₦airaland Forum

In accordance to his promise of a peaceful handover of the reins of government, President Goodluck Jonathan has offered to lead the President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on a guided tour of the structures and facilities of the Presidential Villa. This will be done on May 28, a day to the official handover to Buhari.
The tour of the Presidential Villa, which will also include the Vice-President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, is part of the decisions reached at the valedictory Council of State meeting which held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Council of State ratified the programme of both the federal government and incoming government’s transition committees for final transmission of power on May 29.
The Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, and his Benue State counterpart, Gabriel Suswan, jointly briefed State House correspondents after the meeting.
Aliyu told journalists that on May 22, there would be Jumat prayer, while an interdenominational church service would be held on May 24.
The transition programme, according to the governors, indicated that May 28 remains the handover of notes to the incoming government, while May 29 would be the inauguration proper.
He stressed that Jonathan is expected to take the president-elect and his deputy on a familiarisation tour of the Presidential Villa, the seat of government.
He noted that there would be a lunch and gala night on the same day of the inauguration.
On the handover of notes on May 28, Aliyu said: “It is only a technicality. One is inauguration, the formality of the new president taking over. Technically, the 29 is for the man to take over.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/agenda-of-handing-over-process-starting-from-may-22nd-29th/

The National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu who is currently undergoing medical attention abroad, has sued for peace among members of the party.

A statement by his media assistant, Tony Amadi said that Mu’azu will return to the country as soon as his doctors are satisfied with his medical condition.

He left the country last week and hopes to be back soon, the statement said.

According to Muazu’s media aide, “The leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party Chief Tony Anenih and Senate President Senator David Mark and members of the National Working Committee of the party are all aware of the Chairman’s medical trip abroad.‎”

Mu’azu appealed to party faithful to be patient as the travails facing the party will soon wither away and the party will be a united opposition to the incoming All Progressive Congress for the overall good of Nigeria.”

Also in another statement signed by Muazu, he appealed to all stakeholders and members of the party across the country to put behind them the disappointment of defeat, rest all misunderstandings and put the survival and stability of the party ahead of all other considerations.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/muazu-on-sick-bed-sues-for-peace-among-members-of-the-party/

Barely 19 days to handover, President Goodluck Jonathan has given a hint of what he expects to happen to his ministers and other aides: he warned them they would be persecuted while some of their friends would desert them.

Jonathan, who made these remarks yesterday at a thanksgiving service organised in his honour at the Anglican Church, in Life Camp, Abuja, vowed that whether in or out of government, he was as prepared as ever to lay down his life for the greatness of Nigeria.

Jonathan also said he may have been denied his re-election bid because he took hard decisions in purging the country’s electoral process among other stiff reforms.

Recalling the story of the last apartheid ruler in South Africa who was divorced by his wife for accepting to abolish minority rule in the country, the president said, rather jokingly, that he hoped his wife would not also divorce him for accepting defeat in the last presidential election

The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, however, responded with a loud shout of “Nooooo” to a rapturous applause from the congregation.

Noting that more of his friend will desert him, Jonathan said, “I believe there are reasons for everything. Some hard decisions have their own cost, no doubt about that. That I have run the government this way that stabilised certain things – the electoral process and other things that brought stability into this country, they were very costly decisions which I myself must be ready to pay for.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/jonathan-my-ministers-will-be-persecuted/

There is a growing concern among industry stakeholders over the recent moves by the federal government to acquire ten per cent equity of the Integrated Services Nigeria Limited (INTELS) in the dying days of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, which analysts believed will reinforce the monopoly of the private company in the critical maritime sector using the resources of the federal government of Nigeria.
The worry arises from the revelations from a report, which shows that the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) had indeed paid INTELS the sum of $5.2 billion (about N1.04tr) over the years.
INTELS, which was hitherto known as Nicotes, which started business in the 80’s is the exclusive concessionaire of Onne, Warri and Calabar ports.
According to information gotten, it was discovered that the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, owns ten per cent equity of INTELS, while the original investors and the late Shehu Yar’Adua owned 50 and 20 per cent equity respectively.
Stakeholders therefore find it curious that the late emir’s son, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Ado-Bayero was recently appointed the Managing Director of the NPA, in what many see as not only an act of gross impunity, but also a manifest case of conflict of interest.
He resumed office April 30.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/fg-moves-to-acquire-10-per-cent-equity-of-the-integrated-services-nigeria-limited-intels/

The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari has given an insight into how the incoming administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) plans to deal with the many problems confronting the country when it assumes office on May 29.

