₦airaland Forum

IT SEEMS THAT THE MODERATORS ENCOURAGE THIS SILLY TRIBAL SQUABBLING GOING ON HERE,ELSE WHY SHOULD THIS POST THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SET OFF THE TRIBAL WARRIORS BE ON THE FRONT PAGE

The owner of Nairaland should really tell his moderators to curb this trend. and we call for one Nigeria yet the few are busy fanning the flames of tribalism and these so called Moderators are encouraging it.

@ the OP, yes Aba has some underdeveloped areas, as well as Lagos,Abuja and other states. if your point was to castigate the governor and those in power for the neglect for the state of affairs in Aba, this your post will be welcomed. But as it turns out you portrayed a "holier than thou" mentality which will not help things. Your sister has a better mind set, because she did not see her fiance's place as a reflection of him, else she would not have married him.

Why wont they reject it? they know what they are getting for doing practically noting and in true Nigerian Fashion they rather continue with it than effect a change to suit the current economic situation of the Country.

They feel that they are being made the scapegoat? Now they have started pointing at other excesses in the country, real typical Nigerian, they use others to justify their own exccess,

Ogene explained that the idea was laughable
because the N150 billion allocated to the National
Assembly was only a small fraction of this year's
N4.9 trillion national budget.
“Rather than blaming the National Assembly for the
poor finances of the country, the questions that
should be asked are: Why do we need up to 40
ministers? Why do we have up to 10 aircraft in the
presidential fleet? These are the issues that should
be taken into consideration instead of saying that
one arm of government should be shut down,” Ogene
stated.[i][/i]

Imagine this Guy,
so you know that 10 planes are too much for the presidential fleet? (Yet our Petroleum Minster still charters jets for official tours,SMH what a waste)

So you know that 40 ministers is too much yet you say nothing?

So you know that 150 Billion for the National Assembly alone is a fraction of the yearly budget for the whole country, yet their are Infrastructure to be developed, Agriculture and Education are stagnant among other problems yet you are happy taking a "fraction" for your pockets!

You compare your selves with American Congress, did you compare the economies of both countries as well? whereas they can afford to the extravagant (which they are not) we can not afford to be, yet the greed of our National Assembly will not let them propose a reduced salary scale, rather they will take till there is nothing more to take again.

I hope Oby continues to propose such radical ideas, maybe, just maybe if we try it it will work. They should get their lazy a$$ of those heavily padded executive chairs and do other things with their lives. They can even get some practical feel of normal day to day activities of the ordinary masses. That can even help them propose better people oriented laws and bills in the house.

I WONDER IF THEIR SALARIES WERE DRASTICALLY CUT, IF THEIR WILL STILL BE A MAD RUSH TO GET INTO THESE POLITICAL OFFICES?

Why wont they reject it? they know what they are getting for doing practically noting and in true Nigerian Fashion they rather continue with it than effect a change to suit the current economic situation of the Country.

They feel that they are being made the scapegoat? Now they have started pointing at other excesses in the country, real typical Nigerian, they use others to justify their own exccess,

Ogene explained that the idea was laughable
because the N150 billion allocated to the National
Assembly was only a small fraction of this year's
N4.9 trillion national budget.
“Rather than blaming the National Assembly for the
poor finances of the country, the questions that
should be asked are: Why do we need up to 40
ministers? Why do we have up to 10 aircraft in the
presidential fleet? These are the issues that should
be taken into consideration instead of saying that
one arm of government should be shut down,” Ogene
stated.[i][/i]

Imagine this Guy,
so you know that 10 planes are too much for the presidential fleet? (Yet our Petroleum Minster still charters jets for official tours,SMH what a waste)

So you know that 40 ministers is too much yet you say nothing?

So you know that 150 Billion for the National Assembly alone is a fraction of the yearly budget for the whole country, yet their are Infrastructure to be developed, Agriculture and Education are stagnant among other problems yet you are happy taking a "fraction" for your pockets!

You compare your selves with American Congress, did you compare the economies of both countries as well? whereas they can afford to the extravagant (which they are not) we can not afford to be, yet the greed of our National Assembly will not let them propose a reduced salary scale, rather they will take till there is nothing more to take again.

I hope Oby continues to propose such radical ideas, maybe, just maybe if we try it it will work. They should get their lazy a$$ of those heavily padded executive chairs and do other things with their lives. They can even get some practical feel of normal day to day activities of the ordinary masses. That can even help them propose better people oriented laws and bills in the house.

