₦airaland Forum

What kind of nonsense is all this about?

We are still primitive in our thinking.

When will the US Ambassador visit me too?

I dare the 'dis-honourable members' to sue the US government, US Embassy in Nigeria and the Marriot Hotel...rubbish.

Before the US Embassy revoked their visas, they would have done extensive investigation into these allegations. If these 'law-breakers' are bold enough, they should carry out their threat. The issue is that US Justice system would have gotten a catalogue to information about these trios, which they can present in any law-court.

Does anyone remember the case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, DSK, the former managing director of IMF involved in a sex-scandal in 2011.

These bunch of people think they are in Nigeria where they can talk to hotel-employees to organise call-girls for them. They are a disgrace to themselves, their families and office they held.

For once, Reno was right.

The daily activities of the federal government has been running smoothly.

PDP...when will all these end?

This is very hilarious, whoever made this is a genius.

Look at the ugly building called Watada Plaza.
With all the money embezzled over the years by PDP, they can't have a modern, fit for purpose building.

The Federal Government has spelt out 22 stringent conditions Nigeria’s 36 states must fulfill to be eligible to draw from the N90billion set aside to bail out states facing severe financial difficulties.
Most Nigerian states are broke and unable to pay salaries of workers, fund key services or execute development projects.
The states remained in financial hardship despite a July 2015 Central Bank of Nigeria-packaged special intervention fund that doled out between N250 to N300 billion in the form of soft loans to enable the states pay backlog of salaries.
The states also enjoyed a debt relief programme designed by the Debt Management Office (DMO) which helped them to restructure their commercial loans of over N660 bn, extending the life span of the loans while reducing the states’ debt-servicing expenditures.
That however failed to pull the states out of distress and the federal government is now considering a fresh N90billion loan package for them
But to access the funds, according to Babafemi Ojudu, the special adviser to the president on political matters, states must fulfill 22 conditions.
Mr. Ojudu posted the conditions on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
They are listed below:

1. Publish audited annual financial statements within 9 months of financial year end.
2. Introduction and compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
Publish State budget online annually.
3. Publish budget implementation performance report online quarterly.
4. Develop standard IPSAS compliant software to be offered to States for use by State and Local Governments.
5. Set realistic and achievable targets to improve independently generated revenue (from all revenue generating activities of the State in addition to tax collections) and ratio of capital to recurrent expenditure.
6. Implementation of targets Implement a centralized Treasury Single Account (TSA) in each State.
7. Quarterly financial reconciliation meetings between Federal and State Governments to cover VAT, PAYE remittances, refunds on Government projects, Paris Club and other accounts.
8. Share the database of companies within each State with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The objective is to improve VAT and PAYE collection.
9. Introduce a system to allow for the immediate issue of VAT / WHT certificates on payment of invoices.
10. Review all revenue related laws and update of obsolete rates / tariffs.
Set limits on personnel expenditure as a share of total budgeted expenditure.
11. Biometric capture of all States’ Civil Servants will be carried out to eliminate payroll fraud.
12. Establishment of Efficiency Unit.
Federal Government online price guide to be made available for use by States.
13. Introduce a system of Continuous Audit (internal audit).
14. Create a fixed asset and liability register.
15. Consider privatization or concession of suitable State owned enterprises to improve efficiency and management.
16. Establish a Capital Development Fund to ring-fence capital receipts and adopt accounting policies to ensure that capital receipts are strictly applied to capital projects.
17. Domestication of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).
18. Attainment and maintenance of a credit rating by each State of the Federation.
19. Federal Government to encourage States to access funds from the capital markets for bankable projects through issuance of fast- track Municipal bond guidelines to support smaller issuances and shorter tenures.
20. Full compliance with the FRA and reporting obligations, including;
21. No commercial bank loans to be undertaken by States;
22. Routine submission of updated debt profile report to the DMO.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/205354-nigerian-states-get-22-conditions-access-fresh-n90billion-bailout.html

This is a good development going forward, at least we will know exactly how the states are funded and how they expend their available resources.

On the other hand, I think the federal government should start by publishing its own accounts?

He is presenting the Yoruba culture very well.

Where were these noise-makers when Fayose and Wike plotted to install Modu Sheriff as the PDP chairman?

It has been relatively quiet since PMB has been away, things are flowing in a nice steady way.

