OPCNAIRALAND:
Okonjo Iweala is a classic and practical example to use in demonstrating how Ibos suffer from self destructive syndromes.

Judging from her various high level appointments in Obasanjo Administration as well at world bank, she ought to be the even keel, the one who, as Minister of Finance and Economic Management, leads against malpractices and subventions of order and propriety in the Jonathan Administration....instead she is the gang leader for shunting orders and the go-to- person for those needing endorsement to steal from the Federal Vault.

Okonjo Iweala is a bad poster child for Ibo. She highlights very convincingly why it is a risk to position Ibos with unsupervised responsibility, no matter the level of education or professional credits.

Do you know what bigotry means? You are a bigot. This is all I have to say to you.

marleyboy1991:


When you block roads from the chief of army staff ask yourself what you are asking for?
She Go and sleep and who mentioned poilitcs?

Just take my advice it will help your myopic mind set. Blocking road doesn't amount to genoside and massacre. There are more humane means of handling such situation.
What the NA army did is a crime against humanity. I am not a Muslim but those killed are human just like us. I wonder why people like you celebrate extra-judicial killing.
What is wrong is wrong and I will not argue with you on this basis because I have seen your level of reasoning so don't expect a reply from me because I know your pattern you will result to insult when you don
't have nothing to say.
If you can answer just one question from me. When has it become a crime by firing squad when you block a federal road and NA Chiefs are passing? Quote the law and make reference to Nigerian criminal code.

marleyboy1991:


What's these one saying....
Chief of Army Staff to call police?
The Head of the largest security arm of goverment should call police to come and help him when he has over 130,000,000 men well equiped and well trained than the police to come and assist him.....
Go and sleep bro

This is were u got it wrong. Amy is not supposed to deal with civilians expect in war situations.
Nigeria is not at war so the proper thing to do is to call police and civil defense. I am about to go to sleep now but while I sleep you should educate yourself the functions of NA and police.
You may also learn more about rules of engagement and add that to your knowledge that will help.
Everything in life is not about politics. There is always a civilized approach to every crisis.

insecticide:

You have valid questions bro. But i don't think the military do move abt with rubber bullets and tear gas, they are not police.

I have been quiet over this issue because of some comments that praise the NA. In that video I can see the so called Amy chief making calls. Why not call the police and civil defense since that is there job.
If we are talking about unavoidable causality. Shooting or two in the legs would have dispatched the crowd. But going back after the Amy chief has passed is genoside.
For those who didn't know what genoside means.

The systematic and widespread extermination or attempted extermination of a national, racial, religious, or ethnic group.

I pity for the man. I have tried to see him guilty but my inner spirit says he is not. I didn't know what to say here. He should pray and try to appeal the case. And why can't his lawyer assistant in finding why the girl school was changed. My heart goes to the man if he is truly innocent.

Weselion:
Lolzz, Nigerians don't want to settle for home made things even when the money is not there... How many patronize made in Aba shoes?

Kindly ask him/her to look around his/her house and list just 5 made in Nigeria product around him/her. Just 5.... If he/her can't count , he should re-type her comment.

sexaddict08:


common shut up...
you lost your human rights when you break the law.

point of correction, there is never a time anyone should loss his/her human right even when you are find guilty. Human right extends to people in prison I guess you didn't even know what human right means. Next time learn to talk to people without insulting them.

Virgindove:




You all made good points and I should have agreed totally with you, but my submission was based on personal experience. Being an introvert myself i could count on my finger tips opportunities this my nature has denied me. I worked on myself and today I can proudly say am a born introvert- turned -extrovert.

I didn't know your experiences in life. But the only thing being introvert has cost me is women and not money. Maybe because we are into different types of field in our work force. The reason companies apply for work is just to capture people that are shy. I am sure introverts speak and demonstrate when given the opportunity.

