₦airaland Forum

AKURE — GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, yesterday, called on Nigerians to rally round President Goodluck Jonathan in his bid to bring an end to the security challenges in the country.

He chided those who have chosen to embark on undue politicisation of current national security challenges facing the country.

Mimiko said that the present security challenges confronting the nation can only be surmounted if Nigerians rally round the President.

He spoke in Akure while playing host to members of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, led by its Chairman and Pro-chancellor, Mr. Mahmud Yahaya (SAN).

Mimiko said: “With the array of Nigerians from diverse ethnic stocks in the Governing Council of FUTA, the obvious point is made that our destiny as a nation is one and so Nigerians must work with the President to evolve a united, peaceful, and prosperous country.

“I am of the view that the effort to bring an end to the security challenges in some states, through the recently declared State of Emergency, should be lauded by all.

“For me, this is the time to rally round the President and jettison all forms of divisive and non-productive politicking.

“It is also the time to tell those who are disposed to feasting on the national security challenge that they are alone.”

He said those opposed to the President on account of political differences should offer genuine, logical and coherent alternatives instead of blanket condemnation of all that emanates from the Presidency.

Earlier, Mr. Yahaya sought the support of the state government in the development of the institution’s skills acquisition centre.

He lauded Governor Mimiko for the unprecedented transformation of the state.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/mimiko-rallies-support-for-jonathan-faults-politicising-of-security-challenges/

the miscreants are yet to see any thing.the heat is on

By Kingsley Omonobi, Ben Agande & Ndahi Marama
ABUJA — Following the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by President Goodluck Jonathan last Tuesday, and the deployment of over 3000 troops and Counter Terrorists Squad (CTS) within 24 hours of the declaration, the military, yesterday, launched air and ground offensive in the thick forests of Sambisa, Borno State, an area which the Boko Haram sect was reported to have used as a recruiting and training base.

A curfew (6 pm to 6 am) has also been imposed in the three states while banks and other public and government businesses have also been instructed to suspend their operations. Some of the residents in Yola, welcomed the offensive with a trader in Jimeta Market, Audu John saying, “the state has been under the control of gunmen for so long, this state of emergency is long overdue.”

Soldiers dislodge sect members

A senior military officer who spoke under conditions of anonymity said that soldiers attacked the area and dislodged the sect members who fled following the heavy military onslaught.



The source added that the sect was yet to mount any serious offensive stressing that the Nigerian Army was backed by the Nigerian Air Force who are part of the operations. The source also said that soldiers are hunting down members of the Boko Haram sect in all their identified bases in Gashua, Yobe State.

According to the source, “in line with the directive from Mr. President and military authorities to immediately dislodge the sect members, who are terrorising the states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno in particular, as well as some other northern states of the federation since 2009 to date, our men raided some terrorist camps in the Sambisa Game Reserve, and other camps of the sect in the affected states, which I believe will have a positive outcome”.

Another source who corroborated this claim said: “So far, more than 2,000 troops have been deployed to Borno, and as I am talking to you, the massive operation and manhunt of Boko Haram members along Sambisa Game Reserve has started”. He, however, declined to comment on the forces sent to the other affected states of Yobe and Adamawa.

The commencement of the offensive has also affected telecommunication services in the affected states as calls could neither be made or received which was believed was aimed at giving the security operatives easy chance to embark on their mission without hindrance.

Defence Headquarters deploy more troops

The Defence headquarters also, yesterday, ordered the deployment of more troops to take care of new hideouts (bunkers) and escape routes recently discovered.

This followed intelligence reports that the Boko Haram terrorists and insurgents are now looking for how to escape the expected bombardments on their bases.

It was further gathered that the new deployments would see units and military formations from the Southern flank of the country being airlifted by Air Force Hercules C-130 and the G222 medium range carriers to parts of the North as back up on standby.

This is as a result of the fact that over half of the standing troops of the Infantry, Artillery and Armoured Corps in the Northern flank have continued to flood the three terror-prone states whose land mass and mountainous terrain is expected to pose challenges.

A military source said: “These miscreants underestimated the capabilities of the Nigerian Armed Forces. What they are seeing now and running into their hideouts is just deployments and movement. Wait until we begin continuous bombardments, then they will realize that democracy doesn’t mean you take the country for a ride”.

The Director of Defence Information, Brig. General Chris Olukolade, when contacted, confirmed that more troops are being deployed from other divisions of the Nigerian Army in the Southern region.

According to him, more logistics are also being provided by the military authorities to back up the deployment.

Olukolade said that no amount of deployment of troops to the troubled areas would be too much until the terrorists are wiped out from the Northern flank.

He said that deployments have already commenced to all the border towns of the three states and that very soon the dividend of the operation will begin to manifest.

Gen. Olukolade declined to disclose the number of troops so far deployed but said that a sizeable number are already on ground and if need be, more will be sent to the area.

“As I am talking to you now, we are not only sending troops but they are heavily backed up with equipment that can stand the test of time when confronting the insurgency”, he added.

Cameroon agrees to cooperate with Nigeria

Meanwhile, Nigeria and Cameroon have agreed to strengthen cooperation and collaboration on trans-border security following the declaration of a state of emergency in the North-Eastern states which share borders with Cameroon.

This was disclosed, yesterday, after President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan met with the Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmadou Ali, who brought a special message from the Camerounian president Paul Biya to President Jonathan.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, yesterday, said the special message from President Paul Biya included an invitation to attend a summit on security and maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea to be hosted by Cameroon.

He said President Jonathan accepted the invitation, and said current global security challenges make it imperative for countries to cooperate maximally in order to protect their citizens.

