₦airaland Forum

Commercial banks inNigeria sitting on as much as one billion dollars in their vaults which they cannot use should expect no help from the Central Bank, Governor Godwin Emefiele told Business-Day at the weekend.

For some of the banks, panic has already set in, but the apex bank says the commercial banks got into the predicament by choice and they would have to dig themselves out of the pit without help.

“Nigerian banks today are awash in dollar cash they cannot bring to the Central Bank because if the banks bring it to us, what is the Central Bank going to do with cash?” the governor asked. “If we were dealing with cash in naira, the banks are allowed to bring excess naira cash to the Central Bank and when they do this, we credit their account.

“ We cannot do the same for foreign currencies. It is what we call non-earning asset in banking and it is up to the banks to manage it.

“ The banks sent out circulars to their customers at the end of last week, saying they will no longer accept foreign currency deposits in cash and this movehas t he full support of the Central Bank.

Speaking in a wide ranging interview, his first sit-down and elaborate chat with a Nigerian newspaper, the governor said, “what we have started to see is that as a result of the speculative activities, as a result of round tripping activities, people haresorted to just the business of converting their naira into dollar, into what we call currency substitution.

“ Today, there is a large volume of foreign currency sitting in the vaults of the banks and the banks cannot handle it because it useless to them.”
The apex bank governor blamed the situation on Nigerians who have abandoned their own national currency, in pursuit of the dollar and the pound sterling.

He said, “I wonder why people will not have faith in their country, why people will want to take advantage of the situation that we are in as a nation to begin to speculatively attack the currency.

“If you and I and all other Nigerians prefer to store our values in the dollar or pounds, 170 million people store up their values in dollars, pound, Yuan, the Chinese currency, there will be chaos and it means we do not have faith in our local tender, it means you will have spiraling exchange rate, it means you will not have any reserves.”

Emefiele acknowledged that the situation the banks face today arose from the liberty given to bank customers to maintain domiciliary accounts in foreign exchange but he said this has been abused massively.

“I am not so sure how the policy of domiciliary accounts came about in Nigeria”, he said. “But I do know that this was meant to target exporters. For example if you are an exporter and you wanted to receive the proceeds of your export, this was an added incentive to encourage exporters to repatriate their foreign exchange proceeds.

“So that was how the issue of domiciliary account came into being. But we have seen every and anybody go to their banks, as they open a naira
account they also open a domiciliary account.

“What is the purpose? It is for them to convert naira into dollar cash and begin to store them or to collect illicit money and they think the best way to hide it is to open domiciliary account and they go on to deposit cash into their accounts.”
http://businessdayonline.com/2015/08/banks-sit-on-over-1bn-they-cant-use/#.Vb82szNw1it

Virtue11:
@zik4ever,
I saw that you have been very active on this topic and have certainly kept it alive. Do you personally have a pending visa application with Belgium Embassy or this is just out of concern for your friend who has already withdrawn his application according to the prior information you have given on this topic so far?

I sponsored a Belgium family visit visa for my mother with supporting documents from Belgium where I currently live. She submitted her application through VFS office in Lagos since 23/06/2015 and up till now there has been no decision taken.

I contacted the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja by email this morning and I got a reply after couple of hours with the information you gave above except for the last sentence.

Perhaps this is a general delay for all the applications through the Belgium Embassy this period of time. I am hoping there will be a decision this week.

Thanks

Ha ha. You got me there! Because "I am involved" oh! Yes, have applicants pending but indeed, this is more a case of inefficiency and this isn’t the first time this delay is happening. I hear it’s historic or better still, notorious! But I join you inpraying that there will be positive decision this week -no other decision is acceptable after the unacceptable delay!

Someone whose family has pending visa application since June wrote to the Embassy for the fourth time and finally got this reply today:

Dear Sir/Madam,


Kindly be informed that the concerned visa application is still being processed.
As soon as we have an answer, VFS will contact the applicant.
Please note it takes minimum 14 working days to process a visa due to the compulsory Schengen consultation.


