We’ve ensured water-tight security for corpers working for INEC — NYSC boss

As the nation goes to the polls today, the Director-General of
the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General
Johnson Olawumi has said that adequate security has been
put in place for the safety of the corps members who are
working as Adhoc staff for the elections.
Olawumi also declared that over 168,000 corps were
participating in the exercise across the country.

According to him, the number dropped from 240,000 after
participation in the polls was made voluntary.

The DG who spoke in Abuja as part of the activities to mark
his first year in office added that a Distress Call Center has
also been opened at national secretariat of the Scheme.

He said: “I need to make it clear that we signed an MOU
with INEC in 2010 for corps members to take part as ad-hoc
staff in the conduct of elections. Since then, corps members
have been taking part and contributing so much to
improving our elections.

“A dimension that was introduced late last year is that we
are no longer the ones who submit names of corps
members to INEC. INEC opened their portal and asked
interested corps members to register and they registered.

They were not forced. They registered on their own volition.

“That was why from the over 240,000 corps members that
we have only about 168,000 registered which means close
to 80,000 did not register. It should be noted that the corps
members were not forced and what that means is that any
parent who does not want his or her child to take part must
have told the child not to register.

“Yes it is voluntary. They registered on their own. Not only
that, in the course of registration, they supplied information
as to where they are serving and where they want to be
during the election.

“That means, if a corps member is serving in Anambra
State and the parents live in Oyo State, when asked where
he or she would like to participate during the elections, the
corps member could fill Oyo State. So these are things that
have been done as part of security measures.

“We have documented all the contacts of security agencies
in all local government areas in Nigeria. And we made these
contacts available to all corps members in those areas.
Then in the headquarters here, we keep a record of all those
contacts because we have a Distress Call Centre which we
have reinvigorated to cope with whatever challenges that
might arise during the elections.

“Through that Distress Call Centre, once a corps member is
in distress and he or she calls, we immediately identify the
location and we inform the closest security agency within
the location to rescue the corps member. We have also
compiled the addresses of all the Corpers Lodges across
the country which have been made available to security
agencies in all those areas.

“We have also issued out directives that all our Local
Government Inspectors will not take part in the elections.

Their sole duty on that day is the security of corps
members. We have approached INEC and they are going to
provide logistical support in each of the local government
areas for easy monitoring and rescue operation on the day
of the elections.”

Reacting to concerns in some quarters that some corps
members who work as polling agents usually compromise
election standards and connive with desperate politicians or
party agents to rig elections, Olawumi said that they had
been sensitized sufficiently against any electoral fraud,
saying that apart from the punitive measures stipulated in
the constitution, NYSC Scheme also has its internal
mechanism to discipline any erring members.

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Election: Oshiomhole Denounces Brigade Commander Over Minister ’ s Vehicles’ Gift To Army

Edo Sate Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on
Friday faulted the Brigade Commander, 4 TH Brigade of
the Nigerian Army, Benin City, Brig.-Gen.Olajide Laleye,
for allegedly soliciting and receiving from the Minister of
Works, Mike Onolememen, 14 Toyota Hilux vehicles, for
the purpose of elections monitoring.
The governor, who frowned at the gesture while
speaking with journalists shortly after holding security
meeting with security chiefs in the state, also raised
alarm on the alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) to rig the election in the state, using some
military men on mufti.

He said: “We have intelligence and it has been
confirmed that the Minister of Works, deployed 14
vehicles in the premises of RCC construction Company
Benin. This Hilux vehicles about 13 of them, were
transferred from RCC premises to the headquarters of
the 4th Brigade of the Nigerian army. I have expressed
my concern to the Commander of the 4th Brigade that I
did not think it was appropriate for the 4th Brigade to
collect vehicles from the Ministry of Works for the
purpose of this election.

“The Commander of the 4th Brigade told me that the
vehicles were donated by the RCC because he
approached RCC for support. I told him even that is
wrong. The Brigade Commander cannot approach
Israelis to provide them with security when the Edo
State government is here. He has not made such a
request to me and I reminded him that Israeli people
cannot be assumed to have greater interest in the peace
and security of Nigeria than the government of Edo
state.