“As criminality and terrorism have risen globally, it is important for countries to cooperate maximally, in order to protect citizens’, he stated.

President Jonathan briefed the Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister about the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States this week, and assured the special envoy that Nigeria would work with her neighbours to ensure security in the sub-region.

He requested Mr. Ali to convey Nigeria’s appreciation to President Biya for the cooperation he has extended and the warm relations between the two countries.

Earlier, the Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmadou Ali, had told President Jonathan that his country was already identifying members that will form part of the committee on trans-border security.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/military-bombards-terrorists-camps/

Leemak: if that is true, it is a complete violation of human right,not all d people of these affected states are bokos.

GUY you funny sha! human right for SOE.

A fresh twist has been added to the invitation by the police to the former House of Representatives member, Honourable Dino Melaye, over his allegations against the Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, with the former asking the minister to step aside before he could yield himself to police interrogation.

Melaye was invited for interrogation via a letter from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, signed by Ali Amodu, a Commissioner of Police in charge of X Squad.

The letter hinted that the force was investigating the allegations of corruption, abuse of office and incompetence levelled against the minister by Melaye’s Anti-Corruption Network, following a letter to the Presidency with reference No: ACN/NEC. /CORRP. /VOL. 1/00.1 and dated April 11.

However, before the ex-lawmaker could honour the police invitation, the minister, through his counsel, said he, and not the presidency, requested the Inspector General of Police to carry out the investigation of all the allegations levelled against him.

To that effect, the former lawmaker, through his lawyer, Mr Denen Ikya, argued that it was only trite that Adoke stepped aside or better still, resigned his position to ensure an investigation that was devoid of any undue influence.



http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/12001-fresh-twist-in-melaye-adoke-face-off-as-ex-lawmaker-protests-police-summon

The leaders of the Committee for the Resuscitation of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), on Tuesday, in Lagos, vowed to remain steadfast in their goal in spite of the campaign of calumny by certain individuals.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, the chairman, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, accused such individuals of spreading all manner of rumours concerning the registration of the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the promoters of the party.

He explained that, contrary to the claims by the antagonists, the commission had issued UPN with the registration form after it paid the N1 million fees.

Describing UPN as a moving train, he assured that while the formal processes were already in progress, the party would, in the next one month, release the list of protem officers for the national leadership, 36 states and Abuja, 774 local governments and 9,572 wards designated by the INEC.

“We shall not be stopped by the hostility of antagonists who have made it their responsibility to embark on self-serving character assassination of UPN’s protagonists, dead and alive. The evil antics of such critics have been overwhelmingly drowned by the outpouring of goodwill and support from appreciative Nigerians who have had their hopes recharged. We welcome all on board,” he stated.

Fasehun lambasted those he called some mischievous and lily-livered politicians said to be playing divisive politics in their bid to frustrate the effort at reviving the UPN, which “Nigerians in the North, South, East, West and abroad are practically falling over themselves to declare support for.”



http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/12008-we-won-t-be-distracted-by-propagandists-upn-leaders

BREAKING News;army Begins Offensive Against Boko Haram, Raids Sambisa Camp

KANO – Nigeria has begun an offensive against Boko Haram Islamists, raiding camps in a remote northeastern park, while more than 2,000 troops have been deployed to retake territory seized by the insurgents, a military source told AFP Thursday.

“Our men raided some terrorist camps in the Sambisa Game Reserve,” in Borno state, said the senior officer who requested anonymity. “So far 2,000 troops have been deployed to Borno,” he added, declining to comment on the forces sent to the other affected states of Yobe and Adamawa.(AFP)



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/breaking-news-army-begins-offensive-against-boko-haram-raids-sambisa-camp/

The Federal Government Tuesday threatened to drag the Rivers State Government before any of the nation's anti-corruption agencies over allegations that the state administration forged documents to enable its aircraft operate within the country.

This threat was issued Tuesday by the Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah when she appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Justice and Aviation which held an investigative hearing on the circumstances surrounding the controversial grounding of a Rivers State Government owned aircraft last month.

It would be recalled that on April 26th, a Bombardier B700 Global Express aircraft said to belong to the Rivers State Government which had conveyed the state Governor Hon. Rotimi Amaechi to Akure Airport was delayed by NCAA and eventually grounded by the regulatory agency some days later.

Princess Oduah further stated that Rivers State Government violated existing civil aviation laws in the country by operating the aircraft without valid airworthiness or legal certificate adding that the aircraft was registered in the name of Bank of Utah Trustees of the United States it secured flight clearances in the name of Caverton Helicopters on three occasions.

She further stated that even though, the plane bore the Nigerian coat of arms, there was no evidence before the aviation regulatory agencies that it belonged to the Rivers State Government.

According to her the state government could be charged for "Using the name of Caverton Helicopters for flight clearance severally on 4th-6th January 2013; 23rd-27th January 2013 and 28th March-2nd April, 2013, which Caverton Helicopters rebutted, thus violating section 1.2..5 (a) (I)(2) of the NCAA Regulations on general policies, procedures and definitions and Section 1.14 of 2009, on falsification, reproduction or alteration of applications, licences, certificates, logbooks, reports or records."

She further stated that on April 26, 2013, the pilot of the aircraft failed to submit a flight plan contrary to the nation's aviation laws.

The Minister further disclosed that the Pilot of the aircraft knew he violated the law and had since apologised to her through a text message.

The minister's position was supported by the Acting Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Mr. J. D. Nkemakolam and other parastatals under the ministry.

