PPA: Forces and impediments

With the 2011 elections approaching, political parties are gearing up for stiff competition and challenges. CHINELO AGINA x-rays the hurdles, the challenges confronting the Progressive Peoples Alliance(PPA)


The beginning
It is undeniable that the political atmosphere in the country is getting heated as a result of the forthcoming elections. Not a few political parties in Nigeria are gearing up in preparedness for the much-awaited 2011 general elections.


For a party like the PPA, and given the turbulence it experienced in the past, the 2011 elections may serve as a litmus test to determine its tenacity in remaining relevant especially in the politics of the South-East region of the country.

When PPA birthed, not many people gave it a chance of survival. While some critics saw it as a party that will not stand the test of time considering the highly competitive nature of the nation politics, many others saw it as a party that will represent the true interest of the people, especially the South-East region because it held great promise as an alternative structure that will fulfill the yearnings of Nigerians.

Before then, the party which had dominated the region was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But with the passage of time, many party faithfuls felt aggrieved and disenchanted with some of the ‘undemocratic’ happenings in the PDP, and this gave rise to the increase in defections of notable people from the party to other parties. This situation was one of the reasons that gave birth to the PPA, which was seen as a ‘child of circumstance’.

The founder of the party, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu reiterated this much in his leadership series where he said the PPA was formed to meet the yearnings of Nigerians. “When I chose to defect from the PDP to form the PPA, some political watchers did not see the wisdom in my action. I left the PDP, in which I was a major stakeholder, purely out of principle and to demonstrate my discontentment with the way the party was being run. Up till date, the party has not done anything to prove me wrong. It was to offer Nigerians an alternative leadership style that I formed the PPA “he stated.

No sooner had PPA emerged than it won the 2007 governorship elections in Abia and Imo States in one fell swoop. These states were formerly controlled by the PDP. It also won one seat in the Senate and three seats in the House of Representatives and observers described this as a feat considering the fact that PPA was still relatively a new party. Gradually, it was beginning to be looked upon as a strong voice for the common man and a platform on which anyone who had the drive could achieve his political ambition.
The turbulence
But despite the early success PPA recorded in the 2007 elections, events started taking a downward turn when Governor Ikedi Ohakim who was elected on the platform of the party defected to the PDP after making what he described as “wide consultations.”

Later this year, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State followed suit when he decamped to the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) and shortly after, to the PDP. He was followed by Senator Uche Chuwkumerije(representing Abia North Senatorial district) who hitherto had been a strong believer in the ideals of the PPA.

In Anambra State, former PPA gubernatorial aspirant, Uche Ekwunife (representing Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency) defected to APGA, the ruling party in the state.
With the series of defections, the general belief is that PPA is heading for the brink and may not bounce back from the turbulence that befell it.

But the former national chairman of the party and governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Larry Esin, in a chat with Daily Sun remained unperturbed saying that challenges are a way of life, and that the defections have not altered the structure of the party.

“ It is true that there has been some defections in the party, but I can assure Nigerians that the structure of the party is still intact and many of our members are still active. We will be fielding candidates for political positions from the Local Government to the State levels. We are not only going to reclaim the states we have lost, but by God’s grace we are going to win new ones’’ he stated.

On how the party intends to win Akwa Ibom State in 2011, he stated that the PPA and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have agreed to collapse their different structures and produce a consensus candidate for the elections. His words: “PPA and CPC have formed an alliance, and we agreed that we are going to collapse our structures into one to enable us present a strong candidate that will defeat the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). That is the reason why I am contesting on the platform of the CPC and I believe we will win.”
Can the party bounce back?
Esin is undaunted about the success of the party. He believes that the party will certainly reclaim the states lost and plans are underway to achieve this. For the new chairman of the party, Mr. Sam Nkire, the victory of PPA is non-negotiable. When the Daily Sun sought to confirm the alliance between the CPC and PPA, Nkire said the alliance is a fact which stemmed from the need for the party to strengthen its structure.

“Right now, we are in alliance with the CPC to join forces and produce candidates. We have agreed that we are going to run for governorship elections in all the states. PPA will concentrate on its area of strength which is the South-East, while CPC will concentrate on its area of strength, but contrary to speculations, we are not going to present presidential aspirants. For Abia State, we all know that it is traditionally a PPA state, and I assure you that we are going to reclaim it. All that I will say is that everyone should watch out” he stated.

As if to buttress this point, former deputy governor of Abia State, Chris Akomas has declared his intention to contest the governorship position on the platform of the PPA and he is said to have the full backing of Dr. Kalu who is still a force to be reckoned with in Abia politics.

Observers believe that Kalu’s presence in Abia will be a huge factor in determining the way in which way the pendulum will swing. It is left to be seen if the feat the PPA achieved in 2007 will be repeated next year.
Source:http://www.sunnewsonline.com/



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Entertainers unite for post Xmas bash @ LLC

Entertainment loving minister of the most High, Apostle Isaac Idahosa alongside members of his church are gearing up for a bumper post Xmas night bash fittingly themed: Let There Be Light.

Among the Nollywood stars, musicians and comedians expected to help power the evening outing holding at the Lekki Light Centre (LLC), parish of the Illumination Assembly on Tuesday, December 28, are: Emeka Enyiocha, Ndidi Obi,  Ebube Nwagbo, Adaora Ukoh and Vincent Opurum.

Others include: Dauda, Emeka Smith, Mc Shaggi, Kage (Ebubedike), LLC Choir/Drama group and several other entertainers. Commenting on the significance of the anticipated evening of fun, relaxation and networking in a spirit-filled atmosphere, Idahosa, a Bishop-Elect, with two hit gospel albums to his credit, hinted that the need for the members of his church to interact and mingle freely with entertainers and celebrities was borne out of his passion for the make believe world.

He further disclosed that most of the stars coming for the event are members and friends of his church, hence the need to specially host and pray for them as they look forward to entering the new year with amazing grace.

“At Illumination Assembly, especially at LLC here, we are constantly and consistently transforming lives and transporting lights in all spheres of human endeavours, hence the theme, let there be light. And for the children of God, everyday is a plus, which is why we are bringing these stars as special guests to the grand gathering, because Xmas comes once in a year and must be richly and hugely celebrated.” 
Source:http://www.sunnewsonline.com/


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Leave isreal now! –Rufai tells Eagles’ keepers

As the year draws to a close, former Nigerian international goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, who stood between the goalposts for Nigeria for over a decade, and won laurels with the Super Eagles, has charged the trio of Vincent Enyeama, Dele Aiyenugba and Austin Ejide to seek for greener pastures in other parts of Europe if they intend to join the big league of goalkeepers in the world.

The former Stationery Stores of Lagos and Femo Scorpions’ safe hands, played international football in Benin Republic with AS Dragons before heading for Belgium, where he spent six years. Thereafter, he joined Go Ahead Eagles in Holland. But much as his records go before him, Rufai has declared that Nigeria’s top three goalkeepers are making themselves inferior before the world.

The reason for his declaration is simply: “the trio of Vincent Enyeama, Dele Aiyenugba and Austin Ejide, are playing in a league that is not as competitive as others in Europe.”

Rufai launched a fierce attack on the base of the players, declaring that where they play their games goes a long way in determining how they are rated among other goalkeepers in Africa and in the world.
“Where our goalkeepers ply their trade matters a great deal, as it affects their rating. All our three goalkeepers to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa play their games in Israel where the league is not as competitive as it is in places like Spain, England, Portugal, Holland, Italy, France or even Turkey.
“There is no doubt that they may be playing for the best teams in the Israel, but that is not enough to reckon them among the world-class keepers.”

He recalled that though he started his professional career in neighbouring Benin Republic, he was always challenged to take his game to a higher league, a desire that later saw him joining the Belgian, Spanish and Dutch leagues. “I expect our goalkeepers to have the same type of attitude because it will help in their ratings.

They don’t necessarily have to wait for big teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United or their like across France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal to mention a few to come calling for them. I rather believe that they can make greater impact with middle class teams, as they would be outstanding with their performances in such teams. Don’t forget how our players in Europe were rated in the mid 90s even though most of them started with middle class teams.”

