₦airaland Forum

Accra very beautiful place.

@Jarus. Thank You very Much, If you Have More please Always Post It.

To totally improve the availability and reliability of electric power in Nigeria, World Bank has earmarked N63.438 billion.

The Bank's Senior Energy Specialist, Prasada Tallapragada disclosed this yesterday at a Consultative Forum on Nigeria Electricity and Gas Improvement Project held at Landmark Hotel, Port Harcourt.

The energy specialist who described the power sector in the country as very challenging and complex said World Bank has mapped out dimensional strategies such as ensuring appropriate legal and regulatory framework, supporting gas supply contracts through Partial Risk Guarantees (PRG) and complementary investments in transmission and distribution systems as a way of providing lasting solutions

He emphasized that the power project would unlock the economy of the country, solve employment problems, make gas available and improve the quality of life of the people.

His words: " The project would result into five distinct economic benefits - incremental, reliable and improve quality of gas supply; reduction of power losses from generation; distribution and electrical grid; improve power quality and reliability; and improve financial health of PHCN".

He regretted: "Today, Nigeria is in the position to produce 4,500mwts of power whereas it was able to produce only 2,500mwts. The reason is that gas is not available, if gas is made available, power supply in Nigeria can always be doubled; this means that the issue of gas availability is very important and has to be tackled on a priority position".

Tallapragada hinted that World Bank would support the Federal Government policy towards ensuring that oil companies, which produce gas send the gas into the domestic market.

To that end, he informed that World Bank would provide the securitization for the contractual framework.

The Energy specialist also hinted that the power project would not only sustain reliable gas supply for all the existing plants in the country, but would also cover new plants is yet to come.

He, however, solicited maximum co-operation from the various stakeholders in the country and urged the government to desist from politicizing the sector, which according to him was responsible for the various challenges faced in the sector.

The Country Director of Centre for Development Support Initiative, (CEDSI), Mrs. Mina Ogbanga described the power project as timely.

She lamented that the epileptic power supply in the country has caused huge damage in virtually all the sectors in the country.

She said her organization would do its best to ensure that the power project information gets to the stakeholders and the people in the Niger Delta region.

By ADEMOLA BABALOLA, CHARLES ABAH and JIDE BABALOLA
Published: Sunday, 19 Apr 2009

President Umaru Musa Yar‘Adua‘s insistence on fiscal federalism and alleged contract inflation may have spelt the doom for Nigeria‘s $8.5billion (N1.2trillion) rail modernisation project agreement with the Chinese, investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH have revealed.
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Making a goldmine out of rail system

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo‘s administration in 2006 signed the contract agreement with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to construct double railway tracks for the country as part of the desire to revive the country‘s dead rail transportation system, but there were fears on Friday that the project was sinking as no identifiable progress has been recorded in spite of initial $250million already committed by the government.

The Obasanjo‘s contract deal was the second high profile rail development agreement signed between the Federal Government and the same Chinese firm.

The late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, signed a similar $500 million contract in 1996.

But officials of the Ministry of Transportation told one of our correspondents in Abuja on Friday that the Obasanjo administration had projected that the $8.5billion project would be financed with proceeds from excess crude oil, but that Yar‘Adua‘s insistence on sharing the fund among the federating states had made this impossible.

According to sources, President Yar‘Adua was said to have decided to tread cautiously on implementing the project because of alleged complaints that the total cost of the contract was inflated.

”Mr. President insists on fiscal federalism, and because the previous administration projected that the contract would be financed with proceeds from the Excess Crude Income Account, the decision to give states their constitutional share of the fund had serious implications for the railway modernisation project”, Mr Biodun Oladunjoye, Transport Minister‘s spokesman told SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja on Friday.

A senior official of the ministry who asked for anonymity confided in our correspondent that speculations that the project cost was inflated had also made the project suffer lack of interest from the government.

”Had it been that all these unnecessary speculations did not come up, what we should be doing now is to lay the tracks. We, Nigerians are killing the project with speculations; some people talk about bloated costs by making judgments as if we are doing a single track system instead of the double that we are going to construct. They just unreasonably say that the project is loaded and the speculations almost destroyed the project,” the angry official said.

