Saturday, November 20, 2010

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Nigerian banking system still highly risky – Rating agency

Nigerian banks are extremely risky, despite a N620bn bailout of the sector in 2009, a global rating agency, Standard & Poor, has said.

“The Nigerian banking system is still highly risky. The ratings we have for the banks are in the single ‘B’ category, it‘s a very very low level compared to most banks in the world,” Mr. John Gibling, Managing Director (financial institutions) at S&P, said in London on Monday.

Gibling told the audience at an ongoing conference on Nigeria that there was still a long way to go in the ongoing reform of the banking sector by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“We continue to see the Nigerian banking system as very high risk. In regulatory reform, there is still a long way to go,” he added.

Gibling spoke just as the CBN Governor, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, reaffirmed that the apex bank would from mid-July begin to receive offers from investors interested in acquiring majority stake in the five banks it rescued in August 2009.

The banks are Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Oceanic Bank International Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc, BankPHB Plc and Afribank Plc.

The CBN, according to Bloomberg, is hoping that investors will recapitalise nine banks that were weakly capitalised due to lax risk management.

Gibling, however, praised Sanusi and his predecessor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for the banking sector reforms, saying the bailout had been a ”very, very brave move” which had prevented a catastrophe.

But he said that the banks needed to improve their risk management to boost the confidence of foreign investors.

The S&P boss said, ”What Nigerian banks really need is to continue improving their risk management culture, particularly in developing strong asset quality measures.

”They are very dependent on short-term funding ... They need to develop more long-term funding, which will help them in funding more long-term financing projects for the economy.”

in Basel, Switzerland, Lamido said on Monday, that the CBN expected three international lenders, a number of private equity houses and local lenders to submit offers for the rescued banks.

Sanusi said the interested parties were already undertaking ”detailed” due diligence,

The CBN governor, on the sidelines of the Bank for International Settlements annual meeting in Basel, said, “We‘ve got three international banks that have remained in the serious running to acquire banks.

“There is also a number of local banks and private equity firms. By the middle of August we should actually have clear visibility on at least five of the banks.”

The financial crisis left the banks with toxic assets of over N1tn, New York-based Eurasia Group had estimated a year ago.

Sanusi added that securing a future for Union Bank, Oceanic Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Bank PHB and Afribank was the priority of the CBN since they (the five banks) were the most ”systematically important” banks to Nigeria.

The CBN is waiting for presidential approval for a law that will create the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, a government entity that will buy bad debts from the banking sector, using funds raised through government-guaranteed local bond issuance. The approval is expected early in July.

The bonds will be issued on a deal-by deal-basis.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

HOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYSHOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYS

Before going into the real business of the day, I would like to warn that if you are one of those that take pleasure in defrauding people, I don’t think this useful piece of information is for you.
Secondly, don’t force yourself into any business that you know too little about, because you will find it difficult to make much progress in that business. It is also important that you have a genuine interest for anything you wish to start both online and offline.
Most importantly, try to gather the necessary skills required to excel in any business you wish to start.
Let nobody deceive you, you must show some commitment and hardwork for you to make great progress online. The major difference between working online and offline is that you decide how and when to work online in most cases.
Working online is great because there is nobody to query you or boss you around, and you have the opportunity of getting involved in many opportunities in the shortest period of time.
As a Nigerian, instead of wasting a lot of time on the internet seeking whom to defraud, you can use less time to achieve great things.
Some of the genuine online opportunities you can start today include Blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, commodities trading, forex trading, options trading, or you can also join the revenue sharing system organized by Google known as Google adsense.
All the above are some of the genuine ways of earning online especially as a Nigerian, but the most important thing is to acquire the necessary skills needed to excel in each of them. For this reason, I have packaged an e- book that will help you to excel in blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, etc, and I am also giving out Forex tutorial manual, a guide on how to make money from the Nigerian Stock Market, Google adsense blueprint and two powerful motivational books as bonuses for purchasing this simple but powerful e-book “THE AFFILIATES GUIDE”
Inside this book, you will learn how to become a better affiliate and make consistent income from affiliate commissions; how you can use a free blog to earn great income; how to earn from publishing articles online, the easiest ways to attract visitors to your webpage, how you can easily sell your own products to greater number of people, etc. Don’t forget that this e- book comes with mouth- watering bonuses that you cannot afford to miss.
This package with all the bonuses will only cost you 2,000 naira(two thousand naira)- the cheapest you can ever get considering the quality of the e-book and the bonuses that come with it.
What you need to start;
• The skills which the e-book will provide.
• A computer with an internet connection.
HURRY AND GRAB A COPY BECAUSE IF YOU DELAY, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. USE THE PAYMENT DETAILS BELOW TO ORDER FOR YOUR COPY.
Payment details:
Oceanic bank international Plc.
Acct no: 0050001022931.
Acct name: Asiegbu, Tochukwu Ebuka.
After payment, text your name, e mail, teller no to 08064004963 or send a mail to (asiegbutch@yahoo.com) with the subject "Affiliate", and your copy will be forwarded to your e mail address immediately the payment is confirmed.
Have a great online money making experience!!!

Jonathan orders probe of projects in 2010 budget

President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee to probe some projects listed for execution in the 2010 budget.

The directive followed a discovery that the controversial contract for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja second runway project was overvalued by N13.5bn.

The PPAC, at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, said it reduced the contract sum from N63.8bn to N49.6bn, after “a meticulous assessment of the scope and design of the project.”

Receiving the report of the committee, Jonathan said he believed that a probe of some of the budgeted projects would yield similar results.

The President also directed that the PPAC’s assignment should be extended from March 1, 2010 to May 29, 2011, the date his administration’s tenure would end.

Reports on about 7,000 projects assessed by the committee are to be submitted to Jonathan and made public on a regular basis.

The reports will form part of the handover notes of the Jonathan administration.

Presenting the report on the airport, the Chairman of the PPAC, Mr. Ibrahim Bunu, said the committee paid special attention to the project because of the interest the contract sum generated shortly after hearings on the matter by the National Assembly.

He explained that the size of the second runway had been reduced from 4.5 kilometres to 4.25 kilometres.

Bunu later told journalists that the reduction of the contract sum did not imply a reduction in the quality of the project.

He said, “Our presence in the Villa today (Monday) was to present to the President our interim report called ‘Interim Report One,’ which covers the second runway of the NAIAA.

“The contract for the runway, which includes design and construction, has generated a lot of public interest and criticism of recent, especially from the National Assembly, and we had to hasten the conclusion of this report for government.

“What we have done in the review of the project was to review the entire design and scope of the contract by re-orientating the location of the runway; that has given us a lot of opportunity to reduce the scope of earth work and construction work.

“It has also given us the reduction in scope of the electrical and even the runway; and therefore we have been able to save a substantial sum on the contract sum.

“The contract sum, which was N63.8bn, has been reduced to N49.6bn, with a saving of N13.5bn on the contract sum. This what we have presented to the President.

“We are happy that the President is happy with our report and we hope the next stage of the project will be good for Nigeria.

“We shifted the original position of the runway to a location which gives stronger earth stability and also require less filling of sand.

“Also, the shifting brought the runway nearer to the existing runway, which has resulted in reducing the taxiway.”

Explaining further, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, said Jonathan extended the PPAC’s tenure, and directed the committee to probe some projects in the 2010 budget.

According to Niboro, the President has a strong belief that tremendous savings would be made from a probe of some of the projects in the 2010 budget, particularly “below the radar procurements” that do not pass through the Bureau for Public Procurement.

Niboro said, “You have noticed that the committee has made savings of about N13.5bn on the Abuja airport second runway project. This is one of the roles this committee is meant to play.

“At the meeting today (Monday), the President directed that the tenure of this committee be extended till May 29, 2011; it will go with this administration.

“Its report will be part of the handover note to the new administration that will come on board.

“The reason for this is obvious; the projects are much and already they have looked at 7,000 projects and there are more. The President doesn’t want a situation where they will be loading him with huge reports. He would rather want them to be coming from time to time, especially regarding major projects, as they have done with the Abuja airport second runway project.”