I WONDER IF THEIR SALARIES WERE DRASTICALLY CUT, IF THEIR WILL STILL BE A MAD RUSH TO GET INTO THESE POLITICAL OFFICES?

The only time i'll recommend "washing" ( i assume you mean emptying the whole content of the tank ) is when you buy adulterated fuel, there was a time in Port Hacourt, Woji to be precise, where after a rainstorm, water got into the underground fuel tank of a petrol station and they sold the fuel-water mix to unsuspecting motorist. come and see commotion! At least 10 cars were ground after buying the fuel, till it dawned on us that the fuel was the culprit and the angry motorist nearly lynched the station manager, especially after he refuse to accept responsibility for the damages, if not for some policemen station nearby. That episode cost me a fuel pump to put my ride in order.

So for me if your fuel is okay, i don't see any reason to "wash" your tank.

The best thing to do is a VIN Check, Personally i don't think that idea of "average" mileage is valid. for instance i know a guy that has a 2007 camry bought brand new in Nigeria in 2007, yet the mileage on the car is just over 12,000.(he hardly uses it) while for me in just three months i have racked up an additional mileage of 20,000 in my car in less than a year(i travel alot)

So your question is relative. you can not get a clear cut figure rather do a VIN check, get someone to inspect the engine, if possible do a scan if there are warning lights on the dashboard.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba, has disclosed that the bulk of Nigeria’s crude oil is stolen from the crude export terminals as the security agencies have no access to metres installed at export terminals to determine the volume of crude exported.

Ezeoba, who made the observation Thursday at a forum on ‘Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering in the Niger Delta’ convened by the Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, noted that the menace of crude theft had become a major threat to the nation’s economy, saying very urgent measures needed to be adopted to address the problem.

He expressed concern that Nigeria was the only country that allows what he described as “load plus five per cent” on each vessel, insisting that there must be transparency and accountability in the manner crude oil lifting is done.

THISDAY had exclusively reported two weeks ago that the bulk of crude oil theft takes place at the terminals operated by international oil companies (IOCs), where lifters cart away crude oil in excess of their allocations.

Ezeoba said: “The bigger theft is the one that occurs at the export loading terminals. This is beyond all of us. We have no access to the metres at the export terminals.”

He said urgent steps should be taken to address the menace, but argued that the fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism was a collective responsibility and no one agency could do it alone.

As a way forward, he suggested that oil majors should adopt the use of technology to secure the integrity of their pipelines and should establish Rights of Way (RoW) for their pipelines, to enable security officials easily identify areas where there are breaches.

Also, he canvassed that host communities should be involved in security arrangements, as that would give them a sense of belonging.

Ezeoba also urged the oil companies to review their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes and ensure improved opportunities for the youths.

He suggested other measures to include: environmental resuscitation, engagement of more youths in the Niger Delta by oil firms, and giving the communities the right to decide what areas they want as CRS by oil firms.

The CNS also canvassed for speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, as according to him, the bill provides for solutions to most of these problems.

He also said there must be availability of petroleum products for the people of Niger Delta as the lack of petroleum products pushes them to petronise illegal refineries. It is estimated that petrol is sold at between N200 and N300 a litre in the Niger Delta region.

Earlier in his address, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, accused some tank farm owners in Nigeria of complicity in crude oil theft and petroleum products diversion, pointing out that what the locals steal constitutes only about seven per cent of what is stolen on a daily basis.

He said some vessels and barges used for illicit oil deals belong to some of the tank farm owners, while stolen products have been traced to some of the depots in Nigeria.
Akpobolokemi, who blamed rising oil theft on greed and insincerity on the part of oil industry operators and some government officials, said: “The situation can only change, if people change their attitudes.”

He disclosed that the government was considering very stringent measures in the fight against the menace and informed Nigerians to expect a “tsunami in the oil industry very soon”.

“Steadily, these vessels and barges that are used to steal our oil end up in tank farms. Who are owners of these tank farms? We can trace them to who is harbouring them and in whose tank farms the products are harboured,” he added.

The NIMASA boss said the military alone could not do much and suggested that the way to stem the tide of theft and vandalism was by setting up a robust surveillance team that would be made up of oil community representatives.

Akpobolokemi, who stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) were not up and doing in their responsibilities, also faulted Nigeria’s legal processes and procedures for mishandling cases involving oil theft.

