President Goodluck Jonathan will make an Independence Day Broadcast to the nation at 07:00 Hours tomorrow , Tuesday, October 1, 2013 .
All television and radio stations in the country are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) to relay the broadcast to their viewers and listeners.
“This Jim Iyke’s deliverance video at the Synagogue trending looks too contrived. It’s a big embarrassment. Has anyone ever seen demons come out live and speak? Una fit stand demons? Una carry Nollywood enter Church, abi? How much did he get paid? I’m just wondering. Make una stop all these nonsense play. Haba. Stranger than fiction!
This is owing to his relationship with Ghanaian actress, Nadia Buari as some of that country’s citizens see his alleged delivery as a fraud. According to an entertainment website in Ghana, ghanacelebrities.com, many of Nadia’s fans claim Jim must have orchestrated the delivery so as to dupe Nadia into marriage.
“So Jim Iyke has been delivered to marry Nadia Buari? What a fraud!” one of the comments on the site screamed.
“Good actor… and is he delivered to marry Nadia. That guy is up to another of his scams,” goes yet another.
“You can fool people not always the time. This one is 100% fake, not forgetting the birth place of 419s,” another commentator said.
Another critic did not spare the man of God as he took both Jim and Prophet TB Joshua to the cleaner. This is what he said: “I believe Jim Iyke is up to something, which is either he was paid to appear on T.B Joshua’s Emmanuel TV or he is up to a bigger scam and I will tell you about the latter scam.
Some of us know Jim Iyke in other lights which I will not disclose here but from afar; we can all make clear judgments as to the sort of person he comes across as. And then after finding his way into Nadia Buari’s life (let me add that Nadia seems pretty desperate for LOVE), Jim Iyke appears on TV with a problem which needs divine intervention.
Among all the problems we can stand afar and identify with this man, (I can name one as arrogance), God delivers him from demons holding him back from finding LOVE and MARRIAGE. What a perfect fraud, perfect timing and for the perfect circumstance! I won’t be shocked if we hear wedding bells between Jim Iyke and Nadia Buari soon, and this will make a perfect African movie story too. We have to call a spade a spade! So God is our new source of manipulation, huh? I do not believe the whole deliverance episode one bit. There is more to this and soon we will all know!”
Over to you Nigerians. What do we tell Nkrumah’s men?
Two Okada men – Folorunsho Aliu and Akinwale Ogunro – have been remanded in prison on the orders of an Akure Magistrates’ Court over alleged murder of a 27-year-old man, Deji Afolabi.
The Magistrate, Mrs Florence Adesida, on Monday said the accused, Aliyu (37) and Ogunro (30), should be kept behind bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Meanwhile, the accused, resident at Iwaro Oka in Ondo State, are being tried for conspiracy and murder.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Adeoye Adesegun, had told the court that they allegedly committed the offences with others still at large on Aug. 21.
He added that the offence took place at Iron Base Barricade (Oju Irin) junction, Iwaro Oka in Akoko North West Local Government Area.
According to him, the accused shot the deceased with a gun during a fight between them at Iron Base Barricade (Oju Irin) junction in the area.
“The deceased was confirmed dead as a result of the injuries he sustained in his body during the fight.”
Adesegun said that the offences contravened the Criminal Code of Ondo State, 2006.
However, counsel to the accused, Mr Idowu Balogun’s plea, was not considered by Adesida.
She later adjourned the case to Oct. 12 for mention. (NAN)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over a grand plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the presidency to rig the 2015 general elections, particularly the presidential poll and also to destabilize the country.
But the presidency has denied the opposition’s allegation saying the APC is already finding an excuse for its anticipated failure.
APC in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the multi-faceted strategy adopted by the PDP and the presidency, in their unbridled desperation to win the 2015 elections at all cost, include suppression of votes in areas considered to be hostile to the president as well as using the police and the military.
“They also plan to use what they have tagged a Third Force to bamboozle Nigerians and project the image of a performing presidency, even when they admit that the current public perception of government is less than salutary because of its weakness and lack of vision; engage in the destabilization of the APC using moles and fifth columnists; instigate chaos in the south-west using what they called the ‘Old Afenifere Guards’ as well as infiltrate and weaken socio-cultural and socio-political organisations in areas they deemed to be unfavourable to the president.”
