₦airaland Forum

sugardad1:
3. Black Velvet Tamarind
To undertake a fruitless (in both senses) market search, you only have to keep asking for “black velvet tamarind”.

I saw what you did there. Love me a good pun...

Pavore9:
They should heal themselves outside politics and stop being fanatic on either sides. The mind is too beautiful to waste. There are things within our control which out of them we can achieve good. My path is not reliant on government support because time which is not renewable can not be wasted waiting on them. Education has given me eyes, it is my responsibility to do the walking.

Exactly my point. We are powerful. More so than we know. We can be the change that we earnestly desire. Problems are opportunities waiting to be harnessed. Fanaticism on either side will not help.

spiralwedge:
You got it wrong. Ipad, sorry Ipob youths are frustrated, not Nigerian youths. They feel better doing what you described above. They support anything that will make this country.

My person, I wish to state here that I have no horse in this race. I have seen what divisiveness can cause among young people. I was saying only that those emotions and the attendant passion be harnessed towards solving problems not criticism and hate. Afterall youth is beautiful....

Pavore9:
Someone who took up a lease way back in 2009 and had some outstanding payment, then in 2011 the owners wrote him to quit their property which he refused and decided to take him to court, the appeal court finally ruled in 2016 and some say it is witch hunt!

I only wish those crying victimization should be bold enough to owe their landlords so they can have the opportunity to accuse Buhari when their landlords throw them out!

The simple truth is that the Nigerian youth is just angry and frustrated at the political ineffectiveness of our leaders past and present. Taking sides and attacking anyone with an opposing view gives him relevance and a sese of purpose. This goes both ways: for those who blindly support every and any policy of the current government, to those who believe they are superior because they supported the last administration. The youth needs to heal, to see himself as a solution to the myriad of problems facing the nation not as a weapon, canon fodder for a few greedy politicians

By Ahamefula Ogbu

United States Deputy Head of Mission, Maria Brewer has blamed cumbersome legal process and depth of investigations that have to be carried out to ensure equity and fairness to all parties for delays experienced in the repatriation of looted funds for developing countries, especially Nigeria.



She also listed “smartness” of looters and criminals who create all manner of hurdles and hide their loots in ways not too straight to deal with for the delays but assured that with legislations targeted at recovering such funds and the partnership of other bodies and countries, there would be no hiding place for looted funds.

On solution to the Niger Delta problem, she observed that nearly 20 years ago, the issue was on the front burner and had recently witnessed an upsurge. She regretted that there appeared no ready-made answer or solution but advocated dialogue and engagement to restore peace to the region.

Brewer who spoke exclusively to THISDAY in Lagos denied official complicity for the protection of looted funds, pointing out that the USA had passed some legislations which ensured return of looted funds even when they were not hosted by the US but for the funds just passing through their territory

According to her, contrary to the notion that the looted funds were in a tagged bag that could be transported back to their countries of origin, most of the funds had even been invested in properties and into some legitimate businesses while some beneficiaries had what they felt were legitimate claims to keeping their part of the funds.

“It is a very cumbersome legal process; I know it is not necessarily exciting to think about the entire legal process that that it takes to return money. This is not a safe with a big bag with a dollar tag Abacha loot sitting somewhere but is not because some of that money may have been turned into property. It has been laundered and turned into businesses, turned into goods so it is not just a simple matter of reaching into a safe and saying okay, here is the money back. It is in the hands of individuals some of who have legal claims that they came by it legally or again some have several layers removed and removing that cannot be done automatically, some legal process have to be followed as the rights of those individuals, their rights are respected as well.

“It is difficult and not exciting to think about, involves a lot of lawyers and a lot of companies and law enforcement to go through a lot of documents and I know they are doing that work as we speak to determine where those monies came from, how do we remove it and how do we answer the claims of individual holdings and determine if they came by it honestly

“It is an incredible amount of work and I know it has been going on for years and unfortunately it has to go on, into sometime into the future but our desire is true, we intend to do all we can to return those monies and most of those monies are not in the US.”

THISDAYLive
Home Nigeria
‘Coup Rumour, Ploy to Pitch Military against President’
June 25, 2016 0 183

By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Niger Delta Youths Solidarity Movement (NDYSM) Friday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard rumour about impending coup by alleged militant groups, describing the story as a deliberate ploy by mischief makers to pitch the president against the military for the selfish motives.



Addressing a press conference in Abuja, NDYSM President, Comrade Prince Kpokpogri noted that such stories were mere rumours being concocted by oil thieves and miscreants who detest the presence of navy and army in the region.

According to him, “in view of the bad light in which the militants with the active backing of the ex-military officers sought to cast the entire Niger Delta region, we deem it imperative to warn them to stop blackmailing the institution of the military.

“If the Nigerian state is still in doubt, we only need to take a look at the change in the strategy being used to ruffle feathers in the land. The stolen public funds seem to have found its way into the hands of groups that are now staging strong media attacks on not just key institutions in the military but also the management of its services and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We believe these characters now dread the presence of the Nigerian military particularly the Navy and the Army who protect oil facilities from crude oil thieves and their agents and therefore resort to sow the seed of discord by peddling the coup story around.

“While we are mostly focusing on our region, we have observed that the same pattern of catalysing instability by questioning the credibility of President Buhari, tarnishing the standing and loyalty of the military and questioning its loyalty to the President and the nation has been on the rise.

“We do not wish that their bluff snowballs into something else. These ex-military officers must know that there are other ways of seeking redemption in the aftermath of the disgraceful and unbefitting end to what should have been their illustrious careers”.

There is still time to rethink and act differently”.

Continuing Kpokpogri stressed; “We urge President Buhari not to surrender the war against corruption to criminal elements simply because they are fantasising about a phantom coup that the military has denied anyway. The coup story is definitely a strategy that was hurriedly thrown up when they saw that they cannot dare Nigeria’s military might. Their ploy to force President Buhari to decimate the military through a purge to be triggered by the allegation of a coup has definitely failed before they have implemented it. Nigerians must make sure they continue to fail by constantly exposing their lies.”

