₦airaland Forum

The governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has said he will suspend his Presidential ambition in 2019 if President Muhammadu Buhari will be running.



Okorocha made this known in Owerri while addressing youth delegates from all the geo-political zones of the country, who paid him a courtesy visit.


He stated that President Buhari meant well for the nation and should be given all the support he deserved.



He further said he will not also run at any given time unless 10 million Nigerians would endorse him.



“I will not run in 2019 if President Muhammadu Buhari will be running. Even at that, I will not also run at any given time unless 10 million Nigerians endorse me.







“May I remind all of you that my joy this evening has no bounds for the singular fact that the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, northern minorities, western and eastern minorities, Muslims and Christians and others can sit down in a roundtable and speak like members of one family. If only for this, my mission for this nation is today achieved.


“I am an Igbo man with Igbo parentage. I was born and raised in the north. The north gave me education, guaranteed my childhood, even when I was not worthy to be called anybody in this world.



“I did all my schooling— primary, secondary and tertiary— in the northern part of this country. I finished and needed to be successful and wealthy. My encounter with someone from the South-West gave me the financial empowerment.



“So you can see that in my person, I have no choice whatsoever but to be a detribalized Nigerian, having been born of Igbo parentage, raised up by the North and empowered by the West. Nigeria remains my constituency.



“Most of you may not know that I am not in politics for self-aggrandizement or as a means to seek livelihood. I am in this job for the glory of the job, not for the profit and for the honour of this job, not for the wealth in it.



“I believe that one day it will become a manifest truth that somebody somewhere really cared for this nation.



“In my quiet time have I gone through lamentations, thinking about our nation and particularly. So is the youth of Nigeria, believe me, if our youths are not alright, our nation can never be alright,” Okorocha said.

Cc; Lalasticlala

http://www.eyereport.com.ng/2019-i-will-not-run-against-buhari-okorocha/

Godson222:
The Times of India has reported the arrest of five Nigerians and an Indian lady by the Indian police, the latest in the serial busting of Nigerian gangs either for drug related crimes or fraud.



According to the newspaper, the Nigerians and their Indian accomplice were found in possession of a wide variety of drugs, including cocaine, brown sugar and amphetamine. They were also accused of human trafficking by way of offering Nigerian girls into prostitution.



Arrested were by the Rachakonda Police in Hyderabad were Palaparthi Sangeetha, 35, a resident of Sun City, her partner Cosmas Ojukwu, 30, their associates John Okorie, 26, a BA student of Nizam College, Okereke Cyril Anezi, 31, a BCom student of Nizam College and president of Nigerians in Hyderabad, John Paul Onyebuchi, 34, and Ogunka Henry Okechukwu, 31.



Sangeetha, the Indian partner of Cosmas and John Paul Onyebuchi were the first to be arrested. They were nabbed at a bus stop on Sunday night with three grams of cocaine and 200 grams of ganja in their possession.



Based on Sangeetha and John’s confessions, police raided Ojukwu Cosmas’ flat and arrested Cosmas having 10 grams of cocaine, 12 grams of brown sugar, 37 blue amphetamine tablets and 40 pink amphetamine tablets, a laptop, `1.54 lakh cash, three cell phones and an Activa vehicle in his possession.



Cosmas then told about his drug business in Hyderabad. “He had been procuring drugs from his friend Gabriel, who operates from Goa and Hyderabad. He supplied drugs through Sangeetha, John Paul and Henry,” Rachakonda commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat said.


After confessing about his drug network, Cosmas then, gave away the address of his associates John Paul, Henry and Cyril. Police seized seven grams of cocaine, 300 grams of ganja, Rs 50,000 cash, laptop and cell phones from their possession, the TOI reported.



The hansindia.com gave the total drugs seized as 20 grams of cocaine, 12 grams of brown sugar, 39.8 grams amphetamine tablets and pieces, 1.675 kg of ganja and Rs 2 lakh cash.



John Paul and Henry confessed that in addition to peddling drugs, they also trafficked Nigerian women to customers in Kushaiguda and Neredmet areas.



“The Indian visas of Cosmas, John Paul and Henry had expired years ago . John Paul was arrested twice by Mapusa police of Goa in 2016 for illegal stay and drug peddling. Despite knowing about all this, Cyril knowingly provided him shelter at his rented flat in Yapral,” the commissioner of police said.



Cosmas, who came to India in 2012, was reported to have links with drug peddlers operating in Goa, Mumbai and Chennai. He sold each gram of cocaine and brown sugar for Rs 20,000 to customers.

Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/india-arrests-three-nigerians-for-drugs/

Lalasticlala

The Times of India has reported the arrest of five Nigerians and an Indian lady by the Indian police, the latest in the serial busting of Nigerian gangs either for drug related crimes or fraud.



According to the newspaper, the Nigerians and their Indian accomplice were found in possession of a wide variety of drugs, including cocaine, brown sugar and amphetamine. They were also accused of human trafficking by way of offering Nigerian girls into prostitution.



Arrested were by the Rachakonda Police in Hyderabad were Palaparthi Sangeetha, 35, a resident of Sun City, her partner Cosmas Ojukwu, 30, their associates John Okorie, 26, a BA student of Nizam College, Okereke Cyril Anezi, 31, a BCom student of Nizam College and president of Nigerians in Hyderabad, John Paul Onyebuchi, 34, and Ogunka Henry Okechukwu, 31.



Sangeetha, the Indian partner of Cosmas and John Paul Onyebuchi were the first to be arrested. They were nabbed at a bus stop on Sunday night with three grams of cocaine and 200 grams of ganja in their possession.



Based on Sangeetha and John’s confessions, police raided Ojukwu Cosmas’ flat and arrested Cosmas having 10 grams of cocaine, 12 grams of brown sugar, 37 blue amphetamine tablets and 40 pink amphetamine tablets, a laptop, `1.54 lakh cash, three cell phones and an Activa vehicle in his possession.



Cosmas then told about his drug business in Hyderabad. “He had been procuring drugs from his friend Gabriel, who operates from Goa and Hyderabad. He supplied drugs through Sangeetha, John Paul and Henry,” Rachakonda commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat said.


After confessing about his drug network, Cosmas then, gave away the address of his associates John Paul, Henry and Cyril. Police seized seven grams of cocaine, 300 grams of ganja, Rs 50,000 cash, laptop and cell phones from their possession, the TOI reported.



The hansindia.com gave the total drugs seized as 20 grams of cocaine, 12 grams of brown sugar, 39.8 grams amphetamine tablets and pieces, 1.675 kg of ganja and Rs 2 lakh cash.



John Paul and Henry confessed that in addition to peddling drugs, they also trafficked Nigerian women to customers in Kushaiguda and Neredmet areas.



“The Indian visas of Cosmas, John Paul and Henry had expired years ago . John Paul was arrested twice by Mapusa police of Goa in 2016 for illegal stay and drug peddling. Despite knowing about all this, Cyril knowingly provided him shelter at his rented flat in Yapral,” the commissioner of police said.



Cosmas, who came to India in 2012, was reported to have links with drug peddlers operating in Goa, Mumbai and Chennai. He sold each gram of cocaine and brown sugar for Rs 20,000 to customers.

Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/india-arrests-three-nigerians-for-drugs/

Godson222:
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is synonymous to Democratic Republic of Nigeria as it is fondly said in Nigerian that the country practices Democracy.

Democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people as we were taught both in primary level, secondary level and tertiary level of the Nigerian Academic stages.

But in Nigeria, that is not the case. The leaders now decides what will happen in our lives, the country's affair just because some of us ate bribe during election that is still stubborn to leave our throats.

Democracy is dead and gone. Today, Nigeria Now Practices PHOTOCRACY. Since Buharism is now in the dictionary, PHOTOCRACY should also be in the dictionary.

PHOTOCRACY is the government of PHOTOS which are tend to prove that the president or leader is alive instead of making use of Video that cannot be easily manipulated by technology.

PHOTOCRACY is the government, when those visiting the President don't get video clips for the media just as they are allowing photos to leave the premises to the media.

PHOTOCRACY is when the government is telling Citizens that the president is alive but cannot been seen walking, moving, singing, or even dancing. Dead humans can be forced to sit as we have seen in movies.

PHOTOCRACY is when Photo is the only evidence to prove that the president is still the president.

Rochas really said Buhari is still funny and he was seen laughing in the recent photo accredited to PHOTOCRACY. If Buhari can still laugh not minding to clear the mess and panic in the country over his state health, then I will say he is very funny.




Whatever that they are hiding, I wish the President Well.


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/nigeria-practicing-photocracy-eyereporter/

Lalasticlala

Wow

The picture of a handful of APC Governors and President Muhammadu Buhari, which was purportedly taken in London yesterday, is old and fake.

I have been reliably informed that they were taken during Ramadan in Abuja some time back and not yesterday in London.

Quite apart from that even though the picture was meant to have been taken in London curiously all the drinks on the table are Nigerian products and Nigerian-made.

Did the Governors take all those drinks along with them to London when they went to see the President?

