₦airaland Forum

.

“If not for her, I would have left this country,” Moses Chukwudi, a foodstuff trader at Mile 12 Market, Lagos, says of his new marital status as he discusses the economic downturn in Nigeria.

Chukwudi got married in November 2016 and planned to lavish his income – made from selling rice, beans, garri, palm oil, vegetable oil – on his bride, but in just two months, he wished he held back on that plan. He is not making money anymore.

He said his business had deteriorated so much that he could have left the country if he were not married to the love of his life.

“Just last year, we bought a bag of garri for N6,000, today (January 12, 2017), the same bag goes for 10,000. I usually stock my store with 50 to 70 bags of garri, and sell about 20 bags in one day,” he told TheCable.

“Look at this one,” he points to a sparsely stocked storehouse, “I bought 18 bags on Sunday, and today (Thursday), most of them are still there. Before, I would have sold all in a day.”.....

read full story at
https://www.thecable.ng/how-govt-policies-lower-living-standards-push-millions-of-nigerians-into-poverty

Written by Mayowa Tijani with reports from our correspondents. Photos by Mansur Ibrahim

By Lordson Okpetu

The present National Assembly has not done enough to improve the standard of living of Nigerian masses, says Director of Strategy of KOWA party, Kunle Lawal.

In an exclusive telephone interview monitored in Lagos by Concise News, the Abuja-based politician said Nigerian lawmakers should intensify efforts at passing masses-oriented bills, while also cautioning them to listen more to the people they claim to represent by making themselves more accessible.

The young politician, who is nursing the ambition of becoming the youngest senator in 2019, vows to allocate 80% of his remunerations to constituency projects if elected into office.

Excerpts of the interview:

What’s your view about the current Nigerian senate under the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki?

I think the current senate is not putting forward enough bills that will affect the common Nigerian people. This is not to say they are not doing their jobs, but one will expect them to pay more attention to passing bills that will affect the masses.

I’ll give you an example; the minimum wage. Why has the national assembly not done something about the minimum wage?

With the current economic situation of Nigeria, eighteen thousand naira minimum wage is grossly inadequate. This sum can’t even buy a bag of rice. How do you now expect civil servants to feed, transport themselves, pay house rent and send their kids to school on eighteen thousand naira minimum wage?

Another example is protection of women and girls. How do you hope to protect women when the fine on female genital mutilation is just N2, 000 or an option of 30-day jail term?

These are serious issues affecting the masses that I expect the national assembly to deal with constitutionally.

What we have currently is a national assembly that pays more attention to elitist laws.

In what areas do you think the national assembly has really under-performed?

There are quite a number of them. Let me start with social welfare, the senate has not done enough for Nigerians in this aspect.

Another area the senate has really under-performed is in the small and medium enterprises sector of the economy. There’s been no bill to protect Nigerian SMEs. We all know that no economy can grow without a vibrant SME sector. This, kind of, pushes the country deeper into recession.

Primary health care and power supply are other areas the national assembly has also come short of expectations.

Despite all we’ve said about agriculture, the national assembly has not done enough to back this initiative with appropriate laws. If a Nigerian farmer farms cocoa now, harvests and sell his cocoa seed for let’s say $2bn. Nigerians will celebrate. The same Nigeria will later turn around and import sweets, beverages, chocolates and many other products containing cocoa for let’s say $10bn. Based on this scenario, I ask, how has cocoa farming helped Nigeria?

It is nomadic to farm without making provisions for processing. We can’t continue to sell raw materials and turn around to buy finished products just like we do with our crude oil. I expect the national assembly to enact laws that will address crucial issues like these.

Information reaching us has it that you’ve announced your ambition to run for the Senate in 2019, how true is this?

(Laughs). It is very true. I’m humbly offering myself to serve as a senator of Abuja constituency in 2019.

Why the senate?