PrinceEvolution:
diz was the inn thing years back in germany with co-operation from turkish and arabian crime lords too...is why anytime i want to sell cars in nja and some stupid dealers..abokis tell me they knw how diz cars come abt i laff and tell dem i dont steal cars as i always av my receipt and detailed proofs to d core...its a very old deal...and it will neva end...and moreso this is why u offer 1m for ur car anoda igbo guy will say pls pay me 400k dereby spoiling ur own legit means..ofcourse people want it cheap...so dey go for himnot knowing it was stolen..in europe here there is a popular quote...anything wey enta nja don lost..lol

I didn't insult people on forum but hmmm you need to be insulted. Can't you make ur comment without bringing Igbo's in your shit.
Not all Igbo men do shitty business, greater percentage of them are into legit businesses. You are a fool and I will appreciate if you agree. Fool

Adding to what the op has said. We have great qualities that needs to be discovered.
Here are some of my best that I can think of.
1. Introverts are family oriented. Reason we feel comfortable with our family. Come and see me and my mother talking like girlfriends. We can discuss anything.
2. Introverts value friendship. We are the type that can keep friendship until death. My best friends I have known them since primary school.
3. Introverts are the bed rock of friends. We are the type that keeps friends going. We are at the best of giving the best advice even than when we need one we have no one to turn to because our friends that understand us let alone understanding our problems.
4. Anger is not in our blood. I can stay two years without having queries with people around me. But didn't mistake my quietness to weakness because the strength in me can kill a nation and I wouldn't give a bleep.
5. Kindness is hardwired in us. I hate to see people in pain and I can displease myself just to please friends and family even people I didn't know.
6. We are good listeners. Because we talk less we are good listeners. People feel free to talk to us because we always give a listening ear.
7. Noise. We all hate noise. Sometimes I pray for my quite time like I am praying for breakthrough.
8. Socially. We love social life and to be frank we are the big spenders.
9.romance. We are the most romantic only when given the chance. Yes we may not say I love you at first but when we start saying it we mean it.
10. We learn to do things. We can fix anything and we are not scared. I didn't take any of my things to repair shop except I didn't have the tools to fix it.
The list goes on.

Deapexboy:




oga no vex...where in my post did I said am a corper?

Sorry for the misquote. I saw u responded to the corper and I thought it was u. Sorry about that. Peace.

Virgindove:
Introversion is a sign of WEAKNESS never be excited by it. When noticed strive for solutions. Our world today needs people of great boldness and social skills. An intelligent extrovert would always have a greater chance of success than intelligent introvert.

I didn't agree with you. Introvert talk when it is necessary to talk, the spend a lot more time observing new grounds and environment than jumping into people the newly met. Introverts talk when they comfortable and when the do talk people will be wow. The only advantage extrovert have is they win more women compared to introvert who value think observe before making a move. In times of success the are very much success and envied by others. Look my friends always say if the have half of what I have and know in this world that the will date any girl in this world but the lest of my problem is using my time to think about how to win a woman. Hope you get it.

What else can I say. It seems you just used me as a case study.
Also add that they are so independent that the love to do things on their own and usually they didn't need help when they are doing a neglected task.

Deapexboy:


if 95% of ur class make noise won't u consider the class as noise making class?

election did not hold in my polling unit and others close to mine..but we saw result. still wondering where they brought those result from...


Infact they walk out some corpers replace them with thugs who can't operate the card reader...

if PDP are so sure they will win rivers ten times again I don't see any need for their ranting and threat...I pity those who are having in mind to cause violence in river state should APC win they are like digging grave for another man but might eventually fall inside

we need that wind of change
wike is in hot seat


Rivers people we are now wiser
u can't buy our vote again

Rivers people don decide

Dakuku peterside

I thought you were a corper in river state and you were part of the election. Why are you campaigning here. Do you know what it means by any election officer to be natural and non- partisan. You just showed that you are the worst corrupted man in Nigeria. Is your type that will say let those that stole billion to be killed but what is worst than stealing people's mandate that is the worst corruption and crime against humanity. So be mindful of what you say.

PapaBrowne:


Interesting. I asked you two simple questions and you spoke about Wailers and Northernocracy. Interesting disconnection. That earns you a classic f9.

Well, this is the story of most Nigerians for the past 3 months.

I bought fuel for 140 and spent a good amount of productive time trying to buy that previously readily available commodity. Just last year even when oil price was much higher at $85, I was accustomed to buying fuel at N87.