Is Buhari not coming home again anytime soon? Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and some government officials recently told us that he would be back on the 28th of July which is just a few days away.

Why the need for the APC Governors to "visit" him in far away London if he will be back in Nigeria in a few days?

What was the purpose and point of this fake photo-shoot and this strange breakfast meeting? What was the purpose and objective of this monumental fraud and deceit?

Whatever the answers may be to these questions the curtain must be brought down on what can only be described as a puerile and nauseating conspiracy.

This crazy and noxious charade just has to stop. We do not wish the President dead but we have a right to know the truth. As a matter of fact we demand to know that truth because, as he once said himself, he "belongs to us all".

For those who still believe that the meeting actually took place there are some nagging questions that need to be answered.

For example why were the Nigerian and foreign media not allowed to cover the proceedings and participate in this celebrated photo-soot and merry London feast?

Why did the Villa press corps not take one of their own camera men to London and make a short video of this "historic" event?


Why was were the whole proceedings shrouded in so much secrecy? Why is it that only one picture was taken? Why were more pictures not shot? Why was Buhari not put on audio tape and interviewed whilst he was with his celebrated and important guests?

Why did he not offer a few words of hope and encouragement to the Nigerian people to ease the tension that has been generated in the land by his prolonged absence?

How can they expect us to take Governor Rochas Okorocha's word for anything without any solid proof or evidence to back those words up or give them a measure of veracity or credibility?

I for one would not believe a word that a man like Rochas tells me. If he told me that it was day outside I would have to assume that it was night. It is that bad.

Again why did Buhari not shake anyone's hands during the photo-shoot? Why did he not get up from his chair, say "cheese" and give us a big Daura smile?

Why was he just sitting there like a stuffed mannequin who really did not know where he was and who he was interacting with?

Is it not obvious that he can no longer function properly? Why all the tall tales that he is getting much better?

Is it not clear that he is simply being stuffed with and pumped up by a dangerous cocktail of steriods? Is it not obvious that he is suffering from an extreme form of dementia?

Is it not clear that even if he were to be brought back to Nigeria tomorrow he could no longer function properly and lead the nation?

Is it not obvious that he is barely lucid and that he is little better than a zombie?

Where is the shame in admitting these truths and prevailing on him to resign in order for him to be able to go home to Daura and take care of his health?

Better still he could resign and be taken to Prophet T.B. Joshua's Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos for prayer, deliverance and healing. I assure you that it works.

Those who truly love Mr. President and care for him ought to advise him to take one of these two options. Yet sadly few will do so.

The bitter truth is that we have become the laughing stock of the entire civilised world since this shameless charade began.

A nation of 180 million people whose President has gone missing and who have no idea where he is, what is wrong with him or what the prognosis for his condition is. The situation is shameful and bizarre.

Worse still we have a media that is so fawning in its attitude when it comes to the Federal Government and that is so easily intimidated that they simply refuse to ask the right questions about this matter or undertake to carry out the necessary investigations with a view to establishing the truth.

This is the greatest tragedy of all and it results in total impunity on the part of the government because the media is not prepared to keep them on their toes.

Yet it doesn't stop there. We have a Senate with 109 distiguished and able Senators and a House of Representatives with over 300 honorable legislators and yet not one of them has the fortitude or guts to call for the resignation of this ailing man who is clearly no longer well enough to lead our nation.

The following questions must be answered: are the Nigerian people under a blinding and binding spell? Is this the unholy work of vodoo-merchants, witch-doctors and necromancers?

Have our people been bound up and charmed by these broom-loving APC wizards and witches?

The truth is that God is watching this charade and He is not mocked. No matter what anyone says or does His will shall be done, His counsel shall stand, His purpose shall be established and His name shall be glorified in this situation and in our nation.

Nigeria is too important, too big and too good to be subjected to such malevolent indignities and infantile rubbish.

She is too blessed and advanced a nation to be manipulated by a faceless little cabal of power-hungry, godless, self-seeking, evil, callous and bloodthirsty men.

We as a people deserve far better than that and we ought to demand much more. Buhari is not a King with divine rights and neither is he God.

He is a human being like you and I and, just like us, blood runs through his veins. He is not immortal and he is not infallible.

He is mortal and he is fallible. He is not indispensible. Like all human beings, he is dispensible. With or without him Nigeria shall go on and our nation shall survive.

In any case whether he comes back alive or not is not the point and neither is it the relevant question.

The relevant point and question is whether he can continue to function as President if and when he does come back and, based on the information at my disposal, it is very clear to me that he will not be able to do so.

The truth is that if and when he does come back, he will come back as a shell of his former self. This is sad, pitiful and tragic but the sooner we come to terms with it the better it is for us all.