While lamenting the downturn in the oil market and the continued loss of more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily through alleged official connivance, he said the new administration will turn attention to agriculture and solid mineral development as an alternative source of generating revenue for the country.
Buhari also spoke on the positive reaction of the international community to his victory at the polls, saying that even the United States President Barak Obama had expressed relief during a telephone conversation. “One of the relief I got was the telephone call I got from the President of the United States. I could feel the relief in their voices because they are people of conscience,” he said.
Buhari, who stated this when a delegation of Northern elders led by a former Nigeria’s permanent representative at the United Nations, Maitama Sule paid him a congratulatory visit in Abuja on Sunday, noted that the state of affairs with regard to the economy and other inherited problems demands a careful and gradual approach to be able to stabilize things.

“In the economy, we have to quickly turn to agriculture and mining because that is where you can do the quickest work and earn results. In other areas, you need to study them and dust all the books and studies and get people, experienced people, committed people and technocrats to come and help the government and identify priorities so that with what is available to us, we can quickly make our people realise their hope for the government they have chosen,” he said.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/buhari-how-well-bring-back-nigerias-economy/

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, on Sunday said that President Goodluck Jonathan fought against evil conspiracies both locally and internationally in his bid to deliver good governance but was unfortunately misunderstood by many Nigerians who mistook his good nature and intentions for weakness.

He however said the President is leaving office as a fulfilled man who was “excellent in achievement, humility, tranquility and simplicity.”

In a comment posted on his Facebook page after a thanksgiving service held for the out-going President at the State House chapel on Sunday, Okupe said: “Nigerians mistook meekness for weakness, restraint for lack of strength, reticence for inaction, calmness for indecisiveness.”

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/presidency-jonathan-lost-to-evil-conspiracies/

Senate Committee on Privatisation today, Sunday 10th may 2015 explained the dismal performance of power sector investors, disclosing that most technical partners that bought the country’s power assets did not bring one kobo.

The committee also said the National Council of Privatisation (NCP) under the chairmanship of Vice President Namadi Sambo committed grave errors, including the council’s refusal to sell the power assets in phases.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Gbenga Obadara disclosed diverse challenges that made stable power supply a mirage in an interview after the private investors had bought 60 percent equity shares in the country’s power assets.

But Obadara explained that most technical partners the federal government brought to purchase the power companies “did not bring one kobo. The partners did not bring monies. The partners only brought in their technical knowledge.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/senate-cttee-power-investors-did-not-bring-one-kobo/

All efforts being made to halt the raging post-poll crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to be futile.

The verbal war goes on, despite the warning by Senate President David Mark that the party risks death, given the bickering among its leaders.

Yesterday, National chairman Adamu Muazu took a swipe at Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose for alleging that his betrayal contributed to the abysmal failure of the ruling party and its candidate President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential poll.

Fayose, calling for the sack of the National Working Committee (NWC) members, said he had evidence that Muazu worked for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. He threatened to make the evidence public.

A bitter Mu’azu on his twitter handle yesterday, taunted the governor. In a series of tweets, he said: “Fayose: I have evidence that Mu’azu worked for APC. We hope it’s not the kind of evidence he once said he had that Buhari was dying?

“We challenge Governor Fayose to come out with the evidence that shows National Chairman worked for APC during the elections.

“On Governor Fayose’s allegations, they are baseless & unfounded. We will continue to support him and the good people of Ekiti State.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/muazu-replys-fayose-your-allegations-are-baseless/

With about three weeks to go, President Goodluck Jonathan is yet making promises of developing certain infrastructure in the country. This is just as his inspection of certain projects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday, caused hiccups in vehicular movement in parts of the city as major roads leading to the city centre were blocked.
The ensuing traffic snarl caused many commuters to spend several hours in the traffic jam created by the arrangement, which was to ensure that Jonathan, his team and those of the FCT Administration (FCTA) had a smooth inspection of the projects.
While inspecting the Musa Yar’dua expressway, the president stated that though his tenure would end on May 29, his administration would make sure that the projects, which have attained 98 per cent completion would be completed before he leaves office.
According to him, “This project is a project that all my colleagues, the Heads of State that visited Abuja always appreciated. I remember the president of The Gambia the last time we had the centenary anniversary, he said anytime you are coming to Abuja, you see something different, that he cannot recognise Abuja again because this road really changed the face of Abuja.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/jonathan-promises-to-link-state-capitals-with-rail/

In a bid to demonstrate his leadership style, the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, has instructed police and military security personnel attached to him to respect traffic regulations during his movements.

