Jonathan’s 2015 campaign posters flood Abuja

9:00 PM News, Politics No Comments

ABUJA—Giant campaign posters, announcing President Goodluck Jonathan’s readiness to contest the 2015 presidential election, greeted Nigerians in Abuja, the nation’s capital, as they woke up to savour the dawn of the New Year.

The all-glossy posters, which were strategically posted in the high brow areas of the Federal Capital Territory, did not however indicate the source or the sponsor of the advertisement.

The launch of the campaign materials contradicts the President’s claim that he has not yet decided on the 2015 poll but concentrating effort on transforming Nigeria in line with his manifesto to give the people a ‘fresh air’.

It was not clear why the sponsors of the message decided to put it out on the first day of the new year but a source familiar with the message pointed out that it was to send a strong message to the opposition that Jonathan was serious about contesting in 2015 and to test the reactions of the Nigerians.

*Campaign posters

The campaign posters have been spread across the major areas of ECOWAS, Peoples Democratic Party Secretariat in Wuse 5, and the Central Business District, where major government offices are situated.

One of the posters, which had President Goodluck Jonathan’s portrait read, 2015: No vacancy in Aso Rock. Let’s do more. One good term deserves another. Support Dr. Goodluck Azikiwe Jonathan for 2015 Presidency.

Presidency disowns posters

When contacted the Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak disowned the posters saying that they did not emanate from the presidency and that “the president has not authorised anybody to print any campaign poster for him as regards 2015 elections”.

He declared that the president has been “pre-occupied with working to fix Nigeria and did not want to be distracted by undue politicking about 2015”.

The presidential aide further said that the pasting of the posters could be the work of mischief makers who want to deceive Nigerians.

However, in an exclusive interview with Vanguard last month, Okupe had said that when the time was ripe his boss would respond to the issue of 2015, insisting that Mr. President was preoccupied with fixing Nigeria’s problems at the moment.

Okupe pointed out that it was wrong for some Nigerians to try to distract the President from fulfilling his electioneering promises to the nation by bringing up the issue of 2015 presidency.

The aide, however, said the wonderful performance of Jonathan at the end of the tenure would make most Nigerians to compel him to run in 2015.

“Nigerians ‘ll want him to run”

Okupe had said: “I am very certain in my mind that Nigerians are going to applaud him and even if he does not want to run for election, Nigerians are going to force him to run again because of the level of performance.

“Only God and the people of Nigeria will decide what will happen in 2015. But I think what is uppermost in the President’s mind is to solve the basic needs of Nigerians by improving power, infrastructure, roads and check insecurity in the land.

“When he achieves all these, Nigerians will decide what to do with him. In fact, when we get to the bridge we will learn how to cross it. That is what I can say about 2015 for now.”

The poster, it was gathered, was printed by political hawks close to the Presidency in light of recent claims by the opposition to forge an alliance to chase out Jonathan in 2015, coupled with the warning by the Niger Delta former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, to Jonathan not to run in the next election because of poor outing so far.







Source - Vanguard news

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2015 POLLS: OBJ, Jonathan scramble for Northern govs

8:30 PM News, Politics No Comments

*Obasanjo’s private meetings, condolence visits raise dusts


LAGOS—The shape of the contest for the 2015 presidential election was at the beginning of the New Year unfolding as a battle for the support of second term governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Besides the governors, Vice-President Namadi Sambo was also becoming an issue in the battle of wits between President Goodluck Jonathan and his onetime benefactor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The vice-president’s problem is also being compounded by the reported interest of two second term governors angling to displace him in the event of Dr. Jonathan seeking another term in 2015.

The political difficulties of the Vice-president emerged following reports that Sambo through Governor Mukthar Yero of Kaduna State was in the know of a meeting between Obasanjo and traditional rulers in Kaduna State on New Year eve. Yero who emerged as governor of Kaduna State last month is largely believed to be a scion of the political family of Sambo having first served as an accountant in his private company before emerging as Commissioner for Finance in Sambo’s cabinet as governor of Kadnua State.

Obasanjo was in Kaduna State on New Year eve allegedly to commiserate with the state over the death of its immediate past governor, Sir Patrick Yakowa. During his stay in Kaduna, the former president met with traditional rulers who were summoned by the powerful Emir of Zauzzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris. The meeting with the traditional rulers followed similar meetings between the former president and opinion moulders in Northern Nigeria in recent times.

OBJ and GEJ

Obasanjo’s private meetings

The New Year eve meetings in Kaduna trailed earlier private meetings in Abia last weekend. Before then, Obasanjo, who is believed to have taken a position to champion the return of the presidency to the North was alleged to have been mobilizing political opinion leaders in the region for a possible confrontation with the incumbent and his onetime protégée, Jonathan.

Multiple sources in the North confirmed yesterday that the events in Kaduna may have inadvertently put Sambo in a precarious position in the unfolding battle of wits between Obasanjo and Jonathan. Sambo was in Kaduna on New Year eve ahead of Obasanjo’s arrival.
“How do you explain the fact that the governor got all the traditional rulers to meet with Obasanjo and do you think it could have been for nothing,” a top political operative in the North asked yesterday.

Sambo has largely refrained from giving vent to the increasing opposition in the North to another term for Dr. Jonathan in 2015. It was as such a surprise to some political leaders in the region yesterday that the vice-president would have associated himself with Obasanjo’s condolence visit which some alleged was a cover for his continuing mobilisation for the battle ahead of 2015.

Mallam Sani Umar, Media Aide to the vice-president did not return a call and a text message sent to him on the development.

Obasanjo, it was learnt, has been reaching out to governors across the country in a bid to win their confidence ahead of 2015. His efforts, Vanguard learnt, was upon submissions earlier made to him to beware of Jonathan’s power of incumbency. The former president it was further gathered was said to have dismissed the threat with the assertion that he knows that the power of the PDP rests with the governors.

The governors’ influence over the party flows from their control of delegates who come from the states.

Two northern govs eye VP position

Obasanjo’s alleged efforts nonetheless, northern cohesion to combat Dr Jonathan for the presidential ticket is alleged to be threatened with the subtle quest by two of the north’s second term governors to displace Sambo from the post of vice-presidential slot in a possible Jonathan presidential ticket in 2015. It is, however, not known if Dr. Jonathan is directly involved in trying to woo any of the second term governors to join him in a possible 2015 race. He, has, however, over time bent towards the governors on several issues concerning the PDP.

Two of the second term governors despite being beneficiaries of President Obasanjo’s goodwill are said to be playing a game of political survival and are believed to have given their indication to partner with Jonathan in 2015.

“Well that is one option and it is on the cards and there is nothing wrong with it,” a top aide of one of the governors that has been repeatedly mentioned as a possible vice-president told Vanguard on the condition of anonymity.

