₦airaland Forum

Is Grimaldi present in US?
btw, i used to work in one of the clearing companies and i can confirm grimaldi line was both very cheap and fast

Hello,
Can 800k fly this car? cash ready

Hello,
Will 600K cash fly this ride?

Revert if yes. Cash ready

Hey man,
can i pay N650k, and buy you lunch for maintaining this very clean car?

you can reach me on 07062508108

Hi,
A friend would love to pay N550K for this car. Are u willing to go that low?
What is your last price?

Hi,
A friend would love to pay N550K for this car. Are u willing to go that low?
What is your last price?

Very interesting topic. It's been on my mind for some time too. I'll be following this potentially enlightening topic. I sincerely hope people with experience will contribute.

Hello Klas,
I said I won't comment again on this thread, but your sensible contribution deserves a rejoinder. When I say a firm has 700 staff, I know what I am saying. Well, I work for one of the so-called Big Four, and I do know that figure is accurate. In my office, the Audit division has at least 200 professional staff. I can't say the accurate figure for the other divisions, but you kind of get my point. Also, my earlier post clearly stated that the audit of NNPC was handled by 2 firms. So my point, in case you didn't get it, is how will a 30-man firm handle the work of an entire oil & gas industry? This firm has 4 different units, therefore how many staff do you think will be in each unit? You said "S.A. Afemikhe & Co is a force to reckon with in oil accounting and auditing", but there has to be a reason they weren't asked to do the audit of NNPC alone.
Per your point on AKD subletting parts of its building, maybe you need to know that their staff largely work outside the office, so they do not need a big office space.
Someone said there was a bidding process. I disagree. Don't forget that the decision to carry out the exercise was a result of public outcry, therefore a decision hurriedly carried out within 5days or thereabout couldn't have been subject to a rigorous screening exercise, no?

I think your last paragraph sums up everything. If KPMG and Afemikhe were jointly asked to audit NNPC, how come a firm as small as having 30 staff was engaged to audit the entire oil & gas industry for 3 yrs?

The truth is in the answer, and the answer is in the truth

Beaf,
The only response to my post you could give is "same goes to mcgboye".
I guess that says it all. This is the last I'll say of this issue, but I'm sure our paths will cross again very soon. This govt will soon make another idiotic mistake, and you'll be there, as usual, to put up a defense.

I will try to choose my words very carefully. I work with one of the leading accounting firms in Nigeria, and I'm duty bound to defend a fellow firm. Let me start by saying that I believe the accounting profession is the purest professional sector in Nigeria. We are guarded by the most stringent rules and standards, locally and internationally. But above all, our image and integrity is everything we strive to keep. The Sada Idris & Co website is not only grossly unprofessional, but it is an insult to the accounting profession. For me, it's an embarrassment that an accounting firm, said to be "reputable" by the Govt (although I'm sure even you have not heard of them before), could present such a terrible image to the public. Your misguided attempt to compare that with some shoe-making websites in UK is laughable at best. However, I won't dwell on that. When I looked closely, I discovered something more shocking to me as a Nigerian: The firm, on its website, claims it is a "medium-sized" firm and provides "auditing, advisory, taxation and consulting services in Nigeria",, "With its 30 professional staff, ". Really? A 30-man workforce is handling such a massive role in the most delicate sector of our economy, and someone is here trying to defend our govt. This is simply a scam. I made a few phone calls to senior colleagues in some firms. I learnt that the firm that audited a mere NNPC has a workforce of 700 staff, made up of at least 500 professionals. In fact, my review of the audit report on NNPC (available online) revealed that 2 firms actually carried out d audit. Now, another one with 30 staff is handling the whole Oil & Gas industry! Don't forget, the 30 professional staff are spread among its different units. If this is not a scam, and a ploy to cover up some dirty agenda, then I wonder what it is.
Pls, Mr Beaf, I'm not saying you shouldn't defend the govt. It's a choice, and this is democracy. But many times, you're always in a hurry to do so that you end up making a mockery of both yourself and the govt you're trying to defend. No offence meant (and I hope none taken).

Hello Beaf,
The last time our paths crossed was on the fuel subsidy quagmire. Back then, I tried to pity you because I felt it was difficult for you to always try to defend an "undefendable" policy. Then, I remember telling you I like working with figures, and it was on that premised that we argued our opinions.
However, I have carefully gone through your contributions on this matter, and together with benefit of hindsight, I can conclude that you're doing a very shoddy job of defending the FG. I assume, by my naïve calculations, that you're not in the payroll of the FG (at least not for this purpose), but only feel the need, like many of my friends used to, to defend your choice on April 16 2011. Let me give you the advice I gave my friends: before defending GEJ and his team of incompetent looters, pls consider what you would have said if someone like Buhari or Ribadu, who u didn't vote for, was to carry out the policy/action for which you are defending this govt. I will now proceed to address the current issue of Auditors appointed by the FG.