In a statement issued by his media team in Abuja, Buhari said law abiding would be the guiding philosophy of his administration, adding: “Without leadership by example, the ordinary citizens would become copycats of the lawlessness of their leaders.”

The President-elect explained that the “arrogance of power, lawlessness and disregard for the rights and convenience of fellow citizens would have no place in his government.”

According to him, for leaders to inspire respect, they must obey the laws of country, adding that when leaders treat the country’s laws with contempt, they might send the wrong message to the citizens.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/buhari-orders-his-convoy-to-obey-traffic-rules/

The Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, on Wednesday charged the incoming administration of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) not to reverse the power privatisation policy of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The minister, who spoke against the backdrop of insinuations that Buhari’s administration may reverse the power privatisation policy, said it would be counter-productive with attendant grave consequences.

On the current poor power supply in the country, Nebo said some group of Nigerians were frustrating the government effort at making power available.

He stated that government had the capacity to provide 5,500megawatts of power but hampered by the activities of vandals who destroy gas pipelines to frustrate government’s efforts at making power available

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/fg-charge-buhari-not-to-reverse-privatisation-of-power-sector/

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has launched an attack on the Peoples Democratic Party National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), insisting that they must go.

The governor in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, accused Mu’azu of selling out to the opposition at the last general election.

Fayose wondered why PDP heavyweights like Mu’azu, Federal Capital Territory Minister, Bala Mohammed and Governor Isa Yuguda failed to deliver their home state of Bauchi to the party despite the enormous resources at their disposal.

He argued that Mu’azu must quit his position as the National Chairman on account of the crushing defeat suffered by the party at the general election, likening the party chairman to a war commander who lost a battle and must give way to another commander.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/fayose-muazu-others-must-go/

It was a dramatic moment on Tuesday as the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), met with Mr. Tunde Thompson, one of the journalists he jailed under the Decree 4 in 1984 when he was a military Head of State.
Thompson, ironically was a member of the media team of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign organisation that coordinated the media activities of Buhari in the just-concluded election.
The president-elect, while receiving the entire media team at the Defence House, Abuja, praised Thompson for rising above his jail experience to forgive and support him, adding that what happened under his military regime was one of the challenges of that period.
He commended members of his media team led by Malam Shehu Garba for running a very “decent media campaign” despite the vigorous hate campaigns mounted against him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He was full of praises for the APC Presidential Campaign Media and Publicity members, saying they have reason to thank God and celebrate the success of the entire campaign.
“I want to commend you especially for two things. First, is the decent media campaign you conducted. Despite the PDP’s dirty tactics, you stayed focused on issues and avoided the temptation to sling mud.”
The president-elect particularly commended the Director of Media and Publicity, Shehu, for providing leadership that led to the success of his team.
“I thank you for your uncommon motivation to do the work. Despite the shoestring budget on which we ran our APC campaign, you did not allow the lack of adequate remuneration to stall the work at any point in time. You continued to give your best.”

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/buhari-meets-with-tunde-thompson-journalist-he-jailed-31-years-ago/

As the contest for the office of the Senate President intensifies, a women’s group under the aegis of the Coalition of South-south Support for Female Inclusion in Governance has called on senators elected for the 8th Assembly to give room for the emergence of a female Senate President.

The group in a statement signed by the spokesperson, Dr. Ipalibo Whyte, stated that women and Nigerians alike will welcome the change the All Progressives Congress (APC) represents especially when it launches itself with laudable moves such as having a female in the leadership of the upper house.

While recounting the political achievements of women, the coalition extolled the leadership qualities of Binta Garba, a senator-elect representing Adamawa North senatorial district.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/women-group-solicit-for-female-senate-president/

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari has intensified lobbying for the candidacy of the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

To this end, Buhari, represented by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, over the weekend, met with South African president, Jacob Zuma.

According to a statement by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, Atiku’s shuttle diplomacy to shore up the much-needed support for the Nigerian candidate follows a mandate from Buhari to him (Atiku), to leverage on his contacts to lobby for the emergence of Adesina.