“It is not the petty thieves that are our problem, but environmental degradation and the ecosystem that is being destroyed. The hypocrisy demonstrated by oil companies is causing a lot of problems,” he said.

According to information released at the event, some 400,000 barrels a day or 63,600,000 litres of oil is said to be stolen in Nigeria

Source http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/chief-of-naval-staff-major-oil-theft-occurs-at-terminals/156441/

Gradually the [s]Federal Government Officials and Oil companies[/s] oil thieves shall expose themselves, and their greed shall be out in the open both the oil companies and the Federal Government.

However prosecuting them is another kettle of fish entirely.

Group plans protest against Wike
PDP urges Rivers governor to stop playing politics with workers' salaries
By Ernest Chinwo and Shola Oyeyipo

Five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Monday boycotted the sitting of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the state government to look into last month’s fracas at the assembly.

The lawmakers rather approached a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt seeking, among other things, to stop the commission from going ahead with its activities on the grounds that members of the panel were appointed by the state Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, whom they alleged was a party in the crisis to be investigated by the commission.

This came as the Chief of Staff to Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, said the current provocations against the governor by the opposition would not make him shift focus from the development of the state.

At the resumed sitting of the commission yesterday, the other 27 lawmakers of the assembly were represented by their counsel, but the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers were neither present nor represented.
Chairman of the commission, Justice Biobele Georgewill, later adjourned until Thursday, after Mr. Ken Atsuwete, counsel to the Speaker of the assembly, Otelemaba Amachree, and the counsel, who represented the other 25 lawmakers pleaded for 24 hours extension to enable them put their documents in order.

Georgewill, however, granted the lawmakers 48 hours and called on all parties in the crisis to be free to file their memos at the commission, stressing that the panel would be fair to all.

According to him, “No kobo needs to be paid to file your memo. Just do it with the secretary of the commission. Even if you don’t have a lawyer, the commission has a lawyer for you. This commission is for everybody affected by the crisis and anybody who has one thing or the other to tell us. It is a fact-finding commission. We are not here to imprison anybody. We are out to get to the root of the matter.”

While the commission was sitting, the anti-Amaechi lawmakers, through the member representing Port Harcourt constituency III, Victor Ihunwo, approached the High Court, presided over by Justice Iyayi Lamikanra, to among other things, stop the commission from going ahead with its activities.

He argued that members of the commission were appointed by Amaechi, whom he alleged was a party in the crisis to be investigated.

In the motion he filed before the court, Ihunwo said: “That Amaechi, the 10th respondent and his government represented by the 11th respondent instigated the crisis and supervised the execution of said crisis which he now purports an inquiry into by the instrumentality of a commission of inquiry selected, appointed and inaugurated by him, that is, the so-called judicial commission of inquiry comprised the first set of respondents.

“The first set of respondents as the Judicial Commission of Inquiry instituted by the 10th respondent lacks jurisdiction to inquire into the terms of reference subject matter of the commission.

“The 10th respondent cannot be a judge in his own cause, wherein he can choose the members of the commission who are to inquire into the same crisis which he did not only precipitate but participated actively in.

“The membership of the commission as constituted is against the rule of natural justice.”

He therefore prayed for “an order of injunction restraining the second set of respondents from receiving any report from the first set of respondents, or in any manner whatsoever implementing or putting into use any report, findings or opinion tendered by or submitted by the 1st set of respondents in their capacity as a judicial commission of inquiry or under any guise whatsoever.”

The presiding judge, Lamikanra, fixed Friday for ruling on the matter.
In a related development, Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, has said the governor would not be distracted by what he described as provocations by the opposition from developing the state and giving the people the dividends of democracy.

He spoke when the chairman and council of chiefs of Ekinigbo clan in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state paid him a solidarity visit.

Okocha said: “We will refuse to be deterred. The governor (Amaechi) has refused to lose focus because of what is going on. His focus, his mission is to better the lives of our people. His vision is to put smiles on the faces of our people. His vision is to develop our people rapidly in a manner that nobody else would have done in the state. That is his mission and we are still hell-bent on it. Before the end of this month, we will be on the streets inaugurating projects so that Nigerians will now know what projects the governor has been able to do in Rivers State.”
He said the antics of the opposition would fail and lamented their unsuccessful gang-up against the governor for their personal interests.

The Chief of Staff thanked the chiefs for their support and prayers for the Amaechi administration, noting that the governor had the people’s mandate to protect the lives and property of all Rivers people.