This is a man that I have been reliably informed has lost his memory, his powers of speech, his recollection of events and his ability to perform even the most basic mental and physical functions. A man in such a condition can hardly be described as being fit to rule this great nation.

The morbid obsession with retaining power at all costs which has afflicted those in the Presidency that Mrs. Aisha Buhari has graphically described as the "hyenas and jackals" coupled with their insidious attempt to institutionalise what I have described elsewhere as "corspsocracy" (the rulership of the living by the dead) in the body politic of our nation must cease forthwith.

Nigerians are gracious, kind, long-suffering, resilient, loving, patient and compassionate people who wish the best for their President but that does not mean that they should be taken for granted, taken for a ride or treated like fools. They are not children and they are not stupid.

It is time for this horrendous madness and hideous nightmare to stop!

It is time for Buhari's seat to be declared vacant and it is time for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to fully take over and be sworn in as the new and substantive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/fake-photo-in-london-ffk-blasts-apc/

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is synonymous to Democratic Republic of Nigeria as it is fondly said in Nigerian that the country practices Democracy.

Democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people as we were taught both in primary level, secondary level and tertiary level of the Nigerian Academic stages.

But in Nigeria, that is not the case. The leaders now decides what will happen in our lives, the country's affair just because some of us ate bribe during election that is still stubborn to leave our throats.

Democracy is dead and gone. Today, Nigeria Now Practices PHOTOCRACY. Since Buharism is now in the dictionary, PHOTOCRACY should also be in the dictionary.

PHOTOCRACY is the government of PHOTOS which are tend to prove that the president or leader is alive instead of making use of Video that cannot be easily manipulated by technology.

PHOTOCRACY is the government, when those visiting the President don't get video clips for the media just as they are allowing photos to leave the premises to the media.

PHOTOCRACY is when the government is telling Citizens that the president is alive but cannot been seen walking, moving, singing, or even dancing. Dead humans can be forced to sit as we have seen in movies.

PHOTOCRACY is when Photo is the only evidence to prove that the president is still the president.

Rochas really said Buhari is still funny and he was seen laughing in the recent photo accredited to PHOTOCRACY. If Buhari can still laugh not minding to clear the mess and panic in the country over his state of health, then I will say he is very funny.




Whatever that they are hiding, I wish the President Well.


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/nigeria-practicing-photocracy-eyereporter/

Cc; Lalasticlala

OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo said on Monday Nigeria has no intention of going beyond its oil production target of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of March 2018.



Barkindo made this known at the opening of the fourth Joint OPEC-non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) in St. Petersburg, Russia.



He also said Libya has an output target of 1.25 million bpd by December, but it remains a target given the challenges the country faces.



NAN reports that OPEC and some non-OPEC states including Russia agreed in 2016 to cut production by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in a deal that has been extended to March 2018.



NAN reports that Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that OPEC 10 other major oil producers remained supportive of conflict-torn Libya and Nigeria as they attempt to recover and increase crude production.



“Libya and Nigeria, both of which are exempt from our agreement [on oil output cuts] … of course, we remain supportive of our brothers and partners in both nations as they work on the recovery of their oil industries and their economies,” he said.



He said the market had faced pressure in recent weeks due to weaker OPEC compliance with cuts and rising production from Libya and Nigeria, which have been exempt from the reductions.


Mynd44

http://www.eyereport.com.ng/nigeria-not-going-beyond-i-8-million-bpd/

Cc; Lalasticlala Mynd44

The Federal Government on Saturday received no fewer than 198 Nigerians illegally residing in Saudi Arabia at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 10 am.



The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this number was out of the 1,800 Nigerians living illegally in Saudi Arabia, who were given amnesty to return to the country.



NAN reports that the 198 persons including women and children returned with their luggage on board a Med-View aircraft.



Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Kano received the first batch of the returnees.



Mohammed Yahaya-Sani, the Consular at the Nigerian Consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, who led the illegal immigrants to Nigeria, told newsmen at the airport that the Federal Government sponsored their return.


According to him, the illegal migrants voluntarily reported to the Nigerian Embassy to be returned to Nigeria in compliance with the three months evacuation notice issued to them by Saudi authorities, which will expire on July 24.



Yahaya-Sani said that contrary to speculations, the returnees were not deported rather they voluntarily accepted the amnesty offer granted them by the Saudi authorities for illegal immigrants to leave the country.



“They decided on their own to return to Nigeria. The Saudi authorities offered amnesty to all illegal immigrants to leave the country within three months,” he said.



