₦airaland Forum

naijaking1:
No surprises. Even if an N/L member is caught, no surprises.

alj_harem:
rubbish talk

why should GEJ bomb maiduguri ?? is it the people of miaduguri that are doing the bombing ?

u see where your sense is

Boko haram is supported by the people that work for GEJ. this people are close to him

this what I HAVE BEEN SAYING ON THE FORUM. haba

why kill the innocent.

ODI is different, it was the indigenes that were fight unlike Boko

moreover. u were talking of ACN and aregebsola and that is why i said stop posting rubbish here because there is no comparison between ACN and PDP

ugbo:
True, he can reject recommendations, but appointments to political offices are not as straightforward as you try to make it look. What you are saying would be possible in an autocratic system. In an inclusive system such as democracy, political parties have a strong hold on their members, as these are their primary constituencies. Politicians cannot operate without their party influence, they operate lobbyists to get their supporters, and financier's people into positions. This is why you see certain appointments and you wonder "why". In every democracy you find this sort things. What we need is a system to hold these public office holders  accountable, a preventive system rather than reactive. Most of, if not all the ministers are very capable of delivering; but their attitude to business and intent, are usually fraudulent, they come with a culture to enrich themselves, and that is what results in failure. This is what needs checking and this where Okonjo comes in. Yes, let GEJ try a different system; since someone such as Okonjo will never ever be allowed to become president, except they go through the corrupt furnace of our political system, therefore I welcome her premiership, let us see what she can do as an outsider; it is a different system, lets see if it will work. It will great if GEJ can abdicate his all his responsibility to Okonjo.(this is just my wishful thinking)

alj_harem:
TAAAA!!!! stop that rubbish u are writing

since when has PDP been in power ? 1999 nothing to show for it

since when ahas GEJ been in power febuary 2010,.,.,.,. going to 2 years

now

when did ACN get to power ?

when did aregbesola get to power ? 2 months ago

so what charity are u talking about. ? or is fashola and ACN governor not know WORLD WIDE for his achievemnt in lagos already without finsihing his tenure.

now where is the comparison. a beg shut up if u do not know what to say

jason123:
Point B.
My question is, why did he appoint people he does not trust?
Nigerians voted for him not those ministers.
To me, he should have appointed people with the quality of iweala. The more iwealas, the better.

jason123:
Beaf, don't you think its belittling? He could have used his body language to communicate this instead of saying it publicly. Assuming you are part of the working class n your boss tells you to obey a guy that is in your level in the same department. I am sure you'll not like that. The same is applicable here.

semidaraeb:
What is the big deal about telling them to corporate with her or get sacked. It happens everywhere, am sure even in our offices (private sector) we are told or odered to work with some certain group of people or answer to someone we feel we are better than or not comfortable reporting to  and when such directives are handed down don't we comply as it is also a form of checks and balances  so if she has come to TRULLY help get the economy running why are they complaining. If not for the fact that they are bloody politicians and corrupt minded people why not resign if they are not comfortable with such a directive afterall they can't say it because they cannot make ends meet or no other job for them since they were probably into one form of business or another. Please enough of sentiments. Let give her a chance to see if she can do the JOB she was appointed to do. And if she does not perform then she too can as well be asked to go. Nigeria is bigger than one person or a group of people. QED

seanet02:
That is the problem with you azz lickers of GEJ, always talking rubbish

Exponental:
"Afterall, where was she wen we were campaigning"- what a statement.
One of JEG's weaknesses- "expression". He shld expressed himself as a leader, carrying others along.

Gbawe:
I totally agree with you. If you notice , I went on to explain that GEJ did not select this team on merit hence the reason he can talk to them as he has done. My point is that real leaders would not instigate rancour and discontent amongst same level appointees , selected on merit,  because that would be counter-productive since every appointee is a core expert or the best for the portfolio they gained who will not take too kindly to a colleague (officially not superior to them or their boss) lording it over them.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday appointed Justice Dahiru Musdapher as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, in line with the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.

Musdapher, who replaces Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, who retires today (Sunday), would be inaugurated by Jonathan on Monday, August 29, 2011, in the State House.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Musdapher’s appointment would be confirmed by the Senate.

Until then, he will hold the position of CJN in acting capacity.

The statement read, “The president has in the exercise of the powers conferred on him has approved the appointment of Justice Dahiru Musdapher, CFR, as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria pending Senate confirmation.

“The NJC had recommended the appointment of Musdapher, as CJN to replace the outgoing CJN who is due to retire from the Bench on Sunday, 28th August 2011 ,when he attains the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.”

