₦airaland Forum

naptu2: Finally! I particularly like the fact that it's being concessioned.

I watched the ceremony on the news and I also saw the minister of information talk about the new standard gauge rail project (I particularly like the ideas for a Lagos to Abuja line, a Lagos to Onitsha line and an Abuja to Onitsha line).

Goodluck's administration is beginning. To remind me of the Obasanjo years. Terrible first leg, characterised by bad politicking, corruption and inaction, but a second leg full of positive action and delivery of developmental projects and policies.

My suggestions:

1) We need emergency points on the expressways. These emergency points should be equipped with Federal Highway Patrol teams (police) and ambulances.

2) We need to get to work and build the high speed rail network.

ba7man: When the project was announced, they said it wasn't possible. Now its being realized they pray for its downfall. Classic case of the black man's "Pull him down" syndrome. The rest saying "The poor" simply fail to realize how many of the "poor" and the middle class this project will provide steady employment for.

justmythought: Oh! thanks for the lucid contribution. I am indeed encouraged knowing critical minds like yours do exist. Now, back to the debate. If I can attempt to reason your point, you are saying as a political office holder, you manage what you've signed up to and yes this is true. But bear in mind we are talking here of Micro vs Macro management. while the state is responsible for managing a segment of a country(Tinubu here), of what use would this be if at the strategic level (FGN..OBJ) the macro economic indices are weak?

As a manager and leader, Obj through the office of NOI rebased the economy, ending fluctuations in our macroeconomic variables which in turn make it viable for a Tinubu to access developmental funds from international institutions like the IMF etc (Before the IGR drives kicked off).

I would also point to national unity and security. Absent the leadership experience of an OBJ, although with reservations in select decisions, I strongly doubt any person would have achieved same,in this regard he did well and I will like to believe he meant well(personal opinion!).

Going to your statement regarding Obj being responsible for a set of legislators(upper and lower), as a matter of fact they are representatives of their constituents, albeit in Nigeria at the moment they represent governors interests and maybe king makers(SAD). What this simply means is, managing a more diverse set of interests from a wide array of geographies. I doubt Tinubu's leadership skills can pull that off, even as we speak, otherwise the much anticipated merger might not have been necessary.

About state projects vs national projects, please ask yourself, how easy is it to pass a national budget compared to a state budget? these answers might explain the expedient nature of state projects in Nigeria.

The footprint laid by Tinubu is what Fashola(Governor extraordinaire) is implementing to our amazement and joy. they share a common goal with a common "heritage". An Obj had a choice to leave for an IBB to recalibrate or a yaradua to follow through.

So please my brother, If you live in Nigeria's gated community, you would know better that its a bigger task to lead a landlords association than a compound.

Holding forth with my views, OBJ Anyday!!!

justmythought: Dont be myopic my friend. Where Lagos has one set of legislative, judiciary and executive arms of government -- Nigeria has thirty six with all sorts of interests along state, regional, national and international lines.

debosky: In that case you're not really trying to have a discussion are you? Or how exactly do you expect 'Nigerian Factor' to be proved/disproved here?

[size=14pt]Tackling ocean surge at Kuramo Beach[/size]

September 16, 2012 by IKENNA ONYEMA

The Nigerian coastline borders 853km of the Atlantic Ocean and is interrupted by a series of estuarine entries to the sea. The Lagos landmass is significantly covered by a meandering network of large expanse of wetlands, adjoining creeks and lagoons.

The Kuramo lagoon is one of the 10 lagoons in Lagos. The formation of these lagoons over geological time is evidently the result of movement of sand along the West African coast in a west-east direction by long shore current/drift and sediment movement.

The dominant current (Guinea current) operating in the Lagos coastline area runs from the west to the east and hits the shoreline at approximately 43?. This is what created the lagoons in geological past and anywhere else in West Africa where the coast aligns likewise.

The Lagos harbour, which is part of the Lagos lagoon, is the only opening for nine of the coastal or marginal lagoons to the sea. There is no natural rocky shore in Nigeria; however, at the mouth of the Lagos harbour, there exists a rocky outcrop (stone moles) in the form of harbour breakwaters. These moles were chiefly constructed (i.e. the east, west and training moles) between 1901 and 1930 to protect the Lagos harbour from siltation (natural sediment flow), hence allowing the easy passage of ocean-going vessels to berth in the Lagos harbour, ports, wharfs and other terminals inland.