The group lamented that it was pained as individuals and as a people that persons who should have been revered leaders demanded an end to the prosecution of persons indicted for corruption as a cardinal demand or precondition for ending the attacks on oil installations.

The development it said damaged the reputation and painted the hardworking youths in the area as urchins that are readily available fodder for the ruling class.

‎

It stressed that the activities of militant groups like the Niger Delta Avengers had further compound the environmental pollution that was already rife before they were initiated, noting that the militants group cannot claim to be representing the interest of the region.

“We were perplexed that instead of taking the Federal Government up on its offer of dialogue, more militant groups were announcing their presence on a weekly or even daily basis. This is a development that suggested that the so called militants were trying to create a situation where it becomes difficult if not impossible for genuine reconciliation to take place. There was equally the outside chance that some of these mushroom militant groups, learning from history, were on the quick to register their presence in case another round of free for all amnesty takes place,” it said.

Source:
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/06/25/coup-rumour-ploy-to-pitch-military-against-president/

President Muhammadu Buhari has lamented that Niger Delta militants were deploying high-tech technology to destroy oil installations.

Speaking after breaking fast with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Buhari appealed to members of his party who had friends among the militants to talk to them.

Buhari said: “I honestly don’t know how many factions the militants are in the Niger Delta compared to the north east where you have the Boko Haram

“The technology being deployed by the militants to destroy oil installations is high tech, the way they can go on high sea and international waters and target oil installations is a national problem. It is affecting development.

“No insurance company will want to insure installations that will end up being blown up and no banks will want to finance such installations.

“Those of you who have friends among the leadership or even the militants themselves should plead with them in the name of God Almighty to take it easy.

“We need to stabilise to create employment, we need to stabilise the economy etc. I agonise over these things.

“We are in a very difficult time, so we have to organise ourselves. Anybody that says he has any other country than Nigeria should go out and see.”

The president also said that the successful conduct of the APC primaries in Edo State had given him a new hope.

He said that Ondo State was being watched very closely in order to ensure that the vote of the people counted.

Earlier, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had told the president that the party was pleased with what he had accomplished so far and the strong leadership he had given the country.

While admitting that the nation was going through tough and difficult time with multitude of challenges, Odigie-Oyegun said change would not come cheap or easily.

“Any meaningful development requires strong and determined leader. Things must change. Those things don’t come easily. Nigeria is clearly a difficult nation to govern,” he said.

Apart from the party chairman, other party leaders who attended the event included former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Naaba; the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Segun Oni; and former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva among others.

Also present were Chief Tony Momoh, Osita Izunaso.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and former Minister of Labour, Hassan Lawal were also in attendance.

SOURCE: http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/06/25/militants-using-high-technology-to-bomb-oil-facilities-laments-buhari/

Reps in sex scandal, Samuel ikon, Mark Gbillah, Mohammed Garba-Gololo.

There has been no shortage of controversy and hair-raising incidents from the 8th National Assembly of Nigeria, but nothing breaks the heart more than the name-them-shame-them letter that has been sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the US Ambassador in which he accused three Nigerian lawmakers of sexual misconduct during an April 7-13, 2016 participation in the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP).

The three lawmakers are Mohammed Garba Gololo (APC, Bauchi), Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and Mark Terseer Gbillah (APC, Benue). In his letter to the Speaker, James Entwistle says Gbillah and Ikon “allegedly requested hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit prostitutes” while Gololo “allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex”. This was reported to the hotel management. The use of the word “grabbed” sounds quite deliberate in its Nigerian-ness.

Whoever threw that phrase in knows certainly well, that Nigerian lawmakers who spoke against a Gender Equality Bill, and who have done nothing to protect the Child Rights Act which pegs the age of marriage at 18, are most likely to abuse women and grab anything that their libido finds attractive. Of course as expected, the three indicted lawmakers have claimed that they are innocent, that nothing of such happened and that they have been denied the benefit of fair hearing. Mark Gbillah has written a windy protest letter, like a petition for a visa denied, in which he not only affirmed his innocence, but he is also alleging defamation and the threat of possible lawsuits. Gbillah is even asking for a video-tape proof! You’ve got swag hen, bros, the way you just dey halla…

But I will advise you and the two others to just drink cold water and chill, and as they say, calm down. Without any technical or express malice intended, the truth of this matter is that the US Embassy in Nigeria and the US Department of State have just thrown you and the two others under the trailer. Read Ambassador Entwistle’s letter again, the word “allegedly” is used but the letter suggests that the weight of the law of the United States could have been brought to bear upon the three of you right after the reports were made, but now, two clear months later, after investigations have been conducted and the US Government is convinced, the decision has now been taken to name and shame you, and punishment has been issued: your visas to the United States have been cancelled. The case against you is already closed.

Your threat that you will go to court amounts to nothing. It is your word against theirs. And it is not just the three of you the Americans are shaming, it is the rest of us, and so the shame is an embarrassment to Nigeria. If you guys don’t think so, please hire an intelligent person to decode the following excerpt: “The conduct described above left a very negative impression of Nigeria, casting a shadow on Nigeria’s National Assembly, the IVLP, and to the American hosts’ impression as a whole. Such conduct could affect some participants’ ability to travel to the United States in the future”. What? All of these insults -just because three male Nigerian lawmakers could not manage erectile functionality?

It seems to me that part of the problem with many of our public officers is that they enjoy free meals and free rides so much that they hardly pause to understand the implications. They jump at every invitation to dinner from foreign embassies without knowing what it means to go there and start blabbing. Every word gets recorded! They also don’t know what it means to accept a free ride to the home country of those embassies under whatever guise. Everything you do during the visit is monitored and every one around you, including the programme guides and the staff of the hosting hotel, has been specifically detailed to keep an eye on you. The IVLP is organized by the US Department of State through US embassies across the world. It is a “premier professional exchange programme.”