“After all we set up Operation Thunder Storm which
encourages the military to compliment the efforts of the
police. I denounced the idea. Whether RCC or Minister
of Works, this is clearly irregular.

“I expect that the Ministry of Works if they have
donations to make it should have been made
transparently to the Nigerian police not the Nigerian
Army because the conduct of this election is primarily
the responsibility of the Nigerian police and not the
Nigerian Army. That they prefer to donate to the Army
rather than the police raises more questions than the
answers that have been provided.

“Our investigation is that these Hilux vehicles provided
by Onolemenmen or by RCC according to the Brigade
Commander, are going to be used to carry soldiers who
will not be wearing uniforms to disguise and our
information is that they intend to use these people to
intimidate the electorate. I have warned the Brigade
Commander not to do the sort of thing that Brigadier
Momoh did Ekiti State. In any case Edo people are Edo
people and we cannot be intimidated. And the Nigerian
Army has no business portraying itself as enemies of
democracy.

“I know they are not if there are some overzealous
officers who wants to do negative things I expect that
haven raised the issue, frankly with the Brigade
Commander this morning in the presence of other
security chiefs, I believe it is clear that the Army must
not be seen to be part of Nigerian problem, the world is
watching. I have also told them that if anybody is killed
by anybody in uniform in the course of trying to do what
is unlawful, it is not my statement, the International
Criminal Court agents are in Nigeria, if anybody can
escape justice in Nigeria, you cannot escape justice
from the International Criminal Court.

“The world has changed that anybody who misused his
office cannot escape justice, this is said directly to the
Brigade Commander and other security chiefs. I have
also informed him of the Brigadier General Odidi who
was earlier transferred from the Electrical Engineering
Command of the Nigerian Army in Auchi but he was
brought back. He is openly canvassing for PDP that
soldiers are paid by PDP so they should work for PDP.

“This I told the Brigade Commander. To draw the
attention of Odidi that the responsibility of the Army is
not to canvass votes of work against any particularly
political party. I have voiced out the dangers of doing
that, Brig. Odidi is from Agenebode because if he
misbehaves I have told him the consequences.

“Yesterday (Thursday), they searched the residence of
APC chairman at Orhiomwon, they have penciled down
the names of APC leaders to be arrested. I have told
them that our people must vote freely”, Gov.
Oshiomhole stated.

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APC ’ s Rigging Allegation Cry of a ‘ Drowning ’ Party – Plateau Govt

The Plateau State Government has denied allegations
by the opposition All Progressives Congress that it is
planning to rig today’s presidential and National
Assembly elections.

Denying the allegation in a statement signed by the
Executive Assistant to Governor Jonah Jang, Mr.
Clinton Garuba, the state government said on Friday
that the opposition was only trying to heat up the polity
by crying wolf where none existed.

APC had claimed, among other things, that the Peoples
Democratic Party was planning to use soldiers to rig the
election, accusing the ruling party of moves to impose a
dubious restriction order.

The statement said, “Our attention has been drawn to a
press conference by the APC chairman where he raised
a number of issues laced with all kinds of lies and
misinformation as a last-ditch campaign strategy with a
view to swaying votes in the direction of the party.

“This recent press conference is nothing more than a
drowning man’s cry, trying to blame his failure on
another person. It is obvious that the APC has seen that
it is unpopular with Plateau people and will fail woefully
in this election. The APC has, therefore, resorted to
crying foul so as to gain the sympathy of undiscerning
minds.

“All the issues raised by the APC chairman are merely
to create an alibi for his party which is known to be
violence inclined. Having checked their excesses, they
are already crying blue murder to create a scenario
depicting that its supporters are being intimidated, that
is far from the truth”.

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Election would be keenly contested but Jonathan will win – Gbenga Daniel

Former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, has
expressed confidence that President Goodluck
Jonathan will emerge victorious in Saturday’s
presidential election.

Daniel, who spoke on African Independent Television
programme, Kaakaki said he was sure President
Jonathan would win convincingly.

According to him, “There’s no doubting the fact that it
would be a keenly fought election but President
Jonathan remains the best hand we have right now.

