₦airaland Forum

alizenbohr:
Wow, you're so 'wise'.

Where in the report did you see northerners in Lagos as the affected people?

But was it not here on NL that some easterners & south south indigenes were complaining of marginalization in PVC collection in Lagos?

I guess Lagos is currently led by PDP right?

Dont mind the hypocrites

MeAndYou:
So the allegation was true afterall.

Coupled with the lopsided PVC Distribution...
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Doesnt this scare the shit out of you guys??

alizenbohr:
@Osode, pls add the source 'cos this is front page material.

So all those allegations about denial of PVC to non-indigenes in Lagos was true, despite all the denials.

I've added the Source.

its really shocking how careless and lackadaisical GEJ, and the average southerner is.

its now very ALARMINGLY clear that JEGA almost rigged A SITTING COMMANDER IN CHIEF OUT, without batting an eyelid

It leaves one with goose pimples.

You have to give it to the average northerner:

they are more motivated

they know exactly whats at stake

they are not easily divided (with Intellectual claptrap)

they Supremely Organized

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State, on Wednesday, said it had relieved two members of a community it engaged for the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) of their assignment.

This was contained in a statement signed by Femi Akinbiyi, the commission’s Head of Public Affairs in the state.

It said the two persons were found to have denied a few non-indigenes the chance to collect their cards in the state.

The statement said: “The records we have at our disposal, and they are available for all to see, indicate that Lagosians of different ethnic backgrounds have been coming forward to collect their cards.

“To be sure, the bulk of the ad hoc staff engaged for the distribution exercise are NYSC members who come from different ethnic backgrounds.

“With such diverse backgrounds, among whom a substantial number of them are non-indigenes, it is most unlikely that they would embark on discriminating against non indigenes like themselves.

“Our findings, however, revealed that in few places where we did not have the full complement of NYSC members, some members of the community, whom we engaged for the exercise, two of them were found to have denied a few non-indigenes the collection of their cards.

“We have consequently relieved them of this assignment.”

The statement said INEC regretted whatever embarrassment the incident might have caused the affected members of the public.

It thanked those who drew the commission’s attention to the act.

It added: “We are by this press release stating that no INEC official, permanent or ad hoc, has been engaged to give cards to people from only one part of the country while denying others their legitimate right of collecting their cards.

“All INEC staff are under firm instructions to give the PVCs to their rightful owners.”

According to the statement, no money is to be demanded or given in doing so.

It urged the public to be vigilant and assist the commission in drawing its attention to any breach of its guidelines by anyone, including its staff members.

The statement said the distribution of the PVCs would continue at the 20 local government offices of the commission in the state till March 8.

It urged those who had not collected theirs to avail themselves of this extension to collect their PVCs.

SOURCE:http://www.dailyindependentnig.com/2015/02/inec-sacks-two-denying-non-indigenes-pvcs/

sakaguchi:
Mr GEJ, this is the end of it. All this attempts and stunts you and PDP are pulling is not going to save you. Last week, I was undecided. With how I was, I would have boycotted the polls for security reasons in Suleja or if I put up an appearance, vote in PDP. But the ridiculously despotic stratagem you used in pushing the election forward has made me (and many others I'm sure) to swing to GMB. I don't know how you and your advisers think, in a 2 strong party state, elections are won be convincing swing voters. It is the swing voters that will determine the winner. No matter what GMB does (good or bad), there will still be people that will shout sai Buhari, no matter what you do (good or bad) some others will shout GEJtill2019. It is those undecided voters like me that will offset the balance.
I remember you being in power for 6 years and we're still importing fuel.
Unemployment is still internecine.
Corruption is a celebrated ritual with your strong endorsement.
I have seen you eat in billions while lack-a-day Nigerians starve.
Chibok girls
Killings in Northeast
Killings in Middle belt by Fulanis
Impunity of AIG Mbu,
indecorous actions of PEJ.
You make friends with thieves and corrupt people. You have practically done nothing.
What pains me is that you were put into office by Nigerians hungry for change. You got into Aso Rock and forgot all our struggle to put you in and you started fraternizing with politicians to still from our common wealth.