Let me give you a brief summary of my biography. I’ve lived in Abuja since I finished university in 2001. During this period, I’ve been part of a lot of youth movement groups. I’ve given more than 300 hours of volunteer teaching in government secondary schools to help education in Nigeria.

I also run a youth movement known as the ‘Orange Youth Movement’. The movement helps educate Nigerian youths on political processes. For example, pulling out a non-performing senator. Most people think this is easy, but truth is it is not. To call back a senator, you will need the consent of 2/3 of the people in his/her constituency. This is almost impossible to do. I’ve been educating Nigerian youths on issues like these.

I’ve been on social media and radio, trying to educate and put forward solutions to national issues.

Then I realised that I’ve tried for so long on the sidelines; I’ve been at it since 2003, that’s fourteen straight years. I then thought to myself that the only way to make the kind of change I want to see is to infiltrate the system and attack the status quo from within.

This was what informed my decision to run for the senate.

Moreso, I think I’ve done enough as a foot soldier, it’s now time for me to join forces and direct where my country is headed. When a man’s age starts nearing forty, he should start asking ‘what can I do for my nation’, and not ‘what can my nation can do for me’.

What are your chances in 2019? Who are your opponents?

My main opponent is going to be the current senator representing Abuja. He belongs to the PDP and he’s been the senator representing Abuja federal constituency for the past 12 years. Of course, APC is expected to produce a credible candidate too.

However, I believe I have equal chances like any other candidate that I will be competing with.

I, however, have something going on well for me that most of them don’t. I’m not saying this to undermine anybody, but truth is there are less than five percent of true Nigerians who know the workings of Nigeria, care about Nigeria, live in Nigeria and now wish to serve Nigeria like me.

I’m actually from the Western part of the country. I was born and raised in the core northern part of the country, I’m very fluent in hausa and can even be mistaken for an hausa man. I’m married from the south-south part of Nigeria.

I also happen to come from a home of mixed religion. My father was a muslim and my mother a Christian. I was exposed to both religions till the age of ten. I was given a choice to choose my religion.

I’m not from a rich home. I attended public schools. I graduated and set up my own company. I had a short stint as personal assistant to a minister. That’s the only public office I’ve ever held.

I’ve also participated in various political advocacy groups on radio, social media and on the streets.

All these have contributed to giving me a clear understanding of the workings of Nigeria.

There are quite a few true Nigerians like me in public service, but they seem to get confused when they get elected into public office. I can’t afford to let that happen in my own case because, by my estimation, I would be the youngest senator if elected in 2019. This means I’ll be a role model for a generation that has been held down for a long time. The stakes are high, so I don’t think I have the luxury to make many mistakes.

For example, there are many senators that have spent twelve years in the senate without sponsoring a single bill. I can’t see myself making such an expensive mistake.

You pledge to channel 80% of your pay as senator into constituency project, true or campaign strategy?

It’s not a campaign strategy. It’s true.

80% of my pay will go into constituency project as I currently live comfortably with my family with just about 20% of what a Nigerian senator earns.

Those who live in Abuja would’ve heard me on radio multiple times speak against the current jumbo pay of our lawmakers. Our lawmakers require about N1.09trn to maintain. That’s excessive, if you ask me. That kind of pay cannot be justified.

I’m not in support of senator’s being given official residence. A lawmaker should be able to provide his own accommodation.

So, if I say I’m going to fight against these injustices in the system, it’s only logical for me to start with myself by retaining my rented apartment as a senator and donating 80% of my salary to constituency project.

I don’t need all those perks of office to do my work. It will even restrict me. I want to be able to move around Abuja every weekend as a senator in public transportation, mingle with Abuja residents and listen to their concerns.

I want to be able to go to the markets and hold heart-to-heart talks with market women. I want to know their concerns, fears and expectations. This is what, I think, it takes to be a representative of the people at the national assembly.

I will not stop at that, I will have a functional office in Abuja where my people can access me any time.

Why I’m going to be doing all these is to educate Nigerians that the president is not to be blamed for every difficulty they are passing through. Nobody blames the reps and senators who are supposed to even be more in touch with the people.