Nice car, and very reasonable price too. Guy, I hope you'll still have many of these cars at this rate next month.

happy selling bro

One of the last contributors spoke my mind on the subsidy amount. Sometimes I'm stupefied by the comments of the pro-subsidy removal groups on TV. I say TV becos the people supporting removal on NL are people who voted for GEJ and do not want to feel like they wasted their votes. I also voted for Fashola in Lagos, and I've had course to criticize him.
Back to the main issue. WHy the hullabaloo about the fuel subsidy and the subsequent decision to remove it? simple, because it suddenly went up to N1.6trillion naira. In 2009 & 2010 it averaged N270billion, or thereabout. So why the 500% increase in a year?
First, a few facts.
Between January 2011 and March 2011, FG paid an average of N22billion monthly as subsidy. At that rate, we would have paid around N264billion (which was close to the N240billion budget signed by the National Assembly). However, something happened afterwards. From April 2011, subsidy increased to over N100billion monthly and stayed that way until the end of the year. Don't forget, April was the mont of the elections. This is what we need to look into.
The funny thing, and i shudder as i think of this, is that there might be no cabal afterall. And even if they exist, they are not the ones who submitted the 2012 budget proposal to the National Assembly last December. The didn't propose a billion naira for feeding in the presidency. The didnt propose N300k for desktop computers etc.
In any case, Nigerians didn't vote for the so called CABALS. These blame-game by the Jonathan regime must stop

@ Beaf
Well, I'm impressed that you took out time to answer my questions.
However, reading through it, I did feel as though I was listening to GEJ himself or any of his ministers. Wonderful english, no substance. No offence meant.

On the point I raised on ban on rice importation, you apparently did not get the flow of my question. Why should we ban importation when we can't produce enough? Why not encourage our local markets to grow massively first, then things will either naturally fall into place or the govt can justifiably announce a 100% ban on rice/wheat importation. There's going to be a vacuum between when the rice importation is banned and when we become self-sufficient in production of the needed quantity of rice. Like i pointed out earlier, there will be shortage in supply to meet the demand which will lead to a direct increase in price. Need I say more on that? See, everyone loves to buy cheaper locally made foodstuff, but until then, we should be careful not to create an unwanted vacuum.
I understand the US subsidizes agricultural up to the tune of over N100billion annually. I thought it was a lie until my gf told me last week she bought 14eggs for $1 in the States. Therefore, people are really ready to embrace positive changes to the sector, but definitely not at the expense of having something to eat. I'm really hopeful we'll (yes, we, not just GEJ) get this food production right.

We do not need to be a genius to know this, right?


@JayBee: Beaf is apparently comfortable being challenged positively

Beaf,
How can you have a body who will manage a fund that is almost a third of our budget? For God's sake, this body is not accountable to any Nigerian Why do we have Ministers and special advisers and economic group and council of elders and etc, only to have another body that cannot be questioned by the Nigerian people. It cannot be taken to court since they are not created by an act of law! Com'on, we shouldn't be falling for such cheap gimmick. January 1st is just 18days away, yet we still "need to wait for further announcements on the solid capital and welfare projects it will support". I know it's hard to support the president when he's making it difficult for you to do so, but you'll need to come up with a better explanation or justification for that.

Did anyone read the KPMG Forenssic report on the Internal audit and compliance review of NNPC? And someone pls tell me why nobody has lost his job in that house of corruption

Hi Beaf,
I've been informed that you are the pro-GEJ on Nairaland, or one of them at least. Well, maybe you could call me an anti-GEJ, since i've complained bitterly about some of his policies so far. Just like you, I like analysing figures and hard facts since figures dont lie. However, unlike you, I do not call people on NL names and i detest using foul languages. I'll be happy if we could both keep it that way. We are all ifhgting for the same end-result: a better Nigeria.

1. I've raised a pertinent question about the pending ban on rice importation earlier. maybe you could respond to that.

2. Security and Defence got between roughly 23% of the budget. Are we at war? We have huge security problem, but we're going to use a quarter of the budget to solve a problem that is self-manufactured and largely caused by massive unemployment in the country!

3. The lofty plan of the president is to ensure that bread is made from 60%wheat and 40% cassava, but i noticed that the president plans to raise import tariff on wheat which is 60% of the bread. That doesn't add up, does it?

4. The president promised to "streamline agencies to reduce cost of governance, ". Well, that's superb. But why not start with the number of ministers we have? It's so overbloated, and they are doing the same work.