APC said to its shock, it discovered that the PDP/presidency’s grand plot also did not exclude even the PDP itself, as they are pursuing a strategy of decisively and ruthlessly purging from the ranks of the party’s inner decision-making caucus all recalcitrant members, including governors and House of Representatives members.
“The dogged pursuit of this action of dealing with supposed recalcitrant members has led to suspensions, expulsions and alienation of some PDP members, and it was the immediate trigger of the collapse of the party of tattered umbrella,” APC said.
“After all, it is said that a house divided against itself cannot stand,” the party added.
Throwing more light on the satanic plot, APC specifically mentioned the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest as some of the places where the PDP/presidency plans to suppress votes in 2015.
Using the population of registered voters there in 2011 to support its claim, APC said President Goodluck Jonathan’s ‘safe support base’ of Southsouth and Southeast paled to insignificance when compared to the ‘voting demographics’ in the Northwest alone.
On the Third Force, APC said it involves railroading unsuspecting credible and independent-minded Nigerians with deep knowledge and extensive penetration of the media, civil society, labour, youth, women and ethnic nationalities into the plan in which they will be given scripts written by the government and sent out to inundate the airwaves and the print media, posing as experts and public analysts to peddle lies and reel out statistics that have no bearing on the standard of living of the average Nigerian.
APC further stated that perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the plot is the determined attempt to move against the main opposition party if other plans to force it to implode or break up before 2015 do not work out.
To achieve this aspect of the plot, APC alleged that the PDP/presidency will deploy fifth columnists, disillusioned party members and ‘deep cover plants’ to infiltrate and fracture the party as well as sponsor the emergence of a new anti-APC political force in the Southwest made up of old Afenifere guards, who they described as spent and disillusioned forces but are willing tools to spearhead the desired objective of neutralizing the APC.
While declaring its resolve to remain unshaken by the desperate antics of the PDP/presidency to engage in unfair and foul means to win elections, it is astounded that a democratically elected president will resort to actions that are against the tenets of democracy just to hold on to power by any means.
“The PDP/presidency should know that no power in the world can stop an idea whose time has come. For Nigeria, this is the time for change, and change will come in spite of the shenanigans of the devilish duo. Our hope is that these desperadoes do not destroy the country in their rabid ambition,” the party said.
APC, therefore, enjoined Nigerians to be vigilant in the days, weeks and months ahead as the PDP/presidency begins to implement their grand plot.
Meanwhile, in its reaction to the statement by Lai Mohammed, the presidency, through the special adviser to the president on political matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said the PDP does not need to rig the 2015 election.
“The APC is a crisis-ridden arrangement that is already being stared in the face by failure ahead of 2015. They should face their challenge of being a concoction of strange bedfellows rather than looking at the PDP and the presidency for any of their problems. We do not need to rig the 2015 election because we have enjoyed the confidence of Nigerians since the inception of democracy in 1999.”
PILLED PRODUCT FLOWING FROM A BURST NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) PIPELINE AT TUDUN WADA MALAM JAMO VILLAGE IN AKKO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF GOMBE ON SUNDAY
Residents of Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State have appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to provide them with alternative sources of water.
The residents, who are in Tudun Wada Malam Jamo, Konkeje and Jauro Baba communities, made the appeal in an interview with reporters on Sunday in Gombe.
An NNPC oil pipeline in Tudun Wada Malam Jamo burst on Friday evening resulting in oil spill which led to the adulteration of the river and only water source in the area.
Spokespersons of the communities, Alhaji Yayari Jungudo and Umar Ajiya, said that following the spillage, the three communities had been without portable water as the only water available was contaminated.
“We woke up around 4.30 a.m. on Saturday only to discover that the stream had been contaminated with petroleum due to the pipeline burst.
“Today, all the residents of these three villages went as far as Gamadaji village, about four kilometres away, to fetch water.
“We do not have wells or boreholes or any other source of water but the river and it has now been contaminated by petroleum.
“We appeal to the NNPC or the authorities concerned to provide us with alternative sources of water supply,’’ Jungudo said.
Also speaking, Ajiya, who is the Youth Leader in the area, said the people in the area were facing difficulty following the development.
He said that a similar incident occurred at the beginning of the raining season this year, when the pipeline burst.
Ajiya appealed to NNPC to address the problem to ease the difficulty being faced by people in the area.
All attempts by NAN to get comments from officials of the NNPC failed.