Best regards,

Embassy of Belgium in Abuja

Good people, a friend told me that what he heard from a contact at the Embassy is that they had network issues for like 2 weeks and this was only resolved late last week. Has anyone heard of this or gotten feedback on his/her visa application recently?

ki02020:
That doesn't mean he can't discharge his duty properly

Fully agreed but I wouldnt decieve myself to expect that of him bro...... How will he do it? That why I was laughing when some even said DSS should be scrapped because of the last administration. Its an abnormal normality sir. I agree it shouldnt be sha.

I dont know why anyone is seeing all this as breaking news or something to debate etc. I am not sure (have no evidence) that Daura is a card carrying member of APC, but even APC and Buhari knows that Daura was a member of the security committee of APC. I am surprised this is becoming news now? So PDP is discovering that now? The man is from Daura and was brought out of retirement by PMB. I am not criticising him or supporting him. Let facts be facts and let politics be politics. Once he became DG and a new CSO was appointed, I knew DSS would no longer be bashed for being partisan and unprofessional. Thats how it works. DSS is now automatically non-partisan and a professional organisation! Again, another fact is that you dont even have to be a card carrying member of any party to "work" for that party! I tell you, its always been like that in most cases just that some were more brazen than others. Its a real dilemma but denying that is living in denial and tring to re-write history.

Abia, Kaduna and Rivers seem to have hit the ground running but my own State Governor (name withheld) and some others seem to be doing business as usual.

Some media houses actually publish junk, sensational/slanted journalism or practice yellow journalism for ulterior reasons. Not that I care about the Senators or vouch for them, I have no faith in most politicians irrespective of political party but the way that report was crafted clearly exposed its political agenda, not entirely new or surprising though. Its just factions of the same political ruling class with some of them exploiting gullibility of people and posing as progressives. Not impressed and wont stake my neck for any side.

Some great responses so far and a few are ungodly/destructive! Case of faulty foundation here. Not to add to your sorrows. Are you born again?. If not, turn your life and this challenge to God in heart-rending prayer like Hannah of old. Then let God lead you aright. God can touch him and also make circumstances favourable. Nothing impossible with Him. Lesbianism, self-service, adultery, cheating, co-habitation and divorce are neither scriptural nor helpful/advisable. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, speak to helpful family members or close friends he respects if so led. I feel you but with God, it will be well. Finally, to all ladies and gents, please start with God, do proper diligence, get on your knees but keep eyes and heart open -lots of deceivers, sweet talkers and destiny destroyers/vandalisers out there. Involve your church and family in marriage plans, get parental consent, have very robust courtship and let the Lord be your foundation.

emmerks:
Please I need help about the authenticity of the of the Legalisation of my NPC document which I just collected today.

Actually I sent it to somebody who works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help me with the Legalisation in Abuja and I paid for it.

Am just not too satisfied with what am seeing now. its just a stamp with a signature at the back of each document.

Please is anybody away of the process and how it should look?

Yes thats how it is. I did mine earlier this year.

There was massive shake up in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army as the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai appointed new General Officers Commanding the Divisions of the Nigerian Army as well as new Principal Staff Officers to run the affairs of Army headquarters. Also appointed were new Corps Commanders, Special Task Forces Commanders, a new Commander for the Multi-national Joint Task Force to tackle Boko Haram, new Brigade Commanders as well as new Defence Advisers in Nigeria’s foreign missions abroad. The new General Officers Commanding according to Vanguard’s investigations are Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, GOC ‘1’ Division, Kaduna. He was formerly the Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, Abuja; Major General L.C. Ilo is the new GOS 2 Division, Ibadan. He replaces Major General SM Muazu who is appointed Commander, Infantry Corps, Jaji; Major General H. Umaru is the new GOC 3 Armoured Division, Jos. Others are Major General M.A Koleoso, new Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Minna. He takes over from the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Olonishakin. He was formerly Director of Administration at Defence Headquarters; Major General H. Edet, new GOC 81 Division, Lagos. He was formerly the Commandant, Nigerian Army Training Center (NATRAC), Kotangora; Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru firmerly the Brigade Commander, 13 Brigade, Calabar is the Acting GOC, 82 Division, Enugu. He takes over from Major General S. Yusuf who is redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Training and Operations.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/massive-shake-up-in-nigerian-army-as-buratai-appoints-new-goc/#sthash.tfPpnggO.dpuf