The official handed over the returnees to NEMA officials at the airport who witnessed and documented their returns before they later departed to their various towns and villages.

Mynd44

http://www.eyereport.com.ng/198-saudi-arabia-returnees-back-to-nigeria/

Lalasticlala come and see food o

Cc; Lalasticlala Mynd44

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has voted in the election to the 57 local councils in Lagos state.


The election was said to have been slowed down in some parts of the state, with the heavy downpour in some parts of the state.


Ambode voted at the Ogunmodede Junior/Senior College, Epe, after his accreditation.


He said measures have been put in place to ensure a peaceful election.


“I urge all Lagosians to exercise their franchise and vote to choose representatives who will lead us at the grassroots,” he said.


Outside of Epe, reports on the polls were mixed.


In Okota -Isolo axis voting did not commence until after 10’oclock, due to the late arrival of electoral officials.


The early downpour must have been a contributing factor.



The turn out of voters was poor at some of polling booths. Children were seen playing football. However, the turn out of voters was impressive at poling booth 012 and 013 OKOTA.



Police vans blasted sirens while patrolling the streets.

http://www.eyereport.com.ng/ambode-voted-in-epe-pictures/

Cc; Lalasticlala

Nigerian musician, Innocent Ujah Idibia​, popularly called 2face Idibia, has ​reacted to comments that he ​was seeking to divert funds ​to be realized at the special fund raising concert tagged “Eargasm”.



Declaring individuals thinking in that direction as insane, he said that proceeds ​were specifically meant for the Internally Displaced Persons, ​IPDs, to donate to their plight and alleviate their suffering.


He said; “My attention is focused more on the individuals and organizations concerned with providing support for IDPs; people who murmur about hidden agenda don’t matter.



“If they are pessimists and haters then they need to be saved from themselves”, he ​told Vanguard.



“The 2face foundation’s first activity in January 2017 was Project 1.4-1.4, with which we sought to raise N14​million​ in 14 days to assist IDP intervention work being undertaken by winners of the 2face peace awards.



”​We launched million voices for peace project in 2012 and have a rich history of peace building initiatives.



”​It’s primarily in the interest of peace that I called for the February 6th peaceful protest​.



“​And for anyone who thinks my image needs redemption for my commitment to peace building, I have absolutely no comment.”


Source NAN

Mynd44

Godson222:
No fewer than 1008 candidates have been shortlisted by the Petroleum Development Technology Fund (PTDF) for selection under the Ph.D scholarship category for 2017/2018 academic year.



A statement signed by Mr Kalu Otisi, Head Press and Public Relations, on Wednesday in Abuja, said the selection process would commence by next week.



“Interviews for the selection of candidates for the award of 2017/2018 PTDF Scholarship in the Ph.D category have been scheduled to hold from Monday, July 24, to Friday July 28, 2017.



“A total of 1008 candidates have been shortlisted to face a Central Selection Committee panel constituted from the academia, industry and research institutes.



“The members will interview the shortlisted candidates on their Ph.D research proposals in the nine priority areas for scholarship,’’ it said.



It named the nine priority areas as Environmental Studies and Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Marginal fields development and Flow Assurance and Pipelines Engineering



Others include Geology and Petroleum Geology, Civil and Marine Engineering, Renewable Energy, Reservoir Engineering/Production Technology, Refining Technology, Ship Building and Marine Technology, and other relevant oil and gas related disciplines.



It added that shortlisted candidates for the interview were contacted through email and SMS notifications giving the specific dates and times for their interviews.



“Applicants are also advised to visit the application website using their PIN.



“Successful candidates will be able to log on to the site and print their notification slip which will contain necessary information and instructions.



“The PTDF Ph.D Scholarship is for a duration of thirty six (36) months,’’ it added (NAN)


Source NAN


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/ptdf-shortlists-1008-candidates-for-ph-d/

Lalasticlala

No fewer than 1008 candidates have been shortlisted by the Petroleum Development Technology Fund (PTDF) for selection under the Ph.D scholarship category for 2017/2018 academic year.



A statement signed by Mr Kalu Otisi, Head Press and Public Relations, on Wednesday in Abuja, said the selection process would commence by next week.



“Interviews for the selection of candidates for the award of 2017/2018 PTDF Scholarship in the Ph.D category have been scheduled to hold from Monday, July 24, to Friday July 28, 2017.



“A total of 1008 candidates have been shortlisted to face a Central Selection Committee panel constituted from the academia, industry and research institutes.



“The members will interview the shortlisted candidates on their Ph.D research proposals in the nine priority areas for scholarship,’’ it said.



