WHO PAYS THE GHANAIAN PROF. GEORGE AYITTEY

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by Ross Alabo-George

Before yesterday the name Prof. George Ayittey did not ring a bell in West Africa, he was probably only known in his country Ghana, and maybe in some parts of Ethiopia where he has been a regular presenter of papers. He is an economist, not exactly a sophisticated brand like the Okonjo-Iwealas or Soludos, he has managed to sustain his job at The American University in Washington DC as a professor of Economics.

Just a few days ago, he launched his trade into the Nigerian political sphere; lashing out at President Goodluck Jonathan is a manner which he will not dare to council chairman in Ghana. As a right thinking Nigerian, I felt badly insulted, that a Ghanaian will be so bold to disparage the president of Nigeria in such a scathing way. As I write, I am not entirely happy with President Goodluck Jonathan, especially with his surrender to the Boko Haram politicians of Northern Nigeria, and consequential sacking of General Andrew Azazi. However, I felt deeply miffed by the statements of the Ghanaian professor whose online statements appeared suspicious to me.

His use of language was so entirely familiar and the flow seemed too much like a script written by either Mallam Nasir Elrufai or Dr. Aliyu Tilde, both die hard revilers of the president. I immediately sought to know who exactly this ‘renowned economist’ really was. My curiosity was further stirred when I observed speed with which the Ghanaian professor had learnt the constitution of Nigeria in just a few hours, and he was quoting sections of the Nigerian constitution. He also, in his interview kept referring to President Jonathan as ‘GEJ’. GEJ is not the name foreigners call Jonathan; he constantly lashed the president as ‘clueless’ a tag operatives like Mallam Elrufai want on Jonathan’s neck.

According to his faculty profile available online, Prof. Ayittey holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon, an M.A. from the University of Western Ontario in Canada, and a Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba. He has taught at Wayne State College and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

He held a National Fellowship at the Hoover Institution in 1988-89, and then joined The Heritage Foundation as a Bradley Resident Scholar. He founded The Free Africa Foundation in 1993, to serve as a catalyst for reform in Africa

Almost immediately he got the Heritage Foundation as a resident scholar, Babangida was honoured by the Heritage Foundation, a US right wing front whose philosophy is total world domination, economically, politically and militarily.

Nana Apau, a Ghanaian journalist, in his article titled – Ghana oil: seeking national or some personal selfish interests?- described Prof. George Ayittey as a major and well known African lobbyist in Washington DC. Prof. Ayittey was member of the African Oil Policy Initiative Group (AOPIG). It is the AOPIG that formed the US-Africa Energy Association, members of which included a number of serving and former Bush administration and several oil companies such as BP, Chevron, Texaco, Marathon, Shell and Anadarko. AOPIG and the US-Africa Energy Association lobbied the Bush Administration for the creation of AFRICOM. Nana accused Prof. Ayittey of lobbying for oil companies – inn particular Prof. Ayittey was accused of pushing Anadarko, a company that has become a player in the Ghana oil find.  Clearly, the president was right when he said “criticizing Goodluck Jonathan has become a big business in Nigeria”. Who paid this lobbyist to disparage the president? Washington lobbyists like Prof. George Ayittey work hard for their money, but the nature of their work is to use their position and influence to push the interest their paymasters. This is exactly what Prof. George Ayittey has done – to amplify the mutterings of General Ibrahim Babangida his paymaster and friend. Ayittey’s sponsors belong to the same circle with the sponsors of Boko Haram, and their objective is to adequately embarrass the president internationally, so much so that the United States and our Western allies will see the Jonathan as a weak president. The end game however is the next elections in 2015. The sponsors of Ayittey are fraudulently building up a strong case against the president and his party. SourceWatch, an international magazine exposed Prof. Ayittey as one the major West African lobbyist in Washington. See: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=African_Oil_Policy_Initiative_Group Prof. Ayittey has consistently used his status as an African frontline economist to push the interests of his clients. The Centre for Media and Democracy (CMD) publishes SourceWatch, this collaborative, specialized encyclopaedia of the people, organizations, and issues shaping the public agenda. SourceWatch profiles the activities of front groups, PR spinners, industry-friendly experts, industry-funded organizations, and think tanks trying to manipulate public opinion on behalf of corporations or government. SourceWatch also highlights key public policies they are trying to affect and provide ways to get involved.