Actually Daura was a member of the APC Security team but its something to live with it -not that I support him if he is partisan but in reality, it will be a big struggle for him to be "neutral". He is from Daura and his kinsman brought him from retirement so nothing should be a surprise here (again I am not justifying it). The DSS will always be "loyal" to the government of the day. It is the same officers and operatives that were in DSS under the last DG (accused of favouring the PDP) that are still there but the music has changed. Striking a delicate balance between loyalty and professionalism -its really a dilemma! By the way, where are those who said DSS should be scrapped before this new DG came on board? Should we still scrap the DSS? Now they are to probe INEC officials, former NSA, monitor fuel distribution etc Seems this government will even give them more work to do. Wont be surprised if they are returned noiselessly and quietly to the villa to protect the President's inner ring. Those who know, know what the issues were!

People, let me make a contribution here. First I graduated from a federal government owned university (first generation) but then I think the standard of tuition and scholarship was higher than it is now -less 'sorting' of lecturers etc. There are still good public universities but I must tell you that some of these private universities are coming of age. For instance I don’t worship at Living Faith (Winners) but from the industry where I work (recruitment is very competitive), Covenant University is making a very strong showing. In fact, in the last 2-3 years, they have been displacing the likes of UI, FUTO in recruitment for the management sciences, arts, and social sciences. One of our recruiters was so shocked at the trend that he had to remark "there must be something they are doing there". I have colleagues whose children are there and I have interacted personally with a few of their graduates in the workplace -they hold their heads high and deliver! Now, I say all these not to advertise the school but to say, not all these private schools may be called "glorified secondary schools" anymore. I've heard good words about Babcock and even Afe Babalola (Law Faculty) and Landmark etc. I agree that the fees are relatively high of course but they have to pay their bills (staff salary etc) if they can build on the standards, it will help reduce capital flight abroad and even to nearby Ghana. Of course, they will be graduates from these schools that also don’t measure up. I am only cautioning us not to be too dismissive, things are changing in the real world -recruiters put you in problem solving and critical thinking situations during interviews and those who are mentored to "think out of the box" typically come up tops. If you can’t afford these private schools, by all means even if you are in an uknown university where strikes are frequent or what may be called a "mushroom" school, please develop yourself; read hard and wide... you can still make it. It takes more than having a certificate or the name of your school or how high or low your school fees is. God bless you.

"The PUNCH learnt that the names on the list of oil thieves are a mixture of highly placed government officials, and retired and serving military officers".
Would be interesting to know the retired and serving military officers too and see if they can also be prosecuted. That would be the real deal in my view.

These rates dont appear to be current at all oh!

Ha ha. See the same DSS that was villified for being pro-PDP. They have same officers only the DG was changed. Are we still calling for scrapping of DSS again? I guess they have become fully professional now?

Ha ha. The same DSS, same officers only the DG has been changed. Every government uses the DSS as it wants because of a wide latitude in its statutory law that says something like "and such other responsibilities as the President shall direct". DSS is always "loyal" to the government of the day. Now they are chasing fuel marketers, even INEC officials like the RECs in Rivers and Akwa Ibom etc. Always get them on your side. Dont "over-blame" them for "appearing" pro-PDP or APC. Na turn by turn. Infact, they used to say "wait for your time"! Whose time is it now? Ha ha. Abeg no insult oh .... just painting how the game goes for real.

The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi has been accused by the family of the arrested Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Gesila Khan of masterminding her arrest bythe Department of State Services, DSS.

The family made the allegation in a statement on Tuesday in Yenagoa, which was signed by the family spokesperson, Okubama Johnbull.
It claimed that information at its disposal revealed that it was after Amaechi visited the Director-General of the DSS that Khan was arrested.

According to the family, “We, as a responsible family, know where this onslaught is coming from.

“We have it on good authority that it was the visit of the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, to the DSS Director, that prompted the invitation of Mrs. Khan.”