Though officials of the ministry assured that the project was still on course, our correspondents gathered that the $250million initial payment made by the Obasanjo‘s administration may have been lost because no concrete steps, beyond designing work by the CCECC, were taken to consolidate the agreement since its signing in 2006.

The CCECC, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered, has completed all the preliminary work, including the aerial surveys, and designs, said to cost more than eight per cent of the total contract sum, as well as the geo-technical arrangements for bridges and the alignment work.

Meanwhile, stakeholders have called for the stripping of the Federal Government of her monopoly in the rail sector as well as overhauling of the transportation system.

Dr Kayode Bawa-Allah, acting dean of the School of Transport at the Lagos State University, in an interview with one of our correspondents called for the amendment of the Nigeria Railway Act of 1955 which vested power to run rail transportation on the Federal Government.

”Why will only the Federal Government be responsible for the nation‘s rail system? We need to actively involve the private sector, hence the call for the concession of the railway. You can see that the same magic wand is happening in the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited”, Bawa-Allah noted.

Secretary-General of the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers, Mr Martin Adeyanju, lamented that past governments in the country were only interested in redrawing the paper works.

Adeyanju specifically blamed the Sani Abacha‘s regime for bringing the Chinese who, he alleged, damaged the country‘s rail tracks.

He added that nothing concrete was also achieved in the first six years of Obasanjo‘s administration.

At the height of its glory, the NRC which operates a network of 3,505 kilometers (2,178 mi) of single track lines across the country, had over 45,000 workers in its employ, but its fortunes started nose-diving in the late 1970s.

The NRC today has fewer than 6,000 employees.

Information on the NRC site on Saturday indicated that the corporation in the last 20 years had gone into bankruptcy more than once.

In one fell swoop in 2005, the NRC sacked almost half of its 12,000 workforce.

The comatose state of the rail system in the country, many have argued, forms a major factor for the deplorable state of inter-state roads as bulk goods which ordinarily should be transported through the rail are being taken through the roads.

The CCECC was established in 1979 with approval by the state council of China.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners last week in Lagos asked the Federal Government to order full scale inquiry into the Nigerian-Chinese rail contracts in the country, which it said had not made meaningful impact on the lives of the cititzenry.

National Operations Coordinator, NARTO, Alhaji Lawal Isa, at a media briefing, also called on the President of Senate, Senator David Mark, to initiate measures to compel the Senate Committee on Transportation to unravel those allegedly sabotaging government‘s efforts at resuscitating the ailing rail system.

Similarly, the Publish-What-You-Pay, a coalition of pro-transparency civil society groups in Abuja on Friday called on the National Assembly, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Nigeria Bar Association and other stakeholders to urgently probe the billion dollars rail contracts with a view to unravelling alleged corruption in the deal.

”The $8.3 billion railway modernisation project has stagnated; $250 million of tax-payers‘ money may have gone down the drain while hope of mass transit by rail remains a mere dream. Since the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio, had been quoted as saying that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo signed a Memorandum of Understanding that makes it very difficult to abandon the contractual agreement without serious legal implications, the Yar‘Adua administration may likely know more than what is being said”, the groups Communication Officer, Mr Adedeji Moses, told SUNDAY PUNCH.

PRESIDENT Umaru Musa Yar'Adua will not shield any Nigerian involved in the Halliburton bribery scandal, the presidency has pledged yesterday. Indeed, the seat of power said that anyone involved, no matter how highly placed, would face the law.

But it pleaded for patience from Nigerians, saying it was waiting for the "authentic" facts, as currently sealed by the US Court.

It said this was to forestall politicians involved in the scandal accusing the government of political persecution when it starts the prosecution all the suspects.

The presidency emphasized that the truth about the Halliburton bribery scandal, "which has tarnished the image of the country, is the one contained in the Court paper that has been sealed at the instance of the U.S government."

It admonished that the names being peddled in the media should not be relied upon.

Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, told journalists in Abuja that "all channels are being explored to get that list, to ensure that people who short-changed our country in the conduct of their official duties or in private capacity as lawyers do not escape justice."

"You have the word of President Yar'Adua that all the people culpable in the Halliburton scandal, no matter how highly placed, will not go unpunished."

Adeniyi disclosed that government was in possession of "some interesting documents" on the Halliburton scandal, which, he said "exposes the level of perfidy in our system, which President Yar'Adua is trying to clean up."

And to show the seriousness of the government over the issue, he read out from the classified material, stressing, "this shows that this is a matter that is being handled with all sense of responsibility by this government."

According to him: "On August 29, 2008, for instance, the United States Government filed a 'Motion To Seal' all documents pertaining to the case at the District Court Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

"Filed by Mr. Steven Tyrrell, Chief Fraud Section, Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice, the motion states in part: 'The United States, through its undersigned attorney, respectfully requests the Court to enter an order directing the Clerk of the Court to seal the criminal information, summons, this motion to seal, and the accompanying Order, Premature disclosure of these records may affect ongoing investigations and negotiations with other potential defendants, '

"You can see that even the mere motion to seal was in itself ordered to be sealed by the US government, to show you how serious the matter is, especially when it is clearly stated that investigations and negotiations on the matter are still on. The order was granted by the presiding Magistrate the next day, August 29, 2008."

Adeniyi noted that "many people are grandstanding over these issues. And many of those grandstanding may in the end find their names in the authentic list still sealed by the US Court. But there won't be any cover up."

"The President will not shield anyone involved in the scandal. But the rule of law will prevail. We are waiting for the facts because if we don't get the authentic facts and we move on with the case, people will turn round and accuse the government of political persecution," he said.

The presidential spokesperson stated that rather than criticise it, the Yar'Adua administration should be commended for "following up on the case for which many politicians and lawyers are clearly afraid that their past might have caught up with them."

Adeniyi took up the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu on his allegation that President Yar'Adua was witch-hunting his political opponents, citing the withdrawal of some policemen from former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to justify his allegation.

He said it was "unfortunate" that Akeredolu was dabbling in comments about the Halliburton scandal and the issue of withdrawal of Police security without cross-checking the facts on the issues at stake.

He noted that while it was evident that he (Akeredolu) spoke for his clients, including former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, which the presidency had no reason to quarrel with, it was, however, sad that "he is dragging the name of the NBA into peddling deliberate falsehood in his comments."

He expressed the hope that Akeredolu spoke for himself and not the NBA. "If he is speaking for the NBA, he should always crosscheck the facts before rushing to the media," he added.

Adeniyi called attention to the Police Reform Committee report that out of the total number of 371,800 personnel in the Nigeria Police, comprising of 21,905 senior officers and 349,895 junior officers, "over 100,000 (one hundred thousand) officers and men are engaged in personal guard and protective duties."

He queried: "How do you sustain such a system in which majority of active officers are used as domestic servants and expect adequate security of life and property for the people?

"If some people decided to politicise the implementation of that directive by the police authority - and this was done across the board - should respectable organisations like NBA not cross-check facts before rushing to the media?

"I think people should be able to separate their private interests from that of the general public. The kind of pettiness being ascribed to President Yar'Adua is beneath him."

He noted that the President did not believe in the deceit of fighting corruption on the pages of newspapers, but remained focussed in pursing the matter and would not be stampeded into doing what was unlawful.

Said he: "This is a bribery case that spanned about eleven years, from 1994 to 2005, when a slush fund was managed by Halliburton agent, Mr. Albert Jackson Stanley, to bribe many Nigerian public officials and some private individuals involved directly or indirectly in the LNG project.

"The money was structured into various Swiss accounts, the owners of which the United States Government has made practically impossible to access, at least for now.

"The Federal Government has been able to establish that 150 million Dollars of the loot is still intact. And fortunately, the Swiss government has confirmed that. Now the preoccupation of President Yar'Adua is to retrieve that money back to Nigeria, which is what the panel is meant to ensure."