This is payback time. I wish everyday were elections. So that our politicians will know that they are the employees and we the employers. By that, they'll serve us better and eschew self servicing.

I won't listen to what any partisan Pastor say. You were stealing us adry and none of them told you to your face what you're doing is anti-people. They blessed you and approbated you fiendish actions. I'll instead listen to what other Godfearing pastors have said that we should vote by the conviction of our conscience.

Come March 28, I will vote GMB.
If GMB turn from the masses and start serving politicians just like you did, I'll vote him out 2019 just like I will vote you out come March 28.

By the way, I am a Christian and I'm from a state that has always being PDP. Though I am yet to trust APC, GMB is the change I need. The change I desire.

I've seen many people say click like for GMB and share for GEJ and GMB keeps winning.
In my case, I'll say click [size=20pt]LIKE[/size] for [size=20pt]GEJ[/size] and [size=20pt]SHARE[/size] for [size=20pt]GMB[/size] let's see how it goes!

Hahaha...
As Always...
APC experimenting with their 'Likes' and 'Shares'...(or is it 'Dividends' now).
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... In the end Ekiti was 16-0 !!!

maestroferddi:
If the truth be told, Jonathan seriously needs to sit up!

How can a sitting president allow the head of the electoral umpire almost scheme him out of power?

Has Jonathan been dozing off in the Villa?

How can Jonathan still condone dead wood ministers that have just refused to carry their side of the weight?

What exactly is Abba Moro, whose purview this oversight falls, still doing in the cabinet? Most of the flak Jonathan is getting today is just as a result of retaining people who cannot earn their keep.

Jonathan must assert his authority in this 6 weeks window.

Yes..
Most certainly yes. You hit the nail very precisely. And this is the part where he lets so many of his supporters down.
Jega had almost succeeded.
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By the way, ur analysis is superb.

The opposition is so SHALLOW... l and other nigerians have seen through them.
One of the clowns above me even skipped the 14th day of the month to make their usual silly shenanigans.
But I'm so impressed that PDP behaves so much like a ruling party... both on the field and online...

On a goodday no one would even bother to answer the paid hack

Its almost as if they get their Solace from all the noise they make online

However more seriously...
On the man GEJ, ...as I've said earlier

No one in our PAST field, with this man (by peformance comparism) even comes REMOTELY close to this mans mare 4 yrs...

I realy don't know which is more sad, Our 'average' (by world standards) amiable GEJ Or the HUGELY INFERIOR opposition the that he is competing against

Nigeria and its inferior politics Nlgeria and its inferior 'social critics' ...Since 1914 AD.

WOCKHARDI:
In simple logic, when the major premise is false, every other deduction is automatically false.
How can the ECONOMIST say...... ....' Goodluck Jonathan, who has proved an utter failure........... ' now convince me that it is not biased. Who are you to pronounce such verdict if you are not mischievous.
Please allow the people on ground to choose between the two contestants instead of sounding as if you are paid to make this write up.
JONATHAN IS NOT A FAILURE BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE HIM LOOK LIKE ONE.
We know his achievements.

A Group of Western Homosexuals and Transvestites are not going to dictate who governs Us.
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The northern establishment has 'ALWAYS' had the support of the West. However the rather Scary acheivments of GEJ these few short years at the helm, ..worsened even further by the Latest figures that state that Nigeria will again be among the three fastest growing Economies in the World this year (in spite of all they've done, with BH and refusing to sell us arms), has Finaly set the west and its institutions 'in panic mode'. And so any and Every thing that CAN be thrown at GEJ in the coming weeks WILL. So they've also called up an 'Old And Tested Aliance' that has served them well for about a Century, in Retarding the only Black Nation they fear could challenge them in the future (as we did just again on gay rights issue). ...Nigeria.

[quote author=WOCKHARDI post=30465475][/quote]

Richard6:
APC is planning something bad and they are scared of police and army. What OP posted will be waved off if Jonathan speaks, so shut up!

