₦airaland Forum

lollynil:
@LagosNiv thanks for the clarification
Bt i will like to state that if my interview could be replayed today you would see that we where asked just 4qstns.
1. Where we were going
2. What we do for a living
3. What are we going to do over dre
4. If we had any kids
Maybe he didnt hear us well as he said he had issues with his earpiece and then tried the speaker in front of him but still didnt work n we spoke thru the barrier.

Its true applicants can say rubbish or figget when asked qstns bt this three things asked above wre answered straight on.

I also know that its not only the applicants dat can be stressed during this process. Its a two way thing.

I dont know if dre is anytin on my form dat could av raised red flags but i assure you that there wasnt anything dubious in the things stated. We filled our forms ourselves n av never and will never ever hire a tout to fill my form for me.


We wer nt asked wat our plans was, our pay, if we had a relative dre or our travel history

I wish i cld replay the interview to u all bt unfortunately not.

We went to the uk last quarter of 2015 so it cant definately be fake visa stamps. We travel every year on vacation as couple.

So i guess it just wasnt our day.

I also had gone thru des threads b4 i applied.

That was rather unfortunate. For me, I'd rather advice you reapply.
Many people has been bounced same way and their story was eventually positive just like some successful excerpts on these pages.
cheers.

[b][/b]

LagosNIV:
I can't know for sure what happened during the interview because I wasn't there - and I would caution you all to read some of these 'transcripts' with some reservations because things don't always happen the way the applicants remember them.

I am not saying that anyone lied about their transcript, or lied during an interview, but I can see in many of the applicants that it is a stressful process for them and they say crazy, nonsensical things during the interviews. I sometimes recognize them as people I interviewed based on their transcripts... and their recollection of the interview is very different from mine.

The truth is, 214(b) is a very broad section of the law, and there are many unspoken aspects of the interview. Maybe the officer saw fake stamps or visas in the passport. Maybe the applicant could not speak coherently about their work or travel plans. Maybe the plans just didn't make sense and the applicant was unable to explain them. All of these things could contribute to 214(b).

The point here is that you should rely on 'visa agents' or 'visa touts' because many qualified applicants show up with a story that doesn't match, because they paid some random guy in the parking lot to fill out their application, and they have a slew of new fraudulent documents in their passport that just got thrown is as part of some package.

And yes, I sabi de pidign small small.

lol on the last word .... Thank you @LagosNiv for the clearifications. I do hope that @Lollynil could copy.

chloe7:
you sure say Lagosniv go understand everything whey you just write so? But really I will appreciate if he can just give an hint as to what could be the reason for her refusal as much as I know he wouldn't want to

lol.... i was just wondering if @Lagosniv could demystify the aforementioned by @omoBendel24.

Senator Ben Bruce has American citizenship.

Senator Ben Bruce likely travels on his Blue American passport.

Senator Ben Bruce does not know what ordinary Nigerians, who fly with their Green passport, pass through in the hands of immigration officials.

Until Ben Bruce favours his Green passport over the Blue one, be not like Bruce.

I just want to make common sense, seriously...

Good one there LadyG.
Now u see its not for 'special ones' but for all that other one as discussed was damn expensive me sef no fit near am as a matter of fact.. I'm glad you got it @ last. Safe trip.

LadyGuinivere:
Chairmans and chairwomens. Ndi nwem na ndi m nwe. Good people. Great Nation. I throway salud o!
I dobale to the whole house for the prayers and good works.The prayers worked today. The people that unilaterally reached out to me and to those that lent a helping hand when I reached out. Una 7 much abi 7up!
It feels good to know I have people that will take bullets for me
So I went to Unity Ademola Adetokunbo. The CMO abi what what there is totally professional. No skoin skoin in his head at all. He started processing the stuff immedately.
But my people say that you do not stand at a spot to watch the masquerade. Na e me and my friend jejely go Stanbic. They asked us to sit. Does a man sit when his house is on fire? Mba nu. Na so the standing attract one fine black lady o. She asked if somebody had attended to us and we told her in a gentle voice that our travell date was today and we needed bdc and had prebooked .She took our details and gave to the Manager (God bless his father for not using protection ) Next thing my friend received a call to come and collect. We filled the forms and ran to fund the account. Meanwhile in all this waka, our bags and baggages de follow us round VI.
So we were debited at 210.1 and we will start heading to the airport soon.
Woow! Stories that touch!

more pix

Olajumoke Orisaguna is a bread hawker who accidentally walks into a high-end photoshoot

– TY Bello, the award-winning musician and photographer, was in a photo shoot with Tinie Tempah

– Then Jumoke walks into the photo shoot, hawking her way into stardom

You all probably have heard of the amazing and almost incredible story of one Olajumoke Orisaguna, the Agege bread hawker who is on her way to super stardom. Her story resembled your typical Cinderella rags to riches fairy tale.

Here is the story. The award-winning musician, song writer and photographer TY Bello was in a photo shoot with the international music star Tinie Tempah on a street in Lagos when Jumoke ‘hawked’ into the set. She was hawking her a Agege bread when she was spotted.

For one who never misses an opportunity to tell a story, TY Bello weaved the bread seller-pop star narrative that has set Jumoke on the path to greatness




Here are ten lessons we can all learn from the bread seller turned super model narrative.

1. The race is not to the swift:

Even that timeless Christian scripture told us that ”the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong”. The rags to glory story of Olajumoke Ajaguna has confirmed the holy maxim. We all know the struggle to grace the cover of fashion magazines by aspiring models.

We all know how wannabe models would give an arm to strut the runway. But here was Jumoke the bread hawker just going about her normal business and fortune finds her. Sometimes, we just have to live everyday as it comes and just do our thing and hope for luck to break.