Niboro also said that Jonathan was concerned with the unusually high rate of public procurement in Nigeria, which “is unnecessarily higher than what is obtainable in neighbouring countries.”

He said, “Another thing that the committee is to look into is the cost of doing business in the country.

“The President wants this committee to get involved in procurement, especially those that are below the radar procurements that does not necessarily go through the BPP.

“A lot of procurement is happening in the ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government that does not come to the BPP. I think there is a need to look at them because the 2010 budget is already in deficit and the President feels there will be a lot of savings made if we look into those projects.

“The committee is going to get involved in this process and these are the reasons why its tenure has been extended, so that its members can have time to do a thorough job for this administration.”

Jonathan had on March 1, 2010 set up the committee, to assess the status of all on-going federal projects in the country.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Conoil discovers huge gas reserve in Niger Delta

Conoil Producing Limited, Nigeria’s leading indigenous petroleum, exploration and production company, has discovered huge deposits of gas in the central part of its Oil Mining Lease 136 (OML-136) in offshore western Delta of Nigeria.

The company made the discovery in Agge-3B. T1 well while appraising an undrilled compartment of the Agge field complex. The well was located in a water depth of 140 metres and reached a total depth of 2,710 metres, below mean sea level. The newly discovered gas reserve has a gross thickness in excess of 160 metres.

Reports said that the production test over the lower intervals of the new pay zones yielded an impressive volume of 24.2x MMScft/d on a 36/64" choke. Further ongoing studies will assess the impact of the Agge-3B, T1 results on the field reservoir and in addition to other discoveries, provide available options for the development of the block. Conoil Producing Limited is the operator of the Joint Venture in which Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNL), a subsidiary of TOTAL S.A owns a 40 percent working interest in the license.

Conoil was awarded the oil block OML 136 (formerly OPL 458) in 1992, after the company had successfully proven itself as a major indigenous player in a sector that was hitherto dominated by foreign companies.
Conoil has over the years, built up a broad based experience and extensive competence relating to the exploration, development and production of crude oil and gas fields as well as the operation of production units and pipelines.

HOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYSHOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYS

Before going into the real business of the day, I would like to warn that if you are one of those that take pleasure in defrauding people, I don’t think this useful piece of information is for you.
Secondly, don’t force yourself into any business that you know too little about, because you will find it difficult to make much progress in that business. It is also important that you have a genuine interest for anything you wish to start both online and offline.
Most importantly, try to gather the necessary skills required to excel in any business you wish to start.
Let nobody deceive you, you must show some commitment and hardwork for you to make great progress online. The major difference between working online and offline is that you decide how and when to work online in most cases.
Working online is great because there is nobody to query you or boss you around, and you have the opportunity of getting involved in many opportunities in the shortest period of time.
As a Nigerian, instead of wasting a lot of time on the internet seeking whom to defraud, you can use less time to achieve great things.
Some of the genuine online opportunities you can start today include Blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, commodities trading, forex trading, options trading, or you can also join the revenue sharing system organized by Google known as Google adsense.
All the above are some of the genuine ways of earning online especially as a Nigerian, but the most important thing is to acquire the necessary skills needed to excel in each of them. For this reason, I have packaged an e- book that will help you to excel in blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, etc, and I am also giving out Forex tutorial manual, a guide on how to make money from the Nigerian Stock Market, Google adsense blueprint and two powerful motivational books as bonuses for purchasing this simple but powerful e-book “THE AFFILIATES GUIDE”
Inside this book, you will learn how to become a better affiliate and make consistent income from affiliate commissions; how you can use a free blog to earn great income; how to earn from publishing articles online, the easiest ways to attract visitors to your webpage, how you can easily sell your own products to greater number of people, etc. Don’t forget that this e- book comes with mouth- watering bonuses that you cannot afford to miss.
This package with all the bonuses will only cost you 2,000 naira(two thousand naira)- the cheapest you can ever get considering the quality of the e-book and the bonuses that come with it.
What you need to start;
• The skills which the e-book will provide.
• A computer with an internet connection.
HURRY AND GRAB A COPY BECAUSE IF YOU DELAY, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. USE THE PAYMENT DETAILS BELOW TO ORDER FOR YOUR COPY.
Payment details:
Oceanic bank international Plc.
Acct no: 0050001022931.
Acct name: Asiegbu, Tochukwu Ebuka.
After payment, text your name, e mail, teller no to 08064004963 or send a mail to (asiegbutch@yahoo.com) with the subject "Affiliate", and your copy will be forwarded to your e mail address immediately the payment is confirmed.
Have a great online money making experience!!!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

South Africa foils white extremist plot

Police in South Africa say they have foiled a plot by white extremists to bomb black townships ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.

Seven white extremists have been arrested in connection with the plot, a spokesman for the police special investigations unit, Musa Zondi said Friday.

They were arrested late last month in the northeastern town of Phalaborwa, near the Kruger National Park. Five of those arrested have been charged with terrorism, Zondi added.

The police raid on the terrorists came following the killing of white supremacist Eugene Terre'Blanche which inflamed race tensions amid calls for revenge from his far-right movement.

"They were conspiring to engage in terrorist activities, which includes the fact that they wanted to blow up areas in which black people live," Zondi said adding that the charges against two of the detainees were dropped on Friday.

Police chief Bheki Cele told reporters on Friday that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 as scheduled.

South African Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa had broken the news about the plot on Thursday, saying right-wing extremists who were planning to bomb black townships and create chaos were arrested.

HOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYSHOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYS

Before going into the real business of the day, I would like to warn that if you are one of those that take pleasure in defrauding people, I don’t think this useful piece of information is for you.
Secondly, don’t force yourself into any business that you know too little about, because you will find it difficult to make much progress in that business. It is also important that you have a genuine interest for anything you wish to start both online and offline.
Most importantly, try to gather the necessary skills required to excel in any business you wish to start.
Let nobody deceive you, you must show some commitment and hardwork for you to make great progress online. The major difference between working online and offline is that you decide how and when to work online in most cases.
Working online is great because there is nobody to query you or boss you around, and you have the opportunity of getting involved in many opportunities in the shortest period of time.
As a Nigerian, instead of wasting a lot of time on the internet seeking whom to defraud, you can use less time to achieve great things.
Some of the genuine online opportunities you can start today include Blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, commodities trading, forex trading, options trading, or you can also join the revenue sharing system organized by Google known as Google adsense.
All the above are some of the genuine ways of earning online especially as a Nigerian, but the most important thing is to acquire the necessary skills needed to excel in each of them. For this reason, I have packaged an e- book that will help you to excel in blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, etc, and I am also giving out Forex tutorial manual, a guide on how to make money from the Nigerian Stock Market, Google adsense blueprint and two powerful motivational books as bonuses for purchasing this simple but powerful e-book “THE AFFILIATES GUIDE”
Inside this book, you will learn how to become a better affiliate and make consistent income from affiliate commissions; how you can use a free blog to earn great income; how to earn from publishing articles online, the easiest ways to attract visitors to your webpage, how you can easily sell your own products to greater number of people, etc. Don’t forget that this e- book comes with mouth- watering bonuses that you cannot afford to miss.
This package with all the bonuses will only cost you 2,000 naira(two thousand naira)- the cheapest you can ever get considering the quality of the e-book and the bonuses that come with it.
What you need to start;
• The skills which the e-book will provide.
• A computer with an internet connection.
HURRY AND GRAB A COPY BECAUSE IF YOU DELAY, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. USE THE PAYMENT DETAILS BELOW TO ORDER FOR YOUR COPY.
Payment details:
Oceanic bank international Plc.
Acct no: 0050001022931.
Acct name: Asiegbu, Tochukwu Ebuka.
After payment, text your name, e mail, teller no to 08064004963 or send a mail to (asiegbutch@yahoo.com) with the subject "Affiliate", and your copy will be forwarded to your e mail address immediately the payment is confirmed.
Have a great online money making experience!!!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

No evidence of oil on US shores

No evidence of oil impact has been seen on US shores after a giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico raised concerns over an ecological disaster, a coast guard says.

