₦airaland Forum

^^^
There is nothing wrong in advocating for fairness. Nigeria should either ensure balance in the number of states per zone, or abolish all the state, and use zones instead. The loop-sided number of states in each zone has been used as leverage in political power that is still keeping the country down.

Fair is fair!

^^^

This silly man is miffed that I didn't support his view!
Better leave for God, what your pea sized brain cannot fathom!

^^^

Great. That is what we should be talking about. Removing the subsidy and looting the money makes not sense. But that is we have the FOI bill, why has Nigerians who fought so hard to get FOI signed into law refused to use it. Personally, I dont believe corruption in government is as huge as touted.

Labour: We'll Support Deregulation Only If,

10 Oct 2011

•N1.3trn spent on subsidy since January, says Yari


By Chinedu Eze and Linda Eroke


Organised labour has said it would support the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry only if it gets assurances from government on how it intends to spend the proceeds realised from the removal of fuel subsidy.


In the meantime, Governor Abdlaziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State yesterday said government had spent over N1.3 trillion on the subsidy from January to September this year.


President General of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele, who made the Congress’ position known in an interview with THISDAY weekend, said contrary to insinuations from different quarters, labour was not averse to deregulation because “our position has always been very clear on the issue”.


Esele explained that certain conditions such as the unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and expansion of refineries, among others, needed to be put in place before government could embark on the proposed policy.


The TUC president, who questioned government’s criteria of arriving at the new template of N144.70, stressed the need for the government to engage stakeholders in the nation’s economy and come up with specifics on how it intends to go about the policy, warning that failure to do so would not be in the interest of the overall economy.


According to him, with the way government was going about its deregulation policy, labour was not having much confidence, adding that there were no assurances with the safety valve that government was putting in place to ameliorate whatever hardship the people would face in the course of deregulation.


“TUC had never come out to say no to deregulation. Our position is that there are some conditions that government need to put in place before embarking on the policy. We are saying that government should unbundle NNPC because the corporation is opaque, and until government unbundles NNPC to make it run like a business, the oil sector will continue to have problems. But government will not do that. If government unbundles NNPC, it has taken care of 50 per cent of the problem.


“I saw the National Economic Council meeting (NEC) resolution supporting the removal of subsidy and the body language of the governors and those who were talking on the issue makes me want to cry. What they are saying is that we can go to hell as they are going ahead with the policy. I am asking one very pertinent question, you are moving somebody from N65 to N150, and at this moment, the template is N144.70k. The question now is: how did government arrive at that amount? As far as we are concerned it is a questionable template.


“If you can pay N150 for petrol conveniently that does not mean every other person can do so. A majority of us can also pay the N150 conveniently but the bottom-line is that government has to look at the economy from a composite perspective. So if we get assurances that we can go to bed with, but unfortunately with all the body languages and all the way they are going about it, we are not having as much confidence anymore and if we get this thing wrong with the high unemployment and insecurity in the land, the fence will fall on everyone,” Esele said.


Speaking also on deregulation, National President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Comrade Igwe Achese, said the timing for deregulation was wrong in view of the fact that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which embraces all activities in the oil sector had not been passed into law.


Achese said the union would vehemently resist any form of deregulation that is import-driven, restating the need for government to come up with specifics of how to ensure that the local refining capacity is increased over a period of time.


He also stressed the need for government to engage all stakeholders in the economy and state categorically how it intended to use the proceeds from the removal of fuel subsidy and how that decision would reduce poverty and unemployment.


“NUPENG is not against deregulation. Our position is that if government must deregulate, it should not be import driven. What we are against is import driven deregulation. We have already given government conditions for deregulation and part of it is that the refineries must work optimally; government must make the depots to function properly. Currently, we are still haullaging when we have depots but because of pipeline vandalism, the depots are not functioning. Before government comes up with deregulation policy, it must first pass the PIB which is all encompassing into law,” he said.


In Lagos, Yari told newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport that all the governors were fully in support of government on the removal of subsidy, noting that in most part of the North of the country, a litre of fuel had remained at about N95.00 over the years, in spite of subsidy.