It would be recalled that the president-elect who backs the candidacy of Adesina had last month conveyed his support to the President of Ghana, John Mahama, when the two leaders met in Abuja.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/buhari-lobbies-for-adesina-as-president-of-the-african-development-bank/

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari has intensified lobbying for the candidacy of the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

To this end, Buhari, represented by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, over the weekend, met with South African president, Jacob Zuma.

According to a statement by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, Atiku’s shuttle diplomacy to shore up the much-needed support for the Nigerian candidate follows a mandate from Buhari to him (Atiku), to leverage on his contacts to lobby for the emergence of Adesina.

It would be recalled that the president-elect who backs the candidacy of Adesina had last month conveyed his support to the President of Ghana, John Mahama, when the two leaders met in Abuja.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/buhari-lobbies-for-adesina-as-president-of-the-african-development-bank/

Seated Yoga Pose
Sit in a cross-legged position. Ease your right foot on top of your left thigh, gently pulling your heel toward the top of your inner thigh. Repeat with your left foot.
Benefits– This poses provide some of our deepest muscle opening and opens the hips.

Bridge Pose
Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees straight up, bringing heels just behind your hips. Lift hips up to knee height, and interlace fingers underneath you with arms straight. Squeeze shoulder blades together and breathe middle and upper just open over your chin.
Benefits– This pose Opens up in the spine and chest feels great and strengthens our connection to intuition.

Shoulder Stand
Lie down on your back with arms alongside your body, and bring knees into your chest. With legs either bent or straight, lift your hips and reach your feet toward the floor behind your head. Interlace your fingers with arms straight on the ground, and squeeze your shoulder blades and elbows close together. Bend your elbows and support your middle back with your palms, fingers facing up. Either one at a time or together, lift your legs up vertical, gently pressing your knees and ankles together.
Benefits– This pose is good for balance, opens the neck and back. Good for circulation.

Read full story and see pictures
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/top-5-basic-yoga-exercises-with-their-benefits/

Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Friday reiterated that the incoming administration of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) would not condone corrupt practices adding that the administration will ensure consequences for anyone engage in sleaze.

Delivering a keynote address at “Platform Abuja”, organised by Covenant Christian Centre and themed: “Business and Governance,” Osinbajo described corruption as a killer-disease which needed to be jointly defeated in the same way the dreaded Ebola Virus was taken care of.
Noting that there was a real connection between corruption and the dire situation the country has found itself, he said: “It’s also important that people are made to understand that there would be consequences for corruption because what we’ve seen so far is that there’s hardly any consequence and so people simply get away with corrupt acts.”
He said the incoming administration would make efforts to fix the criminal justice system to allow for speedier dispensation of justice, stressing that reforming the criminal justice system would require that there are consequence for every act of corruption.
Osinbajo said: “If you get away with it (corruption) often enough, it sends a message to everyone that there’s no problem. And so, we need to fix that whole thinking. There has to be a penalty for corruption. People must be able to explain their source of wealth; a public servant ought to be able to explain how he is able to own fifty houses as a public servant. Somebody has to ask those questions and people have to be able to provide explanations.”

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/osinbanjos-speaks-on-the-punishment-for-corrupt-people/

Huawei Technologies is recruiting to fill the positions of Senior ICT Sales Manager. Below is the full details and requirements needed:

Job Type: Full Time
Qualification: BA/BSc/HND
Experience: 8 years
Job Field: ICT / Computer Sales / Marketing

Job description

The Enterprise Business ICT Product Sales Manager will provide customized solution and consultation service to power grid customers based on Huawei market development, including market analysis, service planning and forecast, research and evaluation of business models, operation consultation, economic analysis and business plan development, etc.;
In charge of integration projects within the ICT solution design / partner selection / partner certification / integration of project delivery, and all other ICT integration projects, the person will be responsible for project success and profitability;
Will act as the main interface on Huawei accounts (mainly power grid customers) and local system integration partner for all technical and commercial proposals;
Present Huawei ICT solution to customers of power grid, especially the high level customers such as Chairman, MD/CEO and ED;

Follow the trends in the power grid ICT field and establish industry analysis models;
Desired Skills and Experience

8+ years experience in power grid sector; have the good relationship with different power grid companies.
Familiar with common ICT technologies such as the challenge. requirements and trend in power grid
Familiar with new technologies such as machine to machine and cloud computing, big data.
Have the good capability to customize huawei smart grid solution according to the end users’ requirements.
Strong result-orientation, interpersonal understanding and communication ability and teamwork awareness;