Obasanjo is said to be working on the strength of a conviction that he sold the Jonathan presidential ticket to the North on the promise that he would exit the stage in 2015 for a return of power to the North. Following pressures on Dr. Jonathan to contest the 2015 election and reports of the incumbent president’s failure to dismiss the pressures, Obasanjo who had earlier indicated his withdrawal from the political stage has lately been on a circuit of private meetings across the country during which he is reported to have been mobilizing opinion in support of his plan.

After a meeting with the National Chairman of the PDP Alhaji Bamanga Tukur last month in his Abeokuta, Ogun State home, Obasanjo pledged that he would not be stopped from making his opinions known.







Source - Vanguard news

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Nigeria’s most searched music celebrities of 2012 as released by Google

8:00 PM Entertainment, News No Comments

It’ s an incredible list holding equally incredibly powerful music celebrities who have steadfastly remained at the peak of their careers, ending the year 2012 with a deafening roar!

*Flavour

According to Google’s annual Zeitgeist list, the top ten most searched music celebrities for the year ending 2012 are:

10. Asa
9. Flavour
8, Tuface
7. Tiwa Savage
6. Ice Prince
5. Timaya
4. P Square
3. D’banj
2. MI and
1. Davido.

Three out of the list (Asa, P Square and D’banj) had kept their acts well alive on local and international stages, while the others had concentrated more on holding their fans hostage back here in the country.

Tiwa Savage had re-branded herself and her music; moving from Flytime to being a Mavin and then Timaya who had jumped in just in time with his controversial music video “Bum bum”

Interestingly or rather surprisingly, wonder star Wiz Kid didn’t make the list, neither did Marvin Crew boss Don Jazzy. Both of whom had endless issues tied to them the entire year especially Don Jazzy who severed business and perhaps friendship ties with D’banj before going on to float his own music label Mavin Crew.

Did your favourite artiste make the list? hit us with your comments…







Source - Vanguard news

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Lagos oilfield to start production in 2014

7:00 PM Business, News No Comments

Lagos oilfield

By 2014, oil is expected to be produced for the first time offshore Lagos State from the Aje gas and condensate field, which lies in Oil Mining Lease 113 in the Benin Basin, about 43 kilometres offshore Lagos.

The field is currently in the development planning stage, with first production expected in 2014, according to the United States Energy Information Administration’s website.

Aje field is expected to reach a plateau production of between 50,000 to 80,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day. The water depth in the region is 3,000 feet.

Key shareholders in the field include Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum and Chevron.

Chevron was appointed as the technical advisor to the operator for the project and also assigned the responsibility of preparing a development plan for the field.

The OML 113 licence covers an area of 960 square kilometres and contains several prospects, including the Jubilee and Tweneboa fields.

OML 113 was originally known as Oil Operating Licence 309 and was awarded to YFP in 1991 to encourage the growth of the Nigerian oil industry. Following the successful discovery of the Aje field, the licence was converted to OML 113 in 1998 with a term of 20 years.

Aje was discovered by the Aje-1 well in 1996. The well encountered oil and gas over three zones of the Cretaceous Turonian age. It flowed at the rate of 60.2 million standard cubic feet of gas a day; 1,729 barrels of condensate a day; and 2,389 barrels of oil a day.

In 1997 an appraisal well, Aje-2, was drilled one kilometre east of the Aje-1 well. It confirmed the presence of oil and gas in the Turonian reservoir as discovered by the Aje-1 well and encountered a deeper separate additional zone of the Cenomanian formation.

A third well, Aje-3, was drilled by Transocean’s Sedco 709 semi-submersible rig in 2005. Although the reservoir quality was not optimum, the well encountered an oil and gas bearing column within the Turonian and Cenomanian reservoirs.

In the first quarter of 2008, another appraisal well called Aje-4 was drilled by the Transocean Deepwater Pathfinder drill-ship to carry out a complete appraisal of the field. Aje-4 well was drilled to assess the extent of the field and identify additional exploration targets. The well encountered hydrocarbon reserves in the main Turonian reservoir.

Drilling of the Aje-4 well confirmed the field contains a laterally extensive reservoir structure. The field was declared a commercial prospect in February 2009.

Appraisal of the field was based on 915km of 2D seismic data, 700km2 of 3D seismic data and an electromagnetic survey.

Aje is primarily a gas condensate field formed in a four-way dip closure trap. It contains gas and oil in the Turonian and Cenomanian reservoirs and an additional gas layer of the Albian formation.

Gross contingent resources of the Aje field are estimated at 380 million boe. Of this 28 per cent is oil/condensate, 20 per cent is Liquefied Petroleum Gas and 52 per cent is gas.

The field is planned to be developed as a subsea tie back to a floating, production, storage and offloading vessel.

A total of six producers are planned for the field. They will be connected to sub sea wellheads and associated flowlines and manifolds in 320-feet water depth. The flowlines will, in turn, be connected to the FPSO through risers.

Produced hydrocarbons will be processed by the FPSO and exported through the West African Gas Pipeline or through a direct pipeline to connect to the Lagos gas infrastructure.










Source - Punch news

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External reserves fall $6bn below FG target

5:00 PM Business No Comments

Coordinating Minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
| credits:

Contrary to the Federal Government’s plan to raise the country’s external reserves to $50bn by year end, the reserves closed 2012 at $44.26bn as at December 24.

Figures obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that the reserves closed the year $6bn below the Federal Government’s $50bn target.

Although the reserves rose by $11.34bn, representing a 34 per cent increase in 2012 from $32.92bn in 2011, it failed to meet the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala’s desired goal.

The minister had said in July last year that the Federal Government had set a target of $50bn external reserves by the end of 2012 from the July figure of $36.37bn.

Okonjo-Iweala, at a meeting with the Organised Private Sector in Lagos, stressed the need for the country to shore up its external reserves, saying that there was the need to build up the reserves to $50bn before December.

She pointed out that this would help the country to stand on its feet in the event of any global economic recession.

Figures obtained from the CBN showed that the bank sold a total of $10.18bn at the Wholesale Dutch Auction System in the first half of 2012.

The CBN had sold and offered a total value of $14.85bn at the WDAS in the first quarter of last year.

Foreign exchange sales were less than offered by $285m by half year 2012. The WDAS forex supply for the first six months of 2011 was $14.85bn, as against $10.45bn in the same period of 2012, representing a decrease of 29.70 per cent.

Also, the foreign exchange reserves climbed by 30 per cent year-on-year to hit a 32-month high of $42.56bn by October 29.

The reserves had risen to more than 29-month high of $41.12bn by September 26, while the CBN reportedly said that the nation’s external reserves had continued to grow since August 1, 2012.

Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, said apart from the external reserves, Excess Crude Account balances were expected to hit $10bn before the end of the year.

She added that plans were also in the pipeline to intensify the implementation of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, as $1bn had been earmarked for investment in the three arms of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority Act.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee, however, said it had paid N161.59bn into the ECA, bringing the new balance to $9.66bn as at December 13, 2012

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, said at the end of the technical sub-committee meeting of the FAAC in November, “I think we have fared very well in the ECA. We targeted $10bn at the end of the year. I am happy to tell you that we have $9.66bn in the account. On percentage basis, that is about 97 per cent of our aspiration for the year.”

