lwise: My question is ,what is the fixed charge meant for,so if I dont use electricity at all for a month,I must pay a fixed charge.Haba,this is stealing by trick.

The fixed charge refers to the portion of the tariff which you must pay regardless of whether you use the energy. The energy charge is the cost of the actual energy you consume.

This is normal in other climes (in the UK, all utilities are now moving to this tariff breakdown - the fixed charge is called the 'Standing Charge' and levied on a daily basis)

The principle behind this is that significant investments have to be made to construct the infrastructure that delivers the electricity to you regardless of whether you actually take it. The Energy charge covers the costs that actually depend on the amount of energy produced such as fuel and other variable costs.

Like I said, it is a normal tariff structure but paying the Fixed charge comes with an expectation you have access to the Energy always, whether you take it or not.

The expected problem in Nigeria is where there is no service delivery (ie, dem take light) and the Fixed Charge is still levied. The normal practice then is for the Fixed Charge to be refunded for those days where there is no Service delivery - which is why the UK Standing charge is stated on a daily basis so this calculation is easily made.

With a strong Regulator, you can go further and get compensation if there is any negative effect of the service unavailability but you are usually referred to your insurance (household or business interruption) first. The Nigerian electricity industry is fledgling and not yet at that level of promised service delivery but the expectation is that the industry becomes more robust as private players settle down and make the necessary efficiencies and the overall industry revenue pool continues to grow.

Cold blooded: But ma question now is "why the yearly increase in service charge ?" "Was it initiated to achieve any particular purpose?"

In my experience, those levels of Fixed Charges in the early years do not sufficiently cover the actual requirements of the industry so there is still significant Government subsidy involved. The yearly increase approaches the true cost of the service as the subsidies are withdrawn, and also assuming the industry continues to improve such that there is sufficient revenue for it to be self-sustaining.

Underneath all the cussing and personal attacks, we (the watchers) are learning, as they say - small by small.

We can set out the sequence of issues that we may agree or disagree upon ...

- The fundamental question of what documentation she presented to the NASS or elsewhere is outstanding.

- If it is forged, that is Fraud, abi?

- Whose property is that document?

- Do the Naija people have a right to see that document because that is one of the basis she has been ad-Ministering for them?

- What does the much-touted FOI bill say about this scenario?


The last point is very significant and it won't take much for any lawyer-in-da-house to digest the bill and opine. Like I said, we are learning small by small and kudos to the intelligent contributors but the curses are really unnecessary.

lacicrips:
http://web.archive.org/web/20131023140749/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_Oduah-Ogiemwonyi
Her wikipedia page as it appeared in October, 2013. There was no mention of university or college. With that said, the rest of the report by OP is completely false.

eGuerrilla:
^^^
PT has exposed itself to charges of bias by making unsubstantiated allegations, which could so easily have been verified with a little effort.
As far as I can tell, at no point did her Wiki page contain any direct reference to a university or college -- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stella_Oduah-Ogiemwonyi&dir=prev&action=history

On her Wiki page, whatever version, it's been consistently asserted that:

Oduah-Ogiemwonyi received her Bachelors and Masters Degree (in Accounting and Business Administration respectively) in the United States.

Could you two e-lackeys please tell us where in the US she might have obtained those degrees? Especially as her facebook page only refers to one institution - St Paul's

Do better next time, eh.

Y'all wonder where the ALUU4 perpetrators and Boko Haram came from?

It's this type of brutalization at an early age that normalizes such casual violence when they grow older. It takes a special kind of person that has undergone this kind of treatment to break the cycle. It helps if such a person is removed from the Nigerian environment.

As a kid, we were beaten mercilessly. We were ushered to the front of public firing squads to get a better view. I have lost count of how many public 'rubber necklacing' or lynchings I witnessed. Such scenes become lodged in your brain as 'entertainment' and you have to psychologically calibrate yourself continually as you grow older to avoid falling into the same trap of normalizing violence.

A personal anecdote - there was an Almajari school up the road where I lived in the North. Ignorant parents deposited their kids there for one reason or the other. That was not life - those poor kids were woken up early and were beaten mercilessly by the Imam as they crammed their brains full of religious text, then sent out all day to beg and bring back money/food for the Imam, beaten again and sent to bed often hungry.