Adeniyi explained the rationale over the setting up of the Joint Committee of the nation's top security agencies - Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), State Security Services (SSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Office of the Inspector General of Police, under the chairmanship of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice - to have a coordinated investigation into the Halliburton scandal.

Emphasising that it was not a probe panel, he noted that the committee was constituted based on the recognition that there were several legal and security issues involved in the matter that needed the coordination of efforts by all the agencies working together under the auspices of the Attorney General of the Federation.

And to secure the authentic list of the dramatis personae, Adeniyi said the Federal Government was exploring all diplomatic channels, not only in United States, but also in France, from where the first alarm was raised on the matter.

THE United States government has overwhelming and preponderant evidence regarding the $180 million Halliburton bribe scandal that involved at least three former Nigerian top officials and many others of varying levels, U.S sources have hinted.

This is contrary to the argument from the Attorney General of he Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa on the potential lack of evidence to convict Nigerians in the scam that took place under three different administrations, from 1994 to 2004.

Aondoakaa had stated that bribes might have been given to some Nigerians but that if the said bribe money was not received, it did not make a crime. This has caused a flurry of buzz both in the U.S and Nigeria on the Federal Government's true intentions on the Halliburton matter.

Although the U.S is said to be only legally concerned about the role of its own citizens, inside sources said that the American investigators had sufficient information that would show that the Nigerian collaborators actively participated in the conspiracy that facilitated the bribe scheme.

U.S Justice Department and legal sources hinted during the week that not only was the evidence against all the Nigerian and foreign collaborators in the over one-decade-old bribery scheme compelling, but also the identified ringleader, U.S citizen Albert Jack Stanley, was so overwhelmed at the depth of the investigation and the evidence unearthed that he did not even wait to be indicted before he started cooperating with the US Justice Department when confronted.

Normally, the indicting authority in the U.S would issue a criminal indictment against an accused/defendant and then proceed to trial on the basis of the indictment.

The indictment is government's charge-sheet detailing the offences committed and violations floated by the accused/defendant.

Convinced of the weight of the evidence against him by the U.S Justice Department, Stanley, the CEO of the Halliburton subsidiary, quickly opted to plead guilty even before indictment and entered into a plea deal with the US Justice Department. He thus became what his lawyer, Larry Veselka, described during the week as a cooperating witness.

Ian McCaleb, a senior U.S Justice Department spokesperson, confirmed that "Mr. Stanley was not indicted." According to him, rather than be indicted, the U.S government "filed a criminal information against him in Houston in August of 2008; then Mr. Stanley opted to enter into a plea agreement."

Legal observers said that the process is indicative of Stanley's cooperation with the US government, preventing an indictment. Meaning that he did not even have to face a US Grand Jury, which normally confirms defendants/accused indicted.

This was why the US government filed criminal information instead of an outright indictment. Stanley, it is believed, saw no need to contest the evidence already gathered by the U.S government.

A US-based Nigerian lawyer, Shamsey Oloko, explained that it is often the case that when the U.S government decides to take a criminal matter to court, it is ready and prepared with evidence that will lead to a conviction.

Official U.S records indicate that the conviction rate of the Justice Department is well over 90 per cent. This explains why, according to U.S government officials, there is no keenness on the part of the Justice Department to cooperate with Nigeria over the Halliburton scandal, because the Nigerian government authorities are not known with similar painstaking determination that will lead to conviction in corruption cases.

As one U.S government official said on condition of anonymity, "the U.S government is not ready to be used as part of Nigeria's political football."

According to his lawyer, Veselka, Stanley, who is awaiting sentence later in August this year, is ready to testify and reveal information on Nigerians involved in the bribery and corruption scandal.

@davidif You are not Ashamed of showing of your Own Town peoples in your villages.I though you have some little sense because you have travel outside Nigeria, I never knew it is getting worse and worse by the day.One day they will deport you to Somalia that where you belong Big fool. Enemy of Progress.

Lagos

Iko

Real change will come

Inner Marina, Lagos.

