The All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP] received with interest the news that the House of Representatives said it will not accept the 2013 Appropriation bill from President Goodluck Jonathan until it is satisfied with the implementation of the 2012 budget, while subsequently suspending plenary session for one week to allow its committees carry out inspection of all capital projects for which monies were voted in the 2012 budget. We believe this is a step in the right direction and a veritable implement to check the excesses of the Executive Arm of Government.
We are all witnesses to the gross misconduct exhibited by the Executive in its near-total failure to comply with the budget. Year in and year out Nigerians live with executive excesses and this takes a toll on the standard of living of the ordinary citizen. It is disheartening that monies that have been apportioned in the Appropriation Bill to alleviate the suffering of the masses are returned at the end of the year with the excuse that budget implementation has failed; we all know that these funds never find their way back to the people’s projects but are systematically siphoned through a failed system largely engendered by lax checks and balances.
Our great party therefore wishes to express its determination to always stand by the National Assembly in matters that touch on the welfare of ordinary Nigerians, people who for no fault of theirs have been denied the milk and honey flowing in this nation through sheer executive misconduct. We are glad that this present House is determined to provoke accountability and efficiency in government, while curbing the pervading culture of impunity which is a major cankerworm eating into the fiscal fabric of the Federation.
Being open letter to Dr. Bamanga Tukur for rescue mission
Please Help! Help!! Help!!! Before it is too lateeeee!!!!!!
Your Excellency Sir, I am not a prophet of doom but a concerned member and stakeholder of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State and I have been compelled to write this open letter to you because of the impending disaster in our great party, the PDP in Ekiti State.
As a loyal party state-man, who is investing his time, energy and resources into the building of the party, I am worried that despite the goodwill and acceptability that our party enjoys based largely on the negative impression of Ekiti people on the present government in the State as opposed to the virtues and achievements of the immediate past PDP government, if we have to face election as we are today, PDP will fail woefully!
HOW IT STARTED
Sir, you are aware of the crises generated by the State Congress of March 18, 2012. Painfully, the crises has continued to degenerate from bad to worse, badly factionalising the party in Ekiti State along the line of the side that “won” the Chairmanship with 318 votes and the candidate that scored 310 votes.
The first sign that there was not going to be a hitch-free Congress was first made manifest on Saturday, March 17, 2012 when delegate lists for Emure and Ekiti South West Local Councils, that were different from the ones submitted by the Transition, Reconciliation and Congress Committee (TRCC) were brought by the Congress Monitoring Committee. Protest over this caused the postponement of the congress till the following day.
On Sunday, March 18, 2012, as against the normal practice everywhere, ACCREDITATION of voters, which is the plank and pillar on which elections stand was fraught with irregularities. Despite the persistent protest, HANDWRITING delegate list for EMURE LOCAL GOVERNMENT was used, instead of the one that emanated from the Ward and LG Congresses, and duly endorsed by the TRCC, and also displayed at the party secretariat. Also, delegate list from Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government was fraught with irregularities, with former members of the Labour Party (LP) that recently decamped to the PDP allowed to contest elections and vote as delegates without first getting WAIVER from the State Working Committee (SWC).
The Congress was therefore “conducted” in an atmosphere of dispute, with the group that had 310 in the Chairmanship election storming out of the venue after the Chairmanship election when the Returning Officer refused a recount of the votes as requested immediately after announcement by the candidate that got 310 votes. The 318 faction alone therefore “conducted” elections into other positions without the 310 group’s participation.
APPEAL PANEL REPORT
Armed with its facts and figures, the 310 faction approached the Appeal Panel duly set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) to look into complaints arising from the State Congress. The Mrs Rolake Ogunlana-led Appeal panelfaulted the Congress and said categorically that the result was not the true wishes of the PDP members in Ekiti State. The Panel went further to recommend that; “to avoid spending money on a new congress, leaders of the party should come together and draw up a list of new members of the SWC, that will be acceptable to all parties.” In clear and unambiguous words, the Appeal Panel recommended HARMONISATION of the State Working Committee.
The BIG Question- Sir, when is the Appeal Panel Report going to be implemented? Or has the Report been SHREDDED as being boasted by the 318 faction?
SUSPENSION OF LG & WARD EXCOS
Since the 318 faction took over the control of the SWC, a whole lot of unthinkable things have happened, which has further caused disunity between the two factions. This included but not limited to the suspension of LG and Ward Chairmen and Executive members in some of the 11 Local Councils under the control of the 310 faction. These LG and Ward Chairmen and Executives had won their elections before the controversial State Congress that produced the present State Exco. It took a warning from the Zonal Working Committee for this horrendous act to be stopped.