“In him, we have the best performing President in all
ramifications of governance – economy, education,
transport, health, social welfare, etc.
“We can put all the factors on the table and decipher. In
all, Jonathan has an overwhelming chance of winning,”
he explained.

On the President’s chances in the Southwest, Daniel
stated that the victory of the President in the zone was
a foregone conclusion.

He said Jonathan ha ignited the hope of true federalism
by the success of the National Conference.

“The success of the conference has gingered the
Afenifere, the authentic voice of the Yoruba race and
other geo-political zones, to declare their support for
the continuity of his administration in order to execute
its recommendations to the letters.
“Don’t forget that the Yoruba race is very sophisticated
and their political awareness is great. They know what
is good for them. A good example is the last election
where President Jonathan won in the Southwest save
for Osun State, which he lost by a narrow margin.
“Right now, there are two states under the control of
the PDP in the Southwest and the cry for change is
very loud in Ogun and Lagos states.

“This is to buttress the point that the people have
realised that Jonathan’s ticket is the only one that can
respond adequately to the request of the people of the
Southwest for true federalism.

“There’s no fear within the ruling the PDP about the
election. Empirically, we have won because of the fact
that the President’s sterling performance is glaring to
even the opposition,” Daniel added.

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MARCH 28: We ’ ll Enforce No Movement Order On Fayose – Police

The Ekiti State Police Command has said it will enforce
the “no movement” rule on everybody, including the
Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and other political
appointees in the state.
The command also warned against movement
distribution of money or inducement in whatever form
from one polling booth to the other.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, who
made this position known at a press conference in Ado
Ekiti on Friday, said only accredited security agencies,
observers and those on essential duties would be
allowed to move around between 6a.m and 6 p.m.

Responding to a question on whether the governor and
political appointees would be allowed to monitor the
election, the police boss said, “Pronouncement has been
made by the Force High Command that apart from
police and other security agencies, no other person
would be allowed to move around except those on
essential duties and those with approval from police and
the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Nobody is allowed to move around; that is the position.

The restriction is general and it affects everybody with
exception of observers, police and those on essential
duties.

“Once you don’t have accreditation, we don’t expect you
to be on the road”.
Mr. Lakanu also disclosed that no fewer than 6,000
police personnel had been mobilized for the supervision
of the election.

Read More

ELECTIONS: INEC - Why We Shutdown Hotels In Markurdi

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,
has ordered hotels in Makurdi, the Benue State capital
shut for security reasons.

Hotels particularly affected are those sharing the same
vicinity with the commission’s state head office in
Makurdi.

Confirming the closure of the hotels, INEC’s state Public
Relations Officer, Mr. Ochai Louis, explained that it was
aimed at forestalling any breakdown of law and order.

He noted that criminal elements hiding under the cover
of hotel guests, could launch attacks on the
commission’s office from there.

Louis said, “We called the owners of the hotels to a
meeting this morning. They were adequately briefed on
the security implications.
“So, all the hotels will be evacuated, except for INEC
members of staff”.

Meanwhile, security was tightened around the
commission’s office on Friday as soldiers arrived to
oversee security.

One armoured tank was stationed right inside the
premises of the head office with soldiers taking vantage
positions around the vehicle.

Prior to the arrival of soldiers, security at the state INEC
office was provided by a combined team of riot
policemen and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence
Corps.

Read More

WEIRDO: Baby born with horns in Osun

A strange birth has occurred at a maternity centre
(name withheld) in Ilesa, Osun State. A woman gave
birth to a baby, apparently with a medical condition that
made it appear as if there were two horns on its head.

According to Saturday Tribune, which published photos
of the strange baby, the birth of the baby filled the area
with tension.

“It is true the baby was born,” the proprietress of the
maternity centre spoke to the news platform’s reporter
who visited the hospital. She only spoke on condition of
anonymity.
She said that the woman who gave birth to the
deformed baby was “about 25 years old and she has
been without a child for three years.”

“This woman lives in one of the farm settlements on the
outskirt of Ilesa. She registered for antenatal service
here. So, when she wanted to put to bed, her relatives
rushed her here to deliver the baby.

