FAROUK-OTEDOLA SAGA: Where is the House report?

11:29 PM Politics No Comments

Months after the House of Representatives promised to get to the root of the cash for clearance scam involving one of its most prominent members, Farouk Lawan, indications are that the investigation is being swallowed up in a web of intrigues.

The moral authority of the House to stand in defence of the people or to scrutinize the actions of the executive arm is at risk.

IT was undoubtedly the spiciest scandal to smear the clean crisp image that Speaker Aminu Tambuwal had so much sought to build.

Otedola and Farouk

The narratives on television of a member of the House of Representatives discussing bribe with a subject under investigation shook the foundations of the parliament.

Rep. Lawan Farouk, a four-term member of the House of Representatives was tasked with leading the House investigation into arguably the biggest fraud to be revealed in the supply of domestic fuel.

The fuel subsidy scam in which trillions of naira were fraudulently claimed by real and fictitious fuel importers shook the foundations of the country.

It was as such not surprising that the House of Representatives constituted an ad-hoc committee to investigate the scandal.

Lawan, an experienced lawmaker was given the assignment of leading the other members of the investigative panel.

While the public investigation lasted, many Nigerians hailed the inquisitive and probing gestures of the Lawan committee, which relentlessly harried the importers and others involved.

The findings and recommendations of the committee were damning. Many stakeholders and government organizations were found culpable. Remarkably, a number of principal officers of the agencies of government involved in the scam were let off the hook by the Lawan report.

That set some tongues wagging, but the issue was still muted given the rapturous endorsement of the activities of the committee during the hearings.

It was not until later when stories about the exchange of dollars for clearance began to circulate that members of the House of Representatives began to express doubt about the sincerity of the Lawan report.

The House leadership was bold to limit the damage once the allegation that Lawan and the committee clerk, Boniface Emenalo, collected $620,000 bribe to clear oil magnate Femi Otedola, distilled into the public space.

It immediately removed Lawan from the leadership of the ad-hoc committee and also stripped him of his position as chairman of the House committee on Education.

The issue was further referred to the House Committee on Ethics for investigation.

Lawan and Otedola were invited to the investigation by the Ethics committee headed by Rep. Gambo Dan Musa.

The committee heard Lawan in camera but the effort to also hear Otedola in camera, was flatly rejected by the businessman leading to an embarrassing altercation between the Ethics Committee and Otedola.

Upon his refusal to address the committee in camera, the committee chairman, Musa lashed out at Otedola in a language that reportedly embarrassed the House and displeased the leadership.

“You cannot make an allegation and when you are being asked to substantiate, you now refuse to substantiate. What are you hiding”? Honourable Dan Musa asked when he briefed newsmen after Otedola walked out on the committee.

“He has told us that we are hiding something that is why we don’t want to do it in public, rather we told him, he is the one hiding something by refusing to talk, by refusing to make a substantiation of his allegations.”

“He refused to say anything and he was just laughing. It was very stupid of him and we are not happy too” he said minutes after Otedola with his team of legal advisers left the committee hearing.

The question as to why the committee insisted on hearing Otedola and Lawan in secret remains a mystery and seriously eroded the confidence that many Nigerians had in the House committee. After months of the secret investigation it was announced few weeks ago that the committee has concluded its investigation and its report ready for the House.

Speaking to newsmen in the course of a press briefing by Rep. Zakari Mohammed House Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs and his Deputy, Rep. Victor Ogene, the latter had said that the report of the House investigations on Lawan would be presented after resumption.

“The findings of the committee would be made available as soon as the House resumes from its Sallah break,” Ogene had been quoted as saying.

The assertion had given the impression that the House would receive the report immediately after resumption from the Sallah break.

Clearing impressions


But Ogene was to issue a clarification the following day to clear impressions created in the media that the report would definitely be presented on the day of the House resumption.

In the statement the Friday preceding the November 6, 2012 resumption, he said: “I have read several accounts of my interaction with the media at Thursday’s weekly Press Briefing of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs and wish to make the following clarifications. To state categorically, therefore, that the Report will be laid next week is not only erroneous, but patently misleading.”

What Ogene’s clarification inevitably implied was that the report was no longer a priority for the House.

Given the dithering procrastination of the House in considering the report, the high regard for the Tambuwal leadership would almost certainly be reduced as many come to make comparisons between the House action on the Farouk-Otedola saga and other scandals that have smeared the House of Representatives in recent times.






Source - Vanguard News

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BUDGET PERFORMANCE : Reps walk minister out, want another sacked

11:27 PM News No Comments

ABUJA— MINISTER of Science and Technology, Professor Ita Okon Bassey-Ewa, was, yesterday, walked out by the House of Representatives over his inability to convert budget figures into percentages in his ministry’s 2012 budget.

The Reps also asked President Goodluck Jonathan to sack his Environment Minister, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafia for her failure to appear before them.

Professor Ita Okon Bassey-Ewa and Hadiza Mailafia

The Science and Technology Minister, engaged his supervising Committee in the House of Representatives in a shouting match when the members asked him to give the actual budget performance of his ministry.

The committee, chaired by Hon Abiodun Akinlade, had asked the minister to convert the ministry’s 2012 budget performance into percentage instead of providing it on item by item basis. Bassey-Ewa, who made efforts to convert same to percentage could, however, not do so to the consternation of the lawmakers.

Akinlade pointed out that the Minister had never taken the committee seriously just as he recollected that Bassey-Ewa had failed to provide the percentage performance of his ministry when the committee went to his office for oversight functions sometime ago.

Responding to the chairman’s comment, the minister shouted: “We are prepared; we are prepared. You can see that I have been trying to compute the percentage.” When cautioned by the Chairman that he should realize that he was appearing before a committee, which is an extension of the House, the minister replied that he was first shouted at by a lawmaker.

Due to his inability to answer queries from the committee, Akinlade, after consultations with his colleagues, ordered Bassey-Ewa to leave and get prepared to appear before the committee on another date.

After the Minister had walked out angrily, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Rabi Shuaibu Jimeta, apologized, on personal grounds, to the lawmakers and promised to put all figures together in subsequent engagement with the committee.

The committee had earlier queried the Minister on why he refused to recommend the appointment of a substantive Director-General for the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) when the Acting D-G of the agency, Engr. Mohammed Haruna, had stayed in an acting capacity for more than the regulatory six months.

The Minister agreed that Haruna had stayed for about eight months in acting capacity but told the lawmakers that the process for the appointment of a substantive D-G for NASENI had been completed and was awaiting the President’s ratification

Disagreement over how far the 2012 budget had performed in terms of percentages was a major plank of disagreement between the Executive and Legislature recently.

While Okonjo-Iweala was hitherto reported to have claimed 56 per cent implementation; the House of Representatives said it was 34 per cent; the Senate claimed it was just 21.56 per cent.

A piqued House of Representatives before going on recess last July gave President Goodluck Jonathan up to September to ensure 100 per cent implementation of the 2012 budget or face impeachment proceedings.

Meanwhile, the committee chairman in his opening remarks had lamented that the government had relegated the development of science and technology to the background by not including the sector in its six priority areas in the 2013 budget.

He said: “The President in his Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) earmarked six ministries as priority areas and unfortunately the Ministry of Science and Technology is not there. No country has ever enjoyed global attention without developing its Science and Technology potentials. It would be difficult to move this country forward without developing our technology.”







Source - Vanguard News

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FG to rebuild bombed UN building with N5.2bn

11:25 PM News No Comments

Abuja — The Federal Executive Council, FEC, chaired by the Vice President Namadi Sambo, yesterday, approved contracts worth N199.19 billion in various sectors of the economy.