The present scandal under review will not put an end to it, but the testimonial from the US Embassy is a cautionary note to all future Nigerian travellers to the US, especially public officials. Gbilla, Ikon and Gololo have had their visas to the United States cancelled. They may never again be given a visa to that country. And it may also be the case that other embassies in Nigeria would have taken note of their indictment by the US Embassy, and hence refuse them visas or opportunities such as the one they have just enjoyed and abused
The American government funds it, and in its 75 years of existence, 200, 000 persons, mainly “current and emerging foreign leaders” from 190 countries have participated in it. The objective is to provide an opportunity for interaction and exchange of ideas with counterparts in the United States and to offer exposure to the workings of the American system and democracy. People don’t usually apply; they get invited. In its wisdom, the US Embassy in Nigeria chose ten lawmakers from Nigeria including Gololo, Ikon and Gbillah. These three gentlemen should go and take a second look at whatever documents they signed before they collected a free ticket, free accommodation and some dollars, to cover the cost of their stay in the US as guests of the American people. They should check the small print carefully. They may just discover a line about good conduct somewhere; and what the US Embassy in Nigeria has just issued is a report and a testimonial on a trip that was paid for by the American taxpayer! If so, can the Americans be blamed for protecting the integrity of the American woman, who paid the taxes that provided funds for the US trip by Gbillah, Ikon and Gololo? I am tempted to write something else on the in-context onomatopoeic suggestiveness of this last name but good conduct says No. Let me just ask then: should the US Congress fund a programme that allows foreign visitors to come and harass the unwilling American woman for sex or solicit for prostitutes?

I must say this though: it is not only Nigerian lawmakers who act sometimes as sexual predators, either at home or abroad. The United States also has a long list of lawmakers who attracted odium and sanction, because they could not keep their libidos in check. The only difference is that whereas in the United States, such predators when caught out are named and shamed, and they often show contrition, in Nigeria high social status is taken as a licence for sexual predation and that is why the indicted have been sounding so arrogant and defiant. When Nigerian public officials go on any trip, local or foreign, they usually make special arrangements for what is called “Man no be wood”. This is the euphemism for the money that is set aside by an individual for taking care of prostitutes, female companions, or accidental bedroom partners during such trips.

There are male public officials and even company executives who in fact swear that they will never sleep alone on a bed during any offshore trip. They will therefore either travel with what they call “a handbag” (this is the word for a mistress taken on a trip), or may be their wives who are knowingly introduced to others on the trip as Madam, but generally no trip is deemed successful without the accompaniment of a “cover cloth” (that’s another word for a woman whose task is to satisfy the sexual needs of a Nigerian travelling offshore). There are even more denigrating terms in the local languages. In Yoruba, such women are referred to as “agbesun” or “aso ibora”.

And of course, in many countries, female hotel attendants, particularly house-keepers are ready targets. Nigerian men are known in some countries to be quite generous, when paying for such special services. This instructively has nothing to do with religion. One of the guys in the present case, is said to be a devout Muslim (yet, he was allegedly soliciting for a prostitute), the other is said to be a practising Christian and an elder in the Apostolic Church of Nigeria (these religious labels hen?) and the third is described as a Christian (in this matter, there is obviously no religion!). What has also not been said is that some personal and special assistants to Nigerian big men attend to this same matter as part of their job definition. The sociology of misogyny, sex-solicitation and phallocentrism in Nigeria is quite an embarrassingly interesting subject.

The present scandal under review will not put an end to it, but the testimonial from the US Embassy is a cautionary note to all future Nigerian travellers to the US, especially public officials. Gbilla, Ikon and Gololo have had their visas to the United States cancelled. They may never again be given a visa to that country. And it may also be the case that other embassies in Nigeria would have taken note of their indictment by the US Embassy, and hence refuse them visas or opportunities such as the one they have just enjoyed and abused.

The leadership of the House of Representatives has reportedly set up a panel of inquiry. We expect in typical Nigerian fashion that the panel will stand by the three lawmakers, declare them to be honourable, guiltless gentlemen; the panel may also summon the American envoy and possibly interrogate him, but all of that will not change anything about the Americans’ decisions about a programme they organized and sponsored and whose terms and conditions the three indicted lawmakers agreed to. By the way, in the state of Ohio, US, where the lawmakers visited, sexual harassment, prostitution and solicitation are illegal. The allegations against the trio are akin to a breach of contract and trust and a shameful record.

The indicted lawmakers probably do not understand how serious this is. But I accuse the US Embassy in Nigeria of overstating its case and it is like this: All that talk about negative impression of Nigeria, and the National Assembly and the threat to future participants is too saccharine. It is unfair to label the rest of us in that manner. Many Nigerians have participated in the IVLP over the years and they behaved well. Even in this instance, out of 10 Nigerian participants, there has been no need to complain about the seven others. So, we should always name and shame the ones who fall short of standards and expectations but save us the stereotype, don’t jump from three to 200 million Nigerians and start tarring all of us with the same brush. The terms of participation in the IVLP should be between you and the individuals involved and not the House of Representatives or the rest of Nigeria. Gbillah, Ikon and Gololo do not represent me, just as they do not represent many readers of this comment.

Source: http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/06/19/america-and-the-man-no-be-wood-nigerian-lawmakers/

Men, treat women with respect, not as objects for sexually gratification, not as senseless creatures. Dignify not objectify.
Women treat men with respect, not as rivals.
We are not at war. We condemn all men who maltreat women wherever they may be. We need each other playing our roles. The ear is not more or less important than the arms or the eye or the toes.

1. Are they guilty?
We cannot say with all certainty. An full investigation into the facts needs to be done. Only then can we pronounce them guilty of solicitation and attempted rape.

2. Should they resign?
Decency and the need to shield the Nigerian parliament from disgrace and reproach demands that they do pending the outcome of any judicial inquiry into the matter.