Your Excellency Sir, I am aware that the 310 faction had already made a report to your office on the illegal suspension of LG and ward Executives by the 318 State Exco. The report was signed by highly placed members of our party like
Former Deputy Governors, Dr. Sikiru Tae-Lawal,
Chief (Mrs) Biodun Olujimi and
Architect Abiodun Aluko.
Others who signed the report were;
Former Ambassador to Canada and Secretary to the State Government, Amb. Dare Bejide,
Former Acting Governor and Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tunji Odeyemi,
Senator. Ayo Arise,
Former member of the House of Reps, Hon. Wale Aribisala,
Former Senatorial Chairman, Chief Dipo Anisulowo,
Former Speaker of the old Ondo State, Rt. Hon. Femi Akinyemi and
Former member of the State House of Assembly. Hon. Bisi Kolawole.
NEW REGISTRATION OF MEMBERS
Your Excellency Sir, as against your directive that only former members of our party that are willing to return should be registered within 30 days, the 318 State Exco in Ekiti State issued new registers (New Exercise Books) to the wards and directed that new REGISTRATION be conducted for all members! This was done with the intention of SHUTTING out members of the 310 faction from the party, an action that is in direct contrast to our party’s 3R + 3E Agenda.
MY FEAR & WAY FORWARD
As a concerned and loyal party man, I am not deceived by the hatred of Ekiti people for the present government because the reality is that if election is held in Ekiti today, the PDP will lose scandalously! Unless, the 318 and 310 factions are HARMONISED and brought together, wining Ekiti State for our party now or in future will remain a tall dream. THIS IS THE BITTER TRUTH!
It is therefore against this background that I am passionately pleading with you Sir, to look into the Ekiti issue and direct the implementation of the Appeal Panel Report on the State Congress.
If on the alter of exclusions and some individuals or groups’ ambition to have the PDP in Ekiti State in their pockets, we fritter away this golden opportunity to return Ekiti State to the path of good governance that our party is noted for, the present generation of Ekiti people and those yet unborn will never forgive us.
Sir, do not be deceived by sweet mouthed individuals thronging the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja that all is well in Ekiti PDP and that they can deliver the state for PDP. This is blatant and white lie! Any investment made through such individual to deliver Ekiti State would surely go down the drain. Obviously, these people that are positioning themselves for gubernatorial positions and that if it does not work, they would be settled for senatorial positions are political gamblers, exhibiting their typical habit of political harlotry.
Thanking you and other members of PDP NWC in advance for your anticipated prompt action Sir!
Ambassador Gbenga Olofin,
President, Ambassador Gbenga Olofin Movement (AGOM)
The Enugu state government has again defended its decision to
construct a new workers’ secretariat insisting that it was
imperative to provide a
very conducive work environment for public workers in the state in
order to facilitate
improved service delivery and productivity.
The state Head of Service Mr. Dennis Eze stated this while speaking to news men
on what informed the state government decision to demolish the old secretariat
buildings to build a modern complex.
According to Mr. Eze the construction of the new Secretariat Complex situated
on 6.7 hectares of land also became very necessary since the structures at the
old site were dilapidated with leaking roofs and very poor public conveniences.
The Head of Service explained that before embarking on the new complex the
performance implementation arm of government took a holistic review of the
project and discovered that the old building could no longer be effectively
maintained and that that the cost of maintaining one building there could build
two new ones modern facilities.
The state Head of Service stated that apart from approval by the state
executive council, the labour unions and other stakeholders also saw the need
for a modern secretariat complex for public servants in the state.
According to Mr. Eze the new secretariat Complex will help to solve the present
problem of office accommodation facing some ministries departments and agencies
and will also be designed to make provision for the installation of modern day
office equipments for the works.
He therefore appealed to workers in the state to bear the temporal
inconveniences arising from the relocation exercise due to The Enugu state
government says the thirteen billion naira new secretariat complex
under construction was
embarked upon to provide a very conducive work environment for public workers
in the state, for improved service delivery.
The state Head of Service Mr. Dennis Eze stated this while speaking to news men
on what informed the state government decision to demolish the old secretariat
buildings to build a modern complex.
According to Mr. Eze the construction of the new Secretariat Complex seated on
a six point seven lecterns of land also became very necessary since the
structures at the old site are dilapidated with leaking roofs and very poor
public conveniences.