He, however, expressed disappointment that the governor was given a bad name for taking steps against the attempted ceding of oil wells in the state to other neighbouring states.

He said the attempt to cede oil wells in the state to other neighbouring states was plotted to stifle Amaechi’s development effort in the state.

On the recent threat by the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, to make Rivers State ungovernable, the chief of staff expressed sadness over the failure of the police to invite him for questioning over his threat.

He described Wike as being ungrateful to Amaechi who brought him to the limelight, adding that the minister had also failed to protect the interests of the state.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Ekinigbo Council of Chiefs, Chief Kinikanwo Owhonda, assured the chief of staff of their support for Amaechi, and congratulated him on his appointment by the governor as chief of staff.

Meanwhile, a group, the Rivers Peoples’ Forum (RPF), has said the continued refusal of the police to arrest and prosecute Wike for openly threatening the lives of Rivers people, and the peace and security of the state would force its members to mobilise the people for ‘the mother of all protests’ to push for the arrest and prosecution of the minister.

In a statement signed by its President, Charles Bekwele, the RPF described the comments of Wike as a direct threat to the people of the state.
According to the statement, “It is a shame, an outrage that the police instead of arresting and prosecuting Wike is allowing him to arrogantly and pompously roam the streets, making more provocative and hateful comments against the state and its people.

“And this is the same police that have declared wanted and arrested supporters of Amaechi for extremely flimsy reasons. So, why are they not arresting a man, who openly threatened the people, the peace and security of the state? Is Nyesom Wike above the law?”

He said the group was ready to go to the streets to protest against the failure of the police to arrest the minister.

In a related development, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has called on Amaechi to stop playing politics with the salaries of civil servants.

The party said civil servants in the state were passing through difficult times because of unpaid salaries.

In a statement signed by Special Adviser on Media to the state Chairman, Hon. Felix Obuah, Jerry Needam, wondered why the state government should remain insensitive and unconcerned about the plight of the workers almost two weeks into a new month without salaries and with no explanation on why they should not be paid their July salaries.

He described the development as unfortunate and callous, adding that no matter the situation, "the civil servants should not be made to suffer the weaknesses and mistakes of inefficient state administrators as appears to be the case."


source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/anti-amaechi-lawmakers-shun-commission-of-inquiry/156176/

LAGOS — The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, yesterday, threatened to sanction marketers and other stakeholders engaged in the sale of kerosene above the approved price to Nigerians.

The NNPC, in a statement signed by Mrs. Green, Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, also allayed fears of alleged scarcity of kerosene in the country, saying that about 11 million litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene, DPK, were being supplied across the country daily, far above the national demand of eight million litres daily.

The struggle to buy Kerosene, an household commodity for cooking, becomes more challenging even at a NNPC petrol Station in Lagos. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele
The struggle to buy Kerosene, an household commodity for cooking, becomes more challenging even at a NNPC petrol Station in Lagos. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

Green maintained that the NNPC and the PPMC will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure even distribution of kerosene to all nook and crannies of the country, and also advised members of the public against panic buying of the product.

“We, therefore, call on all stakeholders to ensure that petroleum products including kerosene get to the general public at government approved prices as severe sanctions await any defaulter,” she said.

Continuing she said: “This clarification has become necessary due to reports of scarcity of the product in some parts of the country. For the avoidance of doubt, the NNPC, through its subsidiary, the PPMC supplies between 10 and 11 million litres of kerosene daily, which is distributed through allocations to licensed marketers such as Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN), Depot And Petroleum Products Marketers Association, (DAPPMA), Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and NNPC Retail Limited who sell to the general public through their retail outlets.

“It is, therefore, a surprise to receive reports of scarcity in spite of the fact that NNPC/PPMC supply above the eight million litres national daily consumption.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/nnpc-to-enforce-n50litre-kerosene-price-allays-fears-of-scarcity/



Who do they they think they are fooling??
They have been singing the same tired old song about AGO(diesel) since, they should just take a trip to the nearest fuel station and see things for themselves.

•An election costs approximately N100m

By Onwuka Nzeshi

High cost of elections, lack of a social security system and a peculiar political culture that thrives on patronage have been identified as reasons for the huge salaries and allowances paid to members of the federal parliament in Nigeria.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Jerry Manwe (PDP/Taraba), gave this explanation Monday in a chat with some journalists at the National Assembly.

Manwe, one of the longest serving members of the House, said an average legislator was spending about N100 million to execute electioneering campaigns to secure a seat at the National Assembly.