Traffic

I have more now

Wow, Wow You guy really mean it so badly.I thought you are playing. If you guy can really help Nigeria Achieve this. I will be Really Happy Indeed & there will be a Hero Like Nelson Mandela. I am In. Please Guys Give Me Information to My







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Please Hacker Stay Away. Email. charmingsamson@yahoo.com
,

You are guys are just saying thrash. @ bigmodo shun ur eyes well if you are going. guys in there are very rugged o.

You are very stupid.since I know you in this place you always talk shit without even thinking.Those Guy are very Rugged.What your job in the place or Country you located. Criminal or 419. stupid Idiot. My state is peaceful.


Waffi 4life

@, Black those pictures you Attach there they are taken in OSU in Accra.Have you take pictures inside Accra Slum I am talking about the capital itself.Accra is a Slum. The Hole places have change now. Because there is no maintenance.The street light not working anymore.Accra is dump. some of your pictures is a Tourist Attractions in a local place in Accra not the main place. Lagos is even more far better than Accra. Wake up from your sleep. You are those Nigerians going Abroad to spoil the Image of Nigeria. When Most Nigerian who grow up in a Slum in Lagos they always say the hole Nigeria is like that and started talking trash to their Oyibos girlfriend. Fool Idiot. Russia in the World has the most largest Slum in the World.Most Nigerians Abroad I am truly disappointed in you guys.If you don't Love Nigeria then go and become a Citizen in Somalia I think they are giving a citizen to Foreigner.

@generalzango Your mother regret the day She gave birth to you because you are waste to the society.Keep on doing gate man at Babalawo shrine Idiot.Because you are so backwardness that you cant see anything in the civilse World.


I believe DAT only the Educated peoples can understand what I am trying to say. I am not a tribalism or hate the Northern. I am trying to make a point that they are very weak. They don't care about their condition like we Southern Nigeria do.trying to make Nigeria a better Country. take example the Militant what they are doing in Southern Nigeria If they start a Genocide i believe is your House they will first come @generalzango because You are those peoples who does not know left and right. and for your Information I am only being one Naija because I am not in Nigeria, stop wasting your time whereever you are. Big Goat for sell @generalzango

my friend brought a Ghanaian Girl home. I welcome her very well, I ask her what could she want us to offer her she told me nothing and mistakenly something just came out from her mouth. she said If she drink the water she might just turn into a goat. i just laugh and she started chilling with me. I don't know this girl is a racist. she Hate Nigerians so much. she started Insulting Nigeria. she fear Nigerians so much. even in front of me she started talking trash about Nigeria.She is just getting me so upset. Please should i drove her away from the house till my friend come because he went out or i should leave her.

What I am talking about If I must not write my statement very right. The Northern does not say any things about the solution in the country.They always support all the ideal from the leader.They have the power to solve the problem than we Southern and Eastern Nigerians. Have you heard or Hear any Northern talking about the problem in Nigeria. The Answer Is NO>>>>NO>>>>NO>>>NO so stop saying thrash and make Una go sit down for dirties. and stop saying I am proud of Nigeria when you cant solve the problem in Nigeria yet.

The Northern Nigerians Are they Peoples causing the current problems In Nigeria.They are not Civilized in any way. They seat on mat everyday to pray. They don't Intend to Buy Chair and Furniture to feel comfortable.They are not Civilized that Why they don't care about Nigerians. They can Dress in one Clothes Adagba, Native only. They Never think of Civilization in the World.They can sleep without no light and they will be Perfect. They can controls full cow without no problems Including Nigerians they will say Yes to anything they say. The Southern Nigerians and Eastern Nigerian they are all Civilize to the Western World How can we solve this Problem Because It is the Northern Problem that Why we are suffering. The Power come from the Northern Nigeria.

I am an angry man. Why should I be happy when a man like Mr. James Ibori who was struggling to make ends meet as a migrant in the UK suddenly become stupendously rich after spending eight years as a state governor and nobody is asking “how come”?.