Our lawmakers need to sit up and be accountable to the people in their constituencies.

What is your campaign strategy?

I’m a regular guy with a small family, my wife and my son. The same way change in price of cooking gas affects you is the same way it affects me. I don’t have any money stashed anywhere that I plan to use to prosecute the election the Nigerian way. I have no political godfather to back me up.

My campaign strategy is, therefore, somehow hinged on my support base. I intend to raise my campaign funds through crowd-funding and voluntary donations; just the way US senators run for elective posts. That’s the model I’m adopting.

I want to interact with people; visit Wuse market, sit down with members of rotary clubs etc. I want to show right from beginning that I’m accessible. I’m going to post my personal numbers and office numbers for anybody to use to access me. Anybody can call me up and discuss with me how I plan to run Abuja.

Who is your political role model in Nigeria?

(Laughs) I don’t really have a particular Nigerian in mind as a political role mode. I am actually creating my own role model.

However, I can take a bit of a few Nigerian politicians, namely Sen. Bukola Saraki and Sen. Ben Murray Bruce. Saraki for tactics, I may not like him as a person, but I admire his tact. Ben Bruce says the right things, I admire him for that but I, however, have an issue with his style. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to ask him (face to face) why he comes online to tweet about what’s wrong with Nigeria.

This is a senator we are talking about, I expect him to push bills to address national problems instead of repeatedly tweeting about them on Twitter. No need telling us what you think as a senator. I’m not sure many people care about what he thinks either, but I’m sure many people care about the kind of bills he can push that will address their problems.

I will not fail to mention my real role model, President Barrack Obama. Former president Bill Clinton and, last but not the least, Alexander the Great, inspire me too.

http://www.concisenews.global/news/nigerian-lawmakers-have-not-done-enough-for-the-masses-kunle-lawal/

It appears this guys haven't gotten the #MemoFromBourdillon - PMB was the best candidate to beat Jonathan and not much else!

for posterity...

https://www.nairaland.com/2729145/fashola-becomes-minister-power-housing

https://www.nairaland.com/2729135/fashola-heads-ministry-power-works

It appears BAT has found his voice and has recently stated his opinion on power generation among other pressing National issues however given the report from Forbes in 2004 is he one to talk?

Dan Ackman
9/20/2004 @ 10:45AM
Enron's Nigeria Barge: The Real Deal


A criminal trial will begin today in Houston to determine whether Enron executives conspired with Merrill Lynch bankers to fake an asset sale that allowed Enron to book profits while its executives boosted their bonuses.

The issue for the jury is whether the 1999 sale of an interest in Nigerian energy barges by an Enron entity to Merrill Lynch was a sham that allowed Enron to illegally book about $12 million in pretax profit, when in fact there was no real sale and no real profit.

Four former Merrill top executives and two former midlevel Enron officials face conspiracy and fraud charges. Merrill has cut its own deal, firing bankers and agreeing to the outside oversight of its structured-finance transactions, in addition to cooperating with the prosecutors’ ongoing investigation. It has also settled civil fraud charges brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, without admitting or denying fault.

The trial is said to be important–despite the fact that it involves just one transaction among thousands–because it is a harbinger of the trials of Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling Jeffrey Skilling , among others, and because it will offer a window into the way Wall Street does business. This all assumes that Lay and Skilling will go to trial and that the trial starting today will be concluded without an 11th hour plea. But whatever happened to the barges?

While the $12 million in profit may be small, the barge deal was pretty big at one time, though the details remain obscure.

The idea, announced in 1999, was that Enron would build gas-fired power plants near Lagos. Estimated costs put the project at about $500 million. Before the main plant was built, Enron would start supplying power from three 30-megawatt barge-mounted plants burning either oil or gas, according to a 1999 article in Global Power Report, citing an Enron spokesman. The barges were to begin operation as early as the fall of 1999, though plans had not been finalized. The initial report was that Enron would begin construction, probably in the first half of 2000, and complete the project in 22 months.