Gbawe:
My friend , the truth objective adults can admit is that Jonathan ,or at least the Defense Minister, NSA and IGP , should have stepped down over this continuous and repeated security failings. It is up to us to decide whether we want Nigeria to make progress and become the sort of Country where leaders are held to account and replaced if incompetent. Ordinary phone hacking scandal cost the UK's top Policeman , an otherwise outstanding officer, his job recently. Go and find out.

In Nigeria, it is the other way round .Incompetent leaders not only keep their job but ordinary Nigerians dare not question their actions. Like someone said earlier , Jonathan is our servant not our boss . Him and others should be answerable to us.

We have a country where nothing works . Jonathan has not acquited himself well at all over the Boko haram issue. He has not inspired confidence, unity and a sense of purpose in Nigerians whether via speech or action.

THE Christian Association of Nigeria’s (CAN) President, Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor, has described the Friday’s bombing as a deliberate effort to frustrate the government of President Jonathan.

Regretting that the country is gradually sliding into full-blown terrorism, Oritsejafor, said the Security agencies must bring the culprits to book.

The CAN president, who made this known in a telephone interview with The Guardian, was in Eket, at the weekend, to celebrate with prelate emeritus, His Eminence Sunday Mbang, who turned 75.

He described the incident as an unfortunate act that has given the nation a very bad image.

His words “some people told us that they would make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan. This is a deliberate effort to frustrate the government of Jonathan.

The government, security agencies must bring them to book; without that people will continue to loose”

Oritsejafor called on Nigerians to take the situation to God in prayers maintaining that God can stop the embarrassing situation.

His words: ”Christains should pray.  I believe that if man cannot stop man, God can stop man.”

SPURRED by Friday’s bombing of the United Nations House in Abuja, the fight against the extremist agenda of the Boko Haram has now taken an international dimension, as top officials of the United Nations and the US government are ready to square up with the activities of the group.

Authoritative sources disclosed that while the United Nations has sent some of its senior officials to join the Federal Government in working out a framework to deal with the perpetrators of attack, the US government has also offered investigative assistance to track down leaders of the Islamic sect.

Besides, it was learnt, over the weekend, that the Commander of the US Africa Command, AFRICOM, in an earlier visit to Nigeria this month had offered to provide help to the Nigerian Military and government on how to deal with the menace of the extremist group, especially when the Americans suspected that Boko Haram was trying to link up with the Al Quaeda terrorist group.

A report by the Associated Press in the US quoted AFRICOM’s Commander, General Carter Ham, as saying that Boko Haram might be seeking to mount joint attacks in Nigeria with other African militants.

Ham reportedly stated then that US intelligence sources indicated that Boko Haram had made contact with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in North Africa, and with the Shabab in Somalia.

Also speaking over the weekend, a senior UN diplomat, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who was visibly upset about Friday’s attack, said the perpetrators of the attack on the UN House, “by attacking the UN, are the ones internationalising the issue and thus requiring international cooperation in response to their awful acts.”

According to Gambari, who is the United Nations and African Union Joint Special Representative to Darfur and an Under Secretary-General, the deployment by the UN Secretary-General Ban of his deputy and other top UN officials to Nigeria “is a welcome move,“ adding that “I am sure the Nigerian government will cooperate with the international community.”

Said he, ‘international terrorism requires international response; we need a common response.” Gambari, a former Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, added: “I welcome our Government’s prompt response and President Jonathan’s statement.”

While speaking with the AP last week, Ham said the US believes Boko Haram may be splitting with one section focused on domestic issues and another on violent international extremism.

In his words: “What is most worrying at present is, at least in my view, a clearly stated intent by Boko Haram and by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb to coordinate and synchronize their efforts, I’m not so sure they’re able to do that just yet, but it’s clear to me they have the desire and intent to do that.”

Ham also disclosed that a “loose” partnership also would include al-Shabab. A suspected al-Shabab bomb maker now facing terrorism charges in New York was, at one point, detained by secret police in Nigeria.

According to the AP report, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, also known as AQIM, has issued statements in support of Boko Haram, and both use similar logos.

Besides, “a recent video indicates that two men, a Briton and an Italian, who were kidnapped in northwestern Nigeria, are being held by AQIM.”

Similarly, the AP reported that US General Ham met last week with “Nigerian military and security officials during his first visit to the country as head of the U.S. Africa Command, known as Africom.” At that meeting, Ham reportedly promised that the U.S. would be willing to share intelligence and offer training to Nigerian security forces.