While decrying the arrest, detention, harassment and intimidation of the REC over her role in the last elections in Rivers, the Khans alleged that the REC was being forced “to write an undertaking to turn the results of the Rivers State general elections in favour of the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party at the national level.”
The family wondered why the DSS would single her out for victimisation and intimidation when matters concerning the last general elections were being handled by election petition tribunals.

It went on to express concern that Khan “who is diagnosed of hypertension and diabetics,” had been denied her medication in detention, a development it claimed, was affecting her health.

The family urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to intervene and caution the DSS to allow due process and the rule of law to prevail in Khan’s travail.

It equally pleaded with human rights organisations and public-spirited individuals to come to her aide, insisting that Khan’s arrest and detention were unlawful.
http://dailypost.ng/2015/07/28/amaechi-behind-arrest-of-embattled-rivers-rec-family/

I don’t think this is strictly an APC-PDP issue or about Saraki again? If 81 out of 107 Senators (should have been 108 but 1 died before inauguration and hasn’t been replaced), say they want their own leadership, the only option for those that don’t want them is to exploit the courts and see if they can establish the allegations of forgery or any other crime against them. The noise and propaganda in the media is obviously not working at all. Desktop analysis and arm chair insulting of each other over politicians clearly achieves nothing. These people are politicians. Irrespective of their political party, it is their interest that matters to them so I don’t get it when people hero worship any politician or make it look like it is about national development. We are not bound to like any of them and we aren’t Senators so we either go to court if we have locus standi to do so, recall them or vote against them next time. The rest is grammar.

The senate on Tuesday passed a vote of confidence on its leadership, amid ongoing crisis over allegations that rules were forged to elect the senate president and his deputy.

In a motion‎ signed by 81 senators and moved by Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Imo East), the senate reaffirmed its endorsement of Bukola Saraki as senate president and Ike Ekweremadu as deputy senate president as well as the principal officers.

The principal officers are Ali Ndume (majority leader), Bala Na’Allah (deputy leader), Olusola Adeyeye (chief whip) and Francis Alimikhena (deputy chief whip).

Saraki put the motion, which sought to “cement” the legitimacy of the leadership in the face of opposition, to a voice vote to which the lawmakers chorused “Aye” in agreement.

There was no single dissenting voice.

As many as 73 senators are needed to remove either Saraki or Ekweremadu, although only 55 are required to vote them into office.

Earlier in his motion, Anyanwu noted with dismay “the continued ‎harassment of the senate and senators, the national assembly management and spouses of senators by security agencies”.

“Considering the sustained interference in the internal affairs of the senate by detractors and media propaganda against the senate and senators by selfish politicians, I therefore move to call on the senate to pass a vote‎ of confidence on the senate president, deputy senate president and the entire senate leadership as presently constituted,” he said.

He also urged the senate to “call on the Nigeria police force and all other security agencies in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be used by any person or persons to harass, intimidate or blackmail the senate, senators or their spouses.”

His motion, which received an overwhelming yes vote‎, was seconded by Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

Anyanwu’s motion followed allegations of forgery of the senate standing rules by the leadership as well as the‎ investigation of the wife of the senate president, Toyin Saraki, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Among the 81 senators who appended their names to the motion were David Mark, former senate president; Shehu Sani (Kaduna), Stella Oduah (Anambra), Buruji Kashamu (Ogun), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa).
https://www.thecable.ng/just-senate-passes-vote-confidence-saraki-ekweremadu

mzceebaby:
I am still waiting, today makes it 42 working days and I have barely 1week to my travel date, it's just so frustrating, I've written to the Embassy no reply, wrote to vfs the reply wasn't helpful just told to wait, am just confused here.

I feel you. You are not alone in this miasma. I pray we all come through it. Some havent even booked their flights and air fares have really shot up through the roof now.

After hours of negotiations on Monday night, the top hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has proposed that its preferred candidate for majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, should become the deputy speaker.

A member of the house of reps informed TheCable that the proposal means Yusuf Lasun, who was elected deputy speaker on June 9, will have to voluntarily step down — since he can only be removed by two-thirds majority of the house and that is not thought to be on the cards.

Lasun had on Monday vowed not to be forced out and the issue remained unresolved even after the meeting ended in the early hours of Tuesday ahead of house resumption.