For Nigerians, the project was important because, though Africa’s largest nation is rich in energy resources, it faced persistent power crises and blackouts.

By September, the cost estimate for the new power complex was up to $800 million. Enron was committed to financing it and to installing an associated 175 mile-long, 24-inch diameter, offshore natural gas pipeline to supply the plant.

By February 2000, apparently before any construction, the deal was already facing political problems, according to Global Power Report. The contracts were called into question by the World Bank, Nigeria’s national utility, the National Electric Power Authority and other Nigerian states. The World Bank reportedly said the deal should have been competitively bid and that the final contract was overly favorable to Enron.

Even before anything happened in the way of supplying energy, Enron was selling pieces of its deal to Merrill Lynch. That transaction and Merrill’s quick sale of its interest back to an Enron-related entity is at the heart of the criminal allegations.

In early 2001, AES said it had purchased a majority interest in the Nigerian energy barges for a total investment in the business of $225 million, including investment from the project’s minority partner, the Nigerian conglomerate Y.F. Power. Seven had already arrived in Nigeria, while the other two were being upgraded at a Mississippi shipyard.

Enron would declare bankruptcy less than a year later. But Arlington, Va.-based AES has managed to push the project forward. In announcing a financing deal for the project earlier this month, the company said the barge project now produces approximately 8% of Nigeria’s power supply.

http://www.forbes.com/2004/09/20/cx_da_0920topnews.html

Tinubu laid the foundation for failed state government led power programmes with his ENRON IPP (remember the barges parked at Ijora?).

Fashola took over with Gas/Diesel IPPs which generated close to 10MW (as stipulated by law and above which the power must go into the National grid to be distributed as NEPA/PHCN deemed fit). Interestingly UBA and a couple of other organisations on the Marina generate similar capacity for their buildings.

Fashola was so excited that he made the 'any reasonable government will sort power out in 6 months' statement and the '“So, let no one say that he has no money to deliver power for the entire country. This is the limit to which the law allows us to do, but we have done this to make a statement that power can be generated. ‘’So, when they come with lies that power is impossible, you can tell them that we have power here; we make it possible.” statement.

If I was president and heard a 'much acclaimed' governor say this I will hurriedly appoint him to head the power sector.

Of course that is if I had no inkling that he was a prolific 'orator' with a penchant for 'alternative facts'.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/power-supply-all-homes-in-lagos-will-be-lit-in-six-months-if-fashola/

http://www.forbes.com/2004/09/20/cx_da_0920topnews.html

Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The Senate may probe Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Bureau of Public Procurement over alleged inflation of the costs of some contracts awarded by his ministry.

Mr. Babatunde Fashola is the minister in charge of the ministry.

The lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, who raised a point of order during the plenary on Wednesday, alleged that the the BPP conspicuously changed the contractors and costs of some projects applied for by the ministry.

Melaye said, “I draw the attention of the Senate to some infractions and corruption between the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and the Bureau of Public Procurement.

“The BPP got a letter from the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing for the award of two batches of contracts. The first is the award for the construction and rehabilitation of 10 roads and bridges under the 2016 budget in November 2016. The second batch is the award for the construction of bridges and roads – 13 of them – in the 2016 budget.

“The ministry sent a letter to the BPP, asking that 10 companies who had undergone their (the ministry’s) internal due process and technical qualification be issued Certificate of No Objection for the award of the contracts. The BPP, after its diligence, wrote its first report, giving the ministry a nod. But somehow, a second letter came from the BPP indicating ‘Revised Due Process Review.’ This is now a review of the first one.

“What caught my attention is that while the first was in compliance with what the ministry recommended, in the second letter, they completely changed the list of the contractors. Not that the contractors were just changed, figures also varied.