I also haven't had light for more than 3 hrs in the last 3 days. To think it now costs me double to fuel my generator and I have to leave it on for twice the time I would usually do as there is barely any light available. That's a quattro shot.

Plus I just returned from Germany where I couldn't pay for my hotel bills with my debit card because I'm now limited to spending a maximum of $300 a day even if I have hard earned millions in my account. Previously I could withdraw up to $1500 daily via an ATM and even more via POS.

I ordered some machinery from a foreign country for my farm. I paid 60% of the cost early in the year to start up production. I simply bought the forex I needed, paid it in my domiciliary account, and made a transfer from my bedroom. Simple, easy and smooth. 1 hour tops.
Now I have to pay the balance 40%. I'm not allowed to pay money in my domiciliary account. I have to wait for CBN to approve. Two,three weeks and no approval. Productivity diminishes and you wonder why our Gross Domestic Product is falling??

The economy is tanking. Companies have no choice but to downsize. Naira is taking a beating and exchanging at 250 Naira to the dollar.

And our Daura President still thinks Jonathan is President.



Once more I ask you:

How much did you buy fuel today and How many hrs did you spend on a queue.

One problem I have observed about this guys that think they are supporting this present admin. When ever you want to start a constructive argument with them the start calling you names. They want everyone to keep quiet and not err his view. The most annoying is the way the call people kids. I love the way you put him in his rightful position.

ThoniaSlim:
They did this to me the first time I left the country in 2006 for studies. I was just 17 then and this old agbaya removed $100 from the pocket money my dad gave me to use till when I was able to open a bank account.

I started crying there at the top of my voice. Imagine a small girl crying because of an old man in public. Everyone was just staring but I didn't care. The man was so embarrassed that he gave me my money back and even bought a bottle of water for me to calm me down. That was how I escaped.

It's sad they haven't stopped this habit of extorting from first time travelers. Just sad!

I can just imagine you crying as a 17 year old. This Immigration officials are criminal. I didn't use Lagos I use Abuja or just fly direct to PH when ever I am going home.

Anyone that have traveled out of Nigeria through Lagos should know that the OP is saying the truth. One of the reason I never use Lagos Air port. Have experience this the before because I was traveling with a new passport, The let me go when I presented my old passport that was renewed because it was all used up. I remembered the guy saying sorry this one na old meet.

Elan83:
if u lyk advocate frm nw til 50th century, d retrogressive & brainless northerners wil neva allow dat,, d only option is 2ru d barrel of gun,, dey knt run fast dan bullet. No hausa fulanis no troubles!

I agree with you on some points but also disagree on the later which is though guys. Is there no other way we can do this without war. Have we looked at all our constitutional options.
Sometimes I wonder why individuals or group can't sponsor bills and why there is no official government complaint point were citizens can have their voice heard through partitions sighed by a majority.
Why can't we have our senators and reps take up our bills and have a referendum on the existence Nigeria to suit the citizens. I am not in support of some groups breaking away but I want true federalism and I want Nigeria to grow.

MyMouth:

All these wahala would not have come up if only the A.G had approached the supreme court for interpretation of the constitution!

Thanks for the comment. That should have been the most intelligent approach to this case. I mentioned this earlier when this issue came up. The AGF goofed and he is the problem kogi state will face.

mart2k:
on no.2, what is d meaning of joint ticket. Again d electoral act/ constitution stated that a candidate election(primary) remain invalid without a running mate even if he won d election because of dis, d electoral act/constitution assume that d running mate is part of d whole process frm d beginning. It is a pity that am lazy at typing if not, I wud v explain things better to u. Though, dis is a new development in our democracy and it is so difficult for anybody to bak up his claims constitutionally but, if smbody asked me who is closer to d seat, I wil say it is Faleke. Again, when it comes to legal issue, Bello can easilly b removed because there ar lot of loopholes Lawyers can capitalise on. Dsame thing wit Faleke but his loopholes ar very few.

Thank you for this comment. I think the best INEC could have done is to head straight to Supreme Court for interpretation that way the legality of the candidates for APC will not be questioned. INEC tuning to AGF messed the whole deal. On this case I think is a partial victory for faleke because the court sees this as a post election case and his lawyers will feed on this. APC goofed on this, they shouldn't have interfered through the AGF. This is just my take on this.