Dont mind the idiots.
Where were their courts when GEJ took over 'amaechi's' stadium in PH.
These are powers that a C-in-C deploys without recourse to foolish urchins.
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Under aged voters constitute 50% of the northwests 'large' voter population, so they are clearly afraid of the treatment Ihejirika gave them in the north of kaduna, in the polls that produced the 1st Christian Gov. Yakowa of blessed Memory.
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Its good they played their hand early so we know were they are headed. So PDP take note.

KingEbukaBlog:
look well that is not buhari ... pdp's gov candidate in borno

Hahahaha...
Ur funny.
anyways, no shaking..
GEJ till 2019

noblezone:
What exactly did you folks understood from what you read?

The woman simply said prices did not come down immediately because there were already some quantities of fuel in stock and needed to be sold before the price adjustments. These old stocks has an estimate of about 40 days before they are cleared.

What happened to simple comprehension?

Wow... You too, actually read what the federal Minister said...
And also surprisingly, you actualy understood it...
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This is phenomenal.
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You are not even interested in the womans (a sixty year old grand mother)'s water resistant make-up.
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You're also not among those who 'understood' that fuel will get back to 150n in 40 days !!!
Ahh, thats quite remarkable. Thats two of you now, plus me, ...Wow
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Quite impressive.

pekeyim:
I listened to this and to be honest with Nigerians. Two things are involved it is either the Government will remove subsidy completely as the Barrel is low, and allow the market to dictate it's price, when crude oil will increase.

Or the Government will stop subsidy for now, and when the market price of crude oil shoots up, we'll start subsidising again.

Oh... You actually read what the federal Minister said...
And even more surprising, you actualy understood it...
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Oh Dats mpressv.
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More shokingly, you are not among those who 'understood' that fuel will get back to 150n in 40 days !!!
Ahh, thats quite remarkable.
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... On nairaland thesedays with all these tinumbu paid hacks this is really a rare compliment of a sharp mind.

dante23:
Don't you mean the convoy of Buhari?

And the article revealed they "chanted sai buhari" while they attacked his convoy?
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... Janja.weed!!

The convoy of President Goodluck Jonathan was attacked by political thugs on Tuesday in KatsinaState during the continuation of his re-election campaign.

The convoy of the president, which included Vice President Namadi Sambo; the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu; and Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State among others was attacked during avisit on the late President Umar Yar’Adua’s mother, HajiyaDada.

As President and members of his entourage made their ways into the Yar’AduaQuarters, the brooms-wielding youths who were chanting“Sai Buhari” surged forward.

Security agents had ahectic time dispersing the crowd.

The youths regrouped and again moved to attack the President’s convoy as he wasready to leave the Yar’Adua’s residence.

Security agents had to fire tear gascanistersto disperse the youths to allow vehiclesin the convoy of the President to speed off.

As the presidential delegation made their way towards the KatsinaAirport, the youths hurled stonesat the convoy.

One of the billboards of the president in the state was also destroyed.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/suspected-apcs-supporters-attack-jonathans-convoy-destroy-billboard/

celeron40:
I have no time for Living Faith PLC zealots..
Shalom.

As The Lord lives... once again
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I am 'presently' from Mountain of Fire.
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Which makes it worse for the likes of you.

celeron40:
I've always known Oyedepo is a certified crook...The man is so thuggerish and greedy..Its so sad many Nigerians continue to blindly follow his ungodly teachings of wealth and fame. Right now, all Christians should just focus on the bible itself..The country is now filled with all sorts of Pastors..what business do Pastors have lobbying political office holders?

YOU KNOW BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO TO BE A CERTIFIED CROOK !!
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... As the Most High Liveth ...
Whose servant you have disdained, because you and your likes (Uncircumsised Philistines)on NL do not Fear Him.
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May your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth.

[quote author=celeron40 post=29935369][/quote]

lacasa:
And they say Muslims r the problem.

Just see what so called heads of tthe Christian religion are doing.