3. Would they resign?
Judging from the fire and brimstone they are breathing they most likely won't.

4. Did the US handle this properly?
No. Their intention was to disgrace and vilify the parliamentarians on the pages of newspapers. Entwistle's letter to the house was leaked, made available to the press so that the law makers would be guilty until proven innocent.

5. Should this affect US-Nigeria relations?
In my view, YES if the result if an investigation into the case is that the men are innocent. The Nigerian government should bloody well give serious sanctions.

Every coin has two sides so does every story. I totally hate when people use the tribe (or race) card, so on that note he is wrong. But his inability to explain in proper English what is ticking him off should not be held against him. Uche has said he wanted to help him, and Abdulahi believes Uche is insincere. Who is right and who is wrong, we may never know.

As a Chartered Accountant abs SME advisor, I would recommend you extend credit whenever you can.

Extending credit helps you to sell at least 50% more than if you don't. But there is a downside. Selling on credit also exposes you to risk. The interesting thing though is that that risk can be controlled to a large extent because you’re the one who determines the credit terms.

So before you decide whether to extend credit and if so, how much, consider 5 important factors

Credit risk:
Simply put, how much are you willing to risk? Do you have the financial resources to support the transaction? What if the customer never pays at all, will it adversely affect your business?

Credit terms:
You must decide in advance how much credit you’re willing to extend and how long you can afford to wait for payment. The terms can vary all the way from 10-day terms to 90 days or more. To reduce your risk, you may (a) require a down payment.(b) only offer 100% credit to customers who have previously settled within the agreed period.

Credit qualification:
Before you offer credit, determine if the person is credit worthy. But how will you determine if a business/person is creditworthy? Ask questions around, investigate chances are the person has done business with others before you and they can provide a rough guide for you.

Credit policy:
Develop a credit policy that covers the entire process when extending credit to customers, from when you offer to how you will recover any owed sums. The more details you have the better for you

Credit review:
Always review the purchase levels of those you extend credit to. Are they good customers? Do they desire more credit, if so do they deserve it?

Finally an important point is to make sure you keep accurate documentation.

I'm sure you'll be successful.

By Abdullahi Garba

Hundreds of beggars, under the aegis of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, on Monday stormed the Government House, Kaduna, demanding the withdrawal of the anti-begging law until Governor Nasir el-Rufai fulfils his campaign promises.
The law, passed by the state house of assembly, has since been assented to by the governor, and is awaiting implementation.
The beggars were however prevented from gaining entry into the premises of the Government House by security operatives, who on spotting them, quickly mobilised themselves.
The operatives stationed an Amoured Personnel Carrier at the entrance a few meters away from the main gate, while armed policemen who arrived in eight Hilux vans took strategic positions around the premises with a view to forestalling outbreak of law and order.
However, the beggars, during the protest, lamented that the governor was yet to keep his campaign promise he made to them in 2015 that if elected he would make adequate arrangement for their upkeep before banning street begging.
Their spokesperson, Muntari Sale, expressed dismay over the ‎nonchalant attitude he said the governor and lawmakers exhibited towards people living with disability and vowed not to relent in their efforts until the governor fulfilled his promise.
“We demand that the governor of the state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and members of the State House of Assembly to fulfil the promises they made to us during their campaign while seeking for votes from us,” he said.
“The Governor promised us that he will not ban street begging until he makes adequate arrangement for our upkeep and welfare.

“He promised that 30 per cent of our members would be giving ‎employment anytime the state government has a programme running which has not been met, he also promised to provide for the sick, educate our children and employ those in different skills with a view to easing the suffering of the people living with disability.”
Mr. Sale recounted that the same law submitted by the governor to the legislature had been enacted in Kano, Edo, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, but that it did not work.
Stating that begging was their only means of livelihood, he stressed that the law would not work in Kaduna because the state government had not made adequate arrangement for the beggars.
He said, “This law was passed in Kano, Edo and Lagos states as well as the FCT and they did not succeed, the government has not made adequate arrangements for us and yet it wants to ban us from our only source of livelihood.
“We are human beings like everyone, the way everybody is delivering children, that is the same way we are, the way people marry is the way we marry and the way parents try to educate their children is the same way we try to educate ours.
“He promised to employ our children, unfortunately, he has employed people in the Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency (KASTELEA), but none of our children were employed. He also employed street sweepers and none of our children were employed. They employed women to cook food for state schools the school feeding programme, yet none of our wives or children have benefited.
“The way every individual used their thumb to voted for El-Rufai, that is the way people living with disability also voted for him, including the deaf, dumb, blind and cripples.”
Mr. Sale called for the removal of the present Special Assistant to the Governor on Disability, saying he was responsible for their predicaments.
He accused the governor’s aide of not fighting for the cause of the people living with disability.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Stakeholders, Abdullahi Bayero, who received the beggars, explained that the governor could not meet them in person because he was in a meeting.
He appealed to them to be patient.
Mr. Bayero further asked them to select five representatives that would table their demands to the state governor since all of them could not be allowed into the Government House for security reasons.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/203522-kaduna-beggars-storm-government-house-demand-withdrawal-anti-begging-law.html

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday stated Nigeria would abide by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on Bakassi Peninsula.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with President Paul Biya of Cameroon who is on two day state visit to Nigeria, Buhari said the issue of hydrocarbons in the Bakassi region was brought to the attention of the ICJ.

LEADERSHIP recalls that on October 10, 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) sitting at The Hague entered a judgment in the case of the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria.

The ICJ Judgment definitively delimited the frontier between Cameroon and Nigeria from Lake Chad to the sea.

In the Bakassi section, the Court decided that the boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria in Bakassi is delimited in accordance with the Anglo-German Agreement of March 11, 1913 and that the sovereignty over the peninsula lay with Cameroon.

President Buhari said Nigeria had accepted the judgment, but the technical aspect of the international waters had yet to be fully determined.