These constructions were more of an economic consideration than an ecological one.

In addition and more recently is the commencement of the construction of the Eko Atlantic City project. This is a large construction work in a systemic and natural current regulating coastline. There is also the case of “renovation” of the stone moles at the harbour entrance to make them more “effective.”

The issue, over the years, has been the large-scale habitat modification resulting from the construction of the moles, which has obstructed the natural sediment regime and flow. Large-scale dredging and sand mining in the Lagos harbour/Bar Beach area has also gone on for years. There is also the case of negative modifying effect of shipwrecks over the years.

All these have affected the dynamics of coastline areas, leading to loss of lives, coastal land mass, infrastructure, etc.

Currently, we are in the “rough sea season,” especially in the Gulf of Guinea. Again, tropical regions worldwide are presently experiencing heavy sea storms, hurricanes, forest fires, etc. Hurricanes have ravaged the gulf of the U.S., North Korea and other parts of the world since August; and they may continue till September ending.

Sediment budget in the Lagos harbour, Bar Beach and, especially, the Kuramo Beach areas (since it is located downstream) have been increasingly compromised over the years. Furthermore, the effect of global warming, leading to climate change and rise in sea levels worldwide has also exacerbated the reach of the high energy waves.

If these aforementioned realities coincide with a high tide situation, a beach overflow should be expected. This was what caused the recent Kuramo Beach ocean surge. Indeed, studies in the last three years have shown regular beach overflows in the Apese area into the Onijedi lagoon just 1.5km away from Kuramo Beach. That is another clear and present danger.

It is evident the overflow at Kuramo is a result of the downstream effect of large-scale modification and obstruction of natural sediment flow, which has resulted in sediment deficit and changes in the local current climate in the area. Coupled with sea level rise due to global warming and high tide sea level in the Lagos harbour, Kuramo and Bar Beach areas, it is important to note that the hard engineering coastal management structure protecting the Bar Beach stops at the beginning of Kuramo Beach stretch. Hence, the area was also exposed.

The signs of the recent overflow were already with us from many years back. Unfortunately, they are still going to be with us until the right things are done. The way forward, therefore, is to do an all-inclusive hard and soft engineering coastal management system that could mitigate the effects of pounding wave energy on our shore without transferring the sea dynamics energy further downstream (east).

Also, we need to implement the mitigation plans of Environmental Impact Assessment for these projects to the letter. We must enlighten the shoreline masses and develop an environmentally friendly coastal culture. Similar feats have been achieved in Dubai and elsewhere without devastating environmental consequences. And the time to act is now.

At present, Kuramo lagoon is one of the only two closed lagoons we have in Lagos, and their ecological, economic and tourism potential cannot be overemphasised. Kuramo lagoon is also suffering from heavy and continuous organic pollution. There is the need to realistically and ecologically protect our coastline in Lagos, particularly areas where human activities have caused large-scale deleterious effects.

Le Ostrich: The wetlands were not being developed then but I know that as early as 81 or 82 sand dunes were already being heaped along the wetlands.

As I said shoreline erosions are a very complicated phenomena and the Lekki sand filling may not be the only cause but I bet it is one of the most paramount.

Le Ostrich: Can it be compared to that of the bar beach shoreline?

Le Ostrich: The Lekki wet lands are what environmentalist refer to as Barrier reefs. They are composed mainly of shifting shoals and sands and act as a buffer between the ocean and Lagoon.

During ocean surges they absorb most of the energy from the swells and protect the fresh water Lagoon and adjacent land mass from flooding. They also help prevent the Lagoon from draining totally into the Ocean.

By sand filling and developing the Lekki wet lands the ocean swells were forced to flow parallel along the coastline and also concentrated the sea surge by the bar beach and thus the eroding shoreline.

Ask yourself why is it that only the Bar Beach is affected. There isn't any shoreline erosion in Alpha and Ajar shorelines.

Le Ostrich: Don't mind the f00ls.