A staff of the NNPC, who pleaded anonymity told NAN that “nobody will talk to you; even the Branch Manager will not talk to you.’’
NAN also reports that by Sunday morning, the NNPC engineers had completed repairs of the burst pipeline. (NAN)
National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has called on President Goodluck Jonathan and other elected and appointed public office holders to dedicate half of their salaries for one year to the poor.
The CAN President, who spoke during the 53rd Independence Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service on Sunday at the National Christian Centre in Abuja, said the move would build confidence in the country.
“The unemployment situation is bad. The situation is critical. People are jobless. I want to make a suggestion; and in making the suggestion, I want to look up to the heaven, that probably if all political office holders, both elected and appointed, will give half of their salaries for one year and put it in a dedicated account for the poor and let men and women of integrity run that account, it will build confidence in the society,” he said.
Oritsejafor also identified what he called terrible demonic sacrifices allegedly made by some people for wealth, political and spiritual powers as one of the nation’s problems.
“Nigeria is in the hands of God; no one has power over this nation. God is in control”, he said adding that “one of the things troubling this nation are terrible demonic sacrifices that men have made human sacrifices and life cow sacrifices for wealth an political powers.”
Oritsejafor, who announced the presence in the church of some of the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency, said about 10,000 Nigerian refugees, driven out of their country by what he described as “mad men” without dignity and respect for humanity, are currently in Cameroon.
He commended the efforts of security agencies and asked them to continue to collaborate to fight terrorism.
Oritsejafor also reserved praises for members of the Volunteer Vigilance Youth Groups (VVYG) popularly called civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State, describing their efforts as a bold step even as he tasked northern leaders on the need to do more to contain insurgency in the region.
On the lingering faceoff between members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government, The CAN President urged both parties to make concessions to bring the strike to an end, saying the Christian community, if allowed, is ready to “midwife” a solution to the dispute.
-Daily Trust
PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (L), BEING DECORATED WITH ANIOMA REGALIA BY ASAGBA OF ASABA, PROF. CHIKE EDOZIE, DURING THE VISIT OF ANIOMA TRADITIONAL RULERS AND ELDERS TO THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA IN ABUJA (NAN)
The South East geo-political zone’s continued support for the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is borne out of their belief in the indivisibility of Nigeria and the survival of democracy.
This was the view of Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State in Umuahia, weekend, who said President Jonathan’s emergence marked a remarkable turn-around in the Nigerian political landscape because it has become the bastion of hope for equity.
The governor’s views were contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Public Communication, Mr. Ben Onyechere, who said: “The open door policy of Mr. President, in conjunction with his even distribution of resources and amenities, has opened a new vista in the operationalization of our democratic culture which will stand the test of time as it will also serve to promote unity.
“I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the socio-economic trends in the polity of this country could not have been better due to his deliberate method of amenability and flexibility, not withstanding skirmishes and agitation of some members in the ruling party for more recognition. It is on record that the style of governance by Mr. President has gained popularity internally and internationally because of his application of intellectual sensibility where patience is allowed to thrive over tribulation.”
-Vanguard
FROM LEFT: CHAIRMAN, PDP BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CHIEF TONY ANENIH; FORMER HEAD OF INTERIM NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, CHIEF ERNEST SHONEKAN; FORMER HEAD OF STATE, GEN. YAKUBU GOWON; SENATE PRESIDENT DAVID MARK; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN; DEPUTY SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CHIEF EMEKA IHEDIOHA; GOV. JONAH JANG OF PLATEAU AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION, SEN. ANYIM PIUS ANYIM, AT THE 53RD INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH SERVICE IN ABUJA ON SUNDAY (NAN)
President Goodluck Jonathan has said the attacks by Islamist sect, Boko Haram is quite depressing but said all hopes is not lost.
Speaking at the 53rd Independence Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service held on Sunday at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, he condemned the killing of 21 Agriculture students in Yobe State yesterday.
The figure has risen to about 78.
According to him, the challenges confronting Nigeria are transient and the country will soon get over them.
His words: “No Boko Haram or any group can frustrate this country. We may suffer pains just like our Lord Jesus said at the critical moment that though the spirit is willing but the body is weak. Sometimes our body is very weak; we feel the pains of those who are our direct relations of those who have been killed carelessly. These are things I believe is the creation of the devil to slow down our progress as a nation.
