₦airaland Forum

The Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko’s Campaign Organisation [MCO] yesterday reacted over the heavy downpour that disrupted the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] and the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] political rallies in Akure and Ikare-Akoko simultaneously, saying it a sign that God has rejected the two parties from ruling the state.

MCO in a statement issued by its Director of Publicity and Media Relations, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi said no amount of mega rallies organized by PDP Candidate, Chief Olusola Oke and ACN flagbearer, Rotimi Akeredolu [SAN] would stop Mimiko’ from winning the poll.

Mimiko’s campaign team regretted that it was sad that parties which are laying claim to the State could not even mobilise their members but had to rent and import people from neighbouring States in order to create a semblance of being popular.

It however thanked the Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo for reiterating the Federal Government’s resolve to ensure a free and fair election in the State.

The statement reads, “Even nature rejects the PDP and ACN as the heavens opened up and disrupted their rallies at Akure and Ikare simultaneously, a pointer to the fact that God does not side with the haughty.

“It is sad that the PDP could be preaching for the continuation of the Olusegun Agagu era in Ondo State when people were given surface-dressed roads that didn’t outlast one raining season; the era of drinking of water only on the screens of television sets or the era of phantom projects like the Adagbakuja New Town for which N6.7 billion was siphoned with nothing to show for it among others. Never again will those terrible days be our portion in Ondo State again.

“Or is it the unprovoked open abuse and castigation of the person of Dr Olusegun Mimiko by leaders of the ACN, people who profess to be leaders just because Mimiko refused to be part of their plans to hold the South West to a phantom integration when in reality it was a plan to pocket the State and annex its treasure into their empire.

“But we can assure them that the people of Ondo State will shock them with their vote and we are grateful that Mr Vice President today at the rally of his party re-assured Nigerians that there will be level playing ground in Ondo State. That the election would be on the basis of one man, one vote and in a secured environment too; this is what we require”

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/10/03/heavy-downpour-it-sign-god-rejected-pdp-acn-ruling-ondo-state-mimiko/

The Federal Government has commenced a major shake-up in the aviation sector, culminating in the restructuring of some key parastatals, redeployment of personnel and outright retirement of some directors.

The long-expected shake-up, which was exclusively reported by THISDAY last month, was to have commenced a fortnight ago but it was delayed due to the controversy thrown up by aviation unions’ protests against Arik Air.

The shake-up affects top management staff in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

Sources close to the Ministry of Aviation told THISDAY yesterday that the ministry at the weekend had released letters to top directors and general managers either redeployed to sister agencies, or elevated to higher positions, as well as those being brought into the parasatals from outside. Letters for those either retired or sacked are expected to be released Tuesday.

In FAAN, the agencies directorates were increased from seven to nine, with seven of the directors to head the directorates being brought in as new recruits.

One of the managers, who was lucky to survive the shake-up, Hajiya Salamatu Eluwa, was promoted from her former position as General Manager, Training, to Director of Administration.

The Public Affairs Department of FAAN has also been split into two with the former General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Akin Olukunle, now heading the Protocol and Passages Unit, while one Yakubu Datti will head the newly created Communications Unit.

Also affected in the shake-up is the former Director of Engineering of FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, who is being redeployed to head the newly created Directorate of Projects.

THISDAY gathered that the Directorate of Legal Services, which had been phased out some years back, is being re-created with a new director appointed to head it.

At the NCAA, the Director of Airworthiness Standards, Patrick Ekunwe, as well as his counterpart in Aerodrome Standards, Haruna – both on contract – have been asked to go. Haruna will be replaced by Joyce Nkemakolam, while Mrs. Fatima Garbati is the new Director of Air Transport Regulation.

Some directors from NAMA, whose names could not be confirmed, were said to have also been redeployed to AIB, while others have been redeployed to NCAT.

President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the restructuring last month at a meeting with the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Odua, and the heads of the five parastatals.

Odua had led the heads of the aviation parastatals, comprising NCAA Director General, Harold Demuren; NAMA Managing Director, Nnamdi Udoh; Managing Director of FAAN, George Uriesi; NCAT Rector, Capt. Chinyere Kalu; and Director General of NIMET, Anthony Anuforo, to the meeting with the president which held after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The meeting decided to replace all substantive general managers in all the agencies who have occupied such positions for eight years, officials with tainted records, and those said to have been ‘smuggled’ into the system by former ministers and power brokers.

In addition, top officials of the agencies who might have by omission or commission caused their organisations avoidable losses through contracts or ‘loose’ concessions were slated for removal.

The Federal Government, in October last year, carried out a major shake-up in the aviation industry, with the removal of the chief executive officers of the three major aviation agencies in the country.

Those affected by the shake-up were Ibrahim Auyo (NAMA), Richard Aisuebeogun (FAAN) and Adebayo Araba, Rector/Chief Executive of NCAT.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/fg-restructures-aviation-agencies/126599/

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said that troubled Northern Nigeria needs peace and unity if it is to compete as an entity in the larger Nigerian federation, an objective for which it must seek the support of all its stakeholders.