However, in his own presentation before the Committee, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government George Feyii said no prior notice was served on the State Government before the aircraft was grounded adding that the plane was insured in the name of the State Government. He explained that the aircraft was registered through Bank of Utah which was appointed as Trustee for the aircraft.

He further said that the state government had last year applied to the Ministry of Aviation for permission to import an aircraft. He further stated that the aircraft had a certificate of airworthiness always kept within the plane.

But the Chairman of the Joint House Committee Hon. Ali Ahmed(PDP-Kwara) reminded the Minister that a letter written to the Director, Airworthiness Standards, NCAA, by ACASS of Canada Limited, a company with expertise in taking delivery of aircraft for clients had informed NCAA that they "assisted the government of Rivers State of Nigeria with taking delivery and possession of their Aircraft ".

Members of the Committee, notably Hon. Nkoyo Toyo(PDP-Cross River), were angry that contrary to an earlier statement by a Manager of Caverton Helicopters, Mr. Sola Falola that "they did not have anything to do with the importation of the aircraft" for the government of Rivers State, the same caverton admitted in another submission before the committee that the importation was done and that the aircraft in question belongs to the Rivers State Government.

http://m.allafrica.com/stories/201305150572.html/?maneref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Drivers%2Bstate%2Bgovernment%2Bplane%26oq%3Drivers%2Bstate%2Bgovernment%2Bplane%26gs_l%3Dmobile-heirloom-serp.12...10631.20384.0.22537.30.21.0.1.1.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac.1.Oc2WbvbUTJI

Lairs just like lair mohammed

Iranian Azim Aghajani convicted over Nigeria arms
13 May 2013
An Iranian businessman has been found guilty of smuggling weapons into Lagos and sentenced to five years in prison by a Nigerian court.

Rockets and grenades were among the arms found inside 13 shipping containers of building material in 2010.

Court documents said they were due for re-export to The Gambia.

Nigerian Usman Abbas Jega was convicted alongside Azim Aghajani, alleged to be a member of the Revolutionary Guards.

They were convicted on four of five charges relating to the shipment, reports the AFP news agency.

The final destination of the weapons has not been established.

There has been speculation that they could have been intended for The Gambia's neighbour, Senegal, where there is a low-level rebellion in the south.

The incident led Senegal to recall its ambassador to Tehran.


http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22515062?ocid=socialflow_twitter_africa

Those that claimed this FG project as fasholes own and rolled out another propoganda that FG stopped their camera project won't come to this thread, no wonder the lagos state government and other AC.N states have been against the good government tour.I expect more confession from them.

Omen100: Mr. Karl, its high time you relinquish been a dreamer-king, use your god given head for once

mr omen100 am not the Economist Intelligence Unit that released the findings.on the countrary u are the one to use your head, but i can see is deep inside fashole and tinubus ass so u can't make use of it.

sheyie2007: This ish is old, besides, no Mexican city is listed..bogus stats

this rankings were released today why not read the link

The world's 10 worst cities to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit global “liveability” study, which looks at how “tolerable” it is to live in a particular place given its crime levels, threat of conflict, quality of medical care, levels of censorship, temperature, schools and transport links.

1. Dhaka, Bangladesh is the worst city in the world to live in, according to the report, with an overall rating of 38.7 out of 100
2. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (38.9)
3. Lagos, Nigeria (39.0)
4. Harare, Zimbabwe (39.4)
5. Algiers, Algeria (40.9)
6. Karachi, Pakistan (40.9)
7. Tripoli, Libya (42.
8. Douala, Cameroon (43.3)
9. Tehran, Iran (45.
10. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, which scores an overall rating of 45.9 out of 100

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertypicturegalleries/9478023/The-worlds-10-worst-cities-to-live-in.html#?frame=2311093

eko ilee: New Roads...

www.nairaland.com/attachments/645692_1_jpgf3ccdd27d2000e3f9255a7e3e2c48800


www.nairaland.com/attachments/645693_2_jpg156005c5baf40ff51a327f1c34f2975b

I live in this area and knw this road .the road is in shangotedo the reason why this road is tired is because fashole and tinubu has acres of land and are constructing their private estate along this road this is now their norm construcing road were they have land and private intrest while Neglecting the roads were people live and pay all sorts of development fees to lagos state and its council including tax.

oshyno: Total hogwash.If Amechi were dat articulate he wudnt hv allowed state PDP exco t be decimated like dat.I stay in ph n hv insiders in d govt. Where GEJ swept him off is d dessolutin n immediate swearing in of d state party excos.In dat case he had no ground t get an injuction like most governors do. GEJ 1 Amechi 0. Amechi is seriously loosing grip of d party. Afta d court case he sacked d lga chairman frm Nyesom Nwike area on d ground dat hez supporting him, but d new exco told him he doesn't hv d right to do dat .As am talkin wit u naw, Amechi ran t Abuja on Tuesday to see if he can sort things out wit GEJ cuz he knows d game is up.

Guy always get ur facts right b4 dropping statements like dis.

why did u even bother replying him u would have left him to continue in his ignorance

ol2012: D power project being promoted by d Rivers state govt is a GENERATION & not a DISTRIBUTION company. All distribution companies unbundled from PHCN were offered 2 d private sector with about 10% stake(not sure) reserved 4 govts of their host states. The power sector reform act makes provision for every interested investor(local/foreign)as well as govts(federal, state & even financially capable local govts) 2 invest in d power GENERATION segment of d emerging power market.

they never did they were busy criticising the process that it was never going to work.that it was a fraud .