Meanwhile, despite the ongoing litigation between the federal and state governments over the ECA, the 36 state governors are demanding the release of $1bn from the account to enable them meet contractual obligations in their various states.

The Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, had said after a meeting that the states needed the money to meet their financial responsibilities.

He said, “We have held discussion fully on the issue of releasing at least $1bn from the Excess Crude Account to help the state governments to meet up with their financial responsibilities, because most of the states have contracts that are ongoing.

“They need money so that the contractors will not leave. A decision was taken that this will be looked into.”










Source - Punch news

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Investors urged to invest in equities market

4:00 PM Business No Comments

Nigerian Stock Exchange

Investors have been urged to key in and take advantage of the appreciation being recorded in the equities section of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Analysts have said that at present, the Nigerian market remains one of the highly performing stock exchanges in the world, adding that it was important for local investors to key in and be a part of the gain.

This remains evident from the amount of foreign participation recorded in the Nigerian market, which stood at about 70 per cent as at December 2012.

Local investors, who fled the market in the wake of the meltdown that occurred between 2008 and 2010, have, therefore, been called upon to return to the market and make invest appropriately.

They, however, urged the investors to conduct necessary research and seek appropriate advice before embarking on any investment.

In their report, analysts from Partnership Investment Company Plc advised investors to make use of good financial advice from portfolio managers to ensure that they did not get their fingers burnt in their investment decisions.

They noted that although the increase recorded in the market was likely to be sustained into the New Year, it was important for investors to rebalance their portfolio and diversify their risks.

The analysts said, “The market is still expected to maintain this bullish trend for sometime as bargain hunting activities continue; however, many equities are currently trading above their book value. Investors need to look beyond price to also consider future value before taking a buy decision. Opportunity for profit taking should not be disregarded.

“We maintain that investors should ensure that their portfolio is rebalanced appropriately, while ensuring a diversified portfolio based on stocks with good fundamentals. Risk appetite and return expectation should be a major consideration.”

Analysts from Meristem Nigeria Limited, in their report, also urged investors to conduct their due diligence before embarking on any investment, adding that this was essential on the back of the consistent appreciation recorded in equity prices.










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NFF threatens to petition FIFA over Ameobi, Shittu

3:45 PM Sports No Comments

Ameobi

The Nigeria Football Federation has said it will take action against Newcastle United and Millwall Football Club by submitting a petition to FIFA if both England clubs fail to release Shola Ameobi and John Shittu for the 2013 Africa Nations Cup taking place in South Africa.

Ameobi was refused permission to join the Eagles for the competition after Newcastle said a clause in his last contract with the club specifies that he will not be attending the Nations Cup while Millwall also stated that Shittu will not play for Nigeria in South Africa.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the NFF, Chris Green, made the threat known in Port Harcourt, adding that NFF would petition FIFA if both clubs did not release the players by January 5. Green also said the clubs were yet to make official contact with NFF over the unavailability of the two players.

He said, “Now, for Danny Shittu and Shola Ameobi, as far as we are concerned, we do not want that matter to distract us because the coach is ready to work without the players.

“But again, the football federation shall consider such attitude as quite unwholesome on the part of the players as well as their clubs because as it appears, it’s the clubs that are pushing for these players not to honour the invitation to play for their country.

“So, of course, we are going to take the matter to FIFA; we are going to write appropriately; we are not going to lie low because, at least, let’s do what is right, that we should not be taken for granted. After all, these players were found in Nigeria, these players are from Nigeria and they also desire to play for Nigeria.

“So, what is the problem? Why would they have to stop them, using underarm tricks to stop the players. That will not be right,” Green said.

The NFF official however added that coach Stephen Keshi had enough quality in the team and would still do well in South Africa without Ameobi and Shittu. The Eagles are already in Faro, Portugal, preparing for the Nations Cup. The team will play against Catalonia side on Wednesday and Caper Verde on a date yet to be announced before the competition starts on January 19.










Source - Punch news

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Adeboye predicts bigger disasters in 2013 unless…

3:38 PM News 2 Comments

GENERAL Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye yesterday cautioned Nigerian political leaders to learn from disasters of 2012 and take precaution soonest to avert bigger ones.

Releasing his annual prophesies for the year 2013 at a cross over service to usher worshippers into the New Year at the Redemption Camp, he explained that there could be more devastating natural disasters like flood if necessary precautionary measures are not taken soonest to avert such calamities.

Describing the New Year as a year of signs and wonders, he said generally, God says this year will be better than last year.

According to Pastor Adeboye before the middle of the year, many Nigerians will have reason to say hope rising, adding however, that prayers and supplication be intensified .

He told the crowd of worshippers that God spared the lives of certain individuals in the country last year because of intercessory prayers of the saints, noting “the prayers of some of you minimized death of prominent Nigerians last year, don’t stop praying.”

Speaking on the prophecies for individual Nigerians, Pastor Adeboye said, “No matter the darkness around you, your star will shine brighter.

File photo: From Left; Pastor Folu Adeboye, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and President Jonathan at the 2013 Holy Ghost Congress, Friday night.

“God says, He will speak peace to your storms; Certain individuals have been stagnated for sometimes, the reasons for your stagnation will become known, will be addressed and will be eliminated, therefore progress will follow.”

Continuing on the individual category, Pastor Adeboye said in many senses of the word, this year will be of completeness.

On the international platform, the cleric said prominent world leaders need a lot of prayers so as not to die in office.

In addition, he said prominent Church leaders need prayers against planned scandals, even as he said that weather conditions may get worst, much worst, unless prayers are intensified.

But there is a cheery news when Adeboye said: “We should expect a major breakthrough in medicine this year,” concluding that nations who pass unholy laws will have a taste of divine fury.

Earlier in a brief sermon titled; “Preparing for a year of signs and wonders”, he outlined certain principles to enable one tap into heavenly reservoir of the miraculous.

According to him, this year will be a better year than the just ended one, maintaining that the principles must include praise and worship of God, putting God first before any other consideration; evangelism; control the fullness of your joy, pointing out that one who is close to God can control even the weather around him.

Adeboye was very particular about the praise of God as a veritable tool for signs and wonders, noting that one can pray, study the Bible in silence but no one can praise God in silence.

The congregation applauded when he said: “You can never praise God quietly”, stressing that praising Him comes from a heart of gratitude and it’s not quietly.

“If they say we are crazy for shouting Hallelujah in our environment and wherever we find ourselves, then that is a good kind of craziness,” he stated, adding that nobody says thank you to his benefactor with his mouth closed.

While assuring worshippers that 2013 is a year of doors, Adeboye said it is one thing to enter into a New Year and it is another to have a brand new beginning, hence he enjoined every Nigerian to live right with God who only has the capacity to give of His limitless bounties and guarantee all round peace and calm every storm in our lives.







