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 Nairaland General › Re: Seun Is It Now A Crime? by Fatdon(m): 6:20pm On Nov 09, 2012 |
Infact i'm even closeing this thread 1 Like
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| Politics › Achebe Will Be Not Be Getting Any Money From That Book. by Fatdon(op): 3:48pm On Nov 09, 2012 |
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has expressed his doubted on Prof. Chinua Achebe’s chances of making money from his new book, There was a Country. The elder statesman’s concern is not as a result of the controversy which the book has generated. Rather, it is as a result of the activities of pirates in the country – or so he wanted to paint it. Gowon was speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the presentation of the Reform of the Copyright System in Nigeria organised by the Nigerian Copyright Commission. He said he wondered if the renowned novelist would make money from his intellectual property, saying it had been pirated. The 78-year-old said he saw hawkers selling copies of the book in Abuja recently. In his words: “When I was coming to the hotel yesterday (Wednesday) I saw people selling copies of Achebe’s book, you know the one I am talking about… I don’t know if the chap knew I was the one inside the car – he wanted to get my attention… I said to myself, ‘so this book has already been pirated and is being sold in the streets?’… I don’t know if Achebe will be getting any penny from that book.” Achebe in the book, containing his civil war memoir, accused the Federal Government under Gowon and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then Minister of Finance, of using hunger as a weapon of war against the Igbo. He had earlier described Achebe’s civil war memoir as the most controversial publication on the war. www.informationnigeria.org/2012/11/there-was-a-country-i-dont-know-if-achebe-will-be-getting-any-penny-from-that-book-gowon.html |
| Politics › Re: Fashola Urges Lagosians To Endure Okada Ban by Fatdon(op): 9:26am On Nov 09, 2012 |
I don't realy blame you because you don't know what it takes to be jobless; hence what now happen to those jobless and tax payer families that your government as render hopeless.The electorate are prepared for you and your government in the next election. 1 Like |
| Politics › Fashola Urges Lagosians To Endure Okada Ban by Fatdon(op): 8:33am On Nov 09, 2012 |
LAGOS — Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, urged residents of the state to endure whatever inconveniences the restriction of commercial motorcycle operators popularly called Okada riders from the state metropolis might have caused them.www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/okada-restriction-fashola-says-no-gain-without-pain/
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| Politics › Re: Jonathan Describes Boko Haram As Uncivilised by Fatdon(m): 11:25pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
[quote author=Ken_Jak]Guy,you're the Mad one,you're really stupid,sincerely you're a big fool,you fortunately have no brain,idiot. The guy said the right thing and you started insulting him. We need action not foolish talks from that Idiot(Jonathan).[/quote]God bless you |
| Politics › Re: Jonathan Describes Boko Haram As Uncivilised by Fatdon(m): 9:41pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
Now dat attempts are being to assuage their grieviances and reach lasting solution to the problem,D foolish leader has already started running his mouth thoughtlessly again. When will he learn to think before he speaks? 5 Likes |
| Politics › Fashola: Stay In Your Village If You Cant Obey Our Traffic Law by Fatdon(op): 9:38pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
The Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola has vowed to enforce the new traffic law and the existing environmental laws of the state to ensure the state remains environmentally-friendly.www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/06/stay-in-your-village-if-you-cant-obey-our-traffic-law-fashola/ 8 Likes
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| Politics › Re: Compass MD, Kawonise, Police Aide Shot. by Fatdon(op): 6:46pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
| Politics › Compass MD, Kawonise, Police Aide Shot. by Fatdon(op): 6:20pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
ABEOKUTA – Unknown gunmen on Tuesday shot the Managing Director of Nigerian Compass,Mr. Sina Kawonise and his police orderly. Kawonise , a former Commissioner of Information during ex- governor Gbenga Daniel was reportedly attacked by gunmen around Ikeji Arakeji in Osun State on his way from Akwa, Anambra State. According to a statement by media aide to Daniel, Adegbenro Adebanjo , the gunmen opened fire in order to force his vehicle to stop. “The attackers were, however, repelled by his two police orderlies. In the ensuing gun battle Mr. Kawonise was shot in the leg by the attackers while one of the two policemen also suffered gunshot wounds. ” The armed attackers later fled the scene while Mr. Kawonise and the wounded policeman were evacuated to a nearby hospital. Doctors treating the duo say they are stabilizing. “Kawonise was in Awka as the keynote speaker at the 17th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Anthropological and Sociological Association which held at the Nnamdi Azikwe University Awka. He was said to have made the journey by road because there was no available flight to neigbouring states’ airports. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/compass-md-kawonise-police-aide-shot/
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| Politics › Re: Blasts, Gunfire Rock Yobe. by Fatdon(op): 1:13pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
| Politics › Blasts, Gunfire Rock Yobe. by Fatdon(op): 12:10pm On Nov 06, 2012 |