Maybe PMB should continue his vacation until further notice, since PYO seems to be doing a rather good job.

Only in Nigeria does it pay to be have a criminal past.

Yet with all his huge account balances, this useless 'freedom fighter' never provide basic amenities for his community?

We are the handy work of our misfortune in this country where criminals who can steal the most are celebrated.

Mel Gibson is doubling down on his Christ-based passions, it seems, with a sequel to The Passion Of The Christ apparently in the works. That’s according to his oldBraveheart collaborator Randall Wallace, who told The Hollywood Reporterrecently that he and Gibson were working on a follow-up to Gibson’s 2004 primer in ancient Aramaic.

Utilizing one of the oldest and most over-used narrative tricks in the screenwriting book, Gibson and Wallace’s new film will apparently begin with their hero—preacher and occasional convict J. Christ—undergoing a magical resurrection, before busting out of his tomb to spread a little holy mayhem. From there, we can only imagine where he’ll go, evading the authorities, destroying the carefully developed leper colony economy of ancient Israel, and waging a running battle against one of his dad’s old friends.

Wallace—a faith-based filmmaker in his own right, who wrote and directed 2014’sHeaven Is For Real—says that Christian fans of the original movie have been clamoring for a sequel for more than a decade. “I always wanted to tell this story,” he said. “The Passion is the beginning and there’s a lot more story to tell.” (After all, nothing says “franchise” like a successful adaptation of a single book from a multi-volume series.) For his own part, Gibson has remained uncharacteristically (but blessedly) quiet on the subject, although he expressed interest in the idea of aPassion sequel earlier this year.

http://www.avclub.com/article/oh-god...-christ-238019

The federal government says it will relocate some of its offices into buildings recovered from alleged looters.

Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this at a press briefing on Friday, saying the move will help the government reduce the money spent on rent.

“The issuance of price guidelines and initiatives for reducing expenditure on rent on office and residential buildings will be the primary focus areas of the efficiency unit in coming months,” Adeosun said.

“You may want to know that the average annual expenditure on rent for a three year period of 2012 to 2014 was N3.55 billion.

“And to achieve that, we are already looking at using properties that were forfeited from recoveries and moving some of our agencies to occupy those properties rather than paying rent.”

A total of 183 buildings were among assets which the current administration said it recovered from past government officials.

From the details released by the ministry of information, 146 buildings were recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 33 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), and four by the Office of the national security adviser.

The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers had been advocating for adequate utilisation of confiscated properties.

Adeosun added that the efficiency unit of her ministry had already recorded success in cutting government overhead cost in areas such as travels, welfare, honorarium, sitting allowance, training, adverts and publicity as well as refreshments.

“Major savings are expected when on-going engagement with the Bureau of Public Procurement on the pooling of MDAs demands for standard products such as vehicles, computers, diesel and others,” she said.

“We plan to secure large discounts from suppliers and the issuance of Price Guidelines are developed and implemented.

“Price Guidelines will ensure uniformity in the price at which MDAs purchase items, as well as transparency and value for money in the procurement process.’’

She said she was working with states to ensure that they all established efficiency unit since 47.32 per cent of revenue that accrued to the federation goes to the states and local governments.

President Muhammadu Buhari set up the unit to review all federal government’s overhead expenditure to reduce wastage, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country.

https://www.thecable.ng/fg-relocate-agencies-buildings-seized-looters

Where is the new road been commissioned?

It's so unbelievable that 'wailing wailers' can believe the list given by Saharareporters.

If SR should published any news which is not in their interest, they will be here making noise.

At least there has been quietness across the social media.
Let EFCC continue to keep him, what's his relevance to the public?

Who is he?

Why is that every player have a dream of playing for the club that signs them?

Most of us black people, espcially Nigerians are too self-righteous and hypocrits, how many people would have seen that little boy in his condition and looked the other way.

It took an outsider to show us how callous we are as a nation.

A big shame to the little boy's parents and family. A bigger shame to our religious institutions and politicians for allowing this kind of atrocities to go on in our society.

God bless the 'oyinbo' lady and her generations. No wonder their countries are blessed because of their humanitarian acts.

If this guy haven't been arrested, in few years time he might be seating in the National Assembly collecting millions in pay package.

Only God knows how many of those in political positions in this country have a criminal past life.