After days of suspension due to bad weather, a new overflight on Monday confirmed that there has been no oil on US land yet.

On Tuesday night, US oil platform Deepwater Horizon was burnt after a massive explosion and sunk into the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers.

More than one hundred workers escaped from the incident.

"Based on our overflights, there has been no confirmed oil on land yet," said coast guard spokesman Curtis Thomas.

"Bad weather prevented overflights and dispersant activities on May 2. Planning is currently under way to open a second airbase in Florida for dispersant activities."

At the time of the explosion, there were 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel onboard the platform, which had been drilling 8,000 barrels a day.

Over 150,000 gallons of chemicals have been dropped from planes to stop the spread of the oil spill which is threatening US shores.

The White House has issued a statement in which President Barack Obama said the federal response to the disaster "was being treated as the number one priority."

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

IBB must account for $12.4bn oil windfall – Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on former Nigerian military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) to account for how his regime spent the Gulf war windfall of $12.4billion which allegedly got missing. A statement by the Lagos-based lawyer, said: “The point is that Nigerians deserve explanations as to what exactly happened to the accrued oil revenue of $12.4bn which apparently went missing during the Babangida government. “And anyone who loves this country would expect accountability for the missing funds.

No amount of misinformation or misrepresentation of the facts and conclusions of the Okigbo report by anyone can stop the demand by Nigerians for accountability in this matter. The action by the civil society groups is indeed patriotic.”

According to him, based on an Okigbo panel report which made several conclusions on how the money was spent, a petition dated April 7, 2010 by a coalition of civil society groups in the country sought accountability for the money to the new Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, asking him to prosecute the former military president. The group, in its petition dated April 7, 2010, threatened to go to court to compel the justice minister to try the former president.

The group comprising Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Access to Justice (AJ), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Women Advocates and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) and Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS).
According to Falana, IBB has reportedly said that he “was never indicted by the Okigbo Report,” and that much of the funds went to infrastructural development of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The lawyer pointed out that Babangida, in a press release titled “Who is Afraid of General Ibrahim Babangida?” signed by his spokesman, Prince Kassim Afegbua denied that he was ever indicted by the Okigbo panel. What the report revealed was that much of the funds were concentrated on infrastructural development of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which it considered was not a priority. According to him, Babangida said the report also called for an overhaul of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to enable it perform its functions optimally.
 
SUNNEWS

Spring Bank springs back

Spring Bank Plc one of the eight banks rescued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) late last year has returned to profitability. This disclosure, which was scooped from the bank and confirmed by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido last week has restored the investors hope in the bank.

The bank, in line with the vision of the new management has also embarked on training and re-training of staff and also on massive promotion across the entire cadre.

The modest performance level has additionally impacted positively on the share price of the bank at the Nigerian Stoke Exchange (NSE), where the stocks witnessed a significant price rise from 96 kobo in September 2009 to a peak level of N1.32 in January, 2010.
The CBN Governor, who was visibly pleased about the development, said that contrary to criticisms, the intervention of the CBN in the banking industry last August has helped immensely to restore and increase customer confidence.

“I can assure you that the bank has returned to profitability, just like the CBN governor has said. There is a total turnaround in the bank, investors’ confidence has been restored and the investors’ can now be assured of better returns on their investment soonest” a senior official of the bank who pleaded anonymity said.
The top bank executive also said the return to the path of profitability has been made possible by the continued backing of the CBN and other strategies introduced by the Sola Ayodele-led Management from October last year.

Earlier the apex bank’s Governor, Sanusi, while fielding questions in an interview on Channels Television recently saidSpring Bank Plc was one of four rescued banks that posted a profit last February.
The new strategic direction put in place by the administration essentially focused on effective liquidity management, loan recovery, operational efficiency and corporate governance as well as recapitalization.
Accordingly, the bank has been able to achieve a significant improvement on income during the period, while increasing liquidity ratio to about 50 per cent, thereby, doubling the required regulatory minimum of 25 per cent. It has also recorded a steady growth of the deposit base since the takeover in October 2009.

Happy with the early results of these strategies and the hardwork of staff, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, this month, promoted 25 junior staff who have always maintained exceptionally high performance level.

Ayodele said in a statement to staff that the promotion exercise was strictly based on merit and will serve as a motivation to others while helping to renew staff confidence in the bank. She commended the staff of the bank for working assiduously with her administration and encouraged them to work harder towards the timely recapitalization of the bank in order to ensure optimum delivery of stakeholder value.
The Ayodele-led administration took over the management of the bank following the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the banking industry in October last year.


SUNNEWS

HOW TO START MAKING MONEY ONLINE AS A NIGERIAN IN GENUINE WAYS

Before going into the real business of the day, I would like to warn that if you are one of those that take pleasure in defrauding people, I don’t think this useful piece of information is for you.
Secondly, don’t force yourself into any business that you know too little about, because you will find it difficult to make much progress in that business. It is also important that you have a genuine interest for anything you wish to start both online and offline.
Most importantly, try to gather the necessary skills required to excel in any business you wish to start.
Let nobody deceive you, you must show some commitment and hardwork for you to make great progress online. The major difference between working online and offline is that you decide how and when to work online in most cases.
Working online is great because there is nobody to query you or boss you around, and you have the opportunity of getting involved in many opportunities in the shortest period of time.
As a Nigerian, instead of wasting a lot of time on the internet seeking whom to defraud, you can use less time to achieve great things.
Some of the genuine online opportunities you can start today include Blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, commodities trading, forex trading, options trading, or you can also join the revenue sharing system organized by Google known as Google adsense.
All the above are some of the genuine ways of earning online especially as a Nigerian, but the most important thing is to acquire the necessary skills needed to excel in each of them. For this reason, I have packaged an e- book that will help you to excel in blogging, article publishing, affiliate marketing, etc, and I am also giving out Forex tutorial manual, a guide on how to make money from the Nigerian Stock Market, Google adsense blueprint and two powerful motivational books as bonuses for purchasing this simple but powerful e-book “THE AFFILIATES GUIDE”
Inside this book, you will learn how to become a better affiliate and make consistent income from affiliate commissions; how you can use a free blog to earn great income; how to earn from publishing articles online, the easiest ways to attract visitors to your webpage, how you can easily sell your own products to greater number of people, etc. Don’t forget that this e- book comes with mouth- watering bonuses that you cannot afford to miss.
This package with all the bonuses will only cost you 2,000 naira(two thousand naira)- the cheapest you can ever get considering the quality of the e-book and the bonuses that come with it.
What you need to start;
• The skills which the e-book will provide.
• A computer with an internet connection.
HURRY AND GRAB A COPY BECAUSE IF YOU DELAY, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. USE THE PAYMENT DETAILS BELOW TO ORDER FOR YOUR COPY.
Payment details:
Oceanic bank international Plc.
Acct no: 0050001022931.
Acct name: Asiegbu, Tochukwu Ebuka.
After payment, text your name, e mail, teller no to 08064004963 or send a mail to (asiegbutch@yahoo.com) with the subject "Affiliate", and your copy will be forwarded to your e mail address immediately the payment is confirmed.
Have a great online money making experience!!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Serie A: Roma go top, Milan battle back to draw

AS Roma beat Atalanta 2-1 to hit the Serie A summit for the first time since 2007.