HungerBAD:
Makes sense.

Sagay has just asked the right questions. 2 Billion for media campaign? what is the name of Dokpesi's lawyer?the lawyer that advised him to take that lie route, should be de-barred for being intellectually bankrupt.

This lawyer is so bankrupt upstairs, he makes Saraki's and Jim Nwobodo Bankrupt Societe and Savannah Bank, look like Saints.

Russia has 11 time Zones, Russia is so big it is not even funny. The United States has 4 Time Zones, and both Countries as big as they are,do not require the equivalent of 2 Billion Naira, when their political parties campaign. Even if we must steal/loot, let us even do it with respect, herein lies my problem with PDP.

They stole with so much impunity, it was like going into the fridge to get Cold water, the way they kept going in and out of the Nigerian Treasury.

Let us set aside this APC/PDP Politics for now.

Let us all please reason like reasonable Nigerians , this money these guys shared is BLOOD MONEY, straight and simple. This was money that was set aside, to procure ARMS for our Military People. And what did these guys do?they sat in their Air Conditioned Offices, split the Money down the middle, and sent our Soldiers to War with Sticks and Bows.

And while Boko Haram, was busy killing our Soldiers left and right, these heartless Politicians were busy PEPPER SOUPING/BEERING and WHORING with the Blood Money of our Soldiers.

It shall not be well with any Politician, that partook of this Arms Money.

And may the SOUL of all OUR LOST SOLDIERS Torment these GUYS until their last days on EARTH. Those Dead Soldiers, and their families are the Voiceless Ones in Nigeria, and i pray one of those families pick a Civil Rights Lawyer, and SUE not just Dasuki/Dokpesi.

But, sue the entire Government of Goodluck Jonathan.

It is the SENDING of our Soldiers to DEATH, that will forever make me hate PDP and their heartlessness.

Get your facts right. The 2012 general election cost the parties 7 billion dollars. Just pointing you to the right direction.

Crownvillar:


I agree with most of what you have written, but the part I don't get is: Why do we have to wait for decentralisation, regional government or true federalism? What is stopping any Governor/State government from diversifying and maximising their own internal income in the present political climate? Is it impossible for the states to create wealth in present day Nigeria?

Yes dear it is near impossible for any state in this present arrangement to creat wealth except the wealth was created but chance like the state of Lagos which has advantage which I am not mentioning. Nigeria states are like the sons and daughters of a rich billionaire who gives his children billions to spend without mending what they are doing with it. The will turn out to be lazy and wait for the monthly pay out other than investing the money.
We Nigerians should advocate for decentralized government. You will see more of commitment from the grassroots because we will now hold them accountabile for our common wealth.

kYjelly2:


Why do you twist my words

Do you do this intentionally

I never said, neither am I saying, neither will I say, that we should place Deizanis case on hold.

What I ask for, is the concurrent investigation and trial of other cases involving corruption, especially those were evidence exists, like the personal website worth 78 million naira for Mr. Fashola, in which he openly attested to having knowledge of.

I am advocating for blind and equal justice, while you are advocating for some kind of justice in which every member of society waits for a case based on hierarchy, where people wait until big cases are finished before they get their say in court, mtcheew

Dude, I'm really tired of playing with you, cause you are just turning logic on it's head all over this thread.

Please stop wasting your time arguing with that guy. There is nothing you will say that will make sense to him. He is hard wired and his mind is made up. I only come here to read news.

The case of Amachi is a different situation. Amachi was given the votes because he legally won the primaries but was not allowed to contest the election because of internal politics in the party.
What I expected Inec to do in this case is to go Supreme Court for interpretation so no one will feel cheated.
That is how things are done in democratic society.

Sorry bro. I guess you never realized that u are in the green zone. There is nothing you can do about it. Sorry. I guess there is a topic that addressed this issue. FRIENDSHIP ZONE.