Getting involved in blatant smear campaigns and undermining the church's integrity cos of Naira notes



I am not against any religion, buut to be frank, Nigerian Christians that follow these evil men have to ask themselves if really Jesus would av ordained this kind of men his Kindred



Manipulate Religion for Jonathan all u want, what many Nigerians like myself know, is that GOD is not a hypocrite and the way He puut Jonna in Aso Villa He will surely remove him


Maybe this year or in Future.


Politics, the PDP way is like a Do or Die affair.


*spits*


God bless u GMB andd PYO, no matter the opposition, ig u will lead us, u surely will.



Sai APC!

How did you funny lot get the minutes of 'THE SECRET MEETING' btwn the commander in cheif and my Bishop Oyedepo...
Well I am sure of one thing, .... If of nothing else. Now that you have now started playing with the name of this particular Man of God in your usual shenanigans, you all in that Satanic Party have Finaly invited ur Doom.

Dache:
A few days ago the campaign vehicles of the PDP was razed down inflames by some sponsored hoodlums, in the same vein some hoodlums vandalized properties of the APC almost a few days interval. as i write, nothing has been done to prosecute these criminals. the questions on the front burner which Nigerians have been hammering on is the rate of lawlessness which has resulted in an seemingly uncontrolable level of insecurity. the question is, is it impossible for the C in C to give a 72 hr ultimatum to the police commissioners of the two states where these crimes where committed to fish out these hoodlums and their sponsors? in the event that the police commissioners fail, is it impossible for them to not only be replaced with immediate effect and another ultimatum of seven days given to the new ones? the president has been saying he would not jail people. is he saying if these hoodlums and their sponsors are caught they would not be jailed and dealt with decisively? their properties confiscated and used to settle the parties who lost items? if these cannot be done, what is the guarantee of the lives of intending voters as they go to the poles? if i must be sincere , the government has tried on the macro level of the economy since inception and have followed through with progressive policies of the Obasanjo administration,power sector reforms are evident and maturing, we are all beneficiaries of the liberalization of the communication sector of the Obasanjo regime one way or the other and several other policies to open up our economy. the issue is Nigerians are impatient to have UK and US standards of living with the hope that a messiah would solve the barricade of issues in 2 days of assuming office, these macro economic policies would trickle down in due course. but the basics of security MUST be evident at the micro level,law and order MUST be maintained and these are the trump cards of the opposition. to say you will not jail and prosecute people shows failure in these angles. in the next few days i hope your team would rectify these issues and boost your score card by starting with the issue of tackling electoral violence immediately.

A clearly Matured and balanced poster... A rarity this days on NL with all the paid Hacks ...worst of all the highly aggresive 'weeds' that cant do without insults on almost all posts.
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Anyway I'm glad to inform you 'concerned brother' that events have since overtaken ur concerns, as 13 of the suspects have already been arrested 4 interogation at jos north, the scene of the 1st incident. You can be rest assure those toads would all be singing haleluyah Choruses by now till after the elections...
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GEJ till buhari learns to use Excel Spreadsheets.

teemanbastos:
PDP supporters pls prove me wrong. By May 29 1999, we had 23 PDP governors, 6 AD, and 7 APP. 8 years after, this is their story:

(A) PDP (23 governors):
1. James lbori - PDP Delta - in prison for looting
2. DSP - Alamieseigha - PDP Bayelsa - Ex- convict for looting
3. Lucky Igbinedion - PDP Edo - Ex-convict for looting
4. Peter Odili - PDP Rivers -In court for looting
5. Chimaroke Nnamani - PDP Enugu - In court for looting
6. Ayo Fayose - PDP Ekiti - In court for looting
7. Rasheed Ladoja - PDP Oyo - In court for looting
8. Alao Akala - PDP Oyo - In court for looting
9.Gbenga Daniel - PDP Ogun - In court for looting
10. Ikenna Ohakim - PDP Imo - In court for looting
11. Adamu Muazu - Bauchi (current PDP National Chairman) - In court for looting over N19 Billion from the state treasury
12. Joshua Dariye - PDP Plateau - In court for
looting
13. Jolly Nyame - PDP Taraba - In court for
looting the state treasury
14. Abdulahi Adamu - PDP
Nassarawa - In court for lootingthe state treasury
15. Boni Haruna - PDP Adamawa - (newly appointed minister by Jonathan) - In court forlooting the treasury
16. Saminu Turaki - Ex-gov. PDP Jigawa - In court for looting the treasury
17. Orji Uzor Kalu - PDP Abia - In court for
looting the treasury