The Giallorossi took advantage of Inter Milan's 2-2 draw at Fiorentina on Saturday to leapfrog them in the standings with a victory at the Stadio Olimpico.
Mirko Vucinic put Roma on their way in the 12th minute before Marco Cassetti doubled the advantage before the half-hour mark. Atalanta striker Simone Tiribocchi reduced arrears in the 53rd minute but Roma held on for a crucial win.
The result lifts Roma one point clear of Inter with five games remaining while Atalanta remain 18th, four points adrift of safety.
AC Milan's title hopes took a huge blow as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Catania.
Gaston Maxi Lopez (12 minutes) and Adrian Ricchiuti (43) put the visitors in front, but Marco Borriello netted after 47 and 80 minutes to claim a point.
Palermo remain on course for the coveted fourth-placed finish and a place in next season's Champions League after a 3-1 defeat of Chievo Verona. Marcos put the visitors in front after 18 minutes, but Javier Pastore equalised 10 minutes later and Fabrizio Miccoli scored twice, the first from the penalty spot, to seal victory for Palermo.
Juventus are fifth, three points behind Palermo, after a 1-0 win over Cagliari, courtesy of Giorgio Chiellini's first-half strike. The defender headed in Mauro Camoranesi's cross after 35 minutes to retain the Bianconeri's hopes of Champions League football next term.
Lazio moved six points clear of the relegation zone with a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Bologna. The hosts were 2-0 up after 16 minutes with goals from Roberto Guana and Daniele Portanova, but Stefano Mauri pulled one back before the break. Andre Dias levelled after 63 minutes and Tommaso Rocchi netted a 68th-minute winner.
Siena boosted their survival hopes with a 3-2 win over Bari, but remain in the relegation zone. Abdelkader Ghezzal scored twice, cancelling out goals for Emmanuel Rivas and Jose Ignacio Castillo, before Aleandro Rosi netted the winner after 66 minutes.
Livorno slipped closer towards the Serie A trapdoor as a 2-0 home defeat to Udinese left them with a mountain to climb to avoid relegation this season.
Udinese's in-form strikers Alexis Sanchez and Antonio Di Natale scored the goals in the first half to lift the Friulians seven points clear of the bottom three with five games remaining.
Antonio Cassano earned Sampdoria a 1-0 victory over Genoa in the 102nd Genovese derby to take them back into contention for a place in the Champions League next season.
Cassano struck in the 23rd minute to earn the home side all three points with a 1-0 win which took them level with Palermo on 54 points, three ahead of Juventus. Genoa's own hopes of qualifying for Europe took a knock in the process as they slipped six points behind the top six with five games of the season remaining.

World Bank Forecasts 4.8% GDP Growth for Nigeria

The World Bank is estimating that Nigeria's economy will grow by 4.8 per cent this year, up from 4.3 per cent in 2009, its managing director Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said yesterday.
The World Bank's outlook was significantly below the Central Bank of Nigeria's forecast of 7.53 per cent last month, and a 6.4 per cent estimate from nine analysts polled by Reuters in January.
Nigeria, once the darling of frontier market investors, hopes its fortunes will improve as the global economy gradually recovers, and after fixing problems in its banking sector rescued in 2009 by the regulator.
"This economy is just waiting for a bedrock of right and consistent policies ... to get some of our sectors going," said Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, the World Bank's managing director for Africa, at an economic conference in Lagos.
To improve the economy in the long run, she said Nigeria's leadership must find a way to solve the country's unemployment problem, especially among its young.
She estimated unemployment for 15-24 year olds at around 31 per cent.
Africa's most populous country of 140 million people will need to create 24 million jobs over the next decade to cut unemployment by half, Okonjo-Iweala said.
"The most worrying is that an estimated 50-60 per cent of our graduates from tertiary institutions cannot find adequate jobs on completion of studies," she said.
The vast majority of Nigerians live on less than $2 a day, despite having Africa's biggest oil and gas industry.
Widespread poverty has led to the growth of militant groups in the oil-producing Niger Delta in recent years, and has helped stoke sectarian tensions in the country's "Middle Belt."


THISDAY NEWS

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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Yar’Adua’s N70bn missing

Fresh troubles may be in the horizon for members of the kitchen cabinet of ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua as they are said to be explaining how they disbursed a whopping N70 billion allegedly on behalf of the former Katsina governor as security vote between November 2009 and January 2010.

Sources claimed that two former close allies of the ailing leader who failed to make it back to the newly reconstituted cabinet by acting President Goodluck Jonathan, are said to be answering questions over the manner the money was spent and for what purpose.

Yar’Adua left the country for Saudi Arabia on November 23,2009 and was spirited back into the country after spending 93 days at King Faisal specialist Hospital where he received treatment for acute pericarditis.
Security sources also added that the passports of the two former Presidential aides have also been impounded.

Although the name of a third top aide of the ailing leader also, allegedly, came up during the investigation into how the money was spent when the President was on sick bed in a Saudi hospital, the source could not confirm whether his passport has equally been seized.
The seizure of the passports, it was learnt, was to frustrate the former key members of Yar’Adua’s cabal “from fleeing the country and compromise efforts by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to hold some former cabinet members accountable for their deeds while Yar’Adua was away”.

Sources claimed that the two aides were responsible for the disbursement of the money while Aondoakaa also gave endorsement to some of the spending. They, allegedly, disbursed huge sums of money running into billions while Yar’Adua was in Saudi Arabia.
The source said, “ before the budget was signed in December 2009, one of the aides who happens to be a point man to Yar’Adua allegedly spent over N16 billion without recourse to the then Vice President, while the other allegedly gave his consent to the disbursements.

Sources said that while part of the N70 billion went into the fight to sustain the Yar’Adua Presidency during his sojourn in the Saudi Hospital, a huge chunk of it went into private pockets and were salted away into some foreign accounts.

The source added that the missing fund is believed to have been used to fund the unrelenting propaganda embarked on during Yar’Adua’s stay in Saudi Arabia and since he was brought back to Abuja.
Part of the money, it was learnt was also used to sponsor various litigations to challenge the proclamation of Jonathan as acting President.
 


  SUNNEWS

Friday, April 2, 2010

Mourinho hits out at press

Jose Mourinho has stoked his feud with the Italian media by issuing a terse statement ahead of Inter Milan's Serie A clash with Bologna.
The former Chelsea boss has endured a difficult relationship with the press since his move to Italy and it has worsened in recent weeks.
Mourinho, who has often declined to attend press conferences, answered questions from fans on the Inter Channel this week and the media have seized on one of his comments.
Asked whether the title race was now a three-horse race following his side's recent poor run, Mourinho said: "I don't want to talk about the championship. It's not a three-horse race. It's a fight between one team and many other things."
The press interpreted this as a dig at the football authorities, of whom he has fallen foul on a number of occasions this season, but Mourinho said in a statement on the club's official website: "Who changed my words, 'many other things'? Not me.
"Don't I even have the right to talk to the Inter fans without someone poking their nose in at all costs???"
He then continued with a message to his club's supporters, saying: "Tomorrow it's just us: tired, injured, suspended. Us, who, together with you, have to win a very difficult match against Bologna.
"Sincere thanks to all the fans for the support and the great passion that they transmit to us, and that we all feel."
Meanwhile, Mourinho has named Mario Balotelli in his squad for the first time in nearly a month.
The 19-year-old, who has been linked with a move to AC Milan, reportedly infuriated Mourinho by donning a Rossoneri jersey during a television show last month but this week issued a statement apologising for his part in the spat.
Inter have four players suspended for the Bologna clash - Samuel Eto'o, Maicon, Lucio and Javier Zanetti - while Wesley Sneijder is battling an injured ankle.

Benfica beat ten-man Reds

Ten-man Liverpool were undone by two harsh penalty decisions and an at-times shambolic refereeing display as they lost 2-1 to Benfica in a hostile Europa League quarter-final first leg in Lisbon.
Daniel Agger gave his side the perfect start in the ninth minute but things took a turn for the worse when Ryan Babel was dismissed on the half-hour for thrusting a hand in Luisao's face.
Oscar Cardozo wasted numerous chances before converting two spot-kicks but with an away goal Rafael Benitez's side still have hope for the return leg.
Fulham moved one step closer to a fairytale Europa League semi-final after they recorded a 2-1 win over German champions Wolfsburg at Craven Cottage.
A late goal from Alexander Madlung tainted the night for Roy Hodgson's side, who had taken the lead thanks to two second half goals from Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.
Zamora's 18th of the season was followed by a controversial cupped-ear celebration aimed at the home fans before the striker played in Duff for Fulham's second.
The Cottagers looked set for a two goal victory margin before Madlung rose to beat Mark Schwarzer just before the death to leave the tie finely poised going into next week's second leg in Germany.
Hamburg kept alive their dreams of playing in the Europa League final at their home stadium by edging their quarter-final first leg against Standard Liege 2-1.
The Belgian side took the lead after 31 minutes through Dieumerci Mbokani but Mladen Petric equalised from the spot for HSV three minutes before the interval and Ruud van Nistelrooy completed the turnaround on the stroke of half-time.
Spanish rivals Valencia and Atletico Madrid produced an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Mestalla to leave all to play for in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.
All the goals were scored in the second half, with Atletico twice going ahead through Diego Forlan and Antonio Lopez, and Valencia equalising each time thanks to goals from Manuel Fernandes and David Villa.
 ESPNSOCCERNET

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Fabregas has suspected broken leg

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas fears his season is over after suffering a suspected broken leg during Arsenal's dramatic 2-2 Champions League quarter-final draw against Barcelona at Emirates Stadium.