Source - Vanguard news

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How to stimulate economy in New Year, by LCCI, MAN

3:33 PM Business, News No Comments

LAGOS — As the New Year begins, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, yesterday, prescribed 10 ways government and the private sector can stimulate the economy this year.

In a review of the out-gone year, LCCI President, Mr Goodie Ibru, said in spite of the current challenges, the Nigerian economy still offers enormous opportunities and potentials for investment.

He said: “For this to be realised, however, the constraints to productivity and efficiency must be tackled with better commitment and sincerity.

“A number of policy choices and actions are desirable to make this happen. They include (but not limited to) the following: Commitment to improvement in the general cash flow in the economy. This is critical; the liquidity and cash flow situation in 2012 was a major challenge for many investors. Lending rates should be moderated and access to credit should be reasonably liberalized. Monetary and fiscal authorities need to make this happen in 2013.

Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala

“New strategies should be adopted to deal with the security situation in the country; security concerns heightened investment risk and depressed sales in 2012. We hope for an improvement in 2013.

“Passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, preferably in the first quarter of the year, is desirable. This would unlock the potentials in the oil and gas sector. The passage of the bill would reduce the current uncertainties in the sector and eliminate the present stagnation of investment.

“With the early passage of the 2013 budget, we hope to see a better level of budget implementation in 2013.

“Declaration of debt accumulation to protect the economy from the looming debt trap. We expect a moderation in public debt accumulation in 2013.

“Better disposition of public institutions towards investors and entrepreneurs. We hope to see a public sector that is driven by the true spirit of public service. This would enhance private sector development in the overall interest of the economy and the citizens.

“Renewed commitment to fight corruption in 2013. Currently, the economy bleeds profusely from corruption and our expectation is that this bleeding will be moderated in 2013. This should happen through a combination of appropriate policy choices, deterrent sanctions for perpetrators and rewards for integrity.

“New momentum to address the huge infrastructure deficit in the economy.

We desire a higher dedication to infrastructure improvement especially with regard to power, roads, and railways. Current reforms in the power sector should be sustained.

“We desire to see renewed commitment to patronage of locally produced goods by government agencies and institutions.

“Renewed commitment to local content policy, not just in oil and gas sector, but in other sectors of the economy. Indigenous participation is an important strategy to ensure inclusive economic growth.

Need for govt to address menace of multiple taxes
Similarly, Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Branch, Dr. Dolapo Ogutuga, said there was need for government to address the menace of multiple taxes which characterized 2012.

He said: “On continuous basis, local government councils, regulatory agencies of government came out with one form of taxation, levies or charges which stalled operations of factories to a near halt.

“Last year was also challenging for the manufacturing due to security challenges caused by the Boko Haram sect. The effect of this development is that supplies of products to the Northern states were adversely affected. This affected the manufacturing business in the country as companies had to maintain higher inventories.”

Smuggling erodes competitive strength

Are Fatai Odusile, Executive Secretary of the Distillers and Blenders Association sub group of MAN, also wants government to tackle smuggling by the horn.

According to him, last year, the businesses of their member companies were adversely affected by the influx of smuggled wines and spirit from Asia, India, South Africa and Europe into the country.

He lamented that smuggled foreign wines and spirit had eroded the competitive strength of local manufacturers.
He noted: “The local wines and spirits industry with a combined 125,000 workers, contributing N40 billion corporate taxes and Valued Added Tax, VAT, per annum and accounting for N2.17 trillion market capitalisations on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, is now under threat of closure from smuggled foreign brands.

“Unless the Federal Government takes a decisive action against the development, companies in the sector will soon go the way of Afprint, Enpee Industries, Kaduna Textile Limited. Berec Batteries, Dunlop and Michelin.”

New manufacturing investments

Chief Kola Jamodu, MAN President, further summed up the stakeholders expectations when he said they would like to see new manufacturing investments spring up and some old manufacturing plants revived this year.

He noted: “In 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned some new manufacturing investments in Lagos, Ogun, Imo, Rivers, Enugu and Anambra states. This is a welcome development for the manufacturing sector and I look forward to seeing more of such happening in all states of the federation soonest.”

He said the stakeholders also wanted “long term loans at lower single digit interest rate and zero per cent duty on all manufacturing machinery and equipment to facilitate retooling and replacement of obsolete parts; the recent increase in the price of electricity tariff, LPFO, AGO should also be addressed including downward review of corporate tax to 20 per cent and removal of VAT on raw materials.”







Source - Vanguard news

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Jonathan asks if violence a sign of ‘end times’

3:26 PM News No Comments

ABUJA (AFP) – President Goodluck Jonathan has questioned whether deadly Islamist attacks on churches in his country and other violence worldwide could be signs of coming “end times”.

Jonathan, speaking after 15 Christians had their throats slit last week in the country’s northeast, also suggested Islamist extremist group Boko Haram aimed to take over the Nigerian capital Abuja, but vowed the group would be defeated.

During comments on Sunday in which he mentioned attacks on churches in Nigeria, Syria’s war and the situation in the Central African Republic, where rebels have pushed their way across the impoverished country, Jonathan spoke of the Biblical end times.

“I was just wondering, could this be a clear way of telling us that the end times are so close?” he told the church congregation, according to a recording of his remarks heard by AFP.

Some Christians believe in the idea of chaos in connection with the second coming of Jesus Christ, commonly referred to as the “end times”. Such beliefs are based on passages in the New Testament’s Book of Revelation.

Jonathan was speaking at an evangelical Christian church service in the capital. The church belongs to the EYN denomination, common among Christians in the violence-torn northeast, where Boko Haram is based.

Local media quoted the church pastor as saying 109 EYN members have been killed and 50 branches burnt.

Violence linked to Boko Haram’s insurgency in northern and central Nigeria has left some 3,000 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.

Muslims and symbols of Nigerian authority have often been their targets, but the group has also specifically targeted Christians, including suicide bombings of churches.

This Christmas season has however been notably less bloody than in 2011, when scores were killed in attacks on churches and other locations.

Jonathan has previously accused Boko Haram of seeking to destabilise the government and incite a religious crisis in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south.

On Sunday, while speaking of the rebels in the Central African Republic, Jonathan said: “They were quite close to taking over the capital city, just as Boko Haram is taking over Abuja for me and those working in government to run and hide somewhere else.”

He vowed however that Boko Haram would not succeed and that the violence would be brought under control.

“If the idea of Boko Haram is to stop Nigerians from worshipping God, they will not succeed,” he said.

“If the idea of Boko Haram is to stop government from providing the dividends of democracy, they will not succeed…. God willing and with our commitment, the excesses of Boko Haram and other criminal organisations will be brought to a reasonable control.”

Jonathan spokesman Reuben Abati did not respond to a phone call to further explain the president’s comments.