5. The president also said that "Equipment and machines in private sector will attract 0% duty". That is excellent.

I have several other questions, but I'll refrain from saying more until i lay my hand on a soft copy of the fulll address. But i have to say, I'm not convinced. it's sad, but it's true

So subsidy is gone, finally.

I know some people will say he did not mention that. well, that is the point. the fact that he did not include allocation for fuel subsidy means that the subsidy is gone. I just thought i'd mention that to prevent unncecessary arguments and names-calling that is prevalent here.

Over N900 to tackle manufactured insecurity. Hope we aren't planning another amnesty programme for the Boko Haram.

Rice importation will be banned next year, yet there's no reaonable, well-defined programme to ensure local farmers will be able to produce enough for us to eat. Meaning demand will be higher than supply, and an immediate increase in price. simple economics. Smuggling activities will also increase.

We keep solving problems on the surface, instead of tackling it wholesomely.

It is well with Nigeria. One day, we'll be great. Of that, I am very sure

Does anyone here know how much ICAN gives prize winners? a friend asked me to find out

I've always been careful to judge events without bias, without prejudice to if i voted GEJ or not. So everyone supporting this move, would u have said the same thing if it'd been done by Buhari, or Ribadu, or anyone else. If this arrests were authorised by Aso Rock, then it's a danger to our democracy, whichever way we see it. Arresting newspaper editors is usually the first step towards bad governance

I know some people are going to massacre me for this, but as I sat in the office waiting for a free ride home, I ask myself: "apart from fuel subsidy, which other dividends of democracy can our governments over the years legitimately claim to have given the masses?".
It is what makes the planned removal of this same subsidy both unimaginable and unaccpetable. The govertment of course have given reasons why it makes sense to take this step, yet it smacks of double-standard to do this when there are a plethora of avenue where governments can source for funds.The issue of the overbloated cabinets have been overflogged and therefore needs no revisiting, but over and above all these is the issue of our refineries not working. The same reasons being given by this government were given by past administrations, yet none of them was able to solve the main issue. Of course we will continue to look at trivial issues instead of focusing (and of course solving the key issue).
And I have long decided: I will NEVER find an excuse for any politican. None of them deserves it. They are living in so much affluence that they should be able to come uo with more workable solutions to our numerous challenges. And removal of fuel subsidy is only going to make more money available to the governments to share and embezzle. Of course it means exchange rate (and by implication, inflation) will go up. Prices of foodstuff, rent, bus fares etc will increase in astronomical proportions. It is only a theory, but then it is backed by antecedents.
It is something we cannot afford at this time people are groaning in pain.

The Police apparently got carried away by the free "blue film" they were watching. And it took then over 3 weeks after getting hold of a copy of the "movie" to come up with this crazy hallucination. Anyone still wonder why the Nigeria Police Force is the most hated and ridiculed of all the security bodies in Nigeria. Utter nonsense, a body of stupid fellows!

I know I'll be pilloried by GEJ's supporters, but i'll say it anyway. I think the problem with many Nigerians is that they do not know the meaning of "defending your votes" long after the elections. I'll explain. Many people who voted for GEJ in April usually feel the need to defend whatever policy or action taken by our president in order to justify their votes for him. I've always told my friends that their duty to defend the mandates they gave to our elected leaders via their votes is that they must force them to do what we want instead of blindly looking for excuses on their behalf. Instead of rushing to defend GEJ, I told them to always ask themselves whenever there's an unpopular decision by the govt: "what will my response be if this action had been taken by either Buhari or Ribadu (had they won the elections)?"
A president who spends N1.27b on kitchen expenses, N1.13b on residential furniture, N653m on computers and scanners annually (if you need more of these outrageous expenses in the presidency, pls go through the budget) can not claim that he wants to save more money for our use by reducing fuel subsidies. We are ready to suffer, but let him show us worthy examples first. Does he know how much his overbloated cabinet is costing us?
And I shudder with fear when I remember what a 100% increase in fuel prices will cause: 150% increase in foodstuff prices, 200% in bus fares, maybe a "slight" increase of 100% in rent etc.
I know his supporters will leap to his defence, but mostly without concrete evidence. Why hasnt our dear president said anything about our refineries? Oh, he's looking for quick-fixes

If GEJ is not the worst ever president, then it can have only one meaning: there's still another terrible president coming after him. It's a path we don't wish to take. Never again