The ACF expressed the concern in a communiqué following an emergency Joint meeting of its National Executive Council and the Board of Trustees in Abuja on Tuesday. The communiqué was signed by the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani. He said the meeting was called to receive and consider the Road Map for Peace, Unity and Development of Northern Nigeria, which was the product of resolutions of the Arewa Conference on Peace and Unity held last December.

“While the Forum supports any political strategies that would put the North in a position which will enable it negotiate with other sections of the country from a position of strength and secure some favourable terms, it was the considered view of the Forum that it is too early to start full-fledged political activities for 2015,” the communiqué said. “This is because such early start is capable of detracting from the task of governance at our collective peril.”

Concerning the controversy on the oil finds among states of Anambra, Enugu and Kogi, the meeting heard a briefing from a delegation from Kogi State.

“The Forum then asked the people of the states concerned not to be agitated unduly, precisely because both the offices of the Surveyor General and the National Boundaries Commission are there to resolve boundary disputes,” the communiqué said.

“And that the Forum would stand by people of Kogi state for what is legally due and payable to them.”

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/north-needs-peace-survive-says-acf

The sect’s leader said the protests would go on despite police warnings.

Defying a police order on marches against the recent anti-Islam video that sparked violent protests in many Islamic countries, members of the Nigerian Shiite sect, and the Islamic Mission of Nigeria, IMN, say they have concluded plans to hold a major but “peaceful protest,” very reliable Shiite sources told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday in Zaria and Abuja.

The peaceful protest, according to the sources, is expected to start by 9 a.m. on Thursday from the Gellesuwa residence of the Sect leader, who doubles as the president of the Islamic Mission of Nigeria, IMN, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

He will also lead the protest himself across all the streets of Zaria, which is the national headquarters of the sect.

Mr. El-Zakzaky, commenting Wednesday on the website of the IMN, said “our message to the stooges of America is that our protest shall surely take place. So, the blood thirsty stooges who serve American interest shall have the chance to kill. We are ready to die for the Prophet, and we want you to show that you are enemies of Prophet (SAWA) by killing his lovers.

“Our common slogan is Labbayka Rasulallah. This is the symbol of unity, so all Muslims shall express their concern with us. One is either with the Prophet or with the enemies,” he said.

He urged Muslims not to watch the movie which “production and dissemination … was another strategy to institutionalize and commemorate September 11 as a global phenomenon, and portray Islam as a religion of terrorists,” adding that the “clip mocks, insults, ridicules and portrays the Prophet, his wives, Muslims and religion of Islam negatively.”

It is unclear if other cities of the country will also host the protest, but Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mbah, demurred from commenting, merely saying the matter has a peculiar security implication.

Mr. Mbah, however, suggested there was no permit for the march, insisting that the Inspector General of Police has “ordered a red alert against any violent protest.”

Mr. El-Zakzaky took time, in his web commentary, to berate the Jonathan administration which it describes as “an American stooge,” saying popular expectations in the country that Nigerian Muslims would have demonstrated last Friday were baseless because there was nothing mandatory about a Friday protest as was the case in many other Islamic countries.

“People thought that we would also come out to protest on Friday, but we did not. This is because we are in country led by American stooges who promotes its agenda, and even work for it” Mr. Zakzaky said.

In the wake of the violent protests against the film in many countries, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, placed all police formations in the country on red alert, and directed all his zonal assistants [AIGs] and commands to ensure a “24-hour water-tight security in and around all embassies and foreign missions in Nigeria as well as other vulnerable targets.”

Mr. Abubakar also charged the police Intelligence; the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Special Protection Unit (SPU) to ensure that their personnel are “strategically deployed to prevent and nib all potential crisis in the bud.”

PREMIUM TIMES sources insisted on Wednesday afternoon that the sect planned to continue its protest.

“We have concluded plans to hold the protest that will be led by Mallam Zakzaky along all major roads with thousands of Muslims including women and children to join other Muslim brothers all over the world to condemn in strong terms the recent anti-Islam film produced in America,” the source said.

This appears to challenge the IGP message that had warned “potential trouble makers to stay off the streets of Nigeria” because the nation’s “security agencies will bring to bear the full weight of the law on all law breakers.”

The Nigerian Shiite community, believed to have as many as 10 million members, according to Wikipedia, was a very vocal opposition during the military era which led it to frequent serious and bruising confrontations with the government of late General Sani Abacha who orchestrated a massive crackdown on its membership.

Its leader, Mr. El-Zakzaky, a 59-year old cleric and father of six, resides in Zaria where he was educated at the Ahmadu Bello University and earned a first class degree in economics in 1979.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/100757-nigeria-shiite-muslims-to-protest-anti-islam-video.html

Just 24 hours after they resumed sitting, the House of Representatives have moved for the upward review of their quarterly allowance by N7m.

Currently, the Lawmakers enjoy a whooping sum of 27m naira as their quarterly allowance, but they have moved against the current pay yesterday when they unanimously agreed that their quarterly allowance should rise reasonably to 35m naira, agitating that an additional 7m naira was necessary.

Our correspondent had reported that the lawmakers were at loggerhead with each other, while trying to resolve the issue of money yesterday, even as the speaker worked tirelessly to keep them focused and united; urging them not to allow the issue of money to take over deliberation

Even with the speaker’s intervention, some agitating members have accused the leadership of the House of financial mismanagement regarding the different allowances it had received on behalf of the lawmakers.
They had demanded to know how the 5m naira set aside for each member of the house for medical and insurance was utilized.