KANO – Explosions and gunfire rocked Gashua , a town in Yobe state, Tuesday and prompted a military deployment, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, residents and the army said. The military said troops had deployed to the town where the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has previously carried out waves of deadly attacks. “There have been explosions and gunfire throughout the town. It all began around 3 am and lasted up to six in the morning,” one resident told AFP. He said the unrest and heavy presence of soldiers had forced residents to remain in their homes. Another resident said military patrols could be heard in the streets after the shooting and blasts stopped. “The explosions and shootings started around three and continued for almost three hours,” he said. “Everybody has remained indoors.” Military spokesman Lazarus Eli confirmed soldiers were patrolling, but declined to give further details. “Our troops have deployed to Gashua this morning, but I can’t tell you the situation in the town now,” he said. The northeast has been hard hit by deadly attacks blamed on Boko Haram, leaving hundreds of people dead and prompting a heavy army deployment. Violence linked to the sect is believed to have left more than 2,800 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.(AFP) www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/blasts-gunfire-rock-yobe/ |
| Politics › Re: Govt Sets Up Counter Terrorism Office To Tackle Boko Haram. by Fatdon(op): 10:11am On Nov 06, 2012 |
Mr president I known u re a very good and intilegent lead 4 nigeria as a country carry on we re solidly behind u. |
| Politics › Govt Sets Up Counter Terrorism Office To Tackle Boko Haram. by Fatdon(op): 10:08am On Nov 06, 2012 |
The Federal Government has set up a position of Counter- Terrorism Coordinator in the Office of the National Security Adviser in order to coordinate efforts of the counter-terrorism units in all security agencies. President Goodluck Jonathan stated this while declaring open the Regional Conference on Counter-Terrorism in Abuja. President Jonathan who was represented by Vice president Namadi Sambo said the federal government is embarking on measures to enhance the country’s counter-terrorism capabilities. According to the president a number of measures have been put in place to strengthen the security outfits against terrorism, which is relatively new phenomenon in the country. President Jonathan said “recognising the complex and mutating nature of terrorism, we adopted a comprehensive and overarching counter-terrorism approach that integrates national, regional, multilateral and functional responses”. He said the fundamental response has been predicated on providing citizens focused legal framework that would underpin counter-terrorism efforts, in line with the Administration’s focus on ensuring that the Rule of Law guides all aspects of national life. Some of the far-reaching measures, according to Mr. President, were the signing into law on 3rd June, 2011 the Terrorism Prevention Act (TPA) 2011 and the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011. Jonathan added that he has transmitted to the National Assembly, a Bill seeking amendments to the Terrorism Prevention Act, in order to further strengthen the legal framework for combating terrorism. In order to further enhance the capability of counter terrorism in the country, the President said Other measure include setting up of a Fusion Centre that would serve as a processing point for all-source intelligence and development of appropriate technology, other measures, according to him are outside of public domain for security reasons. While commending the organisers of the conference with the theme “Containing Terrorism in West Africa”, for the laudable initiative to assemble security and intelligence chiefs across the sub-region and allies from many parts of the world, Jonathan opined the need to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, stem the tide of the transnational terrorist activities. Earlier, the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, Rtd. and Special Adviser to the President on Counter-Terrorism, Major General Sarki Yaki Bello spoke on the occasion. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/govt-sets-up-office-of-counter-terrorism-to-tackle-boko-haram/ |
| Crime › Okada Rider Strips To Evade Arrest. by Fatdon(op): 5:37am On Nov 06, 2012 |
LAGOS — A 42-year old commercial motorcycle operator popularly called Okada rider, Mr. Sunday Udoh, yesterday, stripped himself when a team of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Agency Taskforce attempted to arrest him for violating the road traffic law. Udoh who was subsequently arrested at about 10:30 a.m. on Acme Road, Ikeja, immediately stripped to evade impounding of his motorcycle by the task-force led by the chairman, Superintendent, Bayo Sulaimon . According to Kunle Olatunde, an eyewitness, “the task-force arrested him and two other Okada riders. But immediately he was arrested, Udoh stripped himself to attract public sympathy. “Despite the fact that he was not manhandled when he was arrested, he removed his clothes and wore them back.” The incident resulted in a gridlock along the ever busy road. Speaking to Vanguard after his arrest, Udoh said: “I didn’t know when and the reason I stripped myself. I was unconscious for several minutes. It was an hour after that I was told what happened after I was arrested.” According to him; “I collected the Okada from a friend on hire purchase at N45, 000. Also, I have a wife and two children to feed; all these resulted to my temporary madness.” Speaking, leader of the task-force, Sulaimon said that Udoh was arrested by the team because he violated the new road traffic law. He said: “We did not touch him. We gave him several minutes to do whatever he wanted to do. And his behaviour then caused a traffic jam on the road.” www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/okada-rider-strips-to-evade-arrest/ |
| Politics › You Need Education Not Luck To Succeed – Jonathan. by Fatdon(op): 9:00pm On Nov 05, 2012 |
