The barricades placed by construction giant, Julius Berger, along the newly expanded Airport Road in Abuja has caused serious traffic snarl Thursday morning.

Motorists spend over two hours without much movement.

Some of the motorists who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES complained bitterly about the barricades.

“This people have almost completed this road, yet they will block everywhere and make life difficult for Nigerians, can they do this in any other country?,” one the motorists asked.

Already the motorists have gathered into a mob and have started removing the barricades.

Though the road was already opened for motorists, Julius Berger said it still has a few things to do to complete the construction.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/115583-julius-berger-barricades-cause-heavy-traffic-snarl-along-abuja-airport-road.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=julius-berger-barricades-cause-heavy-traffic-snarl-along-abuja-airport-road

wooooooow nice.

Itz so Sad dat at dis time the NPF are stl talkin abt code of conduct, so wot hav de bin operatin on all dis while, noo wonder de hav bin mishavin in carryin out their duties. Really shameful, oshiomhole said it all durin their suummit, fed govt need to act fast to safe Nig. Of dis mess

nagoma:

I don't know what you mean by" accidental " here. Perhaps you mean " a mistake " because the 2 are very different - the first means an" unplanned occurrence" while the second means " - in error."

Whatever you mean El - Rufa'i has transformed FCT to a befitting Capital for Nigeria. After him things are really deteriorating fast but you can't take that away from him no matter how much you hate him and his guts.

i dnt hate him at all, just dislike most of his antecedence...de were instigated by his selfish interest

Always seeknig for relevance, now he has resorted to publishing of a book which indirectly refers to himself, cos as far as i'm concern, making hell Rufia the Minister of fct was accidental, i hope he includes it there in his 'fund seeking book', that he really made use of his office by acquiring and assigning govt properties to himself, family members and girlfriends(i trust abj chicks), not just including that he was used and dumped by OBJ...probably he tot both of them will continue to rule after his alleged 2yrs break,afterall according to him, OBJ said the plan will kick off after 4yrs. After 4yrs, plans fails, he cries foul play...yeye man. i think we shud start some contribution on NL for rufia, wot y'all think

President Goodluck Jonathan has disassociated himself from the campaign posters seen all over the streets of Abuja, the nation’s capital for his return in 2015.

His Excellency affirmed that he doesn’t know anything about the posters, noting that those behind it were only doing it on their own and not acting as his political agents.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, Jonathan is focused on delivering on his Transformation Agenda for Nigerians and not 2015 elections, which is still far away.

He said: “those pasting the posters are trying to express their own view. The president had stated that he will talk about the presidency from 2014. Those doing these do not have the consent of the president.

Abati noted that: “what is most important now is for the president to deliver on his electioneering promise to Nigerians and not to embark on the pasting of posters”.

Speaking further, Abati said: “It has not come from the president. Nigerians should take the president for his word and ignore any other information to the contrary”.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/01/03/jonathan-disowns-2015-presidency-campaign-posters/

Thanks, hope u find it helpful

Handbook 2013

HEALTH

Drink plenty of water.☑

Eat Breakfast like a king,
Lunch like a prince &
Dinner like a beggar.☑

Live with the 3 E's--
Energy,
Enthusiasm &
Empathy.☑

Make time to pray.☑

Play more games.☑

Read more books than you did
in 2012.☑

Sit in silence for at least 10
minutes each day.☑

Sleep for 7 hours.☑

Take a 10-30 minutes walk
daily And while you walk,
Smile.☑

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

PERSONALITY
Don't over do. Keep your
limits.☑

Don't take urself so seriously.
No one else does.☑

Don't waste your precious
energy on gossip.☑

Dream more while you are
awake.☑

Envy is a waste of time. You
already have all you need.☑

Forget issues of the past.
Don't remind your partner with
his/her mistakes of the past.
That will ruin your present
Happiness.☑

