly members, while a law need to be enacted based on the commission's proposals regarding the pay packages of executive and judicial office holders.” Notwithstanding this warning, this illegality thrives from the presidency to the council. As the president takes billions of naira in monthly security vote, he also take several millions in constituency allowance. Conclusion Past surveys of salaries and benefits of public office holders from the Baltic to the Bahamas, the Americas and the Far East and everywhere else, has showed that Ministers and Federal Legislators in Nigeria are the highest paid in the world, despite the country being among the poorest in terms of per capita income, security, social provision and living standards. On the other hand, Nigerian workers are one of the lowest paid in the world. The Nigerian Minister earns more than his American, British or German counterpart, and of course enjoys pecks of office those ones cannot even dare dream of - for doing next to NOTHING!!! Likewise a Senator and his House of Representatives counterpart in Nigeria receive much more than their contemporaries elsewhere. Do you know even any local government Chairman in Nigeria who does not own houses and fleet of cars? Nigeria is a relatively poor country and there is no justification for a Nigerian politician earning much more than his American counterpart while others in other callings earn a fraction of what is obtainable in the US. I think it’s about time we work out a ceiling system for the remunerations of public servants and tie them to what is obtainable in certain professions. And until we get this right, our politics will continue to be a do-or-die affair with the greedy lots dominating the air as their only attractions are the perks of the offices |
| Politics › Bama People Dying Of Starvation —borno Senator by explorer250(op): 10:11am On Oct 12, 2014 |
The Senator representing Borno Central at the National Assembly, Zannah Ahmed, has said the people of Bama, a commercial town in Borno State captured by Boko Haram about a month ago are, dying of starvation daily. He said the condition of the people of the town was so pitiable that the aged and women, who could not flee the town in the wake of the capture, depended on the insurgents to feed. Speaking on the telephone with our correspondent, the senator said, “It is quite unfortunate that the military has shied away from moving down to Bama to free the town from the insurgents several days after it was captured. “I do not understand the strategy of the military and we deserve an explanation why Bama is still not freed even as the information we are receiving from the town indicates that there are just a few insurgents who are not well armed taking charge of the town. “The only challenge the military might face is between Konduga and Bama where the insurgents are said to be many. But inside Bama town, they are few and not well armed and it will only require a few soldiers to flush them out.” He added, “I learnt that the insurgents have been distributing beans to the people but this does not last, as they go on for days without food. To even move out of the town is another sad story entirely. “Many women that fled the town and who took a long trek to Maiduguri died en route. They collapsed and died from thirst. “Can we be said to be winning the war on Boko Haram, if some of our towns are being captured and our people are living at the mercy of insurgents?” he asked. He argued that the military had no excuse for allowing the insurgents to continue to occupy Bama and Gwoza, saying, “for rag-tag militants to hold the nation to ransom is an embarrassment to the country.” |
| Politics › British Court Blocks Shell Nigeria Oil Deal by explorer250(op): 9:15am On Oct 12, 2014 |
The High Court in London has blocked an agreement between the oil giant Shell Petroleum Development Company and a UK law firm, CW Law, in relation to thousands of residents of Bodo community in Rivers State, which the firm claimed it represented in a dispute over oil spills. The President of the Technical and Construction Court, Justice Robert Akenhead, blocked the deal and upheld an injunction against CW Law, which prevents them, or anyone representing them, to make contact with the people of Bodo in furtherance of the settlement agreement. The judge stated that Leigh Day (the original legal representative of the Niger Delta residents) would proceed with the case for trial in the High Court in May 2015 and that many thousands of claimants were entitled to damages under the Oil Pipelines Act, which could be substantial. In the verdict given on Thursday by the court, the judge said there might