Now their story have gone international as published in Huffingpost US:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-bride-to-be-had-the-best-response-to-body-shamers_us_57573c87e4b08f74f6c07a90

Wishing them all the very best in life.

In your face to all the 'haters'

Norway is set to ‘completely ban’ the sale of all petrol and diesel powered cars in the next 10 years.

According to Norwegian newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv, politicians from both sides of the political spectrum have reached a concrete agreement that 100 per cent of Norway’s cars should be powered by green energy by 2025.

This hugely ambitious target would arguably make Norway the world leader in pushing renewable energy. This is a fascinating decision for a country which is arguably one of the largest oil exporters in the world.

Norway is no stranger to making bold strides towards being a greener country. The country recently confirmed that it would be the first country to commit to zero deforestation.

The 100 per cent target is hugely ambitious, despite the fact that the country already has 24 per cent of its vehicles running on electricity.

Then there’s Norway’s energy production of which 99 per cent is provided through its on hydroelectric plants.

There is some ambiguity however over whether the plan has been legally enforced yet with claims from another paper suggesting it was still in the later stages of negotiation.

Despite this, industry leaders have applauded the potential move with Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeting about news.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/norway-set-to-completely-ban-all-petrol-cars-by-2025_uk_57555504e4b04a0827f1d48c

Time for countries like Nigeria to start to think about diversifying of the economy.
Within the next two decades, crude oil will be rendered useless.

Where is his spiritual heritage and linage?

PDP have to look for other ways to generate funds - their members can start to make monthly contribution towards the party instead of looking for a rich sugar-daddy.

PDP doing best what they know to do - bringing chaos...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday grilled two former ministers — Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of Power and Abdu Bulama, a former Minister of Science and Technology over the $115 million public fund allegedly deployed for the 2015 general election by former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Both were PDP campaign coordinators for Borno and Yobe state respectively during the last presidential election.

A source at the anti-graft agency quoted Mr. Bulama as saying that he received N450m from a former finance minister, Nenadi Usman, for use in funding the PDP presidential election in the state.

“Former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman called and informed me to go and collect money in Fidelity Bank. A five-man committee was set up to coordinate the campaign activities in Yobe State and we received N450m.

“The money was disbursed based on a template we received from Abuja and we shared it among the three senatorial zones in the state.”

Muhammed Kadai, who was Mr. Bulama’s deputy, provided details of the sharing formula.

According to him, “the money was shared according to zones. For Zone A, Abba –Gana Tata collected the sum of over N85, 100,000.00, while Dr Mamu collected N73, 510.000.00 on behalf of Mohammed Hassan Dambu and zone C received N70, 470.000.00, through Alhaji Hassan Ibn Jaks for Dr Yarima Ngama.”

The Borno Coordinator , former Minister Wakil also confirmed he received N450m, our source said.

He was quoted as saying, “I received a call from Nenadi Usman, former Minister of Finance, that N450m was sent to Fidelity bank and a template for how the disbursement of the funds will be conducted.

“Nicholas Msheliya, Peter Biye, Hon. Kudla Satumaria, Hon. Ibrahim Birma, all from southern Borno received the sum of N112, 340.000.00. Equally Hon. Kangar, through Dr. Kulima A.A received N88, 620.000.00 while Engr Mohammad Baba Kachalla, Hon. Kaamuna Khadi, Hon. Zarma Mustapha and Hon. Abdulrahman Tarab received the sum of 140,860.000.00.

Similarly, the sum of N40m was allegedly given to Hon. Komalia for onward transmission to PDP Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, for Security.

The two ministers are currently in the custody of EFCC in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as investigation continues.


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/204812-two-ex-ministers-efcc-net-115-million-diezani-cash.html

The Nollywood film festival started on 2 June ended 5 June.
It's about Nigerian films shown on French television, currently in its 3rd year.
Have a peep.

http://www.nollywoodweek.com/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN0ngMcBcQI

The guy-man is very lucky...this can never happen in Nigeria as our orientation is completely upside down.

justwise:
This link answers all your questions https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/477876/FLR_M__guidance_notes_11-15.pdf

@justwise, thanks for the link

dday101:
As from 6months to when it will expire.

@dday101, thanks for the information.

Hi Justwise and other eminent contributors,


Please I have two questions:

1. How soon can one reapply to extend spousal visa - my wife's current visa expires in October 2016?

2. Please do you have a website link where we can download application form and also get more information about what documents are required?

Many thanks.