₦airaland Forum

ochukoccna: Cut Buhari some slack
If you don't like him,don't vote him
Simples
Though it is true he lacks political tact
Yet what he said is correct, no be only SS votes go bring in the next president
You need to corner 4 geo-political zones for that
What is wrong in demanding for free and fair elections recalling the scientific rigging in the SS&SE during the 2011 presidential election?

ballabriggs: The truth is OBJ did not say introducing new notes will kill production. OBJ said cutting inflation will kill production. They are two different things. So when Baba go begin slap Journo for interview, make nobody complain.

But you have dolts in the Nigerian media who went to print with something different.

While we might want to allow for inflation, the truth is, there is also the reserves to protect. This is very important for an import dependent economy with a limited absorptive capacity for investments.

I said the same thing Sanusi said in one of my earlier posts, OBJ implemented loads of contractionary fiscal and monetary policies. He raised taxes on petroleum products more than any other leader in Nigeria. He introduced the new VAT rate before Late Umaru Yar'adua reverted it to the old rate.

The gains of President Jonathan’s diplomacy are often overshadowed by misrepresentations of the size of his delegation, ignorance about the value of his foreign travels, and the positives of his constant engagement with the international community. I have had cause on more than one occasion to expose the lie about published figures about the size of his delegations. I intend to deal here with what is overlooked.

Given the damage that the Nigerian interest suffered a few years ago, the same interest needed to be clarified and strengthened. We are living witnesses to that short, critical, phase in Nigeria’s foreign relations when the country failed to show up at important international meetings, lost many positions in multilateral associations, forsook obligations, and found itself in a situation where many of our allies started wondering what had gone wrong with Nigeria. President Jonathan has brought the much-needed change in this arena, and has launched an operational framework for Nigerian diplomacy, which continues to strengthen the place of Nigeria in the world.

In 2010, as Acting President, he embarked on a number of diplomatic shuttles, as part of a deliberate attempt to reassure the world that Nigeria was well and secure despite the trauma of succession that it had just experienced and the divisive politics of zoning that threatened to scuttle the country’s political transition. Many may have forgotten, selective amnesia being a dangerous national malaise, that President Jonathan’s statesmanship, his humility, and the maturity that he displayed during that momentous season proved to be a strong stabilizing influence on a nervous Nigerian community. He had promised that Nigeria’s next general elections to be conducted under his watch, in 2011, even with him as a contestant, will be free and fair, and that nobody’s blood was worth being shed for him to win an election.

That promise was kept. The elections were not only free and fair, they were adjudged the best ever in Nigeria’s modern history. The achievement was not merely one of legitimacy; the applause from the international community was redemptive. Nigeria, at that point, almost a typical case study of the challenges of democratic consolidation, became yet another success story. President Jonathan has since taken many steps further to build on this.

One of the very early steps was a four-day, August 2011, seminar on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Process, with inputs from the Presidential Advisory Committee on Foreign Affairs led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku. The seminar and the foreign policy experts, recommended, inter alia, a robust diplomacy, driven by Nigeria’s economic interests. This accent on self-interest had shown up during the Obasanjo years. It reflected an increasing awareness that Nigeria’s foreign policy should not be driven by the vainglory of being a certain brother’s keeper, or the Father Christmas pretensions that dominated it for years, rather, hard-headed pragmatism. The world had changed a lot since Nigeria distributed its oil wealth to other countries and asked for nothing in return. The new strategy called for partnership, mutual respect, enhanced and innovative diplomacy, and constructive exchange. In this context, President Jonathan leads a foreign policy process that has been fruitful and meaningful, and properly linked to domestic policy.

His foreign travels fall into three categories: state visits (formal state to state activity), courtesy visits (attendance at ceremonies, burials, inaugurations) and working visits (trips to attend multilateral, bilateral and regional meetings). Each of these visits is official, the ultimate gainer is Nigeria, and it is well worth noting that since his assumption of office, President Jonathan has not gone on any unofficial or private trip abroad. It is a trite point that a strong foreign policy process, one which involves constant interaction and openness brings a country much goodwill, promotes understanding and strengthens the country’s friendship with other countries. Closed countries are often treated with suspicion; their leaders are subjects of mystery. President Jonathan has worked very actively in the last two years to promote Brand Nigeria.