June 17, 2009
By Lord Aikins Adusei (Modern Ghana)
For more than half a century the Alpine nation of Switzerland has built a reputation as the world´s centre for tax evasion, fraud accounting, money laundering, racketeering, and above all a staunch ally of corrupt third world leaders and a great beneficiary of third world corruption.
Various categories of persons including Popes, presidents, prime ministers, corrupt dictators, wealthy business men, and drug dealers have all used and benefited from the banking secrecy laws of Switzerland. As a result her economy has been described as an underground economy, a deposit box for dirty money and a “dirt-driven economy”.
Over the last couple of years countries such as United States, Germany and France have argued that they have become victims of Swiss illegal financial activities and as result have stepped up their campaign to get Swiss authorities to cooperate in fighting tax evasion and money laundering. The campaign has even brought a row between the German Finance Minister and members of Swiss parliament. These nations claim they are loosing billions of dollars annually through tax evasion and other illegal financial activities. In 2009 an action by the US Justice Department against the Swiss Banking giant UBS earned the United States close to $1 billion. In 2001, the United States learned that the Swiss had protected the bank that handled finances for Osama Bin Laden. One of them, the Bahrain International Bank, had funds transiting through non-published accounts of Clearstream, which has been qualified as a “bank of banks” and was involved in one of Luxembourg’s major financial scandals.
Western governments have argued that dirty money in many forms welcomed by the Switzerland allows the proceeds of corruption, drug trafficking, racketeering and terrorism to tag alongside and deny the world´s poor the chance to escape poverty. Swiss banks are reputed to be holding an estimated 35% of the world’s private and institutional funds (or 3 trillion Swiss francs)”.
However, of all the victims of Swiss banking secrecy laws and her shady banking practices, developing countries and Africa in particular seem to have suffered the most. The global infrastructure of international financial secrecy with headquarters in Switzerland has helped bleed trillions of dollars in illicitly generated money out of Africa and the rest of the developing world. The activities of Swiss banking institutions and real estate companies have plunged third world nations into debts, poverty, misery, malnutrition, diseases, economic meltdown, infrastructure decay and political instabilities through the help they give to corrupt politicians, civil servants, the business elite and corrupt multinational corporations who collude and connive with the corrupt entities to loot and hide the proceeds of their ill-gotton gains.
Many third world countries especially those in Africa lack the infrastructures needed to run successful economies. They lack schools, hospitals, roads, harbours, rail infrastructure, irrigation facilities, electricity, clean water, telecommunication, sanitation facilities because of the loots. Many children are orphaned and malnourished and many do not have access to education and healthcare because money meant for all that are stolen and are sitting in Swiss banks such UBS, Credit Suisse. There has not been a single corrupt politician or dictator in Africa, Latin America and Asia who has not had dealings with this secretive alpine country. While third world countries continue to struggle to provide the basic necessities of life Swiss economy is washed with money that could save millions from hunger, starvation and diseases.
Every year since the year 2000 developing countries receive about $100-billion in aid annually from rich countries with about $10-billion going to Africa but these rich countries headed by Switzerland receive about $900- billion from these poor countries ($150-billion from Africa) in the form of tax evasion, embezzlement, fraud accounting, debt servicing and corruption. The World Bank´s Stolen Asset Recovery initiative estimates the cross-border flow of proceeds from criminal activities, corruption and tax evasion at between $1 trillion and $1.6 trillion per year, about half of which come from developing and transitional economies.
Global Financial Integrity agrees with World Bank assessment and says, “$900-billion is secreted each year from underdeveloped economies, with an estimated $11.5 trillion currently stashed in havens. More than one quarter of these hubs belong to the UK, while Switzerland washes one-third of global capital flight”.Source globalpolicy.org, 2006. http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/172/30134.html
The Africa Union says 25 percent of GDP of African States is lost to corruption every year amounting to more than $150-billion a year. Source the bbc Spt.2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2265387.stm. The negative impact of that has been increasing the cost of goods by as much as 20%, deterring investment, holding back development and preventing the people from escaping poverty. The fact as pointed out by GFI is that the money that denies poor countries the chance to escape poverty sits in Swiss Banks.
Over the last couple of years a number of Swiss banks have been accused of accepting money from dictators like Sani Abacha, Mobutu, Lansana Conte, Gnassingbe Eyadema, Arap Moi, Omar Bongo, Obiang Nguema, Blaise Campore, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Eduardo dos Santos, Sadam Hussein, Ferdinand Marcos, Baby Doc Duvalier, Hosni Mubarak, Yoweri Museveni, Augusto Pinochet, Gaddafi and the evil genius Ibrahim Babangida without due diligence and without questioning the source of their wealth. For example Swiss economy was the main recipient and beneficiary of Sani Abacha´s $5-billion embezzlement of Nigeria´s oil money. When it was discovered that Abacha used the crook banks in this country to steal the money, Switzerland wanted to distance herself from the criminal enterprise run by her banks and benefited by her economy and her citizens. But in the end she had no choice but to repatriate over $700-million to the government of Nigeria after five years of foot dragging.