In the first batch of 10, a contract was given to new contractors who were not assessed by the ministry. After awarding the contract to them, the initial contract awarded for the Muman-Jalingo Road in Adamawa State was given to a new contractor at N12.8bn as against N11bn that was recommended by the ministry. Another contractor was also given a new contract against the recommendation of N10bn; the contract was now awarded at N14bn.”

The senator asked that he be allowed to present the matter as a motion to allow a detailed presentation and debate.

“Nigerians are watching. And I am aware that Nigerians have now opened a ledger for the thieves in power, who are still in power. In a time like this, my expectation is that those stealing from government coffers should suspend stealing. We will keep exposing (them) and if they continue to be in power, one day, and very soon, Nigerians will start shouting until justice is done to public thieves. If I get the motion of the Senate, I will bring this as a substantive motion and the relevant committee will do its investigation,” Melaye said.

President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, who presided over the plenary, however said since Melaye came under Order 42, “by our rules, we will need the leave of this Senate, so that the matter can be brought as a motion.”

The lawmakers granted the leave and Saraki proclaimed that the motion be moved on the next legislative day (Thursday).



http://punchng.com/senate-may-probe-fashola-bpp-alleged-contracts-inflation/

So I came across this article below on http://www.thecapital.ng/?p=15306 however shortly after viewing it the article was taken down with a redirect to the main menu.

Below is the article reproduced via the google cache link http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kyktKZhQNo4J:www.thecapital.ng/%3Fp%3D15306+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ng

Over to you guys at www.thecapital.ng Were You Hacked?

Africa’s richest billionaire extends generosity to manager of Nigeria’s apex bank

"The contents of his pockets are often emptied to better the lives of impoverished, ragged families of the boondocks. He cannot understand why how so much wealth should go brushing by, unmindful of the poor. But Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group’s heart beats with compassion that extends beyond the lives and fate of the poor. Dangote’s heart also throbs in favour of the high and mighty craving various needs and conveniences to better their lives. This is why he sees nothing wrong in releasing his private jet to Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
As you read, the CBN governor has unrestricted access to the private jet of Africa’s riches billionaire. This is no doubt much appreciated by Emefiele given the fact that the CBN does not own a private jet, nor has it rented or assigned any to his office.
Going about in Dangote’s private jet apparently makes work easier for the CBN governor. He does not have to queue to board commercial airlines and he finds it extremely comfortable and luxurious to travel in style aboard the aircraft of Africa’s richest billionaire and philanthropist.
Few billionaires are indeed like Dangote. Very few magnates have a heart of gold that beats for the sake of needy. Only a man like Dangote could release his very expensive private jet for the use of Nigeria’s CBN governor knowing it is the duty of the government to provide such facility if need be."

mccoy47:
EFCC should beam their radar on Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa

They already have...and lost

http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/05/10/lagos-lawyer-adegboruwa-arrested-by-efcc-for-alleged-n61m-scam/

http://punchng.com/efcc-loses-case-human-rights-lawyer-adegboruwa/

Is Minister Mohammed still seating on the board of KNIGHTSBRIDGE DREDGING? A company he owns? Do this people ever learn abi does he want to do a #BabachirLawal


Knightsbridge is the same dredging company indicted by Fashola for illegal dredging in Lagos in June 2012

https://www.nairaland.com/2890578/june-2012-gov-fashola-indicts

most Nigerians are too LAZY

#TooLazyToFactCheckStoriesOnline
#TooLazyToGenerateOriginalContent

same story below on a Spanish website

http://www.sopitas.com/229386-y-en-la-nota-idiota-del-dia-mujer-compra-television-de-madera/
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sopitas.com%2F229386-y-en-la-nota-idiota-del-dia-mujer-compra-television-de-madera%2F&edit-text=&act=url

https://www.naij.com/1082025-heartbreaking-daughters-told-politicians-sponsoring-boko-haram-sambisa-chibo.html?pk_campaign=ush

Mynd44, Lalasticlala Naij.com no be source again?