President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said education rather than luck is the foundation for success. The president, who made this statement during the commissioning of the Jigawa State Academy for the Gifted at Bamaina in Birnin- Kudu, had earlier commended the state governor, Sule Lamido for promoting peaceful coexistence in the state. He said: “Some journalist used to ask me about luck and I told them that as much as there is luck, education is the major determinant of success. I could not have been where I am today if am not educated. You have to prepare yourself. So I am happy that Governor Lamido has decided to invest in the future of our children by identifying those with gift and training them. We are at the Federal level are also sending those with first class to the best training centres in the world so that they can come back develop our country.” The President, who had earlier launched the college for remedial studies, which according to the state government plans will become the Jigawa State University in Kafin-Hausa Local Government Area, said education is the basis for development in the modern world adding that without education even our agriculture will stagnate because obsolete techniques. Mr Lamido said the his vision for establishing the school is to develop manpower that will transform Jigawa state in the future adding that the school is part of the transformation agenda of the Jonathan’s administration. President Jonathan, who is on a two-day working visit to Jigawa state, is expected to inaugurate some projects built by Mr Lamido’s administration. The president will also lay the foundation for an airport estimated at N5 billion in Dutse, the state capital. www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/05/you-need-education-not-luck-to-succeed-jonathan/
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| Politics › Re: ACN To Presidency: Look Inwards For Those Insulting The President. by Fatdon(op): 7:11pm On Nov 05, 2012 |
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| Politics › ACN To Presidency: Look Inwards For Those Insulting The President. by Fatdon(op): 5:58pm On Nov 05, 2012 |
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said Steve Oronsaye and Bernard Otti were the ones who insulted President Goodluck Jonathan by the way they turned the presentation of the report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force into a theatre of the absurd last Friday. In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the presidency also condoned the insult by the way it handled the men’s outburst, treating them with kid gloves when they should have been censured for their audacity and discourteous behaviour at the public presentation. ”Oronsaye’s incredibly audacious statement, that ‘the President has asked us to submit the report….and so what?’ should have elicited the reaction which the presidency issued to ACN’s statement, if indeed the presidency is concerned about insults,” it said. ACN said the presidency is trying to blackmail the opposition by now accusing it of insulting the President, for merely saying the obvious, that the only reason Oronsaye and Otti could have acted in such a brazen manner with the President seated right there is if they were indeed programmed to perform the role of spoilers by discrediting the report. ”President Jonathan is a democratically-elected President, not an oracle who cannot and must not be criticised. Therefore, we at the ACN will continue to offer a constructive criticism of his administration, true to our role of providing responsible opposition. ”We stand by our statement and will not be cowed by this old, cheap trick of labelling constructive criticism as an insult,” ACN said, challenging the presidency to deny the facts contained in the party’s earlier statement on the issue. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/acn-to-presidency-look-inwards-for-those-insulting-the-president/ |
| Politics › Adeboye: Pray For Policemen For The Security Challenges by Fatdon(op): 6:09am On Nov 05, 2012 |
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has urged Nigerians to pray for and cooperate with the Nigeria Police Force in view of its efforts to curb lingering security challenges in the country.www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/security-challenges-pray-for-nigeria-police-adeboye/
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| Politics › Gunmen Set Ablaze Police Station, School In Yobe by Fatdon(op): 3:20pm On Nov 04, 2012 |
KANO (AFP) – Gunmen armed with explosives attacked a police station, a primary school and two cellphone towers in a town in Fika, Damaturu on Sunday, setting them ablaze, JTF and residents said. “We heard that there were some attacks in Fika by suspected Boko Haram terrorists. They attacked two telecommunication masts, a police station and a primary school,” said Lazarus Eli, JTF spokesman in Yobe State. A resident said he had seen the bodies of two policemen being brought out of the razed police station, but Eli said he could not immediately confirm any casualties. Eli said troops had deployed to the town to contain the violence. Fika lies some 170 kilometres (110 miles) from Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State and a hotbed of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram. Residents said the gunmen attacked their targets with explosives before dawn at around 4:30 am. “They threw explosives and fired gunshots at their targets, setting them ablaze, and fled after the attack,” Tanimu Mani told AFP. “Soldiers who arrived in the town went inside the burnt police station and brought out the bodies of two policemen killed in the attack,” he said. Another resident, student Hassan Gaji, said he had heard blasts and gunshots during early morning prayers. “They were shooting seriously for about one hour,” he said, adding that the town had been taken over by police and soldiers. He said the attackers had entered Fika on the road leading from Potiskum to the north “and went straight to the police station, bombed it and proceeded to the primary school in the town”. A police source said the attackers looted the armoury before setting the police station ablaze. “They emptied the armoury during the attack and took away some 20 guns and some rounds of ammunition,” the officer, who did not want to be named, told AFP. Witnesses said panicked residents were fleeing Fika for nearby Potiskum on Sunday following the attack. “A lot of people are now leaving for Potiskum which has been relatively calm in recent weeks,” the witness said. Some towns in Yobe state, including Damaturu, Potiskum and Fika have been hard hit by deadly attacks by Boko Haram in recent months, leaving hundreds of people dead and prompting a heavy army deployment. Violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency is believed to have left more than 2,800 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces. Boko Haram has claimed to be seeking an Islamic state in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer, although its demands have repeatedly shifted. The sect has targeted government and security figures, as well as Christians in churches and even mosques, prominent Muslim clerics and scholars in the country, which is divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/gunmen-burn-police-station-school-in-yobe/ |