I got to know one of the kids quite well - a bright gentle soul who gradually lost the ability to smile - because I gave him a lot of my food when I could. He was about the same age as I was and we could've been best of buddies under different circumstances.

Y'know what? I only found out last year he was killed during the Kano Maitasine riots - on the wrong side obviously.

GH^KWAME:
massa! The link posted by the OP to validate her story leads to a stone wall!

My apologies to you both. Upon first reading, I thought the OP was relating a personal experience.

Jigga_man101:
That story have so many holes. I think the op had an agenda she was trying to push.

Jigga_man, I think you're a Ghanaian? The automatic instinct to defend our own is very commendable but could be counter-productive. This website has some nasty submissions that makes one lose hope for our race but dig deeper and you will find, in the main, people go out of their way to give help and advice freely to people they've never met.

If I were you, or any other Ghanaian, my first instinct would be to give the benefit of doubt to a fellow African sister. Rise above the generalizations that others piled on. She may indeed have been very hurt - traumatized even by her experience. Why don't you use this as an opportunity to show the true hospitality or good nature of Ghanaians in some way? Perhaps by offering to make discreet enquiries, or help take it to the highest level of management?

What would make you feel better as you lay your head on the pillow at night- an imaginary prize for winning an internet war of words, or knowing you have helped somebody? 'We often show ourselves in best light when we avoid unnecessary conflict' - just my late Grandma speaking.

I turned off the lights in my kitchen and stepped into my back garden. Looking up into the sky, I could make out an unusual number of stars in the normally light-polluted London night vista.

They were all unblinking, so I implored with all my senses tuned to the max ... "which one of you carries the spirit of our Baba Nelson? Abeg this poor African wants to say goodbye oh, show me a sign."

To the north east, one started blinking furiously. I thought it was one of those aircrafts normally criss-crossing that skyline as they approach or depart Heathrow but this one was not moving.

Oh boy, I raised my two fists towards that star and wished Baba Nelson safe journey. I thanked him for sharing the same stardust that created all Africans with my humble self. My grandma will have hot gbegiri soup waiting for him of that I'm sure.

When I finished, I'm at peace with myself because I know Nelson Mandela is at peace, suffers no more. I've never been surer of anything in my life ... well, apart from the fact I will be the subject of gossip when my watching 82 year old neighbor next sits down for tea with her other busy body friends that already think I'm an insane cookie into the dark arts.

Me I be propa ol skool. No sabi this Facebook nonsense.

Taking off this girl's bra other day, asking her wetin she dey do with dat phone, she say she dey update her status.

Mo gbe !

theoctopus:


Look guy, if no one has told you, I will tell you now. You are a stup1d iddiot. You are a low life hypocrite and a drug sniffing scumbag. You think you are somehow holier than that woman, but you are nothing. You think you are somewhat privileged to be where you are, but you are absolutely nothing. A nonentity of Mega proportions. You are a boastful chimp, beaten your flat chest and talking down on a widow. And you claim you are following oyibo way. I feel sorry for you. You have no identity.

If oshimole was in the Uk, he would have lost his job and be forever hounded by civil society groups. He would be sued for all he is worth. He will not survive it. You are a foolish scumbag.

Take am easy now. That kain abuse was uncalled for and, when you think about it, how does that differentiate you from the power-mad Governor we are all discussing here?

Oshiomole forgot he took an oath to be the Guarantor of the security and well-being of all Edo State Citizens. He could only see a poor widower struggling on the streets to survive, another would have seen an ingenious entrepreneur that, with a little help, could contribute even more to the development of the State he rules.

Why not invite those big belly commisioners licking his bum from the background to build markets and create opportunities for his people? He would rather destroy than build? That is warped logic.

I always knew he was a fraud, better than all the other crooks but a fraud nonetheless - check out his Abuja mansion and tell us how a labor leader could ever build such.

moshd: Very informative post though a pity the post is getting to me rather late because I read a lot from NL car talk and autos forums for over a month before I eventually picked up a 406 Peugeot at Cotonuo two weeks back only to discover women hair weave on coming out of my exhaust while cruising my new pug in 9aija, summoned my mechanic who laughed my anger off that my car's Indomine or Demarche i.e. Cat converters, have been stolen at Cotonuo. I was mad, called my Cotonuo agent and demanded for it but he claimed ignorance and promises to get it from the car dealer, up till now no feed back. I have planned to visit Ladipo next week to get replacement only God knows at how much though now am wiser and such will never be my portion again as will look out for it in my cars like I do my gsm. Guys everybody shine your eyes o, that I learned in a hard way.