The same privatisation the ACN goons said wont work now they are fighting to buy distribution companies ! Foolish party they should continue their propaganda about the privatisation of phone we don't need them to sabotage the process.na now morning break for them. Tinubu is not getting anything from this privatisation.the ACN cry babies who have been criticising this process on nairaland when this process was on going that it would not work why are u people crying wolf now.i said it before and am saying it again before 2015 u all will bow you head in shame.nigerans and lagosian alike can now see through ACN propaganda .Tinubu and is house boy FASHOLE can concentrate on what dry know what to do best turning state and public property to their private property and leave stay clear of fg property

eko ilee: 1. This is a rumor from a gossip online website.

2. He's not a public official or responsible for your life like Odechukwu Jonathan that you voted for and paying to do that job.

Basically, find something better to do with your time.

so what does he do for a living to be lavishing such fund?

The punch and the A.C.N goons on nairaland think that all Nigerians are stupid and brainwashed like them. The article states that the MASSIVE, WIDESPREAD AND PERVASIVE CORRUPTION AFFECTED ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT and we all know what they mean by ALL LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT except you are a brainwashed A.C.N tinubu azzlicker . Lemme remind the goons that it means THE FEDERAL, STATE , AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. So this is also an indictment on the 419 progressive .ACN which controls 5 STATE and lots of local government they are also indicted in this report . For punch to come up with this headline simply shows how deceitful they are. only the unintelligent and brainwashed ACN e cockroaches would be brainwashed by punch and their ACN propaganda .this is an indictment of all politicians in Nigeria including SAINT FASHOLE

count sparrow: Work on ur spellings and constructions first b4 complaining about bad roads in Ogun state

ur a product of failed education point to my post u quoted were I made use of the word CONSTRUCTION? And if is not on my post u my friend like amosun is a fool!!!! A compound illitrate like u won't understand my post that's why u would remain unemployed cos u can't read and comprehend fool

mens dept: What are the other governors doing with all their state allocations?

uduagha of delta has built and completed an airport in asaba while fasholas own is still on paper u get it.akpabios ibaka port is almost completed with the help of FG but fasholas own is still on paper!!.peter obi has built a refinary in anambra without making too much noise but fasholas own is still on paper!!!! All this I mentioned above can be verified!!

Has he finished the delapidated roads in ogun state, ogun has one of the worst state roads in the south west he has not done that his jumping to federal road!!! Doea he wants to open toll gate for his master on a federal road morons in power. Amosun should Concentrate on delivering what he promised ogun people state roads are a very bad he should fix it and stop playing politics with the FG. A lot of morons on nairaland lately

THE Ekiti State Police Command Tuesday quizzed the state’s Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Olajide Awe, over the murder of Mr. Ayodele Jeje at Erinjiyan Ekiti in Ekiti-West local Council Area at the weekend.

Jeje, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was shot dead in Erinjiyan Ekiti, Awe’s town, at the weekend while one Mrs. Julianah Adewumi and Gbenga Adewumi were also shot by unknown gunmen while attending a PDP meeting in the town.

The PDP alleged that Awe, who was a high chief in the community, led some ACN thugs to disrupt the meeting, which was summoned in preparation to receive some ACN members that were decamping to the PDP. However, the ACN leader in the state denied the allegation, saying that the killing was a result of internal crisis in the PDP.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, confirmed that Awe was quizzed to explain his alleged involvement in the murder. According to him, “Mr. Jide Awe was invited for fact finding in respect of the killing in Erinjiyan Ekiti at the weekend.”

Meanwhile, Ekiti PDP Chairman, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, told a press conference yesterday that the statement credited to Awe to the effect that the murder was caused by internal crisis in the PDP was diversionary and criminal.

Ogundipe said it was unfortunate for the ACN chairman to deny the killing even when the victims could recognise him vividly among the hoodlums that attacked the community, leading to the death of one person and injury to many others.


http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117677:police-quiz-ekiti-acn-chairman-over-murder-of-pdp-member&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

[quote author=Igwe.]Politics aside, could all the party agents on here show us what their party controlled states have been able to achieve with the said SURE-P fund, and if none, why?

We are waiting. . . . . . . . . .

Thank you[/quote]thank you my brother lets not politicize everything.we have the right to know what they've used this money for

take dat: Talk about the Pot calling the kettle black! Sure-P to politicians is another goldmine to exhibit their pilfering skills!

let the ACN that always pride its self as party of saints take up the PDP simple challenge[b]"We challenge the opposition to come out and tell Nigerians what programmes they have in their respective states from their own shares of the saved fuel subsidy fund"[/b] . this is their oppotunity to tell nigerians that they are better than the PDP by showing us that they govern, what they have done with the money they've been collecting from subsidy removal, or are u trying to tell nigerians that the ACN have not been collecting these funds? , this funds are meant for us nigerians we have the right to know what these monies collected are used for.

THE ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-controlled states of frittering away their share of proceeds from the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

The accusation came as the ACN had recently alleged that the PDP had turned the SURE-P funds into a political war crest in preparation for the 2015 general election.

But in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Monday, the party challenged the ACN to show Nigerians what programmes they have implemented with their own shares of the saved fuel subsidy funds.

The ruling party, which lambasted the ACN for trying to politicize the SURE-P initiative of the PDP-led Federal Government, also accused the opposition states of frittering away their own shares of the funds instead of using such for the benefit of the people.

The party said the leaders of the ACN, “who are used to syphoning public funds” were clearly frustrated that the PDP SURE-P initiative is yielding results and that Nigerians across the board were benefitting from it.”

It added: “The attention of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to malicious and baseless media reports by the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P) fund is being shared to PDP members.