His foreign travels are usually, carefully chosen. He has equally played host to Heads of State and Governments and delegations from around the world including high profile visits by Britain’s David Cameron, Germany’s Angela Merkel, and US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

On all of these occasions, Nigeria’s interest is strategically promoted. The President is accompanied on each of his trips by members of the National Assembly and Ministers who attend the relevant meetings and make necessary inputs for follow up action. Trade and investment always tops the agenda. The President personally leads the campaign of inviting investors to set up industries in Nigeria, and produce locally if they wish to take advantage of Nigeria’s huge market potential. Interestingly, Nigeria’s domestic security challenges have not proved to be a disincentive.

[b]Foreign Direct Investment generated in the last year alone according to UNCTAD’s 2012 Investment Report was $8.9 billion making Nigeria No 1 in Africa and a top quartile investment destination in the world. During a recent trip to Rio, Brazil, Nigeria signed an MOU with Electrobras to invest in the generation of 10, 000 MW; since then, there have been subsequent visits to Nigeria by Brazilian investors interested in infrastructure, food and beverages and consumer items. In October 2011, when President Jonathan met with the Australian investment community in Perth, on the sidelines of CHOGM, the Australia-Nigeria Trade and Investment Council (ANTIC) was established to facilitate the flow of investments into agriculture, mining and the petrochemicals sector. Australian Council members have since visited Nigeria, and there is an agreement in place to provide technical support for the local mining sector. In April 2012, the President, in the course of an official visit to Germany, got Siemens to commit to investment in power generation, and turbine maintenance and repair in Nigeria. Generally, there has been massive support from governments and investors for the President’s policies and strong interest to invest in the country.

The corollary to this is the search for opportunities for Nigerian investors in foreign markets. The President often times travels with Nigerian businessmen who are looking for in-roads into foreign markets: the Nigerian private sector is involved in banking and insurance in Rwanda and other parts of Africa (Access Bank, IGI, GTBank), in manufacturing in Ethiopia, and Southern Africa (the Dangote Group, LUBCON) and so on. Such investors often require the support of the Nigerian government, which has been readily and consistently provided by the Jonathan administration. [/b]
[b]
The class of Nigerians who have probably benefitted most or who stand to do so, would be the Nigerians in Diaspora. Wherever President Jonathan goes in the world, he insists on the local embassy organizing a meeting with the Nigerians in the country. He likes to exchange views with them, find out how they are faring and even ask them to raise issues they may want him to take up with the host country. Such issues usually range from immigration to Nigerian issues, particularly absentee voting, and in one instance, request for the airlifting at Government expense of Nigerians who are willing to return to home, but cannot afford to do so.

President Jonathan never fails to acknowledge the importance of Nigerians abroad and the invaluable resource that they represent. To prove the point, many members of his government were sourced from the Diaspora. The Jonathan administration has always had cause to defend the interest of distressed Nigerians in diaspora in pursuit of citizen diplomacy, famously the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from Libya (more than 2,000 between March and November 2011) and Egypt (more than 1, 000 in January 2012). It continues to engage with several development partners to ensure managed migration in the overall interests of all sides, including Nigerians. The fifth Nigeria/EU dialogue on Migration and Development was held in Abuja in January 2012. Thus, the welfare of Nigerians in their relations with other countries has also been given the top most priority. Government has stood up to all countries in upholding the principle of reciprocity and by insisting that Nigerians be treated fairly.[/b]

Multilateral institutions usually have vacancies to be filled by nationals from all over the world. Even when the positions are rotated on a regional basis, the relevant countries still have to compete for such positions. It is not always an easy struggle as each country jostles for the positions with the highest possible visibility or influence. It requires sharp diplomacy to secure the support of other countries and to get the required number of votes for your candidate. When your country is not eligible for the post, you become one of the brides to be wooed to deliver the vote in favour of a particular country’s candidate. It sounds like routine diplomacy, but it is high-wire politics. In the past one year, President Jonathan has devoted considerable energy to lobbying and campaigning for Nigerian candidates to get into positions in international organizations. The achievement in this regard has been remarkable: Dr. Bernard O. Aliu, President of the Executive Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) based in Montreal, Canada; Mrs. Theodora Oby Nwankwo, member, UN Committee on the Elimination of All forms Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs.