That is not the Cat Converter problem. It is the back box (silencer) disintegrating and that 'hair weave' is the sound deadening material.

madam_oringo:

Well, I refuse to join issues with you knowing well that every time anyone tries to debate you vigorously, no holds barred, your usual mods are out to quickly ban such. In any case, grow your on palm oil and let the new company grow theirs too. However, nothing will make me happier when palm oil is exported across the Niger to the states of the abusive people of Nigeria at premium rates while we can feed fat on more employment opportunities and tax revenues to our coffers.

[quote author=madam_oringo]

Ah .. I see. Another one that sees everything through an ethnic prism.

Abeg, leave me out of that aspect. I hold no truck for any ethnic warrior group and I've never debated anything with you or anyone here.

I'm just sharing the benefit of my experience - after all, that's what this board should be about.

madam_oringo:

You people are very funny! Is it not some Nigerians that hate the palm oil, palm kernel, palm anything work of their fathers they call some people Yoruba in Nigeria? LWKMD now you are crying?? Well, NOTHING will make me happier if the Italian company squeezes every drop of palm oil away from the people who hold the hand work of their fathers in contempt calling some people Yoruba. They complain about palm oil soup but are now crying because another company is investing a lot of their money and energies into it? Well, I look forward to the day higher quality mmanu and Yoruba will be exported directly across the Niger at premium prices just because it is higher quality and cleaner.

Did you read any of what I wrote or you just felt the need to dig out some long-standing bugbear of yours and land it on my reply?

"You people", which people?

prettyify: So now we can't process palm oil....Wat a shame! every white man must do something for us

We can but the price of this processed palm oil is very close to what these Italians can get in Malaysia so they want to 'bypass the middleman' so to speak and set up their own processing facilities. They will then enter into exclusive contracts with palm fruit farms which will squeeze local supply and push up prices.

Their business model factors all the costs in the value chain (which they are capturing almost in its entirety by now setting up this processing plant) and it compares favorably with petroleum from traditional sources. They've signed an MOU but if the price differential closes up, they'll vamoose (but by then they would have served the political PR process abi?)

Let me be clear, there is a growing moral aversion to diverting agriculture products towards bio-petroleum production because it competes with the availability of food. At the very least, there should be a Regulatory regime that safeguards the food alternative including pricing. These Italians know how things work in Naija and they will exploit it as long as they can.

I speak from a position of knowledge having refused to facilitate a similar venture on moral and patriotic grounds.

Be careful about this development. How many Italians have you ever seen chopping ewa riro?

They are looking for a cheaper source of palm oil for their bio petroleum industries. That is where the high value lies in the value chain. They may even sell back to us the expensive petroleum!

Even assuming a modest of growth, they will soon corner the market and push up palm oil prices in the local market.

Unlike the likes of Malaysia, were cannot afford to jeopardize the availability of such an mportant food component.

See our policemen enjoying streetlight and 24hr power supply in the so-called "failed state" of Somalia.

When they return, na mosquito go organize party for them at their face-me-I-face-you rooms for barracks.

theoctopus: It is an old trick. It also happens within towns. It used to happen a lot around Onipanu and Agege axis but has reduced a lot now. Never stop at Ijora Olopa too. Always roll up your side windows and pin the doors when in a hold up in the evenings around Ijora Olopa, Ikeja.Bank Anthony, Opebi, Western Avenue, Marwa gardens under bridge, going under the express and mile 2

Happened to me there, Western Avenue, more than 25 years ago. I was stuck in a go-slow just before the overhead bridge near the National Stadium driving my Peugeot 504 one evening. One reasonably-dressed chap waved to me like something was under my car and before I could do anything, he had bent down near the front tire. I jumped out to investigate (traffic standstill) but he retreated saying "ah, no problem, oga", then disappeared.

As the traffic began to crawl forward, it did not take more than another 200 meters for the engine to overheat, steam pouring out of the vents. I stopped (by now on the topof the bridge proper) and opened the bonnet. Suddenly, these area boy mechanics appeared and traced the fault to a damaged water pump, which they just happened to have handy and sold and fitted it for me for some ludicrous amount I can't remember now.