The banks in Switzerland that aided, abetted and provided shelter for Abacha´s stolen money were UBS AG, Zurich; UBS AG, Geneva; Union Bancaire Privee, Geneva; Credit Suisse, Zurich ; Bank Len, Zurich; Banque Barring Brothers, Geneva; Goldman Sachs and Company, Zurich; Gothard Bank, Geneva; Citibank Zurich; Banque Nationale De Paris, Basle; FIBI Bank (Schweiz) A. G. Zurich. Source: Tell Magazine, October 7, 2002. Only heaven knows how much of Abacha´s loot still remain in these countries.
Again the Arab daily newspapers Asharq Al-Awsat and Al-Hayat reported that former Prime Minister Dr. Iyad Allawi told them in interviews that Saddam Hussein admitted he invested stolen Iraqi money which the Iraqi Governing Council estimated at $40 billion in Switzerland, Japan and Germany, among others, under fictitious company names. Directors of those shell companies would deposit 5% in company bank accounts, and the money was effectively laundered. Swiss and French lawyers did the paperwork. Source: Daily News. http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/hosadw.htm. One million Iraqis died during the UN oil for food programme while money that could have saved them was accepted by Swiss Banks and their corrupt counterparts in Japan and Germany.
Also after 18 years of legal wrangling Switzerland agreed to let the people of Philippines receive the $684m. looted by Ferdinand Marcos and kept by her crook banks.Source: Global Corruption Report, 2007. Switzerland kept close to $700m while children were starving to death and hospitals were closing down for lack of medicines and electricity.
Furthermore, between August 2001 and 2004, Peru recovered nearly over $180 million stolen by her former spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos from several jurisdictions including Switzerland, Cayman Islands and the United States. In May 2007, an agreement between the governments of the United States, Switzerland and Kazakhstan allowed for the repatriation of $84 million denied the people for many years. Again it took Switzerland 12 years to return $74m of the $110m stolen by Raul Salinas to the government of Mexico. Switzerland still has in her possession the money looted by the dictator ´Baby Doc´ Duvalier 24 years after he was chased away by the poor people of Haiti. Source:http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bribe/2009/05/haiti-the-long-road-to-recovery.html
Additionally, when Mobutu died in 1997 Swiss newspapers reported that the country may be home to at least $5-billion of Mobutu´s stolen assets. The report was also confirmed by CNN World News in September, 1997. The whole world was shocked when Swiss authorities announced that Mobutu´s stolen assets in the country totalled something just under $8m and this was after they had sold his villa for $2-million. The shock sent a chill down the spine of DR. Congo´s president. He has still not recovered and has refused to show any interest in pursuing the money.
In recent years Switzerland has repatriated some of the money her banks criminally accepted at the expense of poor nations and Swiss political leadership is using it to score cheap political point instead of being ashamed of it. Mali has received just $2.5 million out of the estimated $5-billion deposited in that country by Mali´s corrupt political leaders among them former dictator Moussa Traore. Argentina has also received $4.5 million from Switzerland in a bribery case. Source:http://www.odiousdebts.org
It is believed that most of the $2 billion stolen by ex- President Arap Moi's family is stashed in Switzerland and her sister countries in the Alpine region. In 2003, investigation by the international risk consultancy firm Kroll on behalf of government of Kenya into allegations of corruption on the part of Arap Moi's government revealed a trail of corrupt practices by Arap Moi, his children, members of his government and their associates with most of their 24 years of ill-gotten wealth hiding in Switzerland, Britain, Luxembourg and the Caribbean. Credit Suisse - Zurich and Citibank- Geneva came up several times as the banks where where most of the loots are being kept. "During the beginning of December 2003, Philip Moi made his move through Zara. She left the country for Italy, from where she visited Leichtenstein and Lugano located inside the Swiss canton of Tieino. It is believed that Tieino, though a remote area, consists of over 100 banks. Zara/Rosanna Moi, Philips Italian wife, estimates Philip's worth to be USD750 million." Source: Kroll Report, 2003. http://wikileaks.org/wiki/KTM_report#Target_3
Switzerland has mounted fierce campaign to portray herself as a clean, responsible country. "A senior Swiss diplomat says Switzerland no longer deserve its reputation as a save haven for the ill-gotten gains of corrupt dictators. Speaking in Geneva Ambassador Paul Seger said the government had returned $1.6 billion (SFr1.9 billion) of stolen funds in recent years" but also admitted that "incidents such as the Marcos, Abacha or Montesinos affairs reinforce the international perception that there are still more assets to be returned". Source: Swissinfo.ch.The question is what reputation does Switzerland deserve apart from being a save haven centre? Is it clean, transparent and cooperative country?
The fact is that Switzerland has not been able to convince anyone that they still do not hold money for Omar Bongo, Lansana Conte, Obiang Nguemaa, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Eduardo dos Santos, Blaise Campore, Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, Arap Moi, Gnassingbe Eyadema, Ibrahim Babaginda, Jerry Rawling all of them corrupt dictators with little to show for the billions of dollars that they received from the sale of oil, gas, gold, diamond, timber and other resources.