Life is too short to waste time
hating anyone. Don't hate
others.☑

Make peace with your past so
it won't spoil the present.☑

No one is in charge of your
happiness except you.☑

Smile and laugh more.☑

You don't have to win every
argument,Agree to disagree.☑

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

SOCIETY

Call your family often.☑

Each day give something good
to others.☑

Forgive everyone for
everything.☑

Spend time with people over
the age of 70 & under the age
of 6.☑

Try to make at least three
people smile each day.☑

What other people think of you
is none of your business.☑

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

LIFE

Do the right thing!☑

GOD heals everything.☑

However good or bad a
situation is, it will change.☑

No matter how you feel,
Get up,
Dress up and
Show up. The best is yet to
come.☑

When awake in the morning
thank GOD for it.☑

Your Inner most is always
happy. So be happy...Have a wonderful new year..

[size=15pt]MAMISCO[/size]

Dino is just a pathetic jobless man, i'm so tired of talking about him, itz left for Nigerians to open their mind eyes to see the obvious...rejoicing that pple died, wot a man? if he says d r corrupt, so de deserve to die...then he also deserves same, cos as a politician he stole frm the national treasury, and he is still enjoying his loots...more protest, more money

https://www.nairaland.com/1130153/making-false-alarmist-dino-melaye

fkaz: Hate or like him, he still remain one of the best anti-curruption crusader we have 4now

because he gives u part of the dividends...rubbish...going to equity with dirty hands...u guys shud kip deceivin urselves...to fight corruption, we need to start frm ourselves, so dat when we hav opportunity to serve in public offices, we dnt get tempted to loot or divert funds...Not to listen to a frustrated politician who finished looting and looks for avenue to channel his misgivings...abeggggggiiii..nxt story

A couple of weeks ago, Dino Melaye, former member of the House of Representatives and his so-called Anti-Corruption Network raised some dust over projects being executed by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. He had sought very relentlessly to persuade his audience to believe that the projects did not exist, thus suggesting that the Ministry’s claim to have awarded those contracts was false. The projects in question are canalisation/river training of Foupolo-Bulou Ndoro Creek in Burutu local government area, canalisation of Odoubou Ogbobagbene Burutu and land reclamation/shoreline protection at Ogbobagbene.

The dust generated by the alarm he raised has since settled, and in favour of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe and the management of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs who were clearly the target of Melaye’s fabrications.

Facts and figures on the transactions concerning the projects were laid on the table for the public to see. Orubebe personally addressed a press conference in Abuja and thereafter a team of journalists and members of civil society groups led by Professor Sylvester Monye, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Projects Monitoring and Evaluation visited the sites of the projects in question. The tour produced still and video photographs of the projects showing workers and equipment on the sites in addition to written reports published in some of the nation’s reputable newspapers, all pointing in one direction: that the projects do actually exist and are on-going.

That verdict was generously published in the media, both print and electronic, and Melaye has ended up becoming the villain rather than the hero of that campaign. It has put a big question mark on his self-imposed anti-corruption crusade. But let that aspect of the discussion wait while we consider the facts of the projects which Melaye sought very vigorously, albeit unsuccessfully, to destroy.

The projects are part of the efforts to open the Niger Delta, the long neglected headspring of our nation’s economic prosperity, for development. The canalization/river training of Foupolo-Bolou Ndoro Creek in Burutu, Delta State was awarded on February 2, 2011 to First Marine & Engineering Services Limited for N2.3 billion. Out of that amount, N355 million, that is about 15 percent, was paid as mobilization to the company. Despite the slow rate of payment, the project has already attained 40 percent completion. By whatever standards, this is one of the best managed projects. The contractors could have done better but for budgetary constraints. In the 2012 budget, only N10 million was provided for the project. This was a far cry from what the contractors required to move fast and deliver the project on schedule. The slow pace of funding was even recently the subject of a meeting between the Ministry, the contractors and their bankers. The Ministry had to assure the contractors and their bankers that adequate provision had been made in the 2013 budget for a smoother funding of the project.