The Bar Beach erosion was caused by sand filling the adjourning Lekki wet lands and marshes now the rogues are filling the ocean and hoping for another money miss road to come and invest in this hair- brain enterprise

In 1971, Chagoury founded the Chagoury Group, an industrial conglomerate with interests in construction, real estate and property development, flour mills, water bottling and purification, glass manufacturing, insurance, hotels, furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, IT, catering and international financing.[2]

Founded in the late 1970s by Gilbert and Ronald Chagoury, C & C Construction was the forerunner of both Hitech and ITB, which now form the Construction Division of the Chagoury group of Companies

[size=14pt]US Apologizes to Billionaire On Terror No-fly List[/size]

By JOHN SOLOMON and BRIAN ROSS (@brianross) CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY AND ABC NEWS

May 21, 2010, 11:18 PM

The United States has issued a written apology to a jet-setting billionaire businessman with close ties to former President Bill Clinton whose name was added to the no-fly list in the wake of the attempted Christmas day bombing of an American passenger plane.

Gilbert Chagoury, 64, a Nigerian citizen of Lebanese descent, was pulled off a private jet Jan. 15 at Teterboro airport in New Jersey and detained for more than four hours after federal agents discovered his name was on the then-recently updated no-fly list.

The private jet crew of two and four other passengers were detained for four-and-a-half hours while agents questioned Chagoury. He and the others were ultimately allowed to continue their trip to Paris.

"I think a huge mistake is an understatement," Chagoury said in a phone interview with ABCNews.com and the Center for Public Integrity.

"I cannot accept being labeled a terrorist when I am known all over the world as a person who loves peace. It really hurt," he said.

It took Chagoury, a well-known philanthropist and an ambassador to the United Nations educational office, more than four months and thousands of dollars in legal fees to get the U.S. government to offer an apology and to give him a waiver to fly freely across U.S. airspace.

"Let us apologize for any inconvenience or unpleasantness you have experienced," wrote Jim Kennedy of the Department of Homeland Security's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program in an April letter obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.

READ THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S APOLOGY HERE

"Please understand that in order to detect those international travelers involved in illicit activities, we must, at times, unfortunately inconvenience law-abiding travelers," the DHS official wrote to Chagoury in April.

The formal waiver allowing him, his family and private jet pilots to travel again to the U.S. was finally granted last week.

There was, however, no explanation of why Chagoury's name had ended up on the no-fly list in the first place.

"I don't know why me. I look at myself as a friend of America, I've always loved your country," said Chagoury.

Chagoury said he had regularly traveled to the United States without incident until this January.

Given the timing, it appears Chagoury was ensnared by changes in the criteria for the antiterrorism list after the failed bombing attempt.

The accused bomber grew up in Chagoury's homeland of Nigeria, and Chagoury said he was acquainted with the suspect's father, a Nigerian banker.

"He has always been a great banker and a very nice gentleman," said Chagoury of Abdulmutallab's father, who had gone to the U.S. Embassy to sound an alarm about his son's possible recruitment as a terrorist.

"Practically everybody knows everybody in the business community in Nigeria," Chagoury added.

Chagoury said the U.S. agents asked him, "Which bank do you bank with in Nigeria?"

He told them that his corporation did business with at least six or seven different banks in Nigeria, he said.

"I still believe it was personal and until I find out the answer I will really not be happy," Chagoury said, with anger in his voice.

To make matters worse for Chagoury, the incident received widespread international attention after it was first reported by ABC News, which cited official documents.

"Everyone understands that after the December attempt, the government re-examined a lot of travelers. Ambassador Chagoury has no problem with the government taking a second look at him, and he's pleased that he's been cleared to fly to the United States," said Chagoury's spokesman, Mark Corallo. "What he doesn't understand is the decision by someone in the government to disclose his name to the media and to unfairly suggest that he was a potential threat."

Chagoury said the episode was particularly painful because over the years he has provided significant assistance to the U.S. State Department in diplomatic and overseas matters, especially related to Nigeria.

"I did a lot of that at the American embassy in Nigeria. Always they used to come to me with one problem or another," he said.

Chagoury's case also raises a tantalizing question. If it was difficult for a politically-connected billionaire to restore his privileges to fly into the United States, what about ordinary people entangled in the enhanced screening for the no-fly list?

Ben Wizner, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said his group is working with seven Americans caught in the same no-fly list crackdown as Chagoury. Four are trapped outside the United States and unable to get home.

"If you don't have a private plane or a yacht, it's hard to know what these people are supposed to do," Wizner said. "Some have tried to get in the back door flying to Mexico and Canada and even that hasn't worked."