2. Be focused on your game:

On that fateful day when TY Bello was shooting for Tinie Tempah on a Lagos street, Jumoke, the bread hawker was hawking as usual. For her, it was just another day. Come rain or sunshine, she must hawk not just for survival but as a routine. She was focused on her game. See how it has paid off.

3. Be prepared for the opportunity and when it comes grab it:

When Jumoke appeared for the photo shoot of her Thisday Style cover, she did not fret. She appeared ready for it. Even TY Bello said that Jumoke was a natural, it was as if she has been doing photo shoot all her life. You see she was prepared when the opportunity found her.

4. Never be afraid to take risk:

Jumoke left her village in Ire, Osun state, south-west Nigeria to sell bread in Lagos. She travelled all the way. She could have stayed back in the village and moan about her condition. But she left for Lagos hoping to eke out a living hawking. Instead doors of opportunity are opening for her in the modeling world.

5. Do not despise your little beginnings:

Do not be ashamed to do anything honest to make a living. Hawking bread is not the most glamorous of jobs. Yet, Jumoke hawked bread. You may say she had no choice but to hawk. She could have also be lazying around the place as many young people are doing today.

6. There is always someone waiting to lift you up:

There is always a God sent. In Jumoke’s case, it is the super star singer and photographer, TY Bello that has come to snatch her from the jaws of poverty. Like Christians pray, ask God to send your divine helper when you need them the most.

7. Work hard someone is always watching:

Continue to do your thing. Someone is watching, someone is waiting. Someone needs your skill. TY Bello was impressed at how Jumoke balanced the bread perfectly on her head. Horn your skill and be the best in what you do!

8. Follow your instinct:

Jumoke could have taken another street. She could have missed TY Bello photo shoot with Tinie Tempah on that fateful day. She must have probably followed her instinct now she is on her way to success

9. Dreams do come true:

Yes, dreams do come true. Like all human beings, Jumoke must have nursed the ambition of being successful in life. Now she will live her dream with many doors opening at the same time.

10. Finally, Lagos is a land of opportunities:

Jumoke’s story has taught us that in Lagos anything can happen. Lagos is a land of opportunities. Dreams can be made and dreams can disappear like a candle in the wind.

With focus, hard work, dedication and luck, one can achieve one’s heart desires.

We wish Jumoke Orisaguna all the best. And thank you TY Bello for making her live the Lagos dream!


https://www.naij.com/722659-10-lessons-can-learn-agege-bread-hawker-turned-model-photos.html?utm_campaign=traqli&utm_source=traqli&utm_medium=traqli&source=traqli

Wow! chloe.

congrats. so happy for you.

chloe7:
My Transcript goes thus, really I had already given up, my appointment was for 10am I got to the embassy 9am I went on the queue for checks and all then I entered the hall, I did my fingerprint scan etc and fell on the Queue to see the v.o all along I was just praying that this time around should be an exception.
V.O : good morning (with smiles)
Me: good morning with serious smiles too
V.o: where are you going to in America
Me: Atlanta Georgia
V.o: what places do you intend visiting there
Me: Zoo atlanta, Georgia Aquarium, World of coca cola and other places
V.o: Do you know anyone there
Me: No I don't know anyone there.
V.o : Since you don't know anyone there why did you choose there
Me: I used to watch this reality t.v show big rich atlanta (she cuts in and says yeah I watch it too)
V.o: the last time you came, you said you were travelling with your fiancée where is he and why is he not here
Me: yes I did, we are married now and he has a visa so no need for him to be here although he dropped me off.
V.o: so who else has a visa in your family
Me: my elder sister has but I didn't include her in my travel plans because i'm uncertain of when she'll be travelling
V.o: okay your visa has been approved, pick up on Thursday and she passed me the white form with the collection information
Me: Thank you have a nice day.
Really that was it and that was all, the person before me was refused so I was really scared already, Lool but God did it, cheers everyone.

chloe7:
Thank you so much Ladyg my friend, so guys I finally got my visa approved today and I thank God for everything, justwise tsetsefly iRyan adigunomomama and everyone that has been with me in this my quest for a visa, I finally got it this morning at the Lagos Consulate

WOW!!

PinkSunset:
Good evening everyone. This is my first time commenting on This thread or any thread on Nairaland for that matter. However, I've been a silent reader.
My family (husband, me and our 3 shidrens ) Went for our visa interview yesterday. I only started following this thread after I had submitted our DS-160 forms (which took me 5 days to fill by the way). Trust me, every advice I read here was helpful. I even had some 'silent questions' which you people managed to answer and quell my fears.
Ok, let me get straight to the interview transcript.
HUBBY : Good morning.
VO : Good morning, Passports please
Hubby passed him the passports.
VO : Perfect.
VO : Why do you want to travel to the U.S.?
HUBBY : My family deserves a vacation. They have never been anywhere so I want to take them to the U.S for Easter vacation.
VO : Where in the U.S?
HUBBY : Los Angeles
VO : Why Los Angeles?
HUBBY : Well, because it's a beautiful place to be and there's a lot to see.
VO : Yes, it's beautiful. How long do you intend to stay?
ME : 14 days.
HUBBY : We plan to visit Orlando Florida as well because we would love to take our kids to Disneyland
VO : (Nods) How do you plan to get to Orlando from Los Angeles?
(in my mind, I was like "Hoin? Which kain question be this Kwanu? Are we going to trek before?"
HUBBY : From the Los Angeles airport, we'll catch a flight to Orlando
(I 'high-fived' hubby in my mind)

