₦airaland Forum

Any state in the East not represented by a governor above is batting below expectation.

The new kid on the block.

.

Contd. Chime

The architects contd.

A normal road in Akwa Ibom.

The architects.

The economy is moving East because that is the natural course of things. It is going where the money comes from in the first place. It is also going to the areas with higher education and work ethic (no pun intended please).

Here are the architects of that move.

Considering what is going on in Enugu, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Rivers, Cross river and even Ebonyi, there is no doubt that Eastern Nigeria, when compared with other 60s regions is solidly ahead in all development indices: infrastructure, education, economic empowerment, good leadership, and lower poverty statistics, there is no doubt that Eastern Nigeria will set the pace for others to follow in the next few years.
With the new deep sea port at Ibaka (Akwa Ibom) and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (the most searched for airport in Google  ), and of course the Onitsha river port, the economy of Nigeria will certainly move East. 


I will post pictures later to support my hypothesis.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. Obinna Duruji, who made government’s stand known in a telephone chat, also described the new policy of Governor Theodore Orji as anachronistic and obsolete.

He said: “Abia State Government’s policy of sacking non-indigenes on its payroll is anachronistic and patently obsolete in Nigeria’s present day realities. Honestly, the policy is completely reprehensible.”

He reasoned that it was not late for Abia government to have a rethink, adding that the policy would certainly iginite a far-reaching chain reaction within the geo-political zone.

I sounded the same alarm when Abia state announced this policy.
Well, we shall see where this ends.
Igbo unity is my only concern.
It is well.

Posted by: ndu_chucks

hehehehe. Gullible Nigerians.

The truth is that no matter how well intentioned this policy is, hardened thieves, criminals and worms of the Nigerian system such as your brothers would always find a way to subvert it.
That is why it is pertinent to have a SNC where we can decide how to restructure or disintegrate Nigeria.
Let's face it, this can't work under the current system.
Optimism never killed anyone though.
Great job GEJ.
And you will get that second term in 2015, after which you pass it to us in SE. 

@mbatuku1

Thank you so much!

Okay Enugu it is.
What really threw me off was the first picture which looked like the dense parts of Onitsha.

Is it Asaba?

Let me say at this stage that there is NO SW city like this.  

Posted by: PROUD-IGBO

Who knows what city and its outskirts are shown in these pics?

Nna it looks like Onitsha: Omagba, Nkpor or Awada area; not sure.
I won't be shocked if it is still Ala Owerre.

Posted by: FACE

@ Onlytruth from 2.5 Milla.

Great. Thanks!  

@FACE,

I posed a question to Abagworo and it remains unanswered. I don't know whether he ignored it or that he doesn't have an answer.
Please would you know the average price of a single plot in areas within 10- 15 drive of Owerri?
I make it a duty to own lands in key SE cities.
Thanks in advance.

Posted by: ekt_bear

GEJ is a m0ron. [/b]Seriously.

[b]Fix the healthcare system first, THEN mandate that public officials should use it.

Cart before the horse, @ssbackwards policy.

With that said, for any treatments which Nigerian hospitals can already handle well, by all means require it to be done locally.

If a dude has a cold, high blood pressure, or needs an eye exam, presumably that can be handled within the country.

Let me start by saying that it is quite rude and immature to call your president a mor0n simply because you don't agree with his policies. I may excuse thugs and semi-literate never do wells like Eko-Ile to use those words; not you.
Quit trying to belong to a lynch mob that makes no damn sense.

BTW who told you that there are NO hospitals in Nigeria that can treat the type of illnesses that the minister want to ban for oversea treatment? You need to know Nigeria well my friend. Folks will hop on a flight just because the government will pick up the tab. Only those feeding fat on the system would be worried about this policy.

^^

I agree with you Beaf.
Call me a "realist economist", I believe that one of the biggest threats to modern capitalism is the over mechanization of the economy leading to weakness in the overall economy. If folks aren't employed, who would build houses or pay hospital bills?

Frankly, this is one of those thing GEJ must complete before he leaves office, and that is to relocate ALL oil and gas related industry headquarters and key institutions back to nearer the oil producing areas.
Shikena.