“To say the least, we found it nauseating that the opposition would want to play politics with everything including a programme meant for the benefit of all Nigerians. We are aware that this is part of a grand plot by the ACN to stir up animosity among peace loving Nigerians and prevent them from benefitting from the programme.

“The SURE-P initiative is a programme of the PDP-led Federal Government for the benefit all Nigerians. PDP members are Nigerians and we will be happy if they were truly patronized instead of the money going to the pocket of an individual as obtainable in the camp of the ACN where funds meant for the people are diverted to the pocket of a godfather.

“We challenge the opposition to come out and tell Nigerians what programmes they have in their respective states from their own shares of the saved fuel subsidy fund. It is clear that by every indication they have none, as the funds would have since been diverted to the pocket of their godfather.

“The leaders of the opposition parties are used to frittering away funds meant for the people. They are not happy that Nigerians are benefitting from the SURE-P and are hell bent on using any means to discredit the programme and deny the people the benefits.”


http://www.tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/8701-pdp-accuses-acn-of-wasting-sure-p-fund

Begins reforms

THE near hopeless financial situation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has been brought to the fore as its new Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) Don Priestman revealed that the firm was insolvent.

He also revealed fresh strategies, his firm Manitoba, has outlined to reform the TCN, how the skills gap in the firm would be bridged, and assurances to leave a viable entity at the end of the three year management contract with Manitoba.

Priestman, in a chat with The Guardian since his firm, Manitoba Hydro International of Canada was issued the management contract for TCN, said in very plain language that the TCN had been insolvent over the years. In fact, Priestman, known for his openness to discuss issues concerning TCN, noted how the firm has been insolvent, barely paying salaries and having little or nothing to run its very technical and sensitive operations.

He pleaded with the Federal government to put action to its commitments to fund the TCN for greater output.

He said: “Well, there are a lot of challenges facing TCN. The fact of the matter is that for too many years, TCN did not receive enough attention. There was not enough money made available to help it maintain the system, expand the system, to make the system more efficient, to train staff in systems and procedures. So, for many years, TCN has been living a sort of hand to mouth situation, if you like, with minimal operating cost, with only enough money to pay the salaries, but not enough money to pay for the costs. In effect, now TCN, by strict definition of the word, is insolvent. What that means is that it is not getting enough revenue to cover all of its costs. So that issue is going to be our most fundamental challenge. In order of magnitude, we need more operating revenues. We need capital strength. If we get that, and if we get it on time, then there is a lot that we could do. And we have good ideas as to what we want to do.

On what Manitoba’s experience has been so far in Nigeria, he stressed: “Well, we have been here since August. The original idea was in September, we would have taken over responsibility for running TCN. Well, that didn’t happen for a variety of reasons. There are people that were happy with the status quo. They didn’t want change. And there was a lot of misinformation too about exactly what Manitoba Hydro was here to do. A lot of people did not understand what a management contract was. Some of them thought that the government was actually selling the transmission sector. That is not true.

“Yes, they are privatising the generation upstream and they are privatising distribution sector down stream, but the key link in between them is transmission, TCN and that quite frankly will remain within government ownership. We are here to manage with a management contract. We are not here to buy TCN. We don’t own TCN. We will be here for three years. We will bring in as many improvements as we can, provided the resources are available. Then, at the end of our contract, we will hand back to our Nigerian counterpart, hopefully, a better company that they would carry on with.”

On how government has resolved the issue of two chief executive officers and two market operators, as was the case shortly after the schedule of delegated authority was signed, he said the issue ha

He added: “All the former management staff of TCN, including the CEO, he stressed, are now deputies to those brought in from Manitoba Hydro International. There is no conflict there. It is a necessary arrangement if there is going to be internal corporate existence.

“There is no managing director of TCN right now. There is CEO of TCN. The former CEO of TCN is my counterpart and is now deputy CEO. You cannot have two CEOs. The former market operator is now the deputy ED (Market Operations). We have taken over the titles occupied by our Nigerian counterparts. All of our counterparts that were previously in charge are now deputies.”

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118067:tcn-is-broke-says-manitoba-chief&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

OSOGBO—LABOUR leaders in Osun State, Monday, insisted that the planned four-day warning strike over the unresolved N18,000 new minimum wage dispute with the state government would commence today(Tuesday) despite threat of non-participation by four unions affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC.

It would be recalled Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE; Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, M&HWUN, dissociated themselves from the planned strike.

Akinyemi Olatunji, State Chairman of ASCSN, had claimed the chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, Mr. Bayo Adejumo, who chaired the meeting where the strike order was given, was not competent to preside over such meeting as he had retired from the service of the Federal Government.

However, Adejumo said the warning strike would begin today unfailingly by all categories of workers in the employment of the state government.

He advised workers in the state to disregard a counter directive ordering members of some unions to ignore the strike, alleging that the state government was sponsoring some labour leaders in the state to divide the workers union.

According to him, an industrial court had ordered the state government to honour the agreement it reached with the workers on the payment of the new minimum wage across board.

He said the state government had been duly notified of the strike through a letter dated March 30, arguing that the strike would last for four days if the government failed to honour the agreement.

He said: “The main reason for the strike is to press home the demand for the actualisation of the agreement reached between the government and labour about 19 months ago.

“The issue degenerated into government taking labour to court, but at the end of the day labour was vindicated as the court ordered the government to honour the agreement reached with the labour.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/n18000-wage-strike-begins-today-osun-labour-insists/

ABUJA — Northern leaders, yesterday, frowned at what they described as a desperate attempt by President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration to blame the rising wave of insecurity in the north on the leaders.

The leaders vowed to resist any attempt by the Presidency to use the Boko Haram onslaught to blackmail them instead of taking proactive measures to nib the insurgence in the bud.