Fabregas was a surprise starter in the first leg tie at the Emirates Stadium after he shook off a knee injury to line-up against his boyhood idols but hobbled off after firing in an equalising penalty in the 85th minute.
The Spanish midfielder revealed to reporters after the game that he "felt his leg go" and fears his season and maybe even his World Cup dreams have been damaged by his heroics.
"I fear the worst, which is that I have broken something," Fabregas said. "We have to wait for tomorrow, but I hope I can wear the Arsenal shirt again this season.
Fabregas, who left stadium on crutches, added: "I do not think it is going to be good news, but still I hope there will be.
"When I took the penalty, I was quite strong, but after when I went to get the ball, I could not walk any more.
"It is the fibula. I think I put my leg between Puyol's when I was fouled, and kicked it."
Fabregas added: "Until the penalty, I was feeling quite good. It has been an amazing experience and I will remember it for the rest of my life."
The Arsenal skipper had an x-ray straight after the match but the scans proved inconclusive and he will undergo further tests on Thursday morning to assess the full extent of the damage.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "It looks like he will be out for a while."
Fabregas' injury was not the only blow to Wenger on a night when he also lost Andrei Arshavin and William Gallas.
Wenger told French TV: "He [Gallas] pulled his calf muscle and I think it's the end of the season for him."

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Ghaddafi Changes Gear, Wants Nigeria Divided along Ethnic Lines

After being pummelled for suggesting the division of Nigeria into two, Libyan leader Muammer Ghaddafi has made yet another puzzling proposal: that the country be balkanized along ethnic lines to ensure its survival.
His latest suggestion is coming amidst strained relations between the two countries after he publicly declared that the creation of a Muslim North and Christian South would be the best solution to the crises experienced in the country.


His comments were described by many including public officials as incendiary. But revising his statement, he noted that breaking Nigeria into only two nations might not be enough.


“In fact, Nigeria’s problems cannot be resolved by dividing the country into two states, Christian and Muslim,” Ghaddafi was quoted as saying by the official Jana news agency.
“The model that best fits Nigeria, which comprises many ethnic groups, is Yugoslavia, which was divided into six countries, including Kosovo whose independence has not been unanimously recognized,” he stated.
Like the former Yugoslavia, Nigeria comprises “other populations who want independence” without religious considerations, he said.


In what may reveal a lack of depth about the country, he went ahead to describe the Igbos and Yorubas while placing them in the wrong geographical locations.
Ghaddafi cited “the Yoruba people in the East and South who demand independence, the Ibo people in the West and South” as well as the Ijaws.
Angry reactions trailed his earlier call this month for the partition of Nigeria into two. Senate President David Mark referred to him as a “mad man”, while the foreign ministry rushed to recall Nigeria’s ambassador to Libya.
The ministry described his statements as “irresponsible utterances” which had made a mockery of his calls for African integration and unity.


The Libyan leader’s comments had “diminished his status and credibility”, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ozo Nwobu, who also expressed “very serious concern”. The statement also accused him of “theatrics and grandstanding at every auspicious occasion”.
In his earlier proposal, he said Nigeria should follow the partition model of Pakistan and India – two countries dominated by Muslims and Hindus.


According to him, the partition should comprise a Christian homeland in the South with Lagos as its capital and a Muslim homeland in the North with Abuja as its principal city.
Ghaddafi’s earlier comments came after several hundreds of people were killed early March in sectarian violence in Plateau State.
THISDAYONLINE

Monday, March 22, 2010

PDP loses out on new cabinet

DESPITE frantic moves by the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, to beat Acting President Goodluck Jonathan into political line over the composition of the new Executive Council of the Federation, EXCOF, the party appears to be losing out as its input to the expected cabinet was still very scanty, at press time.

Investigations revealed that the last visit by PDP National Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, to Aso Rock, Thursday, was to discuss with Jonathan on the need for the new EXCOF to have PDP outlook, a position which the governors are also canvassing. Jonathan’s men were, however, said to have rejected the idea, saying that it was not workable in view of the short time left for the administration.

As a pointer to this, Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, yesterday, rose from a consultative parley with Jonathan with a submission that the Acting President was looking for core professionals and technocrats in the composition of a new EXCOF.

This came as the list of nominees, observed to be seriously lacking in PDP representation, was sent to the relevant security outfits by Jonathan with a directive to commence immediate screening before forwarding same to the National Assembly for confirmation possibly by Thursday.

Vanguard learnt that the list made up of some of the former ministers from the dissolved cabinet, may have pitched Acting President Goodluck Jonathan against the PDP.

According to a Presidency source, names of about 10 former cabinet members are in the list being screened by the State Security Service, SSS, which include Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke, Elder Godswill Orubebe among others. A one-time minister, Alhaji Adamu Waziri from Yobe State was also mentioned as one of those being screened.

It was gathered that some former ministers whose names were not yet listed were mounting intensive pressure on Jonathan’s men to get them on board; but this time, through the use of some party bigwigs.

While one of the affected ministers (names withheld) confirmed to Vanguard that he has just been screened for a possible ministerial slot, another former minister on PDP ticket said “nobody has called me,” noting that in a similar exercise carried out by Yar’Adua, it was well coordinated, as “one of us was calling us one after another for the screening.”

Fielding questions from State House Correspondents, Governor Ohakim said though he was not in Aso Rock to submit list of possible ministerial nominees, “I am a governor of a state and I have the right to submit my ministerial list.”

He stated, however, that “the Acting President is pragmatic, forward looking, and knows what to do,” noting that “he (Jonathan) knows the country has been trekking and we need to run fast.”

No friction with Jonathan

Ohakim said: “My mind tells me he will look for key professionals; those who can run with the ball, and give them responsibilities of driving activities of this country because we can’t wait forever. I know who he is and he has what it takes. In the next few days you will be happy with what is coming out from the exercise.”

He maintained that governors of the 36 states were not at daggers-drawn with Jonathan, insisting that “there can be no friction between the governors and the president. The President is to govern the country while the governors govern the states.
The governor noted that he came to “confer with the acting president on the issue of security in the state and luckily the acting president has given some approval. The government has agreed to tackle the issue of security, gangsterism and kidnapping.
“The government is disturbed by the social menace of kidnapping, but nobody can overwhelm government. Now that they are unable to use crude oil to finance their gangs they now decided that millionaires in Igboland must be taken hostage to finance their activities. We are waiting to see how illegalities will outweigh legalities.”

Anenih, Ogbemudia, Akhigbe in fresh war over ministerial nominee

As the race for who picks the Ministerial slot in the Edo State rages, four names have been submitted to the Presidency for consideration by different political camps in the state.

Vanguard was reliably informed that the names of the immediate past Minister of Defence, General Godwin Abbe (rtd), former Special Adviser to the President, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, former Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the Mr. Isaiah Osifo, the immediate past Chief of Staff to the State Government have been forwarded to the Presidency.

Vanguard learnt that the battle to push the appointment of these nominees was between the former Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, two time Governor of old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, former Governor of the state, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and the former Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe.

It was gathered that Anenih was backing the return of General Abbe but Vanguard learnt that Ihonvbere may be his second joker if any thing goes wrong with the nomination of Abbe.
Ihonvbere, it was learnt, may also get the support of his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Vanguard further gathered that former Governor Igbinedion was backing the nomination of his former SSG, Pastor Ize-Iyamu. The duo of Ogbemudia and Akhigbe are backing Osifo.