“In Zamfara State, we don’t even know if there is fuel subsidy or no subsidy because we are buying a litre of fuel at N90.00, to N95.00. We are buying diesel at N230.00. So what subsidy are you talking about? We don’t even know about it at our own end over there, so who is enjoying the subsidy? Therefore, I as the governor there, representing those people I must do my best to ensure that in this thing, I support the Federal Government to take this subsidy away,” he said.


Yari said that ordinary Nigerians had not felt the gains of the subsidy and wondered who the beneficiaries were; calling for investigation into how much was spent on subsidy annually.


He said: “It is not good for the people. You as a Nigerian and as a journalist, go and check the records of the NNPC, they have deducted N1.3 trillion as subsidy from January till date for goodness sake. If we deploy N1.3 trillion into the Nigerian economy, how do you think the economy will be and with that N1.3 trillion, I believe can build more than five refineries in this country and they are taking it and putting it in the pockets of the few, then how come our country is like this?”



http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/labour-well-support-deregulation-only-if-/100119/

ak47mann:
if the govement removes feul subsidy next year what happen to poor people that cant afford 142 a litter  even transport fees will go up is not that Nigeria has a good transportation system,for you to bring certain things into law you have to create an alternative for the masses,good and cheaper transportation system is what Nigeria need urgently b4 they push fuel subsidy in to law.

Trains that goes inter city is needed.

It is actually a myth to assume that people cannot afford 142 a litter. In actually removing the subsidy will allow government invest in those  facilities you mentioned. It will encourage building of private refineries, and effectively bring down the price of fuel.

The current regime of subsidy is also been benefited by foreign countries, as people in border town actively smuggle subsidized fuel to neighboring country at the expense of tax payers. Beside oil marketers are the chief beneficiaries of the subsidy, not the common people!

alj_harem:
This is my last post to you and I would try my very best to explain things to you.

Those embezzlement I showed you was for you to see the various option Mr president can use to reduce the cost.

What I mean is that, all those things are posted as either over inflated or unnecessary but we still do them. If all those money are paid on irrelevant things, then surly Mr president can reduce this payment and continue with the fuel subsidy until the adequate economic and structural infrastructures are in place.

There is no point spending exorbitant prices on NA etc and yet you talk of fuel subsidy draining the economy.

Now stop posting if u have nothing better to say or have no understanding on the issue at hand

This guy is truly a clown, thinking that his comment are conclusive! The bottom line is that all leaks should be plugged whether corruption or subsidy. Spending over trillion naira yearly on fuel subsidy that enriches contractors is not best for Nigeria. The best and most effective way to plug the subsidy loophole is to end the subsidy. Any other way, will simply create new set of looters!\

Btw who cares for your response to my post. And i dont really give a hoot about you, cause you are only good at spreading bigotry and idocy. Both are not my stuff.

^^^
So in your stu.pid thinking, we must continue the drain instead of plugging them? What kind of brain do you have? Chicken brain?

What kind of stu.pid thread is this!

Fuel subsidy is a drain on the country's resources, the sooner it is reviewed the better for all of us. Why do you Northerner always support retrogression?

jmaine:
I now see why they made the loudest noise even to the point of prescribing shooting someone at the head (Pataki) for not supporting their man  . . . because " MONEY WAS AT STAKE . . .[size=18pt]They lost a bet  [/size]

And they will lose again and again if they promote similar bigot in future elections!

Beaf:
Regrets. . .  

https://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnza7aMOgb1qkpp5h.gif

This would represent his supporters regretting betting on a perpetual loser. What were they thinking betting like that!  

noblezone:
If the greedy Buhari is the best Nigeria can produce, then I am very very comfortable with Jonathan.

It was Buhari and his gang of misguided soldiers that brought Nigeria to her knees. It is a shame that for about half a century, just few individuals has held a whole nation to ransom just becuase they had gun. The gun we gave them to protect the constitution and the system, they turned on the Nigerian State.