(B). AD / AC, 6 governors. None has ever been taken to court for treasury looting. NOTE:- Tinubu of Lagos wasdragged to Code of Conduct Tribunal for having foreign accounts while in power against government policy of zeroforeign account for public officials. He was found not guilty because he had the accounts before his election to the office of governor. Case dismissed.

(C) APP - (ANPP) 7 governors:
1. Attahiru Baffarawa - APP Sokoto - In court for looting (he is now in a PDP member)
2. Prince Abubakar Audu - ANPP Kogi - In court for looting.
You may add the two ex-national chairmen of PDP, Ahmadu Ali and Bamanga Tukukur whose sons are facing multi-billion naira oil subsidy fraud charges.It's sad some senseless Nigeria still believe we do not need a change from this same PDP while they claim they can't see the difference btw APC n PDP. The difference btw them is like daylight to darkness. If you chose not to see may you remain blinded for eternity.

ALL EXPOSED, BROUGHT TO TRIAL/PROSECUTED AND JAILED BUY OTHER PDP GOVS OR FG IN ABUJA!!
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HOW MANY APC GOVNOR'S (E.G. TINUMBU OR SARAKI) HAVE APC AS A PARTY OR SUCCEEDING APC GOVNOR'S (e.g. YOUR god FASHOLA) EVER EVEN REPORTED OR BROUGHT TO TRIAL FOR CORRUPTION!!!

gists:
Good! "Now you are talking." This was exactly what I said when I read the report last year. When that project is completed/functioning, we will assess/compare it with what is available in other countries and praise the administration accordingly. Until then, sorry. I cannot give praise for this kind of trains when at least $10b is missing and our gov. feels unconcerned and even hides the report by pwc.

Wow, you Hacks are not ashamed anymore 2 keep telling these same lies of your 'terror financier' 'qouta' cbn govnor.
Its no longer 49Bn..
Its no longer 28Bn..
Its no longer 10.8Bn..
Its no longer 20Bn..
Its now 'At least 10Bn' (which he finaly settled for) ...which u lot cant even wait for the International Auditors to discover/announce !!
And its obviouse to every one that if the auditors dont find anything then you lot will 'FORM PARALLEL GOVT+AUDIT REPORT'.
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Any ways u lot can take this to the bank. That majority of nigerians that dont live. Sleep. 'Win elections' Only on nairaland are waiting to PUNISH YOU LOT SEVERLY AGAIN on febuary the 14th. For clearly believing that the rest of us are fools. Peace

ayindejimmy:
Which state did this take place. Knowing the actual place will enable the right people address this occurrence immediately. However, let's not jump into erroneous assumptions too quickly. Those may just be angry and embittered youths channelling their greviences wrongly. I'm sure apc will come out to condemn this ludicrous behaviour... just for Prosperity sake

Oh just be silent if you dont have any thing to say.
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I've been observing this thread now for a few pages to see if There are any realy inteligent ones that will fill in the 'blanks' but as usual I am dissapointed!!
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You southerners living there in the south (including my fellow GEJITEs) are never fully uninformed so you dont catch on issues fast, its now actually counter productive.
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JOS NORTH IS THE VERY 'TINY' MUNICIPAL LOCAL GOVT CREATED BY IBB SOLELY FOR THE MUSLIM HAUSA FULANI SETTLERS IN JOS OUT OF JOS MUNICIPAL.
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Now, ... is the picture becoming clearer to everyone??

Gejfreesupport:
OLODO... So the President has to sit down and explain everything to you.. bit by bit..

Even lecturers don't that.. How much more the President..

Get a life jare...