After three unsuccessful attempts, Nigeria finally broke the electoral jinx at the AU for the first time in ten years. Mrs. Salamatu Sulaiman, Commissioner Political, Peace and Security at the ECOWAS Commission; Nigeria’s election to the Executive Board of UNESCO for a term of four years in November 2011; Nigeria’s election to the Governing Board of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP); Nigeria was also elected to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on October 24, 2011; Election of Mr. Adamu Mohammed, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, as the Vice President of INTERPOL representing Africa at a meeting held in Hanoi, Vietnam in October, 2011; Re-election of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN to the International Law Commission on November 17, 2011. The election of Dr. Chile Eboe-Osuji as one of the six judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in a tightly contested election in New York in November, 2011 and the election last year, of Nigeria as the first President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Entry for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women).

Our embassies abroad are also better organized. Ambassador Gbenga Ashiru, Jonathan’s appointee as Minister of Foreign Affairs is a career diplomat who has been doing a good job of actualizing the new framework for Nigerian diplomacy. He is collegial in approach, and supportive of Mr. President’s vision. Career diplomats used to complain about their jobs being taken over and messed up by politicians. This year, President Jonathan handed over letters of commission to the country’s new set of ambassadors, mostly career diplomats, and because he has thus encouraged the professionalization of the diplomatic service, career diplomats are no longer complaining. Many who have no foreign postings have achieved their career dreams as ambassadors-in-situ; our diplomats are reciprocating by showing higher levels of enthusiasm for the job. Nothing can be more damaging to a country’s foreign policy process than a distracted professional foreign affairs cadre.

We have a leader who is respected by the international community. When TIME international magazine named President Jonathan one of the 100 Most Influential leaders of the world in 2012, a fitting acknowledgement of his achievements, and the only African leader to be so recognized, the warm citation was written by the Liberian President. Our President also holds one of the highest national honours in Liberia. In the last year, he has also been honoured by people, governments and institutions in Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

At the regional level, Nigeria’s voice now rings loud and clear; its interventions are taken more seriously. President Jonathan served as ECOWAS Chairman for two years, and received great applause at the end of his tenure in February 2012. Under his watch, he led both Nigeria and ECOWAS to put an end to the threatened mayhem in Cote D’Ivoire when Laurent Gbagbo refused to hand over power, after the 2010 Presidential elections in that country. He helped to check a similar crisis of self-perpetuation in office in Niger, and has provided support for democratic efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Mali, Ghana and Guinea Bissau. He was one of the first African leaders to recognize the National Transitional Council of Libya and ask Muammar Gaddaffi to quit. Since handing over as ECOWAS chair, President Jonathan has remained a respected voice among his brother Heads of State. At the moment, he is a co-mediator in the crisis in Mali. The relationship between Nigeria and other countries in the region, particularly Ghana, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Republic of Benin, Niger, Senegal and Liberia has never been stronger.

Commentators often insist that greater emphasis should be placed on domestic policy, not foreign policy. Our new framework links both strategically. The investments that are flowing into Nigeria create jobs, deepen competition within the market, push the drive for necessary infrastructure further, and on all fronts, Brand Nigeria is strengthened.

HNosegbe: Dangote last year, Adenuga this year. Interesting.

AjanleKoko: *sigh*

Subject to the provisions of this Act, all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation are hereby vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

http://www.nigeria-law.org/Land%20Use%20Act.htm

AjanleKoko: Starting Paragraph of the Land Use Act 1990:

An Act to Vest all Land compromised in the territory of each State (except land vested in the Federal government or its agencies) solely in the Governor of the State , who would hold such Land in trust for the people and would henceforth be responsible for allocation of land in all urban areas to individuals resident in the State and to organisations for residential, agriculture, commercial and other purposes while similar powers will with respect to non urban areas are conferred on Local Governments.(27th March 1978) Commencement.

All land in Nigeria belongs to the Government.

Sagamite: No 1, I hope you understand the meaning of stakeholders?