Rufai noted that stars like Stephen Keshi, Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Uche Okechukwu, Celestine Babayaro, Ike Shorunmu, George Finidi, Nwankwo Kanu, Taribo West, Victor Ikpeba and others, flourished because they were in top teams across Europe in their playing days.
“If the new Super Eagles must be as competitive as it should be, then our players, including the goalkeepers, need to be in top-class leagues across the globe.

We need Enyeama, Aiyenugba and Ejide to get greater challenges that will bring out the best in them, if not, they will remain inferior goalkeepers in the eyes of the world. I believe that a move to other parts of Europe will greatly uplift their performances. I say this because I speak from experience. It worked for me and I am sure that it will work for them as well.

“These players mean a lot to me because the goalkeeping department is very important in every team. If our goalkeepers move to more competitive leagues, the kind of training they will engage in will be a whole lot different from what they are getting at the moment in their current clubs.”

Rufai, it would be recalled, played 65 international matches for Nigeria, scoring once. He represented the nation at two FIFA World Cups, always as starter: 1994 (Nigeria’s first-ever appearance, where he also acted as captain) and 1998.

He was also in the squad of Eagles that won the Africa Nations Cup in Tunisia in 1994.
 Source:http://www.sunnewsonline.com/




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Mass failure: Only 20 % candidates passed 2010 Nov/Dec WASSCE

WAEC withholds 51,876 results, plans e-test, e-marking
Only 20.04 per cent of 310,077 candidates who sat for the Nov/Dec 2010 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) obtained five credits in English Language, Mathematics and three other subjects, therefore qualifying for admission into universities and polytechnics.


By implication, the results mean that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recorded yet another mass failure. In Nov/Dec 2008 WASSCE, out of 372,600 candidates, only 23.54 per cent obtained five credits in English Language, Mathematics and three other subjects while in the same exam in 2009, out of 342,443 candidates, only 31 per cent (106,413) made five credits in English Language, Mathematics and three other subjects.

Announcing the release of the private candidates’ results at its Yaba headquarters in Lagos yesterday, the Head of Nigeria National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, said 62,295 candidates made five credits in English Language, Mathematics and at least three other subjects. Giving further breakdown, Dr. Uwadiae revealed that 309, 431 candidates representing 95.21 per cent had full released results while 15,567 others (4.79 per cent) had few of their subjects still being processed because of various errors and omissions traceable to the candidates.

The HNO said the results of 51,876 candidates representing 16.73 per cent were being withheld based on various reports of their alleged involvement in examination malpractice and that the council’s Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) would meet in March 2011 to deliberate on their cases.
According to him, 250, 487 candidates representing 80.78 per cent had two credits and above, another 217,161 others (70.03 per cent) obtained three credits and above while 180,480 candidates representing 58.20 per cent made four credits and above.

Uwadiae further disclosed that 141,167 candidates (45.52 per cent) obtained five credits and above, another 99,750 others (32.16 per cent) got six credits and above but are not qualified for admissions into tertiary institutions because of either not having credit in English Language or Mathematics.
His words: “A total of 133,507 candidates (43.06 per cent) obtained credit and above in English Language while 151,569 others representing 48.88 per cent got credit and above in Mathematics,” but the HNO insists the results do not mean mass failure because some of the candidates may combine their results to seek admissions.

The HNO disclosed that 33 blind candidates sat for the examination out of whom four of them representing 12.12 per cent obtained credits in five subjects including English Language. He explained that blind candidates were exempted from taking Mathematics and science practicals in WASSCE.
The WAEC boss told newsmen that the council had also taken some measures to arrest the poor performance of candidates in its exams and that most of the state governors were now providing teaching facilities to enhance good performance of their candidates in the exam. He expressed the hope of improved resuls within three or four years.

He said all the reported cases of examination fraud had been compiled for presentation to the committee in March 2011, adding that “the committee’s decisions on the various cases will be communicated to the affected candidates shortly through our zonal and branch offices.”

Uwadiae asked the candidates who took the exam to check the details of their performance with their scratch cards on WAEC website within the next 24 hours. He lauded the supervisors and invigilators for ensuring a smooth conduct of the Nov/Dec 2010 WASSCE and also the chief examiners, team leaders, assistant examiners for their efforts in seeing to the release of the results two weeks ahead of time.
On e-test and examination, the HNO disclosed that the council had started test run of the new system, noting “we have done the first leg and WAEC has sent staff for training abroad. If we have all the facilities, we can release results in three weeks.”

On allegation against some politicians of having fake or forged WAEC results, Dr. Uwadiae said there was only one WAEC result and that only the law court could summon the council to produce or tender the result.
  Source:http://www.sunnewsonline.com/

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Ikechukwu fights in public

If you’re planning a party and you’re thinking of having Ikechukwu perform, please know that Lagos club REHAB is out of venue options for you.

“If u party at rehab pls don’t talk to me. That club is dead to me. A bouncer put his hands on me for what ????? F**k REHAB and all its f***king people”, the pissed rapper who’s called Killz exploded.
The incident happened in the wee hours of Sunday morning after the MAMAs was over. The rapper who had graced stage at the international event was probably still high on the achievement when Rehab bouncers jolted him back to life.
There is reason to believe that the rapper went to the club for reasons other than socializing since the club isn’t particularly his favourite. he could have had an appointment to keep as he explains why he doesn’t like the club: “I stopped going to Rehab ‘cos not only does the club just suck as far as space is concerned but it always has one funny smell.
Then I just can’t stand the people running the club. Feel among dey vex them. If I no gree be ur friend no be by force na. Ah jo oo”, Ikechukwu explained to fans on Twitter.
When the fume was over and Ikechukwu was calm a few hours later, it dawned on the rapper the light in which that single action must have put him.
The celebrity who has a  no-nonsense image apologised to fans saying, “ (I) Just wanna apologize to my fans for bringing myself so low yesterday. This is not the kind of character I portray or expect anyone else to. People will always test u. Show strength with restraint. God bless”.
Source:http://vanguardngr.com





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Steph’s Through the Glass now on shelve

Multiple award winning actress, Stephanie Okereke has explained that the national and international release of  her blockbuster movie, “Through the Glass”  was planned to compliment the Christmas holiday break.
The much anticipated box office film which was written and produced by the actress  hit shelves last week in Nigeria.
The film which is a romantic comedy starring sultry Steph  and Garrett Mckechne had premiered elaborately in Los Angeles, USA, Lagos, Nigeria, Berne_Switzerland and Cannes, France to much acclaim and applause.
The movie was also released into the market during the week in Ghana.
According to Steph, 411 Films will be responsible for releasing it online on DVD in the United States
Source:http://vanguardngr.com/




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How Abuja rocks for R. Kelly

This year’s edition of the Star Mega Jam held on December 17,  in Lagos, and December 18, in Abuja, lived up to the hype preceding it, as the biggest musical activation of the year.


This year’s headliner, international R & B superstar, R. Kelly, who performed at both venues, threw the enthusiastic crowd into a musical frenzy, as he sang some of his greatest hits to their delight.
The audience sang along to his musical rendition, which included hits such as ‘Happy People’, ‘Fiesta’, ‘Bump & Grind’ and ‘Snake’, among other musical hits. At intervals, the musical superstar would acknowledge the cheers from the crowd, revealing that he did not know he had such a huge fan base in Nigeria.
Thrilling the Lagos crowd who trooped out to the Polo Ground, Lagos, venue of this year’s Star Mega Jam, were the dynamic duo of P Square, who serenaded the crowd with their deft dance steps while rendering some of their greatest hits. Musical sensation, 9ice also performed a medley of his songs while Nigerian rap star, MI, for the first time performed songs from his recently released album titled MI2.
Rounding off the musical concert was the Mo Hits crew comprising Dr. Sid, D’Prince and Wande Coal who kept the crowd roaring for more of their songs. Other acts that performed in Lagos were Jukebox, Diamonds and KC Presh, earlier winners of the Star Quest, which is a platform created by Star lager beer to discover fresh musical talents.
Source:http://vanguardngr.com




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Kween weds at last

After many years of a relationship   which has produced a child, singer Kween Onokala Tuesday December 21, 2010 at the Onigbongbo Local Government registry, Ikeja formally tied the knots with the father of her second son Dotun Omotoye.