Hahahaha...
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At least see them on the lighter note. They can actualy make one a few laughs atimes ...Eh?

Itulah:
95% of you who commented above don't have a job and hardly read or carryout studies; in that regards, I chose not to blame you for voicing blindly. However, it may not or may interest you to know that the Technology Mr President is talking about has been in the service system for more than a year now. Like the IPPIS enable salaries to be manage and paid to workers account (federal workers not state) automatically and timely through CBN enroute individual bank. That alone has save the government billions of naira within a short time by eliminating faceless workers otherwise known as 'ghost workers' in the federal ministries and agencies.
Plz, before criticism ensure you know what you are saying so you won't look stupid to someone who knows.
You can quote me if you wish; this is what I know and I am a beneficiary. And go ask your father or relative who are gainfully employed by the Federal government.

Well, They are never 2 be taken too seriously...
They are the apc 'Entertainers here on NL'.
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They have an uphill task though...
Nigerians are just 2 sharp.
They may not be too pleased with their President but you cant pull the wool over their eyes over the realy difficult stuff (like his war on the over 25 yr fertilizer Cabals) he actualy acheived.

StevinMorgan:
A group, Igbos Diaspora...

“The IDIB is a body of... We are a body comprising of prominent Igbo sons and daughters residing outside of their hometowns,” Ezedinma said Dat

Ehh.. Shaarapp Dia..
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Mgbo.. mgbo.. mgbo Piafukwa Unu Ishi Dia..

cutieberie1:
nyc post..

Yes..
Real Depth..
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Quite Stange.
Certainly not one of these paid hacks on NL.

No one in our PAST field, with this man (by peformance comparism) even comes REMOTELY close to this mans mare 4 yrs...

Sigh...

I realy don't know which is more sad
Our 'average' (by world standards) amiable GEJ
Or the HUGELY INFERIOR opposition the that he is competing against

Nigeria and its inferior politics
Nlgeria and its inferior 'social critics'
...Since 1914 AD.

WorldStage Newsonline-- Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that it has completed the construction of 37 large dams, rehabilitated 10 while 149 are under construction across the country.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe in a statement said that the ministry engaged in the construction, operation and maintenance of dams nationwide to impound raw water for potable water supply, hydropower, irrigation, fishery development, flood control, tourism and recreation.

“The Ministry, in the last four years completed 37 large dams of various sizes, rehabilitated 10 dams, while the construction works on 149 dams of various capacities are on-going across the country,” the statement said.

The Minister said out of the 37 completed dams, 16 were with hydropower potentials capable of generating 135.15 Megawatts of electricity.

Ochekpe said that when the construction of all the dams are completed, the water impounded in the nation’s dams would be increased by 3.6 billion cubic meters

Ochekpe further said that some existing dams including the breached Goronyo Dam emergency spillway in Sokoto, Alau Dam in Borno, Tiga and Chalawa Gorge dams in Kano, Hadejia Barrage in Hadejia as well as other dams in many states have been rehabilitated for more optimal operation.

Speaking on Kashimbila multipurpose dam, the Minister said that the dam was intended to control likely flood from the imminent collapse of lake Nyos upstream in Cameroon and it had recorded 87 per cent completion status.

She added that the procurement of the works on the proposed Datsin Hausa Dam that would address the issues of flooding as a result of uncontrolled releases of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon is currently under review.
Source: http://www.m.worldstagegroup.com/readnews.php?&id=18859&active=news

* Cocoa output on track to hit 370,000 tonnes this year

* Revenues up to $1.3 bln, against $900 mln in 2012

* Nigeria seeking to cut dependence on oil through farming

(Adds details, background, quotes)

ABUJA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Nigeria expects to earn $1.3 billion from cocoa exports this year, an increase of 45 percent on two years ago, after a steady rise in output that could help shift Africa's top economy away from its reliance on oil, its agriculture minister told Reuters.

Akinwumi Adesina, speaking on the sidelines of a cocoa summit in Nigeria's capital Abuja late on Monday, said the world's fourth biggest cocoa producer was set to produce 370,000 tonnes this year from its 14 major producing areas, up from the 250,000 tonnes that earned it $900 million in 2012.