Other highlights of the proposals include the choice of principal officers and composition of committees.

If the proposals are accepted, Gbajabiamila will become deputy speaker and will be allowed to nominate chairpersons for 60% of the “Grade A” committees, including finance.

The speaker, Yakubu Dogara, will nominate the principal officers — majority leader, deputy majority leader, chief whip and deputy chief whip — while also nominating chairpersons for three “Grade A” committees — appropriation, customs and public petitions.

“Grade A” committees are the most coveted in the house because of the influence and the financial clout.

“The only stumbling block now to the resolution of the crisis is Lasun, who has said he will not resign to allow Femi to become deputy speaker,” the source said, hinting that if Lasun does not resign, Gbajabiamila may end up not occupying any position in the house.

According to the source, Gbajabiamila, having been minority leader for four years, can only be majority leader or deputy speaker.

“You cannot reasonably expect Femi to be chairman of any committee, so he may just take the back seat if the deputy speakership does not work out,” the rep told TheCable.

“Dogara wants to pick the principal officers himself and the party is not opposed to that. He will be working with the principal officers. If the principal officers are not in your camp, then you are a figurehead speaker and you cannot claim to be in control of house business.”

The option of deputy speakership was open to Gbajabiamila after he was narrowly defeated by Dogara in the speakership race on June 9, but the emotions of the moment truncated that option.

Lasun was voted deputy speaker, defeating Mohammed Monguno, who is in Gbajabiamila’s camp.

At the time of reporting, the final picture was still not clear — hours to the reconvening of the house.

A meeting convened by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night was stalemated as both camps came out singing discordant tunes on the outcome.
https://www.thecable.ng/just-apc-proposes-gbaja-deputy-speaker

mathdiva:
24 days

I can even say yours took 24 days only! My friend spent 10 weeks waiting for response and had to withdraw his application last Friday.
Several others are still waiting for theirs. So sad and unprofessional!

mzceebaby:
Am having the same issues, I applied for a Netherlands visitation visa through the belgium vfs Lagos on the 1st of June, I was told to wait for 12-15 working days now it's almost 6 weeks my status still reads your application has been forwarded to the Belgium Embassy, my travel date is August 6th, I mailed the Embassy no response, reading you all were denied gives me the chills, how long do I have to wait? Please what were the reasons given after you were denied?

Still waiting for the visa?

Westmorgan:
And today has been day 32 still haven't heard from the embassy.

Hi. Have they sorted you out at last?

mathdiva:
i applied for schengen visa only for them to give me 10 days single entry meanwhile my mates who went with France got 1 year multiple entry. this was after delaying my visa issuance to the date before my trip.

I was so glad when i heard it had reverted back to French embassy. Like seriously who would even want to go to Begium embassy on a good day, Am sure they cost Netherlands a lot of foreign exchange

But how long did it take them to issue you the visa?

Politicians live and practice politics with the type of passion that is difficult for us, ordinary mortals, to understand. Once initiated, usually through a self-induced process, which they turn around to blame on “their people” who allegedly begged them to go into politics, they pursue power with focus and determination for the rest of their lives. In the process, they realise they need money to hasten the pursuit of power and then chase and obtain money with reckless abandon. They also realise that rivals might block their paths to power, and they attack, criticise, blackmail and sometimes kill the said rivals to open their doors to power. Almost no one, once properly initiated, ever resigns from politics. They chase power until deaths beckon and we, the people, often wonder whether these were lives well spent. At the end, the issue is that we, the people, often matter very little on issues as important as politicking; what matters is power.

For the past seven weeks, daily narratives have gripped us over politicking geared to access, to overthrow, to subdue, to establish supremacy over and to install new leadership in the National Assembly. It is beginning to look as if the ruling APC was created to fight to death on the vital question of which faction within the party will control the National Assembly. No one within the party appears to be thinking about such mundane issues as using the mandate obtained from the people to implement the party programme. Initially, the show appeared to be interesting, even fascinating but frankly, it has become disgusting. I have examined the actors in the drama and I am unable to discern any side with more integrity, better legislative agenda, and clearer superiority in terms of their personal records of legislative performance in the past. It is clearly a straightforward issue of the naked struggle for power and the whole country has been made victim of the politicking.