With his strong conservative leaning, being an associate of the Heritage Foundation, a fundamentally Republican think tank with long standing IBB affiliations, Prof. Ayittey’s comment on Goodluck Jonathan must not be taken lightly by this administration. It is an indicator that if US Republican candidate Mitt Romney wins in the coming US elections, right-wing lobbyists like Ayittey will drop rapid punches for their paymasters. This government must seek to counter this now, or else risk irreparable embarrassment in Washington DC.

 

Traffic Officials Kill Varsity Student In Rivers For Not Paying N30,000 Bribe

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THE Rivers State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) a human rights and pro-democracy group in Southern Nigeria, has raised an alarm over an alleged extra-judicial murder of a university student in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by some public traffic officials.

The group made this known to AkanimoReports on Wednesday, even as they commended the police in the state for arresting, and charging of four officials of the state Road Traffic Management Agency, TIMARIV, over the alleged murder of Tasie Nyenke, an engineering student of the state University of Science and Technology, in Port Harcourt.

Chair of the human rights group, Steve Obodoekwe, also alleged that some top government functionaries made ”desperate moves” to secure the release of the traffic officials without prosecution.

Six TIMARIV officials, according to the CLO, last May 19, at the Rukpokwu axis of the capital city, violently attacked Tasie, 34, beating him to a pulp before bolting away with his car. ”The late Tasie was driving in his car, a Passat car with Reg No: Edo AG 573 AGD

when the car developed faults which forced him to stop to find out what was wrong.

”As he opened the car bonnet to check what was wrong, the six TIMARIV officials, operating in a bus arrived and immediately pounced on him, pressed his head on the engine and started forcing the bonnet to close, beating him at the same time. They demanded the sum of N30,000, around $200, bribe from him. They accused him of wrong parking . When he tried to explain, they started beating him angrily.

”After the attack, the young man literally crawled home and went to bed. He never woke up again. His lifeless body was recovered from his room at Rukpokwu in the morning of June 21, when the family members, in conjunction with the Police broke into his house. He was taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, where autopsy was done”.

The four arrested officials are, Benjamin Eremoni, Onyebuohise Ibe, Sunday Wobo and Ikechukwu Gideon. They are detained at the state Central Investigation Department, SCID.

The accused persons were arraigned on Monday, June 25, before a Port Harcourt Senior Magistrate Court, on a two-count charge of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The Charge No is PMC/1280c/2012.

The trial magistrate promptly ordered that they be remanded in Prison custody.

 