The grouse of the northern leaders was that whereas the President had earlier claimed that he could not offer amnesty to Boko Haram members as they were ghosts, he went ahead to call on Northern elders to enjoin Boko Haram to stop bombings in the country.

A member of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Junaid Mohammed and National President of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, who spoke separately to Vanguard described the action of the government as a deliberate attempt to blackmail and provoke the north.

It will be recalled that during a visit to Borno State last month, Jonathan had rejected calls for amnesty to Boko Haram members, saying that he could not be dealing with those he described as ‘’ghosts”.

Last week, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, issued a statement, calling on the Northern elders to prevail on the sect to down tools and accept dialogue as the Niger Delta militants did before the late Yar ‘Ádua offered them pardon.


Governors Aliyu, Yuguda, Lamido and Kwankwaso

Okupe said: “There is no need for over-politicization of the demand for amnesty, or to blackmail the President for taking strong, patriotic views that are contrary to those of some of our respected elders.

“The true expectation is that our respected leaders will go back to the drawing board and increase consultation and networking with the aim of reaching out to the leadership of the insurgents and convincing them to do the needful and step out to be counted.”

Amnesty for Boko Haram members

Mohammed, a second Republic politician and leader of the ACF vilified the President for refusing to grant amnesty to the sect members, saying that what was good for one part of the country was also good for the other.

Mohammed noted that the President had failed to use his position as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to find an answer to rising insecurity that has led to the killing of innocent men, women and children in the north despite the avalanche of security apparatus and intelligence at his disposal.

The ACF leader, Yerima Shettima, on the other hand, told Vanguard that the north took serious exception to the attempt by the Presidency to associate its leaders with the Boko Haram sect.

Shettima noted, “We don’t control Boko Haram and have no way of knowing what they are doing and what they want. It is the President who once declared that there were Boko Haram members even in his government.

“Having made that public declaration before the world, it is baffling why the President has found it difficult to deal with such members in his government but has continued to make contradictory statements almost on a daily basis, trying to rope in northern elders”.

“We therefore, plead with the President to leave northern elders out of the Boko Haram issues and devise realistic ways of solving the problem of insurgency in the country, one of them being, the carrot and stick approach, so as to give peace a chance to reign in the land.

….Hold Northern leaders responsible for crisis, by Arewa youths

By SONI DANIEL

As security problems in the north escalate, youths in the region, yesterday, expressed disappointment with the political leaders from the area, whom they accused of not showing enough interest in tackling the challenges to pave way for peace and development.

The National President of the Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, who made the feeling of the youths known while speaking with Vanguard, noted that most of the leaders of the region were more interested in pursuing their personal goals than working for the overall welfare of the people.

Gujungu said: “We are disappointed that since the upheavals in the region started and is slowly crippling the economy of the region, those that are said to be representing the region have not deemed it necessary to meet and find a lasting solution to the impasse.

“As youths from the north we are not only disappointed but we also feel let down by those that we toiled for to occupy the exalted positions they are now enjoying today. We are worried that instead of working for the good of the people, these leaders are busy pursuing personal agenda to the detriment of all.

“It is in view of this that we call on leaders of the north at different levels, governors, senators, ministers, lawmakers at the state and national levels, commissioners and even those at the local government level to join hands with the Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is the political leader of the north and tackle the problems in the region.

“We use this opportunity to call on these leaders to put their personal ambition behind them and work for the good of the north as the youths and other well-meaning individuals are watching what is happening and will take necessary action when the time is right”.

“AYF wants to call on persons like the Katsina State Governor Shehu Shema that Arewa Youths are disappointed that instead of staying in Katsina to attend to the needs of the people; the governor is now more prominent in Abuja and Niger Delta.

“AYF is calling on those in the league of the Katsina Governor to have a rethink as after all is said and done, power resides with the people and no matter what the supposed godfathers think, the Nigerian people will one day decide their own fate.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/northern-leaders-to-jonathan-stop-using-boko-haram-to-blackmail-us/

By EMMA AMAIZE

PARAMOUNT ruler of Siembiri Kingdom in Delta State, Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu, aka Lion of the Niger, is one-time national chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON. He had once called on President Goodluck Jonathan to review the allocation of oil blocs in the country. In this interview, he reiterates why Jonathan must urgently heed the call, saying Niger-Deltans and, indeed, Nigerians, would not forgive him if he failed to act decisively. He also argues that northern leaders are not doing enough to stamp out Boko Haram and challenges former heads of state and leaders from the North to end the insurgency by the sect.

Over the years, you have championed the call for the revocation of oil blocs by the Federal Government on the grounds that the allocation is lopsided. It was a contentious matter recently in the National Assembly. What do you say?

Under the aegis of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing States of Niger-Delta, TROMPCON, and one-time national executive chairman, we had a lot of problems coming from oil production in these areas and we noticed that in spite of all the problems, we were able to contain the percentage of oil being produced. However, it was discovered that for all the oil that is being produced, a section of the country is benefiting most, especially as oil now seems to be blood money. They do the manipulation mostly at the political level where everybody wants to become a head of state or president because when you are there, you control the economy.

Therefore, from the past years, we found out that North has ruled for close to 40 years and, during the period, the heads of state or presidents that came had the prerogative to issue out oil blocs and they were not dispassionate – there was disequilibrium and they were giving them to their own kith and kin. We noticed that an oil bloc owner is having not less than N4 billion monthly and that money goes to a private purse and, in Nigeria, we have what is known as federal character. Whatever that is done, we do it with equity, the issue of equity, fairness and justice is not applied in terms of the allocation of oil blocs because most of the leaders came from the North and it was given to them.