Just when many were beginning to think the wedding plans would never materialise, Kween returned home months back, after two years hibernating in London.
Kween’s parents were absent but were represented by few family members at the registry that had only those very close to the couple in attendance including singer ‘Zeal’.
Surprisingly, Weird MC who is one of Kween’s closest friend was no where close to the venue.
Overwhelmed Kween amid constant laughter and cheer told  NET ‘I’m so happy. I’m extremely excited that its happening finally’.
A reception at Mr Omotoye-owned night club ‘The Place’ which had more guests in attendance saw the sensual side of Kween and Dotun, as the MC Gbenga Adeyinka took them through several kissing sessions at regular intervals while Gloria Ibru and the ‘G’ notes band serenaded guests with their love and romance tunes
Source:http://vanguardngr.com



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Siasia faces tough luck in Eagles’ job

There is little to suggest that the Nigeria Football Federation has moved away from its usual half-hearted efforts at arranging top grade friendly games for the Eagles.
This is one factor that would work against Eagles coach, Samson Siasia in his bid to build a solid team ahead of the soccer battles ahead.
Checks at the NFF during the week reveals that there are no plans to arrange matches for the Eagles in the FIFA free days in the 2011 calendar.A member of the NFF technical committee admitted in a phone interview that there was no game on the cards for the Eagles in the 2011 calendar.
“No we have no plans for any friendly game. I don’t know of any for the moment,” said the official.
Siasia who is in Europe to meet with some of the Nigerian top stars has plans to play a quality friendly game to test the might of the team he is putting together.
The Eagles coach is no stranger to the turmoil that is the NFF. During his days as the under-21 coach, he was practically running the team on his own and it appears that is about to play itself out again.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/




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Imoke wants to produce long distance champs

Nigerian athletics is traditionally sprints oriented and perhaps this is why, the country is yet to make any impact in the long distance events even as there are abundant and naturally endowed talents waiting to be discovered.

Producing world champions is the sports legacy Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke wants to leave behind when he finally fades from the corridors of power.
Imoke said that in the next five years Nigeria should boost of quality long distance runners that could challenge those from Ethiopia and Kenya who have for eternity dominated the world scene and even the six-year old Obudu Mountain race.
His enthusiasm is fueled by the fact that world distance champions like Halie Gebrselassie were trained to become who they are and secondly; on top of the Obudu mountain there are kids who have shown traits of long distance running..
“We have identify about nine kids we want to train to become world champions. They are from the Obudu mountain area, which interestingly has the same climatic conditions with that of high altitude Ethiopia and Kenya.
“The kids are been put through school as a first step. If you are not in school you cannot get into the progamme, because it is meant to be a high performance training.
“Right now we have put a lot of things in place to see that the training goes on. Even when a governor who does not love the mountains takes over, the programme can still go,” said Imoke..
But for these kids and others to imbibe the culture of long distance running there has not be regular local competitions for them.
“We are partnering with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to run national development progammes. There is a need for national championships to keep the kids busy.
“Certainly our aim is to produce world and Olympic champions. And so it is not just going to all training and no competition to run in.”
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/




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S-West states prioritise education in 2011

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State

AS the Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala presented a budget proposal of N144. 1 billion to the state House of Assembly,  a substantial portion of the budget was devoted to education.


The governor proposed N7, 753,150,000 to the education sector so that the myriads of problem confronting it could be tackled.
Justifying the amount voted for the sector, the governor said, his administration believed that education is a right and the most enduring legacy that should be bequeathed to our children.
He said, “It is in consideration of the importance of education that the state, in spite of its lean financial resources that government has expended so much on construction of new secondary schools buildings, rehabilitated some schools of science and paid Junior School Certificate Examination and WAEC fees of candidates in public secondary schools in the state.”.
To encourage students in the state, he added that his government had resuscitated the moribund scholarship board and had approved the release of N144m for award of scholarship to 864 students of Oyo State last year.
This gesture, he noted, would continue in 2011 as the state is prepared to give scholarship to indigenes of the state to study overseas and that N600m has been allocated for this purpose.
In order to improve reading habits of people in the state, the governor hinted that community centers have been established in the 33 local governments in the state. The centres, according to him, are located in Eruwa, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Moniya, Iseyin, Kisi and Saki areas of the state. N450 m has been earmarked for the establishment of the centres.
For technical and vocational education, he said his administration had purchased equipment such as computers and other facilities worth over N105m
To encourage adult literacy programmes, two multi purpose centres had already been provided and had commenced since July,2010.
Ondo budgetsN12.4b for education
GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has presented to the Ondo State House of Assembly members a budget of N138.5billion for the 2011 fiscal year.
Of this estimate N12.406 billion was earmarked for the education sector and it came second in the funds allocated to key initiatives for the 2011 fiscal year.
Recurrent grants to Parastaltals and Tertiary Institution is put at N6.628b representing 11.68 percent of the recurrent expenditure proposal.
A sum of N7.72 billion was allocated for the development of education in the 2010 budget.
The Road construction and maintain ace took the lion share of the budget with N13.745billion budgeted for the sector.
Other key initiatives that followed the education sector include Social Community Development and Security Infrastructure which would gulp N9.64b followed by lands and housing N6.722b, water N5.479b,health N4.511b, promotion of Commerce, Agriculture N4.955b, industry N3.840b both Enhancement of Electricity supply and the judiciary would gulp N1.053b and N1billion respectively.
Dr Mimiko said that N1.500b is expected from the Education Trust Fund in the fiscal year.
Breakdown of the sect oral allocation showed that the Social Service gulped N25.377b representing 312 06 percent followed by the Economic Sector N23.594b representing 28.88 percent, Environmental and Regional Development N22.147b representing 12.94 percent and the Administrative sector N10.574b representing 12.94 percent.
He pointed out that the focus of his administration remains universal access to meaningful and qualitative education by our children irrespective of their socio economic circumstances.
“In this direction, work is on going on the construction of state Mega Primary school bin Akure, Ondo, Ikare and Okitipupa at a sum of N.39b to give unfettered access to qualitative education at the Primary School.
Also N680.58 Mini mega school at Oka, Ifon, Ore, Idanre, Ile Oluji, Araromi  Obu, Oke Ijebu are at various stages of award.
He said that government has established quality education assurance agency to improve and guarantee quality of education.
The budgetary allocation to tertiary institutions were not mentioned in the budget but expected to be released during the budget analysis by the Finance Ministry.
Giving the budget analysis  after the 2010 budget was presented to the House of Assembly, the then Finace Commissioner Akin Adaramola said that N1billion was budgeted for the University of Science and Technology OSUTECH in Okitipupa while Over N2billion was allocated to the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko against the N310million allocated to it 2009 by the past administration while Rufus Giwa Polytechnic got N208m as against N63million in 2009.
Ekiti offers free education; takes N3.8 b of  N74.7 b budget
Ekiti State government has budgeted the sum of N3.8billion as capital budget for education , representing 9.35 percent of the total budget of N69.9 billion for the year 2011
The state governor , Dr kayode Fayemi in his inaugural speech told the people of the state that his administration intends to introduce free and qualitative education from the primary to  secondary school level
The state government said it has taken decisive action in reducing the fees being paid by students of the state _owned higher institutions.
This according to the government would reduce the burden of parents and guardians and ‘’go a long way in stimulating academic excellence by our students and thus increase our rankings among the committee of states in common examinations’’
Below in the distribution of capital allocation to education in  the 2011
1.Ministry of Education—N44b,500,000,00
2.School enterprises project—N50,000,000,00
3.State Universal Basic Education Board—N1,300,000,000,00
This amounts include counterpart Funding
4. Board Foe Technical Education— N140,000,000,00
5.Tertiary Education—N5,860,000,000,00 (the sum of five billion , eight hundred and sixty milllion Naira) has been set aside as both capital expenditure and subventions to the  tertiary institutions.
However, the budgetary provision for the education sector (both recurrent and capital) in 2011 budget is N14.3 billion.
This represents 19.09 per cent of the total budget
Lagos budgets 13% of 2011 proposal for education
Considering the Macro-Economic climate, the proposed 2011 budget exceeds the 2010 revised budget by 8.2%. A proposed budget of N445.180bn was presented with education gulping N61.713bn (13.9%)
According to Governor Babatunde Fashola during the presentation, Lagos State University, and the other tertiary institutions in the State, will receive additional support in the 2011 budget, especially in view of recent challenges with accreditation of some courses.
The schools rehabilitation programme, including construction and furnishing of new classroom blocks, where required, will also get significant budgetary allocations.
It is important of course to report as I have done in the past, that the various policies of Government ranging from the schools rehabilitation programme, provision of free text books, resuscitation of Voluntary Clubs, the Adopt_a_School programme, the training of teachers, and Eko Project have continued to make the right impact and yield results that are positive even if we are all anxious for a complete turnaround.
It is in this context that I report another growth in number of our students who passed the WASSCE with a minimum of 5 credits including English and Mathematics at one sitting has increased to 21.11%. This is up from 18.41% in 2009, 10.41% in 2008, and 7.58% in 2007.
While our students still need to be supported to overcome their weakness and ensure that they can combine Mathematics and English together in a minimum of 5 credits at one sitting, I must report that the percentage pass in English Language as a subject increased from 41.25% in 2009 to 77.57% in Year 2010, while the percentage pass for Mathematics increased from 22.48% in 2009 to 75.57% in Year 2010.
I am told that the impact of the free books and the improving condition of our school are accountable for this.
Perhaps the most significant result of all is that there was that no incident of cancelled or withheld result in Lagos in 2010.
 Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/