Source - Vanguard news

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Oyegun cautions Northern govs over opposition to PIB

3:23 PM Politics No Comments

BENIN—Former governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie–Oyegun, has cautioned governors and National Assembly members of Northern extraction, over their vow to kill the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, pending before the National Assembly for consideration, saying that there were already enough security challenges facing the country, especially from the North.

Oyegun, in his reaction to the decision by Northern Governors Forum, Senators and House of Representatives members from the North, to kill the PIB on the ground that its provisions were anti-North, warned them to avoid doing anything that would plunge any part of the South into crisis as the country might not survive another crisis.

He said: “In any case, this nation has enough challenges facing it and they should not create a situation where what they are doing may become the last straw on the back of the already overburdened camel.

“It is clear that there is need for special attention to be given to the oil producing communities and for them to be given an interest in the survival of the oil industry. Proposals in those lines are long overdue and they should not interpret them as anti-North.

“What the PIB is trying to do is to preserve the industry for them and the whole country, including the various governors from the North.”







Source - Vanguard news

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My dad impregnated me, aborted it twice – teenager

3:23 PM News No Comments

I did it to appease the gods - Father


The Human Right department of Ilemba Hausa Police Division, in Ojo area of Lagos has arrested a 49- year-old man who allegedly had been having carnal knowledge of his teenaged daughter for five years.

It was discovered during investigation that his daughter Janet(not real name)got pregnant in the process twice, only for her father to allegedly abort the pregnancy with the aid of a herbalist.

Sitting at a corner in the Human Rights Office, 17-year-old Janet could not raise her head to face her father, Wale Akinusi, who was also there. When approached, she simply stated that at last, she had been freed from the psychological trauma associated with her father’s sacrilegious act.

Crime Alert gathered that Janet’s tale of woe started after her mother abandoned her barely when she was two-year-old for her paternal grandmother.

*Wale Akinusi – The suspect.

It was gathered that her mother who was then a Junior Secondary 3 student, was impregnated by Wale who was 32 years old. Initially, he reportedly denied paternity of the pregnancy but later opted for an abortion on the ground that he could not afford to father a child then because he was only an apprentice.

But his mother came to the rescue as she offered to take care of the baby who turned out to be Janet.

But when she was 12, her father, reportedly took her from her grandmother, with a promise to give her a better education.

Rather than live up to his promise, her father, allegedly use her to satisfy his sexual urge, a practice that went on until he was arrested.

Narrating how it all started, Janet in her sitting position with her head bowed all through, said: “When I was leaving my grandmother’s house, I was happy because my father said I would be attending a better school. But I waited for months without being enrolled in any school.

“One night, then, I was 12,my dad called me into his room and told me he took an oat with my mother to be the first man to have sex with me. He said it had a spiritual connotation and that it was to enable him assume his proper financial state.

“Then, I was too young to understand what he meant. He had carnal knowledge of me that night. At a point, he asked if it was painful. All I did was to watch him have his way, still unable to understand what he was doing.”

First pregnancy aborted by a herbalist

“It continued until I was 14 years. Then, I started having a funny feeling. I told him I was sick and when we conducted a pregnancy test, it was positive. Next day, he told me we were going somewhere and we ended up in the home of a herbalist in Ikorodu, who gave me some concoction. I drank some in his apartment and took the rest home. After two days, my menstruation started and my father assured me all was well.

He only gave me a week’s break before he continued all over again. Two years later, when I was 16 years, I got sick again. When I informed daddy, we went for another pregnancy test which confirmed my fear; I was pregnant again!

When he returned next day from his shop, he told me there was no need to go to the herbalist. Rather he gave me two sachets of Alabukun and squeezed some lime juice into a cup, asking me to take it in a gulp. It did the magic and the menstrual flow started few days later.”

“After the second abortion, I became tired of the whole thing. I started being afraid every night. At times, I would put tissue paper under my panties , pretending I was witnessing my monthly flow. After a while, he got the trick, for he started taking note of the date.

Challenges father

“I summoned courage and reported the sacrilegious act to our neighbors. But none of them could confront him. Rather they told me they could not interfere into our family affair” , she stated, with her head still bent.

Apparently discouraged by the cold reaction from the neighbors, Janet decided to take the bull by the horn. Looking straight into his father’s eyes for the very first time since the sacrilegious act started, she told her father she was tired of the whole thing. To make do her threat, she reportedly rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and threatened to stab him if he attempted to force her.

“This happened on November 28, 2012. My father had come home from his shop . And at about 6pm, he called me inside to warm his bed. But when he saw the knife, he retraced his steps. I quickly ran inside my room , with the knife in my hand and packed my things out of the house, to stay with a friend whose family welcomed me after I narrated all that has been going on in the past five years.”

“After spending three weeks with them, I received a text message from my father, asking me to come home, or I would die. When I showed the text message to the family I was putting up with, they suggested I reported the case to the police. I hesitated at first because I was scared he would be jailed.

“But I changed my mind when the text message threat continued”, she said.

I did that to appease the gods – father

When approached, it was obvious that 49-year-old Wale Akinusi, a fashion designer who hails from Ondo central in Ondo state was oblivious of the legal implication of the offense, as he showed no sign of remorse.

He bluntly told this reporter that what he did was not new under the sun, adding that this would not be the first time such story would be published on the pages of newspapers.

“It is not a new thing that a man has sex with his daughter and even if I am jailed at the end, I will surely come out after serving my jail term. But I promise that my daughter will join me” he threatened, dismissing the issue with a wave of the hand.

Continuing, he said: “I went back to claim my child so as to fulfill the oat made between her mother and I. That was why I took her to the herbalist when she was pregnant, so as to appease the gods of her mother’s land. You will not understand.

“You see, when her mother was six months pregnant, we made love. She later told me that it was a taboo for a man to sleep with a pregnant woman in her place. She said the only remedy was for the man to be the first person to sleep with the child.

“I initially did not want to do it. But along the line, I discovered that things were not going on well with me financially. And when I made inquiry, I was made to understand that I had to appease the god’s of her mother’s land, so as to attain my rightful place in destiny.”

Asked why he continued after the first time, he kept mute. Also asked why he did not satisfy his sexual urge on his wife who has had four children for him, he explained that they were leaving apart.

“My wife lives in Ketu with the children while I live in Ojo. I had to live apart because I do not want my wife and children to suffer the consequences of my sin. Also I did not want my wife to know I was sleeping with my own daughter”, he said.

Meanwhile, effort according to sources at the Human Rights department, was on to arrest the herbalist who allegedly gave Janet the concoction that aborted her first pregnancy,while her father would be charged to court.







Source - Vanguard news

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US Congress agrees last-minute fiscal-cliff deal

3:16 PM News, Politics No Comments

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Congress pulled back from the brink of “fiscal cliff” disaster and sparked a New Year stock rally with a last-minute deal averting tax hikes and massive spending cuts which threatened to unleash economic calamity.

Relief rippled out through European and Asian stock markets, with stocks in Spain and Italy surging by more than 3.0 percent, before the all-important opening on Wall Street.