Me weep for Buhari? No count me out.

I personaliy campaigned agaisnt him and IBB and will continue to do so till either of us leaves this earth. The likes of Buhari, IBB, OBJ, Abacha, etc are the reason Nigeria is today a jungle. OBJ failed woefully for 8 years because he could not focus on governance, he was busy check mating IBB and co.

Please, le us hear word.

Buhari!!!!!!!!!, you are so lucky that some of us are not in active politics, else I would have made sure that we set up a panel of enquiry into what led soldiers we trusted with security, turn the gun on the people. I would have made sure that all the criminals will face the law they trampled upon.

Indeed the power drunk, bigoted, bloody murderer who used retrospective law to murder two Nigerians during his brutal regime is the best some people will like to promote! How exactly will this line of thinking and acting benefit Nigerians? Someone who truncated democracy in it nascent stage what to benefit from it again? How does truncating democracy equates to visionary? Buhari will continue to suffer shame, humiliation, depression, and worry. He will die a sad unfulfilled man, as he is currently being haunted by those he murdered. God forbid we have such man, with so much blood in his hands, at the helms of affairs!

Beaf:
Lol! I can imagine them sweating blood, popping veins and developing hypertension. To be a vulture na very very bad tin!

Very bad indeed. Vultures will have to wait endlessly for exposed carcasses to feed upon; the vultures in this land (Nairaland) are particularly interesting, where there is no carcasses, they enjoy inventing one, to fantasy upon.

Interesting!

Just waiting for when Rufai will have his day in court; all the shady deals he executed as FCT minister. That day Nigerians will know the kind of man he truly is!

Beaf:
^
Why do you always derail topics? I don't understand, is it a poor brain quality issue?

He is high on Rufai, his brain tissue is made of hEl matters!

@beaf
It is indeed very painful; the futures are shocked to their marrows as there is no carcass to feed upon. How painful it is that their champion said those lofty things about GEJ under no pressure whatsoever, only to start singing another tune, when he found himself in the losers' corner.  

Anyway, I have nothing against him, let him clear himself in the court of law - Hell Rufai!

^^^^

Imagine. Money that could have being used for better thing, used to prop-up a sinking dictator, democracy truncator, and a perputual loser. Na wa o for these 'youths' oo. What really happened to the money, are we sure some people have not benefited from others naivety?

Beaf:
El-Rufai thought he would become a minister, but when GEJ thought otherwise, di man come begin vex wella!
since then, it has been story upon story from El-Rufai.

Stories willl he continue to tell, and straws will he continue to clucth like the proverbial drowning man. El Rufia is a disgrace!

ogbonoeba:
This is so silly!
It takes more than intellect to become Steve Jobs and develop a company with a stock price of $369/share.  Unfortunately the Nigerian way of thinking will not allow us to even come close to the same caliber of Apple Inc.  First of all the Nigerian goverment will have to reward those who can solve the conutry's problems and develop the infrastructure the country needs.  Why don't we start with producing our own petrol for consumption and having electricity run 99% of the time?  Do you think that Steve Jobs will bother developing the iphone, ipod, ipad and computers if things are running on generator and infrastructure problems existed in USA?

Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying that he didn't invent anything but tried to make things different.  In other words, a better mouse trap, not a different way of catching a mouse.  Furthermore, let us not forget that Steve Jobs, grew up in a country that supports and invests billions of dollars a year in innovation and in a place called 'Silicon Valley.'  Also let us not forget that he has admitted to using ilicit drugs such as marijuana and LSD.  As a young man in college he was confused and dropped out of classes to 'find himself.' 

Please, people should stop misleading the young people of Nigeria, and solve the most basic issues in Naija.  After solving the simple things then can we start competing on developing our own technological innovations!


my two cents

Solving these so called basic problems requires innovation; and if young people can be inspired to provide such innovation, how is that wrong?

@topic,

The days of the frog-eye forger, fraud, and drug baron are clearly numbered. Truth shall always prevail lies, as light overpowers darkness. Justice will be served!