“But we were shocked to the marrow when she
eventually delivered the baby with two horns on the
head after going into labour for some hours. By the time
she was delivered of the baby, it was already dead and
we had to separate it from the placenta.

“I have never seen such a terrible creature in my life.
So, we helped to pack the dead baby and the placenta
and handed them over to them before they left our
premises. It was indeed a fearful development and we
were saddened about it.

“This is not something we can celebrate. So, I ordered
by nurses and other attendants to keep their mouth shut
over the incident. But, I am very surprised how you
people got to know about it and came here to inquire
about it. I do not want anyone to make something
unnecessary out of this or create problems for us here,”
she stated.
When asked about the whereabouts of the woman who
was delivered of the baby, the proprietress declined to
give details.

From the picture, the baby could have suffered from a
type of crouzon syndrome, an autosomal dominant
genetic disorder known as a branchial arch syndrome
associated with gene mutation. It occurs in 1.6 out of
every 100,000 people.

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Elections: I-Nigerian urges security agencies to remain professional

The I-Nigerian Initiative has urged security agencies to
remain professional, non-partisan and apolitical at all
times, especially during the forthcoming general
elections.

In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Ada
Stella Apiafi, the I-Nigerian Initiative declared that
Nigerians, are the only ones who can ensure and
guarantee peace, if they collectively refuse to allow
themselves to be used to cause any violence or rancor
during and even after the elections.

The I-Nigerian Initiative which had hosted security
agencies to interactive forum with the media on their
activities, also lent its voice to the many calls on
Nigerians to ensure peace during and after the general
elections beginning on Saturday 28th March 2015.

Apiafi also reminded the Forum of Spokespersons of
Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) to adhere to
its recent pledge that members will continue to ensure
that press statements as well as official
pronouncements of individual members as well as their
organisations remain professional, non-partisan and
apolitical at all times efficient and effective inter-
agency collaboration.
She emphasized that our security agencies must
appreciate their vital role in ensuring the safety of lives
and property during the period of the elections.

“The role of our security operatives cannot be over-
emphasised, because of their crucial assignment of
keeping the peace in and around our borders where
elections will be taking place,” she said.
While reiterating the need for voters to perform their
civic responsibility of casting their votes for
contestants of their choice, Ada Apiafi urged them to be
vigilant at all times, and report suspicious movements
and activities to appropriate law enforcement agents
because security is the duty of every citizen.

She also urged all Nigerians to respect the outcome of
the elections, as, whoever emerges as the winner, will
be the President of Nigeria and of all Nigerians.
“Whilst he may have won under a party platform, but he
shall be President of Nigeria, and NOT president of any
one section, political party, or ethnic affiliation.

“The position, and the person who occupies that
‘hallowed’ position, is not for the purpose of self-
aggrandisement, selfish interest, party interests,
religious interests, or sectional interests; but for our
national and collective interests.”
She pleaded emphatically with all well-meaning
Nigerians, that they should continue to pray for Nigeria
– as they have no other country than Nigeria.

“Despite our political differences, we must not forget
that our country belongs to us, and it is our
responsibility to make sure that our county remains as
one, even after the elections. Let us also continue to
pray for ourselves as Nigerians as God must have had
His reasons for making us citizens of this great
country; and we must all remember that the stability
and greatness of our country are made possible by our
collective will as a people,” she implored the electorate.

PRNigeria encourages institutions to be transparent in
their information management as it provides news
items from authoritative sources for free use by the
media

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Presidential Election : Winner to be announced on Monday

The race for presidency is stiff between President
Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) and Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) but Nigerians would have known their
next leader by Monday as the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that the
results of today’s presidential and National Assembly
elections would be released within 48 hours.

Speaking at a joint press conference alongside the
Director General of the National Youth Service Corps
(NYSC), Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, INEC
Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega said it would be
made possible based on the improvements already
made by the commission since the 2011 general
elections.

“We cannot expect the results from the states under 24
hours, we will be collating the results as they are
coming out but I can assure that under 48 hours, all the
results should be ready. We were able to do it in 2011,
we should be able to do this in 2015 based on much
more improvements that have been put in place,” he
said.