The situation in the two other project sites is no less different. A lot of progress has been made despite the funding constraints. Only mobilization fees have been paid to the construction companies so far, yet they are on site and working very assiduously. During the visit of the journalists, members of the communities hosting these projects met with their visitors and spoke glowingly to them about these projects and expressed gratitude to the federal government for bringing development to their doorsteps.

Why Melaye would sit back in the comfort of his bedroom and conclude that these projects do not exist is not only bizarre but cruel. But even the aspect that is more outlandish, reckless and wicked of the Maleye saga is the attempt to link Orubebe with a non-exising fraud of N29 billion. How do the total contract sums of the three projects add up to N29 billion. What sort of arithmetic is this one? This mathematical “abracadabra” is proof that Melaye’s mission is fuelled only by a cruel desire to cause mischief and tarnish the image of Orubebe and the management of the new Ministry. And that is very unfortunate.

[b]That brings me back to the façade of the anti-corruption toga in which Melaye is dancing before the public. Melaye needs to work a lot harder to convince the Nigerian public that he is, indeed, a genuine anti-corruption crusader. On a number of occasions, he goofed. He has never actually succeeded in proving any of his cases. The issues he raised against the principal officers of the House of Representatives and against the former Governor of Kogi State Idris Ibrahim are the outstanding two examples of a failed mission. The present one concerning the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is yet another. The projects he said never existed actually exist and the entire public has seen and accepted that they exist. Journalists, members of civil society groups and the host communities were unanimous in their verdict that Melaye was wrong. So how can anyone trust and support the dubious mission of his so-called anti-corruption disciple?

There is a big lesson behind all of these. Our anti-corruption agencies should be careful not to confuse those who truly want to help them fight corruption with those whose desire is to make money by dragging innocent public officials into unnecessary controversies through false allegations of corruption. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and its twin sister, the Independent Corrupt Practices (and other related Offences) Commission, ICPC, should not do business with such alarmists like Melaye if they must enjoy public respect, support and confidence. Melaye should rather be closely watched as a dangerous false alarmist than trusted as an anti-corruption crusader.
[/b]

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/columns/42243/2012/12/11/making_false_alarmist.html

GARRI (x7):

Nonsense!!!!


Mor.0n


Just like you, the Govt. is f00lish...

but not as f00lish as u r

i think wot we need to ask ourselves is the comfortability of the previous to visitors and the sort of facilities therein, does it march the prevailing situation in the country, i think most times b4 criticizing we must understand that there is a reason for everything, the govt is not foolish to build another banquet hall in a time like this, probably there are alot of facilities, including security facilities lacking in the former, and all this must be put in place...letz be slow to criticize and castigate most times...if anything bad show happen (God forbid) during any function, we will stl be de ones to condemn them for not putting everything in place...this r things foriegners see when they come into the country, it says alot abt our country, so if this will project us well in the world at large and further bring more investment, then the shud go ahead but also remember that we out here also need beta facilities too to better our lives.

otokx: she should be arrested and prosecuted for gross negligence and indirect fraud.

i think dat will be left for relevant agencies to handled

RUBBISH...they shud rather play any strong African team cos we r having an african competition (jam body football), it will make them understand African pattern to an extent, and prepare their minds.

a woman that can put on the gen (no mata d type of gen) without any assistance...decode that

i ve always believe that to get things done in the right way, one must apply, tact and wisdom...and this is exactly wot the President exihibited, it is ok for anybody to recommend any thing, some mayb for positive effect while some for negative effect(cos of personal rift), but it is always right to carefully scrutunize this recommendations so you dnt end up acting on a decision proposed on a personal vendetta platform...this is a gud move, and we hope to see more implementations..

The Federal Government on Tuesday finally hit the hammer on the Director General, Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, Bolanle Onagoruwa, with President Goodluck Jonathan approving her immediate sack from office.

A terse statement signed by Umar Sani, the Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) to the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, did not give any reason for Ms. Onagoruwa’s sack.

She was directed to hand over to the most Senior Director in the Bureau, Benjamin Dikki, who would hold the position in an acting capacity.