Excellent management, presentation and communication skills in English;


Click link to apply
http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/senior-ict-sales-manager-vacancy-at-huawei-technologies/

Kaduna State Governor-elect, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that Nigerian workers would play key role in ensuring the desired change that the nation had been yearning for.
El-Rufai, in a statement marking Workers’ Day in Kaduna yesterday, said the country, more than ever needed the patriotic vigilance of the workers in upholding good governance.
He assured that his administration would run an open-door policy and would be conscious of the welfare and social security of workers in the state.
The statement which was signed by his spokesman, Mr. Samuel Aruwan said the new administration in the state would welcome collaboration and run a participatory government.
“I salute all workers in Kaduna State and felicitate with them over this year’s commemoration of Workers ‘Day.
“Workers in the public and private sectors contribute immensely to the development of our dear state.
“At this moment when Nigerians have just voted for change, workers will play a central role in making change real for our people. Our country more than ever needs their productivity on the shop floor, in business and in the public sector as well as their patriotic vigilance in upholding good governance.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/el-rufai-nigerian-workers-key-to-change/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Jonathan administration of plotting to hinder the smooth handover of power to the incoming administration to be led by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) on May 29.
Reacting to Jonathan’s charge that Buhari was running a parallel government, the party said it is becoming apparent that the Jonathan administration would not fully cooperate with the incoming government, despite its public posturing in that regard.
APC described as illogical and strange the claim by Jonathan that the president-elect was trying to set up a parallel government simply because he had set up his own transition committee and given it terms of reference.
In a statement on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also described the president’s allegation as an “act of hostility, patently misplaced aggression and unnecessary vituperation against the incoming Buhari administration” ostensibly because of the terms of reference of the Buhari transition committee but in reality part of an orchestrated plot to sabotage the transition.
It rejected the continued blackmail by the Jonathan administration as a result of the president’s concession of defeat, wondering whether the concession, gracious as it was, has now become a shield for all wrong doings.
“We are sick and tired of being blackmailed by the Jonathanians. Buhari won the 28 March presidential election fair and square, having satisfied both constitutional and other statutory requirements. We have no apology for our victory, and the concession of defeat – while it may have increased the political stock of President Jonathan – has by no means diminished the historic and emphatic victory of Buhari and APC,” the party said.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/apc-accuses-jonathan-of-attempting-to-hinder-transition/

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has debunked reports that no provision was made for fuel subsidy in the 2015 budget, which was passed by the separate chambers of the legislature a few days ago.

Makarfi, who made the statement when he visited the Ministry of Finance in Abuja, also spoke on how the federal government can cut the cost of governance.

The Senate had on Tuesday passed the 2015 budget of N4.493 trillion, five months after it was presented by the Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The Appropriation Bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives last week, was N51bn higher than the N4.425tn submitted to both chambers of the National Assembly by the executive.

Following the passage, concerns were raised that there was no provision for fuel subsidies in the 2015 budget. However, Makarfi said N100 billion was provided as subsidy for petrol, while N43 billion was approved for kerosene in the 2015 budget.

He said: “There is a provision for subsidy in the budget, people need to understand where to look for an issue. If you look at the main appropriation, there are so many cost components.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/05/makarfi-there-is-a-provision-for-fuel-subsidy-in-2015-budget/

The president of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said his company would be ready to list on the London Stock Exchange by next year.

Dangote was quoted as saying in an interview: “I think we will list in London. What we are trying to do now, between now and maybe the next six to 10 months, is actually trying to address all the governance issues.

“I think we will be ready to list sometimes towards ending of 2016 at the latest, which means anytime between the beginning and the end of 2016,” he said in a report by StarAfricanews.

Last year, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc joined the list of Nigerian companies listed on the LSE.

Speaking on oil price and the Nigerian economy, Dangote said that Nigeria could do well with crude price of $60 per barrel.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/dangote-to-list-on-london-stock-exchange/

Following the rescue of 293 women and girls from Sambisa forest by Nigerian troops, the Borno State Government on Wednesday confirmed that the rescued women and girls are not the missing Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted a year ago by Boko Haram insurgents, but indigenes of Bumsiri village in Damboa Local Government Area of the state.

The hibokiCommissioner for Information, Dr. Mohammed Bulama, at a briefing, told journalists that the profiles of the 200 girls and 93 women rescued by the military on Tuesday showed that they were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from Bumsiri village.