It named the nine priority areas as Environmental Studies and Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Marginal fields development and Flow Assurance and Pipelines Engineering



Others include Geology and Petroleum Geology, Civil and Marine Engineering, Renewable Energy, Reservoir Engineering/Production Technology, Refining Technology, Ship Building and Marine Technology, and other relevant oil and gas related disciplines.



It added that shortlisted candidates for the interview were contacted through email and SMS notifications giving the specific dates and times for their interviews.



“Applicants are also advised to visit the application website using their PIN.



“Successful candidates will be able to log on to the site and print their notification slip which will contain necessary information and instructions.



“The PTDF Ph.D Scholarship is for a duration of thirty six (36) months,’’ it added (NAN)


Source NAN


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/ptdf-shortlists-1008-candidates-for-ph-d/

Cc; Lalasticlala

The governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has approved the release of N1billion to local government councils in the state to offset part of their salary arrears.



The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Wednesday.



He said the N1billion was part of the N5.1 billion received by the state government as its share of the Paris Club refunds from the Federal government.



Banu said the N5.1 billion received by the state government was 12.5 per cent lower than the amount it expected from the Federal Government.



The commissioner said the balance of the refund would be used for projects and programmes that would enhance the welfare and security of all citizens and residents of the state.


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/kwara-releases-n1b-to-lgs-for-salary-arrears/

Cc; Lalasticlala Mynd44

Nigeria’s Federal Government on Tuesday announced the award of a licence to Ondo State Government to mine its rich deposit of bitumen, said to be one of the largest in the world.



The Minister of Mines and Steels Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who made this known at the First Ondo State Investment Forum held at the International Event Centre (DOME), Akure, the state capital, said that the licence was granted to the state as part of the efforts of the federal government to diversify the economy and boost the country’s foreign exchange.



He did not state the extent of the licence or the acreage it covers.



Represented by Engr. Mohammed Amate, the Director of Mining Licence in the Ministry, Fayemi said the bitumen reserve in Ondo State can serve the whole of Africa, hence the Federal Government’s decision to explore the opportunity towards economic development of the country.



Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said the state, with a reserve of 42 billion barrels, boasts of the largest reserves of Bitumen and Tar Sands in the world.



Noted Fayemi: “Nigeria currently imports over 600,000 tons of asphalt per annum and the nation spends billions of naira on importation of asphalt every year. The naira is weak now because of much demand for dollar and less demand for naira and the poor export policy in the country.



“With bitumen being produced in Ondo State, federal Government will ensure that none of its road contractors imports asphalt and I am sure that many state governments will prefer to buy from Ondo state because it will definitely be cheaper here than imports from outside the country” The Minister said.



Governor Akeredolu SAN, thanked the federal government for finding his state worthy for partnership; stressing that for the initiative to function optimally, Federal Government must prioritise and patronise the mining industry.



The Investment Forum, held in conjunction with the Presidential Economic Diversification Initiative (PEDI) also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and WEMS Agro Ltd for the planting of rice in over 5,000 hectares of land at Akotogbo in Irele Local Government area of the state.



“Our coastline which is about 120km, is one of the longest in Africa and is home to various fish species like sole snapper, croaker, barracuda, big eye grunter, catfish etc. This is an unchartered territory to be explored as part of this administration’s drive towards economy diversification.



“Let me announce to this gathering that Ondo State had been granted two Free Trade Zone (FTZ) licenses which are Olokola (being oil and gas FTZ in partnership with Ogun State government) and Ondo State Industrial City (as a non-oil and gas FTZ). They are both coastal FTZ’s with the Atlantic Ocean bordering the southern flank.



“In addition to Oil and Gas, Ondo state boasts of possessing one of the largest reserves of Bitumen and Tar Sands in the world; about 42 billion barrels. Ondo State is also endowed with large deposits of various solid minerals including Limestone, Coal, Granite, Kaolin, Silica Sand amongst other minerals.



“Whilst attention over the years has been on Oil and Gas; this Government is willing and ready to exploit its Bitumen reserves in a sustainable way particularly in the area of providing asphalt for road development. It is estimated that over 90% of the minerals in Ondo State are unexploited and unutilized.



“Ondo State as one of the nine oil and gas producing states has abundant oil and gas reserves that remain undeveloped, even though we produce about 12 % of the daily oil production in the country.



“However, gone are those days that any government will be reliant on oil and gas alone. I am happy to inform you that in Ondo State, we are aggressively driving our non-oil related industries.” He said.



Akeredolu said his state fed the Western region during the First Republic and he’s poised to bring back the last glory.