Echocho vs Wada: Waiting for the judiciary

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By  Kamarudeen Ogundele
The emergence of Kogi State Governor Idris Wada as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the primaries last year is being contested in court by two chieftains of the party, Jibrin Isah (also known as Echocho) and Oyebode Makinde. Kamarudeen Ogundele examines the case.
As the Federal High Court, Abuja is set to deliver judgment in the suit against Kogi State  Governor, Idris Wada, this Friday, the political machinery of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been set in motion again.
The winner of the January 2011, PDP primaries, Jibrin Isah and another governorship aspirant, Oyebode Makinde, are challenging the swearing-in of Wada as governor.
For those who have been following events in the state, the issue is which of the two primaries  won by Echocho and that won by Wada enjoys the status of legitimacy.
Last  Thursday, Wada made a political journey to the PDP  national secretariat where he met the national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and other officers. He allegedly sought the intervention of the party in the dispute between him and Echocho. Could this mean that Wada is jittery as being insinuated?
However, in a statement by Echocho signed by his Special Adviser, Phrank Shuaibu, he appealed to the PDP to allow natural justice and rule of law to prevail. He said that reconciliation shall not be “at the expense of justice, fairness and the rule of law”.
But the question on the lips of the people of Kogi is will justice prevail? Or will it be sacrificed on the alter of political expedience?
Echocho had argued that the primaries that gave him the ticket was in line with Section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution and 25(8) of Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
Many have also erroneously likened the case in Kogi to that of former Bayelsa Governor, Timipre Sylva, who lost his case against Seriake Dickson why fighting for the governorship ticket.
Sylva was challenging his exclusion from the governorship primaries won by Dickson.
The Supreme Court after hearing him declined jurisdiction to go into the merit of the case dismissing it as a pre-primary election matter which no court can adjudicate upon.
At the last hearing date, Echocho had told Justice Abdul Kafarati why Wada must vacate the seat for him.
Contrary to argument by Wada, Echocho said his case is different from that of Sylva which the Supreme Court declined jurisdiction on.
His Counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), maintained that the judgment of the Supreme Court which nullified the tenure elongation of five former governors including that of Kogi was not an issue in Sylva’s suit unlike now.
Besides, he argued that in the case of Bayelsa, it was Sylva who went to court to invalidate the primaries which he won while Echocho is in court to validate his own.
Isah had won the primaries before the INEC postponed elections in five states including Kogi.
The action followed an Abuja Federal High Court’s verdict which held that the tenure of the five governors is beyond May 29, 2011 having won re-run elections.
When the commission released a new date for the election, Kogi PDP conducted another primary election in September in which Wada emerged as the winner.
The Court of Appeal upheld the decision. Dissatisfied, the commission went to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.
While the case was pending for determination before the apex court, INEC chose to take laws into its own hands by conducting a governorship election four days after it addressed the apex Court.
Wada eventually won the election defeating the candidate of the Action Congres of Nigeria (ACN), former governor Abubakar Audu.
By going ahead to conduct the election, was INEC not appropriating judicial functions to itself by not informing the Supreme Court that it wanted to hold elections in Kogi State on the 3rd of Dec.,2011, as at the time it addressed the Apex Court on  November 29 or after it purportedly held it, to inform the court before judgment was delivered on January 27, 2012?
Is it not proper for INEC, after purportedly holding the said election, to have withdrawn its Appeal, so that the Supreme Court would not have declared that the term of office of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris be terminated on the May 28, 2011?
The Supreme Court in its January 27, judgment however, ruled that the tenure of the governors had elapsed on May 28, 2011; more than six months before the primaries won by Wada in violation of Section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
The question is, if as rightly held by the Supreme Court, the tenure of Ibrahim Idris ended on 28th May, 2011, when was election held to that office in accordance with Section 180(2) and(2a) of the Constitution?
Can the said section be waived or frittered away by INEC?
What of the mandatory provisions of Section 25(8) of the Electoral Act?
Is INEC above the Constitution and the Electoral Act?
When was the primary election that produced Mr. Wada conducted? Was it before or after the expiration of the tenure of Ibrahim Idris on  May 29,  2011?
When was the notice of election given? And what is the significance of the date of January 30, 2012  when INEC directed that Mr. Wada be sworn in?
Who did Wada succeed on January 30, 2012? Was it Ibrahim Idris whose tenure ended on May 28, 2011 or  Mr. Wada succeeded the vacuum that existed between May 29, 2011 and January 30, 2012?
Blaming INEC for the confusion in Kogi, Olanipekun argued that it was the commission that got the judgment that sacked the former governors and thereby reactivated the earlier PDP primaries conducted in January 2011 ahead of the May 29, exit date.
He said the present cause of action arose at the instance of the Supreme Court judgment on tenure elongation.
By the judgment of the apex Court, Olanipekun said the September 2011 primaries won by Wada had become extinct and no longer applies because it was not conducted within 150 days to the exit of former governor Ibrahim Idris.
He argued that the only valid primaries that can avail the party is that won by Echocho in January 2011.
Olanipekun further argued that in the case of Bayelsa, it was Sylva who went to court to invalidate the primary which he won but Echocho had not gone to court on his own, rather his cause of action arose at the instance of the Supreme Court judgment on tenure elongation.
Adopting his written address, Wada’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN) however, argued that it was not in dispute that there were two primary elections held in January and September, 2011 and that the plaintiff participated in the two primaries.
Submitting that the case of Sylva which was dismissed by the Supreme Court had finally halted the suit of the plaintiff, he urged the court to rely on the judgment of the Supreme Court to dismiss the instant suit.
He also argued that every claim of the plaintiff is as to the effect of the April 2011 election and as long as the said election was cancelled, every other election relating to it is automatically canceled adding that the suit before the court is an internal affair of the party.
Counsel to INEC, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) submitted that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter because the plaintiff is asking the court to interpret the judgment of the Supreme Court on tenure elongation and also asking it to give a consequential order.
He further submitted that Section 251(1)(q)(r)(s) of the 1999 Constitution did not permit the court to do such a thing adding that the court has no power or right to interpret what the constitution will imply in the judgment of the Supreme Court.
According to him, the reliefs sought can only be granted by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
He urged the court to dismiss the originating summon as a clear abuse of court process.
In his own submission, PDP’S counsel, Olusola Oke argued that the reliefs sought by the plaintiff especially 3-8, is seeking to nullify the election which the party won.
By the Judgment in PDP against Sylva, Oke said the Plaintiff is estopped from seeking enforcement of January 2011 PDP primaries.
According to him, under Section 285 of the Constitution, jurisdiction to question the validity of an election is with the tribunal.
He therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit of the plaintiff.
After listening to parties in the suit, Justice Kafarati adjourned till June 29 for judgement.
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, presided over by Justice Zainab Bukalchuwa had remitted the case back to the trial court following amicable settlement reached by the parties in the suit.
The re-assignment was at the instance of the Wada who through his counsel, Chris Uche SAN  told the Court of Appeal that he wanted the matter taken away from Justice Donaltus Okorowo and be re-assigned to another judge.
In the suit for determination before Justice Kafarati, Echocho is asking for an order setting aside Wada’s swearing in and for an order directing INEC to conduct a fresh election pursuant to the January 27, judgment of the Supreme Court.
He also wants a declaration that INEC which is an institution established by the Constitution is under a duty to obey and comply with decision of the Supreme Court delivered on January 27, 2012.
He is asking the court to declare that INEC being the appellant in Appeal No: SC/357/2011 between INEC(as appellant) V Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (as respondent) which prayed the Supreme Court to decree and declare that the term of office of the last holder of the office of Governor of Kogi state constitutionally lapsed on 28th May, 2011 by the virtue of Section 180(2) of the Constitution and which appeal/reliefs the Supreme Court allowed cannot rightly and in good conscience be heard and allowed to jettison or misinterpreted in any way the said judgment of the Supreme Court to again defeat the clear wordings of Section 180(2) and (2A) of the same Constitution.
He also wants the court to declare that the purported election to the office of Governor of Kogi State held by the defendant during the pendency of its appeal to the Supreme Court in Appeal SC/357/2011 and which purportedly produced the 2nd defendant as Governor-elect of Kogi State was unconceivable, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
He is praying the court to declare that the election that brought Wada in was done in violation of the mandatory provisions of Section 178(2) of the Constitution, Section 25(8) and 31(1) of the Electoral Act.
He is also praying the court to declare that the letter issued by the INEC on January 30,2012 directing Wada to be sworn in based on the December 3, 2012 is contemptuous, null and void and of no effect.
Makinde is seeking a declaration that the 1st Defendant Order/directive that the 3rd Defendant be sworn in as Governor of Kogi State is unconstitutional, null, void and ultra vires.
That the 1st Defendant Order/directive that 3rd Defendant be sworn in as Governor of Kogi State when the 4th Defendant is discharging same function pursuant to section 191(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unconstitutional, null, void and ultra vires.
That the 3rd Defendant cannot hold himself out/or parade himself as the Governor of Kogi State and that the 1st Defendant is bound to conduct a fresh election into the gubernatorial seat for Kogi State based on fresh primary by the political parties.