Congrats to the families @Pinksunset... cheers

Justcul:
Vo ; good morning
me : morning
VO : German or English
me: English
VO: when did you arrive Germany?
me: responded
VO : you don't know the birthdates of your parents?
me : I was not told (I wasn't sure of their actual date of births, so I decided to indicate no on the ds160 form ) so I explained to him about cultural stuffs..
VO : tell me about your family situation.. any siblings?
me : told him
VO : what do you do in Germany?
me : Here for my master's degree
VO : you studied bla bla during your bachelor's?
me : yes... exactly
VO : what do you study at the moment?
me : responded
VO : and you work at bla bla..
me : yes
VO : how much do you earn?
me : as student, we're limited to 450 euros per month, but because I work with.... I earn about 600 euros on average
VO : how many hours do you work?
me : 8 hours per week
VO : where do you intend to go
me : New York
VO : you have anyone in the USA?
me : no
VO : but you said you have siblings?
me : told him where each of them live and what they do
VO : flip through my residence card and said, this card expires in bla bla..
me : exactly, that's when I am due to complete my master thesis..
VO : okay... kept tying for about 2 minutes and then... Your visa has been issued, you will pick it up in 3 days...
Na God win.... none of my documents were requested.. though I was properly armed.. about documents I took there may be posted later..
Thanks all

Same pattern of interview everywhere...no difference compared to Lag and Fct.......cheers bro.

Justcul:
I was not asked about my marital status.. even though I am single.. it's really not an issue.

9


Congrats bro.

ifeomadiniru:
Hi I will be going for a visiting interview very soon and I dont know how to go about it.....pls who can help me out with some questions. ..

Pls refer to page one and read through to this current page. You can also click the link in page one by reading from part one of this tread. You will find a lot of excerpts and information that will definitely help. Cheers.....

Good to be here for the season 2 clipse, here lies great testimonies than that of season 1 for us . .... cheers.

This is worth of Nigeria's budget for a whole fiscal year. she must pay for this!!!

New reports have emerged following the fraud charges against Nigeria’s former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. Officials say she was nabbed with £13 billion (N3.9 trillion) in a huge real estate transaction.

According to THE Sun UK, Diezani was apparently nabbed while she was looking at buying a massively expensive apartment at one Hyde park, with 13 billion pounds, an equivalent of over 3 trillion Naira.

Meanwhile, Diezani appeared before London’s Westminster Magistrate Court on Monday, October 5, at about 10 am over charges of corruption and money laundering.

Sam Piranty, a reporter with the BBC, confirmed her appearance via his twitter handle.

Initially there were doubts that the former petroleum minister will show up in court, however, the tweet by the reporter on ground cleared all doubts.

It is recalled that on Friday, October 2, Diezani was arrested alongside four other Nigerians by the International Corruption Unit (ICU) of the UK’s National Crimes Agency. She was later granted bail after been detained for several hours.

Meanwhile, fresh investigations by Sahara Reporters have revealed the way in which Diezani squandered funds belonging to the Nigerian people.


The reports details fraudulent transactions allegedly carried out by the embattled minister, it also goes on to name all her associates who aided in her supposed stealing from the nation’s coffers.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcvP8ukJuF0&feature=player_embedded

https://www.naij.com/582821-just-former-ex-minister-diezani-caught-hiding-n3-9-trillion-uk-reporter.html

Yesterday was a sad day for some employees of the Zenith Bank PLC who were served notices terminating their appointments and services.

According to Premium Times, yesterday, 7th of September marks a black day among the workers of the Zenith Bank PLC as about 1,200 workers have been relieved of their duties.
There are conflicting reports as regards the actual number of workers sacked but an initial report has it as 1,200 workers across the several branches of the bank. A reliable source reported that about 240 people, including eight General Managers and 40 Assistant General Managers, were affected.
This has been termed as a means of cutting down the current expenses of the bank as the top management officials were most targeted.
“One thing that is clear is that Zenith Bank is not under any threat,” a source who spoke with Premium Times reporter on condition of anonymity stated. “With the current crisis in the banking industry in the country, it is incumbent on any bank that wants to growth to bend backwards to re-strategize and restructure its operations to expand and grow.

“The number might not be as high as is being speculated. But, the decision is not by accident. It is a deliberate one, because the time is ripe for the bank to restructure the management and reposition its operations for greater efficiency and profitability both for shareholders and investors. The decision was inevitable that it had to happen.

“If one looks at Zenith Bank, it was becoming top heavy, with many of the managers earning so much that could have been enough to support the business growth plans. With the action now, there is no doubt that a lot of money would be saved for the bank.”
The source, however denied speculations about the mode of serving notification of sack on the affected staff, saying it was not true that they were informed through text messages.

“A formal meeting was held with the affected staff since Monday this week, where details of their disengagement benefits were discussed and agreement reached,” the source explained.

With the latest development, the bank joins the growing list of banks in the financial sector of the economy to embark on the restructuring of its staff as a strategy to repositioning for growth after Access bank that sacked 1,600 workers and Mainstreet Bank parting with about 400 employees.

http://jobemy.com/news-zenith-bank-sacks-1200-employees/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Jetheights+%28Jobemy+Nigeria%29

•Labour leaders decry civil servants’ attitude
•Fayose’s action crude’

Civil servants in Ekiti State yesterday rushed to offices to avoid being sanctioned for lateness.

Their action followed an unscheduled visit by Governor Ayo Fayose to the secretariat on Monday during which he apprehended over 30 workers for lateness.

The civil servants prostrated, knelt down, cried and begged the governor to be merciful, but he directed the Head of Service, Gbenga Faseluka, to begin disciplinary action against them.

The Nation monitored the resumption of workers at offices yesterday and found out that there was 100 per cent compliance with the 8am deadline.