The explanations came on the heels of a recent comparative survey conducted by a national daily on the salaries and allowances paid to members of national parliaments around the world.

The survey report showed that parliamentarians in Nigeria were among the top 20 highest paid legislators in the world.

However, Manwe said the survey was incomplete and did not present all the facts.

According to him, the survey did not take into consideration the economic, social and political peculiarities in Nigeria.
“They have compared the salaries of legislators in Nigeria with those of our counterparts in Europe and America but they should also go further to ask how many of the legislators from Europe and America have their supporters queuing in front of their houses every morning asking for one favour or the other. How much do they spend for them to become parliamentarians? Don't forget that we have different cultures.

“If you are comparing us with legislators in Europe and America, you are not been fair to us. The United States is well over 200 years as a democracy and we are barely thirteen years. So, may be with time, we might get to a situation where nobody may even want to come to the parliament.

“A parliamentarian in Nigeria is the most exposed person to the electorate. He is the one that the electorate see and he is the one that they go to when they have problems. How many people go to any minister or director in the ministries? Yet these minister and directors also receive huge salaries and allowances.

“Whatever a legislator earns, 80 per cent of it goes to his people. Whatever I receive is not mine alone because our culture is different and we are bound to be our brothers’ keeper,” he said.

Manwe argued that unlike the British parliamentarian, the Nigerian legislator was bombarded daily with calls by his constituents asking for money to roof their houses, money to sponsor the marriage of their sons and daughters; to take their wives to hospital and to organise the naming ceremonies of their newborns.

“An average legislator spends not less than N100 million to contest an election and win. I don't blame the Nigerian public for demanding money from their legislators. They do that because they lack the resources to take care of their basic needs. If the system works well, the queue at the legislators house would be reduced and maybe then the Nigerian legislators might begin to earn like their counterparts in Europe and America,” he said.

For the present system in Nigeria to change, Manwe said, the citizenry requires a complete re-orientation that would make voters not to demand money from persons seeking election into political offices.

He said until the country attains a level of development where politicians are not compelled to part with money during elections and parliamentarians were elected based on their qualities and ability to represent their people, jumbo salary would remain a necessity in Nigeria

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lawmaker-justifies-jumbo-pay-for-legislators/155594/

•An election costs approximately N100m

By Onwuka Nzeshi

High cost of elections, lack of a social security system and a peculiar political culture that thrives on patronage have been identified as reasons for the huge salaries and allowances paid to members of the federal parliament in Nigeria.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Jerry Manwe (PDP/Taraba), gave this explanation Monday in a chat with some journalists at the National Assembly.

Manwe, one of the longest serving members of the House, said an average legislator was spending about N100 million to execute electioneering campaigns to secure a seat at the National Assembly.

The explanations came on the heels of a recent comparative survey conducted by a national daily on the salaries and allowances paid to members of national parliaments around the world.

The survey report showed that parliamentarians in Nigeria were among the top 20 highest paid legislators in the world.

However, Manwe said the survey was incomplete and did not present all the facts.

According to him, the survey did not take into consideration the economic, social and political peculiarities in Nigeria.
“They have compared the salaries of legislators in Nigeria with those of our counterparts in Europe and America but they should also go further to ask how many of the legislators from Europe and America have their supporters queuing in front of their houses every morning asking for one favour or the other. How much do they spend for them to become parliamentarians? Don't forget that we have different cultures.

“If you are comparing us with legislators in Europe and America, you are not been fair to us. The United States is well over 200 years as a democracy and we are barely thirteen years. So, may be with time, we might get to a situation where nobody may even want to come to the parliament.

“A parliamentarian in Nigeria is the most exposed person to the electorate. He is the one that the electorate see and he is the one that they go to when they have problems. How many people go to any minister or director in the ministries? Yet these minister and directors also receive huge salaries and allowances.

“Whatever a legislator earns, 80 per cent of it goes to his people. Whatever I receive is not mine alone because our culture is different and we are bound to be our brothers’ keeper,” he said.

Manwe argued that unlike the British parliamentarian, the Nigerian legislator was bombarded daily with calls by his constituents asking for money to roof their houses, money to sponsor the marriage of their sons and daughters; to take their wives to hospital and to organise the naming ceremonies of their newborns.

“An average legislator spends not less than N100 million to contest an election and win. I don't blame the Nigerian public for demanding money from their legislators. They do that because they lack the resources to take care of their basic needs. If the system works well, the queue at the legislators house would be reduced and maybe then the Nigerian legislators might begin to earn like their counterparts in Europe and America,” he said.