The House of Representatives passed a deal between the White House and Republicans late Tuesday to raise taxes on the rich and put off automatic $109 billion budget cuts for two months, lifting the clouds of immediate crisis.

But more hard haggling is due in two months’ time over further specific budget measures.

US President Barrack Obama

The deal’s fate had hung in the balance for hours as House conservatives sought to add spending reductions to a version passed by the Senate in the early hours of 2013 that would likely have killed the compromise.

In the end, the House voted 257 votes to 167 to pass the original bill with minority Democrats joining a smaller band of majority Republicans to pass the legislation after a fiercely contested and unusual session on New Year’s Day.

President Barack Obama, who campaigned for re-election on a platform of building a more equitable economic system, declared the deal was a promise kept, despite falling short of earlier hopes for a grand deficit bargain.

“I will sign a law that raises taxes on the wealthiest two percent of Americans while preventing a middle class tax hike that could have sent the economy back into recession,” Obama told reporters after the vote.

“The deficit needs to be reduced in way that’s balanced. Everyone pays their fair share. Everyone does their part,” Obama said, before heading to Air Force One to resume his interrupted annual vacation in his native Hawaii.

Had the deal fallen apart, all Americans would have been hit by tax increases and the spending cuts would have kicked in across the government, in a combined $500 billion shock that could have rocked the fragile recovery.

Relief was felt internationally.

European stock markets soared Wednesday, making a bright start on the first trading day of 2013, as investors welcomed news that the United States has clinched the deal.

Asian shares also rose sharply. Hong Kong shares, for example, ended 2.89 percent higher on Wednesday.

But not all observers found the development encouraging. China’s official news agency warned Wednesday that the United States was heading towards an “abyss” — fiscal deal or no deal.

“As the world’s sole superpower, the United States is clearly not Greece,” the Xinhua news agency said. “But economics and common sense do not lie.

“People, or governments, can overspend for some time, but they simply cannot live on borrowed prosperity forever.”

China, which has the world’s biggest foreign exchange reserves, is a major buyer of US Treasury debt.

Leading up to the deal, political feuding which spanning the Christmas and New Year holidays reflected the near impossibility in forging compromise in Washington, where power is divided between a Democratic president and the Republican House.

It was also a signal that Obama, despite a thumping re-election win in November, may find it tough to achieve second term legislative goals that include immigration reform, clean energy legislation and gun control.

The truce in Washington is likely to be brief, given the fight that will ensue over the spending cuts that now loom at the end of February as well as over regular budget bill extensions.

Those fights will be paralleled by one over a request by Obama for Congress to lift the country’s $16 trillion borrowing limit. Republicans are already demanding concessions on expenditures in return for allowing it to rise.

Obama issued a blunt warning on Tuesday that he would not play ball with Republicans by enjoining in another batter over the debt ceiling.

“If Congress refuses to give the United States government the ability to pay these bills on time, the consequences for the entire global economy would be catastrophic, far worse than the impact of a fiscal cliff,” he warned.

House Speaker John Boehner, smarting from a defeat by the re-elected president on tax rates, warned that the focus would now turn to Republican turf of tightening the budget.

“Now the focus turns to spending. The American people re-elected a Republican majority in the House, and we will use it in 2013 to hold the president accountable for the ‘balanced’ approach he promised,” Boehner said.

The Republican leader promised “significant spending cuts and reforms to the entitlement (social welfare) programs that are driving our country deeper and deeper into debt.”

Senate Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell, a key figure in engineering the fiscal cliff deal, also warned of spending cuts.

“That’s a debate the American people want,” he said.

The legislation raises taxes on individuals earning more than $400,000 per year, and on couples earning more than $450,000, while retaining tax cuts for Americans with lower incomes put in place under the administration of former president George W. Bush.

The deal also included an end to a temporary two-percent cut to payroll taxes for Social Security retirement savings — meaning all Americans will pay a little more — and changes to inheritance and investment taxes.




Source - Vanguard news

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Chidinma, Davido win @ 2012 KORA Awards as Omawumi, D’banj, Clarence Peters lose out

3:15 PM Entertainment No Comments

The 2012 KORA awards was delayed by 24 hours but it wasn’t enough to douse the surprises and thrills of the epoch making event which held late Sunday night in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Chidinma with her award

Petite framed beauty and Kedike crooner Chidinma walked away with the Best African Female Act award for her hit song ‘Kedike’ surprisingly beating ebony skinned, song goddess Omawumi’s ‘If you ask me’ and five other African female artists.

Omo baba olowo Davido who was absent also was a winner at the event as he clinched the Best Newcomer Award.

It wasn’t a happy KORA awards event for D’Banj, Clarence Peters and the Infinity Group as they failed to win in their categories as Best Male African act, Best Director and Best Gospel group respectively.

American pop recording artist Chris Brown who was the reason for the event’s 24 hours delay as he had flight issues arrived Abidjan Sunday with his off/on Girlfriend Rihanna to perform at the event.

Nigerian pop recording twins P-Square also hit the stage to give their own electrifying performance.

A full list of winners will be published shortly…










Source - Vanguard news

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Mercy Johnson gives birth to baby girl

3:12 PM Entertainment, News No Comments

Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson has given birth to a baby girl at an undisclosed hospital in the US.

*Mercy Johnson

Mercy we are told, is doing well with her baby. She had traveled abroad a few months back to be on location for a movie role she plays as a heavily pregnant woman. Mercy had been busy during the entire duration of her pregnancy taking on different movie roles that suited her condition.






Source - Vanguard news

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Industrialists seek speedy reforms in power, oil sectors

3:06 PM Business No Comments

Members of the National Association of Small Scale Industrialists on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to ensure the effective implementation of reforms in the oil and gas sector in the New Year.

They made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos and urged President Goodluck Jonathan to expedite action toward finding lasting solutions to problems of the oil and gas sector.

The Managing Director, Limmy Cosmetics Limited, Mrs. Lydia Amos, urged Jonathan to urgently address the epileptic power supply problem and implement the oil and gas sector reform agenda.

She also called on the President to create an enabling environment for socio-economic development.

“Privatisation of the country’s refineries is the only option towards an effective oil and gas industry. Most small scale businesses have closed shop due to the epileptic power supply in the country, which I think can be tackled,” Amos said.

She said government’s priorities for now should be on the power sector “because no country triumphs in socio-economic development without effective and efficient power supply.”

Another stakeholder and Managing Director, Khary Diary Juice Limited, Mrs. Falilat Balogun, implored the Federal Government to take the power sector more seriously in the New Year.

She said that most companies had stopped production while many others had moved out of Nigeria to places with better operational environment.

“If President Jonathan can fix the epileptic power supply and tackle corruption in the oil and gas sector, we will have a new Nigeria. The feelings of the people of this country can only be assuaged by evidence of actual improvement in their socio-economic conditions,” she said.

The Chief Executive Officer, Sokuslow Construction Limited, Mr. Abiodun Kasali, said, “What is important to us at this time is that the power sector should be aggressively addressed.”