| Politics › Ondo LG Boss Dies In Auto Crash. by Fatdon(op): 6:48pm On Nov 03, 2012 |
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Mrs. Opeyemi Adefarati, died in an auto accident on the Owo-Ikare Expressway on Thursday night. The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Akure on Friday, said the incident occurred around 8.25 pm at Iwaro-Oka junction on the highway. Adeniran said the accident happened when the driver of a trailer with registration number ABJ 413 XA, lost control while descending the Oke Maria hill and ran into the Toyota Camry with registration number GG268 EKY, which conveyed Adefarati. He said seven people were involved in the accident, but two of them, including the council boss, lost their lives immediately. He said three others who sustained serious injuries including her police orderly, were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo for emergency medical attention. The police spokesperson said the trailer had knocked down and killed one person shortly before it ran into the car. He said the corpses of Adefarati and that of the yet-to-be-identified person had been deposited at the General Hospital in Ikare. www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/03/ondo-lg-boss-dies-in-auto-crash/
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| Politics › Okada Are Restricted On 475 Out Of 9,100 Roads – Opeifa. by Fatdon(op): 9:24am On Nov 03, 2012 |
A trip to the National Orthopedic hospital, Igbobi, Lagos will reveal a pathetic situation of victims of Okada accidents. Destinies altered as many on clutches cried in pain as a result of severe orthopedic injuries, while others with spinal cord injuries groan helplessly on wheel chairs.www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/we-only-restrict-okada-on-475-out-of-9100-roads-opeifa/ |
| Crime › 30 Civilians Killed In Maiduguri Military Raid. by Fatdon(op): 8:29pm On Nov 02, 2012 |
The Nigerian Army has allegedly killed 30 civilians during raids in Maiduguri to comb out members of the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram, witnesses and hospital officials told news agency on Friday. Three witnesses told Reuters that soldiers from the Joint Task Force (JTF) raided several neighbourhoods in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital late on Thursday and arrested or shot dead dozens of young men. “More than 30 bodies were brought in by the JTF yesterday and most of them were young men,” a nurse at one Maiduguri hospital Yagana Bukar told Reuters. The military spokesman in Maiduguri did not respond to requests for comment. “Yesterday around the Gamboru area, soldiers raided places with an insider who pointed to suspected terrorists and they just killed some of them on the spot and others were taken away,” a civil servant who saw the attacks told Reuters, asking not to be named. He said he saw more than 40 dead bodies. Amnesty International in a report released earlier on Thursday, accused the JTF of committing human rights abuses in its crackdown against Boko Haram that were fueling the insurgency. The report said the JTF had carried out executions in the streets and tortured people without bringing any charges against them. Nigerian police said they would investigate the matter. Meanwhile, Boko Haram had also on Thursday proposed to dialogue with the federal government and is planning a ceasefire before the commencement of the discussion. www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/02/30-civilians-killed-in-maiduguri-military-raid/ |
| Politics › Within 10 Months FG Spent Over N400m On Tuberculosis – Health Minister. by Fatdon(op): 3:28pm On Nov 02, 2012 |
KANO – The Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has said that the federal Government expended N430 million within the last 10 months on the control and treatment of Tuberculosis in Nigeria, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who made the revealation in Kano during the commissioning of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Centre , Infectious Disease Hospital in Kano noted that the collaborative effort by the two tier Government, and International donor Agencies is yielding right dividend. Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who was represented by a Director in the ministry, Mr Joshua Osibanye stated the multilateral effort was sequel to UNO statistics that ranked Nigeria 10th among high TB burden country globally. The minister said that the World Health Organization (WHO) 2012 report estimated that no fewer than 3,491 MDR TB cases occurred in Nigeria annually, explaining that MDR-TB is a severe form of TB that are resistant to the conventional treatment. According to the minister, “MDR- TB its more expensive to treat in a specialized centres like the one been commissioned today, and it also takes a longer time for the treatment to be completed than the ordinary TB”Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu however stated that as part of conscious effort to address the menace of the MDR-TB, the federal ministry of Health has established 4 state of the art reference laboratories and 7 treatment centres across the country, adding that “we have also adopted newest technology for the diagnosis of drug resistant TB. The minister noted that Kano centre like few other in the country is in fulfillment of the commitment of the Jonathan led administration in providing effective health care system to halt and reverse disease burden in the country and making Nigeria one of the strongest twentieth economies in the world through a healthy workforce. Professor Onyebuchi further assures that his ministry in collaboration with donor partners will continue to provide the necessary funds and technical support for the control; of TB and other diseases of health importance like malaria, HIV/AIDS and vaccine preventable diseases for the achievement of millennium Development Goals by 2015. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/within-ten-moths-fg-spent-over-n400m-on-tb-in-2012-health-minister/ |
| Politics › Enugu Assembly Backs Creation Of Adada State. by Fatdon(op): 10:09am On Nov 02, 2012 |