Ms. Onagoruwa took over the reins at the privatisation agency following the sack of Christopher Anyanwu on March 9, 2010, in the wake of the failed privatisation of the national carrier, Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, NITEL.

Last year, the Senate ad-hoc committee investigating the privatisation and commercialisation of public companies between 1999 and 2011 in one of its 45 recommendations contained in its report called for her immediate sack from office for “gross incompetence in the management of the BPE” and “illegal and fraudulent sale of the five per cent Federal Government’s shares in the Eleme Petrochemical Company Limited, EPCL.”

The reason

Though it was gathered that Ms. Onagoruwa’s ouster was a culmination of a number of issues, Presidency sources, however, confided in PREMIUM TIMES that it may not have been unconnected with the poor handling of the recent Supreme Court order on the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, ALSCON.

Following the Supreme Court ruling on July 6 removing the Russian firm, UC Rusal, as owners of the $3.2 billion smelter located in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, the Presidency had pointedly directed Ms. Onagoruwa as DG of BPE to take immediate steps to give effect to the apex court’s order by ensuring that the plant was transferred to its rightful owners, BFIGroup Corporation.

BFIG, which emerged the preferred bidder for ALSCON since 2004, was manipulated out of its win by BPE following directives by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo that the company be sold to the Russians.

After the annulment of the bid, BFIG proceeded to the court seeking the enforcement of its rights to the ownership of the plant, culminating in a landmark ruling by the apex court in its favour.

Curiously, almost six months since the ruling and the presidential directive, the Russians are not only having a stranglehold at the plant, recent media reports uncovered that since they took over the management of the plant in controversial circumstances in 2007, its fixed asset have been devalued systematically by over N101.2 billion, almost 90 per cent.

An audit report by PriceWaterHouseCoopers Limited showed that ALSCON’s total fixed asset as at December 31, 2003 stood at about N127.7 billion, though the value dropped marginally to N127.3 billion at the beginning of 2004 prior to the bid for the plant.

However, it was gathered that following the handing over of the plant to UC Rusal in 2007, its management conducted a comprehensive re-evaluation of the assets and marked down their value by over 76 per cent, from N129.9 billion at the end of 2006 to N30.98 billion.

Another audit conducted by KPMG chartered accountants in 2011, showed that the company’s net asset value underwent further massive decline from N30.98 billion in 2007 to N25.2 billion in 2008; N19.4 billion in 2009 and N14.9 billion in N2010. The report for 2011 is yet to be published.

The Presidency on reading the reports was said to have been angered that the plant was subjected to such massive devaluation under the watchful eyes of Ms. Onagoruwa, who by virtue of her position in BPE, sits on the Board of ALSCON as the Federal Government representative.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/108925-why-jonathan-fired-bpe-dg-bolanle-onagoruwa.html?doing_wp_cron=1354112054.2329390048980712890625

i dnt even know wot to say again, itz so so appalling that some officials of the NPF can compromise at the detriment of the populace, itz so sad...first it was Kabiru, then Sanni, now most of them hav bin freed...smh na wa wa...i think some sensitive Boko haram issues shud b handled by other competend security agencies to avoid this lapses on the side of police...i pray the Lord see us tru this trying times as a Nation, cos d NPF credibility is really indoubt.

**FRSC debunks BRT accident story**

Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) has denied the rumour being bandied around that a fully loaded Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) bus plunged into the Lagos lagoonon Monday morning.
The sector commander of the FRSC, Lagos State Command, Nseobong Akpabio who confirmed that there was nothing like a BRT bus crash on 3rd Mainland Bridge , said the rumour is being peddled by rumour mongers who were out to create panic amongst Lagosians.
The FRSC Headquaters according to him has also been contacted to send out an alert across the country on this development immediately.
The rebuttal came as a result of a post on a social network site on Monday

Contrary to the rumour making the rounds that there’s a rift between former president, chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his supposed political godson, President Goodluck Jonathan, the national secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, over the weekend, dismissed the hearsay.

Oyinlola, made this known while addressing newsmen at Okuku, his hometown, during the formal launching of a foundation named after his father, Oba Moses Oyewole Oyinlola.