have already been a breach of an existing interim order against CW Law. According to the judge, Leigh Day had strong evidence that representatives of CW Law had breached the order by continuing to seek to sign up claimants, while the order was in place. CW Law was accused, by the law firm, Leigh Day, of unlawfully entering into settlement talks with SPDC on behalf of many villagers of Bodo in the Niger Delta, who they did not represent and who were not clients of the firm. The settlement agreement between CW Law and Shell, given as evidence in court, sought to settle the claims for £150 each with an additional £390 per claimant going into a “trust.” The agreement also included an incentivised costs structure for CW Law which would see them paid more, by Shell, the more claimants it signed up to the scheme. Speaking after the judgment, the Senior Partner of Leigh Day, Martyn Day, said, “We are very pleased that the judge agreed to block the deal between Shell and CW Law, as far as our clients are concerned.” With a population of 14,000 adults, the great majority of the villagers are represented by London-based law firm, Leigh Day, in one of the largest environmental legal cases in history, following two massive oil spills in 2008 from pipelines operated by Shell. In June this year, the Bodo community had rejected an offer of up to $51m from Shell for two oil spills in 2008 depriving the residents of their livelihood. Shell had accepted responsibility for paying compensation and cleaning up spills caused by its own failures. “Shell had consistently sought to underestimate the damage, while paying only lip service to an apology. These spills, which are some of the largest oil spills in history, have devastated a community of many thousands of people and ravaged the environment,” Day had said in a statement. In a preliminary hearing ahead of a trial which will take place in May 2015, the London high court ruled that Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary could be liable if it were proven that it did not take reasonable steps to protect and maintain the pipeline from thefts which have plagued the key African oil. |
| Politics › Re: Boko Haram Losing Grip And Territories by explorer250(op): 7:34pm On Oct 11, 2014 |
Afroconnect:you are also right from your own perspective. Their journalist publish report with patriotism, also considering its psychological impact on the general populace. Unlike ours that is ready to put the country in flames just to make bold headlines 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Boko Haram Losing Grip And Territories by explorer250(op): 7:21pm On Oct 11, 2014 |
thanks mod for making my story appear at the front page. I am really happy but i dont know how the source appeared, cuz i didnt post any. *sniffs and smells something fishy with mods* |
| Politics › Re: Boko Haram Losing Grip And Territories by explorer250(op): 7:17pm On Oct 11, 2014 |
bushdoc9919:Guy what you said is somehow true but our press is really doing more harm than good. *sips a cup of hot tea to maneuver the cold rain* as I was saying "BAD NEWS IS A GOOD NEWS FOR THE NIGERIAN PRESS. *continues to sip tea and exhales in cold* |
| Romance › Re: I Love My Husband, But Here's Why I Want To Cheat by explorer250(m): 10:51am On Oct 11, 2014 |
mods pls to the front page. This is what women who are intending To cheat should know. CONFIDE IN YOUR PARTNER NOW... |
| Politics › Re: Rivers Warns Against Another Ebola Outbreak by explorer250(op): 9:38am On Oct 11, 2014 |
papaejima1:na tru my bros 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Boko Haram Losing Grip And Territories by explorer250(op): 9:29am On Oct 11, 2014 |
Noneroone:too much press freedom has led to many abuses in the Nigerian press. That is why i like china, russia, north korea etc 14 Likes |
| Politics › Re: 2015: ACF, Others Plan Campaign Against Jonathan by explorer250(op): 9:17am On Oct 11, 2014 |
Omimah:jonathan can achieve a landslide victory in 2015 without rigging 3 Likes |
| Politics › Re: 2015: ACF, Others Plan Campaign Against Jonathan by explorer250(op): 8:36am On Oct 11, 2014 |
Omimah:maybe you will wallow in shame when he sweeps with 75% votes come 2015 2 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Boko Haram Losing Grip And Territories by explorer250(op): 8:34am On Oct 11, 2014 |
i will post the source soon |
| Politics › Re: 2015: ACF, Others Plan Campaign Against Jonathan by explorer250(op): 8:24am On Oct 11, 2014 |
i can swear that jonathan is the best president since the creation of Nigeria. We have to choose our leaders based on credibility not on religion and ethnicity. 3 Likes |