What we know about the politicking is that a rupture occurred within the ruling APC when some “godfathers” decided the time had come for them to enhance their personal power by controlling the leadership of the National Assembly. The rupture appeared to have occurred because these party barons believe it would profit them to position themselves for even greater power in 2019, when the next elections come around. The rupture is exhibiting toxic testosterone as blackmail, stories of past corruption of actors and family members, alleged drunkenness and/or drug addiction of other actors fill the media.

The struggle ran out of control when the party, which should normally arbitrate in such quarrels, became associated with one faction and could therefore not intercede in a neutral manner. Even the President got dragged into the fray, in spite of his earlier caution, when a purported meeting between him and some legislators became an opportunity for one faction to rush into the Chamber to carry out their election, which looked like a coup d’état. The summary of the situation is that the trajectory of all the politicking has only one destination – positioning some individuals to have even more power. The situation has become toxic for the APC and for the Nigerians who voted them into power to get improved governance. This nonsense must stop and if there are real leaders in the party and government, the time has come for them to get the National Assembly return to a governance agenda.

We need to remind ourselves that the National Assembly is composed of legislators who are supposed to be the representatives of the sovereignty of the Nigerian people. The legitimacy they derived from the electoral process is supposed to galvanise them into moulding the views and concerns of ordinary citizens and constituents into public policy. None of the legislators has mentioned any public policy concerns in the seven weeks of politicking we have witnessed so far. President Buhari has prioritised three issues in the government’s policy agenda – the struggle against corruption, the war against insecurity and job creation, especially for the youth. This important agenda would require important debate in the National Assembly leading to new legislation. The time has come to think about their core functions.


At this point in our national history, there is universal concern about the extremely high cost of governance at both the national and state levels. The Oronsanye report has suggested a path of approaching the issue, which would require closing down many government departments and agencies that are redundant, and much of it would require legislation. Relevant committees in the legislatures should have already been working on such issues. Much of our current fiscal crisis is rooted in our management of our oil and gas production system. There has been no comprehensive established framework put in the place for the management of the industry. In 2000, former President Olusegun Obasanjo began the petroleum industry reform process, by establishing the Oil and Gas sector Reform Implementation Committee (OGIC) headed by the late Dr. Rilwanu Lukman. Since then, the numerous attempts to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) have failed. The sixteen separate legislations governing the country’s oil and gas sector, all of which had been adjudged to be obsolete, continue to drag the Nigerian economy backward. Let the Presidency and the ruling APC show some leadership and end this destructive politicking over the leadership of the National Assembly. Let the parliament return to law making and governmental oversight.
http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=168262

No fewer than three groups, Public Interest Lawyers League, Rivers Renaissance Forum (RRF) and Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), have accused the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) of interfering in the work of the Rivers State election tribunal sitting in Abuja and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to call him to order.

In a petition sent to the President, RRF alleged that the DSS boss planned to “witch hunt, coerce and intimidate electoral and judicial officers connected with or handling matters related to the 2015 general elections held in Rivers as well as the election petition therefrom”.

The petition, signed by Tamuno Peterside, accused the DG of what it described as selective invitation of state Resident Electoral Commissioners, including that of Rivers as well as members of the various panels handling the election petitions arising from the recent elections in the country in a “subtle attempt at directly or indirectly intimidating them and influencing the outcome of the various petitions presently before the election petition tribunals”.

According to the group, it was not within the powers of the DSS to investigate allegations against members of election tribunal since there is a constitutional body to handle cases of misconduct against electoral officers.

While calling on Buhari to call the DSS DG to order so that he does not tarnish the avowed resolve of the federal administration to ensure that the rule of law take its course in all matters, the group reminded the president that the time for politicking is over and he must treat all Nigerians fairly and not on the basis of political inclinations.

GDI also condemned the alleged DSS harassment

Secretary of the group, Mr Samuel Wonosike, who spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, said it was unfortunate that the DSS was being used to meddle in the Rivers election petition.

Wonosike said some members of the tribunal were also allegedly invited and harassed by the security body, saying the move was part of a grand design to compromise the tribunal.