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Nigeria must practice a federalism that best meet its challenges

Mr Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian Prime Minister and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President
Prof Julius Ihonvbere, former aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his
presentation at the just concluded   ‘5th International Conference on Federalism’ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, strongly spoke out against African leaders, who ascend to power, only to exploit and impoverish their people.


He particularly spoke against the looting of resources from the continent by its leaders, which are stashed in European banks, while Africa and its people wallow in abject poverty, need and all manner of sickness. His presentation drew repeated applause from participants, drawn different countries of  the world.
The conference on federalism, was hosted by the Government of Ethiopia in collaboration with the Forum of Federations. The theme was, ‘Equality and Unity in Diversity for Development.’
The five topics discussed at the conference were Federalism and the Democratization Process; The Impacts of Regionalization and Globalization on Federations;  Unity and Diversity Through Federalism;  Federalism and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Mechanisms; and  Fiscal Federalism and Equitable Development.
A total of 45 cases were  presented from all corners of the world while on each of the three days, specific question for each topic was treated.
Over 600 participants including heads of government, ministers and legislators from different levels of government around the globe as well as academics, civil society leaders, journalists and young practitioners attended the conference, which provided an interactive learning environment for sharing of experience on federalism and ultimately contribute to better governance.
It was agreed by participants that there is no water-tight federal system any where, as each was peculiar on its own.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who spoke on “Federative ideas and institutions in the functioning of Nigeria’s federalism,” also noted that the federal system a country operates, was always peculiar to it, saying “I am sure you all have already established the fact that federations or the practice of federalism differ from nation to nation.”
He added that the practice and structures as well as the challenges they throw up are often shaped by historical experiences, resources, the balance of political forces, the pressing need for a firm political arrangement, and the premium placed on unity, accommodation, stability and collective progress.  “In other words, one can say with some certainty, that federalism in practice is always a work in progress.
Being a work in progress, it means that we can never underrate the importance of “comparative federalism.”  Lessons drawn from other experiences, especially on best practices, can always enrich and strengthen the practice of federalism in other social formations,” he said.
Speaking further, he said, “I must hasten to add that such lessons or experiences must, at all times, be related to the specificities and defined objectives of the nation so as not to complicate existing contradictions and contestations.”
Solomon Benjamin, who spoke on “Federalism and the Democratization Process,” noted that “Nigeria’s federal democracy has witnessed constitutional conflicts since 1999, due to inherent flaws in the Constitution.
The country-wide conflicts in the areas of Governors and their deputies, president and vice, security, local government creation, and fiscal federalism have yet to be resolved.
However, these issues, including the recent president’s absence from the country due to ill-health, have some times caused fears, controversies and tension in the diverse polity of Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s constitution was designed by the military, which makes the democratization process a problematic one. It calls for ongoing constitutional review, which continues to dominate the polity. Since 2000, several constitutional committees have been created at huge cost, but not much had been done by the lawmakers, their promise notwithstanding.
Rather deliberate impediments are created to make the exercise a mirage of inter-chamber politics, while procedural issues and the personal ego of the leadership almost stalled the exercise.
“On fiscal responsibility, the budget amendment power, Section 88(1) of the legislature, has been called into question, as the executive believes that the section does not grant the legislature the power of budget amendment.
This has been the cause of conflict between the executive and the legislature and caused annual delays in passing new budgets into law. Conflicts in Federal Government resulted in the withholding of funds meant for states and councils, and security problems between the Governors and the Police Commissioners in the states have generated controversies across the board.
The constitution makes it impossible for Governors to act swiftly in the case of conflicts within their domains because they have no control over the Police.”
On what he felt was a faulty constitutional arrangement, he said, “the prevailing situation is such that the state Police Commissioners are answerable only to the Inspector-General of Police,  who is at the Federal Capital, which presents challenges regarding security matters.”
Mansur Muhtar, another Nigerian, who spoke on  Fiscal Federalism and Equitable Development, said, “as part of wide-ranging economic reforms embarked upon by the Obasanjo administration in 2004, it became imperative to enact fiscal responsibility legislation, whose primary objectives were to address critical development challenges associated with the management of huge oil revenues. Historically, oil revenue management had generally been poor.
Public expenditure closely followed oil revenue inflows, which resulted in expenditure volatility.
“The legislation was also considered desirable as a means of securing greater accountability, transparency and efficiency in the utilization of scarce public resources, as well as in fostering better inter-governmental fiscal coordination.
Over a prolonged period of time, fiscal indiscipline, exacerbated by weak institutions and poor governance and accountability, had resulted in the mismanagement of the country’s resources and the accumulation of unsustainable debts. Increased emphasis on fiscal decentralization since the advent of civilian rule in 1999 also introduced new challenges in macroeconomic management, as fiscal decisions taken at the lower tiers of government created difficulties in achieving macroeconomic stability.
“The main components of the Fiscal Responsibility Law, which drew substantially from Brazilian Law, included rules and procedures for a comprehensive budgetary process and for incurring debts. It also included arrangements for management of oil revenue to reduce volatility and measures for improving reporting, enhancing transparency and accountability.
“The process of enacting this legislation was initiated in 2005, culminating in the passage of a Fiscal Responsibility Bill by the National Assembly in May 2007. However, this was in a diluted form, due to certain constitutional constraints.
The jurisdictional scope with respect to the majority of the provisions for budgeting and reporting was limited to the Federal Government, as constitutionally, the national government lacked authority over the other tiers of government in fiscal matters.
As a means of addressing this lacuna, the law encouraged other tiers of government to enact Fiscal Responsibility Laws, with the Federal Government providing incentives and other support as required.
“I had assessed the progress made in implementing the legislation,  the initial constraints relating to capacity, as well as the challenges in maintaining political commitment.
I touched on efforts made at circumventing the inadequacies of the legislation, with respect to jurisdictional scope, by continued recourse to the use of informal arrangements for achieving fiscal responsibility across the tiers of government.
As would be highlighted, this has not been without its own challenges, especially given the limited leverage enjoyed by the Federal Government. State Governments in Nigeria have significant independence regarding their expenditure decisions, and the Federal Government’s weak resource base limits the degree to which it could leverage conditional grants/transfers to states to influence spending patterns,” he added.
He stressed  the need to make progress in enacting complimentary legislation at state level.
On his part, Habu Mohammed, who spoke on Federalism and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Mechanisms, noted that “in Nigeria’s multi-ethnic federation, ethnic conflict is deeply rooted in the historical formation of the country as a nation state.
The perennial conflict in Jos, the Plateau State, is political-cum-ethnic in character, arising from long established, inter-group relations. The crises also combine the threads of political, religious, and economic undertones, which have threatened peace and raised a question mark over the Nigerian federation.
“The unitary federal system operated in the country for over 30 years. This military authoritarian rule has negatively affected the process of nurturing democratic federalism at different tiers of the federating units.
Instead, the central government reduced the scope of public participation in decision-making processes, leading to dire consequences on intergroup relations and national integration.
The return to civilian rule in 1999 has further exposed the fragility of the Nigerian federation, largely due to the spate of ethno-religious, communal and political conflicts in the country. Jos, Plateau has been embroiled in violent confrontations between the Hausa/Fulani settlers” mainly Muslims and the Afizere,
.Anaguta and Berom who are indigenes” or natives” (mainly Christians). In Nigerian parlance, a native” of a specific ethnic group is synonymous with an “indigene;” a sonjdaughter-of-the soil.” Thus, regardless of being a citizen of Nigeria, any person who has his ethnic genealogy elsewhere, even if he was born in a particular state or lived all his life there, is regarded as settler.”
“Conflict between the two groups has, since 1994, becomes dreadful and irresolvable. A recent report (2010) by the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect put the death toll in the Plateau State conflict since 1999 at 13,500. Each time conflict erupts in the area hundreds of thousands of people are rendered homeless.
Global Internal Displacement of Persons, estimates that the number of internally displaced persons caused by the 2004 crisis in Yelwa and other parts of Plateau State range from 40,000-258,000.
The conflict is also capable of derailing the process of nurturing a virile democratic culture, which aims to be based on a mutual social network, equity, political participation and tolerance as well as compromise. Conversely, if effectively managed, the multi-ethnic composition of Jos, and indeed other cities in Nigeria, is likely to become a model of development through integration and national development.
“Over the years, the government’s setting up of various Committees of Inquiries, at the end of each crisis in the area, leaves much to be desired in reversing the deep-seated identity question.
After all, the reports of such committees have never been implemented quickly due to over politicization of the conflict in the arenas of the state and civil society.
Therefore, the Truth and Reconciliation, TRC, model as practiced in South Africa after a prolonged period of racism is needed in Plateau State. This can be conducted when mutual trust is entrenched, injustices of the previous conflicts have been addressed and massive campaigns by the government, the media and non governmental organisations, particularly the faith and community based organisations, have been carried· out, because it is necessary that the two antagonistic social groups bury their hatches.
Therefore, how the Nigerian federal system can resolve these dilemmas and implant confidence in multi-ethnic states is a major concern, which must be addressed,” he added.
While it was the conlusion of these speakers that Nigeria must practice a federalism that best meet its challenges, speakers from other parts of the world,   also stressed the need for the adoption of  a  system that would best serve the peculiar need of a people, irrespective of the continent and system government practiced in that country , whether unitary or federal, as every country has its challenges, which must be surmounted for the benefit of the people.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/