After the closed-door session held yesterday, it was disclosed that the focal point of their discussion was on transparency and accountability. This was disclosed to our correspondent by a member of the House.

“There are 360 members; we have funds budgeted for medical allowances and insurance.

“If you put aside some funds for these sub-heads, which is about N5m, we have to know how this money is being utilized.”

A source had revealed to our reporter that, Tambuwal took his time to explain to his colleagues that the leadership of the House was transparent and will give account regarding all funds which have passed through his desk. He had explained further that the lawmakers have not gotten their medical and insurance allowance yet because of insufficient funds.

In his effort to convince his colleagues, he had called for the accounts book, just for them to look through collectively. It was reported that prior to their resumption, some members of the House had sent out text messages calling on an emergency meeting at Transcorp Hilton on Thursday (Today) in order to formalize plans on how to begin what they have termed “operation clean up the House”

It was later revealed that in its bid to stop the meeting, an executive session was called on Wednesday. This was an attempt by the leadership of the House to disabuse the minds of the members from taking such action.
The text reads, “This is inviting all first term members of the House of Representatives to an urgent meeting and launching of the Project “OPERATION CLEAN.” Date; 20 Sept. 2012. Venue-Transcorp Hilton, Abuja Time: 11am prompt.”

When Daily Post spoke with some of the members on phone regarding the outcome of the meeting, they had explained that the members were satisfied with the explanation given so far by the leader of the House, and have decided to suspend the proposed meeting.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/20/reps-demand-n7m-upward-review-allowance/

More than 200 evicted inhabitants of the Kuramo Beach have poured into the streets, saying they have nowhere to go after they were abruptly ordered out the shore where they had resided and engaged in petty trading.

The ejected inhabitants said they started residing on the shoreline in 1999 when Nigeria hosted the All African Games, an event which opened the opportunity for them to sell various commodities to visiting foreigners at a profit. They maintained that they had since then continued to inhabit the place and done their petty businesses for survival and residence.

Thirteen years after, however, a fatal surge of the Atlantic Ocean brought their abode and business-for-survival center to the limelight and led to their ejection.

The commercial residents of the Kuramo beach, which lies side-by-side with the Bar beach, were ejected from the coastline by the Lagos State Government following the recent fatal surge of the Atlantic Ocean which claimed more than 16 lives after a high magnitude tidal wave of the Bar Beach flowed over its borderline, forcing down its boundary with the Kuramo Beach and destroying several properties. The ejected inhabitants however said they are now pouring into the streets, with nowhere to go.

Abbey Edwards was the secretary to the Security Unit watching over the Kuramo beach before the unexpected ocean surge which led to their unexpected ejection. Abbey, a graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, said it was a huge shock to him that the State Government visited the beach after the surge and sent the inhabitants packing when he had expected the State Government to sympathize with them and offered help to the affected inhabitants.

Abbey said the ejected inhabitants consisted of people who had no homes, those out of school without jobs, those without parents and who cannot afford school fees, displaced people and youths struggling for survival with petty businesses. He stressed that they had organized themselves and made the place both a commercial place and a home.

"I'm so shocked that the State Government can do this to us. The Local Government Chairman knows us very well and he often comes here to relate with us as a father", he said.

The former Secretary to the Security unit on the beach said they had at various times done jobs for the police by rounding up criminals at the beach and handing them over to the police.

"They also used us to mobilize people for votes in the last elections
and we did greatly for them even at serious risks to our lives. We
played a very significant role in the entire Eti-Osa area to make sure they won election but it is now that they can call us nuisance",
complained Abbey.

Another evictee suggested that the multi-million dollars Eko Atlantic project on the ocean front was to complement the business interest of the Eko Hotel.

"They just feel that our being here is not befitting enough for the
rich people they are bringing to their Eko Atlantic City under
construction and they had been looking for excuses to send us out of this place before the ocean surge. They want to sand-fill the place
where we have been removed so that they can protect their business at the Eko Hotel", he alleged.

Recounting their stay at the Kuramo beach, Abbey lamented that the dearth of jobs in the city had caused him and others ejected alongside to resort to petty commercial activities on the coastline.

"Now that they have thrown us out of this place without caring about our livelihood after removing us from here, what do they expect us to do next?"

Abbey said some of their achievements on the shoreline, apart from
assisting the police in their jobs was making the Kuramo beach the
only beach in West Africa that is open 24 hours a day.

He suggested that such haphazard ejection of people by the State without bothering about what happens to those affected people by such a policy is responsible for the increase in crime in the society.

"I know many guys here that, it is through my bringing them together and re-orientating them that had transformed them a little. Now that they have been scattered, they'll return to the streets and you can guess that is how the State breeds criminals by itself",  Abbey suggested.

"I have helped most of them discover their talents and some of them
are upcoming music stars but their dreams have now been shattered by the personal interest of the state administrators who only want to please the few rich people. I tell you, some of them may become worse than Boko Haram", he declared, frowning.