He said ‎”On this Bakassi Peninsula issue, I will like the government and people of Cameroun to keep their minds at peace, Nigeria we are internationally respectful and abiding nation, somehow there was a crisis between the two nations on Bakassi Peninsula over the hydro carbon exploitation, this issue has been dealt with by the International Court of Justice.

“There is a technical committee of experts, comprising Cameroun and Nigeria sides, until this committee report gets to us and when they submit the report, I expect that with a few of us that are still around, we shall sit together and see what is the best way for the two countries, so feel secured and be at peace.”

Buhari, however, said his administration was alive to its responsibilities and would remain focused in the fight against terror in the region and the continent.

On his part, Biya debunked allegation that his country was reluctant in joining forces with the Lake Chad Basin countries to fight Boko Haram describing it as an effort to malign his country.

He said, “I heard of this information before, I heard it in New York during conference, that Cameroon serves as base for Boko Haram, but what can Cameroon benefit from that?”

“Is it the ideology? Are we going to benefit from finances? No it was just a bad press. Cameroon remains focused and committed to the fight against Boko Haram.


http://leadership.ng/news/523669/nigeria-will-comply-icj-judgment-bakassi-pmb

Remita, the e-payments and e-collections solution platform developed by SystemSpecs Limited, has won an international award.

The platform is used by federal government agencies for the treasury single account (TSA), which has been reputed as saving trillions of naira usually lost to corruption because of the opaque nature of government accounting.

SystemSpecs Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading software development and solutions companies, won the award for its use of Remita “as a tool of national and economic development”.

The “leadership in technology” award was conferred on the company in Scotland on the April 22, hosted by the Africa Forum Scotland, according to a statement from the company.

Beside the award in Scotland, John Obaro (pictured), SystemSpecs managing director, was also recognised as the software personality of the year at the Nigeria communications week’s Beacon of Information and Communications Technology (BoICT) Awards in Lagos on April 23.

Speaking about the awards Obaro said: “We dedicate these awards to all the hardworking Nigerians that roll up their sleeves every day to devise innovative, home-grown solutions to the various challenges facing us as a nation, thereby contributing their respective quotas in making Nigeria great again in the ever watchful eye of the global community”.

The Africa Forum Scotland is a Scottish/UK based strategic umbrella platform that specialises in the growth of the public and private sectors in Africa.

SystemSpecs was awarded the leadership in technology award in recognition of its promotion of excellence, best practice and innovation, including the use of Remita.

Obaro was also conferred a fellow of the Centre for African Policy, development and research, Scotland and a research centre was also named after Obaro, at the Africa Centre for Policy and Research, Scotland.

The John Tani Obaro Centre for IT development was dedicated to Obaro “in recognition of his leadership and outstanding contribution to Software and IT development in Africa”.

For the BOICT award, over 1.3 million people were said to have voted in the various categories with Obaro, emerging the clear winner in ICT Personality of the year category with 874,871 votes.

In a letter addressed to Obaro, Ken Nwogbo, chairman of the BOICT organising committee, said “the votes are a testament to your talents, innovations, contributions and commitment to the growth of ICT in Nigeria”.

The 24-year old SystemSpecs is widely regarded as Nigeria’s flagship software company and home to many of Nigeria’s exceptional software talents.

Its flagship software, Remita, is the electronic platform that makes it easy for organisations and individuals to receive and make payments across multiple channels and financial institutions.

http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/remita-the-tsa-platform-gets-international-award/

Remita, the e-payments and e-collections solution platform developed by SystemSpecs Limited, has won an international award.

The platform is used by federal government agencies for the treasury single account (TSA), which has been reputed as saving trillions of naira usually lost to corruption because of the opaque nature of government accounting.

SystemSpecs Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading software development and solutions companies, won the award for its use of Remita “as a tool of national and economic development”.

The “leadership in technology” award was conferred on the company in Scotland on the April 22, hosted by the Africa Forum Scotland, according to a statement from the company.

Beside the award in Scotland, John Obaro (pictured), SystemSpecs managing director, was also recognised as the software personality of the year at the Nigeria communications week’s Beacon of Information and Communications Technology (BoICT) Awards in Lagos on April 23.

Speaking about the awards Obaro said: “We dedicate these awards to all the hardworking Nigerians that roll up their sleeves every day to devise innovative, home-grown solutions to the various challenges facing us as a nation, thereby contributing their respective quotas in making Nigeria great again in the ever watchful eye of the global community”.

The Africa Forum Scotland is a Scottish/UK based strategic umbrella platform that specialises in the growth of the public and private sectors in Africa.

SystemSpecs was awarded the leadership in technology award in recognition of its promotion of excellence, best practice and innovation, including the use of Remita.

Obaro was also conferred a fellow of the Centre for African Policy, development and research, Scotland and a research centre was also named after Obaro, at the Africa Centre for Policy and Research, Scotland.

The John Tani Obaro Centre for IT development was dedicated to Obaro “in recognition of his leadership and outstanding contribution to Software and IT development in Africa”.

For the BOICT award, over 1.3 million people were said to have voted in the various categories with Obaro, emerging the clear winner in ICT Personality of the year category with 874,871 votes.

In a letter addressed to Obaro, Ken Nwogbo, chairman of the BOICT organising committee, said “the votes are a testament to your talents, innovations, contributions and commitment to the growth of ICT in Nigeria”.

The 24-year old SystemSpecs is widely regarded as Nigeria’s flagship software company and home to many of Nigeria’s exceptional software talents.

Its flagship software, Remita, is the electronic platform that makes it easy for organisations and individuals to receive and make payments across multiple channels and financial institutions.

http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/remita-the-tsa-platform-gets-international-award/

Can we not blame anyone and resolve this fuel crises please?

Chief Executive Omota (CEO)...

I live in Rivers State abd the level of political intolerance I see in the state is baffling. This is not about anyone party.

No one party is better than the other. There is continuous hardline blood curdling propaganda aimed at decimating opposition.