Of this amount, road construction and rehabilitation across different geo-political zones of the country took the lion share of N176.13 billion while the construction of terminal building as well as control tower at the Yenagoa airport was approved at the cost of N13.91 billion while the reconstruction of the bombed United Nations Building in Abuja was approved for N5.2 billion.

The front office and first floor of the UN Building after the blast 2010.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of council meeting, Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said the council took cognizance of the onset of the dry season in awarding the contracts for road constructions while the construction of the United Nations Building in Abuja is in fulfillment of government’s earlier promise to foot the bill for the reconstruction of the bombed building.

The Information Minister, who was flanked by the Ministers of Works, Niger Delta Affairs and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, also disclosed that council approved for the purchase of brand new Air Ambulance Cessna Ciation Sovereign Jet Aircraft (fully equipped and customized with emergency medical facilities) in the sum of $23,171,058.28, as the foreign currency content and N909,590,181.13 as the local currency content with a delivery period of 32 weeks.

Providing further explanation on the road contracts, Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said council approved the dualisation of the Lokoja-Benin road in four slots. They include the Obajana-Okene at a total cost of N11,663,957,682.30 with a completion period of 24 months; Okene-Auchi at a cost of N11,086,276,140.36 with a completion period of 42 months; Auchi-Ehor at a cost of N11,659,588,909.69 and completion period of 40 months and Ehor-Benin at a cost of N11,679,997,440.71 with a completion period of 11 months.

Others include the Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari road, for N6,581,999,666.55, with a completion period of 18 months as well as the augmentation contract of N3,927,544,605.71 on the Ugep-Ikom-Ogoja-Katsina Ala in Cross River/Benue States with a completion period of 30 months which brings the contract sumto N9,136,126,840.71 from an initial figure of N5,208,582,235.00.

Kano-Wudil-Sharin road

Council also approved the contract for the augmentation of theKano-Wudil-Sharin road inKano State for the sum of N18,075,405,695.30, bringing the total contract sum from N37,047,307,376.30 to N55,122,713,072, while forthe Shuarin-Azare road with extension to Dutse in Jigawa and Bauchi States, the augmentation is N29,474,005,426.71, bringing the total contract from N35,841,452,834.88 to N65,315,458,261.59. The augmentation for the Azare-Pokistum road contract is N16,081,695,740.22. For the Pokistum-Damaturu road, it is N21,653,173,630.22 and a total of N27,796,962,398.76 for the augmentation contract for Damaturu-Maiduguri road.

Council also approved the following contracts including the construction of The Mararaban-Pantisawa-Yorro road (1,187,795,843.85), Suleija-Bakin Iku Abuja road (N1,185,114,615.37), Falali bridge in Kano State (N1,160,359,929.00) and Kundila roundabout also in Kano State (N2,499,924,850.50).

Speaking on the planned reconstruction of the United Nations Building which was damaged last year when a Boko Haram suicide bomber struck it, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed said, the Federal Government made commitment to get the building ready for occupation soonest.

He said: “It is in view of the above that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration brought a memo to seek council’s approval for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the United Nations office building in Abuja.

“After deliberations council approved the rehabilitation and rebuilding in Abuja in the sum of N5,153,043,922.40 with a completion period of 16 months.”

Other approvals granted by council were the framework for the development of the national integrated infrastructure master plan (2014 to 2043); the establishment of the council on Niger Delta to check duplication of projects in the area and the supply of seven brand new CAT 320 Hydraulic Excavators for NEMA in the sum of N554,050million with a delivery period of 15weeks.

Also approved for NEMA was brand new Lodico low loader (Flat bed) with tractor head in the sum of N52,080million with a delivery period of 15weeks, N184,785million for NEMA’s existing CISCO VIOP infrastructure with a delivery period of 12weeks and N271,694million for the supply and installation of digital Motorola two-way Radios, Repeaters and base stations at NEMA’S headquarters and it’s zonal offices with a delivery period of 8weeks.







Source - Vanguard News

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Nations Cup squad in my head – Keshi

3:00 PM Sports No Comments

After the 3-1 victory over Venezuela Stephen Keshi has become more confident about the team that he is building.

It’s all about the revelations and lessons that friendly matches engender. Shola Ameobi of Newcastle now has a place in Eagles but he must continue to work hard. So is Bright Dike who plays in the Major League Soccer.

Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi with Home Based Super Eagles at a News Conference at the Eagles’ Camp in Abuja

Ogenwo Onazi and Nosa Igiebor stamped authority in the friendly in Florida. Overall, the performance of the players individually and as a team impressed Keshi and he is now appealing to Nigeria Football Federation to ensure Eagles play at least three more quality friendly matches before they land in Southfriendly matches before they land in South Africa for the Nations Cup. Keshi spoke from San Francisco, USA where he had gone to briefly reunite with his family immediately after the friendly with Venezuela in Florida. He returns this week. Read his comments from USA:

“What happened in Florida was good. I saw in our team what I wanted to see. They worked and marked well. They worked as a unit. Everybody was a worker against Venezuela that played their full squad. Shola Ameobi was so mature and Dike showed he has power and speed. The result of this is that Eagles will be more competitive from now. If a player cannot give us 110 percent then he may not have a place in our team. I will need at least three quality friendly matches before the Nations Cup. I will prefer that African countries are among them. The matches will give me a better picture of the team we will present in South Africa although everything is in my head now. The good thing is that our team is now more competitive. Anybody that comes into camp now will sit tight. It will not be a piece of cake to play for Eagles. We are determined to achieve that because that’s what will help us in South Africa and the World Cup qualifiers.”

Keshi started building a new team when he was announced the new coach last year after Nigeria failed to qualify for the last Nations Cup. He started infusing local players in the team and it really paid off as the players stood out in matches, sometimes excelling more than the Europe-based players.

He decided to leave out the likes of Osaze Odewengie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Dickson Etuhu after the nightmare performance in Kigali, Rwanda in February. His blending work has continued unlike the coaches before him who saw nothing good in the local players.







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Amosun presents N211.86bn for 2013 budget

2:00 PM Business, News No Comments

                                                        

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun
| credits:

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Tuesday presented a budget proposal of N211.86 billion for the 2013 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

Tagged “The Budget for Sustainable Growth,” the next year’s budget is 5.6 per cent above the current 2012 Budget, which was N200.55 billion.At a special plenary in Abeokuta presided over by the House of Assembly Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, Amosun stated that N118.23 billion, representing 56 per cent, would be spent on capital projects in the 2013 budget.

The governor said recurrent expenditure would gulp a sum of N93.64 billion, representing 44 per cent of the budget.










Source - Punch news

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CBN cautions National Assembly about oil price benchmark …retains interest rate at 12%

1:00 PM Business No Comments

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday cautioned the National Assembly against increasing the 2013 budget oil benchmark from $75 to $80 per barrel.

The CBN Governor, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, while addressing journalists at the end of the committee’s meeting held at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja, said such a parameter of the budget should not be subjected to political manipulations.

The oil price benchmark had in recent times become a subject of controversy between the National Assembly and the Executive.

For instance, President Goodluck Jonathan had during the presentation of the 2013 budget proposed a $75 per barrel oil price benchmark.

The price assumption, however, did not go down well with both chambers of the National Assembly, which decided to adopt the benchmarks of $78 and $80 per barrel, respectively.

While the Executive had argued that a conservative oil benchmark would help to guarantee more savings for the future, the National Assembly members were of the view that increasing the benchmark would help the country reduce its fiscal deficit to a manageable level.