“We have a lot of folks who are pretty good about taking multiple pieces of apparently disparate information and putting that in a way that can be useful to operational commanders in a very short period of time,” the general reportedly said.

anizzle:
I seriously wish and pray they do.
Finally there will be a perfect and unstoppable reason to break up this lie called Nigeria

Gbawe:
This has nothing to do with Saharareporters. This is satire written by Pius Adesanmi . It is rather piognantly funny to everyone unbiased enough to can see the truthfulness the article highlights via use of satire. Is the illustration of how other leaders handle crisis in a laudable and hands-on manner "fake news" also? Culprits of the UK riots are in jail barely a week after they caused chaos !!!! That is how leadership , not compromised to the extent of impotence, behaves.

wesley80:
A Satirical piece mocking who? The President, the Nation or the over 20 dead innocents that had plans for their weekend? Only blood sucking vipers would revel in the sadness and misery of humans just because it gives them an opportunity to say 'I told you so'. Bloody ediots!

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said he still stands by the recognition accorded the National Transitional Council (NTC) in Libya saying that Nigeria’s foreign policy would not be dictated to her by the government, party or opinion of another country.


Jonathan, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, dismissed the reported position of a South African, saying it was the view of an individual member of a party and not the position of the South African government.


Briefing State House Correspondents on the performance of his principal in the first 100 days in office, Abati said the promise not to let Nigerians down was vigorously being pursued and implemented in a way that foreign ratings have put Nigeria on the path of overtaking South Africa to be the continent’s number one investment destination.


Abati defended Nigeria’s position on Libya, pointing out that the government had already advised the Transitional Council to ensure that the interests of the people were protected, and for them to quickly institute multi-party democracy, ensure reconciliation and reconstruction of the country.


“So the position of an ANC member does not really amount to the position of the South African government. However, let this be clear, Nigeria has every right as a sovereign entity to take a position on any international issue. It is not a question of one country holding a higher moral ground than the other.  Each country has its own foreign policy ideals and objectives and it is completely beside the point to say that one country is criticising the position held by the other. Nigeria's position is very clear and is consistent and it is principled,” he said.


Other areas of achievement he listed in the 100 days of the administration include increasing foreign reserve by 10 per cent to $34 billion, achieving consistent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth from 6.7 in May to 6.9 in July, and returning to its former position of second highest exporter of crude oil in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).


Within the period, he said adroit fiscal policy implementation had forced down inflation rate from 10.2 per cent in June to 9.4 per cent in July and that the administration had moved to establish 37 Skills Acquisition Centres nationwide.


He said government had also started the process of establishing a World Trade and International Business Centre in Lagos as well as launched campaign against importation of sub-standard goods.


Abati said the government had deepened the rule of law by obeying all court judgments and respected the doctrine of separation of powers by paying judgment debts.


He also said the commitment to electoral reforms led to 85 per cent reduction in election petitions as the April elections had been adjudged the freest and fairest since 1999 when democratic rule was returned to the country. Other areas he listed were in the power sector reforms, reforms in the transport sector with trains resuming operations in five of the six geo-political zones of the country. He also mentioned the launching of two satellites which would cheapen broadband access, institution of the sovereign wealth fund, electricity bulk trading company, increasing women representation in his cabinet to 35 per cent as promised and improving access to justice.


He further mentioned improvement in security, increment in the allowances of corps members, increase in minimum wage, assembling a strong team to change the fortunes of the country and good quality planning frame work for development, among others.

27 Aug 2011

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

    Seeks further dialogue with states over SWF


From Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Akwa

The Federal Government has said it will henceforth concentrate on the execution of selected projects across the country, for which available resources could handle within life span of the present administration.


The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who made the position of the government known, while speaking at the event marking the twenty years anniversary of the creation of Anambra state in Awka yesterday, also disclosed that there would be further dialogue with state governors on the disagreement over the issue of Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).


The minister regretted that over the years, on-going projects and those regarded  as abandoned had reached 20,000 with no visible means of completing them within a short time frame.


She said what the Federal Government intended to do was to trade-off some of these projects and to execute those considered high priority to the development needs of the various zones of the country.


“We have close to about 20,000 abandoned projects across the country waiting to be tackled and yet people are still seeking for contracts to be awarded.  Government’s  thinking is that we are going to make trade-offs, which means that we are going to make priority and select a few projects  in various regions that are of critical importance to the country’s development and try to finish them before the end of life of the administration,” she said.


She further said the federal government would be ready to partner with states like Anambra which has a well-thought-out development plan in order to improve the lives of the people.