Kasali urged the President to focus more on specific areas that would have great impact on the country, such as the implementation of the oil and gas sector reforms and permanent solution to constant power failure in the country.

“The President should put the interest of the country first in all he does,” he advised.










Source - Punch news

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No Eagles recall for Martins

3:04 PM Sports No Comments

Obafemi Martins

Spain-based striker Obafemi Martins may not get a late recall to the Eagles contrary to speculations in the media.

“(Coach) Stephen Keshi has made it clear that he will not call up any new player as he has enough players to choose from for the Nations Cup,” Eagles spokesman Ben Alaiya said from the team’s training camp in Faro, Portugal.

Levante striker Martins was one of the top stars left out by Nigeria for a training camp in Portugal ahead of the forthcoming Nations Cup in South Africa.

England-based defender Danny Shittu has opted out of the squad and there are still doubts over the availability of Newcastle United Shola Ameobi.

“There is no word from Ameobi yet on whether he will be part of our Nations Cup preparations. Keshi said he cannot force the player to play for the country and so he is still waiting to hear from Ameobi on his position and then we will take it from there,” Alaiya said.

There are now a total of 20 players in Faro – nine overseas-based pros and 11 from the Nigeria Premier League.

Turkey-based striker Uche Kalu was the last arrival.

The Eagles will fly out to Spain on Tuesday for a friendly against Catalonia the following day with either Chigozie Agbim or Daniel Akpeyi started in goal as none of the team’s foreign-based goalkeepers are in Portugal.







Source - Punch news

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R-E-V-E-A-L-E-D: Why Osaze was dropped

3:00 PM Sports No Comments

Facts may have emerged on why Nigeria’s West Brom striker, Osaze Odemwingie was excluded from the Super Eagles squad for the 2013 African Nations Cup holding in South Africa, by coach Stephen Keshi.

According to Paul Bassey, a columnist with Vanguard Newspaper, who was present at the NFA Technical Committee meeting where Keshi and his assistants defended the Nation’s Cup list, the Eagles’ coaches were skeptical about a player who withdrew from National duty just because he was substituted during a match at the last world cup.

Osaze and Coach Stephen Keshi

According to Bassey, Keshi was querried by the technical committee on the omission of Martins, Taiwo and Osaze from the list. “Members of the Technical Committee were unanimous that Nigeria needed to go to South Africa with the best legs there are, and presently Osaze was one of the best.

“But by the time Keshi and his assistants finished explaining the reasons for his (Osaze)omission, there was nothing to fault him. Post events have certainly proven the coach right. Much as I do not want to drag us back, the coaches were skeptical about a player who withdrew from National duty just because he was substituted during a match at the last world cup”, Bassey noted.

“…Sirs, as I am talking to you I have an idea of my starting eleven and Osaze may not be there as he has not been part of our plans so far. What happens if I go to South Africa and I do not give Osaze a starting shirt, don’t you think it will cause more problems for the team?….” Keshi was quoted to have told members of the committee.

Keshi was also said to have reminded the meeting that when he invited Osaze in November to take part in the Venezuela friendly, he said he could not because his wife was expecting a baby. “As you are reading this, Osaze’s wife is yet to put to bed!”

“Then, there was the issue of lack of respect for constituted authority. A player who decides not to respect his captain is definitely not a team player and a destablising factor”, Bassey said in his Column, Sports Bassey.







Source - Vanguard news

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Puyol, Pique, Sanchez to lead Catalonia against Eagles

2:55 PM Sports No Comments

Head Coach of Catalonia side, Johan Cryuff, has listed 10 players from Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona for the international friendly against Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Wednesday evening. He has also picked seven players from Espanyol FC, whose ground will host the encounter.

Puyol

The list made available to the Nigerian delegation on arrival in Barcelona has Barcelona first choice in goal, Victor Valdes, Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Martin Montoya, Sergio Roberto, Christian Tello and Marc Bartra all listed from the Catalan giants.

From Espanyol, there will be Joan Verdi, Joan Capdevilla, Sergio Garcia, Kiko Casilas, Raul Rodriguez, Victor Sanchez, and Sergio Tejera. Others in the team list are AC Milan’s Bojan Rkic, Getafe’s Alvaro Vazquez, Jordi Amat and Francesco Medina ‘Piti’ both of Rayo Vallecano and Red Bulls Zalburg’s Jonathan Soriaro. “These are big names no doubt but our players know that names don’t play football these days, we will just go out there and give our best against them”, Head Coach Stephen Keshi said.

The match time has also been brought forward, as it would now be played at 7pm, Nigerian and Spanish time from 9pm that it was earlier slated but the venue remains Espanyol FC home ground in the Catalan city.







Source - Vanguard news

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Again, Nollywood mourns

2:50 PM Entertainment, News No Comments

Bisi Komolafe

The Nigerian film industry again grieves over the death of promising actress, Bisi Komolafe, writes GBENGA ADENIJI

The showbiz industry was again thrown into mourning on Tuesday following the death of a fast-rising actress, Bisi Komolafe.

Many refused to initially believe the news which started trending online on New Year eve, especially as a similar story was erroneously reported on Friday by an online platform, claiming that a prominent actor was dead.

The truth about Komolafe, however, manifested when some of her colleagues confirmed the news.

When our correspondent called cross-over actress, Foluke Daramola, she was all tears and when asked what was responsible for her weeping state, she said the industry had lost an actress, revealing her to be Komolafe.

There were speculations concerning how she actually died. While it was said that she was slightly sick, an online source said she died in the University College Hospital, Ibadan after suffering complications from a four-month pregnancy which resulted in a miscarriage.

Actress Lizzy Anjorin, who told our correspondent that she got wind of the news via the picture of the late actress displayed by some of her BlackBerry contacts, added that if it was true then it was a huge loss. She stated, ‘‘I had met her on set many times. She is a nice person, a very nice actress.’’

Also, popular comedy actor, Bolaji Amusan, otherwise called Mr. Latin, said he heard the news on Tuesday. Commenting on the deaths in the industry, Mr. Latin explained that death was not occurring only among actors and actresses.

Saying everybody would definitely die someday, he noted that there was nothing anyone could do when death comes.

He added, “People die daily. Only God knows the number of people that have died globally between the last day in 2012 and the New Year. But because of our closeness to some people and for the fact that they are famous, we tend to express great loss when they die. The popularity of dramatists and the love people have for them often make their fans lament whenever any of them dies.’’

According to him, even if a dramatist dies five years ago, the death of another one may make some people to say that many of the industry practitioners are dying.

‘‘It is the love they have for actors and actresses that make them think so. Death is inevitable. But it is so sad that while people are rejoicing for the New Year, friends, fans and colleagues of Komolafe are mourning. She was a great and talented actress, very promising,’’ he noted.

The deceased actress had featured in Igboro Ti Daru, Omo Ghetto and Imisi Esu.