He lamented that some of the young men, whose names he gave as Olorunwa Babatunde, Joseph Oke and Benson, died while trying to rescue some of the children who were being swept away by the ocean surge.

Another evictee from Kuramo Beach declined to talk, maintaining a bold face while smoking sticks of weeds one after the other, staring absent-mindedly into the sky.  Suddenly, he stood up, shook his head and walked away.

Activities however continue at the Bar beach with the regular Aladura people visiting to pray and others relaxing and having fun.

The Chief Security Officer of the Kuramo Beach activities arena
alleged that the Eko Atlantic Project was hugely responsible for the
fatality of the recent surge.

"The surge is a familiar thing to us here every year. It is nothing
new to us because we know about this time every year the water level rises, but this particular one that killed people was too high and everybody knows it is as a result of the Eko Atlantic project", he alleged.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/atlantic-ocean-surge-evictees-kuramo-beach-pour-streets

The federal government will soon hold a workshop to fashion out programmes adaptable to the youth to encourage them in agric entrepreneurship.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media and strategy to the Agriculture minister, Dr Olukayode Oyeleye said though Lagos and Ekiti states have started youth in agric programmes, the federal government’s programme will be expanded to cover the whole country.

He said the unemployment rate among the youth will largely be reduced through the programme tagged “Youth Empowerment through Agriculture Programme (YEAP).”

“Expanding rural dwellers’ livelihood options (leading to improved income) would reduce the urge to migrate to urban areas. But it is a fact that there are vulnerable youths, constrained by human capital, financial, natural, social or physical capital. They need to be targeted. They need to be helped to think of creation of micro-enterprises in the agricultural sector.

“They need mentoring. They need assurances of support from government. They also need to be allowed to participate in decision making in matters concerning them. This way, we will build a crop of youth agribusiness investors that will ensure the food security of Nigeria and keep the agricultural economy perpetually vibrant and sustainable,” the statement read in part.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/177182-fg-to-encourage-young-agric-entrepreneurs

A teenager has been arrested as the apparent culprit in an arson fire at the home of former Comptroller General of Nigerian Prisons, Jarma Katagun. The guest house in Azare was set ablaze today at around 2 PM Nigerian time.

The incident occurred as the family of Mr. Jarma was preparing to return his body to Azare for burial.
 
Mr. Jarma died from gunshot wounds received in an assassination attempt yesterday in Azare. The suspects caught up with him as he was leaving the mosque. He received bullet wounds in the leg and stomach and died at about 11 PM last night at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University teaching hospital in Bauchi.
 
Family members said the former top ranking prison official died of internal bleeding before he could be taken to the National Hospital in Abuja for further treatment. Two security guards of the retired prison official also lost their lives in yesterday’s attack.
 
Sources told SaharaReporters that the teenager doused Mr. Jarma's guest house in Azare with petrol and lit it with dynamite. Parts of the building were saved by residents and the teenager was captured and handed over to the police.
 
His name has not yet been released by authorities nor is the motive known.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/bauchi-guest-house-slain-ex-prison-official-set-fire-teenager

There’s big fear in the motion picture industry, globally known as Nollywood  over the  health of one of its leading actresses, Ngozi Nwosu as report says  she needs to be flown out of the country urgently for a kidney transplant in the shores of India.

Dailypost learnt that already, some of her colleagues such as Amaka Igwe, Biodun Aleja and Emma Oguguah, are raising funds and preparing to fly her out of Nigeria for the surgery.

According Biodun Aleja, Nwosu is currently bedridden and  they are making efforts to make sure she returns to the klieg lights.

He said: “We gave her some money yesterday to support the tests she is undergoing, and we will very likely take her to India very soon; that is why we are trying to raise funds for her. By the time she is done with the tests, we will be sure of the exact ailment, but I think it is kidney leakage or so,” he said.

A save-our-soul message circulating among Ngozi’s colleagues reads; “Please let’s not turn this to plenty talk, if you can help financially, please help by paying what you can to GTB account number0052851673 Ngozi. M. Nwosu. Thanks.”

The Imo State born entertainer who has dazzled in hit flicks such as Greatest Weapon, Thunderbolt, Fake Doctor, A Cry For Help, Dark Secret, Dr Thomas among others was earlier rumoured to have being suffering from leukemia and  HIV, but she denied it all. In an interview, she claimed that: “I lost weight because I wasn’t comfortable with it any longer. I lost weight because, as an actress,I didn’t want to be playing a particular role. I no longer wanted the motherly role I was always acting. I wanted to see myself from another angle.

“I lost weight, especially for my health. I feel good. I feel better. When I wear the kind of clothes I love, I do not feel stupid. I love wearing hugging clothes. Now I wear them and I see I’m okay in them. So, it is now a crime to lose weight. Just because I lost weight, I now have HIV/AIDS and leukemia?” He asked.


http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/19/nollywood-actress-ngozi-nwosu-flown-india-kidney-transplant/

nice one, FG should see to overhauling the sport ministry in order to bring back naija lost glories in sport.

Microsoft Corp warned a newly discovered bug in its Internet Explorer web browser makes PCs vulnerable to attack by hackers and urged customers to download a piece of security software to mitigate the risk of infection.
The security flaw affects hundreds of millions of Internet Explorer browser users. Microsoft said attackers can exploit the bug to infect the PC of somebody who visits a malicious website and then take control of the victim's computer.