The Borno government, through Bulama, commended the Nigerian Army for rescuing the 293 women/girls from captivity, adding that it still believed and hoped that other abducted persons would be rescued soon.

Bulama said the government had started making plans to put in place all the necessary structures to rehabilitate and reintegrate the freed 293 females back into the society.

“These girls and women rescued are still our daughters, just as much as the Chibok girls, and we have to commend the military for liberating them, hoping that the rest will equally be liberated.

“Though everyone had thought they were the Chibok girls because of the hype surrounding the abduction of the Chibok girls, but we should not lose sight that they are as important as the Chibok girls and those that are still in captivity which we hope would be liberated soon.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/borno-govt-293-women-and-girls-are-not-the-missing-chibok-girls/

The summit of the group of seven industrialized countries in the world popularly known as the G-7 has extended its invitation to Nigeria’s President- elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, to attend the next meeting scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, on May 8 and 9.

The G-7 invitation was conveyed to Buhari by the German ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Zenner, during his congratulatory visit to Buhari on Monday at the Defence House in Abuja.

The summit of the G-7 group is currently chaired by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel while the countries that make up the G-7 are United States, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada.

If Buhari accepts the invitation, it will be his first major international outing as the country’s president-elect and would open doors of opportunity to reach-out to the more prosperous nations for collaborative engagements.

Speaking on the bilateral relations between his country and Nigeria, Zenner said Germany is interested in stepping up investment in the energy sector and assisting with checkmating the threat of insecurity.

“I am here to congratulate the President elect, Buhari on his election and handed over to him the letter from the German Chancellor inviting him to Germany.
“We have a very deep and intense relationship with Nigeria and there are lot of areas where we can deepen our relation and develop them further such as in the area of economy, energy among others.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/buhari-invited-to-attend-g-7-summit-in-berlin/

Five months after it was presented to the National Assembly, the Senate on Tusday passed a N4.493 trillion budget for the 2015 fiscal year.
The approved budget is N51 billion higher than the N4.425 trillion submitted to both chambers of the National Assembly by the federal government and tied with the budget passed by the House of Representatives last week.
However, the budget passed by the Senate excluded provisions for fuel and kerosene subsidies in 2015.
In passing the budget, the Senate slightly reduced the N2,607,601,000,300 proposed by the executive to N2,607,132,491,708 for recurrent spending and simultaneously scaled down capital expenditure from N642,848,999,699 to N556,995,465,449.
The budget was predicated on a $53 per barrel oil benchmark, an exchange rate of N190.00 to $1, crude oil production of 2.2782 million per barrel per day, and a deficit as a percentage of GDP of 1.12 per cent or N1.075 trillion.
The parliament also approved the sum of N953.6 billion for debt service, N375.6 billion as statutory transfers and N21 billion for the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).
Education took the lion share of the budget with N392.3 billion followed by N338.7 billion for the military and N303.8 billion budgeted for police commands and formations.
In the same vein, N237 billion was voted for the health sector, N153 billion for the Ministry of Interior, while the Ministry of Works was given a meagre N25.1 billion.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/senate-remove-fuel-subsidies-and-passes-n4-493tn-budget-for-2015/

In a move aimed at limiting the damage caused by the ban imposed on African Independent Television (AIT) from covering the activities of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari by his media team, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that all accredited media organisations in the country, including AIT, are free to cover the activities of the president-elect.
Buhari came under harsh criticism when his media team on Monday banned a television crew from AIT from covering the visit by the Cuban envoy to him in Abuja, citing security and ethical standards raised by his family.
Several sections of the public saw the action as a throwback to Buhari’s military dictatorship in the 1980s when he gagged the press and threw journalists into prison.
During his campaign for the presidency, Buhari refused to apologise for his promulgation of Decree 4, the draconian military law, which gave him the power to gag the press during his 20-month reign as military head of state.

But in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai MohammedNational Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the incoming Buhari administration would not discriminate against any media organisation, irrespective of its role during the electioneering leading up to the recent polls.
The party, however, enjoined all media organisations to observe the highest level of professional standards in carrying out their duties.
“There is a code of ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria, and this demands every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out their duties.
“There must be repercussions within the realms of the law for media organisations which have wantonly breached the code of ethics of the journalism profession and turn themselves to partisans instead of professionals.
“But such repercussions will not include barring any accredited media organisation from covering the activities of the president-elect,” APC said.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/apc-overturns-buhari-says-ait-media-houses-free-to-cover-him/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that all accredited media organizations in the country, including the African Independent Television (AIT), are free to cover the activities of the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the incoming Buhari Administration will not discriminate against any media organization, irrespective of its role during the electioneering campaign leading up to the recent polls.