| Car Talk › Enter 2015 Mercedes-benz GLA- Class: The Fifth Utility Vehicle (with Pics) by explorer250(op): 8:17am On Oct 11, 2014 |
Like Audi with the recently introduced Q3, Mercedes needs to keep up with the competition by offering a crossover to battle the BMW X1. Enter the 2015 GLA-Class. Now the fifth utility vehicle to be added the Mercedes-Benz family, $31,300 is all it will take to gain entry into the world of Mercedes utility vehicle ownership when the GLA 250 Front-Wheel Drive goes on sale next year. Can a lower-priced entry-level model, one that is more accessible to the masses, still hold the same aspirational value as prestigious, more expensive products? That is a question Mercedes-Benz asked itself last year with the new CLA-Class sedan and this year, the manufacturer is at it again. In the never-ending arms race between luxury automobile manufacturers, more models, especially lower priced ones, means more sales. As soon as one manufacturer enters a new market segment, the rest are sure to follow. In the meantime, two models will be offered, the GLA 250 4MATIC and the sportier GLA 45 AMG. By far the smallest crossover in the Mercedes- Benz line-up, the new crossover measures in around 174-inches in length, roughly the same as the Hyundai Tucson. Unlike the blockier compact GLK crossover, the GLA features a more rounded, contemporary shape. Aerodynamics played a big role in the development of the vehicle as items like the mirror housings, underbody trays, roof lip spoiler and tail lights have all been specially moulded to ensure the GLA slips through the air for optimal efficiency. Like the CLA sedan it’s based on, the GLA will offer a choice of 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines in either mild or wild states of tune. Needing to test the fastest and sportiest offering in the GLA family, I got my hands on the GLA 45 AMG that comes equipped with the more potent engine. Pumping 26.1 psi of pressure through the cylinder walls, this 2.0-liter turbo makes an astonishing 355 HP and 332 lb-ft of torque. For such an incredible amount of torque made from a modest sized engine, turbo lag is kept in check and the GLA 45 builds power quickly. A throaty four-cylinder bellow emits from a two-stage exhaust system, letting the world know the GLA clearly means business. Although it’s quite possibly the worst sounding engine in the AMG family, it still has the signature “bark” when upshifting between gears near redline.
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| Politics › Boko Haram Losing Grip And Territories by explorer250(op): 8:07am On Oct 11, 2014 |
■ Deserter reveals how leadership vacuum, internal squabble, hunger, desertion by members made Adamawa military exploit possiblehttp://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=85601 10 Likes |
| Politics › Re: 2015: ACF, Others Plan Campaign Against Jonathan by explorer250(op): 7:54am On Oct 11, 2014 |
FOLYKAZE:without jonathan in 2015, it will spell doom for the entity called Nigeria. It means the end to "oil money"*sits down and sips a hot cup of coffee* 9 Likes |
| Politics › 2015: ACF, Others Plan Campaign Against Jonathan by explorer250(op): 7:22am On Oct 11, 2014 |
As the race for the 2015 presidential election gathers momentum, northerners as well as their southern counterparts, are putting final touches to plans to get the best out of the next dispensation. Saturday PUNCH gathered on Thursday that while the North appear divided over the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, the region has started mobilisation on the need to do “what’s best for us.” A source, who confided in Saturday PUNCH, said, “The first phase has been set in motion; there are local political radio programmes which have been on for some time, all we need to do is to strengthen them. “We have the voting population and if our brothers from the South-West who have suffered together with our people under Jonathan cooperate with us, there is no way he can win in 2015.” Asked what the ACF is doing to actualise whatever plan it has to back a candidate the North will support, the spokesman for the ACF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said in a text message: “ACF is packaging a sensitisation programme that will enlighten the people on the importance of voter registration and election of credible candidates in 2015. We will soon launch the programme which will include jingles and posters.” The spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said the North would prove to all those who have betrayed “the cause for their selfish ends” that the region “is now more than ever before, united in the desire to have one of its own as