For the present system in Nigeria to change, Manwe said, the citizenry requires a complete re-orientation that would make voters not to demand money from persons seeking election into political offices.

He said until the country attains a level of development where politicians are not compelled to part with money during elections and parliamentarians were elected based on their qualities and ability to represent their people, jumbo salary would remain a necessity in Nigeria

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lawmaker-justifies-jumbo-pay-for-legislators/155594/

Jesus, i better go and make-up with my boss and start kissing is lazy, vindictive as$.

Oga your boy is still loyal ooooooooo........

I guess the saying is true then

[size=16pt]" LOVE IS BLIND BUT MARRIAGE IS AN EYE OPENER " [/size]

And the vicious rape of our country's resources continues..............

[size=18pt]BLOODY BUNCH OF RAPIST.[/size]

Frankly i agree with sylva on two items
1. That government should be a continuum.
2. If there is going to be a probe let it be through.

This could be a continuation of the witch hunt of Sylva, frankly they all deserve to be probed but trust nigerian politicians they will allow you loot and when you fallout with them they start recalling your administrations failures and recommend a probe.

Siena: Exactly. I can see this all being dismissed. He called for help, when the little girl slumped. It's as clear as day, yet the NPF are "investigating".

What a useless country Nigeria has become.

I totally despise the act and the boy to face the full consequences of his actions, however we should consider the fact that he did call for help and took the girl to the hospital before she died, that sail he should be facing a manslaughter charge instead of a murder charge, his age and confession should get him a lighter sentence. I really feel for the parents of the poor girl.

That said, we all know the state of the Nigerian Police and their two left feet, however Nigeria should not be termed a "useless country" just because of this, far worse happens in the western Nations and even in the UK were you reside, so don't be too harsh to judge even though our so called leaders (Yerima and Co)are making bad calls atimes.

This just out that the presidency is now accusing the IOC's of complicity in ongoing crude oil theft saga.

Well both the shameless FG and the corrupt IOC's should keep it up. How can the Government blame the IOC's for stealing from the country, you the FG, are suppose to protect it interest FG you have the means to limit this rape of our country now? just like a helpless girl tired and continuously raped by each passer by that happens upon her.

The level of incompetency, shamelessness and outright....evil.. (for lack of a better word)going on daily in this country is mind boggling.

For crying out loud why cant they steal in moderation and attempt to do the right thing for the masses, ohh so i forgot this is Nigeria where everything is done to the extreme!

THE nation’s power output has dropped by another 105 megawatts due to eventual shutdown of Afam VI Independent Power Plant operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Joint Venture.

Shell Corporate Media Relations Manager, Tony Okonedo, who confirmed the shutdown in a statement Tuesday, said Afam VI power plant was shut due to shortage of gas supply.

“The Shell Petroleum Development Company Joint Venture today (July 16) shut down Afam VI Power Plant due to shortage of gas arising from the closure of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) as a result of crude oil theft related leaks.

“The shutdown of the TNP system, comprising the 28inch and 24inch streams, resulted in the deferment of 150,000 barrels of oil per day, and also led to tank tops and non-evacuation of condensate from Okoloma Gas Plant which supplies Afam VI Power Plant with feed gas,” the statement revealed.

Shell has been battling with frequent attacks on the pipeline for some weeks now, as it had previously been targeted by crude oil thieves and shut down several times.

The multinational oil firm said the company has continued to lose about $15 million (N2.4 billion) to the shutdown on daily basis.

As the situation persists, Shell said it had to shut down Okoloma Gas Plant yesterday, as it could not continue to produce gas without the evacuation of condensate.

According to Okonedo, Afam VI power plant was available at 624MW capacity, but supplying only 105MW to the national grid due to reduced gas volume at the time of shutdown.

He said the latest leak on the TNP occurred on the 24inch stream at Owokiri on July 11, while a joint investigation team, comprising government agencies, community and civil society representatives and SPDC personnel, found that unknown persons had installed a 6inch crude theft valve on the facility.

SPDC, according to him, has repaired that leak, and was working to remove other crude theft points that were discovered in the process.

“The 28inch TNP had earlier been shut in for removal of similar oil theft connections. The company is striving to repair the TNP as quickly as possible, and restore operations that will enable power generation to resume at Afam VI.