BTW I don't expect permanent anti-GEJ parties to agree. It seems some Nigerians don't want change under a GEJ presidency. Same folks are celebrating pittance policies in Lagos. I'm laughing.
Quite sad indeed.

Besides, “your doctor, midwife or other healthcare practitioner could be based abroad and government will not stop you from going to consult him there,” he said. However, he stressed that “government is thinking of a situation in, which the health ministry or minister will be the one to approve any request for medical treatment of government officials using government funds.” “That means the minister can refuse the official from using public funds to treat a medical condition abroad when such could be handled here in the country.

This is the "how" of the program beginnings. They are not empty words because rarely do government officials tell us the "how".  Until we stop government officials going overseas for medical treatments for illnesses that Nigerian hospitals can take care of, our health sector can never witness a renaissance.

If you don't believe in the transformation agenda of GEJ, then, you must be a biased party.
This policy will have multiplier effect on the Nigerian health sector.

FG moves to ban overseas treatment for government officials

From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja
Monday, October 03, 2011

The Federal Government has said it has begun the process of laying out a plan to restrict government officials from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, told newsmen that a policy is in the offing to compel every public official to get medical attention here in Nigeria if government was going to foot such bills. He, however, said only conditions that had been proven treatment could not be taken care of in Nigeria would such officials be allowed to travel abroad.

The issue of government officials seeking medical attention abroad has been a contentious one for a long time as Nigerians blame the incessant resort to overseas countries for medicare by government officials for government’s neglect of the nation’s health facilities.

To ensure the appropriateness of such policy, Chukwu disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan has emphasised to him the need to upgrade Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions to world class standards.
Chukwu pointed out that respect for human rights would not let government ban anyone outright from seeking medical treatment abroad, especially when it was obvious that not all medical cases could be handled here in the country.

Besides, “your doctor, midwife or other healthcare practitioner could be based abroad and government will not stop you from going to consult him there,” he said. However, he stressed that “government is thinking of a situation in, which the health ministry or minister will be the one to approve any request for medical treatment of government officials using government funds.” “That means the minister can refuse the official from using public funds to treat a medical condition abroad when such could be handled here in the country.

“If the official insists on treating himself abroad, he could then use his personal funds.” Chukwu also disclosed that President Jonathan has directed him to adopt a reward system that would encourage hardworking health practitioners who are doing well here in Nigeria and then sanction those who are found wanting. This policy is yielding results as the minister announced that brain drain in the health sector is being reversed to brain gain.
Many Nigerians in the Diaspora who have even received better training are coming home to hold talks with the ministry on how they could partner towards setting up specialist health institutions and to provide much needed services.

Against this background, Chukwu assured that by the first quarter of next year, at least one Public-Private-Partnership agreement will be signed for setting up a tertiary health institution in the country.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/oct/03/national-03-10-2011-003.html

Posted by: jason123

That's the spirit!!! Some people NEVER want to see a united South with the NC!!! You guys need to start understanding what is going on in Nigeria. [b]The SS and SE alone did not give GEJ victory. [/b]It was a a combined effort! The moment the South allows pettiness to trickle in, that will be the beginning of OUR problems and the end result will be worse than what we have now. That is OUR chance! Let's not allow OUR suspicion for each other to tear the South apart!
God bless!

That is only HALF of the truth. The full truth is that SE, SS and NC actually gave Jonathan victory.
SW sat at home. Let history not be muddled. The few votes GEJ got in the SW came from Easterners and NC people living there.
The venom with which SW opinion here fought GEj and are still fighting him, speaks volumes.  

^^

Fashola can't do much. These are hardened thieves and criminals.
Remember Funsho Williams?

Posted by: RoadStar

I trust Igbos to defend their own even when they are mediocre and sometimes outright incompetent.
This is one of the major reasons for the poor quality of leadership we have in the SE.

So borrowing money to improve your infrastructure which will spur further development is now a faulty model.
All in the name of making your peter obi and his apga look good.

At a time when the SE is falling behind other regions in almost all economic indices.
Just sit there while Peter Obi sends you lot to the stone Age.

The worst is that those of u saying this dont live in the SE.
Workers are on strike, schools are closed, doctors are on strike, no dicernable infrastuctural projects.
So it then begs the question , even before he starts borrowing, where is all the state funds?
This is a classic case of woeful management.