The software maker advised customers on its website late on Monday to install the security software as an interim measure, buying it time to fix the bug and release a new, more secure version of Internet Explorer. The company did not say how long that will take, but several security researchers said they expect the update within a week, Reuters reports.
The free security tool, which is known as the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit, or EMET, is available through an advisory on Microsoft's website: blogs.technet.com/b/msrc/

The EMET software must be downloaded, installed and then manually configured to protect computers from the newly discovered threat, according to the posting from Microsoft. The company also advised customers to adjust several Windows security settings to thwart potential attackers, but cautioned that doing so might impact the PC's usability.
Some security experts said it would be too cumbersome for many PC users to implement the measures suggested by Microsoft. Instead they advised Windows users to temporarily switch from Internet Explorer to rival browsers such as Google Inc's Chrome, Mozilla's Firefox or Opera Software ASA's Opera.

"For consumers it might be easier to simply click on Chrome," said Dave Marcus, director of advanced research and threat intelligence with Intel Corp's McAfee security division.
Marc Maiffret, chief technology officer of the security firm BeyondTrust, said it may not be feasible for some businesses to install Microsoft's EMET tool on their PCs.

He said the security software has in some cases proven to be incompatible with existing programs already running on networks.
Tod Beardsley, an engineering manager with the security firm Rapid7, said that at first blush it appeared that the EMET may not be particularly effective in thwarting potential attacks.
Microsoft officials declined to comment on the skepticism that those security experts expressed about the effectiveness of the EMET software.

Eric Romang, a researcher in Luxembourg, discovered the flaw in Internet Explorer on Friday, when his PC was infected by a piece of malicious software known as Poison Ivy that hackers use to steal data or take remote control of PCs.
When he analyzed the infection, he learned that Poison Ivy had gotten on to his system by exploiting a previously unknown bug, or "zero-day" vulnerability, in Internet Explorer.

"Any time you see a zero-day like this, it is concerning," said Liam O Murchu, a research manager with anti-virus software maker Symantec Corp. "There are no patches available. It is very difficult for people to protect themselves."
Zero-day vulnerabilities are rare, mostly because they are hard to identify - requiring highly skilled software engineers or hackers with lots of time to scrutinize code for holes that can be exploited to launch attacks. Security experts only disclosed discovery of eight major zero-day vulnerabilities in all of 2011, according to Symantec.

Symantec and other major anti-virus software makers have already updated their products to protect customers against the newly discovered bug in Internet Explorer. Yet, O Murchu said that may not be sufficient to ward off adversaries.
"The danger with these types of attacks is that they will mutate and the attackers will find a way to evade the defenses we have in place," he said.

Internet Explorer was the world's second-most widely used browser last month, with about 33 percent market share, according to StatCounter. It was close behind Chrome, which had 34 percent of the market.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/microsoft-warns-on-internet-explorer-security-flaw/125300/

Elder statesman and a former Governor of Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa on Monday told the House of Representatives that the reason(s) to impeach President Goodluck was not convincing and justifiable enough.

Musa said this recently in Lagos while challenging the lawmaker’s continuous threats to impeach the President when it resumes sitting.

Condemning the move, Musa said that the impeachment move based on low implementation of budget cannot be justified, noting that low budget implementation is not the same as non-implementation of budget. He stressed further that the issue of body language as a reason that cannot even be defined.

He said, “There should be fundamental reasons for the president to be impeached. “The reasons the lawmakers are giving, low-level of budget implementation and body language of the President, are unacceptable. “The lawmakers did not say non-implementation of the budget. The body language reason cannot be defined.”

Musa warned that the lawmaker’s move should not be seen as a means to compelling Jonathan to allocate more resources to them; hence, they should search diligently for other reasons why Jonathan must be impeached.

He also cautioned that the national award should not be meant for people who do not deserve to be honored, but for  outstanding and credible people in the country. Reiterating his support for the National Assembly to amend the law on National honour, he said, “I support the plan by the National Assembly to amend the law from honouring distinguished Nigerians, to honoring only those who have done exceptional things outside the capability of vast majority of other Nigerians.”

After two months break, the house will reconvene today (Tuesday)

Meanwhile, a member of the house, Dr. Samuel Adejare, had said that there would be no going back in the move to impeach Mr. President, unless something urgently is done to meet up with the expectation of the house on budget implementation.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/18/you-reason-impeach-president-jonathan-balarabe-musa-tells-reps/

The Federal Government has recruited 6,000 health workers to boost the country’s health sector, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Muhammad has said.

Muhammad disclosed this at the opening of the two-day orientation exercise for midwives under the SURE-P MCH programme for the North-West zone yesterday in Kaduna.

He said nurses and midwives have been recruited and deployed to 500 primary health care centers.

The executive director of the agency added that 2,000 basic midwives under the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), 1,000 community health workers and 3,000 village health workers would be involved in the exercise.

According to him, 500 selected health facilities would be upgraded, staffed with skilled personnel and equipped to curb further loss of lives during pregnancy and delivery.