Continuing, he said God that made Nyesom Wike governor of the state will ensure those allegedly trying to manipulate the tribunal did not succeed.

Meanwhile, the Public Interest Lawyers League has alleged “a rash of Gestapo measures aimed at not only interfering with the proceedings at the Rivers election petition tribunal, but also ultimately defeating the ends of justice.”

The group, in a statement by Messrs Abdul Mahmud and Matthew Zibril, President and Executive Director, respectively, went on: “We have it on good authority that the Department of State Services (DSS) has invited from Port Harcourt to Abuja key officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, which is a respondent to the election petition. The invited INEC officials include the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dame Gesila Khan; Director of Operations, Administrative Secretary, and Legal Adviser. Some of the officials have been detained beyond the constitutional limits, with no charges preferred against them.

“While we cannot pretend to teach the security agencies their job, it must trouble all lovers of democracy and due process that it is in middle of the hearing of an election petition that vital witnesses are being intimidated by DSS. The governorship elections were conducted about three months ago, and none of the electoral officers in Rivers State were intimidated until now that the petition is being heard. This is a clear case of witness tampering. It is unacceptable. Who knows when the tribunal members may themselves become guests of DSS?”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/outrage-over-alleged-dss-interference-in-rivers-election-petition/#sthash.JDLzhvF7.dpuf

Surulere2:
Please how much is a dollar in naira presently.. I need to do some transactions tommorrow.. I need your help..


Google is telling me 198 naira.. Which I know is more than that..

Parallel market is over N240, perhaps N244?

fulanimafia:
The entire senior leadership of the DSS was rotten and were all playing from the same script. We both know the DSS was partisan, I'm not about to argue that fact.

The interesting thing is that the "rotten" leadership in DSS is still intact and no single DSS staff has been fired. They are all working with the new DG and some of them were deployed to search the former NSA's house. It wasnt strictly about partisanship. DSS has always aligned with the government of the day. The only difference is that one leader may use them with more finesse while another may appear to be reckless or do so with impunity. Note that Daura was a member of the APC Presidential campaign security committee so I would not be fair to him if I expect him to be 100% "non-partisan and professional". Thats the way it is. And by the way, its unfair to make sweeping generalisation and say the entire senior leadership of the DSS was rotten. You need to take a deeper dive beyond media reports.

We have achieved "change" so no need for BBC Hausa please.

Our consumption of cowhide, popularly known as “ponmo’’, processed with burnt tyres, can lead to kidney failure and cancer, an expert, Dr. Kehinde Bello, has disclosed.

Bello, a medical officer with Adamawa German Medical Centre, Yola, told our correspondent , in Jos , that consuming the delicacy could also affect consumers’ livers and the central nervous system.

“Most butchers try to cut cost; instead of using fire wood to burn the hairs off the cow skin, they use tyres which they see as faster and cheaper.

“This attitude is dangerous because the health implications are very massive since these tyres contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, carbon monoxide and conium.

“These combined chemicals are toxic and hides processed with them absorb them; consumers of such hides ingest them and this is extremely dangerous to humans,’’ she said.

She said that with constant consumption of the hide processed by such means, the heavy metals accumulate in the system, become excess and could lead to kidney failure when the foreign toxic exceeds the body’s toxic level.

“It does not happen suddenly; it takes a little while and could also lead affect the liver, the central nervous system and the Intelligence quotient of a child,’’ she explained.

Bello said that aside the direct consumption of hides, individuals could suffer similar effect of burnt tyres if it rains as the residues are washed into the soil and into various water sources.

“When such waters are consumed by humans, the effect will be the same as if the individual consumed the cowhide processed by the use of tyre,” she explained.

Bello further disclosed that the burning process also leads to air pollution which could trigger asthma attacks in asthmatic patients.

“It could also lead to serious respiratory infections, especially in children, due to the thick smoke and smell it produces,’’ she said.

The expert urged concerned authorities and stakeholders to take a special interest in the manner cow hide was being processed in view of the large number of persons consuming it.

“I will suggest that a special team be set up to visit the abattoirs to halt the trend of processing edibles with tyres since the health effects are enormous,’’ she said
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