Jega also debunked the claim that the master key to the
critical Information Technology (IT) infrastructure
housing the database of INEC for card reader machine
was in possession of an individual that had sympathy
with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its
presidential candidate.

According to him, there is no master key for the card
reader as being claimed, but a source code which was
only known to the manufacturer. Jega said the code
has not been breached, as far as he can tell.

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The Ushering Ministry

The divine roles and function of the ushering ministry in a church settings are as follows:

1. The ministry of Ushering is a vital part of our
church ministry. Ushers represent the church in a
very visible way, and help set the tone in
preparation for the worship service, as well as
assist with the smooth operation within the service.
With this in mind, ushers need to come prayed up
so that they can be prepared to minister in each
and every service.

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TOP JOB OFFERS FOR THIS MONTH

Happy New Month from Godwin Shobowale's Blog. We bring to you our new month gifts as we March forward.

Below are top jobs this month that might interest you.

Nigerian Army Massive Recruitment

- See all available positions

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OPPORTUNITY: JOB OPENING

Ngcareers clients are looking for excellent customer service reps that can handle all customer inquires in a face to face or call center environment.

The Customer Service Representative/call center agent will have responsibilities to execute on a sales strategy, achieve sales targets and generate revenue by closing business

Outstanding telephone sales skills. Exceptional ability to generate leads by prospecting will be an integral part of your day in this position.

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FUNNY: PICS OF THE DAY

Who can identify Goodluck and Buhari??..... See the pics below

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VACANCY: Tax Compliance and Internal Control Analyst at Tenaris

Tenaris is the leading global manufacturer and supplier
of tubular products and services used in the drilling,
completion and production of oil and gas and a leading
supplier of tubular products and services used in
process and power plants and in specialized industrial
and automotive applications.

Job Title: Tax Compliance and Internal Control Analyst
1- Nigeria (62802)
We are currently seeking a Tax Compliance and
Internal Control Analyst 1 for our Administration &
Finance department.

Location: Onne, Nigeria

Previous Experience: 3 – 5 years in similar position

Aim of the position: The role holder functions as an
internal tax specialist to the business therefore ensuring
high tax compliance. The role holder is responsible for
the evaluation of complex fiscal legislation in force and
planning the strategy to follow based on the operations
that are carried out, in order to take advantage of all
the possible fiscal benefits and translate them into
resources saving for the company.
Main Responsibilities:
- Calculates transfer prices for intercompany operations
- Designs and implements the Tax Balanced Scorecard gathering all tax information in force and applicable to Tenaris legal entities.
- Records data in the Tax Track Information System
analysing control points which reflect greater tax
risk.
- Assists Tenaris areas in tax and internal control related matters.
Provides support in connection with regulatory authorities’ requests and audits.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience Required:

1. Graduate Caliber plus membership of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN)/Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
2. 3- 5 years post qualification with relevant Tax Management experience in a reputable audit firm or Oil & Gas multinational.
3. Knowledge of Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
4. Proven ability to facilitate, persuade, influence and build credibility with all levels and all functions.
5. Analytical, interpretative and decision making skills.
6. Excellent coaching and relationship building skills.
7. Good communication and presentation skills.
8. Sound IT knowledge in the use of MS Suite especially MS Excel
9. Working knowledge in accounting package-SAP
(All modules).

Click here to Apply

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VACANCY: Jobs at Hobark International Inc (6 Positions)

The Hobark group provides manpower, offers drilling,
consultancy services and provides logistic support. We
also offer catering services, procurement of manufacturing equipment, and construction equipment for the Oil & Gas industries.

Hobark International Inc is recruiting for the following
positions:

1. Well Services field Supervision Services

2. Maintenance Manager
3. Wireline Site Supervision Services
4. X-Mas Tree Field Supervision Services
5. Desk Assistance Services with Drilling & Completion Dept
6. Premob & logistic supervision Services (DCD)

Click here for details

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GOOD NEWS: FG approves 9 new private universities

The Federal Executive Council chaired by Vice President
Namadi Sambo today approved the establishment of nine
new private Universities in Nigeria. The new Universities
are;
The Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos State;
Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State;
Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele, Ogun
State;
Kings University, Ode Omu, Osun State; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Orode, Delta State;
Mountain Top University, Ogun State;
Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene,
Akwa Ibom State and
Summit University, Offa, Kwara State.
When the licenses are issued, it will bring to 60 the total
number of private Universities in Nigeria.