“Today you will agree with me that if you were in my shoes you will lack words to say. We had this programme in mind, we went to bed last night so that by this time today we will all gather here to thank God for what he has done for this country. But then only few minutes after 12 last night about 21 students were murdered in Yobe state by a group that describes themselves as Boko Haram.
“If you were wearing my shoes, what courage will you have to stand here before Nigerians, what message would you send to Nigerians, the parents of these young people, our future leaders, students in the school of agriculture.
“Do you say that the killing of these students is political? Which of the political parties do the students belong to? People who killed them don’t even know them. Do you say it is ethnic? Which ethnic group do the students belong to? Do you say it is religion or belief? These students are they Christians or Muslims?” He asked rhetorically.
“This is the situation that plays almost on a daily basis. It is quite depressing. But having listened to the message of the CAN President you will agree with me that all of us have hope and by God’s grace we will get to where we want to go as a nation.” He added
“The journey of a nation is like the journey of an individual, we must have obstacles. Sometimes they say it is even darker when it is getting to the dawn of the day. The challenges we are seeing now are very transient and we will get to the end of it.”
Maintaining that Nigeria is on the path to greatness, President Jonathan said: “Nigeria is at the turning point where I believe we must move and join the global society. If you look at the journeys of nations, first and foremost before you liberate people you must make sure that they have a civilised way of electing their leaders and we have almost reached there.
“We must make sure we conduct free and fair elections, but forces of evil don’t want it that way. They want a situation where they will continue to impose themselves or whoever they like on the people. Look at the successes in the telecom industry and we now say the power sector that immediately we liberalise it will now be like the telecom industry.
He continued: “We have almost gone through the first phase of the privatisation process where people thought that because of corruption on Nigeria would not succeed. We have completely privatised about N3 billion worth of federal government assets and there are no stories of wrong doing.
“This is the turning point because power is critical in the development of any modern society. The forces of evil will continue to push us backwards but our commitment and the will of God to move forward will surely suppress them.”
“We thank God so far for our journey as a nation. As we look up to our centenary celebration there are quite a number of questions people sometimes ask themselves, maybe Lord Lugard made a mistake to amalgamate the Northern and Southern parts of the country or what. People talk about Sovereign National Conference and so on and so forth, but those of you who are Christians know that God does not make mistake. God has a reason for Lord Lugard to have amalgamated the Northern and Southern Parts of this country.
“It creates a country with a very high degree of diversity in terms of the human beings, culture and even in terms of our environment. In terms of the ecological zones for agriculture and tourism and all these have to be exploited for the development of this country.
“Those of them who are trying to exploit our diversity to create problems for us as a nation will surely not succeed.
The president thanked Nigerians for their prayers and assured that “those of you who voted and put us here, we will continue to do our best despite our challenges and we must surely leave this country better than we met it.”
Mr. Jonathan during the service also took the 2nd Scripture Reading from the book of Matthew 14: 23-33.
Dignitaries that attended the church service include former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih.
Others are the Senate President, David Mark; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang.
Members of the Diplomatic corp, many senators and members of the House of Representatives, Ministers, Heads of security agencies were also in attendance.
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Congratulations To Segun Adeyemi
My Friends Brother who is btw 17 or 18 came for a Sleepover, am 25 . My Parents were out and wanted me to pretty much 'babysit' them while they were away. time went by and I wanted to go for a Walk. As I got back went back to my Room I saw with my own eyes my Brothers Friend smelling my Underwear from my Laundry Basket I was so shoked I stubbornly cleared my throat and he turned away swiftly and looked at me, and couldnt say a word,dropped my painties and left with shame....later that day I sneakily went into my Brothers Friends bag to see if he took anything, As I opened his bag I saw my Bra and 2 of my Underwear, I just got so Furious but couldn't do much.
The boyfriend, Chika told Sunday Sun
“I am a driver and I’ve been dating Chinwe for the past five years. We had little quarrel and we stopped dating. I meet Cynthia who is a prostitute and dated her for just one month. We separated one month after because at times she would be chasing me with a knife. I couldn’t bear it and so I went back to settle with my former girlfriend. Cynthia didn’t give up as she threatened that she was going to deal with us. She even threatened to pour acid on me.
Being a driver, I travelled the day Cynthia burnt my girlfriend. It was one of my neighbours that called me to say that my house was on fire and that somebody poured fuel under the door and it exploded and burnt my girlfriend who was sleeping in the room; that they have rescued her through the window.