VANGUARD NEWS

Akunyili, Umar, Jega for INEC chair


THE Presidency is considering six names as likely replacement for Professor Maurice Iwu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Vanguard can authoritatively reveal.

According to sources in the Presidency, names being considered as likely replacement for Iwu include Prof. Attahiru Jega, a former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, rtd.Major-General Ishola Williams, president of Transparency Nigeria, Prof Dora Akunyili, immediate past Information and Communications Minister, Col. Abubakar Umar, former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, and former Nigeria Bar Association, NBA president.

Presidency sources said that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was bent on leaving a legacy in Nigeria’s political history, and as such regards the civil society a veritable ally that would credibly contribute towards realizing his ambition.

Jega would be remembered for the pivotal role he played in forcing the government of General Ibrahim Babangida to improve the welfare of university teachers and properly recognize their role in nation building. Williams’name is synonymous with abhorence for corruption, hence he stands out as probably the only Army General who is not associated with questionable wealth.

Ibrahim is Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, a non-governmental organization in Abuja, and is no less known than the others for his Civil Society activities.

Agbakoba is regarded generally as an icon in human rights activities, having founded and run the foremost civil society group, the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO. When the military had the nation in its stranglehold, Agbakoba stood out, deploying his knowledge of law in the fight against arbitrariness of the military. During that era, the CLO was the unofficial mouthpiece of the citizenry.

Three of the names were members of the President Umaru Yar’Adua 22-member Electoral Reform Panel, which in keeping with Yar’Adua’s seven-point agenda was inaugurated to review the electoral system to ensure that subsequent elections are credible to meet international standards. The panel had submitted its report to Yar’ Adua before the President took ill.

Vanguard can authoritatively reveal that the short-listing of the names, followed last week’s rejection of one of the key recommendations of the Uwais Committee, that the National Judicial Council, NJC, should be responsible for the selection of the chairman of INEC, to insulate the occupier of the position from undue political and partisan influence.

The Senate Committee on Constitution Review, had presented a revised constitution on the Senate floor last Thursday, rejecting the appointment of INEC chairman by the NJC.

The Senate’s review committee, headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, however, recommended that INEC and the National Assembly should be fully autonomous hence placing them on the first-line charge of the consolidated revenue fund.

The Senate report, however, indicated that INEC’s chairman and members of the board of the commission “shall not be members of any political party.”

Other recommendations of the Senate committee include that all election-related cases must be disposed of within 60 days of the date of filing such cases.

According to the committee, in the case of annulled elections, the eventual winner must have fresh tenure to start from the date of swearing-in, as the tenure of four years for executives at the federal and state level, was left intact.

The committee had further recommended that elections to the office of President shall be held on a date not earlier than 210 days and 80 days before expiration of the term of the last holder of that office.

The committee also recommended that all political parties must have their head offices in Abuja and each must always submit detailed annual statement and analysis of its sources of funds and other assets, together with a similar statement of expenditure in such form as the commission may require.
VANGUARDNEWS

Monday, March 15, 2010

England's David Beckham 'to miss World Cup with injury'


David Beckham's dream of playing in a fourth World Cup looks over after he tore an Achilles tendon in AC Milan's 1-0 win over Chievo on Sunday.

Beckham was unchallenged when he suffered the injury and hobbled off in pain before being stretchered away.

The 34-year-old was hoping to be part of England's World Cup squad in June, but instead will fly to Finland on Monday for specialist surgery.

"A rupture of the Achilles tendon is suspected," said an AC Milan statement.

Beckham, who is in his second loan stint with Milan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, will now almost certainly not be fit for the World Cup in South Africa which starts on 11 June.

Consultant sports physician Dr Tom Crisp told BBC Radio 5 live: "It's remotely possible he may be running in three months. The chances of him being fit to play for England are non-existent."

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said that the Englishman will be out for "probably five or six months".

"I saw him and he was suffering. In the dressing room, I took him in my arms and told him that if he wanted, he will be with us next year," said Galliani.

AC Milan coach Leonardo said: "Beckham's injury makes us feel terrible. He understood immediately that he had torn his Achilles tendon.

"He is an extraordinary guy and today's game proves it yet again. I cannot enjoy this evening considering this serious injury."

606: DEBATE
Saw Milan's game, Beckham was substituted and it did not look good. Out of World Cup for sure

PerPoet

AC Milan team-mate Ignazio Abate said the England star was inconsolable.

"He's not doing well. He was in tears in the dressing room, he wasn't saying a lot. This has affected us all," said Abate.

Former Manchester United star Beckham, England's most capped outfield player with 115 appearances, was bidding to become the first England player to feature in four successive World Cup finals. He shares the record of three with Bobby Moore and Peter Shilton.

England coach Fabio Capello spoke with Beckham on Sunday evening to offer his commiserations, according to the Press Association.
England captain David Beckham

Archive - Beckham sinks Ecuador in 2006 World Cup

And with Tottenham's Aaron Lennon still suffering from a groin problem, Capello may now turn to both Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright-Phillips to cover the right side of midfield, with James Milner, Joe Cole, Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson also in the reckoning.

Former England defender Martin Keown told BBC Radio 5 live: "Capello's not stupid, he knew there was a role for Beckham within the squad and this is a massive blow.

"He's going to be out for six months, he needs to now look at rescuing his career and what's left of it.

"He'll be extremely upset, without doubt. I think tonight is a very sad day for the Beckham family."

Beckham's loan spells at AC Milan were a deliberate attempt to convince Capello of his worth in an England squad, but he was an unused substitute in the recent friendly win over Egypt and was quoted in several Sunday papers as saying he feared for his place.

"Am I banking on going to the World Cup? No, not at all," he is reported to have said.

"I am not guaranteed to go to South Africa. I have to work hard and hopefully win my place.

"There are a good few months left and plenty of games to play, but hopefully I can carry on playing well and get in the squad."

Sunday's injury is the latest in a string of heartbreaking World Cup moments for Beckham.

His sending off against Argentina in the quarter-finals was widely blamed for costing England their chance in France in 1998.

Four years later he was not fully fit after suffering a broken metatarsal in his foot in the build-up as England went out to 10-man Brazil in the quarter-finals in Japan and South Korea.

In 2006, Beckham went off injured just after half-time in the quarter-final against Portugal which England went on to lose on penalties.

Beckham tearfully announced he was resigning the captaincy afterwards.
BBC News

Friday, March 12, 2010

Court sacks Dangote as NSE boss


The Federal High Court in Lagos, has nullified the election of Alhaji Aliko Dangote as President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Dangote, business mogul and chairman of the Dangote Group was elected as the president of NSE in August last year. But in a reaction after the verdict was handed down, his counsel said he will appeal against the ruling.

Trial judge in the matter, Justice Lambo Akanbi, ruling on an application by some shareholders of African Petroleum Plc, who had sought to set aside Dangote’s election as NSE president, on the ground that the said election was held in clear disregard of an order of court, after reviewing the facts of the matte, said, “it is the case of the applicants that this court in the enrolled order of April 8. 2009 granted an interim order, when it ordered parties to maintain the status quo, pending the hearing and determination of both the interlocutory application and the preliminary objection.

“NSE resisted this claim and submitted that the application for an interim order was refused by the court. From the extract of the proceedings quoted earlier in this ruling, I find nowhere therein where the court refused an application for an interim order. Rather, the court made it abundantly clear that the oral application of counsel for the applicants for an order to maintain status quo was granted”, the court said.

Condemning the conduct of NSE and Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, the court said: “The conduct of all officials of the NSE and SEC, who organised and/or participated in the purported election of Dangote is reprehensible and highly condemnable. They perhaps look at the court and think that it can only bark but cannot bite. This court will make them see that our teeth are not only sharp, they can be poisonous when they choose to bite. The court will not allow them to treat the court orders as useless by refusing to obey them, lest anarchy may set in.”

The court also noted that: “The government should also look inward for a way to sanction, domestically, any government functionaries found in disobedience of court’s order. This is the only way the “big boys” and those claiming to be close to power and who are laws unto themselves can be checkmated so that the genuine desire of the present administration to enthrone true and genuine democracy can be attained.