Our correspondent visited the secretariat, the High Court, judiciary headquarters, House of Assembly and the old Governor’s Office.

At 8am, there was no worker at the Moremi bus stop, Fajuyi, where civil servants, especially women, usually waited for private vehicles, looking for a free ride, popularly called ‘lift’.

Before 8am, some of them were seen running to their offices to beat the resumption deadline. Some civil servants were conveyed to their offices by their husbands.

As the clock ticked towards the resumption time, the car park at the secretariat was filled with vehicles. The same thing happened at the High Court, Assembly complex and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Fayose’s surprise visit on Monday generated discussion in many parts of the state.

At one of the ministries, one of the workers was overheard telling his colleague in Yoruba language: “O je tete sare, ki Fayose ma da e dubule leni,” meaning: “You better hurry up so that you will not be made to prostrate before Fayose today.”

Being the first day of the month, civil servants in some MDAs organised prayers to mark the day, seeking God’s favour and mercy as they enter the ‘ember months’.

The Nation learnt that fear has gripped the workers caught by Fayose, as they are unsure of their fate. Arrangements are in top gear to set up a disciplinary panel to try them for breaching the civil service rules.

The organised labour has condemned what it called “the persistent lateness of some civil servants to work”.

A statement by the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) Secretary, Oladele Blessing, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Secretary, Olayemi Patrick and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretary, Comrade Joseph Adebayo, decried the attitude of public servants to work.

The unions said Monday’s incident was an affront to the image of the civil service and government’s good gesture of building a virile civil service.

They urged the governor to pardon the workers by giving them the last warning, saying they should justify their pay.

Fayose has declared his intention to set up a task force on internally- generated revenue (IGR).

He vowed to punish the officials caught diverting taxes into their pockets.

The governor spoke yesterday at a meeting with the directors of finance and revenue officers in the MDAs.

He enjoined them to block leakages and be innovative by increasing the internally-generated revenue in the next six months.

Fayose said a new tax order was in the offing, warning tax and levy assessors against undermining government’s efforts.

He warned private school owners and business operators to desist from cheating the government by refusing to pay their dues and levies, saying such business premises would be shut.

A human rights activist, Mr. Augustine Ojekudo, yesterday decried the punishment meted out to the civil servants.

Ojekudo, an ex-chairman, Human Rights Committee, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that the corporal punishment the governor meted out, especially by directing them to kneel down, was not necessary.

He noted that the action was not only crude, but condemnable.

DESPITE minor glitches, there is a ray of hope of boosting local refining of petroleum products with the four refineries showing recovery signs. In this report, AKINOLA AJIBADE takes a look at the conditions of the refineries before and after their reactivation, the factors that could have led to their sudden transformation and improved power supply.

The refineries

•Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC)
Installed capacity 125,000bpd Expected output 100bpd (80%)

•Port Harcourt Refining Company 1&2 (PHRC)
Installed capacity 210,000bpd Expected output 126 (60%)

•Kaduna Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC)
Installed capacity 110,000bpd Expected output 71,000bpd (70%)

An impressive turnaround or an interesting bounce-back may be fitting tags to describe the revolution at the nation’s four refineries. The four, put together, have recorded phenomenal improvement in their production capacities in recent times.

Though the Warri Refinery has been temporarily shut down on the orders of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for not producing enough petrol, the refineries have been showing remarkable levels of improvement.

From below 25 per cent production capacity in the last decade to the current 60 per cent production capacity, the refineries are showing signs of recovery.

The facilities went moribund, no thanks to years of neglect and mismanagement occasioned by lack of policy direction on the part of successive administrations. But, the good news today is that they are now functional, notwithstanding the few glitches.

Going by the NNPC data on refineries, the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC 2) is producing five million litres of petrol; the Warri Refining Petrochemical Company (WRPC) Limited is awaiting the completion of the rehabilitation on its Fluid Cracking Catalytic Unit (FCCU) to raise local production by 3.5 million litres.

The Kaduna Petrochemical Refining Company (KPRC) has resumed the production of automotive gas oil (AGO) otherwise known as diesel, and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), which can be used as both aviation fuel/Jet- A1 and household Kerosene, known in the technical parlance as (HHK).

The data has put the Crude Utilisation Unit (CDU) and capacity utilisation in the four refineries at 60.40 per cent.

Underscoring the utilisation capacity, the PHRC is set to ramp up its operation to about 60 per cent of its 210,000 barrels per day (name plate or initial capacity) and the WRPC will be hitting 80 per cent of its installed 125,000 barrels per day capacity. The development, according to the NNPC, is despite the fact that the Fluid Cracking Catalyic Units (FCCUs) have not been re-streamed.

The Corporation said: “The Port Harcourt and Warri refineries have been successfully re-streamed after a nine-month rehabilitation was carried out by its in-house engineers and technicians.”

Enough evidences abound that the four refineries, which were built with initial capacity of 445,000 barrels of crude oil per day, will soon return to name plate capacity after undergoing completion repairs in a couple of months.

The refineries cannot meet the daily consumption requirement of between 40 to 42 million litres of fuel per day yet but their production records had not only beaten the predictions of those who concluded that the plants would never run again in the light of the myriads of problems bedeviling them. Already, industry observers are singing a diffrent tune.

The magic wand

Like others in the past, the sudden recovery of the refineries has raised several questions in the industry. How did it happen? What was the formula used? How did the management revive the refineries within a short time? Were saboteurs actually frustrating the endless Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) that never revived the refineries? How did the Federal Government danced around the problem?