The average Rivers man in my experience is fun-loving and peaceful, but throw in politics and it's a different person you see all together.

My condolences are with the families of the deceased.
Such wanton waste of human lives!

Boko Haram "lures, traps" young Nigerian entrepreneurs with business loans
Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:37pm GMT

By Kieran Guilbert

DAKAR, April 11 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) -

Boko Haram has lured young entrepreneurs and business owners in northeast Nigeria to join the Islamist militant group by providing or promising capital and loans to boost their businesses, aid agency Mercy Corps said on Monday.

Seeing successful business ownership as a way to escape poverty, many Nigerian youths - ranging from butchers and beauticians to tailors and traders - accepted loans for their businesses in return for joining Boko Haram, Mercy Corps said.

Yet the lure of business support is often a trap, as those who cannot repay their loans are forced to join the militants or be killed, said the report from the U.S.-based aid agency.

"Boko Haram is tapping into the yearning of Nigerian youth to get ahead in an environment of massive inequality," said report author and Mercy Corps peacebuilding adviser Lisa Inks.

"It is incredibly clever - either such loans breed loyalty or Boko Haram use mafia style tactics to trap and force young people to join them," Inks told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Six in 10 Nigerians live in absolute poverty, on less than one dollar a day, a figure which rises to three quarters of the population in the northeast of the country, according to the latest statistics from Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics.

Many young people told Mercy Corps they would struggle without the support of powerful "godfathers" to provide capital for their businesses, or cash transfers for equipment and goods.

Boko Haram has therefore been able to fill a critical gap in financial services, said Mercy Corps, which conducted interviews with 145 people including young former Boko Haram members, family of former members, and youths who resisted joining.

The report called for increased access to financial and business services, more support for conflict-hit communities and greater efforts to reintegrate people who have fled Boko Haram.

Women and girls freed from Boko Haram are subjected to discrimination, rejection and persecution from their families and communities when they return home, said a recent report by International Alert and the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF).

A regional offensive by Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon last year drove Boko Haram from much of its territory it held in northern Nigeria, undermining its six-year campaign to carve out an Islamist caliphate.

But the militants have since struck back with suicide bombings and hit and run attacks on civilians.

(Reporting By Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)

Source: http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL5N17E2F6?sp=true

News reaching us suggest that Fulani herdsmen and locals have been locked in a bloody clash since the wee hours of Friday, in Okada, Edo state.

Okada is home to Igbinedion University and due to the fracas, students have been advised to stay indoors while lectures have been canceled for the day.

YNaija understands that Okada youths set up a roadblock restricting movement around the village as commercial motorcycles, vehicles continue to get torched.

“We heard gunshots earlier this morning. Classes have been canceled and students are advised to stay indoors. No word on the crux of the matter though”, says a YNaija student reporter.

The clash is believed to have stemmed from the death of a 65-year-old farmer killed by the Fulanis on his farmland and a reprisal attack that saw the Fulani settlement in the village razed down.

http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/breaking-violence-as-fulani-herdsmen-clash-with-youths-in-okada/

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of over 400 civic organisations working for the entrenchment of democracy and good governance in Nigeria, has added its voice to the growing calls for the embattled Senate president to step down from office.
The group said the revelations by the #PanamaPapers and the prosecution team are too lurid for Nigerians to ignore, adding that Mr. Saraki had lost all moral grounds to continue to occupy such office in the land.
The TMG said the details contained in the evidence tendered by the prosecution against Mr. Saraki were startling.
It said the only option for the politician is to follow in the footsteps of Icelandic Prime Minister who stepped aside on Wednesday after the #PanamaPapers revealed his offshore business interests.
The call is coming barely a day after other public affairs analysts and citizens expressed their outrage over the same developments and called for the impeachment of Mr. Saraki from office.
In a statement by Ibrahim Zikirullahi, the group’s chairman, TMG said the funds allegedly “pilfered or diverted” by Mr. Saraki could have gone into developmental causes in Kwara State.

“TMG has been keeping a close watch on the trial of Senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
“To say the least, the lurid details that have emerged so far about how monies belonging to the people of Kwara State were either pilfered or diverted to Saraki’s personal accounts, remind all well-meaning citizens about the urgent need to stamp out elite corruption.
“In just two days of trial, the dirty secrets that have emerged are startling.
“Before the very eyes of the people of Kwara and by extension Nigeria, we are seeing how the criminal alliance between Saraki and his current minion in the Kwara State Government House resulted in the continued payment of Saraki’s salary as governor, four clear years after he ceased to occupy office as governor.
“As if what has been coming out of the CCT is just a tip of the iceberg, Saraki’s name again showed up prominently on the infamous global list of tax dodgers and those hiding suspicious assets in offshore havens as revealed in the leaked Panama Papers.
“It stands in stark contrast that while the Prime Minister of Iceland who was mentioned in the Panama leaks has since resigned, Saraki and his fellow primitive accumulators in the Senate are waiting for the Nigerian people to forget and move on.”
“These looted monies are the funds that would have paid the salaries of teachers, doctors and other workers in the state. These are the funds that should have built schools, hospitals, roads and provide education for the children of the ordinary man and woman in Kwara State.
“While it is tragic that Saraki and his co-travelers have shortchanged the people of Kwara, and set them back in their quest for good governance, the bigger tragedy is the criminal silence in the Senate,” Mr. Zikirullahi said.
The group therefore commended the anti-graft agencies responsible for the arraignment of Mr. Saraki.
“TMG commends the resolve shown by the institutions prosecuting the Saraki case. In the face of blackmail, intimidation and other forms of rigmarole aimed at derailing the trial, the relevant agencies have diligently stayed the course.
“Specifically, we commend the CCT chair to refusing to succumb to the raft of inane technicalities employed by the defense to frustrate the cause of justice.
“TMG also commends the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the meticulous investigations that have unearthed these crimes against the people of Kwara,” the TMG chairman added.
Mr. Saraki’s spokesman, Yusuph Olaniyonu, declined to comment for this story.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/201445-panamapapers-tmg-demands-sarakis-resignation.html

Onetime Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said governors were the reason former President, Goodluck Jonathan could not save for the future.
Okonjo-Iweala in an interview with an International Magazine, Le Monde said “some economists are very concerned for Nigeria, which could greatly suffer from the fall in oil prices. Others say the contrary, that its economy is strong enough to turn the corner.