“It is no longer news that Ondo state accounts for over 40 per cent of Nigeria’s annual cocoa output. However we process less than 2 per cent of our cocoa output. Additionally, Ondo state is also a major player in other agricultural produce in tree crops such as: oil palm, rubber, cashew and kolanut; also arable crops such as: cassava, yam, maize, rice, sugarcane; fruit crops such as: pineapple, citrus, mango, pepper and tomato are all cultivated in abundance in Ondo State.



“Our Special focus is on our comparative advantage in agriculture, which are palm oil and cocoa. We want to develop our palm oil to the extent where we have a self-sustaining palm oil industry. We fed the western region during the first republic and I can assure you that we will do it again.



“Meanwhile, we will not leave out rice production in Ondo state. It will interest you to know that our Rice paddies are taken all the way to Lagos or Kogi by our farmers to be processed because we don’t have any rice mill in the State. To complement the production effort of the farmers, the State plans to setup specialized Staple Crop Processing Zones (SCPZ) for these crops to enable investments in the production of finished products ready for export.



Akeredolu also announced to the gathering that his state has signed a MoU with Ministry of Niger/Delta and NDDC for the funding of 50km Araromi Road in Ilaje LGA of the state to Ibeju/Lekki, Lagos aimed towards business development.



He disclosed that his state will soon sign partnership with the private sector to empower about 10,000 youths and women in agric business through a N15billion Employment Trust Fund.



Additionally, the Governor declared the intention of his administration to build Innovation Centres across the state to serve as magnet for the youths who are high-end-thinkers to birth new ideas in partnership with the largest technology companies such as Microsoft, Google, Main One Cable, SAP etc.



Dignitaries at event included the Deputy governor of the state, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde ,the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Olugbenga Ale; the head of service, Mr. Toyin Akinkuotu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Investment, Mr. Boye Oyewumi and many others.



Others on the delegation of the Federal were the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani, the representative of Minister of Mines and Steels Development, Egnr. Mohammed Amate, Minister of State for Niger/Delta Affairs, Professor Cladius Daramola, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters, Mrs Fola Oyeyinka, National Coordinator, Senior Investment Corporation, Dora Akugbulo, NNPC’s Director of Energy, Mr. Isa Abdullahi.



Source NAN


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/ondo-licensed-to-mine-42-billion-bitumen-reserve/

Cc; Lalasticlala Mynd44

Godson222:
The new signed striker of Manchester United, Romelu Lukaku, has scored his first Manchester United goal as Jose Mourinho’s side overcame Real Salt Lake 2-1 in a friendly in Los Angeles.


Lukaku, 24-year-old Belgian player, who signed from Everton for £75m, got the winner seven minutes before half-time to add to Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s equaliser.



Reacting to his first goal, Mourinho said “is nice for him but not important for me.”



“I told him I love what he does. He assists, he moves. He holds the ball well. I like everything he does”



However, United lost Juan Mata to injury and Antonio Valencia was then sent off for a tackle on Saucedo, referee Allen Chapman speaking to Mourinho before belatedly dismissing the Ecuadorian.


“The delay was because the referee asked me to change the players and I didn’t because I don’t agree with the card,” added the Old Trafford boss.



“Saucedo was really aggressive with what happened to Mata and some other actions where he was a bit dangerous. It’s pre-season so no problem – it’s a good experience.”



Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/lukaku-scores-his-first-goal-for-man-utd/

Lalasticlala

The new signed striker of Manchester United, Romelu Lukaku, has scored his first Manchester United goal as Jose Mourinho’s side overcame Real Salt Lake 2-1 in a friendly in Los Angeles.


Lukaku, 24-year-old Belgian player, who signed from Everton for £75m, got the winner seven minutes before half-time to add to Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s equaliser.



Reacting to his first goal, Mourinho said “is nice for him but not important for me.”



“I told him I love what he does. He assists, he moves. He holds the ball well. I like everything he does”



However, United lost Juan Mata to injury and Antonio Valencia was then sent off for a tackle on Saucedo, referee Allen Chapman speaking to Mourinho before belatedly dismissing the Ecuadorian.


“The delay was because the referee asked me to change the players and I didn’t because I don’t agree with the card,” added the Old Trafford boss.



“Saucedo was really aggressive with what happened to Mata and some other actions where he was a bit dangerous. It’s pre-season so no problem – it’s a good experience.”



Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/lukaku-scores-his-first-goal-for-man-utd/

Cc; Lalasticlala

Some 214,952 candidates cheated in the May-June West African Senior School Certificate Examination(WASSCE) and their results have been seized by the authorities.