I can remember March 23, last year, when Vanguard interviewed me, I reminded President Goodluck Jonathan that the allocation of oil blocs is the prerogative of the president or head of state, and so he had to look into it unemotionally and ensure that the lopsidedness in the allocation that had bedeviled the oil industry is corrected. Nevertheless, since the time I made the call, nothing has been done, and whenever there is the issue of 13 percent derivation or PIB, as we saw now, it is the North that will come and cry wolf, whereas they are the people who have been benefiting.

Unfortunately, the principle of derivation has to do with a percentage going to where the oil comes from and I am saying, with every sense of reasoning, that President Jonathan should not spare a moment to address the anomaly as regards the allocation of oil blocs. That is, 83 percent of oil blocs are owned by northerners, their names should be published and he should revoke them and ensure that, as we have six geo-political zones, 50 per cent should come to the South- south based on derivative.

The rest has to be distributed to the other five geo-political zones. It is only then we will know that federalism is being truly practised in our federal system. I have said it often times, President Jonathan should be courageous – he should step on toes, he should not be seen as being unable to redress what his predecessors - Babangida, Abacha, Abdulsalami , Obasanjo, Yar’Adua- had done wrong. Posterity and the people of Niger-Delta will not forgive President Jonathan if he does not take up this matter with all the seriousness it deserves to ensure revocation and re-allocation of oil blocs.

You said he should step on toes. Do you not think the toes may consume him?


HRM Charles Ayemi-Botu

No. It is an anomaly and all and sundry have seen it that his predecessors allocated these oil blocs to their own kindred irrespective of the fact we are operating a federal character system and that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If they have done what is seen to be foul, why must he not correct it if we want Nigeria to remain as one entity? In the time of cocoa, groundnut and all that, the South- south was not benefiting; some sections owned it all, the North and West used it to develop their areas and nobody complained.

Now, it is the time of petrol- dollar, and we have acid rain, ecological problems and we, in turn, do not have a commensurate amount realized from all the sufferings and the money is going to those who do not bear the hazards. How can you say it is fair and, mark you, the North that is crying to rule this country, by crook or hook, it is all because of oil and the oil economy is lopsided because, when they came as presidents, they gave to their people.

Therefore, it has become a vicious circle, but once what is equitable and fair is done, nobody will see oil blocs as the reason to battle to become president. That is why Jonathan should step on toes. Nigeria should realize that all the problems we are having today is because of oil and blood money; whether it is Boko Haram, whether it is from the Niger-Delta, it is all about oil. As Jonathan is doing everything possible in the power sector to see that there is uninterrupted power supply, he must go the extra mile to redress the imbalance.

Take for example, the Nigeria Petroleum Development Fund is in the North, like we have Petroleum Training Institute in Effurun, Delta State, the one for the senior cadre is in the North, how are you carrying all these institutions to a place that does not produce oil? Are we now going to create human capital development for a people who do not have oil? You are clearly asking them to come and lord it over us? A northerner was a petroleum minister for almost three or four consecutive times and, today, he is an oil bloc owner and he does not know the adverse effect of exploration and exploitation on the people from where this oil is taken. However, he is taking away all these billions and he is living in affluence and opulence in far-away Austria.

The president refused to grant Boko Haram members amnesty on the grounds that they are ghosts, but the northerners have strongly challenged his stand. What is your take?

Iit is an irony of fate that the governor of Borno State; Dr. Junaid Mohammed and all these other people are making such comments. Let us call a spade a spade. While I condemn the call by the Sultan, he is my personal friend, for saying that we should grant amnesty to Boko Haram, it is because what he said sounded very disheartening. Boko Haram is not ready for peace, these are people who kill school children, bomb school buildings while children are in class, bomb churches, bomb mosques and they say they do not want western education .

Moreover, just recently, the leader of Boko Haram, Abu Shekerau, not up 72 hours after a faction called for dialogue and amnesty, came out to say that they never asked for dialogue or amnesty; that they did not even ask for dialogue and it is a fight to the finish. Now, three days later, his eminence came out to say that government should grant Boko Haram amnesty. I know the Sultan would not have made such a call, many people could have mounted pressure on him, but it sounds like a story told by an idiot, full of sound and fury.

Unlike the struggle of the Niger-Delta youths that had focus, that of Boko Haram is purposeless. We have come to know Boko Haram as a faceless group with link to Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, which abhor western education. Their agitation has no moral basis and should not be compared to the Niger-Delta struggle in which the youths took up arms for equity in the distribution of wealth from oil explored in their domain.

The focused struggle by the youths of N-Delta affected oil production and government, having noted the point of their agitation, opted to grant them amnesty. The reason was very succinct but that of Boko Haram is vague and they are faceless. You can see the Boko Haram has continued their bombings and killing more people in Kano. What kind of group is that and these are the people that they are saying amnesty should be granted to.

Can you really say it is a faceless group when you just mentioned its leader who came out to reject amnesty?

Where did you see him, on the pages of newspapers, on the television or on the streets ? Do you know him as you know Tompolo and others? It is what we read in the newspapers or told the international media, which the Nigerian media quote. Let me ask the Sultan, who has he identified as members and sponsors of Boko Haram that he wants Federal Government to grant amnesty? If government concedes to such bogus request, will he be able to name those that will be granted amnesty?

Alternatively, is amnesty to be granted to masquerades and Islamic fundamentalists from Mali, Algeria and Al-Qaida? Who is government going to dialogue with? What concrete efforts have the Sultan and other leaders of the North made to stem the violence by Boko Haram before calling for amnesty for the terrorists, who abhor western education, but speak and send emails in English language?