But Sanusi called on both parties to take a cue from the Chilean experience with regard to setting of parameters for the preparation of the national budget to avoid perennial rancour between the Executive and the legislature on the oil benchmark price.

He said, “On the oil price benchmark used in the 2013 budget, the MPC reaffirmed its support for maintaining the $75 per barrel proposed by the fiscal authorities and noted that this has become even more critical in light of evidence that output projections may have been overly optimistic.

“In this regard, the committee called on the government and the National Assembly, going forward, to borrow from the Chilean experience with regard to the setting of the parameters for the preparation of the national budget to avoid the perennial rancour between the Executive and the legislature on benchmark oil price.

“Specifically, the committee called for the setting up of an independent legal structure that will set the benchmark output and price underpinned by the long term trajectory of output and price, by independent experts who are shielded from political interference and interests.”

The CBN boss said the committee also called on the government to significantly increase capital spending as well as improve on governance and transparency in the public service.

Sanusi said the committee, with a unanimous vote, decided to leave the Monetary Policy Rate unchanged at 12 per cent with a corridor of +/- 200 basis points around the midpoint

Also retained were the Cash Reserve Ratio at 12 per cent and the Liquidity Ratio at 30 per cent.

In arriving at the decision, Sanusi said the committee was faced with three options.

The choices were to increase rates in response to the up-tick in headline and food inflation; to reduce rates in view of declining core inflation and Gross Domestic Product growth; and to retain the current monetary policy stance in view of conflicting price signals and global uncertainties

“The committee considered and rejected option one as being potentially pro-cyclical, considering the structural nature of recent inflationary pressures. While acknowledging the merit of the arguments in favour of option two, it was also rejected as likely to send wrong signals of a premature termination of an appropriately tight monetary stance,” he said.

On the country’s external reserves, he said that the committee expressed satisfaction with its significant increase to $45.68bn as at November 15, 2012,

The figure, he said, represented an increase of $10.27bn or about 29 per cent from the level of $35.41bn at end of June 2012.







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Nokia Lumia series enter Nigerian market

9:00 AM News, Technology No Comments

Leading mobile phone maker, Nokia, Tuesday in Lagos introduced the latest series, the Windows Phone 8 devices, the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Nokia Lumia 820 respectively.
The innovative devices were unveiled in partnership with leading Software maker, Microsoft and telecommunications giant, MTN.

According to the mobile phone manufacturer, those who buy the devices unveiled simultaneously globally would enjoy 6 months free internet on the widest network in Nigeria, MTN.

At the launch, the Vice President, Nokia West Africa, James Rutherfoord told the gathering that Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 920 were ready for business with a full business suite right out of the box, comprising of Microsoft Office suite, Sky Drive and Microsoft Lync.

He explained that Nokia hoped to satisfy the needs of business and non-business smart phone owners with its current and future range of Lumia devices.

“These are the best devices we have made in the smartphone category and we believe that this is going be much appreciated by our consumers. At Nokia, our focus is to bring the very best of technology to our consumers which aid, excite and benefit their work and social lives,” he said.

In addition to the brilliant applications on the devices, he said that Nokia launched the products exclusively on the widest network in Nigeria, MTN, to enable consumers to have a 360 experience of the various features on the devices.

“With the groundbreaking technology incorporated in these devices, we are giving consumers every reason to switch to Lumia. What’s more, we are also giving them the opportunity to pre-order the devices on Jumia.com, along with the chance to win a wireless charger or other cool Nokia accessories at discounted prices,” he added.

Also speaking, the Country Manager, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Emmanuel Onyeje with excitement told the gathering that, “With the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft unveiled a reimagined Windows to the world.

“Whether you want to work or play, Windows 8 delivers a personalized experience that fits your unique style and needs. And now, thanks to our partners Nokia and MTN, Nigerians will now be able to get their hands on Windows Phone 8 , the most personalized smartphone there is. ”

The new Lumia Windows 8 devices on MTN’s widest data coverage, according to Larry Annetts, CMO, MTN Nigeria guarantees a truly life enriching experience.

Nokia Nigeria is offering consumers the chance to pre-order the devices in MTN stores and also online on MTN Website and secure their units before they hit the shelves early next year.

As a bonus, all pre-bookers will also get to choose from a set of accessories including the DT-900, the cool new wireless charging plate from Nokia, at discounted prices.

The devices which come in a variety of colors is expected to consumers the best smartphone experience ever with their unique features, including an inbuilt wireless charging system, Nokia’s new PureMotion HD Plus display with a 1280 x 768 resolution, Nokia Maps and Nokia City Lens, which is a unique augmented reality app that helps users locate places by just holding up their devices.

The Lumia 920 also comes with the latest innovations in PureView imaging technology. This includes advanced floating lens technology that takes in five times more light than other smartphones, enabling users to capture sharp, crisp pictures and videos even indoors and at night, without using flash.

This is complemented by Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a first of its kind feature which prevents pictures and videos from blurring when users are on the move.







Source - Vanguard news

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N1.305b not enough for refreshments, meals, Presidential Villa tells Senate

7:30 AM News No Comments

ABUJA —THE Senate was, yesterday, told that the N1, 305, 292, 050 set aside in the 2013 budget for refreshment and meals and other miscellaneous expenses in the State House will not be enough.

This is just as a breakdown of the Miscellaneous sub-head in Aso Rock’s budget shows that N203,752,432 was allocated for refreshment and meals; N107,412,768 would be spent on honorarium and sitting allowance while N37, 277,825 will be for publicity and advertisement.

These were disclosed, yesterday, when the State House Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbile appeared before the Senator Dahiru Kuta-led Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs to defend the N14,715,566,104 budget for next year.

Ogbile also told the senators some other expenses that were being taken care of in the refreshment and meals vote, which he said include National Economic Council (NEC), Council of State, conferences in the Banquet Hall, Presidential retreats, National Merit Award, Children’s Day as well as hosting of dignitaries. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, however, countered the Permanent Secretary on the provision for the Merit Award which he said has its own budget.

The Permanent Secretary also gave a further breakdown of the 2013 State House budget as thus, Medical expenses (N50,308,546); Postage and courier services (N10,035,583); Welfare packages (N195,066,223); Subscription to professional bodies (N4,589,793); and Sporting activities (N32,910,730).

According to him, Overtime will gulp, N250,455,589; Feeding of animals including animal supplements for the veterinary clinic (N30,584,144); Summit/ Extra ordinary sessions including the UN, African Union, ECOWAS, etc (N228,112,862); and NYSC, IT, LOCUM, Housemanship and contract staff allowance (N144,788,555).

According to Ogbile: “I have taken pains to explain that this money is not just to fund the residence of the President and that of the Vice President. The experience I have had is that this fund is grossly insufficient. It is not even enough.”

The Permanent Secretary noted that “it is also from the budget of N1.305 billion that we take care of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which holds every Wednesday.”







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Jonathan seeks Senate’s approval for $200m external loan

7:00 AM News No Comments

ABUJA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, Tuesday, urged the Senate to grant him approval to borrow additional $200million in the 2012-2014 Medium-Term External Borrowing Plan.

In a letter to the Senate President, Senator David Mark, and read to other Senators, Jonathan explained in the letter that the additional sum of $200 million would be spent on water project in Rivers State.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Jonathan’s request is coming barely few weeks after he had asked the Senate to approve the borrowing plan for $7.9 billion.

The letter read: “First, we would like to include a $200 million water supply project being planned for Rivers State. This project would be financed by the African Development Bank and shall provide potable water supply to residents of Rivers State.