Guy you sound goofy, frankly.
What in the world are you talking about?

I challenged you debt hogs before to show me which highly indebted state in Nigeria has "a world class" anything.
You didn't.
I'll challenge you again to show me all the highly indebted states in Nigeria, and point out which of them is more developed than Anambra state. Please do that fast.
You also cited strikes as your measure; pray how many times has the NLC duked it out what the ALMIGHTY federal government of Nigeria over that same salary issues? Do you know how much Nigeria controls as a country? Why should there EVER be a strike in Nigeria over salaries? When you answer these questions, you would eat it your own vomit.

It is fools like you that push states to economic bondage for generations to come and still drive them to stone age.

Posted by: Abagworo

I don't know why all these envious comments from a fellow Igbo.[/b]I have never compared Imo with Anambra but pictures and experience speak louder than words.

Frankly I get offended by some of [b]Chino11's comments sometimes, and I've told him a few times, but he is almost a lose cannon. I am a typical Anamabra guy, and know how Anambra folks approach issues. We are more nuanced in our views and criticisms of fellow Igbo states. Chino11 sounds "off the chain" and seems to quarrel with anyone that he thinks is about to take away "Anambra glory". The funny thing though is that most Anambra citizens are busy critiquing and criticizing their own governor and government, than have time to bring others down.

Owerri is a beautiful city.  It is left for Imolites to decide if and when they want to develop more cities. We all must approach development our own ways.

BTW Abagworo, would you know the range of prices for lands within 10 -15 minutes driving range of Owerri city center?
I gotta get me a land nearby. 

So, either Killayut is NOT Kalabari, or he is suffering from "stolen identity syndrome".
Most Kalabaris seem to have mixed blood -partly Igbo, Ibibio and Ijaw.
I can't see how a guy with Igbo blood would be harboring so much venom against Igbo.
That dude is pure imported Ijaw from Ghana.

Another upper cut. 

Killahut,


Thanks for the input. 

I don't know as to whether you are a Kalabari or an Ijaw per se but I think there's too much of a leaning towards the Ijaws in your narration of Kalabari history.  It seems as though you are narrating it from the point of view of an Ijaw person - i.e. giving it an Ijaw perspective, if you see what I mean.

I say this because we, as Kalabari people, have never seen ourselves as Ijaws (although grouped by the colonialists as belonging to the Ijaw tribe).  The typical Ijaw towns (Nembe, Brass, Yenagoa, Sangama and so on) are much too far away from Kalabari kingdom, almost nearer to Warri and Sapele in the Mid-West than to the Kalabari towns and villages or indeed, Okrika, Bonny or Opobo.  Hope you get my point and not take offence at it 'cos any Kalabari would tell you that. . .

kiwi992.

Abagworo may have scored a bulls-eye with the link above. Here is an abstract from it:

Iyimbere Killayut,


Nice write-up, I must say!

I'm lost for words in terms of what to say 'cos it seems you do know a lot about Kalabari history, much better than I do. I guess you live at home, so it's only expected.

That said, you failed to quote your sources to substantiate the argument you are putting forward. As you know, it's one thing to say something, and another to backup it up with verifiable facts. Ha ha - gotcha! Still, my respects to you for your extensive knowledge of our history.

Do I throw in the towel at this juncture or what? Na-a, I need to have sight of your sources or hear from some other Kalabari before doing so. Altogether, a very good account, if I may say so.

Good to know that you are from Berepiki's compound as well. What a small world eh? Here was I, coming to Nairaland to try and have a feel for what's happening at home, with a view to visiting Nigeria at some point, after thirty four years abroad, and we bump into each other, discussing our people. How cool is that?

Actually, I thought you were an Ijaw hence had been banging on about the Ijaws. Anyway, as you know, any Kalabari would tell you that we are NOT Ijaws. Sorry! Just go to any Kalabari town or village and tell people that we are Ijaws (wa mine Ijaw na apu) and you'd hear what their answer would be. That doesn't mean that your argument doesn't hold any water, mind. It's just the way it is with us as Kalabari people. Hope you understand.



kiwi992."

Ouch!