Jonathan’s Speech: Swearing-in of the Chairman and Members of the National Population Commission

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Remarks by

His Excellency President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR

At the

Swearing-in of the Chairman and Members

of the National Population Commission

Abuja, June 26, 2012

 

PROTOCOL

POPULATION, A CROSS SECTION OF MEMBERS

It is my pleasure to perform the formal inauguration of one of the Federal Government’s major statutory bodies, the National Population Commission (NPC).

 

The critical place of the NPC in the realization of our Administration’s holistic Transformation Agenda can be properly appreciated when we consider the established fact that there cannot be genuine, sustained development if it is not anchored on accurate and reliable data.  No meaningful planning is possible without dependable data and statistics.

 

This informs why we have chosen these distinguished men and women of noteworthy antecedents to run the affairs of the National Population Commission as Chairman and Members.

 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, while congratulating you on your appointments,  I would like to reiterate the fact that you have been selected to serve on this august Commission on account of your proven integrity, unwavering patriotism, and uncommon sense of duty.   It is my hope, therefore, that you will bring these worthy attributes to bear on the discharge of this very vital national assignment.

 

You are expected to demonstrate the highest standards in the discharge of your constitutional mandate. This entails conducting periodic censuses and the dissemination of accurate demographic data about the country.

 

As you are aware, the last census which took place in 2006, was conducted using cutting-edge technology, including satellite imagery and electronic data reading technology.  The entire members of the previous Commission which conducted the 2006 national census deserve our commendation.