I later realized the scam worked because the first chap had used a pin to prick the diaphragm of the water pump when he bent down by the vehicle. Apparently, it was an easy scam to pull for those Peugeot 504s in those days.

God forgive me, I handed the case to some Ojuelegba boys I knew and they told me they picked up the first chap a few weeks later. I don't want to know how but I got my money back.

The replacement water pump sef even if not original worked correctly, engine ran noticeably cooler even with full A/C blast, and lasted the remaining lifetime of the car. Props to all those Aba people oh!

I would answer the original question from the perspective of a potential Client (assuming limited technical knowledge) witha couple of question of my own:

1. Comparative cost Pre-cast vs in-situ casting?
2. Are the "joints" following installation of the precast parapets likely weak points in the structural integrity of the building? I'm thinking where future subsidence or building movements could result in stresses between the roof parapet sections. Any examples of such failures?

Jeez, you guys!!

If anyone is actually interested in Tinapa, business- or leisure-wise, and happens upon this thread, do you not think the amount of guff and counter-guff spouted is burying any useful information?

5 pages in, I still don't know what is happening in Tinapa. Oh, I see a lot of egos burning bright, and I learnt that someone wants to rape another's mum! Thanks, that is really useful, abi?

Why can't we limit contributions to civilized discussions that actually show out better sides to potential investment counterparties - that is true Patriotism.

AnodaIT: I'm thinking, which Nigerian leader could build up so much passion amoung people

Aminu Kano.

It's unfortunate politics in the Second Republic tramlined along sycophantic lines as soon as all the maggots congregated into a dominant party (like we have today) so he would never have had the opportunity to preside over the nation. In his humility, he was well respected.

Anyone that enjoys playing football will remember the creeping reduction in abilities once you cross the 30 year barrier. You are still good but ever so slightly slower. At that stage, you try play as much as possible to enjoy it while it lasts. I remember playing through hamstring/groin/ligament injuries because, men, football sweet oh!!

That's the tragedy of this Twitter Boy. When he's old and can no longer play, it's these six months of idleness at the critical age that will burn brightest in his brain.

We mostly play now through the likes of Osaze and love him dearly. He needs to grow up, if only to make the best of maybe the next two years.

annybliss:

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:

Items needed:

200 ml water
50 grams of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast

Abeg, which kain scale fit measure 1 gram?

Check dat recipe.

rabzy: 2 Tim 3v16,17 says all scripture is breathed of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness so that the man of God may be fully competent, thoroughly furnished for all good workses says it is he who God loves he disciplines, so if they keep resenting discipline that planely shows they are no 'MOGs'.

One thing that confuses most of us is the skilful juggling of the Old Testament vs New Testament dichotomy by some christians who seem to want to have it all.

Bear with me please - the Old Testament is full of the most heinous evil acts and commends severe wickedness (by today's standards) to be committed on others - child murder etc.

The issue was raised the other day in another thread but we were told the Old Testament no longer applies, abi? Yet, the issue of Tithes and "Touch not my annointed" are selectively crafted from the Old Testament.

What is it nau?

raytony: Wetin dey pain me be say 100 naira na small money. Anyway, my people talk say na small shit dey spoil yansh.

It's lie, your people no sabi correct proverb. Una neva tanda outside shalanga wey big man dey cry as him dey struggle to unload one big log? Why u tink say Alomo Bitters dey sell well well?

Paul John: By Press Release
August 18, 2013 22:55:54pm GM
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Saturday received the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ms Eunice Reddick and Director of African Affairs at the White House, Ms Leanne Erdberg on a courtesy visit, underscoring the need for deeper understanding and cooperation in an increasingly global world.

E be like say their office Messenger go visit Mali new President naim make dem send us this one

Chei, Africa don suffer!!

jibsai:

Buh the term christians stated when people started following jesus christ (meaning little christ) jesus didn't come till d new testament hence all d quotes u made was d reason Christ came, to show d way and atone our mistakes and upgrade (if u like)some awkward practises of past!...uR quotes mainly from d books written by moses in d old testament was part of what jesus corrected and ofcos not in practice anywhere by real christians and children of GOD of our generation...