CHAGOURY AND POPE BENEDICT XVI

[size=14pt]No-Fly Terror List Includes Big Financial Backer of Clinton[/size]

By RICHARD ESPOSITO, RHONDA SCHWARTZ and BRIAN ROSS (@brianross)

Feb 17, 2010, 9:54 PM

A Nigerian businessman who has been a significant financial supporter for former President Bill Clinton was stopped from boarding a private jet last month in New Jersey after law enforcement authorities discovered he had been put on the U.S. government's recently expanded terrorist no-fly list, according to a report of the incident provided to ABCNews.com.

The businessman, Gilbert Chagoury, 64, was prevented from boarding the jet at Teterboro airport in New Jersey on Jan. 15, according to the report. Law enforcement authorities reported they ultimately obtained a "waiver" from Washington to permit Chagoury to fly out of the country to France.

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the no-fly list is designed to "keep known terrorists off planes." The TSA website says it works with intelligence and law enforcement partners to compile the list and has a "dedicated staff to review and scrub the existing No-Fly list and ensure all nominees meet the standing criteria."

Chagoury with Bill Clinton at a 2005 Banquet

The TSA declined to comment on why or when Chagoury had been placed on the terror no-fly list or who provided the waiver to allow him to board his flight. and referred ABC News to the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) for comment.

A spokesperson for the FBI's TSC also declined to comment about Chagoury, saying the TSC never comments on individual names on the no-fly list.

The spokesperson did say the list is "fluid" and individuals may be moved up or downgraded at any time based on the current threat environment, but "an individual's social status, financial means, and political affiliations are not considered" in an individual being moved up or down the list.

Chagoury's son, Gilbert Jr., confirmed that his father had been stopped by the FBI at Teterboro. He said he would ask his father to call ABC News for further comment but the senior Chagoury has yet to respond.

A Clinton spokesman, Matt McKenna, said the former President's office was unaware of the incident until contacted by ABCNews.com. "We had no role whatsoever" in helping Chagoury get the waiver, said McKenna. "Nor would we ever," he added.

Chagoury is a controversial figure in Africa and Europe but it is the first time there has been any suggestion of alleged ties to terrorism.

Described as a billionaire, Chagoury runs an industrial conglomerate in Nigeria, the Chagoury Group, and had ties to a former corrupt president there.

In 2009 Chagoury pledged $1 billion via the Chagoury Group as part of his commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, according to the Global Initiative website. Chagoury also recently donated more than $1 million to the Clinton Foundation, according to a list of donors made public by the foundation in December. Members of Chagoury's family were contributors to the 2008 Presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton.

Chagoury Donated to 1996 Clinton Campaign According to the Wall Street Journal, Chagoury's ties to the former president date to 1996 when he donated money "to support then-President Clinton's 1996 re-election effort, and later helped the former president land a lucrative speaking fee."

The money for Clinton's re-election helped to fund a get-out-the-vote effort, which legally can accept contributions from a non-US resident.

Law enforcement authorities say Chagoury was a "positive match" to the Gilbert Chagoury on the terrorism no fly list, based on his date of birth. He was traveling on a British passport which does not require a US visa to enter the country.

According to the law enforcement report, Chagoury also is named on a second watch list called, TIDE, the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, maintained by the National Counterterrorism Center.

According to the Center website, the TIDE list is the US government's "central repository on international terrorist identities." Federal agencies nominate individuals for the TIDE list based on possible connections to terrorist organizations or terrorist financing, according to the website.

The report on the incident said a private jet owned by Chagoury was at Teterboro for repairs and he was attempting to leave on a second jet, a Dassault Falcon 900EX.

Chagoury, five passengers and two crew members were all detained by TSA officers who called in agents from the FBI and Customs and Border Patrol.

Chagoury with Bill Clinton at a 2005 Banquet

After being questioned for several hours by the FBI, the crew and passengers were released without incident, according to the report. By the time Chagoury's "waiver" to fly was processed, authorities said, the repairs had been finished on his jet and he departed for Paris on that aircraft.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Chagoury, of Lebanese descent, has also been a financial supporter of Christian politicians and religious leaders in Lebanon.

The paper also cited reports that Chagoury had been the subject of "government investigations into suspected bribery by Western companies that do business in Nigeria."

specialguest: Thank you naptu2, Your knowledge of the project is amazing.

chucky234: Land reclamation for how years ba,guy just your rotten mouth before I send you better e-slap.

specialguest: For the sake of those of us who have no idea what this eko atlantic thing is all about can someone be kind enough to explain please?