Okonjo-Iweala also stated that as part of new policy direction, the government would effect a change in the structure of the budget and the way it was being managed, so as to avoid unsustainable debts.


According to the minister, the country has allowed  its debt profile to climb back  almost to its position before the last debt exist to hit $37bn due to fiscal indiscipline.


Speaking on what should be the country’s response to the appalling debt situation, Okonjo-Iweala said the federal government needs to learn from the debt crisis confronting the United States of America and some top economies in Europe.


On the recent disagreement between federal government and states over the sharing of national income and the decision to centrally operate the SWF, the minister called for restraint on the part of the governors, adding that  dialogue is imperativeto iron-out grey areas so as to move the country forward.


Also speaking at the event, the Vice President of the World Bank for Africa region, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili called for a paradigm shift in the way and manner things are done in Anambra state, especially the poor value system which she said had gradually eaten deep into the fabric of the state.


She advised politicians from the state to shun the negative, divisive and poisonous politics that had set the hand of the clock backwards as far as development was concerned.


The former Minister of Education also advised leaders and the government to do something urgently to restore the image of the state in the area of education and good moral up-bringing.


While commending the state government for some giant strides made to develop the state and improve the lot of the people, Ezekwesili suggested that special attention should be given to develop the markets and the capital city to a standard that would make them compete favourably with their likes elsewhere in the world.


While making his remarks at the occasion, the former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and chairman of the event, Chief Emeka Anyaoku urged the people  to embrace the state government’s economic vision tagged ‘ANIDS’ as means of pushing forward development in the state.


Anyaoku said the state would in the next three months join the league of oil-producing states as Orient Petroleum Company was poised to begin oil exploration and production exercise within the Anambra River Basin.
The governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi said in his welcome address that the state deserves to celebrate the event if only to mark the beginning of a new era as one people with determination to succeed.

BIGER BOY:
guys am not trying to be a conspiracy theorist
but lets analyse this:
I was just watching france24 and I heard the
french and italians hav already started grabing d
lucrative oil deals even b4 d war is over,
1 since d wests misguided foray into playing
globalpolice and war on teror, it has had serious
runns on their economy and r at the risk of
soverign bankrupcy
2 all this while china and to some lesser degree
other BRIC nations hav been making inroads
into africa at the expense of the west.
3 now d west cant compete on on level playing
grounds with d new boys on d block, conflicts
start eruptin in energy rich and strategic nations
in ME & A. this nations incedentally hapen to
hav huge chinese investments(sudan, lybia,
nigeria etc). with conflicts come new
opportunities; nato bombs (Military contracts)
humanitarian crisis(did u know there r now
patents on relief foods! d economics of that I
leave 4 u tofind out) and lastly spliting a country
or upsetting its existin govt(western
corporations can now come in and sign new
contracts, while d chinese and russians r
sideliened)
4 I laughed wen I heard on france 24 d rebels
warning d chinese dat they cant guarantee their
investment, while france were guaranteed as
early as april of 35% of oil contracts as early as
april this yr.
now we can seat back and watch this drama
unfolled while africa is re colonized and we
woble in our silly north/south muslim/xtian
arguments, or do somethin b4 its 2 late.
but as I said it might just be my thoughts but;
"drill deep to any recent conflict and u will find
oil at the centre.of it"

Demdem:
May the soul of the departed rest in perfect peace. AMEN.
However, it was wrong for him to have done the bolded.

Omo_Tier1:
Another reckless comment and unrewarding move by GEJ's government. What is happening in Libya is nothing but a show of shame by the UK, France, Italy and the US and it best serves Nigeria to play her international politics neutral-neutral.

If Nigeria wants her voice to be heard, then the AU is the right avenue for doing so.

SA used same AU strategy to block the would be looting of Libya's $1.5bn by the UK and France following the US motion at the UN.

SA knows what is happening in Libya and why giving the rebels a recognition at this stage is very pre-mature! Or is GEJ not aware that by backing a rebel group, every atrocity committed by the rebels is by extrnsion hinged on those that are backing them? What exact information does GEJ have about the rebels and thier plans? How different are they from Quaddafi? As we are currently witnessing, there appears not to be much - I might be wrong but ask the UN nation human right watch dog what they think about the rebels.

United Nations has agreed to release funds $ 1.5 billion to recover the Libyan assets and the action on taking for humanitarian needs in Libya. Fights are going in Tripoli but moreover places in control of rebels, Gun fights erupted in the city of Abu Salim district and some of few remaining Goddaffi’s area only is conrolled by Libyan forces in the capital.

hollandis:
Nigeria should just be a neutral country and stop making annoying statement