Successive administrations have sunk billions of the tax payers’ money into the TAM in the last two decades, but the refineries refused to work, forcing the Federal Government to rely on the importation of refined products to meet domestic demand. The importation brought about the involvement of members of the Major Oil Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) in the controversial money-guzzling subsidy regime.

In 2002, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, approached the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) with a Federal Government proposal to spend N251 billion (about one billion British pound sterling) to fix the four refineries. Scheduled for the TAM were the refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri in Kaduna, Rivers and Delta states.

Besides, the huge vote for the TAM, more than $10 billion was said to have been spent money in the last decade on routine maintenance.

Despite the TAM, the Federal Government continue to subsidise the importation of products to meet growing local needs.

The subsidy payments, being made to fuel importers, has not only grown overtime, but has eaten deep into the coffers of the government, whose resources has dwindled due the tumbling prices of crude oil at the international market.

It (subsidy payment) has risen to N1.9 trillion from N300 billion per annum. The scaring figure has not only caused frictions between the Federal Government and MOMAN members but pitted the importers against government.

The parties are sharply divided over the actual outstanding subsidy payments, a development that has attracted calls on the government to discontinue with the arrangement.

Of lately, the public and private sector’ operators have been trading blames on the actual cost of subsidising fuel imports into the country. The parties could not agree on the way forward.

Amid the lingering disagreement, the unexpected has happened. The refineries are gradually coming back to life. And ever since the refineries began production, not a few Nigerians, especially, stakeholders in the petroleum industry, have been expressing mixed feelings on the issue.

Some take the gradual return of the refineries to optimum capacity as a new dawn in the troubled industry. Others see it as a step in the right direction for the country that has over the years, relied on importation to meet domestic demands.

No longer business as usual

They all agreed that the refineries have been going through positive re-engineering processes, which will on the long-run, affect the downstream segment of the petroleum industry

NNPC’s Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, pinned the sudden revival of the refineries to the re-engineering activities put in place by the government.

He said the issue of re-engineering of the refineries was embedded in the reforms initiated by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to foster growth in the industry.

Kachikwu restated the Corporation’s commitment to carry out the reforms to the letter and boost domestic production.

Speaking at a forum in Lagos, the GMD said the refineries have been re-streamed to increase fuel production and further meet growing demands.

He, however, said that the refineries are yet to attain optimal capacity, despite efforts to re-stream them.

According to him, some worn-out components have been changed and the critical units that require intervention, have been fixed in clear demonstration of government’s commitment to make the refineries work optimally.

President of the local chapter of the International Association of Energy Economics (IAEA) in Nigeria, Prof Wunmi Iledare, agreed with Kachikwu’s views. He said the commitment of the government to local production accounted for the reactivation of the refineries.

Iledare believes a good leadership will stimulate the socio-economic development of the country, pointing out that things have started taking shape in the downstream segment of the oil and gas industry, especially the refineries immediately President Muhammad Buhari assumed office on May 29.

Leadership and vision, he noted, are inseparable ingredients in any economy and that the two must co-habit to promote growth.

He described as shocking that the refineries on which successive administrations spent fortunes without result, have all started working within three months under the new government.

His words: “Is the improvement in the production capacity of the refineries a fall out of maintenance activities carried out years ago? No. The growth that is being witnessed in the operation of the refineries is the result of re-engineering activities, embarked upon by the NNPC months ago. The refineries are not just working; they are working because the government took the right steps to fix the problems plaguing their operations.’’

Iledare, who is a Professor Emeritus at the Centre for Energy Studies, University of Louisiana, United States (U.S.), said the perception of the leader, especially in the oil and gas industry, cannot but play vital roles in achieving the desired results.

“The public perception of President Buhari’ s government is strong, and everybody is sitting up in order not to incur the wrath of the government”, the professor said.

Iledare noted that the government has embarked on total cleansing of the ‘Nigerian System’ and the result is evident in the operation of the refineries now.

He said the refineries are working because the right processes and methodologies were adopted to fix their problems, adding the refineries will return to optimal capacity with the sustenance of the ongoing efforts.

Also speaking, the Managing Director/Chairman, Mobil Nigeria Plc, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji, said the refineries are coming up amid assurances by the Federal Government to pay the subsidy arrears owed to oil marketers.

He welcomed the resuscitation of the refineries as timely in view of the perennial fuel shortage and the pressure on the government to embark on full deregulation of the petroleum industry.

The Mobil oil chief, however, cautioned Nigerians against expecting the refineries to resume full production capacity immediately.

He said the process of making the refineries to deliver 100 per cent output could not be that simple, because a lot of rehabilitation must be done to achieve such feat.

Also, the Chief Executive officer, Starways Energy Limited, Oliver Mordi, said there must be more to the sudden recovery of the refineries, noting that previous administrations had tried, without success, to revive them.

He suggested that a probe should be instituted by the government to unravel the reasons for the poor production output of the refineries in the past.

According to him, sources within the refineries, claimed local engineers and technicians were used to put the refineries in order.

Mordi said: “In times past, the NNPC has been engaging Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to carry out major repair of the refineries. The manufacturers, based in the developed economies such as Europe and the U.S. have strong pedigrees in the area of building and installing refineries.

“Yet, they were unable to fix our refineries. Recently, the manufacturers refused to come to Nigerian, on account of security challenges. As a result of this, the management of the refineries decided to use their workers to re-stream the refineries. ‘’ He said that from all indications, some saboteurs operated within the system to frustrate government efforts.

Recalling his relationship with the Kaduna refinery, from where he was lifting oil a couple of years back, Mordi said tanker owners contended with loading problems in the KRPC due to certain problems.

He said the refinery had battled with problems relating to loading and capacity, following allegations that workers have tampered with its operations.