How security votes landed Daniel, Akala, Goje, Doma in trouble

Toyosi Ogunseye and Friday Olokor

THERE were strong indications on Saturday that former governors of Ogun, Oyo and Nasarawa and Gombe States, Messrs Gbenga Daniel, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Aliyu Akwe-Doma and Danjuma Goje respectively, might have landed in trouble as a result of how they used their security votes while in office.


Daniel, Akala, Goje and Doma

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The first three have been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission since last Thursday, while Goje has been declared wanted by the commission.

All of them have been alleged to have siphoned public funds with which they acquired properties in Nigeria and abroad.

A top official of the commission claimed that Goje allegedly "collected a staggering N15bn as security votes during his eight-year tenure even when there was no serious security challenge in his state."

The source added that the trio ex-governors in the EFCC custody also abused their expenditure of security votes.

This disclosure came even as the commission has prepared over 60 charges against the three former state chief executives in its custody, preparatory to their arraignment in court on Monday.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that abuse of security votes accounted for a major percentage of the N101bn, which the anti-graft agency said the detained former governors misappropriated during their tenure.

SATURDAY PUNCH had on July 16, 2011 in an exclusive report stated that most governors both old and serving, hide security votes worth billions of naira in the budgets of states in order to confuse their electorate.

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State had in June this year, declared that security vote was another way of stealing public funds and distanced himself from such funds.

Also, his counterpart in Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha stunned observers when he slashed his state's security vote from N6.5bn to N2.5bn, stressing that such a measure would free some funds for education and other areas in dire need of funding.

Kwankwaso who was governor from 1999 to 2003, had said, "Security vote anywhere is stealing. I don't believe in it, I never applied it during my first tenure (1999 to 2003).

"And I don't think I'm going to apply same now, because it aids corruption. I will like to lead by example, and the moment you steal once, your successor will double your record."

In the 2011 budget for instance, the security votes of Kaduna, Ekiti, and Anambra States were not expressly stated. But Rivers, Imo, Lagos and Oyo States included theirs.

Among the charges the EFCC levelled against the detained ex-governors included reckless award of contracts that were improperly executed or not executed at all.

The spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said, "Yes, they are going to court on Monday. All the charges have been prepared. There will be no delay."

SUNDAY PUNCH further gathered that properties scattered all over the country and abroad allegedly purchased with public funds, have been traced to the former governors.

As at the time of filing this report on Saturday, the commission was busy finalising checks on the properties traced to the suspects.

A reliable source who pleaded anonymity said seven choice property, have been traced to the former governor of Nasarawa State, Doma.

The source said these properties were allegedly purchased by his cronies.

She said, "Apart from the seven property traced to Doma, a property in London had also been traced to the former governor of Ogun State, Daniel. However, he recently sold the property and stashed the proceeds in China.

"We are trying to trace the money in China as I speak to you."

According to the EFCC, Daniel allegedly misappropriated N58bn, Alao-Akala- 25bn and Doma N18bn.

On Goje, the commission said he had to be declared wanted after four different attempts were made to arrest him without success.

It was also learnt that a letter of invitation to him to report to the commission's head office by 12noon on Friday was received by his daughter at his Abuja home.

His refusal to honour the invitation prompted the commission to declare him wanted.

The source said, "We are seriously looking for him and he has refused to come to us. We laid ambush for him in four places and we could not get him. When we went to his house, it was his daughter that collected the letter on his behalf but we have not heard from him."

Meanwhile, the EFCC has placed Goje on its watch list and directed all security agencies especially those at the country's borders to arrest him if found.

Babafemi said, "We took the decision because he is not cooperating with us. We want to stop his possible escape."

But when reminded that Goje had reportedly promised to surrender himself on Monday, Babafemi said, "He is not inviting himself and he cannot deface our investigations.

"We are producing some people in court on Monday and he is saying he would appear on the same day. What is the correlation? We see that as a ploy to deceive us and evade arrest."

Other allegations against Goje were that he recklessly obtained N37.9bn from 27 banks, with a repayment plan that would end in 2015.