“When I got home, I saw that all my property had been burnt to ashes. My girlfriend was hospitalized because she sustained injuries from the fire. But I am determined and I have promised God that with the condition of my girlfriend that I am still going to marry her.”
The suspect, Cynthia, who hails from Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, said
“I started dating Chika when he had misunderstanding with his former girlfriend, Chinwe. We dated for one month and then he told me that he was no longer interested in marrying me. Chika is owing me N12,000. When we had a quarrel, I did not threaten him with a knife. I only used the knife to deflate his tyres.
“I have quarreled with Chinwe several times. I sent her a text message to leave my boyfriend. Because she threatened me, I also threatened her that she will never enjoy the relationship. I don’t know anything about who took fuel to the house of her boyfriend and burnt the house. On that fateful day, Chika called my phone at night and said that I should meet him at Emene junction. I was out waiting for him when the policemen from the State CID arrested me. I didn’t know anything about the incident. I only know we have traded words.”
When Sunday Sun visited the victim at the Annunciation Specialist Hospital Emene Area, Enugu State, she said:
“I am still shocked at what happened. I regret dating Chika as I have been turned to something else now. I saw Cynthia Onah and Chukwuegbo Obiora after they had poured fuel under the door and fire was everywhere. I was calling him for help. It was when I was calling for help through the other window that I saw Cynthia Onah and Obiora Chkwuegbo running away and I was shouting for help until the neighbours broke one of the windows and carried me out from the window”, she said.
“My relationship with Chika is over. I am in pains and agony. I didn’t know what to do. I was sleeping and suddenly I saw smoke and it exploded and caught fire. I could have been burnt to ashes if not for the neighbours who broke through the window and rescued me,” she added.
CP Adamu said the suspects would soon be charged to court.
Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi
A former Director-General of the defunct National Security Organisation (NSO), now State Security Service (SSS), Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, has advised that attention should be paid to “enemies from within”, while hailing the introduction of positive innovations and modernisation in the security intelligence training and operation in the country.
Speaking at the passing out parade of the SSS cadets at the SSS Academy in Badagry, Lagos recently, Shinkafi, who was a special guest at the occasion, said the current Director-General was introducing fresh approach to training and in security but called for a more intelligence frame work.
“They must, in the spirit of innovation and modernisations endeavour, in their work of protecting the state, pay as much attention to the enemy within as much as the one without. Through its history the security intelligence organisation has somewhat dwelled rather disproportionately on pursuit of extraneous security threats.
“Ironically, more recently, modern democratic governments in our country tend to generate intra-dissention, which has implications on internal security and which therefore ought to be monitored even if for internal departmental assessments,” he noted.
Shinkafi recalled the recent bold exposition of the late General Andrew Azazi,s that the ruling political parties was posing security threats to the nation.
“What Azazi said of the political situation in the current republic was true of the first, second and third republic.
“It is my strong recommendation therefore that late General Azazi’s daring exposition at second South-south summit in Asaba on April 26, 2012 can now be researched. For instance, the tension between Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) and a section of the powerful traditional authority in the North; the National NCNC crisis in the East and the more chronicled and tragic Action Group (AG) crisis in the West all during the First Republic, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) – Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) rapture and its consequences during the Second Republic, among others. and of course the endless intra feuding in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in this republic.
“These can be developed into what the profession may designate as ‘The Azazi Doctrine’ and be integrated into not only the curriculum of the academy but also in the strategy of operations,” Shinkafi noted.
He therefore urged the government to continue to support what he tagged: “noble endeavour of ensuring public safety through the work of the security intelligence organisations.”
He also advised that research and development by patriotic non-partisan professionals should be fundamental to the curriculum of training, and called on the fresh cadets to apply the skills they have acquired at the academy to their functions when they leave.
file: women mourning deaths of victims of an attack in Kaduna
Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero, has directed security agencies to intensify surveillance in Zangang village, Kaura Local Government Area of the state following the killing of 15 people by yet to be identified gunmen who invaded the village at the weekend.
The bandits, who were said to have arrived the village from two different directions, were also said to have injured several people while houses were set ablaze.
In a statement, Sunday, by his Director General, Media and Publicity, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki, Yero condemned the incident and appealed to the people of the area to be calm and avoid a situation where miscreants would want to escalate the situation.