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Unbelievable Photos: Adulterous Johannesburg couple stuck together after sex

A Johannesburg man and an adulterous woman found
themselves unable to separate from each other after having
sex in the woman's home last Thursday, this is according
to a report by SA's Daily Sun . When the man and the
married woman got stuck together, they screamed for help,
attracting the attention of many people in the
neighbourhood. Read the full story from Daily Sun below.

The cheater had been warned: “Leave my wife alone! I
have put special muthi in her punani.” But the
cheaters again ignored the warning and ended up
getting stuck together. They found themselves
screaming for help, begging to be separated.
The rumour quickly spread that a cheating man had
died after he got stuck in his lover’s punani. And a
crowd of about 2,000 people gathered at Dena Court
in Yeoville, Joburg.

The police had to be called. People were allegedly
pepper sprayed and the amaBerethe chased people
away with sjamboks. Many people claimed the police
fired rubber bullets.
Priscilla Ndlovu (34) who claims to be a resident at the
same flats told Daily Sun they heard screams from the
room where the woman stays on Thursday night.

“At first we thought it was just the screams of sexual
pleasure, but it turned to be screams for help,” said
Priscilla.
She said they called the security who forced the door open
and saw the naked man on top of the naked woman
pleading for help to be separated, but nobody could force
them apart.”
She said everyone was shocked and afraid of what they
saw.
“We always hear of such things happening but we have
never seen it,” she said.

A family member of the husband of the cheating wife said
the husband had been complaining about his cheating wife.
“He complained she was going out with his friend,” said the
woman.
“I think he locked his wife to catch the man she’s cheating
with.”
She said in Zimbabwe, where they come from, it is a
common way of catching cheating men and women.

“No one will separate them until the husband comes back
from Zimbabwe to unlock them,” she said.
A Zimbabwean who spoke to Daily Sun said locking a
woman with muthi was a common way of catching and
punishing cheating lovers in their country.
By Friday morning, when the crowd saw the ambulance at
the flats they chanted: “We want to see them! Show us the
cheaters!”
Cops were kept busy keeping the crowd at bay.
Three streets were blocked off, causing major traffic jams
and motorists had to use alternative routes.

The ambulance finally raced off at high speed.
It is not known if the couple were inside. Neither the police
nor the paramedics could confirm if the two were taken to
hospital or not.

Sangoma Mathabo Mofokeng said husbands put muthi in
their wives’ punani to lock their women.
“There is muthi that is used by some men to catch cheating
couples,” she said.

Read More

Imagine!!! Man Hit And Killed By Train While Posing With Woman For Selfie On Tracks

A man met his untimely death after he was hit by a train
while trying to take a selfie with a woman on train
tracks, police in Washington said. Read more as
reported by Scoop :

Kalama Police said that the man of Portland,
Oregon, was struck and killed by an Amtrak
train while he and his friend posed on the
tracks in the middle of a trip from Tacoma to
Portland.
According to the police investigation, the
man stopped at the Kalama River to smoke a
cigarette and take photos with the woman on
the railroad tracks three miles south of
Kalama.

One train approached them around 10:30
a.m. on Saturday, and they moved to the
other tracks. However, the two did not
realize that the Amtrak train was
approaching them.

The train struck the man as he posed for
pictures. The woman was unhurt in the
incident, but the man died at the scene.