Enugu – The Enugu State House of Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution in support of the creation of Adada State out of the present Enugu State. Presenting the motion during plenary, the sponsor of the motion and Leader of the Assembly, Mr Sunday Ude-Okoye, said the history of the struggle for the creation of Adada state began 31 years ago. He said it was the oldest demand in the South East zone of the country that was yet to be actualised. In his six-point motion prayers which was co-sponsored by 21 others, Ude-Okoye urged the relevant stakeholders, members of the National Assembly, state legislators, elected chairmen and councillors from the seven local government areas that constitute Enugu North Senatorial zone to initiate actions for the actualisation of the state. “That this honorable House, today, first day of November, 2012 do hereby pledge total support and commitment to the creation of Adada state out of the present Enugu State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “Two, that this honorable House appreciates the genuine efforts of the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Barrister Sullivan Iheanacho Chime towards the realisation of Adada dream through setting up the state committee on the creation of Adada state. “Three, that this honourable House urges the governor of Enugu State to continue to give all the necessary logistic support to the state committee set up for the actualisation of Adada state. “This Honorable House hereby resolves that any other request for the creation of a new state outside Adada state from Enugu, is not in tune with the wishes of the good people of Enugu State.” The lawmaker said formal request for the creation of the new state was forwarded to the National Assembly on March 2, 1983 through the late Senator Isaiah Ani who represented Nsukka in the senate between 1979 and 1983. He said the second attempt was on Jan. 2, 1996 to the Mbanefo Committee on the creation of states and local governments while the other was on Feb. 19, 2006 by the Chief promoter, Igwe Charles Abangwu to the national assembly. The leader of the assembly listed other efforts toward the creation of the state to include the inauguration of a 24 man committee headed by (Rtd), Maj.- Gen. Godwin Ugwuoke, by Gov. Sullivan Chime on Sept. 17, 2007. He said the South East caucus of the National Assembly had inaugurated a 10-man committee of senators and members of the House of Representatives under Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume and when the demand for the creation of four states, namely: Aba, Adada, Urashi and Njaba were presented, Adada got the highest vote. Ude-Okoye said that since there was a high demand for the creation of Adada state, all well- meaning people from the South East should support it. He said the land area for the new state was still intact and its creation would make for justice, equity and fairness in the political equation of state creation, among other things, in the six geo-political zones of the country. According to him, the name Adada was derived from the Adada River in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area. He said Nsukka would serve as the state capital. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/enugu-assembly-backs-creation-of-adada-state/ |
| Politics › Re: Disputed Oil Wells: Jonathan Wades In, To Meet Amaechi, Dickson. by Fatdon(m): 10:01am On Nov 02, 2012 |
| Politics › Re: Cashless: Restriction On Thirdparty Cheques To Go Nationwidenext Year – CBN by Fatdon(op): 10:00am On Nov 02, 2012 |
| Politics › Cashless: Restriction On Thirdparty Cheques To Go Nationwidenext Year – CBN by Fatdon(op): 5:45am On Nov 02, 2012 |
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that the N150, 000 restrictions on third party cheques currently in Lagos state would become nationwide from next year. Deputy Director, Banking and Payment System Department, CBN, Mr. Emmanuel Obaigbhona disclosed this at the 2nd annual conference/retreat of Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH) held in Calabar yesterday. Under the cashless policy, third party cheques with values above N150, 000 cannot be cashed across the counter but through bank accounts. This restriction was however implemented only in Lagos state as part of the cashless Lagos initiative, which to test run the cashless policy. “The N150,000 maximum limit imposed on third party cheques for across the counter withdrawal that is only available in Lagos, from January next year is going to be nationawide”, Obaigbhonna said during the panel discussion at the conference. The theme of the CeBIH conference was, “Developing a Market Structure that works: Challenges & Prospects for the Nigeria Payments System’. Chairman of CeBIH, Mr. Chuma Ezirim commended the CBN and NIBSS for the various policies introduced to drive electronic payment in the country. “CeBIH is committed to development of an efficient payment system in Nigeria. The industry however needs to recognise that electronic payment is not a service but a business and it has to be driven by operators instead of regulators. Obaigbhonna said while the industry has made significant progress in the implementation of the cashless policy, there is need for collaboration among stakeholders in the electronic payment system to improve on it. “In terms of development in the payment system, if we look at our country, we would observe some major improvements since 2007. The aim of the CBN basically is to promote electronic payments and make sure that we have a payment system that is not only effective but a payment system that is nationally utilised and international recognised. “We are looking at a system that even the poor can use at affordable rates. “But to achieve this, CBN needs the cooperation of all operators in the electronic payment system. For example all the policies introduced by the CBN to drive electronic payments were based on suggestions and contributions of banks especially the Bankers Committee. “The role of the CBN is that of catalysts. We are there to push the system forward but we depend on the knowledge of the operators and stakeholders in the system”. He said while operators are out to promote their individual interest, the CBN is committed to promoting the national economy and this was the philosophy behind the introduction of the cashless policy. The cashless policy he, said was primarily aimed at enthroning electronic payment. “And we are making progress but we need ideas from this group. We suppose to come together because CBN encourages collaboration. We need to hear from you, you are the experts on electronic payment. It is from your own perspectives that a lot of things happen. You tell us your own views, we look at them, and we invite you to discuss, and we would be able to come up with something for the industry. He called on CeBIH to collaborate with the CBN and NIBSS. Banks need to go to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) and understand what is happening there. We put NIBSS in the center, NIBSS is actually in charge of retail payments and the National Central Switch (NCS), operated by the company is designed to achieve interoperability which is critical to driving electronic payment in the country. So we need to collaborate and work with NIBSS. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/cashless-restriction-on-third-party-cheques-to-go-nationwide-next-year-cbn/ |