“The integrity of the court is at stake here in this application. There is a direct affront on the authority of the court. The court must therefore rise to make the lawless elements in the 13th and 14th defendants see how sharper it is than a serpent tooth to have disobedient and lawless executives in government establishments.
“I will bite them with my sharp teeth by sustaining the application of learned counsel for the applicants with the following order: An order is hereby made nullifying, vacating and setting aside all steps taken by NSE in purporting to elect Dangote as the President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange”, the court held.

The court further said, “like every judicial official, I feel troubled and tremble each time I see any Chief Executive of a government agency or establishment and their minions spurn and treat the order of court with levity, leaving the impression that since the courts have neither the police nor guns nor the army to enforce whatever orders they make, they should treat such orders with impunity. I see the act of the officials and executive, who operate NSE and SEC as a subtle strive and exploration by devious and dubious way to circumvent and render nugatory, the true intention of the order of the court to maintain status quo.”
Sun News

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Why Jos is different?

WHILE a debate on the latest round of killings in the Jos area raged, someone asked: Can a person be a settler in his own country? Can a Nigerian citizen be a settler in any part of Nigeria? The answer, clearly, is yes.

The Constitution at Chapters III and IV wrote down all the beautiful things in favour of Nigerian citizenship and his fundamental human rights, but that is only on paper. In reality, being an indigene matters more than citizen when it comes to your rights to enjoy certain privileges at the local, state and federal levels.

My own studied understanding of factors responsible for the Jos periodic killings is that it has nothing to do with the denial of anyone’s right of citizenship. After all, other ethnic groups such as the Igbo and Yoruba have lived in Jos since the town was founded by the British colonialists and yet not a single incident has pitched them against the owners of the land and other indigenes of Plateau State. The reason why the case of the Hausa/Fulani is different is the perception by the landowners that the Hausa/Fulani are pursuing an expansionist agenda.

Their thinking is that what could not be achieved through the Fulani jihads that established the Sokoto Caliphate is now being forcefully pursued with the help of highly connected people in the federal establishment. The indigenes now say that they would never allow the Hausa/Fulani to have the kind of hold they demand over Jos.

Unfortunately, the bitterness arising from this unhealthy relationship between the so-called indigenes and settlers has turned very ugly indeed, as the villages outside Jos have become pet targets of cowardly invaders, who slaughter women and children like chicken and melt away. The Jos crisis has now turned into a vicious war of attrition, guerrilla action and terrorism. Due to the new turn it has taken, I am under no illusion that we have heard the last of invasions and massacres. It is unfortunate, but there it is.

The Hausa/Fulani cultural group is a very important part of the Nigerian society. Without them, Nigeria, as we know it, is incomplete. Every group has its positive and negative sides. One of the positive sides of the Hausa/Fulani is that there are certain goods and services they provide wherever they are found but which cannot be gotten from any other Nigerian cultural group.

They exclusively supply the nation with foodstuff, such as groundnuts, onions, peppers, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, they are the only group that supply the nation with animal products in commercial quantities. The government of the former Eastern Region recognised their importance and decided to allocate special grazing zones for their cattle which were called garki, especially in major railway towns.

Their negative side includes, among others, their method of settlement in areas outside their immediate native zones. The Hausa/Fulani zango settlement patterns do not encourage integration. Perhaps to maintain their cultural purity, they cluster away from the local population rather than identify with their hosts since they do not intend to return to their home of origin. You cannot isolate yourself, maintain your cultural purity and lay claim to territory in foreign land and expect peace.

Examples abound where Nigerians successfully settled in other parts and became indigenes over time. In Lagos Island for example, Nupe, Bini, and other Yoruba people came and settled some centuries ago among the natives. Till today, Lagos families of Nupe origins are called Tapa. Oshodi is a Bini name. Yaba is not a Yoruba word. It is Nupe. They have acquired the rights to contest elections and obtain cultural privileges at the court of the Oba of Lagos, just like other Eko people. These groups acclimatised and acculturated.

In the East, the first Lord Mayor of Enugu, the capital of defunct Eastern Region, was Malam Umaru Altine, who hailed from Sokoto. He and his other kinsmen settled in Enugu in the 1940s. They joined the Zikist Movement and the NCNC, the predominant political party in Eastern Nigeria and identified with other young men in all that they did towards the end of colonial rule. Altine was one of those jailed, along with Mbazulike Amechi, after the coal mine shootings, when they led civil disobedience campaigns.

And when the Enugu Mayoralty was formed, the NCNC sponsored Altine for the top post and he won the election. Some Hausa/Fulani who were also part of the movement became councillors in Enugu. According to Chief Amaechi in a recent interview with me, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, was so impressed with Altine’s elevation so far away from home that, in a fit of reciprocity, he appointed the leader of the Kano chapter of the Igbo State Union as a member of Northern Region House of Chiefs.

If you go about your objectives in the right and pleasant way there is no limit to your possibilities. Our Hausa/Fulani brothers should consider changing their self-isolation style and seek to integrate with their host communities if they want to peacefully integrate and belong.

They should also consider opening up their native cities for settlers to integrate and belong if they wish. That is how other Nigerians live when they settle outside their cultural niches. If this had been done in Jos there would be no problem with the natives, just as there is none between the natives and other groups. After all, the Hausa/Fulani are natural neighbours of the Plateau people and their ties with the latter should be even closer than those who travelled thousands of kilometres to settle in Jos.

Nobody likes to be invaded. Nobody takes expansionism with delight. Minority groups, such as the owners of Jos, are usually very touchy about expansionist tendencies by majority groups such as the Hausa/Fulani.
There is no violent means of achieving co-ownership of Jos!
Vanguard News

Thursday, March 4, 2010

CBN suspends deadline for old N50, N10 and N5 notes


CENTRAL Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has suspended the March 31 deadline for acceptance of old N50, N10 and N5 paper notes as legal tenders.

Last year, CBN introduced new N5, N10 and N50 polymer banknotes into circulation and gave a deadline of six months ending March 31, 2010, after which the old paper notes would cease to be accepted as legal tender. But more than a month to the expiration of the deadline, Nigerians, especially traders and transporters, began to reject the notes as legal tender.

A top CBN official who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the apex bank was aware of the concerns about the old notes and has decided to extend the deadline indefinitely. This means the old N50, N10 and N5 notes will continue to be accepted as legal tender until they are all withdrawn from the system.

President Umaru Yar’Adua, as part of the last Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2009, launched the new N5, N10 and N50 polymer notes as legal tender in the country.

Speaking at the launch, the Governor of the Central CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, urged Nigerians to embrace the new currencies as well as strive to keep the naira clean. He also urged Nigerians to check the abuse to which the currency has been subjected to over the years.

Sanusi who said the campaign to keep the naira clean will further be enhanced by the introduction of the new polymers notes, said that banks “have established exchange windows to enable the public exchange the new polymer notes with their genuine old ‘paper’ bank notes, which cease to be a legal tender from March 2010.”

Highlighting advantages of the polymer notes on the paper notes, Sansui stressed that the polymer notes were made of water-proof materials resistant to easy tear and dirt.

The CBN had in 1973 introduced notes for 50 kobo, N1, N5, N10 and N20. The 50 kobo was issued last in 1989. In 1991, the N50 notes were issued, followed by N100 in 1999, N200 in 2000, N500 in 2001 and N1000 on October 12, 2005.

On February 28, 2007, new versions of the N5 to N50 banknotes were introduced. Originally, the N10, N20 and N50 were planned to be in polymer banknotes, but only the N20 was made of polymer until October 1, 2009.

Vanguardnews

Saturday, February 27, 2010

He can’t recover — Doctor

Nigerians have been advised to ignore the media report that president Umaru Musa Yar Adua will resume duties at Aso Rock as soon as he recovers because such a time will never come. This is the candid advice of Dr Noruwa Y. Eronmwon, a cardiologist and Intensive Care Unit expert.

According to Noruwa, the president’s wife, Turai is afraid of pulling the plug as the Saudi medical personnel must have told her that her husband’s state is hopeless.
“Medically, I don’t see a way out. I guess his wife is afraid to pull the plug. This might just be for them to have political leverage. Mr. President is medically sustained by the vent. Without the ventilator, he will not survive three hours’. She said the president is in a state of vegetable and it might do him well if he is left to die in peace.