“SPDC is deeply concerned about the negative impact of incessant crude theft activities on lives and environment in the Niger Delta, and also the loss of electricity to businesses and households across the country. The total daily loss from the TNP shutdown alone comes to about $15 million (N2.4 billion),” he added.

The Managing Director of SPDC, Mutiu Sunmonu, had earlier lamented the persistent attacks on the pipeline, describing it as a major setback for the company and the nation as a whole.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php/national-news/127300-power-generation-drops-as-shell-shuts-afam-plant

Here is what gets me, the IOC's are divesting their operator ship and equity in these field (i suspect due to crude theft among other reason) and NNPC is now operating them.

I begin to wonder how NNPC (which is government owned) can stem this wave of crude theft were these private IOC's , that are aggressively into profit making,could not do so. The funny thing is that they know who the oil thieves are yet noting can be done to stop them. I believe the reason why they cannot be touched is because the government are doing the stealing through their private companies.

Now they that they are the producer we go see oil sell soooooo.

Chaiii....... This my country Nigeria......... Government will not kill us oooooooooooooo............

As the local saying goes "na small sh*t dey spoil nyash"
This minor incident can snowball into something beyond the plan or scope of both feuding parties.

For some reason i have a bad feeling about this

I ask myself why China? Those guys are crafty they have their hand in every major economy and they are the puppeteers pulling the string of the world economy. they rewrote the manual on now to act behind the scene!

bellong: With the borrowed money for building infrastructures, Chinese companies will still be the same people that will be awarded the contract...

One step forward, giant steps backward..

bellong: With the borrowed money for building infrastructures, Chinese companies will still be the same people that will be awarded the contract...

One step forward, giant steps backward..

I totally agree with you, they will "burrow" you money but they will also dictate how, where and when the "burrowed" money will be used!!! Well i don't blame them cos if i were the one i would do the same, i "burrow" you money for business, say to buy buses for transport(and you must buy the buses from me), and take a percentage of profit and if the bus is lost you bear all the loss cos you still "owe" me + interest.
I can't believe am saying this but Gaddaffi and his call for Africa Union to close rank to assist themselves against out side interference ,that part of his ideas i fully agree with.

We really need a smart and diplomatic attitude in how we implement our foreign polices, with this bold and open move america may further be wary and distance Nigeria, in as much as we are an independent sovereign nation, we need to play the world politic well and be seen to be neutral and friendly to all the super powers. and not be fully seen preferring one over the other.

US and China are "friendly" yet during the peak of the north Korea saga, you could feel the backing the North had with China. America was not pleased with that but as china is a super power as well they can't do jack about it. so back to Nigeria and getting a "Loan" from china, Obama just visited Africa and Nigeria was exempted, now we are romancing with China.This is surely waving a red flag at America, we could have done this deal with a low profile and still be offering an olive branch to the US to keep things smooth on that level.

Before China became a super power, there were general disdain and scorn for them, but they played the "fool" and learned all they could from anywhere they can, now they are "king of the hill" we need to learn from them be friendly with all and learn. never make an open preference for on nation over the other even subtly or indirectly. Nations bear grudges don't forget.

Yes oooo.........., For once i agree with the Governor, Aba is safe compared to the North at least.

Jezz.... This your tired old line Learn a new tune already.

thelastPope: Shut up my friend. What rubbish decorum. When you all go around running your mouth comparing a president of a country with a common governor, dont you know you deserve to be told the blatant truth? He is too small for the president to fight with. He is too tiny. an ant of microscopic proportion. Stop insulting the office of the president my friend. Your partisan hatred is appalling!

thelastPope: This is obviously how you insult your father at home! No proper home training...^**&%$£))!))!

See your self? this is the problem with your type! you get carried away easily by your emotions. Get a grip man. there are ways to insult people and they will thank you for it.
You and your crew need to urgently out grow this teenage stage of just insulting people indiscriminately. Learn how to employ civility in your relation or argument with with others it will give you a better broader perspective on life.

For your information respect is a two way thing and both offices should be given their due respect to each other and avoid letting the press lead them into name calling like.

The United States shale oil revolution is set to take a huge toll on Nigeria’s economy as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) predicted Wednesday that the world would need less of its crude in 2014 owing to competing supply sources.

Nigeria, a member of OPEC, is the fifth largest supplier of crude to the US and Western Europe. Nigeria’s economy is also heavily dependent on crude oil revenue, which accounts for more than 80 per cent of government revenues.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, had in May, stated that the shale oil revolution was “one of the most serious threats” to Nigeria and other oil-producing nations.