| Politics › Lagos To Get Bicycle Lanes. by Fatdon(op): 1:36pm On Oct 29, 2012 |
In a bid to give Nigeria’s most populous city an effective transport system, the state government has announced plans to introduce bicycles lanes on major roads across the city. Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on Sunday at a cycling event ‘Park and Ride’ which urge Nigerians to park their cars and ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle and cleaner environment. Speaking at the event as the special guest, Mr Opeifa noted that “the bicycle programme is on and pretty soon, you will see some roads in Lagos, marked as bike zones.” According to the Commissioner, “what is alternative to Okada (motorcycle) is the bicycle.” This is coming at a time when the state government is still embroiled in controversy with the Okada riders over their restriction to ride on some highways in the city and a recent clampdown on them for defaulting the new Lagos Traffic law. Discouraging the use of okada on walkable distance, the Commissioner stated that “anybody who wants to take a bike (okada) from their house to the bus stop, should use their bicycles.” “And when they (commuters in Lagos) get to the bus stop they should tie their bikes to the poles provided at the bus stop and join the BRT buses.” “The poles we are providing at the bus stops are not for decorations but for people to tie their bicycles” he added. “All over the world, from London to Stockholm to Buenos Aires, people now ride their bikes to work because it saves the environment of the gaseous emissions that is harmful to the environment.” He also noted that cycling will enhance people’s lifestyle and thereby improve their productive and lifespan which he claims will also have a resultant effect on the nation’s GDP. Acknowledging that the tropical weather in Lagos will make it uncomfortable for cyclers, the Commissioner noted that “yes, the weather will make people sweat but offices will be urged to provide showers” to ameliorate the discomfort. This he claimed is done across the world. Park n Ride is an annual event organized by On Air personality, Mannie of CoolFM Lagos, which urges people to park their cars and ride bicycles in a bid to address climate change and improve people’s lifestyle. www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/29/lagos-to-get-bicycles-lanes/
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| Business › Nigeria Lost N28.73 Billion In Oil Cut Prices- Ribadu Committee. by Fatdon(op): 12:39pm On Oct 25, 2012 |
A total of $183m (N28.73bn) in signature bonuses paid by oil companies to the federation is missing, according to a confidential report seen by Reuters. A team headed by the former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, produced the 146-page study based on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources’ request. It covers the year 2002 to 2012. The report said that Ministers of Petroleum Resources between 2008 and 2011 handed out seven discretionary oil licences, but that $183m in signature bonuses was missing from the deals. Three of the oil licences were awarded since the current minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, took up her position in 2010, according to the report. “I have not given any discretionary awards during this administration,” Alison-Madueke told Reuters, although she added that the President had the right to do so instead of using bids if he saw fit. “That is entirely up to him,” she said. Alison-Madueke, told Reuters on Tuesday that she received the report last month but that it was a draft and the government was still supposed to give input. The one seen by Reuters was labelled “Final Report.” The report concluded that oil majors, Shell, Total and Eni, made bumper profits from cut-price gas, while oil ministers handed out licences at their own discretion. This, while not illegal, did not follow best practice of using open bids. Hundreds of millions of dollars in signature bonuses on those deals were also missing, it said. “We have not seen this report and are, therefore, unable to comment on the content, but we will study it if and when it is published,” a Shell spokesman said. The report alleges international oil traders sometimes buy crude without any formal contracts, and the state oil firm, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, had short-changed the Nigerian treasury billions over the last 10 years by selling crude oil and gas to itself below market rates. There was no suggestion that the oil majors or traders had done anything illegal, but the report highlighted a lack of transparency in their dealings in a nation rife with graft. “It is a draft,” Alison-Madueke said. “There will be some areas where the government … may have a slightly different opinion … (and) will put its point of view to the committee.” She said she expected the final report to be with President Goodluck Jonathan within two weeks. Ribadu’s probe was among several set up following a week of nationwide strikes against a rise in fuel prices in January, which morphed into a campaign against oil corruption. Billions of dollars of revenue was missing in unpaid debts from signature bonuses and royalties, the report found. Nigeria LNG, a company jointly owned by the NNPC, Shell, Total and Eni, had paid the country for gas at cut-down prices before exporting it to international markets, the report said. Total and Eni declined to comment because they invest in but do not operate Nigeria LNG, the role played by Shell. “The estimated cumulative of the