“President Yar’Adua is in a vegetative state and might never recover from this state. My medical recommendation is for the artificial respiratory device to be removed to let the President die gracefully and rest in peace”, he said.
The United States based medical expert said Yar’Adua would need, a Ventilator, oxygen, cardiac monitor, dialysis machine, triple lumen catheter, swan Ganz catheter, TPN, I.V. fluids and two ICU nurses.

According to him, the president also requires the services of a cardiologist, nephrologists, respiratory therapist, echocardiogram each day, piccolo electrolyte monitor, I-stat monitor for blood work and daily chest x-ray and a rotorest bed. She stressed the need for constant power supply around the president and dismissed the talk of rechargeable life-support chip in the president’s heart. “No, there is no such thing as a rechargeable life support chip. He might have a pacemaker in him, not a life support chip. That little machine in the heart helps to pace the heart, it does not jump-start the heart. It only helps to regulate a working heart and not an infected heart’.

She queried the rationale behind bringing the president home in his state of health as the nation’s medical equipment and epileptic power supply might worsen his condition. “I believe we might have capable cardiologists that could take care of him. However, the kind of equipment needed to keep him breathing cannot be sustained with our type of electricity.

The president will need a respiratory therapist for his vent; he will also need certified ICU nurses with a concentration in cardiac monitoring and multiple organ failure”. She concluded that it would only take miracle for the president to recover. “It will only be by a miracle that the president’s survival will happen”. President Umaru Musa Yar Adua was smuggled into the country in the wee hours of Wednesday night with air-ambulance amid tight security. He has issued a statement saying he would resume as soon as he recovers.Before his return, Dr Noruwa had predicted he would only come back by air-ambulance some weeks ago.


Sun News

Friday, February 26, 2010

Crack in Yar’Adua’s camp •Aides give condition for continued support


Cracks have emerged in the camp of ailing President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, as his aides are demanding to be told the truth about his state of health as a condition for continued support. A highly reliable source close to the Yar’Adua family confirmed that presidential aides are not happy that since the return of their boss to the country last Wednesday, none of them has seen him, including Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who has been managing the affairs of the country in his absence.

Consequently, Yar’Adua’s aides, at a meeting on Thursday, decided that since they would not be allowed to see the president, for whom many of them had sacrificed what they called their hard earned integrity and honour, Jonathan, at least, should not be prevented from seeing him, in the interest of peace and order.
Saturday Sun gathered that the aides are pushing for Jonathan to be granted access to Yar’Adua and also that steps should be taken to erase every doubt, as to what is happening.

“The point is that people have realized that this matter has been taken to a ridiculous point. It is no longer funny to them anymore. The nation’s peace, unity and stability are being threatened. They can no longer pretend that all is well. History beckons on every Nigerian, irrespective of his or her position to rise up and save the country from disintegration. These aides have realized this and have risen to the occasion,” our source further explained.
Saturday Sun learnt that all Yar’Adua’s aides have accordingly decided to rally round Jonathan and support him in an effort to reposition the country and halt the current drift.
While sympathizing with the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua, over her husband’s health, the aides are said to have expressed the hope that she would show understanding, in the face of the current hopeless situation, let go certain things and face reality as a muslim.
Our source said if everything goes according to plan, the matter would be amicably resolved and the country would be spared further confusion and anxiety over the president’s health condition.

Questions have continued to be raised as to the motive behind the sudden decision to bring back the ailing president to the country on Wednesday if his condition is such that he will continue to be shielded from people, no matter their position in government and also their relationship with the first family.
All attempts by highly placed government functionaries to see him, since he was brought back to the country under the cover of darkness, have continued to be rebuffed, leaving people more confused and disenchanted than they were hitherto.

Not only has Jonathan not able to see him, the national chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, has twice tried to see the president with key officials of the party and has twice been disallowed. In the same vein, the chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday made another unsuccessful attempt to see the president. “Whatever their motive is in bringing the man back in a condition that no one is allowed to see him, not even his deputy; not even his party officials; not even the governors; not even his in-laws and so on, they clearly have failed. Nigerians cannot continue to be fooled,” our source added.

Yar’Adua’s mother denied access to him

The hide and seek game over the true state of health of ailing President Umar Musa Yar’Adua continued yesterday, as his mother was denied access to him.
Competent sources close to the Yar’Adua family told Saturday Sun that the president’s mother, who led other concerned family members to Abuja, for the purpose of seeing their son, were told in clear terms that it was impossible to see him because he is still in the ambulance that moved him from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to the Presidential Villa.

The distraught mother of President Yar’Adua was said to have been told of the grave implications of evacuating the ambulance.
According to the source, Yar’Adua could hardly now recognize anybody, as he has lost memories of anything around him.
The source said: “Yar’Adua’s mother and those she came with from Katsina were told that they cannot see the president. The doctors told them that if Yar’Adua is evacuated from the ambulance, he would die.

“It took doctors, a few of who came with the ambulance airbus, one and a half hours to evacuate the president from the airbus ambulance into the waiting ambulance at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport on arrival.”
Family sources also revealed that they had earlier asked for the return of Yar’Adua to Katsina but that the wife, Hajia Turai, rebuffed all entreaties.

Sun News

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Yar’Adua can’t be seen


AMIDST palpable confusion that enveloped Aso Rock, following the arrival of recuperating President Umaru Yar’Adua, the outcome of a meeting convened by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan in the place of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, which he earlier postponed, revealed that since the arrival of Yar’Adua, Jonathan was yet to set his eyes on him.

However aides of the President have briefed the Acting President on the secretive arrival of the first family in Nigeria, which saw the deployment of heavily armed men and women of the elite guard, the Presidential Guards Brigade, a development reminiscence of a war situation.

Investigation by Vanguard revealed that despite the hurry return of President Yar’Adua to Nigeria, apparently to avert a looming impeachment; the President will continue to be incommunicado for a long time, as he was still undergoing serious but intensive medication.

It was learnt that apart from the his doctors, wife, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua, the Chief Security Officer, Mr Yusuf Tilde, the Aid-de-Camp, ADC, Colonel Mustapha Onoyiveta and perhaps children, no nobody, no matter how highly placed, may be able to see the ailing President.

Following the inability of Jonathan to see his ailing boss, despite the short distance of few meters in the Presidential Villa, a meeting was scheduled for yesterday evening between Jonathan and the First Lady, Turai, obviously to discuss grey areas of who heads the Nigeria government with full executive powers.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, who headed a six-man team to Saudi Arabia, which returned yesterday, had officially announced to cabinet members that the Jonathan directed the immediate postponement of the FEC meeting, after ministers had waited in vain for over two hours.

“Honourable Ministers, Ladies and gentlemen, the Acting President has directed that this (FEC) meeting be postponed till further notice. He has asked that you go back to your respective offices. However, there will be a meeting by 2:00 pm in his conference room. It is mandatory for ministers to attend”, he said.

Minister of Information and Communication, Professor Dora Akunyili, who briefed State House Correspondents at the end of a brief meeting between Jonathan and all cabinet members, disclosed that apart from the Acting President none of them, ministers has been able to set their eyes on Yar’Adua, development she believed could be frustrating; even as she calls for more prayers for the country and the president.

“He invited us for a meeting in his meeting room at 2:00 pm and when we came he told us that the president has returned, he has been briefed by the aides of Mr President and that he hopes to see the wife of the president this evening and that when we meet next week, we will be briefed on the outcome of the report of the Saudi Arabia trip by the members of council. And when he is eventually briefed by our President, he will call us again”.

It was further learnt that the Acting President, in the mood of the nation, may have shelved many official engagement within and outside the Aso Rock, until and when the current but deepening political quagmire nomalises.

A Minister who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity said the move by the Acting President to meet with Ministers and assure them that there is an end to the ongoing political intrigues in the presidency was a smart and a matured one by him, perhaps to douse rising tension among actors, in the emerging scenario.

Vanguardnews