The US, the world’s largest oil consumer, imported less than three million barrels of OPEC crude oil a day (mb/d) in February, the first time that has happened since January 1994, according to US government data.

The London-based Financial Times had previously reported that as the shale boom shrinks the US import market, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are suffering less than others in OPEC, in particular Nigeria and Angola.

Nigeria and Angola combined exported 0.6mb/d to the US in 2012, the lowest in 25 years, and an indication that the shale boom will soon erode oil demand from producing countries.

In its oil market report released Wednesday, OPEC, which supplies a third of the world’s crude oil, forecast that demand for its crude would slip by 300,000 barrels a day next year to 29.6 million barrels a day.

The figure, according to Bloomberg, represents about 2.6 per cent less than the volume the 12-member group is currently pumping.

The need for OPEC’s crude will diminish even as global oil demand growth recovers to one million barrels a day in 2014, from 800,000 a day this year, amid rising output in the US and Canada, the report added.

“The strong growth trend seen in 2013 is expected to continue in 2014 for production from outside OPEC,” the oil cartel said in its monthly market report.

Dependence on OPEC’s crude is slipping as the US and Canada unlock unconventional oil supplies from deep underground shale deposits with new drilling techniques.

Brent crude futures have slipped 2.7 per cent this year, trading at about $108 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange Wednesday, amid signs of slowing growth in China and uneven recovery in the US, the world’s biggest oil consumers.

OPEC, however, predicted that world oil consumption would advance by one million barrels a day, or 1.2 per cent to 90.7 million next year as emerging nations expand and developed economies continue to recover.

Demand estimates for 2013 were however kept mostly unchanged, with an anticipated growth rate of about 800,000 barrels a day, or 0.9 per cent, to 89.6 million.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/opec-warns-us-shale-boom-set-to-erode-crude-oil-demand/153046/


[color=#000099][/color] What gets me is that our Oga's @the top are seeing the hand writting on the wall but will they take proactive measures? They best boost oil production now and get the best prices for oil now before the shale oil production really gets into high gear.

This shale oil boom is being seriously promoted by the west and China (China has huge shale oil deposit) The way i see it the argument that shale oil is too expensive and complicated to process into usable crude, will ensure OPEC's continuance dominance in the oil sector is complete bollocks.
Where two of the world leaders in technological advancement (US and China) and the country with the world most largest and cheapest work force (China) are coming together. they will surly find out a way to optimize shale oil processing and finally break OPEC's hold on oil prices regulation.

MY BELOVED NIGERIA HOW WILL THOU FAIR WITH REDUCED OIL REVENUE?

“too small an entity to fight."

This is what i find irritating about the whole Presidency-Amaechi buhaha, these press conferences are definitely not written by the president himself but at least whom ever writes them should show a little decorum for the office of the Governor. People are thinking of how to calm things yet others are making more inflammatory statement.

Personally this his utterance shows that there is still bad blood between the Presidency and the Rivers state Governor, at least on the Presidents side.

I believe the black particles could be carbon deposit, which could an indication of incomplete combustion of fuel or poor fuel-air mixture (bad O2 sensor and clogged air filter) or bad fuel or bad plugs. Does the engine misfire? How is your oil like is it black?what of your oil gauge? any shortages?

What i'll suggest is change your plugs (get the ounces with double filament) change your oil and oil filter if needed and check the kind of fuel you have have in your tank. if all fail then you may have to look at your injectors and oxygen sensor.


Good luck.

uboma: Ur write-up is hilarious. So because u couldn't fix ur car or better still ur road side mechanics couldn't detect the problem, u had to assume that ur car had been charmed? Wow! So how about ur present car, giving u any problems like the first? Or do u think that the person that charmed ur first car 'as assumed by u' would not want to charm ur present car?

Look mate, personally i believe inanimate objects (and yes cars include) can not be charmed. However people's bad vibe (i believe the american lingo is "mojo" can sometimes manifest in your normal everyday routine. It could be you or the mechanic that is having a bad "mojo" that is manifesting in you not getting your desired result.

Most people don't believe in having a rally "bad day", am not sure if i do either, but it does not remove the fact that sometimes things just go wrong for you for no apparent reason. it maybe just a case of getting the winning attitude or praying or whatever. [b]BOTTOM LINE SOME DAYS ARE JUST LIKE THAT LIVE WITH IT.[/b]