deficit between value obtainable on the international market and what is currently being obtained from NLNG, over the 10-year period, amounts to approximately $29bn,” the report said. It also said foreign oil firms had outstanding debts. Addax, now a unit of China’s state-owned Sinopec, owes Nigeria $1.5bn in unpaid royalties, part of a $3bn black hole of unpaid bonuses and royalties owed by oil firms. Addax did not respond to requests for comment, but the report noted it disputed owing the signature bonuses. Shell owes the Federal Government N137.57bn for gas sold from its Bonga deep offshore field, the report said, while oil majors owed $58m between them for gas flaring penalties. They were also not adhering to newer higher fines. The probe also said Nigeria was the only nation to sell all its crude through international oil traders rather than directly to refineries, adding that such trades were often opaque. It said some international oil traders who were not “on the approved master list of customers” had been sold crude oil “without a formal contract” so little could be obtained about the details of these deals, which could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. “This logically will serve to reduce margins obtainable on sale of crude oil,” the report said. But Alison-Madueke disputed this, saying there were no informal contracts and there was “an official tender put out every year,” which could be seen by the public in newspapers. The state oil firm gets an allocation of 445,000 barrels per day of crude oil to refine locally, but it has been selling itself this oil at cut-down prices, a practice which cost Nigeria $5bn in potential revenue between 2002 and 2011, the report said. “NNPC buys at international rates,” Alison-Madueke retorted. The report said the NNPC made N86.6bn over the 10-year period by using overly generous exchange rates in its declarations to the government. There was no sign of the money. Among the report’s recommendations were that parts of NNPC be reorganised or scrapped, an independent review of the use of traders be set up and a transparency law be passed requiring oil companies to disclose all payments made to Nigeria. United States regulators put new rules in place in August that will require US-listed oil and gas companies to disclose payments they make to foreign governments like Nigeria www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/25/nigeria-lost-n28-73-billion-in-oil-cut-prices-ribadu-committee/
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| Crime › POLICE: How Driver Killed 30, Injured Many While Trying To Evade Arrest. by Fatdon(op): 9:45am On Sep 23, 2012 |
Nigeria Police was established to protect lives and property. What happened, last week, however, ran contrary to this creed as four persons in police uniform, operating in a bullion van, allegedly pursued a truck owned by a cement company, following which the driver lost control and rammed into some buses, crushing the passengers as well as some Okada riders and traders to death on Sagamu-Benin-Ore expressway. It was a gory spectacle: The wreckage of the vehicles and horrifying mangled human bodies littered the scene. Sympathisers beholding blood stains everywhere threw themselves to the ground; anxiety gripped many people who were searching for their loved ones. The accident, which claimed about 30 lives, occurred at the Mabolufon junction, Ijebu – Ode, Ogun State, also left dozens of people critically injured. Some of the victims, according to findings, were roadside traders and people who were waiting to board vehicles. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the remains of seven persons, including a pregnant woman, were deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital, Ijebu – Ode, while doctors battled to save the lives of over 20 persons said to be critically injured. An eye witness said the ill-fated truck, with registration number, EDO RRU 33 XA, was allegedly being chased by the policemen in the bullion van as the driver reportedly drove against the traffic. In a bid to evade arrest, the truck crushed the buses which had stopped for passengers to alight at the Ijebu Ode junction. All the passengers in one of the buses coming from one of the eastern states were killed on the spot. A traffic official with Ogun State agency, TRACE, disclosed that they were busy packing the corpses to the mortuary. “ The accident is pathetic. I have never witnessed such an ugly incident in my life. We have taken over 10 bodies to the mortuary, while the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, has taken over seven bodies. The ambulance of the Ogun State Accident Team has also taken many corpses and more are still lying there”. Moments after the incident, some residents of nearby Ijebu Ode, Egbe, Atiba and Moraika, thronged the scene, lamenting the incident which many attributed to the careless driving of the driver of the truck. The truck, laden with fertilizers, was nearly burnt by the angry mob, but for the quick intervention of some policemen who were on the highway directing traffic. The affected buses, a blue Mazda bus marked, Ondo KTP11 XA, and Toyota Hiace bus, marked, Lagos XW 530 GGE, had full load of passengers allegedly coming from Ondo. Meanwhile, Ogun State Police Command has denied being responsible for the auto mishap. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said the truck driver allegedly responsible for the accident had been arrested. Giving the driver’s name as Adeboye Adebayo, Adejobi said the driver caused the accident by entering the expressway from the Ikorodu axis of the road on top seed. The PRRO said it was in a bid by the driver to beat a bullion van which was also on top speed along the express way that he rammed into oncoming vehicles. ‘’Putting the records straight, it was the bullion van (painted blue) that caused that accident”, he said. He added that Adebayo was making statement to the police on the incident. In the meantime, some survivors of the accident were facing threat of rejection by the management of the General Hospital, Ijebu Ode over failure to pay for treatment. When Sunday Vanguard visited the hospital, it was gathered that the critically injured victims were being rejected by the nurses on the grounds of payments. The visit however served as the saving grace for the survivors as the rejection was reversed. A deputy commissioner of police, Abdul