“Secondly, the Federal Government is currently developing a low-income housing finance facility to support the provision of affordable homes for Nigerians. This scheme will be financed using a $300 million credit facility from the World Bank.

“We would like to swap this new $300 million facility with the proposed guarantees for the power sector in the draft borrowing plan, thereby ensuring that we do not increase the overall size of loans proposed in the external borrowing plan.

“Thirdly, we would like to bring to your attention, the fact that we need to issue a $1billion Euro Bond in continuance of the programme initiated under the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as well as a $100 million Diaspora Bond.”







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Eminent Nigerians meet over nation’s decline

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At least, 50 eminent southern and northern Nigerian leaders met in Abuja on Tuesday on the state of the nation

During the closed-door meeting at the Yar’Adua Centre, they resolved to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the National Assembly.

The leaders met under the aegis of Project Nigeria, chaired by Prof. Ben Nwabueze. Organisers say Project Nigeria is a platform to canvass good governance and establish unity among the different interests in the country.

The leaders set up a committee, headed by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, to go round the country and interface with other Nigerians.

Those who attended the meeting included a former head of the Nigerian Security Organisation, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi; ex Senate President, Iyorcha Ayu; and former Delta State Governor, Chief Felix Ibru.

Also in attendance were a former Education Minister, Senator Jubril Aminu; the spokesperson of the Ijaw Republican Assembly, Annkio Brigg; a former President of the Ijaw National Conference, Prof. Kimse Okoko; activist lawyer, Dr. Tunji Abayomi; and the Secretary of Project Nigeria, Wale Okunniyi.

A source who attended the meeting explained that the essence of the meeting was to build national unity and consensus.

“The country is fast declining, we must save this country from collapse. We must close ranks and ensure that things are done properly,” he said.

Investigations showed that participants at the meeting specifically faulted the ongoing constitution review, saying it would take the country to nowhere.

The PUNCH gathered that the meeting resolved that there was a need for a national conference on corruption and good governance.

Lawmakers recently completed public hearings on the review of the constitution at their constituencies and zones. Each zone is expected to decide on the changes it desires in the areas of the constitution listed for review.

Forty-three aspects of the 1999 constitution, including local government administration, state creation and the structure of the country have been listed for possible review.

But analysts have said that the public hearing are mere talk shows. In most cases, participants are made to merely chorused ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to the affected aspects of the constitution as the lawmakers who convened the forums announced them one after the other.

But the Speaker of the House of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, had said that the public sessions in the 360 Federal Constituencies was a novel procedure meant to ensure a more participatory, inclusive and transparent review of the constitution.

When contacted on the Abuja meeting, Abayomi said, “I can confirm that there was a meeting of eminent Nigerians in Abuja on good governance, and the concerns of the people about corruption which is the consequence of poor governance.

“We are concerned about the rising frustration of the people, the high level of poverty and the gap between the governed and the leaders, between the people and government officials. Those are the issues that preoccupied the meeting. It was quite an interesting session about the desires of ordinary Nigerians.”

Alhaji Bashiru Dalhatu; Solomon Asemota (SAN); Prince Tony Momoh; Sen. Adamu Abdulahi; Hajia Nahatu Mohammed; Nkoyo Toyo; Sen. Ewa Henshaw; Alhaji Yayale Ahmed; Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) were also believed to have attended the meeting.

As the leaders met, three major socio-political groups in the country on Tuesday differed on President Goodluck Jonathan’s position on the Soverign National Conference.

While the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Afenifere faulted the President, the Arewa Consultative Forum, supported him.

The President, during the Presidential Media Chat on Sunday, had said that the SNC was not feasible.

He had said, “When you mention the word sovereign, people get frightened, but the basic thing I believe as the President, who has taken an oath to defend the constitution of Nigeria is that whatever we do, we should keep in line with the constitution.”

“If today we jettison the provision of the constitution, we will witness anarchy and the best option is to keep in line with the provision of the constitution.”

Faulting the President, Ohanaeze said there was need for the SNC. The group’s President General, Ralph Uwechue, said he could not dwell much on the issue as he was in a meeting, but he explained that a memorandum supporting a national conference had been submitted to the lawmakers, a long time ago.

However, a former national chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, Mr. Bismack Oji, said, “Our take on that is that there is need for a national conference. The word, sovereign, would then imply that the continued existence for the corporate entity of Nigeria would be discussed.”

He said, “There is need for a national conference because what the National Assembly is trying to do is not actually a national conference, rather they are embarking on a piecemeal review of some sections of the constitution.

“However, the issue at stake is beyond the National Assembly, because it has to do with the very structure of the Nigerian state which the National Assembly is a beneficiary and a component of. This is based on the popular maxim that you cannot be a judge in your own case.

“Therefore, it is pertinent that a national conference should hold so that the component nations that make up the Nigeria state can seat down amicably and agree upon the structure which shall become part of Nigeria.”

According to Oji, “One of the reasons why we believe that the National Assembly cannot handle the issue at stake is because of its lopsided nature, vis-à-vis the North having about 60 per cent of the population, which makes it practically impossible for any decision or outcome to be achieved that is against sectional interest of the North. It would just not be possible for the North to accept such outcome or decision, even if such is in the interest of Nigeria as a conglomerate entity.”

“A case study is the issue of creation of states. Presently, the South-East zone is obviously marginalised having five states against seven of the North-West and six of all the other zones.

“Actually, it ought to have been a matter of natural justice and equity to give the South-East at least one more state, and as agreed at the 2005 national conference.”

Also, Afenifere said a constitution that would be acceptable to Nigerians could only be produced through the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference.

The Secretary General of the group, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, stated this while reacting to Jonathan’s submission that the National Assembly was already doing what the SNC should have done.

Arogbofa said what the leadership of the National Assembly was doing on the review of the nation’s constitution, was different from what the Afenifere hoped to achieve with the SNC.

“Our idea of the SNC is that it should attract wider participation comprising every segment of the society who will gather in a conference where everybody would talk on what the constitution should look like,” he said.










Source - Punch news

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Flooding fuelled inflation in October –Sanusi

3:30 AM Business, News No Comments

The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, has said that the country’s October’s food inflation rose as a result of flooding that ravaged some states’ farmlands.

Sanusi, who was speaking at FBN Capital’s annual investor conference in Lagos on Thursday, however, didn’t mention October’s food-inflation rate or how it affected the headline figure.

Analysts, however, pointed out that the fact that food accounted for 50.71 per cent of the Composite Consumer Price Index, meant that changes in food prices would dictate the direction of the CCPI.

They said that an analysis of the consumer good prices monitored across the country in October showed a general increase in prices across the major components of the food basket.

According to them, the price of rice increased by about five per cent while the price of onions increased drastically by about 125 per cent on the average across the country.

The price of garri, tomato, yam, beans and potato increased by 21 per cent, 44 per cent, 17 per cent, 20 per cent and 43 per cent respectively across the country.

Report by FSDH Research said, “The price of rice, which accounts for about nine per cent of the household expenditure in Nigeria, rose on account of the impending increase of duties on imported rice as stated in the proposed 2013 budget. During the month of October, the celebration of Eid el-Kabir created demand pressure on general food prices. Also, the nation experienced fuel scarcity in the month under review which led to increases in transport fares.”

Consumer inflation eased for the third straight month to 11.3 per cent year-on-year in September, down from 11.7 per cent in August.

The National Bureau of Statistics in the last report stated that food inflation, which is the largest contributor to the headline index, rose slightly to 10.2 per cent year-on-year in September, from 9.9 per cent in August.

Nigeria’s two biggest rivers, the Niger and the Benue, overflowed their banks as dams release water after heavy rains, killing 363 people, displacing 2.2 million and affecting nearly eight million from July to October 31, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.