Babafemi had explained that the commission arrived at the decision to publicly declare the embattled ex-governor wanted "after an endless search for him."

On the allegations against Daniel, the EFCC claimed he diverted about N12bn revenue of the Ogun State Bureau of Land.

He was also accused of authorising payment of N300m electricity utility charges by the state Electricity Project Agency, despite direct deduction of same from different ministries, departments and agencies, among others.


http://odili.net/news/source/2011/oct/9/829.html

None of them have the audacity to confront Tinubu over why he sold their speaker slot? And we think these elders are in there right minds?

^^^
@beaf
we understand the problem, but can't just resist the temptation to poke a few fingers into the eyes of these seemingly senile old odd fellows. The point is that what did they expect the president to do for them when under the own nose, Tinubu the frog-eyed mafia a notorious drop baron, a forger and fraud stole their birth-right and sold it to their usual hausa-fulani overlords? They sat put and did nothing, even now they meet a million times a month and none of them seem to have the audacity to c

@the kanuri man claiming half igbo, half yoruba, if u like claim half id.iot half stup.id, or half ram half goat. How does the help the lamentation of those treacherous losers?
@topic, no one is asking them to fold their alms, we are all enjoining them to open their alms and embrace their fate. Karma has come! Welcome to the club! AGAIN  I SAY GOOD MORNING!

Mr alj harem, So getting some agberos involved in skirmises is your idea of help? This aboki will never cease to amaze me. By the way what has itsekiri, igbo, got to do with this thread? I thought it was some aggrieved treacherous yoruba old men who sold their son out in prison, who are now wailing about some pending karma! I simply greeted them: GOOD MORNING. I see nothing tribal about it; even their own tribesmen are lambasting them. You are simply living up to your crafty and mischievous nature. So if you have  nothing worthwhile to contribute to this thread simply shut your moronic mouth.

^^^^
Is Jason Yor.ba, and you know for sure i am igbo? Or is it that u just want to turn this thread to a tribal spat to suit your preference? Eh, Mr chameLeon?

^^^
i would concentrate on map and satellite pictures if i were you. You stand a better chance of getting edo, delta, and sw out of Nigeria than removing GEJ and David Mark. Clown!

Pan Yoruba versus Asiwaju Party of Nigeria! So who blinds first? Bunch of confused old people. Is that the best a society that prides itself as foremost intelligentsia could muster? This symphony of confusion? Good morning! Let me laugh at pan Yoruba in ACN. LOL

@Jason, it's not my fault that butterfly thinks itself a bird. The 'Illustrious' tribe you wish you were born to give not hoot about your kind. Forever will a butterfly look in awe at a bird. So yearning not matter how loud and agitated it might be will not transform it into a bird. A butterfly it remains till death. GOOD MORNING my very confused friend, Jason!

And yer sir, I am a daft and Ezeuche. Will that turn a wannabbe to the real deal? Or make u sleep better at night? Or will it just help you wallow further in your ignorance, self-denial, and pathetic yearnings? GOOD MORNING AGAIN I SAY TO YOU!

^^^
so it's alright for you and eko ile to call them useless, but other posters are not permitted. Where for these dual standard?

After collaborating with their northern overlords, even in killing their own son in prison, these treacherous lots are coming to cry more than the bereaved. How do we console them? Or do simply greet them in the now favorite cliche - GOOD MORNING!

All thieves should be treated alike. It doesn't matter whether or not they are from the same family, tribe or party.

funny country. .
cunning die, cunning man bury am!

These bitter buhari apologists should spare us the crocodile tears they inherited from their boss - the weeping General buhari. I bet he wept when he realised he was going to be another sore loser, only this time to a small boy GEJ.

Anyway, I personally think providence and karma  has been fair to some of Nigeria coup plotters. Perhaps retrospective laws to jails the living coup plotters will be in order. In that case, felons, murderers, and coup plotter like buhari, ibb and co would be in jail rather than  allowed to freely insult our tolerance and sensitivity with their self-serving ambitions.