The statement also disclosed that security agencies had already commenced investigation into the criminal act and were on the trail of the attackers with the aim of bringing them to justice.
The governor therefore urged the people of the state to continue to live peacefully and to always adopt dialogue as the only means to resolving conflicts as there was no substitute to peace.
He warned against any resort to violating the laws to avoid any act that could lead to confusion and anarchy.
The governor expressed his condolences to the families of those affected in the attack.
He also assured the people the state of his administration’s commitment to building lasting peace and called for the support of the indigenes of the state. [ThisDay]
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, Sunday placed officers and men of the force, as well as other special operatives, on red alert nation-wide, as part of efforts by the police to ensure a hitch-free Independence anniversary.
The IG also directed all Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), Command Commissioners of Police, including the Maritime Command to ensure adequate and effective deployment of all operational tools and manpower within their commands, and to pay special attention to shopping malls, public parks and beaches, highways and other critical infrastructure and sensitive areas in order to guarantee the safety and well being of the citizenry.
Abubakar, in a statement signed by the Force spokesperson, Mr. Frank Mba, assured Nigerians that the police would do everything within available resources to discharge their statutory responsibilities of providing safe and secure environment for all, particularly during this period of Independence Anniversary.
The IG therefore called on Nigerians to put their differences aside and courageously continue to support the police in the face of current security challenges confronting the country.
He also enjoined all well meaning persons and groups to cooperate with the Force by providing useful information, especially with regards to the on-going fight against terrorism and other forms of crimes and criminalities, for the mutual benefit and collective interest of the citizenry.
Employees of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have threatened to stop the supply of electricity across the country by October 2 if the federal government goes ahead to handover the assets of the company to private investors today without the conclusion of payment of workers entitlements.
This comes following the expiration of the ultimatum issued by the workers to government to resolve all labour issues ahead of the privatisation of PHCN.
In preparation for the industrial action, the workers will today hold a nationwide protest to alert Nigerians of impending shutdown of the power sector on Wednesday.
Speaking under the umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), the union directed its members to withdraw their services from all PHCN installations immediately after the celebration of the nation’s 53 Independence anniversary.
In a statement issued by its secretary, Joe Ajaero, the union said the industrial action became necessary in view of government’s refusal to resolve the outstanding labour issues with the workers.
The union said it was particularly disturbed by the statement credited to the Chairman of National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Vice-President Namadi Sambo that government had settled all the labour issues which had impeded the smooth take off of the privatisation programme and the handover to private investors.
It challenged the Office of the Vice-President “to mention any person from his constituency – Kaduna State where he served as governor, who has been paid his entitlement, pension and gratuity.”
It noted that the policy of deploying soldiers to PHCN installations to intimidate workers was “definitely misguided and misdirected as they are directed to creating more tension to already tensed polity.”
The statement read: “For clarity, please note that these issues are outstanding: payments of terminal benefits: payment of the terminal benefits is yet to rise up to 50 per cent for the eligible workers. Non-payment of retirement savings fund to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs): Up till this moment no efforts has been made to commence payment. The PFAs can attest to this fact. Non-remittance of 2 per cent of the union deductions as agreed: No word has been heard from the BPE/government on remittance of this two person neither has the deductions already made from the paid workers remitted to the unions.”
“Non-payment of retirees who disengaged since 2011: It is absurd and sordid for government not to think of settling these people who laboured over the years in service of this country and get retired meritoriously, while the privatisation exercise was on. Non-regularisation of some of the casuals already identified: With the biometrics done and concluded, it becomes worrisome on the continued delay in regularising the casuals who had been identified based on agreements already entered into. 10 per cent equity shareholding by the workers: In line with the relevant laws, the workers are entitled to 10 per cent Equity Share of the total sale of PHCN.
But it appears the government is bent on short changing the workers.”
“The shortfall of terminal benefits from June 2012 till date has not been considered for payment.
“These contending issues cannot be jettisoned by the workers to allow any force to takeover! It behooves us therefore to advise the vice-president and those misguiding him not to toy with the socio-economic lives of PHCN workers, their families and other Nigerians who depend on them for their livelihood. We are set to take our destiny in our hands.
“Because of Independence Day ceremonies, we would be patient to allow for full celebrations.