Why should I be happy when I see petty pick-pockets and mobile phone snatchers being manacled and paraded by the police when Mr. Lucky Igbinedion is allowed the option of a plea bargain after being accused of practically raiding his state’s treasury?

Why should I have a stupid smile on my face when armed with the knowledge that Mr. “Andy” Uba whom Mr. Obasanjo promised the gift of governorship of my home state was charged with smuggling $177,000 into the US by that country’s authorities and was found guilty, yet the Nigerian government claimed that “no law was broken”?

Why won’t I be filled with rage when Mr. Tony Anenih who failed monumentally as Works Minister is now made the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority Board?

Why should I be happy when my fellow citizens in the Niger Delta are living an extremely miserable life in the midst of so much abundance while the politicians are allocating obscene allowances to themselves?

Why are these politicians so callous? Why should I be cheerful when state governors in my country are collecting huge sums as “security votes” while the lives of beautiful citizens are daily being felled by the fire-power of armed robbers?

@medube You are a fucking asshole for saying why cant Nigerian be like Ghana. Fool. You just travel to Ghana here. Backyard. You are saying they are nice and Honest person. come and stay or build your home here in Ghana and Witness everything. In Kumasi they ride Okada and mostly other region in Ghana slum everywhere and even 60% in Accra the capital. Wait can you use Abuja to compare Accra the capital of Ghana with crazy peoples living inside. Wide Animal. get some sense. You and your wife are stupid. We don't want you in Nigeria. go and be a citizen of Ghana Hater. because of you I join this forum. stupid. Next time don't waste peoples time reading rubbish.

Some of your guys Who write thrash does not know ABC. Nigerians Is the Happiest peoples on Planet earth because they deserve am. Nigeria Has the largest Population in Africa and Mostly the world.You hardly Hear a Nigerians Committing Suicide and Involving in a terrorist Attacks. Nigerians who is poor believe there is life for him tomorrow. Nigerian never gave up Hope. No White Black or some other African country can bear the Suffering. Nigerian believe in cash and fear death. Fela Say Nobody won die. I won buy car.I won build House.papa dey for house, I get one child, I nur won die. It does not matter because he suffer or living in a bad Environment. Nigerians Believe in Hope. check yourself for Example What make you left Nigerian, Why is Nigerian has the largest Immigrate in the world. Check am out you will know Nigerian deserve am. abeg make Una go sleep for dirties.

Why do Nigerians travels Abroad?

It is because they can find a better life there.
it is because of the Environment.
It is because they paid well more than Nigeria.
It is because they have good reputation more than Nigeria.
It is because they are more organize more than Nigeria.

Yes Apart from those things I have Mention do you find the Western and American any more Interesting more what I have mention? I like to know because maybe I will have to join you guy because i think I am enjoying those time in Nigeria before i was transfer to work in Ghana sea port. I need more convincing please and guys be serious,Have you gotten any serious jobs apart of work in a restaurants,house helper,cook,cleaner,bus driver,selling material. please i need to know guys. I am so crazy to know before I can fully travel because i don't want to do those things I mention. I want more profitable job. can somebody please help me.

The Government of Switzerland yesterday said it would be willing to release the $150 million Halliburton bribe money trapped in Swiss bank accounts if Nigeria formally requests for assistance.
Switzerland's Foreign Minister, Michele Telary-rey, who disclosed this in Abuja while meeting with Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, said her country regards Nigeria as an economically and politically strategic country in Africa and would do everything to ensure a good relationship.
She said Switzerland was committed to the release of the trapped funds to help in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
Nigeria's Ambassador to Switzerland, Dr. Martin Egomoivi, who was part of the delegation, also expressed optimism that the negotiation with the Swiss Government would reap positive result as the European country was committed to repatriating the funds.
The Nigerian envoy said Switzerland has 60 companies operating in Nigeria with about $200 million investment.
Responding, Maduekwe expressed the appreciation of the Nigerian government for the understanding in the Halliburton affair and asked for assistance and professional expertise in agriculture and gas flaring.
The Federal Government had two weeks ago disclosed that investigators had traced $150 million out of the $180 million Halliburton bribe money to Zurich, Switzerland – saying it was yet to ascertain the name of the account holder.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Mike Aondoakaa, who described the discovery as “shocking”, said the money had been trapped in Zurich because it had been difficult to establish the operator of the account but warned that no government official found culpable would be speared.
He however did not state categorically who found it difficult to ascertain the account’s owner – whether the Nigerian government or officials of the unnamed bank.
About $180 million was said to have been paid out to some Nigeria top government officials as bribe through a subsidiary of Halliburton, Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR), to facilitate the award of $6 billion LNG contracts.
“We have discovered that $150 million of the bribe money is in Zurich. That is the first shocking discovery. The entire money is $180 million. $150 million is already trapped in Zurich,” he said.