 

The Commission being inaugurated today is expected to carry on from the lofty heights where their predecessors left off, and consolidate on their achievements, taking the National Population Commission to the next level.  This would require total commitment and diligence of the highest order: attributes which I am confident that our new Commissioners epitomize.

 

 

POPULATION, GROUP

 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, as we strive to build a strong, united, progressive, and stable nation, we must eschew the temptation to pander to primordial sentiments and divisive tendencies.  We should rather focus on emphasizing the strength of our diversity and the renowned resilience and creativity that mark us apart as a uniquely gifted people.  It is in this context that I advise that we must never subject the sensitive issue of census figures and demographics to the expediency of cheap political advantage, with its potential for avoidable discord.

 

At the same time, members of the Commission must be conscious of the imperative to be guided at all times by the principles of integrity, accountability and transparency, and the need to function in the overall national interest at all times.

 

POPULATION, GOODLUCK FLANKED OGUN, CHAIRMAN AND ANYIM

 

As we move towards 2016, the planning for a successful census should commence in earnest. In the meantime, there should be continuous update of the figures and statistics that we have. As a first charge, the Commission should ensure that the vital registration system is completed by 2015.

 

Beyond providing us with the numbers, it is our expectation that the National Population Commission will be more dynamic in its approach to population matters by providing real time data, which will provide us key economic and social statistics for planning purposes.

I assure you that the Federal Government will be unstinting in its support for you as you face up to the vital task of providing Nigerians with accurate, dependable, and functionally useful demographic data.

 

While congratulating you all and wishing you every success in your assignment, it is my honour and pleasure to formally inaugurate the National Population Commission to the glory of God and the enduring development of our nation.

 

Thank you.

S. Africa must reform white-dominated economy – President Zuma

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* South African president urges economic transformation drive

* Says post-apartheid economy still mostly in hands of whites

* Calls for “equitable share” of mineral wealth, land reform (Recasts, adds details, quotes)

By Jon Herskovitz and Peroshni Govender

JOHANNESBURG, June 26 (Reuters) – South Africa’s economy is still largely under the control of whites who held power under apartheid, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday, and he called for a “dramatic shift” to redress the wealth balance more evenly in favour of the black majority.

Such calls have been a staple of ANC strategy documents for years and Zuma’s policy speech comes months before he will seek re-election as leader of the faction-ridden movement in December. He has also been facing demands from the party’s youth wing to nationalise mines and seize white-owned farmland.

Zuma, speaking at the start of a major policy meeting of his ruling African National Congress, said the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality posed long-term risks for Africa’s richest country 18 years after the end of apartheid.

“The structure of the apartheid-era economy has remained largely intact,” Zuma told several thousand ANC delegates.

“The ownership of the economy is still primarily in the hands of white males as it has always been,” he added.

Without giving details, he called for a “dramatic shift and giant leap” in coming years to spread the country’s wealth more equitably, mentioning the distribution of mineral resources and land ownership as areas which needed to be overhauled.

Zuma said this proposed “second transition” was necessary to complement the negotiated end of apartheid in 1994, when he said “certain compromises” over economic ownership had been made to ensure a smooth political transition from white minority rule.

While draft proposals to be considered at the conference advocate a greater role for state-owned enterprises, Zuma made clear however that the ANC’s strategy has been to seek to boost growth and create jobs through “a thriving mixed economy”.

The former liberation movement ANC has had a spotty record in ending economic disparity that is among the highest in the world. It has brought housing, electricity and running water to millions, but almost half the population still lives in poverty.

According to Statistics South Africa, 29 percent of blacks are unemployed compared with 5.9 percent of whites, while IHS Global Insight, an economic consultancy, estimates that whites have an average income nearly seven times that of blacks.

 

Zuma’s government has been criticised by three global ratings agencies for ineffective leadership in tackling a broken education system, rigid labour market and chronic unemployment eroding the country’s economic competitiveness.

The ANC has drafted a raft of policy documents that call on mining firms to pay more to the state to help finance welfare spending. The proposals also advocate relying on state-owned enterprises to be engines of job creation and growth.

But Zuma may be more focused on lining up support for an ANC party leadership election at the end of the year than in policies, analysts said. If he wins the party race, he is poised to also win a second term as president, serving until 2019.

“His speech did not convince me that he was serious about cleaning house. It was half-hearted considering that corruption is a very serious problem in government,” said Susan Booysen, a political analyst at Wits University in Johannesburg.

“His first priority is not to make enemies.”