If you don't, I suggest you research and read up on it.




No 2, I hope you are aware there are government owned lands in Nigeria?

No 3, I hope you realise there is a process and market for land sales and people that are land owners are main actors in such a market?

obadiah777: lots of possessive people in this thread. YOU DONT OWN THE LAND. GOD OWNS THE LAND

Sagamite: The fact of the matter is that these guys are fundamental to the social & ecological structure and food security of the nation. What they are asking for is not unreasonable.

It is not like if they have not been living this way of life for years before the advent of a structured society. It is also their means of livelihood. I strongly believe it is a fundamental right to allow people have, and to protect people's, means of livelihood.

There are 2 ways to address this serious issue.

a) State governments should heed their request and create nomadic grazing paths across Nigeria.

b) These guys should be retrained and supported to convert to animal husbandry farmers.

A decision on which to take should be based on the one that best suits majority of stakeholders and is most productive for the country.

musiwa7: name the 1o new factory in osun state or kwara or kogi or imo state

Major" achievements you said.

Do you have any idea of the extent of

meticulous work been done in the

Power Sector not just in the marked

improvements in Generation,

Transmission and Distribution but

esp in the Privatization and

concessioning of the sector? Are you

aware of the effects the reforms,

which is currently in its concluding

stage(Sept/Oct this year), would

have on the nation? This admin is

midwifery the greatest

transformation in the Power Sector

in this country's history.
http://sweetcrudereports.com/2012/04/25/gas-to-power-500mmcfd-of-gas-to-be-delivered-to-nipp-soon/
https://www.nairaland.com/1004060/something-wrong-power-improving/13#11639505

The nation is also undergoing its most

audacious developments in the

Transportation Sector- Rails, Inland

Waterways and Seaports. On rails,

the NRC that have been moribund for

very many years have been revived,

more workers re-engaged and most of

its dilapidated facilities across

the nation repaired; all the rail

tracks in the country are been

rehabilitated(actually most of the

tracks have been rehabilitated

already and some intra- and

interstate trains services have

started running after a very long time

in deed). The Standard Guage

Itakpe-Aladja-Warri rail track is

finally completed(with additions

planned) while the Modern Abuja-

Kaduna track is on going(about 30%

completion) just as the Double track

Lagos-Ibadan Modern(which is

different from the narrow guage

Lagos-Ibadan which is already

running trains) has been awarded

about 3 months ago.
http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/31659/2012/08/04/rail_rehabilitation_are_we_waiting_godot.html
file:///C:/Users/odia/Desktop/New%20folder/Newfolder/Nigeria-Federal+Government+Raise+Power+Output+9+000MW.htm

On Inland Waterways, the dredging of

the Lower Niger which links 9 states

on its axis and provide south-north

all year round navigation which

would ensure the cheap movements of

huge amounts of goods and humans,

has been completed with some

accompanying River Ports for the

first time in the country's history;

the dredging of River Benue has also

commenced.
http://www.shipsandports.org/detaildiscource.php?id=5
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87591:river-niger-now-a-beehive-of-commercial-activities&catid=81:maritime-watch&Itemid=591

The Seaports now work 24/7,

bureaucracy reduced and the amount of

time goods spend in the ports has

been halfed already(though not yet

up to the 48hrs target) while

Demorage costs have significantly

decreased(when was the last time you

heard of goods staying months on the

seas cos terrible congestions in the

pots and paying huge demorage).

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/stakeholders-count-gains-of-agencies-reduction-in-ports/115563/

Do you have any idea of the effects of

all theses on the economy going

forward especially as they are been

interconnected?(works on Roads need

to be accelerated though).


The most massive rehabilitation and

remodeling of airports across the

nation with about 11 of them is

ongoing; Kano International Airport

is for instance nearing completion.
http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/fg-puts-basa-fund-at-n11-54bn/

Do you have any idea what kind of

work is going on in the Agriculture

Sector?
http://www.newworldnigeria.com/pdf/AdesinaLondonBOIForumfinal.pdf

....As a Nigerian am sick and tired of these lies that some of you guys are peddling about the president not doing anything. You and others who feel otherwise should not be COWARDS and respond to these claims here . I am earnestly waiting for such responses. Now Good luck with that

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said yesterday that 240 new factories opened shops in the country within a year, thereby propping up investment in the manufacturing sector.