President come 2015.” The National Coordinator, Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said should President Jonathan rig himself back into office in 2015, it might spell the end of Nigeria as an entity. He said “Quote me, if this President rigs himself back into office in 2015, it may very well mark the end of this country.” Mohammed, who was a Kano State delegate to the just concluded National Conference, said, “Jonathan is a divisive character. He is not only tribalistic, he is clannish. He is very corrupt, irresponsible and he is not ashamed to lie. He has done more damage to the psyche of the average Nigerian that any other government in recent memory.” But the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, said it was in support of the Presidency remaining in the South-South to ensure Nigeria’s stability. 1 Like |
| Politics › Rivers Warns Against Another Ebola Outbreak by explorer250(op): 7:11am On Oct 11, 2014 |
The Rivers State Government has urged Nigerians to be prepared for another outbreak of Ebola virus disease, saying the country is still at the high risk of contracting the virus especially during the forthcoming festivities. The alarm came amid applause for the Federal Government for the success recorded in containing the deadly disease. The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, who raised the alarm in an interview with journalists in Abuja, said, “We have achieved a lot. If the Federal Ministry of Health and state ministries of health have achieved a lot, this is the time to begin to amass armament for the battle ahead. One, the first case went to the hospital in the United States; now, we are hearing it is in Dallas. The other day, we heard Spain. We may hear Germany. It will not tell us the state where it will appear next time.” Decrying the closure of Ebola virus treatment centres across the country, Parker said, “Although developing research and treatment are necessary, we need to strengthen our preparedness for another outbreak. “What has happened so far, to me, is just a warning. I can call it a fluke, when a gentleman jumped into a plane and ran into Nigeria. The disease is still actually residing in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. And we must not forget that we have Nigerians living in these countries. The festive period is coming. A lot of Nigerians, as a tradition and culture, will return home. Some of them come with whatever they carry. “I agree that some persons were talking about developing research and treatment. But, to my mind, while it is okay for that to go on, we need to strengthen our preparedness for another outbreak. We cannot predict where this thing will come in through. The potential of having another one is very high. I am not a prophet of doom; the United States did not think that it would happen to them. A man actually went into the country from Liberia. After all, he is an American, he had to go back home. He was healthy when he went back home.” |
| Politics › Asari Dokubo Denies Involvement In $9.3 Million Deal Blast APC by explorer250(op): 7:01am On Oct 11, 2014 |
Leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, on Wednesday distanced himself from the $9.3 million botched arms deal in South Africa, saying he had not been to the country since 2002. His denial came on the heels of a call by the All Progressive congress that the Federal Government should explain Asari’s involvement in the botched deal. But reacting to the APC’s statement, Asari in a telephone interview with journalists from Saudi Arabia where he is presently performing the 2014 Hajj, said the last time he visited South Africa was in the 2002 and could not have gone to any country without a visa. He said, “Can you enter any country without a visa? No person can enter any country without a visa. Presently, I am in Saudi Arabia performing my Hajj as the Amirul Hajj of Bayelsa State and this can be confirmed. I flew Flynass from Kaduna on the 27th. So, it is really a shame that Lai Mohammed who has defiled the name of Allah has become a pathological and award- winning liar. “Nobody enters any country without a visa and I have not been to South Africa since 2002. My passport is present. I flew Arik airline from Lagos on the 27th and went to Kaduna where I flew Flynass airline and came to Saudi Arabia. “APC has reduced itself to a party of liars just the same way their presidential candidate, notorious liar and confirmed dictator, General Buhari, stage managed an assassination in order to gain cheap popularity and where more than 100 people were killed and he has not been put on trial. The evil they wish me will be visited on their home.” |