“Our goal in the SURE-P MCH is to make pregnancy safer and let mothers and babies live under the MDGs 4 and 5,” he said.

He said the lives of about 1.2 million expectant women or nine million people would be saved under the scheme by 2015.

He added that pregnant women would collect at least N5,000 for a minimum of four ante-natal visits to facilities plus child care services as incentives. He also urged state governments and local government councils to implement the MSS MoU for the benefit of their people.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/177041-fg-recruits-6000-health-workers-

Former President, Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo has averred that Nigeria would definitely win the ‘war’ currently going on between the country and the Jama’atu Ahlus Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram.

The retired military general affirmed that the demise of the late Libyan dictator, Colonel Muammar Ghaddafi  made  the trained militants relocate into the country.

Obasanjo told British Broadcasting Corporation radio and television yesterday that the incessant bombing by the Islamist sect is unconnected with bad and failed leadership.

He said: “Now, talking to people who know the history of Nigeria, you will know that you cannot impose any particular religion on Nigeria as a whole. These people cannot impose Shari’a in the North where most of our people are Muslims let alone in Nigeria,” he said.

“Now, they should know that, and someone should make them know that. So I see a bit of naivety in that objective that they have given to themselves and it is an unattainable objective.”

Obasanjo added that: “If you are prepared to kill more people, if like somebody says “we will fight to the last drop of our blood”, now, one does not know whose blood would be the last to drop. How many would they kill, how many of them will survive at the end of the day?

“I believe you should go with…you should carry carrot and stick, at the end of the day there would be area where carrot would work and there would be area where stick would work. And I believed the authorities are now adopting that.



“Those who are on the other side, Boko Haram, and those who believe in their cause or waiting for their cause, know that it is not the war that they can win.”

“There is an internal element, which you have mentioned—inadequate education in the North, or in fact inadequate education generally in the country, inadequate employment opportunities in the country, all that are part of what, if you like, is remote cause of Boko Haram as far as I am concerned.

“But then there are also external elements. Now, the fallout from Libya, which of course as a result what happened in Libya, those that have been trained in Libya in the time of Gaddafi from other countries who are neighbors of Libya, when Gaddafi fell they moved out. They moved out with their training, their weapons and they started to wreak havoc on the communities in which they have moved out to. And that is the situation in northern Mali,” he added.

He disclosed that those who planned the fall of the Libyan leader, as well as the whole of Africa are already paying a price for that.

The farmer cum politician said. “We know that there will be a price to pay in the way that it all went in Libya. At the end of the day all of us in Africa, and all those who masterminded the way it happened will have to pay a price, and we are now paying the price “Now it was too early to shout ‘uhuru’ with the Arab Spring, and some of us said that. That look, what will be the final outcome of this? Let us wait and see. When you have violence and violent overthrow of regimes you do not know exactly what the final outcome will be.”

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/14/obasanjo-dares-boko-haram-you-can-never-win-war/

Media should be more objective on reportage and not mislead or misguide the public while doing their job and their freedom also must be guarantee. It is a vice versa thing

https://nigerian-girls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/thumb2.aspx4.jpeg

Popular Nollywood actress, Ngozi Nwosu is critically ill and urgently needs to be flown abroad for treatment to be on her feet again.

Ngozi Nwosu
The actress, who is currently bedridden in her Lagos home is said to have been diagnosed with a kidney related ailment, and there are plans to fly her out of the country for surgery.
P.M.NEWS gathered that her colleagues, led by ace film director, Biodun Aleja, are currently trying to raise the necessary funds needed for Ngozi’s treatment, and a save-our-soul (SOS) message will soon be sent to members of the public who will be required to send their donations to a bank account that will be opened for the actress’ medical bill.  When our reporter called Aleja on phone this morning, he confirmed that the actress is currently bedridden following a kidney related ailment and that there are efforts by him and some colleagues of the actress to make sure she gets back on her feet.
“We gave her some money yesterday to offset the tests she is doing, and we will very likely take her to India very soon. That is why we are trying to raise funds for her. By the time she is done with the tests, we will be sure of the exact ailment, but I think it is kidney leakage or so,” Aleja told P.M.NEWS this morning.
Our reporter was also privy to a text message being sent by another actor, Emma Oguguah to colleagues of the ailing actress soliciting for help. The message reads; “Please let’s not turn this to plenty talk, if you can help financially, please help by paying what you can to GTB account number 0052851673 Ngozi. M. Nwosu. Thanks.”
Ngozi Nwosu, who is one of the lead characters in Amaka Igwe’s Fuji House of Commotion comedy series, has really lost weight and her skin looks pale.
Earlier in the year when Ngozi’s shrunken skin was noticed by her fans, it was rumoured that she was suffering from leukaemia. She was also rumoured to have contracted HIV, but she denied it all.
In an interview, she claimed that ”I lost weight because I wasn’t comfortable with it any longer. I lost weight because, as an actress, I didn’t want to be playing a particular role. I no longer wanted the motherly role I was always acting. I wanted to see myself from another angle.
“I lost weight, especially for my health. I feel good. I feel better. When I wear the kind of clothes I love, I don’t feel stupid. I love wearing hugging clothes. Now I wear them and I see I’m okay in them. So, it is now a crime to lose weight? Just because I lost weight, I now have HIV/AIDS and leukaemia?”
The Imo State-born role interpreter has starred in a number of Nollywood flicks and soaps, some of which include Greatest Weapon, Thunderbolt, Fake Doctor, A Cry For Help, Dark Secret, Dr. Thomas, True Or False, Daddy Must Obey, Fork Up, Vineyard, Harbinger, Ikuku, Night and Day, No Shaking, Open Secret, Private Sin, Slave Master and Living In Bondage.
She also played the role of Madam V Boot in the now rested Ripples TV serial. The most popular among them is Fuji House of Commotion, where she played the role of a mischievous polygamous wife.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/09/14/actress-ngozi-nwosu-critically-sick/