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Obasanjo, corruption and I, by Atiku

ERSTWHILE Vice-President Atiku Abubakar now a leading presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week had an interactive session with some of the country’s senior media executives. He used the opportunity to ventilate on matters pertaining to the 2011 presidential contest, the heavy load of government overhead on public finances and perception of corruption around him. Excerpts:

What is your reaction to the recent endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by 21 PDP Governors?
I will like to concede to them whoever they want to endorse in their individual capacities. The only thing I will argue here is that I don’t object you having the right to vote for whoever you want, but I will object if you will dictate to some other persons to vote people who it is not their conscience or their choice to vote for. So, if a Governor as an individual has decided to vote for Jonathan, fine, but do not carry it more than that because this is a democracy. Allow also other delegates to elect whosoever they want to elect, make sure we have a credible process, do not use your position to intimidate other people to vote for people who they do not want to vote for.
As far as I am concerned, that is not a big deal.
What then are your chances?
My chances are extremely very good because me, I talk to the delegates, one on one, he (Jonathan) believes in using the Governors to secure the delegates, so at the end of the day we will see whose strategy is better.
Me, I believe in talking one on one with the delegates, he believes in using the Governors to make sure the delegates conform.
But I think that he has realized that the Governors alone cannot give him those delegates, so he is now beginning to go from one place to the other meeting delegates and also giving them.
The issue of a minimum wage has become a major challenge for the States. What is your view on this?
My view is that it is not in tune with true federalism for you to have standard or common projects across the country because if some of you were old enough to remember when this country had three regions, North, West and East, their salary structures were completely detached.
Everything of theirs were in tune with true federalism. Today, Akwa Ibom earns the largest share in revenue allocation, they take about N29 billion per month and this N29 billion is almost what all the 19 northern states take per month. So, how would you expect any one of these States to pay the same wage with Akwa Ibom. It is totally unfair, totally unfederalism, it is not in tune with true federalism, this is the way I will like to pursue it.
I will be realistic about it and people will have to understand that the various States are not the same.
Your determination and pursuit of the ticket shows some elements of desperation. Are you desperate?
I am not desperate about 2011. I have never been desperate about anything at all because if you follow my career you will not find any desperation. If I had been desperate, I would have been President long time ago.
I wouldn’t have stepped down for Abiola in 1992, I wouldn’t have given Obasanjo a chance in 1998, I had the PDP in my hands (like this), I would have taken the nomination in my pocket and I wouldn’t have given him the chance in 2003 when everybody said come and take it over. So, I am not desperate about it, I will wait for the right time, whenever God says is the right time and Nigerians say is the right time. I am not desperate about it. What am I looking for? I have money to eat till I die!
A number of Nigerians are really worried about the level of overhead expenditure by the various governments. How would you approach it if you are elected President?
Almost 80 percent of government income is spent on recurrent. This is what is used in paying salaries, allowances and all that. I want to reverse it.
I want to propose to Nigerians that every money that is earned from petroleum resources we should use it to develop our country’s infrastructure and every money we make from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, from taxation to VAT and so on and so forth we should use it as recurrent. Unless you implement this shock therapy you will not develop this great country, we all have to make sacrifices.
80 per cent of your income is going into recurrent, so I was thinking one day, why cant we reverse it? All the money we earn from oil let us dedicate it to develop infrastructure, education, power and jobs and so on and so forth.
And every money we get from Inland Revenue Service for recurrent.
That will even make the FIRS even more efficient.
Can your plan scale through the National Assembly?
I will dialogue with the National Assembly and I want to believe that they will put the interest of this country before their own selfish interest.
There is this persisting insinuation especially in the last two months that you are a corrupt person. Are you really corrupt?
I will agree with you that in the last two months when most people in PDP didn’t give me a chance to first of all return to the party, secondly they didn’t give me a chance of getting the waiver and thirdly, they didn’t give me a chance of running for the presidency. I proved them wrong in all ways, but we must remember that this corruption perception started when I was in office since the year 2000. It started from the presidency, it was a grand design to put the garb of corruption around me so that I would be ineligible to either contest or threaten anybody.
Every government machinery both at home and abroad was used to execute this grand design and I made sure that I insulated myself from that because if I did not insulate myself…
I believe you would agree with me that nobody has been so investigated in office as I was.
As chairman of COJA which the President gave me and I executed faithfully. He set up three different investigations one after the other to make sure that they found me with something, but unfortunately, I knew where he was heading.
There was no single COJA contract that I made sure that he (Obasanjo) did not approve even though I had the power to approve it, even if it is ten naira, I took it to him and he approved it. So, how can you get me?
I was discussing with a top US government official (and he told me) that it was written about me that I was corrupt, that I am a thief, I am this and that. The comment of the US authorities was very uncomplimentary that this is unbecoming of a President to write about his vice like this.
In the course of my travels I have met many Heads of State in Africa and outside who have told me “but your President said you are corrupt but we don’t find you like that.”
So, this corruption toga was deliberate to make sure that I am totally eliminated from the political process in this country because somebody felt I am a threat or I would be unstoppable and so on and so forth. But if I am that corrupt, haba all these years why is it that..up till now, if you said that as Vice-President I had immunity, I no longer have immunity, no agency in Nigeria, no Police Station has invited me to question. No agency and like it is popularly being said that I cannot go to America and so on and so forth.
America is not the kind of country that if you break their laws that they will let you go, wherever you may be they will pick you up! Anywhere!
Yes, America investigated my transactions and I provided all information that they needed but they never found where public money went into my business account. And it is everything I gave them to go through and all they could come up with was, suspect funds!
What is the definition of suspect funds?
I don’t even have to tell my wife where I earn my money, I don’t know how many of you tell your wives how you earn your money.
It is not only in Nigeria that I have business, I have business in Angola, I have business in Gabon, Congo Brazaville. I have been in these businesses for the past twenty seven years.
So, please if you have any evidence go and help the authorities so that they can call me for questioning and ask me.
What is even more painful to me is that they write all these things and I have children, I have wives, they read, they go through pain and they know that I am not what these people are writing about or what they are saying. I come back home and they look at me, sometimes my children send me e_mails what nonsense is this?
From PF (Peoples Front in the late eighties) I was a multimillionaire even then. When we declared our assets in SDP, I was one of the few people who was then a multimillionaire. Haba!
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/





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Obama calls Jonathan on Cote d’Ivoire

NEW YORK—PRESIDENT Barack Obama has placed a phone call to President Goodluck Jonathan,  congratulating him over Nigeria’s leadership role in handling the political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire.Vanguard gathered that Obama spoke with Jonathan on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of an emergency ECOWAS meeting in Abuja on Friday to discuss the situation in Cote d’ Ivoire.