Read More

President Jonathan Missed The Point On Missing N30trn – Charles Soludo

In his interview with ThisDay newspaper published last
Sunday February 22nd, President Jonathan accused
former CBN Governor Charles Soludo of being political
with his claims that N30 trillion had gone missing under
the watch of the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala. What President Jonathan said about Soludo’s
claims below and Soludo’s response after the cut…
“So you’ll see that there is a lot of politicking about
some of the serious issues. Not too long ago I read in
one of the papers, I think Vanguard, that former chief
economic adviser to President Obasanjo who also went
to become a CBN governor… Soludo is a professor and
first class material. Yes, making a first class in
economics, he is a brilliant person. His secondary
school records are fantastic. So by all standards he is a
brilliant person. So the Vanguard wrote that he accused
Ngozi; that N30 trillion was stolen under the watch of
Ngozi in four years. Ngozi became a finance minister,
let’s say from 2011 till date. From that time till now, our
annual budget is between N4.3 trillion and N4.9 trillion.
So even if you put all together, it is about 18 plus trillion
naira, & not 30 trillion.
The budget for these four years is less than N20 trillion,
but Soludo said that under Ngozi’s watch they stole
N30 trillion. This is in the papers, social media, stored
in the clouds and will continue to be there. And when
you type it in it will come out that during President
Jonathan’s time they stole N30 trillion. We asked Ngozi
how her colleagues in the World Bank saw the
accusation and she said they were laughing and
couldn’t believe it. There are certain things that you just
cannot believe and if that is coming from somebody
considered to be cerebral like Professor Soludo, then of
course you know what the ordinary person would say.
It is all political”President Jonathan said.
Professor Soludo reacted to this interview by releasing
an article this evening. See it below…
My attention has been drawn this morning to an article
entitled: “Jonathan Replies Soludo over “missing N30
trillion” claim”— extracting from Mr. President’s
interview as published by Thisday newspaper.
ThisDay quoted Mr. President as saying that “Soludo
said that under Ngozi’s watch they stole N30 trillion”
but that since the sum of the federal budget over the
last four years was less than N30 trillion, such an
amount could not have been “stolen”.
According to the President, “it is all political”. I had
earlier stated that I would not make further comments
on the issues until probably after the elections but since
Mr. President has decided to join the fray, I am
constrained to make a further brief clarification.
For me, President Jonathan is a gentleman and a friend
but I have a fundamental disagreement on his
management of the economy. On the issues at stake, I
believe that the pressures of office and the hectic
electioneering campaigns have not allowed him time to
read my articles or that his staff have not explained the
contents to him hence he totally missed the point in his
comments. For the avoidance of doubt, let me clarify as
follows:
1. In my article entitled “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the
Missing Trillions”, I presented some rough calculations
covering: oil theft, money that ought to accrue to stock
of foreign reserves, unbudgeted oil subsidy payments,
customs duty waivers, leakages through the self-
financing government parastatals, unremitted sums by
NNPC, etc.
I concluded that section of my article by noting that: “I
have a long list but let me wait for now. I do not want
to talk about other ‘black pots’ that impinge on national
security. My estimate, Madam, is that probably more
than N30 trillion has either been stolen or lost or
unaccounted for or simply mismanaged under your
watchful eyes in the past four years”.
2. It is evident that the monies I referred to are “off-
budget”. These are monies that did not make it to the
budget. I find it funny that the Government deliberately
avoided the issues raised above but instead has sought
to divert attention by focusing on the “federal budget”.
Let me state for the record that I believe that the
amount of resources that are either stolen from the
economy or out-rightly mismanaged by government far
exceeds the federal budget per annum.
Ours is about a N100 trillion economy, and I will be
shocked if the government pretends that it does not
know that currently about 10% of the GDP falls into a
‘black hole’ on annual basis.
We have not added figures based on counterfactual
analysis such as the cost to the aggregate economy of
bad or misguided economic policy. For example, in
today’s Thisday newspaper, a headline news reports
that “Aliko Dangote, Africa’s Richest Man, Loses $7.8
Billion as Naira, Stocks Plunge” while reporting that “In
dollar terms, the devaluation has knocked more than
$40 billion off the value of Nigeria’s economy”. Of
course, most people predicted that oil prices would
soon fall but we were caught unprepared, and today,
the parallel market exchange rate is N225 to the dollar.
Thus, the kind of analysis in today’s Thisday is just one
little example of the kind of collateral damages–‘costs’
or ‘losses’– that mismanagement foists on the system.