Source - Punch news

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Senate fears total collapse of Ajaokuta Steel

3:00 AM Business No Comments

Senate President, David Mark
| credits:

The President of the Senate, David Mark, has warned that the state of the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Company signifies its impending total collapse.

Speaking at a joint budget defence of the ministries of Power and Mines and Steel Development in Abuja on Tuesday, Mark expressed concerns over the poor implementation of capital budgets in the power and steel sectors.

According to him, barely six weeks to the end of the year, no tangible capital project has been done in the power sector.

He said, “We are at the last quarter of the year, which means there is a problem with the capital budget implementation.

“The Ministry of Finance is not taking capital budget seriously; in our various constituencies we are held responsible for these capital projects.”

On Ajaokuta, Mark said, “The company is on the part of final burial, the first company (concessionaire) cannibalised it, the second company finally cannibalised it.”

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Musa Sada, explained that the ministry was a mere regulatory organ over the mines and steel industry, as such, it did not engage in capital projects.

He said that his ministry could not effectively monitor the sector due to poor funding.

The Sole Administrator, Ajaokuta Steel Company, Mr. Joseph Isah, said the firm’s equipment were still operating at a good capacity, but said only the raw materials were taken to Delta State.

He said, “All the plants are all in solid form. They only removed raw materials to Delta not equipment of the plant; the pieces of equipment of the plants are in good order and sound condition; if you come to the plant, you cannot believe that the plant is still working at its best capacity.”







Source - Punch news

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3,897 new wigs admitted to Nigerian Bar

1:58 AM News No Comments

Abuja – A total of 3,897 candidates were on Tuesday called to the Nigerian Bar, after meeting requirements of the Nigerian Law School.

The Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr Tahir Mamman, made this known in Abuja at the presentation of successful candidates of the 2011/2012 session for call to the bar.

He said a total of nine candidates made First Class Honours, 195 made Second Class (Upper Division), 900 made Second Class (Lower Division), while 2,793 Candidates graduated with Pass.

He expressed optimism that the qualification obtained in the Bar programme would enable them to build their career.

“It is our hope that the education and qualification obtained in the programme have provided you with the requisite foundation to a more fulfilling life in all the sectors of the nation’s economy.

“The design and delivery of your current training under the new curriculum is meant to equip you with the toolkit that will enable you create a job for yourself and others.

“It is meant to make you look out for a wider horizon rather than limit you to the narrow confines of a traditional legal practitioner,’’ he said.

He restated the commitment of the school to uphold and enforce the values of honesty, integrity and good conduct.

The Chairman, Body of Benchers, Chief Idowu Sofola, called on the new wigs to join the struggle for the eradication of corruption from the judiciary and the society at large.

He enjoined them to act fairly and with good conscience, adding that “ this is a noble profession and only the nobles should be called to the Nigerian Bar.’’

He further enjoined them to make `Rules of Professional Conduct their daily guide, so as to excel in their chosen career. (NAN)

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Fuel scarcity: NNPC completes System 2B pipeline repair

1:54 AM Business, News No Comments

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu
| credits:

Hopes of improvement in fuel supply in the South-West area have been raised following the completion of repair works on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s System 2B pipeline, which was vandalised in August at Arepo, Ogun State.

The pipeline, which pumps petroleum products from offshore Atlas Cove depot to Mosinmi, Ibadan, Ilorin and Ore depots, is currently undergoing a test-run.

Top officials in the downstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry, disclosed this to our correspondent in confidence on Monday.

Our correspondent gathered that currently, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the NNPC, was currently pumping water through the pipeline, as a form of test run of the facility.

Market sources that disclosed this to our correspondent, were, however, worried that the PPMC had been testing the facility for a while with no sign of pumping petrol through the channel, considering the current scarcity of the product in the country.

One of the sources said, “The System 2B has been fixed and it is being tested as we speak. The PPMC has been pumping water through it for some time now.”

Our correspondent was unable to confirm this development from the NNPC, as the corporation did not respond to enquiries.

The pipeline was shut after it exploded in August following attacks by vandals, who were siphoning products from it.

The shutdown had resulted in petrol distribution problems in states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Ilorin and environs.

With the closure, trucks that hitherto loaded at Mosinmi in Shagamu, Ogun State, had to come to depots at Apapa, Lagos to load. This had caused delays and other logistic challenges for the marketers.

This had mounted pressure on supplies for the Lagos area and its environs.

The NNPC management had in September confirmed the killing of three of its engineers and technicians deployed to effect repairs on the vandalised pipeline, after suspected oil pipeline vandals opened fire on them.

The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple, had said aside the three members of the repair team who were killed, others also sustained injuries from gunshots fired by the vandals.

The corporation had dispatched a team of pipeline engineers and technologists to the ruptured pipeline site after it successfully put out the flames by ensuring a complete cut-off of product supply to the pipeline from Atlas Cove.

The PPMC team was on the verge of gaining access to the damaged point to commence proper assessment of the scope of work when they were ensnared in an ambush.







Source - Punch news

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Lagos records 76% cash-less business transactions –Survey

1:48 AM Business No Comments

A total of 76 per cent of business transactions in Lagos is done using cash-less facilities provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria, a survey by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has revealed.

The survey, which was contained in the Cash-less Lagos Report made available to our correspondent on Friday, was said to have been conducted from October 2 to 22, 2012.

It employed a quantitative research design to garner necessary information from adult males and females across all the social classes and sectors of the economy.

According to the survey, six categories of respondents including individuals, companies, big retail outlets, open market shops, banks and e-payment companies were interviewed.

It stated that a total of 721 interviews were conducted across all the sectors of the economy, while 520 responses were utilised, with 26.1 per cent of respondents not having any form of bank account and were yet to be accommodated in the cash-less framework.

The report stated, “Campaign for the cash-less policy is overwhelming, as 80 per cent of the respondents across sectors of the economy claimed awareness for the policy.

“Over three quarter (76 per cent) of the respondents espoused that they use cash-less facilities (ATM, online, credit/MasterCard, POS and mobile money) for their business transactions. Company (89 per cent) and trade (78 per cent) recorded the highest patronage level.”

On the main mode of payment across all sectors, the study revealed that 35 per cent of respondents used cash as their main mode of payment for business transactions, followed by ATM, 23 per cent; cheque/overdraft, 16 per cent; online transaction, nine per cent; credit/MasterCards, six per cent; and mobile money, three per cent.

It said the use of Point of Sale machines was eight per cent, adding that “the main mode of payment is impressive in view of the fact that the facility is not yet available everywhere like ATM machines.”

The LCCI noted that the major reasons contributing to the non-usage of the cash-less platforms were safety and quality of service.

It said the specific reasons mentioned included; safer to use cash, 32 per cent; high service charge, 17 per cent; customers’ rejection, 16 per cent; not reliable, 10 per cent; doesn’t handle large sum of money, nine per cent; prone to error, six per cent; increased spending, four per cent; not available everywhere, three per cent; and it takes time to get an ATM card, three per cent.

The survey showed that a cross section of the respondents, representing 54 per cent, expressed displeasure at the service charge paid for using cash-less facilities, as against 47 per cent who considered it moderate.

“Specifically, 60 per cent of companies’ representatives considered the service charge high; individuals, 54 per cent; and trade, 56 per cent.”










Source - Punch news

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Ex-militants design voltage regulator in Ghana

1:39 AM Technology No Comments

| credits:

SOME ex-militants, who trained in Ghana, have designed a magnetic box that can regulate power voltage.