He disclosed that it was deceptive to say that Obasanjo and Jonathan were having political differences, stressing that, “some individuals want to use the controversy surrounding the Odi killings to set the two leaders of the PDP against each other.”
He noted that President Jonathan and Obasanjo remain strong members of the ruling party and are committed to the growth and development of Nigeria.
He said: “There is no friction between the president and Chief Obasanjo. The issue of Odi killings will not cause hostility between the two leaders of our party. I think the media blew the issue out of proportion. President Jonathan and Chief Obasanjo are both working for the betterment of this great nation and for the good of the entire citizenry,” he said.
Asked about his view on the current political developments in his state, the former governor said, “I will not talk about Osun State now. I was the governor of the state for seven and a half years. Somebody is there now. Just compare and contrast. No matter what I say now, they will politicise it. So, let the people judge.”
Speaking on the legacy left behind by his late father, Oba Moses Oyewole Oyinlola, which prompted the setting up of the foundation, he said: “when I became a politician in 2001, I embarked on campaign trips across Osun State. I came back to my hometown to tell my siblings that our late illiterate father had done so much to the extent that anywhere I got to during my campaign, I was warmly embraced because of the good things that he did.”

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/11/26/there-friction-president-chief-obasanjo-oyinlola/?utm_source=&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=there-friction-president-chief-obasanjo-oyinlola

It was a gud thing that d president cleared d air on this issue, every station manager wanted to maximize profit @ d detriment of the masses...God help us

The perennial fuel scarcity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and its environs has disappeared, less than 48 hours after last Sunday’s media chat by President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he dismissed the speculations that the Federal Government had concluded plans to remove fuel subsidy totally.

President Jonathan made it clear that there was no plan to remove fuel subsidy for now, and that fuel subsidy had already been captured in 2013 budget proposal to the National Assembly for appropriation.

Investigations by the Sunday Tribune revealed that following the declaration by the President, most of the filling stations within the Abuja metropolis and its environs in Niger State; Mararaba and Nyanyan in Nasarawa State, which had remained under lock and key under the pretence that fuel was not available, in anticipation of removal of subsidy, suddenly opened their stations for business.

It was also observed that most of the filling stations, which had earlier been dispensing the commodity with only one pump also commenced full operations with other pumps, thus making the unending queues and scarcity to disappear.

http://247nigerianewsupdate.com/fuel-scarcity-disappears-in-abuja-environs-after-jonathans-media-chat/

the saviour is here, i know exactly wot omojuju abi juwa wants, here is it...yeye boy...A BRAND NEW IPAD social media has really helped you...he dosent even no what he wants, i pity pple dat will follow him blindly...that's hw he did in d case of ipad, after fooling himself cos i wont say he fooled Nigerians, abusing arik, and gaining public sympathy, some follow follow ones joined in abusing arik, all of a sudden, after shaking hands with them behind close doors (dat same hand the streched to him initially), he stl came to social media and confess how flying with arik is d best and whoever says any thing concerning arik is strictly on his/her own..imagine d trash? and dat is the same thing he wants to do here, looking for sympathizers, i just pity him, when those playing the drums for him seize to play, then him eye go open.

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

CALABAR – CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, has debunked reports credited to him that the National Assembly had ruled out the possibility of creating more states and was pursuing special agenda on the matter.

According to him, National Assembly has no such powers to stop creation of states.

N-Assembly’s position

Senator Ekweremadu, who refuted the report while declaring open the two-day zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution for the South-South geo-political zone in Calabar, Cross River State, yesterday, said the position of the National Assembly was to ensure that every request for state creation was  treated on its merit.

He said:   “It is not true that the National Assembly has ruled out state creation. It is also not true that it is pursuing any special agenda on the matter. We have no such powers.

“Rather, the position of the National Assembly is that while it is committed to ensuring that every request is treated on its merit, taking constitutional requirements, good governance, justice, and national development into account, Nigerians need to understand that the processes for state creation is slightly different from that of conventional constitution amendment.