During the trial of the disgraced Elf executives, they claimed that they paid Omar Bongo $50 million a year for concession rights in his oil rich but economically impoverished country.The executives claimed the millions of dollars were transferred into Bongo's Swiss bank accounts. But we have not heard any comment from Switzerland regarding that money and now that Bongo is dead there is no doubt that what Democratic Republic of Congo went through will be the fate for Gabon should they make any attempt to retrieve the money. It is a common knowledge that the late Omar Bongo of Gabon, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, Dos Santos of Angola, Obiang Nguema of E. Guinea like their old friends (Abacha, Mobutu and Conte) have billions of dollars stashed in Swiss Banks.
Where Swiss leaders do not get it is that their past and present actions have led millions of people who could have lived to die of poverty, malnutrition, starvation and diseases. While more than 800 million Indians live in poverty and in squalor, with little access to education, health, water and sanitation, the BJP party estimated during the May 2009 election campaign that the nation has lost close to $1.4 trillion most of it stashed in foreign banks notably in Switzerland.
In 2007 Swiss federal prosecutors abandoned an investigation into suspected money laundering activities involving the former prime minister of Madagascar. As a result a Swiss bank will refund SFr2.8 million ($2.3 million) to Tantely Andrianarivo, a move that has "disappointed and shocked" the Madagascan government, which has demanded the money back" to be used to help millions of people languishing in poverty. Source: Swissinfo.ch.
There are well known experts who still believe Switzerland deserves her reputation. Richard Murphy, director of Tax Research LLP says: "The idea that Switzerland has a clean economy is a joke; it is a dirt-driven economy". Her economy is dirt-driven because her financial institutions (a vital sector of her economy) have been implicated in a number of corruption scandals involving corrupt third world leaders and their associates. In fact Switzerland can best be described as economic vampire, parasite and predator feeding on the economies of poor African and third world countries. The Swiss Bankers Association claims that four-fifths of the nation supports banking secrecy laws. This law is the foundation of all the corruption, embezzlement, tax evasions and all the criminal enterprises that we see in the world.
The sad thing about this parasitic behaviour is that it is supported by almost all the citizens of that country. The Swiss Bankers Association claims that four-fifths of the nation supports banking secrecy, revealing a society deeply embedded in a culture of impunity and exploitation, where the licit acts as a shield protecting the illicit in a terribly respectable manner. Source: http://www.globalpolicy.org
But Switzerland has had it both ways with her hypocrisy and double standards. Her politicians condemn corruption in Africa and the third world while her banks make fortunes off that corruption. She claims to be a champion of democracy and development but the actions of her banks and companies like SGS, UBS have proven other wise. If there is any justice in the world her banking executives should have been put on trial by the International Criminal Court for crime against humanity because there is no difference between those who use guns to kill and those who kill millions by accepting to hide money that could be used to save them from hunger, starvation, malnutrition, diseases and provide them with medicines, water, shelter, schools and electricity.
The cost of Switzerland's collusion and connivance with the corrupt entities in Africa and the third world fall primarily on the poor people in those poor countries who are denied every opportunity to escape poverty. Many live in squalor with no access to health and sanitation facilities, water, electricity, housing and even food. Over one million people in those poor countries die of malaria, 90% of them from Africa with most of the victims being children. Millions of others also die from starvation, hunger, malnutrition, polio, mizzles, tuberculosis and six killer diseases. The crime of those who die and those who continue to suffer is that they happen to have corrupt incompetent leaders and a counterpart in Europe who is ready to protect their looted funds.
As monies meant for development are stolen and stashed in Swiss Banks, the poor are left on their own to fend for themselves with aid agencies being left to pick the pieces with them. Millions have died, millions are starving and many more are suffering as a result of the role played by Swiss banks, real estate agencies and other companies. In this 21st century such suffering cannot go on forever. Switzerland cannot continue to be a willful accomplice in crimes involving the death of millions of children and women.
It is therefore time for Switzerland to act as a responsible member of the global community, tear down her banking secrecy laws and her corrupt financial infrastructures that are responsible for the deaths and hunger of millions of people. It is time for Switzerland to stop her banks from accepting looted funds from Africa and the third world that make so many face starvation, hunger and death. The banks must be called to order and should be tasked to employ due diligence in dealing with their clients especially the dictators and their associates from Africa and the third world.
Finally, it is time for Switzerland to turn words of fighting corruption into action and deeds and repatriate all the stolen money to its rightful owners and stop parasiting on poor African and third world countries so they can also have the opportunity to escape poverty like most citizens of Switzerland have.