Mordi, now an energy consultant, said the issue often culminated in long queue at the Kaduna refinery by marketers who patronised the facility for petroleum products.

He said marketers were forced to lobbying in such situations to get their quota, adding that the problem is not limited to KRPC.

Mordi said it was an open-secret that workers were being tipped before they attend to marketers, stressing that such sharp practices may have been shielded from the management.

He said: “In the course of transacting business with some of the refineries few years ago, I discovered that the corrupt tendencies of workers were high. Cases abound where money exchanged hands between some key employees of the refineries and companies that came to load fuel before they render certain services.

“Sources within the refineries said something was wrong with the human aspect of the refineries; that aspect might have changed in view of the successes recorded in recent times.”

Local oil production boosts power supply

Apart from the milestone recorded in the industry with the gradual return of the refineries to installed capacity, the country is also savouring steady electricity supply.

Regarded as an albatross that the government and Nigerians have been contending with, the power sector has recorded an improvement.

With electricity generation increased from 4,515 to 4,545 megawatts (MW) as announced by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the country may be set to enjoy uninterrupted supply.

The Nation discovered that the relative stability being witnessed in power supply could be traced to lack of distruption in the electricity value chain, including regular gas supply, reduced vandalism and upgrade of generation facilities by the new investors.

Residents of Agbara, Amukoko, Ojo, Sango-Ota, Ikotun, Igando, Olodi Apapa, Isolo, Ajegunle and Ikeja areas, all in Lagos and Ogun states, have being enjoying improved electricity supply.

Other areas are: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Akure, Benin, Niger, Port Harcourt and Markurdi. Residents in the listed communities now enjoy electricity for between four and five hours daily.

The situation, a marked departure from what obtained in the past, has brought succour to many Nigerians, especially business owners, who look forward to further steady electricity generation and supply.

Dr Sam Amadi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), said improvement in gas supply and relative stability in power supply across the country, was due to the anti-corruption disposition of the President.

He said Mr. President has since assuming office on May 29, instilled discipline that has put every public official on his/her toes,leaving everybody with no option, but to key into the new order.

Amadi noted that the President has not left anybody in doubt that he has zero tolerance for corruption.

According to him, investors in the power sector have been told to sit up or shape out, a development he said, was responsible for the supply of gas to the various thermal plants across the land.

“The bottom line is that there’s a gas supply improvement in the system and partly also because of the zero tolerance for corruption by the present government, people are now sitting up,’’ Amadi said.

Managing Director, Ikeja Electric (IE), Mr Abiodun Ajifowobaje, said the involvement of private investors in the management of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Plc. assets has boosted electricity generation.

According to him, the private managers have introduced measures to improve electricity generation and distribution.

He said Ikeja has moved from a little over 300MW of electricity to 500MW megawatts within a short time.

According to him, the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) have been coming up with an initiative known as ‘’ Embedded Generation’’ through which a particular area will be designated and given to willing investors, who they will negotiate with to build power plants and sell to people within the locality at a cometitive price, relatively higher than what consumers pay the distribution firm operating in their domain.

He said the initiative, when properly implemented, will boost electricity supply.

Spokesman for the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Godwin Ihemudia, attributed the improvement to the boost in power generation.

The Group Managing Director, Aiteo Power, Dr. Ramson Owen, also corroborated the position, saying the Buhari administration has recorded some feats in the power and petroleum sector.

He, however, said that the sustenance of the achievements should be of primary concern to Nigerians.

But the question begging for answers are: Can Nigeria sustain the progress recorded in the areas of improvement in output of refineries and power supply, taking into consideration the perennial gas supply problems?

A 28-year-old university graduate of Economics, Nonso Akubueze, has been arrested along with four other suspects by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for alleged drug trafficking.

It was learnt that Akubueze and the other suspects – Simon Omoluonye, Obidike Onodyer, Friday Onyeabor and Emma Ifoh – were apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with 11.5 kilogrammes of cocaine substances valued at N57m.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspects had smuggled the drug into the country from Brazil.

Akubueze, who was found with 1.1kg of cocaine hidden in his luggage, said he had left Nigeria for Brazil with the hope of getting a good job but his expectation was dashed on getting there.

He said, “I am a 2009 graduate of Economics but I have no job. I left Nigeria in search of job opportunities. My condition of living in Brazil was worse than when I was in Nigeria. It was my friend that gave me the bag containing the drug.”

Omeluonye , 28, said he was to be paid N1m for the mission, adding that he had intended to use the proceed to start a business and further his education.

Forty-year-old Onodyer, told NDLEA investigators that he was paid N200,000 for the 11 wraps of cocaine he ingested.

He said, “Drug trafficking was my last option to free myself from the harsh condition of living in Brazil. Unfortunately, I could only swallow 11 wraps so I was paid N200,000.”

The commander at the MMIA, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the seized drug comprised white and crack cocaine concealed in tins, among others.

He said, “Different methods were adopted in concealing the drug. One of the suspects, Omoluonye, was caught with both white and crack cocaine in tins weighing 7.8kg. Akubueze had 1.1kg by the side of his luggage while Onodyer ingested 11 wraps of cocaine weighing 0.5 grammes. Onyeabor was found with 74 wraps weighing 1.3kg and Ifoh was caught with 34 wraps weighing 0.7 grammes.

“Apart from Onyeabor, who hails from Enugu State, the four other suspects are from Anambra State.”

The Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, called on members of the public to shun drug trafficking and engage in legitimate business ventures.

http://www.punchng.com/news/graduate-four-others-nabbed-with-n57m-cocaine/

Lagos State Government has withdrew from the hosting of an African Nations Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and African champions Cote d’Ivoire slated for Sunday because of concerns over the Ebola scourge.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) agreed to stage the match after the Sierra Leoneans were banned from hosting international matches because of Ebola, africanFootball.com reports.