Requirements

“It is very important that those agitating for new states thoroughly understand the provisions of Section 8 (1) of the 1999 Constitution which spells out the requirements and processes for the task.

“While state creation under the military was an event as states were decreed into existence by fiat, state creation in a democracy, especially going by the provisions of Section 8 (1), is a long and cumbersome process requiring the inputs of every part of Nigeria.

“It is not an entirely National Assembly affair, but a process that should, in fact, originate and be driven by the people, local government councils, members of the state Assemblies, and members of the National Assembly, from the areas seeking to be created into new states.

N-Assembly’s role

“Our role at the National Assembly is to provide leadership, moderate the process, and ensure compliance with legislative due process. For instance, the onus lies on the areas seeking new states, not the National Assembly, to generate the requests and reach out to other parts of Nigeria to see reason with them and support their aspirations.

“Thus, a people seeking an additional state to be carved out from the present Ondo State, should also bear in mind that such requests must receive the blessing of Sokoto State and Abia State, among others, to scale through.

“A referendum is also required with the involvement of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. But whereas the processes are obviously cumbersome, it is certainly not an impossible task. All that is needed is political maturity, consensus building, patriotism, enlightenment, and a sense of justice.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/constitution-review-senate-makes-u-turn-on-state-creation/

Everybody identifies prob, but none proffers solution...letz c wot de will come out with.

President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) to come up with recommendations and policy direction on how to get the nation’s refineries to be fully operational.

The President gave the charge following recommendations presented by the Course 34 participants of the institute, on a research theme: Resource Diversification for Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria.

President Jonathan had on February 28 at the inauguration of the course, told the participants to join in rescuing the nation from the dangerous stronghold of a mono economy and come up with needful policy recommendations.

For ten months the participants worked on the theme and on Thursday, they made their recommendations known to the President.

The participants observed that, although the transformation agenda of the Jonathan administration is commendable, they warned that the Nigerian economy is still over dependent on the export of crude oil and natural gas.

The presentation of their recommendation was made by four of the participants, led by the Monitor-General of the executive Course 34, Group Captain Clement Ogbeche.

They identified issues with the nation’s agriculture, power, human resources, education, solid minerals, infrastructure, petroleum and energy sectors.

In the petroleum sector, they compared Nigeria to Canada, a country which they claim has all its 16 refineries working while Nigeria struggles to get only four refineries working at full capacity.

The President, in his response, told them that the deregulation policy, which many had criticised was designed to attract the private sector to the economy and this he noted, would enable the construction of new refineries in the country.

He wondered why the institute (NIPPS) was not bold enough to recommend what the government should do to bring a turn around to the oil and gas sector to the advantage of Nigerians.

He noted that NIPPS is a policy formation centre for bureaucrats, private sector leaders, army officers and medium rank and senior civil servants which is aimed at conducting research and reflection for a better Nigeria.

The president used the opportunity to instruct the Ministry of Education to give a grant of N50million to the Plateau state based institute, to enable them tackle some of the administrative issues bothering the institute.

The Director-General of the institute, Prof Tijjani Mohammed-Bande, had earlier called for assistance with the institute which he claimed is grap

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/15/jonathan-charges-nipps-on-policies-for-revamping-refineries/

finally after all tussles

i beleive OBJ may b speaking as an ex military man stl having military blood flowing in his veins, so aint surprise...but the are alot of questions dat need answers regarding wot happened in odi and zakibiam, which he will answer someday...things have really change now, so as approach to handling issues changed...in todays world, u dnt just use ur office as a President to cause pains in the life of pple, knowing fully well that one day you wont be there again, and you will have the pple to face either for your actions and inactions, base on these i strongly beleive that diplomatic approach is usually beta than the violent approach, cos at the end those that encouraged you to use the violent approach wont be there to face the repacution with u. Peoples Personality matter, sometimes those that appear weak, most times get the job done carefully and tactically while the violent makes alot of errors and hasty decision which will def have a recoiling effect.