The Author is a political activist and Anti-Corruption Campaigner. He blogs at www.ghanapundit..com

Nice. I love your work.

obstead200:
u used the word "improve". That is the focal point. Not just mimicking an existing technology.
But remember I gave them credit for understanding basic hydraulic mechanism. (If they actually did cos I cud not watch d video)

I saw that you gave them credit if the hydronic worked. But I was making reference to the other points you mentioned about mimicking other peoples invention. In the international law of patent. Inventions becomes generic after 20 years and anyone had the right to copy, improve and make use of the invention without the owners right. So the boys should be encouraged to use their knowledge to improve hydronic and find a cheaper and more effective means of doing hydronic rather than discouraging them. The merit all the attention given to them judging from their local exposure.

obstead200:
I am an igbo man. I also believe that with the present state of Nigeria, biafra is probably the best bet of the igbo.

But the invention by those 2 boys is pure crap and does NOT DESERVE ANY MEDIA ATTENTION.

But if the arms of that digger and the tipping mechanism of that tipper actually works, then I must give the boys some credit for having a basic understanding of engineering.

We shud stop mimicking inventions created long ago. That is the height of stupidity and mediocrity. We shud actually start figuring out how to make new discoveries that will change our world.

All this copy copy of invention make the whites look at us like morons.

My brother I did not agree with your argument. Most of the new invention in this century has been there for decades. The world is looking for new ideas into old invention that will reduce cost, increase productive and reduce global warming. You will find just a few invention that has never being that before. Computer has been in existence before bill gate improved upon it. Phones had been there before Steve job improved upon it now it's the fastest selling phone in the phone. It still uses the basic principal of mobile technology. I am giving you reasons to disagree with your post. I actually watched the video. The boys are using basic fluid dynamics and if the can be encouraged and they improve the can bring a revolution on how heavy duty tracks are done and that is a new invention because the improved on the existing ideas. See things from my point and didn't curse. Thanks.

I am shocked at some people post. Oh yes he built a toy. A toy that is working. The boy should be encouraged. That boy have great knowledge on fluid dynamics without formal education. Oh yes it's a toy, those calling it a toy should check how much high end toys are worth. Can't we encourage him to build toys and our country will be the first African country to expert fluid dynamics toys to other African countries. Gosh enough of this tribal war on this forum.