The Head of Service explained that before embarking on the new complex the
performance implementation are of government took a holistic review of the
project and discovered that the old building can no longer be maintained and
Hat Cost of maintain one building there can build two new ones modern
facilities.
The state Head of Service stated that apart from approval by the state
executive council, the labour unions and other stakeholders also saw the need
for a modern secretariat complex for public servants in the state.
According to Mr. Eze the new secretariat Complex will help to solve the present
problem of office accommodation facing some ministries departments and agencies
and will also be designed to make provision for the installation of modern day
office equipments for the works.
He therefore appealed to workers in the state to bear the temporal set back the
relocation exercise due to bear the temporal inconveniences arising
from construction of the new secretariat assuring
them the project was in their own best interest
Also in his
contribution the state Commissioner for Work Mr. Goddy Madueke said that new
secretariat is a -one stop complex consisting of thirteen complexes of four
storied building each to house all the Ministries Department and Agencies of
Government in the State.
Mr. Madueke
explained that the building of the new modern secretariat complex became very
necessary since it will reduce the man hour being wasted morning from one
distance Ministry Department or Agencies to the other.
The
Commissioner state that the state- of- the- Art Secretariat complex will be
completed within two years with modern building materials that are not harmful
to the health of the people.
He explained
that the demolition of the old secretariat will affect the central area adding
that the two building housing the Ministry of Transport (the old PWD building)
and Ministry of Establishment / Education will be preserved as historic
purposes.
On why the
new complex is not relocated to a virgin area like Ugwgea Nike Emene
Commissioner Madueke explained that it will cost government more because of the
construction of new layout with all the necessary infrastructure.
Apart from
that those locations are not central an will not be very accessible for workers
unlike the present location he explained.
It is unfortunate that activities of the prominent O.A.U students’ union have been illegally suspended for the past 19 months by the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. M.O Faborode. The suspension came so as to put clamp-down on the agitations and constitutional annoyance of students as against the astronomic increment in school charges, especially acceptance fee that was outrageously increased from N2, 000 to N20, 000. Professor Tale Omole (VC, OAU) like his predecessor has made no genuine effort to restore the Students’ Union on inception. Based on the recent clamoring of students to revive the age-long tradition of radical and vibrant Students’ Union in Ife, the University Administration is increasingly being compelled to begin processes for the union restoration. OAU administration instead of starting an open and democratic approach to union restoration has adopted mystifying approaches to the issue. It recently announced its intention to ensure that provisions of the sacrosanct constitution of the union are replaced with its ‘opined suggested ideals’, and that 3.5 CGPA and 3.0 CGPA would form eligibility for contesting the Central Executive Council (CEC) and the Students Representative Council (SRC) positions respectively. We reject this undemocratic approach because of its damaging tendencies to true Students’ Unionism where the vast majority of students are cut off from the process.
Firstly, we in the ERC reject in clear terms the decision of the University Administration to place academic requisites as conditions to contesting union positions. We believe that good leadership quality is not a product of certified academic prowess. If so, the avalanche of problems confronting the Nigerian State would have been surmounted with the Jonathan administration which is majorly composed of Professors and PhD holders. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji just resigned with little or no achievement to show for his stay. Students’ Unionism is no different to this analogy where academic prowess may be an added advantage if properly channeled by the mentally equipped leader contrary to an academically bright but unintelligible students’ leader. The example of prominent individuals who graduated with lower university grades but are exemplary in the contemporary Nigerian society strengthens our earlier made point on true leadership and certified grades. If CGPA requirement cannot be used as a criterion for appointing principal officers of the University, then there is no point in making such a requirement for Students’ Union elections. Hence OAU administration to imposing union leadership based on this vulgar perspective of leadership would bring no positive effect on preserving the radical and vibrant philosophy of the OAU students’ union. It would only give room for the management to academically victimize brilliant students with radical tendencies in order to prevent them from attaining union leadership. And of course OAU administration has standing antecedents of academic victimization. No doubt, the university administration has taken these steps in a bid to restore a pliant union.
In furtherance to the rejection of academic requisites to union elections, we also reject in totality the proposed idea of the university administration to impose a new constitution on students. This is done with the aim of suiting its set ideals for Students’ Unionism. The dubious attitude of the administration in selecting a handful few and unrecognized students to project and rubber stamp its constitutional drafting processes without democratic involvement of the entire OAU studentry is a harbinger of disaster. The ERC believes that drafting a new constitution for any section of the society must demand the democratic agreement of members of such society and not the agreement of an illegitimate body bought over by a particular body to ‘serve the purpose of all and sundry’. The administration has done contrary to this! Also we believe that the drafting of a new students’ union constitution as against the provisions for amendment of the constitution contained in the existing sacrosanct constitution is against the logic of legality. It should also be asked, if the management is designing constitution and modalities for the union, whose purpose it would serve. Is it the purpose of advancing students interest or of embracing the constant anti-students’ policies of the university administration?