A read-out of the telephone revealed that President Obama congratulated President Jonathan for Nigeria’s resolute leadership in standing squarely behind the people of Cote d’Ivoire and insisting that the internationally_recognised results of  the November 28 election be respected.”
Obama was quoted to have expressed admiration for the efforts of  ECOWAS in this regard.
He informed Jonathan about the steps the U.S. had taken recently, including imposition of travel sanctions on persons supporting or benefiting from former President Laurent Gbagbo’s efforts to retain power.
The read-out said: “The two presidents agreed to continue consulting on this issue which is so important to regional stability and democratic governance.”
The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that it was discussing with ECOWAS countries about boosting UN troops in Cote’d’Ivoire.
Reinforcing UN peacekeeping force
The State Department spokesman, Philip Crowley, told reporters that the U.S. was in discussions with “other regional countries to see if there are ways in which we can reinforce the UN peacekeeping force.”
Côte d’Ivoire has been plunged into political uncertainty after incumbent President, Laurent Gbagbo,  refused to concede electoral defeat to Alassane Ouattara.
ECOWAS, AU and  the UN had endorsed Ouattara’s victory  in the run_off presidential elections held on November 28 which Gbagbo claimed to have won.
The UN, which has about 10,000 peacekeepers in the country, had reported that national security forces loyal to Gbagbo have targeted UN personnel and their operations.
On Thursday, the UN Human Rights Commission in a meeting in Geneva, said post_election violence had claimed 173 lives.
As ECOWAS meets on Friday, international pressure is mounting on  Gbagbo to quit the presidency.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/




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"Avatar" the most pirated film of 2010

p>25 Year Old Chinedu Chidi wins ‘The Debaters' Season II

After a thirteen week search , Chinedu Chidi has emerged winner of The Debaters Season Two. The University of Abuja, English graduate walked away with a N3.5 million cash prize, a Brand new RA4 Jeep, courtesy Mandilas Motors, and a VEDA laptop.
Ibipo, the first runner up, got a N1 million cash prize and a VEDA laptop,while Olumide, the second runner up, got a N500, 000 cash prize and a VEDA laptop.
The eleven other runners each got laptops,courtesy GTBank. On September 18 2010, the fourteen Talkmates moved into the Talk Academy. Thirteen weeks of non-stop verbal warfare, and eight evictions later, the Super Six - Femi Adelayo, Ibipo Salami, Olumide Gbadebo, Arit Okpo, Chinedu Chidi andAjibola Ibaru - were left standing to battle to the finish.
The final debate, ‘Africa is the lifeline that guarantees the survival of the West', was a blend of articulate and ingeniously delivered speeches, and was indeed a tough battle, at the end of which Chinedu, the Young Statesman, beat his five other eloquent talkmates, and bagged the highly coveted title: Debater of the Year 2010.
The Debaters is created by TV personality Mo who anchors ‘Moments with Mo' Besides GTBank which was the headline sponsor of ‘The Debaters', the show also received support from British Council and the United States Consulate General / IRC. Other sponsors include - Veda Technology, GTAssurance, Sweet Sensation,Mobos Fashion, Pan African University, and Mandilas Ventures.
BANKY W, TERRY G, E.T.C all set for ‘Christmas live in Benue'
Love Idoko led Dream Pointers Limited has rolled out plans for ‘Christmas Live in Benue'.
The state is set to host Banky W, and Terry G, who will be performing in Benue for the first time at ‘Christmas live in Benue' set to take place on Boxing Day, by 6pm at the open air, Aminu Isah,Kontagora Atrs theatre Complex ..
Speaking about the event Idoko said ‘right now the buzz of the event is very intense and people all over the state are looking forward to it, especially because Banky W and Terry G are performing in Benue for the first time. People are in for loads of fun, at ‘Christmas Live in Benue' as we are ensuring all i is dotted and all t is crossed in preparation for the event'.
A history of successful entertainment programmes held in the state include the Democracy Day Concert 2009 and 2010 edition, Benue Night of Music and Comedy,Benue Music Festival, Naija @ 50 live in Benue and featured notable stars like 2 face, 9ice, Wande Coal, Djinee, Gordons, I go Die, J Martins, Basket Mouth and so many others.
All of these events was organised by Love Idoko led Dream Pointers Limited, the same company putting together ‘Christmas live in Benue'.
"Avatar" the most pirated film of 2010
... ‘Avatar' is the most pirated film of the year, according to data released by a file-sharing blog.
The biggest film in history was downloaded from torrent websites 16.6 million times, according to TorrentFreak. That represents a 33% increase in download activity from last year's top-pirated film,‘Star Trek', which was downloaded just under 11 million times.20th Century Fox, which distributed the sci-fi epic,isn't exactly crying. The film grossed nearly $2.8 billion at the worldwide box office to become the highest-grossing movie ever (before accounting for inflation).
Director James Cameron has frequently touted 3D filmmaking as the industry's best hope for combating piracy, but 3D glasses didn't hold back pirates from shattering all recorded piracy records. The financial performance of ‘Avatar' home entertainment revenue isn't known yet, but the initial DVD release broke sales records.
Surprisingly, second on the list was ‘Kick-Ass,' with 11.4 million downloads off torrent web sites. The kiddie superhero film underperformed at the worldwide box office with sales of about $96 million.‘Inception' followed with 9.7 million downloads, ‘Shutter Island' with 9.5 million, and ‘Iron Man 2' with 8.8 million.
Who leaves Nigerian Idol this Week?
Starting from last week, ten contestants would face the viewing public each week for five weeks in the Top Fifty stage of the Nigerian Idol. Out of the ten , eight would go and two will remain. The first ten of the fifty got a chance to show their stuff last Sunday and today December 24 only two will remain in what is gearing up to be a really tight race.
The ten contestants Sadia, Joe Blue, Immaculate, Irene, Chito, AB, Ruth, Ola, Bukky and Naomi sang their hearts out to a live studio audience and the judges. But unlike in past weeks where the judges got to decide who stays and who goes,their fates now lie in the hands of the viewers who have been asked to vote for their favorite contestants via text and on the Nigerian Idol website.
After four days of nail-biting tension, viewers will finally get to see the outcome of the votes when the show airs later today.
Source:http://234next.com/




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Accident-miracle

NEW YORK - He reached for her hand. It had been five weeks since the accident.