This comes as the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, has urged trainees of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to focus on how to be entrepreneurs rather than employees.

A statement from the Office of the Head of Media and Communications, the Presidential Amnesty Office, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, on Tuesday said Kuku urged the trainees to also consider the option of going into partnership with one another on completion of their programmes.

Some of the trainees who received training on welding and fabrication, electrical installation, auto mechanic, and plumbing/pipe fitting at five centres in Ghana designed a magnetic box that regulates power voltage.

The magnetic box, said to have the capacity to regulate low and high voltage with a built-in timer, was among several other equipment produced by the ex-agitators which were on display at the National Vocational training Institute Accra, venue of their graduation.

The Presidential aide assured the trainees that the Amnesty Office would provide the necessary tools and start up packages for them to start off their businesses.

Kuku said the successes of the amnesty programme had triggered widespread agitation in the Niger Delta with several youths seeking to be part of the programme.

He said, “Many youths in the Niger Delta did not believe in the amnesty offer but you did. Today, some of your former colleagues are also in various institutions in Nigeria and overseas.

“The fact is that the amnesty programme is a success.

“Unfortunately, this has resulted in fresh agitation by youths in the Niger Delta who want to be part of the programme.”







Source - Punch news

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Ex-banker on hunger strike, sleeps on the street

1:35 AM News No Comments

The tent and Odunayo
| credits: Temitayo Famutimi

Olubiyi Odunaro, a 53-year-old former employee of Hallmark Bank Plc., has embarked on hunger strike to protest against non-payment of his terminal benefit.

Besides, the ex-banker has turned a garden on Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way into his new home, vowing to remain there until he is paid his benefits.

Hallmark Bank was one of the banks which did not meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recapilatisation policy in 2005 resulting in its folding up.

Odunaro, a senior manager of the defunct bank, said he began the hunger strike on November 12.

When our correspondent visited him on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, opposite Opebi U Turn Road junction, on Tuesday, he was seen reading a novel ‘Long walk to freedom’ by Nelson Mandela.

He explained that he embarked on the protest to expose the insensitivity of the Federal Government to pay the terminal entitlements of over 14,000 employees of the 14 banks that failed to meet up with the recapitalisation policy.

Odunaro said he wrote President Goodluck Jonathan on October 24 informing him of his decision to embark on the hunger strike if the agencies concerned did not pay them their entitlements on or before October 31.

He said, “I feel downcast with the turn of events in our country and I drew the passion to embark on a hunger strike from my disenchantment to the deliberate denial of common citizens’ rights.

“Before, I began this hunger strike, I sought the consent of my family members and I also underwent a comprehensive medical examination. I erected that tent with N27,000 and it is now my new home.”

Asked if his health has not been deteriorating, Odunaro said, “Though I take water at 8pm everyday, It’s gradually taking a toll on me as I have started losing weight.

“My personal doctor came to examine me on Friday and he said I am not doing bad health wise. There have been pleas from friends and other loved ones to end this strike. But, I will continue with the hunger strike until the FG pays us our lawful entitlements.”

He lamented that despite the laid down procedures contained in the Guidelines and Incentives on Consolidation in the Nigerian Banking Industry, they had not been attended to.

He said, “It wasn’t our wish or our making to be out of jobs. The CBN in its own wisdom introduced the recapitalisation policy and afterwards withdrew the operating licence of Hallmark Bank where I worked and 13 other banks for failing to meet up with the recapitalisation policy deadline.

“But, seven years on, the guidelines on consolidation which make provision for our compensation in view of the development had not been followed.”

He said despite writing several letters of appeal as a group to the FG and other relevant agencies concerning the issue, they had been ignored.

He said, “On a personal note, I even took it upon myself to get President Goodluck Jonathan informed by posting series of comments about this issue on his Facebook page.

“Unfortunately, nothing has been done and many of us live a deplorable way of life with the majority unable to meet obligations to their children and other dependants.

“Thirty-eight people from just three banks that I know of have died and one of the employees of Hallmark Bank committed suicide in Aba, Abia State, as a result of his inability to eke out a living.”









Source - Punch news

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We are not afraid of Orji Kalu - Abia PDP

1:32 AM Politics No Comments

UMUAHIA- ABIA State PDP says the party was in no way jittery over the alleged moves by the former governor of the State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, saying the decision to reject his return was to avoid taking the party back to ugly past.

PDP in a response to a statement credited to the Abia state Chairman of Progressive Peoples Party [PPA] to the effect that the party was jitter over the alleged plan of Kalu to rejoin the PDP.

Abia PDP through its publicity Secretary, Chief Uchechi Ogbuka said that it was “yet to understand what amounts to the high political profile and stature of the former governor whose image is been panel-beaten for relevance”.

According the Ogbuka, the party in Abia would not lose sleep over the former governor as he “is no longer an issue in Abia politics”,even as it claimed that the former governor has secretly been lobbying to be readmitted back to the PDP.

The party wondered why PPA was almost dead if indeed the former governor has the political stature and profile being claimed by the PPA chairman, and “we also wish to tell Mr. Okafor that the Abia State of today is not the one of yesterday where anything goes”.

“Let him also know that no Commissioner in the Abia State Executive Council under PDP collects SUV gifts from any investor before allowing his Ministry to partner with such investors for the development of the state.

“We wish to reiterate the position of the party concerning any person with known democratic deficiencies who wishes to join the party. Such person must be purged of those anti-democracy viruses which had cost Abians so much until the present governor came to their rescue. No amount of blackmail will change that stand”, PDP said.







Source - Vanguard news

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Uniabuja students continue protest over non-accreditation of courses

1:30 AM Education, News No Comments

Abuja – The protest by students of University of Abuja over the non-accreditation of some courses entered the second day on Tuesday with the student blocking the Airport Road and other access roads, leaving many motorists and travellers stranded.

Some students, who spoke said they blocked the roads in order for the government to feel their plight

A 300-level male student, who pleaded anonymity, said the protest would continue until the university management met their demand.

The students began the protest on Monday following the inability of the university management to meet up with the six months period given to it to accredit some of its courses.

The courses are engineering, medicine and veterinary medicine.

Some of the protesting students blamed the university management for the delay in the accreditation process.

The protesters, who are mainly students of engineering, claimed that other faculties were ahead of the Engineering Faculty in the accreditation process.

They said the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Adelabu, had failed to keep his word on the accreditation of some courses.

“It will be wrong for the university management to say that the students are not patient enough, considering the fact that the promise was given since April by the vice chancellor.

“As I speak to you, there are no equipment in our laboratory and the facilities are not enough to even invite the relevant authorities to commence the accreditation process,” one of the students said.

He said the patience of the students had run thin and called on the university management to expedite action to ensure that the faculties, particularly engineering, were accredited as promised by the vice chancellor.

In his reaction, Mr Waziri Garba, the Information Officer of the university, said efforts were being intensified by the university management to ensure the accreditation of all the faculties as promised by the vice Chancellor.

He said the accreditation of the Faculty of Engineering was capital intensive, adding that the protest followed a claim by the students that other faculties were ahead of engineering.

According to him, the process of inviting the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) for resource verification had been concluded and the commission was being awaited for the exercise.

The information officer, who confirmed that examinations could not hold in the university following the protest, dismissed reports that the university had been closed down.

Garba appealed to the students to be calm, saying efforts were being made to facilitate the accreditation of the faculties. (NAN)

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Church of England rejects women bishops

1:20 AM News No Comments

LONDON (AFP) – The Church of England’s draft legislation approving women bishops failed to pass its governing body the General Synod by a razor-thin margin on Tuesday.