“However, we hereby urge Nigerians to bear with us if after October 2, the government goes ahead with her illicit handover to the investors and forceful takeover; the implication would be that the workers have technically been asked to withdraw their services and we may not be able to guarantee smooth operations.
Consequently, if after October 2, the Office of the Vice-President fails to correct this misleading information, we shall not guarantee supply of electricity in the country. This is not a threat as our earlier ultimatum has expired.”
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Best of luck Guys,
Leye.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has advised the federal government to withdraw its threats of attacks against social media, as “any such threat can only continue to strangle freedom of expression and limit the accountability of government.”
This came in a statement, Monday, by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, as the world marks the International Right to Know Day, the organisation stated that, “The 2011 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression has underscored the importance of freedom of expression on the Internet, and urged governments not to arbitrarily restrict this right.”
The organization said: “The call by government officials for censorship of social media is entirely unnecessary as social media has played an important role in educating the ordinary citizens about the performance of their governments, and on issues of transparency and accountability.
It will be recalled that the Information Minister, Labaran Maku, had last Friday claimed that social media community “are publishing reports capable of undermining military strategy against extremists, and stir mutiny within the military.”
But SERAP said, “Social media are important to the work of human rights defenders everywhere. Any attempt to undermine this work will be resisted by civil society through national and international legal actions.”
SERAP added: “Freedom of expression on the Internet is a fundamental freedom. It is absolutely crucial to citizens’ rights to communicate and associate, and to the enjoyment of their other human rights, including the right to know how their governments are run, and to hold their leaders accountable .”
The organisation also stated that: “The threats against the social media such as Premium Times and Sahara Reporters patently offend the constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments. Any arbitrary restrictions to freedom of expression including on the Internet through social media will be unnecessary in a democratic society, and clearly inconsistent with the conduct of a government reputed to have passed the Freedom of Information Act.”
“Rather than equating the role of social media in promoting transparency, accountability, and the rule of law to incitement to violence, any serious and people-oriented government should actually work to promote it,” SERAP said.
The government of Delta State, weekend, embarked on the demolition of illegal structures in Agbor metropolis, in Ika South and Ika North-East Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking to newsmen on the exercise, State Commissioner for Environment, Chief Frank Omare, said: “The state government will not spare any illegal structure in the state. As government, we are determined to remove all illegal structures in the state. Today, we are in Agbor and we are working on Secretariat Road and College of Education Road. Tomorrow, we will move to other parts of the town.
“We had warned residents of the area to remove all illegal structures but some of them failed to comply, hence we are here. The exercise is part of government’s effort to beautify the state and clear all blocked water channels.”
The exercise, however, suffered some setbacks after the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in the area withdrew policemen that were deployed to provide security for officials of the Ministry of Environment carrying out the demolition.
No one couldd say exactly what went wrong, as the DPO stormed the scene of demolition and sent his orderly to call the commissioner, Chief Omare for questioning.
Borno State governor Alhaji Kashim Shettima has launched a feeding programme for patients on admission in public hospitals in the state free of charge. The governor also increased the monthly vote for the programme from N5 million to N10 million.
Gov. Shettima said this at the weekend when he visited patients at the Umaru Shehu Ultra Modern Hospital where he joined in the eating of food prepared for the patients.
Earlier, the chairperson of the feeding committee, Hajjiya Gambo Dori said they were trying their best to ensure that every patient on admission at any public hospital in Maiduguri were fed despite the increasing number of patients being admitted daily due to the ongoing insurgency.
CORPSES OF THE MURDERED STUDENTS. PHOTO CREDIT: CHANNELSTV
The European Union (EU) has described the attack on hapless students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, Yobe State which death toll has risen to 78 as “horrific”.
It promised to support the Nigerian government to combat the deadly Boko Haram sect believed to have carried out the massacre.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton, said those responsible for the attacks and others that targeted children and students in the past must be brought to book.
“The High Representative condemns the horrific terrorist attack perpetrated today in Yobe State and those that took place on previous days and weeks in Northern Nigeria and elsewhere. Her thoughts are with the victims and their families”, the statement read.
“The High Representative reiterates the EU’s firm rejection of such unjustifiable violence, whoever the perpetrators. Today’s attack clearly targeted children and students. Those responsible for this and all other attacks must be brought to justice and be held responsible for their acts.”
The EU reiterated its commitment to partner Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, “under the principles of the rule of law, including full respect and protection of human rights.”