President Goodluck Jona-than said Nigeria will emerge from its current security and energy challenges as stronger, united and economically stable nation.
Speaking at farewell audience with outgoing Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Stefan Scholz, President Jonathan said his administration is committed to evolving and implementing policies and measures to tackle the current insecurity and power shortage in the country.

Jonathan said some of the po-sitive effects of the policies, measures and actions being implemented by the Federal Government will become inc-reasingly apparent in coming months.

The president commended the outgoing ambassador for his efforts to improve bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Austria, noting that trade and economic relations between both countries had improved significantly during his tenure. “You have done wonderfully well and we are quite pleased with what you have achieved here,” he told Dr. Scholz.

Dr. Scholz described his tenure in Nigeria as a great “honour, privilege and opportunity” to get new perspectives on development.

He praised the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation and pledged that Austria will continue to give Nigeria all possible support and assistance towards its successfully implementation.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/176788-insecurity-nigeria-will-emerge-stronger-says-jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday reiterated his commitment towards transforming Nigeria, even as he assured that his administration would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the country achieves the needed stability in all sectors of the economy.

Jonathan, in a farewell message to the outgoing Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Stefan Scholz, said policies that will transform the nation’s economy and security are constantly being put in place just to satisfy Nigerians and himself.

Jonathan also stressed on his commitment towards resolving the lingering Nigerian power problems, assuring that in few months from now, Nigerians would begin to see the dividends of his democratic effort.

Jonathan who commended the outgoing ambassador for his role towards a beneficial bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Australia said “You have done wonderfully well and we are quite pleased with what you have achieved here”.

 

The Ambassador had responded  that his stay in Nigeria was full of “honour, privilege and opportunity”

He commended Jonathan for his transformation agenda, and pledged the continuous support of the Australian government towards its implementation.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/14/jonathan-reassures-nigerians-power-security/

Leading opposition parties in the country have issued a ‘yellow card’ to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to get ready to vacate power in 2015.

This warning came from top political parties such as:  the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

According to the parties, the 13 years of the ruling party in power was a total flop.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said Nigerians are continuously living in hardship as the PDP government remains mum about their plights.

He said: “The PDP-led government has failed to provide the basic needs of the majority of Nigerians and they will continue to lose not only members but the confidence of Nigerians who cannot be taken for a ride forever.

“In fact, if a referendum is conducted today, Nigerians would be very glad to kick out the PDP and pave the way for a new government that will take care of their basic needs and move the country forward”.

Also voicing his conviction, spokesman of CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, stated that the PDP will be oust completely come 2015.

He said, “With a citizenry flustered by ineptitude of the PDP-bred leadership, it is clear that there would be pressure on the party’s membership to find political solace elsewhere. It is very likely for the trend to continue unabated because of PDP’s fading glory.

“Although the PDP national chairman’s admission of the loss of members might have come from a Freudian slip, it is definitely an unenviable task to admit the party’s waning glory,” he noted.

On his part, the ANPP National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneukwu, stated that with the way the ruling party was losing its members to the opposition, it was clear that Nigerians were no longer ready to go with a fading party in the next election.

Eneukwu said, “The PDP will receive shocks in the 2015 election if there is any semblance of free and fair election. Nigerians are prepared to dump the PDP that has been disappointing them in the last 13 years and seek solace in other parties.

“What is happening in PDP today is a sign of loss of confidence by Nigerians and the party has already seen the defeat that is awaiting it in 2015″.

“Nigerians have learnt their lessons and they have come to see that PDP has nothing to offer them. That is why they are leaving PDP in droves,” he noted.

It would be recalled that the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Bamanga Tukur, on Monday lamented his party’s inability to win elections. He said his party was fast losing its members to other opposition  parties.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/14/opposition-parties-warn-pdp-get-ready-leave-power-2015/

@poster, u must be dino melaye's cousin

Channels TVEmmanuel Uduaghanfiscal comission in NigeriaGodswill AkpabioNiger Delta developmentNigerian governorsRevenue sharing in Nigeria

The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) have been asked to design fresh strategies for addressing problems associated with the impact of oil exploration.

Delta state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, explained that his administration had already taken the initiative by using oil revenue to develop other sectors of the state’s economy.

He also renewed the demand for 50% oil revenue derivation for oil producing states which he said will go a long way in helping the communities affected by oil spills.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/09/13/niger-delta-governors-clamours-for-higher-revenue-allocation/

espite being criticized by the opposition parties on the poor implementation of resources available for him, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has praised his boss, saying he had been able to transform some sectors within his 15 months of his administration.