“Both are right. But one thing saddens me. When I was finance minister the first time, the volatility of oil prices, and therefore state resources, cost at least three points of growth in the country.
“We then established a stabilisation mechanism and opened an account for the oil surplus, which posted up to $22 billion. In 2008, when prices fell from 148 to $38 a barrel, no one had heard of Nigeria because the country was able to tap into this fund. And that, I am very proud [of].

“When I returned to the department in 2011, there remained only $4 billion on this account while the price of oil was very high! I tried again to put money aside. The president agreed, but the governors did not accept.

“I suffered a lot of attacks from them and now that the country would really need this account, these same people accuse me of not having saved. If Nigeria had been more careful, we would not be here today. It hurts me. We have the mechanism, we had the experience, but we were prevented to act.”

Source: DAILYPOST
http://dailypost.ng/2016/04/07/why-jonathan-did-not-save-okonjo-iweala/

The National Secretary of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, Mala Buni, has described as “bogus allegations” comments made by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, alleging that the “APC is now divided”.

Mr. Buni in a statement Friday said “the bogus and misleading allegations are unnecessary distractions to the Party’s resolve to fully support President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration deliver on the motley promises made by our great Party to the electorate”.

He said the APC National leadership remains united and solidly committed to the task of bringing cohesion to the party at all levels.

The national secretary also said that the APC recently held its National Caucus and National Executive Committee, NEC, meetings where positive and far-reaching decisions were collectively taken by the party’s leadership to drive the party forward.

“The party will not deny anybody or interest the right to seek justice where he feels this has been denied him,” he said in a statement. “However, we sincerely appeal that we all play by the rules in our engagements and be guarded in our utterances.”

Mr. Frank had last week lambasted the leadership of the party for its “silence” over the ongoing travails of the president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

Mr. Saraki is facing prosecution at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over false declaration of assets.Mr. Saraki emerged Senate president against the wish of the leadership of the APC last July.

Mr. Frank expressed the view that there was disquiet among the leadership of the party over Mr. Saraki being a high ranking official and a member of the governing party.

However, Mr. Buni said, “the public is advised not to misinterpret or confuse Comrade Timi Frank’s personal opinions to be the official position of the Party or the true reflection of what is happening inside the Party”.

“For the umpteenth time, only the APC National Chairman and the National Secretary are authorised to officially speak for the Party,” he said.

SOURCE : PREMIUM TIMES

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/201150-apc-rejects-leader-timi-franks-comment-sarakis-corruption-trial.html

The Federal Government on Saturday recommenced the payment of subsidy on petrol as it subsidised the commodity by N5.84 for every litre of premium motor spirit consumed in Nigeria.

Subsidy on petrol was stopped in January after the review of the pricing template of the product by the government.

It also announced that the current official pump prices of petrol would remain at N86 per litre when purchased at filling stations run by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and N86.5 per litre when sold at outlets operated by other oil marketers.

- See more at: http://independentnig.com/2016/04/fg-brings-back-petrol-subsidy-retains-official-pump-prices/#sthash.468JVV3A.dpuf

Respected academic and political economist of note, Prof. Pat Utomi, has taken a hard look at unfolding developments in the polity and President Muhammadu Buhari’s 11-month old tenure and declared that Nigeria is more divided today than it was two years ago.
Utomi who played a key role in enthroning the current administration said that the spirit of Nigeria is much challenged today, a situation that represents a failure of leadership.
His words: “I think Nigeria today is actually more divided than it was two years ago. The spirit of Nigeria is much challenged today. That is simply failure of leadership.
“Our experience is that the trouble with Nigeria, clearly, is leadership. Nigeria is still not being led rightly. For me personally, 2015 was a huge disappointment.
“This is because what I had hoped for, what I expected was a classic opportunity to lead Nigeria, to bring everybody into a boat, saying this is the direction we are travelling. And with every body’s energy in Nigeria we will move towards that.”
Recalling that for the first time, Nigerians stepped out and aligned with the opposition resulting in the removal of an incumbent, Utomi regretted that instead of leveraging on the new reality, “the old hegemony game started.”
According to the erudite professor, “Nigeria came out and aligned with the opposition and for the first time, an incumbent was removed…That was why I said it was a classic opportunity for good leaders to bring everybody into the house.
“But that did not happen. What happened was that the old hegemony game started. People cornering something, excluding that person, pushing that person and they just couldn’t get it together.
“So everybody was pissing into the house and the house smells. But if everybody was inside the house, pissing out, we would be erecting an edifice going forward. It was purely a case of leadership failure.”
Analysing another arena of governance that he believes gives stability and sustainability to socio-political development, Utomi stated that what Africa needs is strong institutions, not strong men adding that strong men are traditionally disruptive of progress.
His words: “You know Barack Obama on his first visit to Africa, the very first speech he made in Ghana, he repeated the point I made the day before in Lagos that what Africa needs is strong institutions, not strong men.
“But very often we turn around looking for strong men. Strong men are traditionally disruptive of progress in the sense that even when they manage to get some progress to take place, because they did it as strong men, the next strong man would want to put his imprimatur on progress.
“This may mean discounting what the strong men before him have put in place. That is why we have weak institutions. We need to progress with strong institutions.”

SOURCE: BREAKING TIMES

http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/nigeria-more-divided-under-buhari-than-under-jonathan-pat-utomi/

Barely a week after its leader, Abubakar Shekau appeared in a video looking subdued as he insinuated that the end has come for him, the Boko Haram sect on Friday released another recording where it foreclosed cessation of hostilities.