 

DEBATE OVER MINES AND LAND

Zuma acknowledged rising anger and frustration in deprived communities about the poor delivery of basic public services such as electricity, water, sanitation, transport and health. His government has faced an increasing number of protests, some of them turning violent, against defective public services.

“You can’t sit and say ‘it’s fine’. We are in government, we have to do something about it,” the president told delegates, although he added violent lawlessness would not be tolerated.

Zuma said the debate over how the country’s mining wealth should be used must go beyond simply the question of “to nationalise or not to nationalise.” Calls for nationalisation from some sectors of the ruling ANC have stirred investor concerns in the world’s No. 1 platinum producer.

The party produced a research paper earlier this year saying nationalising mines could bankrupt the state, but it suggested increasing taxes on windfall mining profits.

This countered calls from firebrand ANC Youth League former leader Julius Malema who was a vocal nationalisation advocate. He was expelled from the party for indiscipline this year in what was widely seen as a political boost for Zuma.

Zuma said the conference should consider how the state can obtain an “equitable share” of mineral wealth, which could be used more to benefit poor communities.

He also called for a new programme for land reform, saying the current “willing buyer-willing seller” policy had been too slow in returning white-owned farmland to blacks dispossessed by the apartheid state. But he did not spell out what alternative mechanisms of land ownership transfer should be adopted.

South Africa’s black economic empowerment policy designed to give disenfranchised blacks greater ownership of the economy should be strengthened, Zuma added.

This policy has been criticised from within the ANC and by its governing allies in organised labour as only benefiting a small sliver of the population with political ties to the party.

The policy conference will end on Friday and its deliberations are being held behind closed doors.

Five beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murder, drugs

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Saudi authorities on today beheaded four of its citizens for  murder and a Syrian national for drug smuggling, the interior ministry said.

Three Saudi nationals were executed in the kingdom’s eastern Qatif  region for stabbing and then shooting to death an Indian, Kohimo Ahmad, after  robbing the shop where he worked, the ministry said in a statement carried by  state news agency SPA.

Hussein bin Ahmad Shweikhat, Abdel Aziz bin Hasan al-Maatouq and  Hussein bin Ibrahim al-Maatouq were beheaded after the three were found guilty  of having stabbed and then shot Ahmad with an automatic rifle.

In a separate case, Khaled bin Saeed al-Asmari, was executed in  the town of Abhaa in the kingdom’s southern region of Asir for stabbing to death  fellow Saudi, Abdullah bin Saad al-Masmaa, after a dispute, the ministry  said.

And William Hatoum, a Syrian, was executed in the northern region  of Jawf after being found guilty of smuggling drugs into the ultra-conservative  kingdom, it said.

Hatoum was the third Syrian national to be executed in Saudi  Arabia for drug smuggling since January.

The latest beheadings bring to 45 the number of people executed in  Saudi Arabia so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on official  reports.

Under the AFP count, at least 76 people were beheaded in 2011,  while rights group Amnesty International put the number of executions last year  at 79.

The death penalty in Saudi Arabia applies to a wide range of  offenses including rape, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking, as well  as murder, as stipulated by Islamic sharia law.

Pro-Mugabe radio station launched in Zimbabwe

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HARARE, Zimbabwe (AFP) — A new Zimbabwe radio  station aligned to long-ruling President Robert Mugabe ZANU-PF party began  broadcasting yesterday.

Star FM, which is owned by the Zimbabwe  Newspaper Group (Zimpapers), launched with a rendition of the national anthem at  midday, seven months after being awarded a licence by the broadcasting  authority.

Star FM brings to five the number of state-owned  radio stations that are broadcasting in the country. Others are Spot FM, Radio  Zimbabwe, Power FM and National FM.

Zimpapers also publishes eight newspapers,  including The Herald, which is regarded as a ZANU-PF mouthpiece.

The awarding of the licence to Star FM was  criticised by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), a coalition partner in  an uneasy unity government, which has described it and the other radio stations  as “ZANU-PF apologists”.

Media reform remains one of the key  disagreements between Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC,  who accuses the 88-year-old of riding roughshod over reforms agreed to in their  unity pact.

Updated: Kano Explosions, Police Casualties

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The Kano Blast - Sourced from CKN

New Information made available to 247ureports.com reveals that the men of the joint task force [JTF] stationed in Kano have suffered casualties. This is according to credible source within the men of the JTF who reported that casualties have been sustained from both sides – the suspected men of the dreaded Islamic terrorist group, the boko haram and with the members of the JTF. Some civilian members of the neighborhood are said to have been gun down in the gun fight.