Hi guys,
pls how much does the toks of this car cost? Thanks

@2bosun, very well said.
Spoke with a senior colleague who's well versed in financial matters n assets management, and he actually praised SLS for his brave moves. He told me even though the banks were given till 30 Sept, the signs are strong that the banks could go into liquidation withing the next 2weeks if something drastic is not done. Don't forget the original move by SLS was Aug 14, 2009, and if these banks cannot do anything within 2 years, there's really no hope
BTW, I got an SMS an hour ago from PHB saying there's no threat to jobs.
Let me close by saying this, SLS couldn't have sat in his study at home and revoked banks' licenses. In fact, NDIC came out with the recommendation. CBn merely approved the revocation/issuance of license

Well, this is an unpleasant piece of news. No divorce ever is. However, as I read carefully through the OP, something caught my eye: SOULMATE
And the story of how the two of them met and got married came to my mind. I was told that Catherine wasn't the one Frank was to marry. Then he was said to be working on radio as a poor presenter. His fiancee then was a banker, but few months to the marriage the lady's family was said to have halted the marriage plans because they felt he was por and wasn't going to take care of her. Catherine was supposed to be the one hellping the lady pcik her clothings for the wedding. After the break-up, they (Kathy & Frankie) kinda hit it off and the rest is history. This was the story I heard way back, but I've always taken it with a pinch of salt. I read it in a ninterview he granted a magazine, but you know even that isn't as authentic as hearing him speak onradio or tv. But this news and the use of "soulmate" maybe got me thinking. If the story I read then is true, then it makes sense. It would have been a union of convenience, cos they wouldn't have loved themselves.
So maybe it's a lesson for us all. We shouldn't marry out of pity or compulsion. When we walk down the aisle, we should realise we're making a lifelong commitment to our partner. Marry for the right reason, the right person at the right time. God help us all

@sges
I'll explain. You got to the Partner-level, and according to you, he seemed to have implied that he was looking forward to working with you. So what happened? Among the myriad of people who got to that level, some people would have made it. I can confirm that KPMG interview is largely merit-driven, so for you to have been dropped means the partner, though impressed by you, would have thought you were "expendable", in favour of someone else who apparently showed something extra. However, the fact that you got to the partner level means that there's absolutely nothing wrong with your interview skills, and that 9 times out of 10 you'll probably have secured employment. So you're fine. But the question remains "what did the other guy do extra?". Well, it's hard to say. But I recall that in my first job, I impressed the MD so much that he took over the interview and asked me to come for another "chat" with him alone. The HRM told me later it was unprecedented. That's my point. You've got to give that extra thing at your next interview. Of cos it's not set in stone, but it's essential you raise the bar. Too much grammar abi? Good luck

@sges
I'm indeed very happy u've moved on. My worry was dat u would dwell too much on this and miss the big pix God is planning for u. Like said, you should have plenty to learn from this experience, if nothing else. When the next opportunity comes, because I'm sure it will come, be sure to make urself too good not to be employed

@sges
So sorry to hear the sad news. Nothing to say except that you take heart, learn frlm this and move on. I know you'll ask me why u weren't chosen, and I'll answer you the best way I can; because there's something better on the way. Cheers

@ola jide
I seriously doubt ATS students will be considered. Sorry
@fidelism
All successful candidates for this year's recruitment exercise will most likely resume in september. And as a fresher, I seriously doubt if you'll be allowed to run MSc programme alongside work (at least very true of people in Audit & Tax. For audit, there's absolutely NO way you'll be able to combine both. None whatsoever!). However, u may want to talk with the HR to see if your employment can be delayed (but I guess this will be after you've been assured of employment, not now!). See what you are able to find out. Then you can take a decision the key is looking at the big picture abd deciding what you want to achieve in life

@ola jide
Yes, KPMG employs people on ATS. Infact, they employ people without ATS(or people with no accounting background whaatsoever!). The condition is that you're a BSc holder (which means you probably started your ICAN whilst in sch, cos grads don't go through ATS), not more than 26 years old and finished with NYSC (of course you may start your recruitment process whilst still serving, but you must have finished before resumption).
@sges
Well, situations are peculiar to people. For example, I resumed about 11mths after my interview with the partner! I have peole whose interviews took all of a week (Yes, a week). Don't forget the number of people who have applied and who got to the partner-level interview is massive. The best have to be chosen. I know of two ladies, both 1st class grads, very young and smart, who got to the partner-level interview but who have not been called since then (like 8 months ago). So you've got to be very prayerful to make it. I'll suggest you contact the person who called or emailed you for the interviews if you have not heard anything by next month, just to be sure. In my time that kept me going. I called the HR person who assured me I'd be called up.
All the best.

@sges
U have no need to worry. If you're successful @ ur Partner-level interview, u'll most likely be contacted before the first weekend of august, and told to go for your medicals. If all goes well, you'll be expected to resume in September. Again, all da best