President of MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu said Monday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ conference on the review of common tariff for 2008 to 2012 that the projected turnover of these factories is N140 billion.

He said that some of its members have expanded their production base by as much as N100 billion, adding that close to 200,000 new employment was generated by December last year alone.

He said there was increased utilization from 47.50 percent in December 2010 to 48.93 percent in December last year, and that in some sectors, capacity utilization grew to 70 percent.

He attributed the growth in the manufacturing sector to the cancellation of the Cargo Tracking Note, reduction in the number of agencies at the ports and adoption of sector-specific incentives/waivers policy and promotion of buying made-in-Nigeria products.

He also said other factors responsible for the growth include rehabilitation of the railway system, adoption of backward integration policy, zero per cent import duty on agricultural machinery, equipment and enzymes.

Jamodu emphasized the need for more consultations and interactions with stakeholders in the implementation procedures of composite cassava flour in bread.

This consultation, he said, should include the possible review of 15 percent levy imposed on wheat and special incentives to accelerate the manufacture of composite flour.

According to him, the real sector should not be overburdened with excessive taxes and affronted with multiplicity of taxes and levies.

On the planned introduction of the N5000 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the MAN’s boss said it is a negation of the cashless policy.

He said federal government should rather come up with realistic policies that will encourage the use of coins.

acidtalk: This time next year they will award THE VERY SAME CONTRACT TO DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS AT TRIPPLE THE AMOUNT.

Jonathan and his government are just to confused. It is obvious they spend their entire time on Social Media Platforms watching out for what Nigerias are saying about them instead of working hard to make the lives of Nigerians better.

Because we were asking some few days back what they have used the so called Sure-P money to do, now they are here with some crappy tales.

You all can buy all the jewerries and properties on earth but you can never buy two things which are LIFE and HEAVEN.

One day you will account to your Lord how you improved the lives of those who you were made to govern.

faithin9ja: I pity the iliteracy and ignorance of Nigerians

in the UK we use one pound coins every day - £1 = N260 !!!
in UK we £20 notes everyday £20 = N5200

in UK is closer to cashless than Nigeria as we use ATM and POS for 90% of all purchases.

What is wrong with paying a taxi driver with 3 N100 coins??

What is wrong with buiyng a blackberry phone with 6 , N5000 notes?

Those stealing Nigeria's money will steal wether it's N20 notes or N1million notes

Nigerians used coins for over 20 years before the mid 80's

manosteel: He want a cashless society, can anyone tell me any country presently practicing cashless economy. France, Germany, China, India, Brazil, Singapore even South Africa are doing well economically yet they are not cashless economy, so which country are we emulating in this cashless thing that has tried it and succeeded?

General pipe: for those saying how will this lead to inflation. Do u know dat excess liquidation of cash leads to an inflation. I guesr u don't. Y comparing the United state 2 Nigeria which has its own perculia problem such power failure for the POS, no easy acess internet facilities and a bad one if there is. It will stil amount 2 piple carry larger amount of money which wil lead 2 excess money in circulation. Simple economics

One source revealed that the minister flew to London few days after accompanying Mr. Jonathan on an official trip to Anambra State. Even though the minister is married, there have been persistent speculations linking her to a romantic relationship with President Jonathan.

SaharaReporters learnt that the president’s ailing wife had complained to her close friends that Mrs. Alison-Madueke had caused her condition because the oil minister wants to take her place at all cost.

shymexx: Don't tell me you believe the break down below:



Where's the percentage for oil products and petrochemicals - and miscellaneous items like: clothes, shoes etc..? CBN just make up numbers smh... What about the informal sector and the billions of dollars worth of imports smuggled through our porous borders?? I guess there are no records for them..

Anything to sell the kool aid and make people shout EUREKA - freaking brilliant..

Nigeria imports mainly: industrial supplies (32% of total), transport equipment and parts (23%), capital goods (24%), food and beverage (11%) and consumer goods.

ifeci: That guy I believe he's communicating from the moon or maybe he's an alien, he got all his facts wrong