The NFF accordingly received a clearance from the ministry of health for the game to be played at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

“Lagos government is not comfortable for the match to be played in Lagos. The government doesn’t want to take risks. The officials argued that they have lost a lot of money and top personalities on account of the Ebola scourge,” africanFootball.com quoted a Lagos-based sports editor as saying on the matter.

There are now strong indications the match will now be played in Port Harcourt after the NFF opened discussions with the Rivers State Government.

“They have opened talks with the Rivers State Government for the match to now be played in Port Harcourt,” an official said.

http://nigeriana.org/448731.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Jetheights+%28Jobemy+Nigeria%29

The Federal Government on Tuesday arraigned a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), before a Federal High Court in Abuja on one count of possession of firearms without license.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola granted him bail on self-recognition shortly after he pleaded not guilty to the charge which was said to violate provisions of 27(1)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

In a short ruling on his bail application which was not opposed by the prosecution, Justice Ademola ordered that Dasuki should deposit his diplomatic passport and other traveling documents to the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, of the court, as the only condition for the bail.

The judge also ordered that Dasuki’s traveling documents, which might be currently in the custody of any government agency, should be retrieved and deposited with the court.

The firearms, which Dasuki was accused of possessing without licence, include five Tavor riffles, 20 magazines, five rifle slings, five packets of servicing kit, one packet of MOD AP9 Cal. 9mm Luger No. 033373, small magazine containing 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition and bigger magazine containing 23 five rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Others are one Macro Uzi with serial No 60244, one magazine with 16 rounds of live 9mm ammunition and 36 rounds of live 9mm.

Some of the items were said to have been recovered from his Range Rover car with number plate Abuja RBC 517 JN.

The items were said to have been recovered during a search of his residence at 13, John Khadiya Street, Asokoro, Abuja on July 16, 2015.

While arguing Dasuki’s application for bail, the lead defence counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu, who appeared with Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), along with other lawyers, described the charge as looking “very simple, but it is a very slippery charge.”

Daudu contended that his client needed to be on bail for him to be able to effectively defend himself. He also insisted that the alleged offence was a bailable one, adding that since the prosecution said the investigation of the case had been completed, there would be no fear that the defendant would interfere with investigation.

The prosecution, led by the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. M.S Diri‎, did not oppose the bail application as he opted to leave the granting of bail and on which terms to the discretion of the judge.

“The offence for which the defendant was arraigned before this court is a bailable offence. The prosecution intends to leave the issue of bail to the discretion of this honourable court. We did not file counter-affidavit because we are not opposing the bail application,” Diri said.

The judge, after delivering his ruling on the bail application, adjourned till October 26 and 27 for trial.


http://www.punchng.com/news/dasukis-arraignment-underway/

About 17 years after she was born through In Vitro Fertilisation, Nigeria’s first test tube baby, Miss Hannatu Kupchi, has secured admission into a Hungarian University to study medicine.

The medical doctor that supervised the first IVF experiment in Nigeria, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, said Hannatu’s birth on February 11, 1998, at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, signalled a revolution in the practice of medicine in Nigeria.

Speaking on Sunday evening in Abuja during a brief reception and presentation of an award to Kupchi, he said, “When I was out of this country, I knew there were people who wanted babies. I made the decision to come back to Nigeria to help people. It happened on February 11, 1998 when this historic event occurred in this hospital.”

Responding, Kupchi promised to break barriers and become a doctor in order to help families and parents who are unable to give birth through the traditional means.

She said by her birth, misconceptions about IVF were broken and that many more children had been brought into this world as well.

“I barely made it beyond the cut off mark. God helped me. I am going to try my best and make everyone proud. I am studying medicine because I want to be a doctor. I want to study it because I want God to use me to help families who suffer what my parents went through,” she said.

In his remarks, father of Hannatu, Mr. Hosea Kupchi, said, “We had 13 years of marriage without a child and we went through the orthodox method without any success. But along the line, my sister-in-law told me that there was one Dr. Wada that had been helping couples. That is how we came.”




http://www.punchng.com/news/nigerias-first-test-tube-baby-secures-admission-into-varsity/

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has asked the state Head of Service, Dr. Gbenga Faseluka, to take appropriate disciplinary action against 31 civil servants who resumed late to work on Monday.

The governor gave the directive when he paid an unscheduled visit to the state secretariat on Monday.

Fayose, who arrived at the place around 7.45am caught many of the workers who arrived after the official resumption time of 8a.m unawares.

Many of the workers rushed to work on learning about the unscheduled visit of the governor to the place while the 31 were unlucky to beat the governor.

As soon as the governor arrived at the place, he ordered that the gate should be locked at 8am.

The governor, who expressed displeasure at the attitude of some workers in the state, said such an act of indiscipline must be stopped.

He ordered his aides and the Head of Service to take down the names of the affected workers and that stern disciplinary action must be taken against them.

Several of the female workers knelt down while the men prostrated for the governor begging him to save their job.

But Fayose said, “If a labourer is worth his wages, the employer also is worth his services. I have warned workers in the state repeatedly about coming late to work or taking their jobs with laxity. Despite the paucity of funds, we have been regularly paying workers’ salaries.

“If workers are paid regularly, the workers too must justify our efforts and work for the money they earn. There are many people out there searching for jobs. I want to take the workers by surprise and I will visit a lot of places. This will be a continuous exercise. Those that are not disciplined and not ready to key in to our policy of taking the state to a greater height will be shown the way out,” he said.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, told our correspondent that the governor had earlier appealed to the workers to show commitment to the service.