It however enjoined all media organizations to observe the highest level of professional standards in carrying out their duties.

”There is a Code of Ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria, and this demands every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out their duties.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/apc-all-accredited-media-including-ait-are-free-to-cover-buharis-activities/

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/human-relation-manager-vacancy-at-cadbury-nigeria/

After months of debates over technical and fiscal difficulties, the House of Representatives on Thursday passed the sum of N4.493 trillion budget for the year 2015 fiscal year.

The budget is an increase of N135.4 billion over what was proposed by the Executive in November 2014.

The report of the budget, which was adopted, was laid on Wednesday by the chairman, Committee on Appropriations, John Owan Enoh (PDP, Cross River).

Education got the highest allocation of N392,242,784,654 followed by Defence/MOD/Army/Air Force/Navy with N326,697,219,431 and Police formation and Commands with N303,822,224,611 while the sum of N236,975,742,847 is for Health sector.

The breakdown shows that out of the sum of N152,999,047,466, N69,423,427,479 is for Youth Development; N62,226,771,999 is for office of the National Security Adviser; N58,293,428,177 is for Petroleum Resources; N48,299,630,506 is for Secretary to the Government of the Federation ; N41,688,372,171 is for Foreign Affairs while N31,871,341,597 is for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The sums of N26,593,880,816 is for Science and Technology; N25,177,777,661 is for Works; N23,695,474,427 is for Information; N20,085,865,120 is for Presidency; N18,118,392,153 is for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation; N15,602,574,341 is for Environment; N10,978,094,393 is for Trade and Investment while N10,597,851,549 is for Communication Technology.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/house-signs-n4-493tn-budget/

The House of Representatives on Thursday insisted that it did not flout any constitutional requirement in the process of amending the constitution, which President Goodluck Jonathan rejected via a letter to the parliament on April 13, 2015 and further sued the House to court.

The Deputy Minority Whip of the House, Hon. Eric Osagie (APC, Edo) gave explanations on aspects of the constitution review contended by the president.

On Clause 4 (alteration of Section 9), Osagie said: “the National Assembly met the requirement of the said Section 9 (3) for four-fifths of votes of members of each House.

“A reference to the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives for Wednesday 24, July 2013, No. 15 at page 117 shows that the alteration of Section 9, attendance of members as registered was 338. Ayes votes were 317, Nays votes were 6, Abstain 15, totalling 338. The Senate also voted accordingly.”

Clause 4. seeks to alter Section 9 of the constitution regarding the assent of the president in the process of constitution amendment.

Further on the mandate given to the president to assent to bills sent to him within 30 days, the lower chamber. Said it is not strange. “The only new thing is that the National Assembly introduced an amendment to the effect that if the President fails to assent to the bill or indicate his withholding of assent, the bill shall become law after the 30 days interval.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/constitution-review-house-replies-jonathan/

Following the confusion that arose after the federal government’s announcement last week that President Goodluck Jonathan would hand over to President-elect Muhammadu Buhari on May 28 at a dinner, thus creating a power vacuum before the latter’s swearing-in the next day, the government stated on Wednesday that the hand-over ceremony would take place on May 29.
Arising from the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC), the Minister of Information, Patricia Akwashiki, made the clarification at the Presidential Villa when she briefed State House correspondents.
She said a dinner would be hosted by Jonathan for Buhari on May 28, but it was not intended to be a hand over ceremony.
She said that the president-elect might be honoured with an award at the dinner.
According to the minister, all hand over briefs being coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, would be ready by May 28.
She allayed fears among federal government contractors who may be worried about the revocation of their contracts by the incoming government, saying government was a continuous process and all viable contracts would be sustained.
She stressed that if there has been any slow down in the execution of projects by contractors, it could only be as a result of the non-passage of the 2015 budget, and not because of concerns that the contracts might be revoked.
On the sacking of the former Inspector General of Police (IG), Suleiman Abba, just a few weeks to the hand over date, Akwashiki said it remained the prerogative of the president to take the decision and he had done what he felt should be done.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/04/minister-of-information-jonathan-will-hand-over-to-buhari-on-may-29/