In 2012, the industry lost dramatists such as Akin Ogungbe, Gogo Ombo, Ahmed Oduola (Dento), Enebeli Elebuwa and Pete Eneh.










Source - Punch news

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Lagos-Ibadan Exp: No contract between FG, Julius Berger

2:41 PM News No Comments

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
| credits: ynaija.com

Construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway may not start anytime soon, investigation by The PUNCH has revealed.

Also, no definite date for the signing of the contract and commencement of major work on the road has been fixed, our correspondent learnt.

The construction companies to handle the projects Julius Berger Plc and RCC Nigeria Lted. have reportedly said that no serious work would be done until the details of their engagement were worked out and the contracts signed.

The Federal Government, last month, revoked the three-year-old concessionary agreement on the reconstruction of the road it awarded to Bi-Courtney Highway Services and consequently named Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited as the two new firms to handle the project.

While Julius Berger was put in charge of section 1 of the road, covering Lagos to the Shagamu interchange, RCC will construct the section 2 stretching from Shagamu to Ibadan.

The 125 kilometre road was concessioned to Bi-Courtney in 2009. The company was expected to spend N89.53bn and recover same in 25 years under the Build, Operate and Transfer deal.

Our correspondent found that major work had not begun on the road and would not start this month because there had been no formal agreement between the parties on the cost and other modalities of the contracts.

The development was confirmed by a senior official in Julius Berger.

The official, who pleaded not to be named said, “We are not doing any major work on that road.

“What we are asked to do is to make the road motorable for the holiday period so that Nigerians who will pass on that road will have a smooth journey.

“As I speak to you now, no contract has been signed with us on that road. Maybe the contract will be awarded later in the year when the 2013 budget has been signed. I can tell you that Nigerians should not expect any major work on the road until the contract is signed. I cannot give you a definite date for the commencement of the project.”

It was learnt that owing to the huge resources needed to execute the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, such huge contracts would be subjected to the approval of the Federal Executive Council.

This process, according to sources, is usually rigorous and takes a long period of time.

Section 15 (4) of the Public Procurement Act of 2007 stipulates the guidelines to be followed by the procurement committee in the award of contracts.

For instance, it said such contracts should be advertised; bids solicited, documented and examined; certificate of no objection to the proposed contract obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement and submissions made to the Tenders’ Board.

After these, the bid losers would be debriefed and complaints resolved before the awards of such contracts.

A top official in the Ministry of Works told our correspondent that all these process had not been concluded before the names of the new contractors were announced by the Federal Government last month.

The source said what the government did was just to mobilise the contractors to repair the worst portions of the road and make it motorable for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The source, who pleaded not to be named as he was not officially permitted to speak on the issue, said it might take a while to conclude the details of the contract owing to the rigorous process involved in the procurement act.

“I don’t think any major contract has been entered into because the contractors and the Federal Government are still meeting,” the source said.

It was gathered that the contractors had not worked out the costing and other details that would enhance the contract.

Investigations also revealed that the construction companies were insisting that the contracts must pass due process.

This, it was learnt, was to ensure that the project did not run into any hitch like the one that between the Federal Government and Bi-Courtney Highway Services.











Source - Punch news

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We will move very fast this year –Jonathan

2:40 PM News No Comments

President Goodluck Jonathan

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday promised that his administration would move faster in the New Year to accede to the yearnings of the citizens.

“In all our key sectors of the economy, we have laid solid foundations and now we are moving ahead. We will move very fast to make sure that what Nigerians expect from us as a government, we will do,” the President said during a New Year service at the All Saints’ Anglican Church, Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja.

“We are working very hard and I am convinced that 2013 will be a better year for this country,” he added.

The Jonathan administration has been criticised many times for its alleged slow response to the expectations of the citizens.

The President, during a Christmas Service in Abuja last week, had said his administration appeared to be slow in taking decisions on national issues because he wanted to avoid making mistakes.

He said experience had shown him that when rushing to take decisions, government might make serious mistakes which would be difficult to correct.

The statement drew criticisms from opposition political parties and human rights activists who felt the President could not justify the slow pace of his government in delivering dividends of democracy to the people.

Jonathan, however, stressed that his government had been working hard to satisfy Nigerians, especially in the area of checking insecurity in the country.

He said, “On the part of government, we are also not sleeping. We are working very hard. I am constantly being briefed on security matters that I don’t need to publish in the media. I can assure that our security operatives have been working very hard.

“Most of the people who have been involved in these crimes like bombing of the Catholic Church in Niger State, bombing of the UN Building and bombing of the police headquarters have been arrested. Almost all of them have been arrested,” Jonathan said The President announced the arrests while recounting the “silent” success of his administration as congregants gathered to usher in the New Year.

The violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, had claimed responsibility for the bombing of St. Theresaaa’s Catholic Church in Mandalla, Niger State, as well as the attack on the UN building, in Abuja, on August 26, 2011. A bomb-laden car had ripped through security barriers and rammed into the building, killing at least 25 persons, mostly aid workers.

A lone bomber from the sect similarly attacked the Louis Edet Police building in the Federal Capital Territory on June 16, 2011. The lone bomber and a policeman died during the attack while more than 70 vehicles were destroyed by the fire ignited by the explosion at the car park.

Jonathan said his administration had been working very hard, mostly without the knowledge of the citizens, to solve the insecurity in the country.

While thanking the Church for its prayers in the past, the President urged them to continue to assist his administration.

He recalled that the support of the church for the nation dated back to when the country was struggling to transit from military to civilian rule.

“The church has been praying for this country, not just now. I remember during the period of transition from military to civilian, when this country was drifting and we did not know where we were going, the church prayed. God intervened and stabilised the country,” he said.

Jonathan said because of the nation’s large youth population, his administration was committed to job creation, adding that many of the problems facing the nation were caused by Nigerians’ attitude and ways of life.

He said the get-rich-quick syndrome had led many people into criminal activities, including robbery, embezzlement in offices and other anti-social behaviour.

Earlier in his sermon, the Primate, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, had asked Jonathan and others in positions of authority to circumcise their hearts so that they could deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians in the New Year.

He also asked those in the civil service and the private sector to take a similar step in order to shun vices that had contributed to the country’s woes over the years.

In his sermon titled, ‘Circumcise Your Heart,’ Okoh defined circumcision as the cutting off of the old life of sins such as corruption, cheating and hypocrisy, among others.

He said it was the seal of the covenant between God and Abraham which could be likened to modern day baptism.

He said, “As we start the New Year and mark the naming and circumcision of the baby Jesus today, Nigerians should circumcise their hearts.

“Pastors in the vineyard of God must circumcise their hearts. Captains of industry must circumcise their hearts; civil servants who hide files to make money must circumcise their hearts.

“Politicians at all levels, federal, state and local governments as well as in all arms of government, the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary should circumcise their hearts.

“Lecturers who harass female students for marks, and ladies who tempt lectures with their skimpy dresses must also circumcise their hearts.”










Source - Punch news

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