Emilie Gossiaux, 21, lay in a bed in the surgical intensive-care unit at Bellevue Hospital Center. She could not see. She could not hear. Beyond asking for water, she spoke very little. Her boyfriend, Alan Lundgard, 21, took her left palm in his.
Gossiaux was riding her bicycle in Brooklyn on the morning of October 8 when an 18-wheel truck making a right turn struck her. Once she arrived at Bellevue, her heart stopped for about one minute after she went into cardiac arrest. She had suffered a traumatic brain injury, a stroke and multiple fractures in her head,pelvis and leg.
Gossiaux's mother said that on the second day a nurse told her that her daughter was gone,and asked about organ donations.Five weeks later, Gossiaux was still alive. But her future looked grim. Her parents were planning on taking her back home to the New Orleans area and placing her in a nursing home. At the time, a doctor told her family that she was not a candidate for rehabilitative treatment because there was no way to communicate with her.
Lundgard had spent every night at the hospital. Nobody had told him what the nurse said that second night. Nobody had the heart to.Gossiaux and Lundgard met in 2006 in Colorado at a summer arts program for high school students. She was born in Metairie, Los Angeles, and raised in Terrytown, both suburbs of New Orleans. He was born in California but grew up in Midland, Mich. He loved her voice, one of his friends called it milk and honey. They met again in 2007 at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art as freshman art students. They had been a couple since this February, and soon moved in together. The loft in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where they lived and drew and painted was filled with light. The morning of the accident, she had been riding her bike to an art studio, where she had an internship.
When Gossiaux was a little girl, there were times her parents thought she was asleep in bed, but she was not. She was drawing her own comic strips, sometimes in the closet, sometimes with the shades open by the light of the moon. She has been hearing-impaired since she was a child, and had been wearing hearing aids since kindergarten. As she grew older, her hearing worsened.
In May,she had surgery to receive a cochlear implant, an electronic device known as a bionic ear, in her left ear. She took the fall semester off from Cooper to recuperate.
After the accident, Gossiaux had not allowed anyone to put in her cochlear implant or the hearing aid she wore in her other ear. Lundgard and her parents, Eric and Susan Gossiaux, feared that the accident had left her blind. Lundgard read about Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan on the Internet - to communicate, Sullivan used her finger to spell words on Keller's palm. He did not think it would work. But about 3 a.m. that November morning in her hospital room, leaning over her bed and holding her left hand, he decided to try.
With his index finger he spelled, one capital letter at a time, the words "I LOVE YOU." "Oh,you love me?" she told him. "That's so sweet. Thank you." It was the first time she had responded in any significant way to the many attempts to communicate with her. In her disoriented state, she thought he was a kind stranger.
"It wasn't even a conversation," Lundgard said. "It was just that one exchange which alerted me to the fact that she was not damaged to such an extent that it was beyond her ability to recover." Lundgard later had a longer conversation with Emilie Gossiaux, in which he finger-spelled questions and she responded. It took a long time to spell one sentence, but she understood what he wrote on her palm, telling him what year it was and where she was born.
Shortly after, she allowed her hearing aid to be put in her right ear. In an instant,she was back.
"When she came to, it was like a party in the hospital," said Lundgard, who is taking a year off from Cooper to help his girlfriend; he is a seasonal employee at The New York Times, working as an art assistant."All the nurses came in; they were,like, dancing and screaming." Emilie Gossiaux never went to a nursing home. She was transferred to NYU Langone Medical Center's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine on East 17th Street,where she has been undergoing physical therapy.
Fate seems a meager word to describe the great mystery of their lives. On the morning of the accident, Lundgard put her helmet on her, strapping it on tight.A bus driver at the Louisiana school district where Susan Gossiaux works - a woman Emilie Gossiaux's mother had never met - donated 106.5 sick days so that she could be by her daughter's side. After the nurse told her that her daughter was gone, Susan Gossiaux was whispering in her ear when Emilie Gossiaux suddenly raised her arm."I had the head doctor of surgical ICU say, ‘Miracles happen,"' Susan Gossiaux, 59,said.
On Saturday afternoon, Lundgard sat at the edge of the bed next to Emilie Gossiaux at the hospital on 17th Street. "I feel like a newborn baby, just starting over," she said softly.
The big rig had nearly killed her 71 days ago. Now she lay in bed, teasing Lundgard about the crush she had on him in sophomore year, laughing about a joke one of her therapists had told her. She spoke of wanting to graduate from Cooper, of wanting to sculpture again, of wanting to join the Peace Corps. She believes she will get her vision back.
"They told me that there was a very small chance, but if there's a chance, then I'll believe in it," she said, "and I'll have hope in it." Emilie Gossiaux reached for his arms. He leaned over the bed. "You want to get up?" he asked.
"No," she said. "I want a hug."
Source:http://234next.com/




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Rugby delegates meet to resolve leadership crisis

The Nigeria Rugby Stakeholder meeting was held on Tuesday, December 21 to deliberate on ways to move the game forward in the country.

Twenty six delegates from across the country along with five observers attended the meeting, which was held at the National Olympic Committee board room of the National Stadium, Lagos. The delegates were made up of rugby club proprietors, members of state associations and players’ representatives.

Ntiense Williams, Convener and secretary of Friends of Rugby said, “The attendance of the delegates clearly shows that Nigerian Rugby Stakeholders are prepared to resolve the lingering leadership crisis which has engulfed the present concession board of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation.”

This crisis led to Nigeria being banned by the International Rugby Board since 2009.

Resolution of the council

According to Williams, the meeting deliberated on the state of rugby in the country and the present ban on Nigeria by the sport’s world governing body, and after studying the situation through all the available documents from the International Rugby Board and the Confederation of African Rugby a motion was raised for members to take a decision on whether to endorse the present concession board of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) or to endorse the IRB directive for a democratic election to be conducted into the board of the Rugby Federation.

The meeting which lasted for over two hours eventually voted 24 to 2 in favour of the IRB’s directive, and immediately gave a constitutional six weeks’ notice (End of February) for a special General Assembly of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation to be called.

In the interim, a seven man Nigeria Rugby Stakeholder Forum Committee was set up to follow through on this issue and other pressing issues.

Members of the committee include, Tunde Akerele as chairman; Edward Pam Fom, representing the North Central; Abdulahi Musa, representing North West; Richard Raphael, representing North East; Obasi Josuah, representing South East; Gbenga Hamed, representing South West; and Ntiense Williams, representing the South-South.
Source:http://234next.com/




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Investors buy more banks shares

Recent trading activities at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) have shown that capital market investors are showing more interest in some bank shares despite the anxiety in the sector.

Analysis of transactions in the banking subsector of listed equities showed that the shares of some banks such as United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank; and some rescued banks - PHB, Intercontinental and Wema, have continued as the most traded stocks in the past five trading days.

At the close of Wednesday’s trading, First Bank, First City Monument Bank, PHB, Intercontinental Bank, and Guaranty Trust Bank were the most traded stocks. The total volume of 118.32 million units valued at N1.05 billion traded in the shares of the five stocks accounted for 49.01 per cent of the entire market volume while their value represented 47.45 per cent of the whole market value.

The Banking subsector, yesterday, led as the most active subsector with 186.40 million units worth N1.47billion as against the 223.69 million units valued at N1.28billion recorded on Tuesday.

Government intervention

Market watchers say the motivation behind investors’ interest in the banking stocks could be attributed to government’s efforts to buy toxic assets in the banking industry through the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Dimeji Akintayo, head research team at Resource Cap, a business advisory company, said although few individual investors are positioning themselves in some banks’ shares because “AMCON has come to the rescue” of the banking sector, “the real funds driving volume in the sector are actually coming from portfolio managers who are the main profit takers in the market.”

A research team at Access Bank recently said the sector is becoming attractive because banks’ stocks “appears to be generally under-valued especially with improvements in corporate profits of some companies.” “We maintain that the relatively low share prices of most stocks will lead to another round of appreciation in the All-Share Index. With AMCON expected to buy up banks’ toxic assets in first quarter 2011, we believe that renewed interest in banks’ equities would engender rebound in the index, though with occasional profit taking by weary investors,” they said.

Market rebounds

Meanwhile, at the close of Wednesday’s trading, the NSE’s market capitalisation, which recorded N3 billion losses on Tuesday, gained over N58 billion or 0.74 per cent increase to close at N7.856 trillion from N7.798 trillion. A total of 36 stocks appreciated in price on Wednesday, while 20 stocks depreciated. Guinness Nigeria and Africa Petroleum topped the price gainers’ table with an increase of N8.75 and 95 kobo on their opening prices of N180.25 and N20.95 per share respectively. UAC Nigeria and United Bank for Africa followed in the chart with an increase of 62 kobo and 35 kobo, to close at N38.30 and N8.90 per share.

On the flip side, Ashaka Cement and Eterna Oil led the price losers’ chart with a loss of N1.00 and 18 kobo, to close at N27.50 and N5.00 per share. Costain West Africa and Nigeria and Nigerian Aviation Handling Company followed with a decrease of 16 kobo and 13 kobo on their initial prices of N6.56 and N6.13 per share.

Source:http://234next.com/

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Senate gives condition for passing 2011 budget

The Senate has warned that it will not approve the 2011 budget until the revenue profile of a large number of government parastatals which seem to operate independently, are included.