Let's agree to disagree. As has been quoted severally here, Jesus did not disown the Old Prophets and practices, he affirmed them and perhaps added his own 'jara'. That Old Temple from where he chased all those money-changers, was it a 'Christian Church' as you now want to define it? He got angry because the Temple (with its Old Testament practices and priests) being defiled.

You guys have not still answered why 'Tithing' is acceptable having been inspired from the Old Testament.

It's your right to pick & choose what you want from the entire Bible but some of you are bigots, denying that right to other religions with selective quotes and blanket condemnation.

abes: Funny people now claiming the parts quoted are from Old testaments as if the old testament is not in the bible. I wonder some pastors will quote Malachi in old testament when it comes to giving tithes

No mind them.

Even in the new testament, Matthew5:17-18, Jesus said ...

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

jamace:

Thanks for bringing that to the fore. If I may ask, how many CHRISTIANS have you seen carried/or are carrying out those instructions in this present world?.

Depends on what you mean by 'modern'. Was Christianity not the bullwark for all the turmoil of the middle ages, the brutal tortures of the Spanish Inquisition, slavery and colonialism? It's victims number in the millions but, yes I agree, it can be argued that Islam is somewhat behind the curve for enlightenment.

This is not a Christian vs Islam tussle though, all religions have dangerous elements - The argument made by the one-eyed bigots was a blanket condemnation of one religion while ignoring the heinous crimes supported by the other across the ages. Abes has put that right.

abes:
If they don't carry out the instructions as stated in the Bible, then they are non-believers.

Abi o?

Thanks Abes, for tearing these one-sided bigots a new one.

They will soon come with their new excuses ... Old Testament vs New Testament, etc

The fact is, religious books of all hues are some of the most poisonous texts ever produced and to continuously lambast one over the other only expose the hypocrisy of those doing so.

Compliance: What's their business in investigating the church's fund? Are you the heavenly EFCC? And besides, what make many people think that they are wiser than the cheerful givers, numerous professors pay tithes and partake in seed sowing, what makes you think they are daft? On the private jets, since people have been shouting and crying and raising unwarranted alarm, has anybody proven that the jets were purchased from stolen money? If you as an average Nigerian has more than a phone or more than two cars, you have the tendency to buy more than one private jets if given d avenue. So why panting foolishly at the rich because your poverty stricken?

Churches in the UK operate as charitable concerns, meaning they enjoy certain privileges such as paying no taxes on their income and assets whatsoever. When substantial portions of the income is seemingly being spent on church members' 'welfare' or, even worse, being 'bundled' abroad for undisclosed purposes, they need to investigate whether the Charitable status is being breached.

If the money is traced as being used to fund other people's gbaladun, Oyedepo is in trouble. As they say - 'no smoke without fire'. 1 + 2 = 3, just wait until their Human Rights people kama that this man is also the famous 'Witch-slapper', plenti yawa will follow.

Great Pictures Tochi - THANKS

The stadium is nice & clean (is that artificial grass?). The match looks entertaining. I would definitely attend if I was in the country.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LEAGUE!!

Would you rather discover the next fresh JJ Okocha for the Super Eagles or go begging a useless Anichebe/Ameobi to play?

brotherlyn: Are these the things i would have been bowing down to if the mercies of the Lord hadn't stepped in by way of the preaching of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Then, i would've been in deep shit... but, Lord, i thank you.

This is nothing but the entaglements of the devil operating under the guise of tradition or culture

So, you are happy that all your ancestors that did not have the opportunity to hear the message brought by the White Men are cursed and now roasting in Hell.

How can this be the modus operandi of a fair God? Are we saying those ancestors' destiny was already predetermined simply because they were born before a certain time.

Africans ... Think!

brabus: Fence for the Chateau - Design Inspiration

What do you think?

Na for South Africa man see this kain fence everywhere becos the fear of ogboju arm robber for there naim be the beggining of wisdom. All the rich people dey live like prisoner. I no envy dem at all.

In other words, unless local crime is a problem, I think this design is too claustrophobic especially for the occupants. Not to think of neighbors and passers-by who might need to appreciate your masterpiece (I believe the undulating grounds will be landscaped professionally, and you mentioned a stream somewhere - Chei, you have a perfect canvas man, show it to the world!).

Only my opinion.