In a video clip posted on YouTube, Boko Haram maintained it was a potent fighting force as its fighters posed with AK-47s in front of Toyota Hilux pick-up trucks and a lorry mounted with a military cannon.

The video was markedly of better quality than the last one released by Shekau, and included Arabic subtitles with nine masked Boko Haram fighters standing on sandy ground in an unidentified desert location.

A masked man wearing camouflage said, reading a prepared script in Hausa, “You should know that there is no truce, there are no negotiations, there is no surrender.

“This war between us will not stop,” the character said.

SOURCE: DAILYPOST

http://dailypost.ng/2016/04/01/this-war-will-not-stop-boko-haram-says-in-new-video/

Hi everyone. Hope you are enjoying your day.

macopolo:
I think the reason why people are talking of devaluation for now is to bridge the gap between the official lending rate and black market rate, because it can be exploited as another channel for corrruption, besides, the whole essence of deluation is to make our export cheap so that we can grow our foreign reserve through export. But in doing that we have to look at our economics of scale, what are those things we are more likely to export to other countries of the world to grow our foreign reserve? Go back to history and see how it was in the 80,s when dollar was at per with naira the magic was on our natural resources. Make no mistake agriculture(cocoa, palm oil, groundnut oil cotton e.t.c.) is part of natural resources not limited to crude oil.The economy will natural improve when those things are considered. Because market Demand and supply will be the determining factor, not when you try to hold exchange rate of naira constant because you want to discourage import to improve local production, you will only end up distroying the economy because apart from those natural things God has given us the grace to produce I don't, see any manufactured thing with the level of our technology we can export to Europe or Asia to grow our foreign reserve. And when our local production is just for our consumption alone I thing we are not there yet, because we are not growing our foreign reserve.

Well said.

sweetilicious:
In my opinion, your analysis is accepted. Nigeria has just been a country existing without a tangible means for long. Nothing to export and can't even produce much for her comfort. The system has never worked. Part of the reasons i wanted the country to be divided. Although, the country could benefit so much if together, there are no plans for development. In contest to the your comment, i do not support the devaluation of naira because it is not a long term plan for development. The only problem i have is that improving local production might not even work in 10 years time because of our leaders non challant attitude towards improved development. Maybe the so called change might be positive. if so, it is welcomed. The country might not really produce everything but shouldn't import everything. Even the imported goods were over priced and our pricing commission could not revert it because imported goods still incurs much expenses in terms of duties. We have been paying more for some substandard goods. If we devalue, things will be officially more expensive for an average Nigerian.If this country truely wants to change things for the future, local production should be encouraged, quality goods should be produced, our pricing system should live up to its role, by this, employment will be created for the growing population, we will be able to export some goods to atleast African countries and watching our goods being craved for from other continents. If the country truely wishes to grow o. If not, i will wish for Biafra the more.

Let me first of all appreciate your intelligent take on the matter.

Like you rightly said "local production should be encouraged, quality goods should be produced, our pricing system should live up to its role, by this, employment will be created for the growing population, we will be able to export some goods to atleast African countries"

My fear though is that the current fierce need to criticize and ridicule rather than proffer real solutions is what will eventually lead to the collapse of our economy. Our politicians have turned governance into a cult. It's either you are with us or you are against us! That kind of thinking is what got us here in the first place.

We as youths need to step up and start producing quality standardised goods or if we cannot because of financial reasons, buy goods produced in Nigeria.

We need to invest massively in Onitsha and Aba, fund the tech guys in Lagos, encourage the agricultural spirit in the West and let the North be stimulated to keep growing cash crops in large numbers.

We may not always see eye to eye on political issues but on this one, we all need to think about Nigeria first, not what some old greedy men want us to think

millionaireman:
l

How many foreign people or businesses can agree to transact business with Nigeria at the Buhari pegged value of Naira vs foreign currencies; while the parallel market has Naira exchanging at nearly double the officially pegged rate.

Your question is a good question.

Let me start by de-politicising it (lol).

I do not wish to be involved in the policy battefield that Nigeria has become.

A pegged exchange system that we claim we operate is supposed to have the advantages both of a fixed exchange rate system and a floating (or market determined) exchange rate system while eliminating most of their disadvantages.

A pegged exchange rate system is a hybrid of fixed and floating exchange rate regimes. Nigeria "pegs" the naira to the U.S. dollar because our external debt is denominated in USD and most of our current trade partners trade in that currency.

Typically, with a pegged exchange rate, an initial target exchange rate is set and the actual exchange rate will be allowed to fluctuate in a range around that initial target rate. Also, given changes in economic fundamentals, the target exchange rate may be modified.

Pegged exchange rates are typically used by smaller countries. To defend a particular rate, they may need to resort to central bank intervention, the imposition of tariffs or quotas, or the placement of restrictions on capital flow (we have adopted all of these approaches in the last one year alone!)

If the pegged exchange rate is too far from the actual market rate, as is the case now, it will be costly to defend and it will probably not last. The people who benefit the most are still currency speculators. The problem is that the currency speculators now aren't the small scale speculators but large speculators, who may have the clout to bribe CBN officials to get the dollar at the official rate.

Advantages of pegged exchange rates include a reduction in the volatility of the exchange rate (at least in the short-run) and the imposition of some discipline on government policies. One disadvantage is that it can introduce currency speculation.

The government has an economic policy to have a tight leash on the demand for a dangerously out of control USD while stimulating domestic production.

But the current situation has a slight advantage in that it reduces the number of players speculating, makes ostentation costly, forces people to look inward for viable alternatives to foreign goods.

If you say we cannot sustain it for long I have to agree with you. Something has to give. We either start doing more to be competitive in trade and give more support to local industries or devalue and accept the consequences of a weakened currency in a world where not having anything of value to export is in itself suicide. See the example of Greece.

Like I have said earlier the devaluation may not be a cure all and any decision to devalue should be looked at closely from the lens of the benefits (and costs) to the Nigerian and his business interest.