To commemorate the 1000 days of captivity of the Chibok Girls with a rundown of the Nigerian Armies response on the 17th of April 2014 as reported by various news media wherein the claim was made that 129 school girls were abducted by Boko Haram on the night of the 14th of April, further stating that of this 129, 121 had been rescued by the Nigerian Army with only 8 still missing.

References:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/158911-borno-government-officials-principal-say-military-lied-rescue-abducted-school-girls.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/16/world/africa/nigeria-girls-abducted/

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/eb76640043aace4daf4fff239b19c088/Nigerian-military-continue-searching-for-missing-schoolgirls

https://www.channelstv.com/2014/04/16/troops-free-girls-abducted-by-terrorists-in-chibok/

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/students-abduction-latest-escaped-school-girls/

http://thecitizenng.com/boko-haram-soldiers-vigilante-groups-hunters-rescue-abducted-schoolgirls-8-still-missing/

http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/fury-grows-over-nigerian-kidnapping

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/158901-breaking-nigerian-military-says-it-frees-107-kidnapped-female-students-8-still-missing.html

https://www.naij.com/1082025-heartbreaking-daughters-told-politicians-sponsoring-boko-haram-sambisa-chibo.html?pk_campaign=ush

kmariko take

It is in the interest of all Nigerians who participated in the #BBOG campaign to ascertain the veracity of these claims immediately, myself inclusive

...

Flashback to 2015

.

To commemorate the 1000 days of captivity of the Chibok Girls with a rundown of the Nigerian Armies response on the 17th of April 2014 as reported by various news media wherein the claim was made that 129 school girls were abducted by Boko Haram on the night of the 14th of April, further stating that of this 129, 121 had been rescued by the Nigerian Army with only 8 still missing.

References:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/158911-borno-government-officials-principal-say-military-lied-rescue-abducted-school-girls.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/16/world/africa/nigeria-girls-abducted/

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/eb76640043aace4daf4fff239b19c088/Nigerian-military-continue-searching-for-missing-schoolgirls

https://www.channelstv.com/2014/04/16/troops-free-girls-abducted-by-terrorists-in-chibok/

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/students-abduction-latest-escaped-school-girls/

http://thecitizenng.com/boko-haram-soldiers-vigilante-groups-hunters-rescue-abducted-schoolgirls-8-still-missing/

http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/fury-grows-over-nigerian-kidnapping

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/158901-breaking-nigerian-military-says-it-frees-107-kidnapped-female-students-8-still-missing.html

PMB's ineptitude has allowed for the mundane to become exceptional

#ThinkBeforeYouVote better still participate actively in Party Primaries and determine the candidates by yourselves

May we all enjoy a much better 2017 and may Nigeria be truly on the way to greatness as a shining light in the comity of Nations

Anticorruption:
thank God he did not


cause the country would have been dead by now

last i checked 10B IDp funds are missing right under buhari nose
52M for the first time in history has been se aside to pack poo
4.B$ missing from NNPC , under BUhari ministry
270M used for cutting non-existent grass


oh buhari is a saint

all these zombies sef

are you sure he's a zombie?

e be like say d guy na Staff oh

you no see as dem dem enter budget?

aka #WorkingForMyMoney

Wehdon eh

who is talking about hero here?

Martins301:

If your hero had done 1/4 of what PMB is doing now, Nigeria would have been a better place. Alas, the fedora hat wearing thief was an ineffectual Buffon whose PhD couldn't cure his cluelessness about the looting going on under his nose

When GEJ said people will miss him when he leaves I was appalled by the statement.

Unfortunately PMB and his cohort are making this proposition "realer" as days go by.

I lay some blame squarely at the feet of PMB's blinkered supporters!(example as shown above by Martins301)

Based on his antecedents it was possible to guess where this government would be headed, so some criticised mis-steps from the get go genuinely with the good of all Nigeria but were called PDP apologists!

Now people eye don begin dey clear small small!

Imagine where we would be by now if the constructive criticisms received in the first THREE MONTHS had been received with sincerity and an open mind.