Last year production was up to 300,000 tonnes, Adesina said.

"If we don't diversify the economy, we are exposed to shocks. The bulk of our export earnings come from crude oil but we are mindful as a government that this is not a sustainable pathway," Adesina said.

"Today agriculture is the largest contributor to the non-oil sector and the key components of that is ... cocoa."

Nigeria government revenues fell 16.5 percent month-on-month to 502.09 billion naira ($3.03 billion) in September on a fall in global oil prices and outages caused by oil theft. Benchmark Brent crude has fallen more than 25 percent since June.

"We want to replace oil within the next 5-8 years ... so that we can buffer ourselves against ... global commodity price shocks," Adesina said.

That is an ambitious task. Oil revenues currently make up 95 percent of foreign exchange earnings. Nigeria earns roughly $50 billion a year from oil exports, almost 40 times what it earns from cocoa.

Adesina said Nigeria was working on agricultural commodities, including cocoa, sugar, oil palm, and cassava, to help plug shortfalls from oil revenues.

Cocoa was one of the first victim's of Nigeria's discovery of oil in the 1950s, which led to the gradual abandonment of other economic sectors.

High unemployment and poverty levels among Nigeria's 170 million people have prompted authorities to look again at the labour-intensive cocoa industry, with the aim of getting more people to grow a product for which prices have been rising to a 40-year high in the past two months.

Adesina said the government aimed to produce half a million tonnes of cocoa next year and 600,000 tonnes by 2016, as a new hybrid variety given out to farmers improves yields. Europe is the main buyer. The long-term aim was to produce a million tonnes a year, just shy of top grower Ivory Coast.

Adesina said Nigeria's cocoa revenues hit $900 million two years ago, rising to $1.2 billion last year, on increasing global cocoa prices and domestic production. Cocoa accounted for 9 percent of Nigeria's $12.9 billion total non-oil revenues in 2013.

He also said that the government was working on a cocoa board in conjunction with the private sector which would help accelerate growth in production, noting that a board helped Ghana double its output to 700,000 tons in the past 10-years.

Adesina said the European Union was supporting Nigeria with around 12 million euros to develop a standards laboratory.

(Editing by Tim Cocks and Jon Boyle)

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/102127976

Millions of fish consumersare heaving a sigh of relief as fresh import quotas for fish issued by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has brought down prices acrossthe country.

For instance, Herring prices have come down from N7, 600 to N4, 000per carton. In the case of Horse Mackerel, the price came down to N5, 800 from more than N9, 500 per carton. The Titusspecies is being sold in the marketfor N6, 800, down from a level of N10, 200 per carton. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) figures, Nigeria currently has a shortage of 2.6million tons of fish. While the global average of fish consumption is18.7 kilogrammes per person, Nigerian per capita consumption of fish is only 11.2 kilogrammes.

Nigerian fish supply consistsof 600,000 metric tons of local production and the balance is mainly covered by importsof frozen fish. Frozen fish are caughtin high seas by trawlers in Asia, Europe and Russian the major markets from where Nigeria imports fish. Nigerian domestic production consists predominantly of farmed fish, mainly catfish. The varietiesof frozen fish that Nigeria imports are not available in Nigerian coastal waters. Besides, Nigerian trawling industry has been seriously affected by oil spillage, piracy and non-sustainable fishing practices.

“The impact of any major reduction in imports would only mean that catfish will be the onlyvarietyof fish available in Nigeria”, a fishery expert, Solomon Anichebe had said. He hasopined that Nigerians have gotten used to varieties of imported frozen fish over the past decadesincluding Herring or Shawa, and Sardine which are popular in the North, Horse Mackerel (Kote), Sardinella (Agbodu), and Mackerel which are staples in the East and Blue Whiting(Panla) which are favourites in the Western region of Nigeria. Only the catfish has become accustomed to breeding in Nigeria, he says.

Sourcee: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/fg-crashes-fish-prices-affordable-levels/