To repeat, my article did not focus on the federal
budget: the mismanagement of the consumption budget
and its unprecedented debt accumulation (with low
value-for-money expenditures) are entirely different
matters.
3. What I found particularly disconcerting as a Nigerian
from the comments I read is the fixation to validation
from the World Bank. According to Mr. President, “we
asked the Minister how her colleagues at the World
Bank saw the accusation”. I shook my head in
disbelief. It is instructive that no one asked what
Nigerians thought or ‘how Nigerians saw it’ but rather
what was important to government was the impression
of the World Bank. If this is the mind-set of our leaders,
then ordinary citizens have real cause to worry.
Well, I have read several editorial comments of Nigerian
media and they do not agree with the ‘impression’ of
the World Bank official. I read a similar comment by a
high government official stating that World Bank
officials and CNN had told them that government was
doing well and therefore who else could question them.
But neither the World Bank nor CNN conducts
comprehensive independent surveys on the economy—
they comment based on the data they are given— and
their subjective “opinions” cannot substitute for hard
facts.
The World Bank is not a statistical agency. I can
provide a long list of countries that World Bank reports
praised as ‘star performers’ and they slumped into deep
crisis almost immediately after. Check out the World
Bank and IMF reports on the US and other countries’
economies shortly before the unprecedented global
financial and economic crisis in fifty years (the Great
Recession of 2008/09).
Actually for many countries once they start getting such
‘praises’, then perceptive officials begin to worry.
Nigeria is probably the only country where its
government officials quote the World Bank while
ignoring data from its own statistical agency!
A serious concern is that while government relies on
external validation (opinion) as ‘proof’ of its
performance, it is selective in the process—accepting
the positive ones and disparaging the negative ones.
Our recent exchanges illustrate the point. In my first
article (26th January): “Buhari Vs Jonathan: Beyond the
Elections”, I argued that “the economy seems to be on
auto pilot, with confusion as to who is in charge, and
government largely as a constraint.
There are no big ideas, and it is difficult to see where
economic policy is headed to. My thesis is that the
Nigerian economy, if properly managed, should have
been growing at an annual rate of about 12% given the
oil boom, and poverty and unemployment should have
fallen dramatically over the last five years”. No one has
credibly challenged the above, except what the
Financial Times of London described as a “furious
response by the Minister”. But, the influential
Economist Magazine of London and New York Times
agreed with us. According to the Economist editorial
(7th February, 2015):
“… as Africa’s biggest economy stages its most
important election since the restoration of civilian rule
in 1999, and perhaps since the civil war four decades
ago, Nigerians must pick between the incumbent,
Goodluck Jonathan, who has proved an utter failure,
and the opposit ion leader, Muhammadu Buhari….
The single bright spot of his rule has been Nigeria’s
economy, one of the world’s fastest-growing. Yet that
is largely despite the government rather than because
of it, and falling oil prices will temper the boom. The
prosperity has not been broadly shared: under Mr
Jonathan poverty has increased. Nigerians typically die
eight years younger than their poorer neighbours in
nearby Ghana”. I gave the Government an “F” grade on
economic management, and the Economist described
its performance as “utter failure”.
The Economist also basically agreed with me that the
re-basing of the economy and its observed ‘growth’
have nothing to do with government policy. Again,
government has not credibly challenged the above or is
the Economist’s view also ‘all political ’? Government
simply waved it off. My point is that if Government has
to rely on the “impressions” of external bodies, then it
should be consistent and comprehensive.
4. In conclusion, let me re-state that I firmly stand by
my earlier statements. These are weighty statements
which I weighed carefully before issuing. I appreciate
that this is an election time and so attempts would be
made to trivialize, or either play politics with, or divert
attention from, them. In a serious society, we should
have had a good debate on these matters as they could
provide some of the building blocks in trying to pick the
pieces after the elections.
Part of our citizen duty in a democracy is to raise such
issues and demand for answers. In the meantime, I
grant that our leaders are busy with campaigns but
these issues won’t go away until we have a transparent
resolution. Be assured that after the elections, we will
be back with even more questions!

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TERRORIST: See Boko Haram members captured in Chad

Shown below is a photo of members of Boko Haram captured by
Chadian soldiers yesterday in Gamboru, a border town
between Chad and Nigeria. 207 of the militants were killed
during the gun battle.

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