The Senate President, David Mark, gave the warning yesterday about one week after the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, told President Goodluck Jonathan the same thing during the budget presentation ceremony last week.
According the two leaders of the National Assembly, some 31 government agencies - most of them revenue generating companies - operate their annual budgets outside the national budget bill contrary to the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
"We will not go ahead to approve this budget without these 31 parastatals," Mr Mark said, during the concluding part of the second reading of the 2011 appropriation bill.
"There is no way in which they can carry on generating revenue and spending it the way they want as if they are running a government of their own. You cannot have a government within a government, all government affairs must be approved by the two chambers," he added.
The decision to pry into the budgets of these government agencies reportedly began after the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, angered the lawmakers with his refusal to withdraw his comments that 25.4% of the nation's overhead is spent by the National Assembly.
The CBN, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Customs and Excise and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council are amongst the 31 "independent" organisations targeted by the lawmakers.
Blames for budget failure
The senators blamed the government for the slow implementation of the budget and offered various panacea; ranging from starving under-performing ministries of fund to strict oversight in the coming year.
The Senate president however told his colleagues that they all share in the blame for under-performing budgets.
"We also have to share in this blame when budgets are not implemented; we do not bring them to the floor here and we become a part and parcel of the problem with the executive," Mr. Mark said, adding, "But I think we must ensure that the 2011 budget is fully implemented. If it is one kobo that is there, the one kobo is spent in the way it is spelt out in the budget not on paper. It does not matter how beautiful the budget is on paper, if we cannot translate it to the reality on ground, it is just as good as no budget at all; and that is where I think we come in; our various oversight functions must ensure that budgets are properly implemented."
Key issues
The senators identified power and security as the key issues that must be solved by the 2011 budget. It noted that without these, every other economic developmental intentions of the government in the budget would be fruitless.
"If we can get power right and if we can get security right, the wealth will follow naturally. As long as we cannot get the power right we can preach any amount of gospel from now till tomorrow: there can be no national development because that is really the key to national development all over the world now," the Senate president said.
Source:http://234next.com/




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Reshaping SMEs’ future for industrial development

Many countries depend on their small and medium-scale enterprises to grow their Gross Domestic Products. Experts and stakeholders assess the trend in Nigeria, proffering solutions towards making the sub-sector play its expected role.

It has been a great concern that the Small and Medium- Scale Enterprises in Nigeria have not performed their expected role of driving the country‘s industrial transformation and development as it is observable in other developed countries.

It is believed that the billions of naira poured into the sub-sector have had no appreciable impact so far on the economy. Meanwhile, SMEs have played and continue to play significant roles in the growth, development and industrialisation of many economies the world over. In the case of Nigeria, however, SMEs have performed below expectation due to a combination of problems, which range from operators‘ attitude and habits to environment-related factors, including instability in government policies, the hostile operating terrain, infrastructural challenges, funding constraints and managerial problems.

According to small business experts, managerial problems represent the greatest problem facing SMEs in Nigeria, while inadequate local raw materials is the least problem. The potential and opportunities for SMEs in Nigeria as regards the crucial role of serving as the engine of growth, development, industrialisation, wealth creation, poverty reduction and employment creation are enormous.

Hence, the realisation of this requires a paradigm shift, from paying lip service to a practical but radical approach and focus on this all-important sector of the economy by the government addressing the identified problems realistically.

However, experts argue that in spite of all the suggestions, SMEs themselves need to change their attitude and habits relating to entrepreneurship development. According to them, the government should also involve the SMEs in policy formulation and execution for maximum effect.

These positions came to the fore at a recent seminar organised by the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises, where stakeholders attempted answers to the yearning questions.

According to a former Head of State, Federal Government of Nigeria, Chief Ernest Shonekan, one of the major ways to revive SMEs in the country is through proper implementation of budget and policies.

He says, ”For instance, the budget of 2011 just announced by President Goodluck Jonathan is very promising, especially in areas of government support for SMEs and the provision of infrastructure and institutional impediments to more competitive and business-friendly investment environment.

”Stimulus packages have been added for power, aviation and manufacturing sectors with the provision of a $500m facility to support SMEs.”

He notes that as the economy is gradually emerging from the recession, stimulating growth should not be limited to the SMEs and those in the formal sector of the economy alone.

”Such economic stimulation packages, if extended to the informal sector, may encourage many of them to actually migrate to SMEs, so that we can capture their activities and contributions to the growth of the economy,” Shonekan says.

He, however, adds that in attempting to go forward, there is a need for SMEs to be focused, recharged and be prepared to contribute more to the development of the economy.

”Ours cannot be different, South Africa and nearby Ghana are already in the lead. We must do what is needed to achieve our vision of becoming one of the first 20 most developed economies in the world by the year 2020,” he stresses.

On her part, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Ms. Josephine Tapgun, says globalisation and free market competition present a major challenge to societies seeking sustainable human development and economic growth.

”These challenges are particularly intense, especially when the objectives sought are on development of the real sector, employment generation and wealth creation,” she notes.

She explains that almost all economies have transited from household artisan industries over time to the modern industrial set up, witnessing phenomenal upgrade in skills, machinery and equipment and management practices, among others.

She adds that historical evidence indicates that most of today‘s giant corporations began as very small innovative and creative firms, including Guinnes of Dublin, Sony and Honda of Japan, Odutola and Dangote of Nigeria.

”SMEs in Nigeria can learn from the giants, adapt imported technologies, modernise their process, add value to our local raw materials and compete in the global market,” she adds.

Tapgun says, through innovations, the entrepreneur introduces new production techniques, new commodities, improves on existing ones, opens up new markets, explores new sources of raw materials and designs new techniques of management.

She adds, ”Research and development programmes are formal avenues of inculcating innovative skills in the entrepreneurs. Associations are meant to pass this unto their members to improve SMEs in Nigeria.”

According to her, skill is the only difference between a trained entrepreneur and one who banks simply on luck. She, therefore, says, ”SMEs must develop a high sense of self esteem, creative attributes and business management skills.”

On the part of the government, she assures stakeholders of the ministry and the involving agencies‘ support for SMEs development, stressing that such support will give them all assistance that may be required to make them innovative and to make their products globally competitive.

The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, had said that one of the ways forward for SMEs in Nigeria was for operators, like NASME and other business management organisations to join similar international organisations, including the Council for Small Businesses, International Small Business Council and other international enterprise promotion organisations that are involved in SMEs worldwide.

He says, ”These organisations will help SMEs to cultivate new ideas and techniques through partnerships and enterprise promotion programmes and will improve market access for products.

”I will like to reiterate the CBN’s resolve with the Federal Government to partner all stakeholders on the establishment of a National SME Development Council in Nigeria to promote and boost SME investment in Nigeria.”

He adds that the council will also help to address some challenges, including skills, shortage of funds, poor professional and marketing information services, poor economic research and SME data base, lack of appropriate technology and technology transfer and SME infrastructure.

Sanusi explains that the council will also serve as a veritable channel through which SMEs, OPS and BMOs will make their views impact on the various governmental policy decisions for the benefit of the SME sub-sector in Nigeria.

He notes, ”I would want to assure SMEs of banks’ continued support, especially with regard to their forthcoming zonal workshop commencing in the second quarter of 2011, which is aimed at sensitising the entrepreneurs on the various programmes of government that are targeted at improving the productivity of the SME sector in Nigeria.

”I am confident that these continued collaborative efforts with all stakeholders involved in SME development will up-scale economy-wide activities such as outputs, income and employment generation, as well as ensure a vibrant real sector development.”

He stresses the need for all to work towards raising the ratio of SME contribution to exports from the current low level of less than two per cent to four per cent by the year 2020.

The Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr. Martin Woolnough, believes that the challenges facing SMEs in Nigeria range from inadequate, inefficient and non-functional infrastructural facilities, lack of easy access to funding, discrimination from bank, unfair trade practices, widespread corruption and absence of long-term finance, to lack of appropriate and adequate managerial and entrepreneur skills, among others.

According to him, these challenges are enormous and can only be tackled through multi-dimensional and multi-stakeholder approach, involving actions from the government and its agencies, banks, regulatory authorities, tax authorities and the SMEs themselves.

He says, ”For instance, my company works together with 65 distributors (SMEs with an average turnover of 500 Mio -1NGN). During the credit crunch we were able to help them, we set up a project, called, ‘Distributor Financing‘, where we help them to get money from our banks with lower interest rate than in the past. In my opinion, that was a good example also of how bigger companies can help SMEs.”

Another way forward, according to a former Chairman of the People‘s Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbe, is a reduction of the country’s import duty rate.

”The Central Bank of Nigeria has done well by providing funds but the funds have been so difficult to access. If power is stable, the interest rate will come down and Nigeria will rise again,” he notes.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/




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