It is agreed-to that most past struggles of Ife union have been directed against the oppressive nature and anti-students’ policies of the OAU administration. It would hence be dangerous
for conscious and progressive layers of the Nigerian society to sit back and watch the OAU management crush one of the few existing radically inclined and anti-oppression students’ union in Nigeria through its egoistical permutation to abhor constructive criticisms. OAU administration’s quest to crush unions is no news; of course the administration recently bought the National Executive Council (NEC) of SSANU to suspend its OAU branch over the latter organising congresses on issues of poor conditions of service. This is a major reason why activists, progressives and NANS must immediately put machinery in place to avoid recent history in re-making.
In conclusion, the ERC believes that students have a right to be organised into a students association and hence demand that the university should come through the open door on the issues of union restoration. We call on students, activists, NANS and other pro-student organisations to condemn the administrations attempt to crush independent unionism in OAU. We demand that a general gathering of students be convened to decide modalities for union elections.
Demands
v Immediate and unconditional restoration of OAU Students’ Union
v Immediate elections to be conducted based on the provisions of the Union’s constitution. For an immediate congress of students to determine the mode of conducting the elections and electing electoral officers
v Democratization of the decision-making organs of the university to include elected representatives of staff, students and other stakeholders in the university
v Immediate and unconditional reinstatement of Wale Owolabi (Ogunruku). He is not a criminal.
v Increase in the budgetary allocation for education to at least 26% as recommended by UNESCO
v Public ownership of the commanding heights of the economy and its placement under the democratic control and management of the working people
The Action Congress of Nigeria has called on Nigerians to brace up for tougher times ahead as the People’s Democratic Party led Federal Government has completely run out of ideas .
In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed the party said that rather than address the issues raised in its criticism of the central government’s inept handling of the multiple tragedies and calamities the country is currently reeling under, the PDP has characteristically embarked on a flight of fancy and daylight hallucination.
” To accuse the Action Congress of Nigeria of politicizing national disasters and calamities when it actually only criticized President Jonathan’s lack of capacity, pro activeness, and coordinated response to these natural calamities and disasters depicts the paucity of the thought process of the People’s Democratic Party led Federal Government “the party said.
How can the attempt to draw the attention of Nigerians to the inept handling of the problems confronting the country be disparaged as attention seeking? How long did it take for any minister or high ranking government official to visit the scene of the flooding for an on the spot assessment? Why would a President, just fifteen minutes away from the scene of the worst flooding ever witnessed in the country fail to visit for immediate assessment? How many days after the disaster did it take the federal government to belatedly take any action? Where are the concrete adaptation and mitigation measures to prevent a future occurrence of this disaster if it occurs elsewhere in the country tomorrow?
In other saner climes where a capable President and not a trainee President is in charge , the President would have made a stop over with pronouncements about support,relief materials and expression of sympathy for the victims, the party explained.
While conceding that flooding is a global phenomenon it is quite unfortunate however that despite the huge sums the country has expended on attending international conferences on the impact of climate change, the Federal Government has been unable to come up with concrete adaptation and mitigation measures to avert these disasters or respond in a co-ordinated, timely and robust manner whenever or wherever they may occur, the party said.
The People’s Democratic Party’s response is nothing but a recklessly rabid disposition to repel at all times any criticism no matter how constructive . We are not even sure whether Olisa Metuh and his ilk read or understood the whole point made in our statement which is that only an incompetent and trainee government could have gotten Nigeria into the present mess ,the party concluded.
Information available to 247ureports.com indcates that the officers of the National Emergency Management Agency [NEMA] and Journalists were attacked by armed robbers along the Okene Auchi road on their way to the flooded town of Fuga in Edo State.
According to the information gathered, the officers of the NEMA and the journalists escaped the robbery attack through quick action of local vigilante men who resuced the team after exchanging a few gun shots.
The media head for NEMA, Yushau Shuaib, confirmed the incident while adding that “at least one person was killed not in our convoy“.