He particularly stated that Jonathan’s administration had focused on the rehabilitation of Nigerian worn out roads, and stepped up effort in the areas of power supply. He also said that the electoral reforms promised by the Bayelsan born President was close to a total realization.

Okupe, who disclosed this to newsmen during a media chat at the weekend in Abuja, said the government has awarded contract for the rehabilitation of Onitsha road, Lagos-Ibadan expressway and Benin expressway, adding that they were expected to be completed at the deadline fixed for the completion.

On the power sector, the President’s aide said, power supply in the country has improved within one and half years of President Jonathan’s led government.

According to him, “Jonathan has rehabilitated eight out of the 10 abandoned Independent Power Projects (IPP) that he inherited to 90 percent, and the remaining two are up to 80 percent
completion”.

He assured that Nigerians would for the first time enjoy a stable power supply by the end of this year, stressing that the government is working towards meeting the target of an additional 1000 megawatts to the already attained 4400 megawatts which has contributed to the present improvement recorded.

Okupe stated that the power supply which was  less than 2,300 before the inception of Jonathan’s administration has witnessed a tremendous improvement and now stands at 4,400 megawatts.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/09/10/jonathan-done-well-power-road-electoral-reform-sectors-okupe/

Activities of the various NGOs should be monitored and put on check

One Naija united for life......

Ogbeni Dino, see your life outside, pple already know what you are made of, ur hidden intentions and underground agenda..... Na wa oooo

ACN Govt is also corrupt oooo

Huuuunh.......... Naija n corruption everywhere ooooo, I tire abeg

Former Plateau State Governor Solomon Lar insists that Maj.-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) acted in ignorance overthrowing the Shehu Shagari administration on December 31, 1983.

Lar and other governors later faced military tribunals which tried and jailed them for corruption.
However, the  defunct National Party of Nigeria governor   has  forgiven Buhari, hoping  that the Congress for Progressive Change candidate for the 2011 presidential election  had learnt that political crisis should be resolved politically and not through military coup.
He spoke with journalists on Tuesday night in Abuja after attending a crusade organised  by the Deeper Life Bible Church where the General Superintendent of DLBC, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, advocated that dialogue remained the best solution to the current challenges facing the nation.
Lar said, “I have forgiven Buhari. He did  it in ignorance. I know that he has realised what he did and that is why he is participating actively in politics.
“I am very happy with him that he is participating in politics and he has discovered that it is better to solve any political problem by the way the politician do.
“We were put in the prison in 1984 by  the Buhari and (Tunde) Idiagbon regime under the pretext that some of us ‘chop money’, but I never chop a penny. In spite of that, we were  left there. But the military was just trying to make some excuses to interfere with the political administration, something that they don’t have business with.
“But I am glad that the current crop of military don’t have that kind of ambition and I hope they will concentrate squarely on their own training or profession.”
Lar backed Kumuyi who had stated that Nigeria would not disintegrate.
Kumuyi has called on the Federal Government to priotise youth development in order to develop the country.
Kumuyi stated this in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the ongoing three- day nationwide youth success camp.
According to the cleric, Nigeria needs to invest more in its youths because they are precious assets to the nation.
He noted that the church had done its best to ensure the success of the youths.
He said the church was out to help the youths discover and develop their God-given talents and potential.

http://news.naij.com/7749.html

Haba! Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, this is not good at all. This is another level of corruption, tax payers money meant for state infrastructure and development, this is highly unethical and uncivil . In fact u have done worse than pdp, even at the state level.

Ojuyoboooo should go and sit down, he can never match Baba Awo irrespective of any achievement

Mtchewwww, indifference.......

President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday warned government contractors to improve on the quality of their work or risk being blacklisted.

The president, represented by Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onelomemen, at the 21st Assembly of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria(COREN), in Abuja, expressed worry over the quality of work being done by contractors and the high cost of projects in the country, which he said is the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Jonathan lamented the high incidence of failed projects, especially poorly constructed roads and urged the contractors to sit up.

He assured the council that the Federal Government would work with COREN to bring down the cost of construction while maintaining high standards, adding: “We will continue to encourage agencies of accountability to insist that the right thing be done in the nation’s interest.”

He said: “No nation can develop its infrastructure by relying wholly on the technical capacity of other nations.

“Related to the challenges posed by unqualified individuals posing as professionals is the high cost of implementing projects in Nigeria. The cost of construction in Nigeria is believed to be the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

“This is a serious challenge to us all.  I am therefore pleased that this critical factor, which has continued to draw us backward, is on your agenda to be addressed at this conference.

“But beyond the issue of cost is the disturbing trend of failed projects. It has been sadly observed that no sooner had a road project been completed than it begins to fail. This trend must be immediately checked and I charge COREN to strengthen its machinery to monitor ongoing road projects nationwide. The government will not hesitate to blacklist contractors who carry out shoddy jobs.”

According to the president, Nigerians must get value for money in engineering projects.

He, therefore, advised COREN to urgently prioritise the issue of building indigenous capacity in engineering to meet the challenges of developing Nigeria.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jonathan-laments-high-cost-of-projects/124118/