The legislation needed a two-thirds majority among the three houses of bishops, clergy and laity, but failed by just six voters among the laity.

The bishops voted 44 in favour and three against, while two abstained. Clergy voted 148 in favour, 45 against, while none abstained, meaning it passed the threshhold in those two houses.

But the laity voted 132 in favour and 74 against with no abstentions — meaning that if six people who voted no had voted yes, it would have carried.

Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Chelmsford, told reporters: “I’m hugely disappointed.

“This is going to be very hard for people in the wider church and the wider world to understand.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen next.

“We need to do a lot of work to persuade the lay people of Synod that there is a way forward on this together.

“The irony of the decision we’ve just taken is that I believe it is the mind of the church that we have women bishops.

“There’s a danger that the national church becomes a bit of a national embarrassment over this.”

The electronic vote was held following seven hours of debate and passionate speeches on the floor.

Nigel McCulloch, the Bishop of Manchester, concluded the debate by saying: “If you wait for the perfect moment, if you wait for the perfect piece of legislation, then you will be waiting forever.

“Now, under God, I believe, is the moment for decision and so I urge this Synod in all its three houses to give tonight the… measure its final approval.”

Church of England bishops were to host an emergency session on Wednesday morning to consider the consequences of the vote.

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2015: Nigeria risks constitutional crisis if Jonathan contests – Junaid

1:19 AM News, Politics No Comments

ABUJA — Second Republic politician, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, yesterday spat fire on the decision by President Goodluck Jonathan to defer the declaration of his interest in the 2015 Presidency till 2014, arguing that it would be too cumbersome to salvage the nation from the crisis the belated action could trigger.

Members of the Red Chamber and President Jonathan

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, the former lawmaker said Jonathan was courting avoidable trouble by pretending to be making up his mind on the next election, when in fact he had made up his mind to run in 2015.

According to the medical doctor-turned political activist, Jonathan should first subject his Presidential ambition to a judicial interpretation by the Supreme Court to stave off looming constitutional crisis that his action would generate in the country.

The Kano politician noted that given the furore already generated by the circumstance of his emergence as the President of Nigeria, Jonathan must clear the air early enough on his 2015 ambition so that those who have legal issues could challenge him appropriately and get redress.

Legal issues

Mohammed said: “He (Jonathan) will be doing Nigerians a big disservice if he waits till 2014 to declare his interest in the 2015 Presidency because there are Nigerians who have real legal issues to take up with him on the matter and he should do it in good time to prevent a constitutional crisis and violence.

“If Mr. President is a true Nigerian leader he should decide now so that those who have issues with him will go to court to challenge him and get redress.

“The issue is not about him but 160 million Nigerians whose fate is tied to the Presidency of Nigeria. Jonathan has no right to dilly dally with the destiny of Nigerians.

Jonathan not qualified to contest

But Mohammed made it clear that Jonathan was not qualified to contest in 2015, having taken the oath of office twice as Nigeria’s President first in 2009 following the untimely death of Yar’Adua and later in 2011, thereby hitting the limit provided by Nigerian law.

According to him, allowing Jonathan to run in 2015 would have made him to serve 10 years instead of the maximum two terms of four years each stipulated by law, thereby making a mockery of the Nigerian Constitution.

He said: “The fact that he wants to run after declaring that he would spend only a term in office also places a moral burden on him and he should think about it if he is a gentleman with conscience. Common sense indicates that Jonathan has no right to contest in 2015.

“Most importantly, Jonathan should be told that the Constitution does not allow any Nigerian leader to take the oath of office twice. He has already exhausted the limit of his two terms.”

FG in talks with Boko Haram

Mohammed also punctured the claim by Jonathan that his government was not negotiating with the Boko Haram sect, insisting that the Federal Government was not telling the nation the whole truth about the matter.

The politician insisted that the Presidency recently dispatched a minister from one of the Niger Delta states to Mali to meet with that country’s top security official and some militant leaders sympathetic to the Boko Haram sect with a view to facilitating dialogue between the sect and the Federal Government.

He said: “This government has been having underground talks with Boko Haram and if the President says he is not negotiating with the sect, he is lying.

“What the government is trying to do with the Boko Haram matter shows the highest display of hypocrisy and dishonesty.

“The Federal Government cannot continue to justify its claim of not wanting to dialogue with Boko Haram after it negotiated with the Niger Delta militants and offered mouth-watering jobs and contracts to the mostly Ijaw boys only to turn round and denounce negotiations with another militant group.

“Is it because the Boko Haram sect leaders are not of Ijaw extraction where Mr. President comes from?”







Source - Vanguard news

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Messi double as Barca qualify for Last 16

1:19 AM Sports No Comments

MOSCOW (AFP) – Lionel Messi continued his prodigious goalscoring form with a brace as Barcelona qualified for the Last 16 of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Spartak Moscow who have been eliminated.

After Dani Alves had put them ahead after 16 minutes, Messi bagged his doulbe before half time to extend Barca’s lead at the top of Group G although Celtic, who face Benfica later, can still overtake them if they win their last two games and Barca slip-up.

Messi, who was top scorer in the competition for a record fourth time last season, now has five goals from five games and he has 80 for the calendar year as he pursues Gerd Muller’s 85 playing for Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972.

And he moved level with Ruud van Nistelrooy on 56 Champions League goals behind Raul, the competition’s all time scorer with 71.

Spartak coach Unai Emery was hampered by a number of injuries including Artem Dzyuba and Aiden McGeady while Nicolas Pareja was suspended.

Carles Puyol returned to the Barca defence in the weekend victory over Zaragoza for the first time since he dislocated his elbow in the Champions League clash with Benfica early in October, but Tito Vilanova chose to rest him with Javier Mascherano partnering Gerard Pique at the heart of the defence.

Barca forged the first opportunity when Pedro Rodriguez chested down a Xavi Hernandez pass but his volley was saved well by keeper Andrey Dikan.

Spartak may be struggling in Europe but they have been playing well domestically and are the top scorers in the Russian top flight. A well worked corner routine could have seen them go ahead but Dmitriy Kombarov side footed over from 12 yards.

Barca though were less forgiving as Alves fired home a loose ball on the edge of the area minutes later.

The visitors had control of the midfield but Spartak were dangerous on the break and Marek Suchy failed to hit the target from an Emmanuel Emenike cross after being left unmarked.

Barca were fully exposing Spartak’s weakness at the back with Messi getting his first of the night.

Andres Iniesta saw his shot saved by the keeper but Messi following up knocked the ball home with his weaker right foot.

Spartak were also stretching Barca’s defence but they continued to waste their openings with keeper Victor Valdes not even forced into making a serious save. Jose Jurado crossed for Emenike but stretching he also failed to hit the target.

Emery said Spartak’s aim was to copy Celtic’s achievement, where they beat Barca 2-1 at home in their last match, but they were leaving wide spaces at the back for a charged up Barca and Messi gave them a commanding 3-0 lead before the break.

Latching onto a Pedro pass he went round the keeper and slotted home.

After the restart Barca eased off and Spartak had more of the ball but with the quality they have in attack they continued to create chances.

Cesc Fabregas linked up with Iniesta but after receiving the ball back he was denied by another good save from Dikan and then minutes later Pedro headed over from close range.

Emery tried bringing on Zhano Ananidze and Welliton Soares but the Spartak players’ heads had started to drop and apart from an opportunity for Evgeni Makeev when he fail to control the ball in the box, they made few chances to get back into the game as the match wore on.

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Eagles were super corrupt – Westerhof

1:17 AM Sports No Comments

Former Nigeria national team coach, Clemens Westerhof has revealed that players bribed their way into the national team in the past.