Head of National Office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Mr. Olu Adenipekun, announced this in Lagos as he also announced the cheering news of a seven percent improvement in the number of candidates that passed the examination with five credits.



Last year, 52.9 percent of the candidates recorded the feat. The number jumped to 59.22 percent this year, out of the 1,559,662 candidates that sat for the examination.



Adenipekun said WAEC is still investigating the exam cheats and that the schools of the students would be duly informed soon.



“The cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the council in due course for consideration.



“The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their schools,’’ he said.



He said that 923,486 of the 1,559,162 candidates that sat for the examination, obtained a minimum of credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.



The official said the percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for school candidates was an improvement on what was obtained in the same examination in both 2015 and 2016, with 38.68 and 52.97 respectively.



Giving a further breakdown of the results, the WAEC boss said that 1,084,214 candidates, representing 69.94 per cent, obtained credits and above in six subjects.



He said that 1,243,772 candidates, representing 87.05 per cent, obtained credits and above in four subjects.



Adenipekun added that 1,436,024 candidates, representing 92.44 per cent, obtained credits and above in three subjects, while 1,490,356, representing 95.59 per cent, obtained credits and above in two subjects.



He added that of the 1,559,162 candidates that sat for the examination, 1,471,151, representing 94.36 per cent, had their results fully processed and released.



The official said that 95,734 others, representing 5.64 per cent, had a few of their subjects still being processed due to errors traceable to the candidates in the course of registration or writing the examination.



“Such errors are being corrected by the council to enable the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released subsequently,’’ Adenipekun said.



The head of national office commended the supervisors, examiners, and other persons for their immense contributions in ensuring a smooth conduct of the examination.



“The coordination and marking of candidates’ scripts for the 2017 WASSCE for schools was successfully held between May 24 and June 11 at 83 marking venues spread across the country.



“Having said this, we will like to state also that the Nigeria National Office of the council has concluded arrangements to commence the conduct of the WASSCE for private candidates from January/ February 2018.



“This is part of our commitment in ensuring quality service delivery to the Nigerian public.



“I also want to seize this opportunity to inform you that with the upgrade of the council’s ICT facilities, particularly the recently commissioned HP Converged System – a private cloud, the compability of the council’s ICT has now been enhanced,’’ he said.



The WAEC official called on candidates who sat for the examination to check the details of their performance on the council’s result website within the next few hours. (NAN)


Mynd44

http://www.eyereport.com.ng/full-details-of-2017-waec-results/

Lalasticlala

Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, has approved the suspension of eight top officials of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to pave way for a thorough investigation of petitions.



Director of Media and Public Relations of the ministry, Boade Akinola, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.



The minister had earlier suspended the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf, for three months.



According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adewole said the suspension is in furtherance of the desire of government to have an uninterrupted and robust investigation of all petitions at the NHIS.



He named the affected officials as Mr Olufemi Akingbade, General Manger, Zonal Coordinator, South-South zone, Mr John Okon, General Manger, Finance Account.



Others are Mr Yusuf Fatik, General Manger, Human Resources and Administration, Mr Shehu Adamu, Assistant General Manager, Audit, Mr Vincent Mamdam, Assistant General Manager, Head Insurance, Mr Safiyanu Attah, Senior Assistant Officer, Marketing, Mr Owen Udo Udoma, Senior Manager, Contribution Management and Mr Innocent Abbah, Senior Assistant Officer, Planning Research and Monitoring,” he said.



Akinola quoted the minister as urging the committee to remain focused, fair and transparent in the discharge of this national task despite the sensation the development had generated.



The Acting Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr Attahiru Ibrahim, has also been directed to ensure the immediate implementation of the suspension order.



The ministry had earlier suspected the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf for three months.


Mynd44


http://www.eyereport.com.ng/health-minister-suspends-eight-nhis-top-officials/

Godson222:
The image of this soup was posted by a facebook user but he got funny replies.



I was also amazed by the look of the soup but an adage goes 'don't judge a book by its cover' or do you want to judge this one by its cover? This question was asked by eyereport earlier. Tell us the name of this Nigerian soup, the ingredients, and the tribe that owns it.



Here is the soup

Mynd44


Source; http://www.eyereport.com.ng/do-you-know-this-nigerian-soup/

Lalasticlala

The image of this soup was posted by a facebook user but he got funny replies.



I was also amazed by the look of the soup but an adage goes 'don't judge a book by its cover' or do you want to judge this one by its cover? This question was asked by eyereport earlier. Tell us the name of this Nigerian soup, the ingredients, and the tribe that owns it.



Here is the soup

Mynd44


Source; http://www.eyereport.com.ng/do-you-know-this-nigerian-soup/