As gathered, fifteen toyota hilux vans operated by the men of the JTF were said to have arrived the scene about 40minutes ago [8:30pm] – and proceeded to seal the entrances and exits out and into the Kano city [Gworo Dutse]. This is as the suspected gun men continued to attack their target – believed to be the nearby police station. The security source continued to add that the gun men posed a resilience that made the approach initially difficult – resulting in the quick casuality on the part of the JTF. The number of casualities are unknown but the security source spoke in certainty that casualities have been sustained.

The source adds also that the area where the incident is taking place is heavily populated by Muslims. The source believes that the target was the police station located near the Ishiaku Mosque – but “the heavy ammunition is suspect” because of the proximity of a prison nearby and the wealthy business man [Ishiaku Rabiu] the also resides nearby.

The residents of Gworon Dutse in Dala Local Government – where the explosions and gun fire is taking place are said to be frightened and trapped with no where to run – as the gun battle – appears to gave caged the city. The security forces are said to be in confusion as to the real intentions of the attackers and the real identities of the attackers.

As of 9:30pm, the fight is said to still be ongoing. Another bomb was reported to go off at 9:50pm in the said area.

Meanwhile, the men of the JTF have begun refortification of Sabon Gari – which is a Christian dominated area of Kano. Sabon Gari is located inside Feggae Local Government Area [LGA] which shares the same boundary with Dala LGA – where the attack is taking place. Residence of Sabon Gari are said to be going about their business – but the sounds of bomb explosion could be heard from Sabon Gari.

The security source pledged that the JTF will round up the culprits.

stay tuned

Jonathan Sacks MD NNPC, Others, Approves Re-Composition Of NNPC Management Team

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To further strengthen the ongoing reforms and transformation of Nigeria’s Petroleum sector, and in furtherance of efforts to achieve greater transparency and accountability in government, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the re-composition of the executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as follows:

1. Engr. Andrew Yakubu – Group Managing Director

2. Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti – Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts)

3. Engr. Abiye Membere – Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production)

4. Dr. Peter S. Nmadu – Group Executive Director (Corporate Services)

5. Engr. Anthony Ogbuigwe – Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals)

6. Dr. Attahir B. Yusuf – Group Executive Director (Commercial & Investments)

7. Dr. David Ige – Group Executive Director (Gas & Power)

The incoming Group Managing Director, Engr. Andrew Yakubu graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He joined the NNPC in 1980. Positions he has held in the corporation include Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company and Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production). Engr. Yakubu is an indigene of Kaduna State and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

President Jonathan has also approved the appointment of Engr. Victor Briggs as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

The incumbent Group Managing Director, Engr. Austen Oniwon, and Mr. Michael Arokodare (outgoing Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts), Mr. Philip Chukwu, outgoing Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals), and Engr. Billy Agha, outgoing Group Executive Director (Engineering & Technology) are to proceed on retirement.

President Jonathan commends the outgoing directors for their service to the nation and urges the new management team to be fully committed to rapidly implementing the critical interventions needed to positively transform Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

 

20 Explosions / Gun Fire Battle In Gworon Dutse, Kano Near Prison

247ureports
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Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that 20 bombs have exploded in a town within Dala Local Government Area [LGA] in Kano – followed by intense gun fire.

Security reports from the field in Kano indicate that the incident – which is still ongoing as at 8:11pm – is believed to be occurring at Gworon  Dutse axis near Gwanmaja town. It is gathered that the area where the explosions occurred is near a Prison and the home of a weathly Kano indigene, Malam Ishiaku Rabiu. The area is said to house a Mosque erected by Ishiaku Rabiu – the Mosque is populary refered to as Ishiaku Rabiu Mosque – located along Ishiaku Rabiu road. The prison is located across from a historic rock/mountain along the same road.

The security operative who spoke to 247ureports.com indicate that the secutiry agents are unsure what the target of the attack was but “these guys are serious” stated the security source. The men of the joint task force [JTF] are said to have mobilized to the area – but the gun fire is reported to be heated.

The gun battle began at about 7:20pm following the bombs which exploded at about 7:15pm.

According to the security operative in Kano, the attack mimics the attack in Damaturu by agents of boko haram on Sunday at the Prison – where 44 prisoners were freed.

Stay tuned

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