As I said, I read that the leader of Boko Haram, Abu Shekarau, said it is a fight to the finish. So, from whose authority or where did the Sultan become the mouthpiece of a faceless group? Boko Haram wants to Islamize Nigeria and scrap western education. Therefore, it is premature to call for any well-meaning Nigerian to call for amnesty for the group. On the contrary, Nigeria should declare a war against Boko Haram, as France did to Malian insurgents. The Federal Government should address its own problem before sending troops to Mali.

Northern leaders are unhappy that Jonathan asked them to fish out Boko Haram members which, to them, is like he (president) abdicating his duty?

Do you not know that the president asking for this moratorium was himself given 60 days from August to October, 2009 to end the Niger-Delta revolt? Let me ask you, when Tompolo, Ateke Tom, Boyloaf and others were doing battle in Niger-Delta, was it Yar’Adua or Obasanjo that fished them out? These people, if they are really fighting a just cause, why are they faceless? The monarchs from the South- south, religious leaders, etc, and himself, all stepped into the matter. Our governors and leaders like Chief Edwin Clark moved into the creeks.

A meeting of the leaders of the militant groups was convened, all of them, including Tompolo, Dokubo-Asari, Ateke Tom, were there to agree on the way forward. On our part, the royal fathers resolved that they should be a ceasefire and they should give peace a chance. What are the efforts of the governor of Borno State and leaders to prevail on Boko Haram to stop the carnage? What have the northern leaders discussed with the Boko Haram people and what is the way forward from their discussion?

This is how elders and leaders should act in a situation like this. Do they want Jonathan to come to the North and commend them for not talking to their boys and arriving at the way forward? They should fish them out, we saw when former President Olusegun Obasanjo went to the North on his own volition with a view to appeasing them to drop arms. I have not heard that the Sultan did such a thing and you know this Boko Haram started immediately when President Jonathan contested for the 2011 election and the likes of Muhammadu Buhari came up to say that he would make Nigeria ungovernable if Jonathan wins. Votes were still being counted when some places started catching fire in the North and, right from that time till date, these things are happening. Remember that before then, some northern leaders declared Aso Villa a no- go area for Jonathan;so, to an extent, Boko Haram has a political dimension, it is all with a view to making Nigeria ungovernable for President Jonathan.

The Federal Government asked Boko Haram people to come out for dialogue; nobody came out, so why are people blaming Jonathan for saying that they are faceless. Why have people like Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Buhari, Babangida, Abdulsalami not gone to the Boko Haram members, wherever their headquarters is, to meet with their leaders and tell them to sheathe their sword? The Sultan is the head of the Muslim body in Nigeria, he is the supreme head and Boko Haram says they want to Islamize Nigeria from the North to the West. Are the Boko Haram members not living with them?

I think what the North wants to do with Boko Haram is to chase away Jonathan so that they will come back and continue with their perpetuation of the oil wealth. Those who are sponsoring Boko Haram do not mean well and Jonathan said the home truth that they are lackadaisical in tackling it because, they feel Jonathan will be run out of Aso Villa with the violence. If this crisis escalates the more, they are calling for disintegration of Nigeria, I have said it before, we are likely going to have an Oduduwa Republic, Republic of Biafra, Ijaw Republic and all that. To avoid that, the federal government should declare a full-scale war on Boko Haram, appoint military administrators in the affected states and let soldiers go house to house and fish out the Boko Haram members since they do not want to point them out.

You are concentrating energy on the sharing of oil blocs, but the North is saying that South- south governors are squandering the 13 per cent derivation that is already coming to you people?

It is another story that sounds so funny, It is not the responsibility of northerners to be crying wolf that the money is not being well spent just because they want to stop the PIB. In the late fifties and early sixties, the principle of derivation was 50 per cent to the producing area, 50 per cent to the Federal Government and that was agro economy. Did anybody from the South cast any aspersion against the North or South-west on how they used their money to develop their respective region?

It is not their business, it is not their duty. During the time of agro economy, we were benefitting only from the 50 per cent that got to the Federal Government, the 13 per cent derivation we are talking about now is a tip of the ice berg. I was in the group that met with the late General Sani Abacha and discussed that the hitherto 3 per cent oil derivation be jerked up to 50 per cent. The general of blessed memory said he was going to give us not less than 13 per cent as at that 1994 and there was a proviso that 25 per cent will be given in subsequent times, until we make the 50 per cent because what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

If at any time in the history of this country, a people or certain sections were benefiting from the principle of derivation vis a vis agro economy and now, God has turned the table round for oil to be the mainstay of the economy, we should also benefit. 13 per cent compared to 50 per cent cannot be said to be up to 33 per cent of that 50 percent. So, frankly, the North has no say about how the South is spending the money because the inherent problems we face here, such as water and airborne diseases, are not borne by them. 13 per cent is not enough to cushion the effects of the problems the people face here, that is why we are asking for 50 per cent and 10 per cent in the present PIB of whatever accruable should be given to the actual oil-bearing communities.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/oil-blocs-why-jonathan-must-step-on-toes-ayemi-botu-n-delta-monarch/

nwabobo: The APC BB crew are avoiding this thread like plague.

THEY'RE IN ANOTHER THREADS MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN OGUN STATE,AND FASHOLA COMMISSIONING STREET LIGHT PRAISING THEIR PAYMASTERS. ABI U NO WANT MAKE DEM CHOP OR MAYBE DEM GO DO ORAISA FOR TUNUBU BIRTHDAY PARTY