“For long he (the governor) has been warning them against idleness and lateness. He had sent the HOS to them to change their way. The governor was on a fact-finding mission to know if the workers had heeded his advice,” he said.

Adelusi added that the governor planned to pay unscheduled visits to the local governments any moment from now.

He said, “It would be a continuous exercise. The governor wants the Ekiti State Civil Service to be a model for others.”

When contacted for his reaction at 1.33pm, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Ade Adesanmi, promised to call back after five minutes.

However, he did not pick the calls placed to his telephone again between 4:30pm and 4.32pm.


http://www.punchng.com/news/lateness-civil-servants-prostrate-for-fayose/

Nigerian star Korede Bello who recently dropped the video to his smashing hit single ‘Godwin’ took to Twitter on Monday, June 22nd 2015 to reward fans.

The give away, which started around 10:45pm on the social networking platform, twitter got massive engagement from his fans who are fondly called ‘Bellovers’.

Korede centered the giveaway on his new Godwin video, putting up questions from scenes in the video. It was clear that only those who have watched the video could answer the questions correctly.

At the end of the giveaway, more than 20 fans were rewarded with a total sum of half a Million Naira.

Speaking at the end of the giveaway, Korede Bello tweeted:

This is just my own little way of appreciating you guys for the support and love you keep showing me.



http://nigeriana.org/145943.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Jetheights+%28Jobemy+Nigeria%29

God Grace on you Chole....

The senate President, David Mark has reportedly given Goodluck Jonathan a $200,000 24k solid gold customized watch as a gift.



Vanguard who reported that they received the image, says the gold watch has ‘750 N (North) 34379″ on it, and also a ‘Special Edition 2010′ on the top and also bears: “Presented by Senator David Mark GCON,” and to “H.E. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan” etched into the gold as well as the Nigerian emblem over its visible working parts.

The words “President of the Senate” are printed on the glass back cover of the watch above the Nigerian emblem, with the words “Federal Republic of Nigeria”.


http://nigeriana.org/140981.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Jetheights+%28Jobemy+Nigeria%29

Indonesian authorities on Tuesday executed four Nigerians and four others for drug-related offences despite pleas by the United Nations, the European Union, Amnesty International and the Federal Government.

The Nigerians were identified as Martin Anderson, 50; Silvester Nwolise, 47; Okwudili Oyatanze, 41, and Jamiu Abashin, 50.

The convicts were reportedly taken to the Nusakambangan Island where they were executed by firing squad on Tuesday evening.

According to a report by the UK Guardian, Abashin was said to be homeless in Bangkok when a new “friend” offered him $400 to take some clothes to Indonesia.

He was nabbed in Surabaya with 5.5kilogrammes of heroin and sentenced to death in 1999.

Abashin was said to have appealed for presidential clemency, claiming he never knew he was carrying the drugs. His plea was rejected.

Nwolise was sentenced to death in 2002 for smuggling a kilogramme of heroin into Indonesia.

Oyatanze was sentenced to death in 2002, after being found guilty of attempting to bring 2.5kg of heroin through Jakarta in capsules inside his stomach.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, had on Monday personally appealed to Indonesia to stop their execution.

The European Union had also berated Indonesia’s plans to execute the convicts.

The EU had noted that the death penalty was not a solution to the rise in drug-related crimes in the country.

The only woman among the convicted, Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, a Filipino, was spared in the last minute because a woman who reportedly tricked her into carrying drugs turned herself in.

The remains of the convicted would be taken to Jakarta, the Indonesia capital, on Tuesday according to reports.

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state has reportedly sacked over 2000 aides.

PUNCH reports that the sack was announced in a statement which read, ”The Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has approved the disengagement of all Special Advisers (with the exception of the Special Adviser, Due Process).

”Also, all Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants and Personal Assistants (with the exception of those who work directly under His Excellency the Executive Governor or the Deputy Governor)”.

Although the statement didn’t disclose the number of persons affected by the sack a source close to the governor said, ”I don’t know how many of them were sacked but they can be more than 2, 000 because even shortly before the elections, the Governor was said to have appointed over 70 aides”.

One of the major financiers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Arthur Eze, on Monday visited the President elect, Muhammadu Buhari, at his residence in Abuja, saying he was backing Mr. Buhari because God has given him “power”.



Mr. Eze, a controversial businessman, with interest in oil and gas, is a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He has been linked to several lucrative contracts awarded by the outgoing Jonathan administration.

Mr. Eze has also made several questionable donations, including N1.8 billion in 2013 for a church building and a youth centre in Otuoke, Bayelsa state, the hometown of President Jonathan.

Speaking shortly after seeing the president-elect, Mr. Eze said he was glad that Mr. Buhari, seen as one of the most disciplined leaders in Nigeria and Africa, has been elected president.

He said he believes Mr. Buhari would “organise” Nigeria.

“Things will change in this country. It is God that gives power, and God has given it to Buhari.

“He is coming to change our economy especially the oil sector, as you can see, most of the oil companies who left Nigeria are now coming back,” he said.

Mr. Eze also said he has total confidence in Mr. Buhari based on his experience to take the right decisions, especially as it concerns the oil Industry.

“You know General Buhari has been President of Nigeria and also a former oil minister; he knows the oil industry very well; he is a man who has ability to take a decision.

“He has been in the system for a very long time, that is why God brought him back.

“Everyone of us is supporting him because God has given him power,” he said.

This trekker guy shirt don suffer o... hmmm

The report i got in my official mail was that their office will be shut for 2 days for technical reasons and which will be re-opened today Thursday 23rd. I'm sure they must have re-opened.