Majeed Alli, who was on an on- the-spot assessment at the scene of the accident ,handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the management of the state owned hospital for the treatment of the victims. But the driver of the ill-fated truck accused some policemen of causing the accident. “A bullion van with four policemen suddenly blocked me and asked me to park but I suspected they could be armed robbers. So, I did not stop. As I was running from them. I rammed into two buses and road side traders”. The Ijebu zonal commander of TRACE, Commander Hamzat Tommy, confirmed that over 30 persons died in the accident, saying: “The number of the dead is about thirty something,a pregnant woman was involved. You need to see how the foetus rushed out, it was pathetic and gory. “Young boys and girls were also involved, even Okada riders who we always advised not to stay on the expressway, see how some of them lost their lives because of what they wanted to eat. ”My boys worked till very late in the night, evacuating corpses from the scene.” Narrating how the accident happened, the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Ayobami Omiyale, said,”I was told that the truck lost control due to over speeding as it was gathered that the police were chasing the driver for driving against the traffic. In the process of escaping, the truck ran into the waiting buses and crushed the passengers to death.” www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/police-how-driver-killed-30-injured-many-while-trying-to-evade-arrest/ |
| Politics › Jonathan Leaves For New York Tomorrow To Attend UN Assembly. by Fatdon(op): 4:45pm On Sep 22, 2012 |
President Goodluck Jonathan will on Sunday lead the Nigeria’s delegation to the 67th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York which has the peaceful resolution of international disputes, a theme as its main focus. The President of the 67th Assembly, Vuk Jeremic of Serbia announced at its opening on Tuesday that having consulted widely on the matter, he has chosen “bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means” as the overarching theme for the General Assembly’s work over the next 12 months. Mr Jonathan had in his 2011 address to the General Assembly called on the international community to muster the political will to promote preventive diplomacy for the peaceful resolution of international disputes through mediation. “For too long, the international community has focused too little attention on mediation and preventive diplomacy and far too much effort and resources on military aspects of peace and security. Yet, measures to address the root cause of conflict, including dialogue and mediation, can be far more effective as means to achieving sustainable peace and stability. “As I see it, our goal should always be to present the peaceful alternative as a less costly and effective way of achieving political and social objectives. By focusing on mediation as a tool for conflict prevention, we are able to address the real triggers of conflict, without which we cannot achieve sustainable solutions,” Mr Jonathan had declared in his address to world leaders at the United Nations last year. A statement issued by Reuben Abati, the Senior Adviser to President Jonathan said those that will be travelling with the president includes Isa Yuguda the governor of Bauchi State, Godswill Akpabio the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Philip Aduda, Honourable Isa Ashiru Mohammed, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Minister of Trade and Investment. The statement further said that in addition to participating in the 67th Session of the General Assembly, President Jonathan is also scheduled to meet with other world leaders including the Presidents of China, France, South Korea, Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland and Switzerland in New York. “He will also deliver a statement to the High- Level Meeting on the Rule of Law at the United Nations Headquarters and join the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg with whom he currently serves as co-Chairperson of the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children in presenting its report to the Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon. “President Jonathan will also attend a High- Level Meeting on the Nigerian Economy, meet with the Chairman and top executives of the global oil giant, Exxon-Mobil, attend a reception hosted by President Barack Obama of the United States and the Secretary- General’s High-Level event on the eradication of Polio,” the statement said. www.channelstv.com/home/2012/09/22/jonathan-leaves-for-new-york-tomorrow-to-attend-un-assembly/ |
| Politics › NASS To Get 2013 Budget Proposal Oct 4. by Fatdon(op): 12:32pm On Sep 22, 2012 |
President Goodluck Jonathan will on Oct. 4 present the 2013 draft budget proposal to the National Assembly. The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who gave the hint on Friday, noted that the early presentation of the fiscal document was part of the commitment of the government to ensure a better implementation of the budget. The 2013 budget proposal is anchored on the key goal of the 2013-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, which is tagged fiscal consolidation with growth and job creation. Fundamentally, the focus of the Federal Government’s proposal in the budget is to make practical impact in areas that matter most to the Nigerian people. The areas are job creation, power supply, roads, rail, other infrastructure and agriculture. Part of the proposal, which was obtained by our correspondent on Friday, showed that the 2013 budget is predicated on an assumption of crude oil production of 2.48 million barrels per day anchored at $75 per barrel. Similarly, it forecasts a Gross Domestic Growth rate of 6.85 per cent while recurrent expenditure is expected to decline from 71.47 per cent in 2012 to 68.66 per cent in 2013. Within the same period, capital expenditure is expected to rise from 28.53 per cent in 2012 to 31.34 per cent in 2013. In the same vein, the proposal said the government was putting in place for the first time a “strong strategy to ensure a decline in fiscal deficit and borrowing from 2.85 per cent and N744.44bn in 2012 to 2.17 per cent and N727.19bn in 2013 respectively with further decline up to 2015.” www.punchng.com/news/nass-to-get-2013-budget-proposal-oct-4/ |