Westerhof, who coached Nigeria to success at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and also led the Super Eagles to their first-ever Fifa World Cup in the United States in 1994, said the players who did not merit a place in the national team got call-ups after giving money to the selectors.

Clemens Westerhof

“We had a situation where we had the wrong people in the wrong places, even in the (Nigeria) FA,” Westerhof told supersport.com.

The Dutchman went on to specifically state that monies usually exchanged hands between national team selectors and the players when places in the national team were considered.

“We had cases where players paid money to the coach and said ‘I want to play for the national team’ and the coach would accept. They bought their way into the national team and it was an unbelievable situation. Very sad. I know these things,” an angry Westerhof said.

With Nigeria set to compete at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations from January, Westerhof said things have changed for the better under current head coach, Stephen Keshi.

“My captain (Keshi) is there now and you can see the changes because he selects the right people.

“Nigeria beat Liberia 6-1 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and outclassed Venezuela (in an international friendly earlier this month). The results come because players are now selected on merit.

“If Keshi can manage to hold that group together things will get even better. If there is discipline everywhere; the players sleep in time and live like professionals, work like professionals and think like professionals and even go to the toilet like a professional, then you will see Nigeria will come back,” he said.

Westerhof, 72, began his career as an assistant coach with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has also coached Vitesse Arnhem, the Zimbabwean national team, the Sporting Lions of Zimbabwe’s Premier League, and the Bush Bucks and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa’s Premier Soccer League.

In addition, he has served as technical director of the Harare-based Agatha Sheneti Youth Academy and also of the Harare United club, which was linked to the Academy. In 2001 he was technical director of Dynamos FC, Zimbabwe’s biggest club, but lasted in the position just a few months.







Source - Vanguard news

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EFCC probes missing 35 containers from Tin-Can port

1:13 AM News No Comments

LAGOS — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigation into clearance of 35 containers at the Tin-Can Island port that were transferred to a bonded terminal,Clarion Bonded Terminal, in Lagos.

Already, some officers of the Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, including the Command’s controller have been summoned to Abuja to say all they know about the clearance of the containers.

It was gathered that the owner of the bonded terminal was arrested but released on bail pending investigation.

Vanguard learnt that operatives of the commission were seen at the Tin-can Island Customs Command taking statements from some indicted officers.

Besides, the Comptroller General, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde, has also ordered the closure of Clarion Bonded Terminal located off the Lagos-Badagry expressway and the withdrawal of their operating licence.

A freight forwarding firm simply identified as Chiefreight, which was alleged to have cleared the containers, has also been suspended by the Customs Service.

A senior Customs officer who pleaded anonymity, said: “the Controller is here with us, along with some of his officers, all of them are being investigated.”

Falling short of saying that the containers were taken out of the Tin Can port without payment of statutory duty, the senior officer confirmed that “they didn’t follow due process.”

An inside source at Tin Can Port Command of the Customs put the duty payable on the 35 containers at about N2.45 billion.

Sources at Tin Can Customs also fingered an executive of the Tin Can Island chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) as being allegedly involved in the scam.

The executive was alleged to be closely linked with the chief executive of the freight forwarding firm; Chiefreight.

When Vanguard contacted the executive who happens to be the vice chairman of Tin Can chapter of ANLCA; Barrister Ada Akpulonu wdenied any involvement in the scam.

According to her, the Customs has already arrested some of the people behind it.

I can never be involved in such a thing, I have name, minus my position, I have a name to protect”.

She stated that three people have been arrested while one is on the run in connection with the fraud, even as she directed our reporter to the Ikeja; Lagos office of the importers, whose identity she gave as Ekulo Nigeria Limited.

Speaking to Vanguard on the development, the Public Relation officer of the Tin-Can Island Customs Command Mr. Chris Osunkwo did confirm the fact some people were arrested in connection with dubious clearance of the 35 containers adding that operatives of the EFCC were in the Command for an entirely different reason.

He explained the Nigeria Customs Service has an internal mechanism to deal with such issues and the matter is being handled at the Headquarters in Abuja.







Source - Vanguard news

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Media chat: Opposition parties accuse Jonathan of doublespeak

1:11 AM News, Politics No Comments

President Goodluck Jonathan
| credits: nigerianbulletin.com

Three main opposition parties in the country on Monday gave a damning verdict of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s performance during his Sunday media chat and termed the administration as confused and lacking in credibility.

The Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change and the All Nigeria Peoples Party in separate statements accused the President and his aides of sending conflicting messages to Nigerians.

The ACN, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that it was concerned about conflicting statements emanating from the President and his spokespersons.

The opposition party said the presidency was suffering from a credibility deficiency syndrome.

The ACN said it was worried because of the frequency with which the President contradicted those he appointed as spokespersons, adding that the credibility of his administration was at stake.

It stated, ‘’Credibility is a key issue in governance, and lack of it renders a government impotent.

“Perhaps this worsening credibility gap in the Jonathan administration is one of the reasons that it had so far failed to perform to expectation.”

It said Jonathan during his media chat denied that his government had revoked the power contract awarded to Canadian firm, Manitoba, and recalled that the President’s spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, had earlier been widely quoted as saying that the President had cancelled the contract.

The party said the same Abati had been widely quoted as saying, in August and this month that the government was engaged in ‘’backroom channel’’ talks with Boko Haram but that the President during the media chat said there was no dialogue with the sect because members of the sect had no face.

According to the ACN, Jonathan has finally confirmed the reported illness of his wife, Patience, although spokespersons for the President and the First Lady said she was hale and hearty.

“We also recall that this flip-flopping and deliberate disinformation or both did not just start on Sunday, and that it has been the hallmark of the Jonathan presidency.

“For instance, while some spokespersons at the Presidency once described the report of the probe of the oil sector by the House of Representatives as merely of ‘advisory’ value to the presidency, others said the presidency has indeed started its implementation.”

‘’Also, shortly after Dr. Doyin Okupe rubbished the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force Report as inconclusive and therefore not implementable, the President announced the setting up of a White Paper Committee on the report, indicating that Okupe, in his usual exuberant disposition, may have been speaking for no one but himself.”

The ANPP, in a statement by its spokesman, Chief Emma Eneukwu, said the President was confused, saying Jonathan was interested in contesting the 2015 presidency.

It stated, “On 2015, the President is confused. He wants to run in 2015 but he does not have anything to show for it.

“He does not want other candidates who are interested to start their campaign or mobilisation. He wants to catch them unawares. But he knows Nigerians won’t give him their votes.”

The party noted that the media chat was meant to present the President’s ideas with the utmost frankness and simplicity but that he only succeeded in “obfuscating the minds of Nigerians.”

It stated, “When asked about the ongoing constitution amendment, the President declined to take any position on the myriad of issues being raised for amendment in the constitution, with the self-serving explanation that it would be in the best interest of Nigerians to suggest areas in the constitution to be amended.”

“However, we believe that it is the sign of a leader with ideas and direction to have a clear-cut legislative agenda, as a signature of his policy philosophy.”

“We in the ANPP believe that President Goodluck Jonathan needs more than a media chat to communicate to the disillusioned masses his government’s vaunted vision, progress and plans. Action speaks louder than word,” it said.

The CPC spokesman, Rotimi Fashakin, in a text message sent to our correspondent said, “The chest-beating by the president is based on nothing.

“Where are the verifiable facts of prosecutions that this regime saw to conclusive end? Anybody can get enmeshed in empty grandstanding when given the stage but not all can deal truthfully.”










Source - Punch news

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