Bleep you all who don't like his country.You cant be like them. anyone who don't like Nigeria where he/she is originally from.He/she does not have home training and does not know where life start from.Why did White peoples plus all their Access and History and their Beautification in their country still say Nigeria is the Happiest peoples on Planet earth.There most be a season.I am not truly convince on that but why that statement we are the Happiest peoples on earth.Let me tell you all.I think God is in Nigeria so I am truly Proud.We have History.all old Generation of Nigeria has done their part.It your turn to do yours part so stop criticize Nigeria for being No power supply,No Education,No power. Mandela fight to save South Africa from shame and mess.Just one man can do it. The Name Nigeria is truly bless just that peoples of me and you are spoiling Nigeria.You who saying that Nigeria is Bad and You hate to being a Nigeria.Go and be a citizen in America or UK. even self Togo and Cotonou. I love my Country Naija and I am so proud to be Niaja for life. Bleep you asshole who don't love his country. We don't even Need you self because we have too much Population and we don't need somebody like you, asshole go abroad to kiss White ass Just because of Resident permit.Ass Hole any Hater.

Read this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nigerian_Americans

SIR: The outrageously epileptic power supply position that has bedraggled our social, domestic, industrial and agricultural lives right from pre-independence to post-independence smacks of the leadership's intravenous incapability for strategic repositioning and good initiative in the power sector after 48 years of independence. Nigerians have a hideous catalogue of woes to recount under the Electric Corporation of Nigeria (ECN), the National Electric Power Authority of Nigeria (NEPA) and now the Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria (PHCN).

In the light of the global economic meltdown, the time has come and it is now for various states in the Nigerian Federation to start to devise new ways of bringing succor to the domestic, financial and industrial lives of their people. There cannot be any meaningful development in any state, nation or country without efficient, adequate and regular supply of power. The Delta State Government is not resting on its oars as multi-dimensional strategies are being perfected with a view to alleviating the pangs of darkness cocooning Deltans.

The Delta State government has unfolded plans to build a 250-mega watts power plant in the state and talks are being held with the Italian electricity power giant, ENEL, on the project which will be executed through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement. This is a step in the right direction, as it will fill the shortfall in the current less than 100 MW being allocated to our state from the National Grid.

Delta State has abundant gas reserves which constitute 40 per cent of the National Gas Reserve and the state government is also strategising in this area towards increasing power supply to 150 mw and the Delta State government has paid for a turbine of 24mw and more turbines are being sourced. These are great initiatives which must be applauded.

But we call on the Delta State government to also look into one of the cheapest, environmentally friendly and neatest means of power supply - "The Solar Energy". Its sunshine potentials are renewable and long-lasting. Instead of powering street lights with generators that cost the state government millions of Naira everyday, it is cheap, neater and better to run them with solar energy. Our village boreholes, town halls and cottage industries will benefit greatly from solar energy. It will assuage noises, pollution and poverty which are Millennium Development Goals (MPG) objectives.

Finally, in fighting this hydra-headed problem of epileptic power supply, government must go at it with every weapon at its disposal to avoid waste and prodigal intemperance. We call on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to rise to the occasion because it will help spread out light to all nooks and crannies of Delta State and save cost in Asaba and Warri fuel-operated street lights. It is one of the greatest catalysts to all-embracing development.

Bobson Gbinije,
Warri, Delta State.

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