“The Director General of NEMA and his team would still visit flood victims and address rescuers on the ground“, stated Yushau Shuaib
Every arrangement appeared to have been made for a 65 year old grandmother to smuggle 1.740kg of cocaine into London in herbal syrup. It was not her fist time of going to London and the drug was cleverly packed to avoid detection. It was packed in balloons and inserted in ten plastic containers of herbal syrup. The suspect, Hassan Fatimat Abike also known as Chika Okoye was to board a British Airways flight when officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested her at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos on Wednesday.
According to the Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, the suspect has two international passports that bear Hassan Fatimat Abike. Her passport numbers are A03348648 and A3771781A. “She was caught during the screening of British Airways passengers to London. The cocaine found in her possession was packed in balloons and prepared into the shape of the plastic bottles. It was also wrapped in black polythene inside 10 plastic bottles of local herbal mixtures. Each bottle was neatly sealed to avoid suspicion”, Hamza explained.
Preliminary investigation revealed that she is also known as Chika Okoye. She speaks Ibo and Yoruba fluently. Her father is a native of Abeokuta while her mother hails from Owerri, Imo State. Hassan Fatimat Abike also known as Chika Okoye has six children and many grandchildren. She currently lives alone in Owerri and sells clothes to earn a living. The drug found in her bag tested positive for cocaine and weighed 1.740kg.
In her statement, she claimed ownership of the drug stating that it was given to her by a friend.“I live at Owerri alone because my children are grown up and now have their families. I sell clothes to take care of myself. I met an old friend two weeks ago and during our discussion, I told him I will soon be traveling to London. He asked me to deliver some herbal medicine to his sick relative in London. I was only trying to assist an old friend. I blame myself for everything because I should have turned down his request. The drug was detected during search at the airport” she stated.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that the Agency is investigating her claim. “The case is under investigation to ascertain her role. This is very worrisome considering the fact that she is a grandmother” Giade stated. He urged members of the public to be vigilant because drug barons are desperate to smuggle drugs and are prepared to use anybody.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 04: Loveline Obiji of Nigeria competes in the Women’s -52 kg Powerlifting on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
By an act of the British Parliament Nigeria became an Independent country within the Commonwealth on October1, 1960 , Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was installed as governor general of the federation and Balewa continued to serve as head of democratically elected parliamentary, but now completely sovereign, government. The governor general represented the British monarch as head of state and was appointed by the crown on the advice of the Nigerian prime minister in consultation with the regional premiers. The governor general, in turn ,was responsible for choosing a candidate from among contending leaders when there was no parliamentary majority otherwise, the governor general’s office was essentially ceremonial.
In February 1961, a plebiscite was conducted to determine the disposition of the Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons, which were administered by Britain as United Nations Trust Territories. By an overwhelming majority, voters in the Southern Cameroons opted to join formerly French-administered Cameroon over integration with Nigeria as a separate federated region. In the Northern Cameroons however, the largely Muslism electorate chose to merge with Nigeria’s Northern region.
Eight Military regimes succeeded, beginning in 1966, interspersed between the fourth and fifth military regime by a return to civilian rule with the second Republic between October 1979 and December 1983. The final military regime left power on May 29, 1999, when the current fourth Republic was installed and the President was democratically elected.
It was under the second Military regime ( July,1966 to July 1975) that some of Nigeria’s major development programmes were established, such as the extensive expansion and exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources culminating in the oil Boom’ which in no small measure changed the economy, the taste and living standard of many Nigerians. It was also, unfortunately, a time of war, on August 9, 1967, Nigeria declared full-scale on ‘Biafra” after its forces had invaded and captured the Mid-west state. With Biafra’s collapse in 1970, the region was reunited with the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a period of reconciliation and reconstruction followed.
The government also introduced various forms of bursaries, scholarships and students loan scheme in the 1970s, a government review programme for the improvement in salaries and wages; the Nigerianisation Decree compelling all foreign firms operating in Nigeria to nationalize or leave; the changing of road traffic from left to right hand drive, the changing of the national currency to naira and kobo and the establishment of organized federal councils for the arts, sciences, Universities, sports and Agriculture, corruption was a major cause of strife under the military regimes and it took years for Nigeria to get its house in order.
In the history of Nigeria’s independence, the Northern region have ruled the country for 37 consecutive years while the Southern region is just 15 years which the present leadership of president Goodluck Jonathan is at decimal point of envious. On May 29, 1999 Nigeria returned from the Military interregnum to civilian government which brought the then President Olusegun Obasanjo to power. Through out the rulership of the military regimes, Nigeria experienced several military bloody coups that almost divided the country into two, if not God’s intervention. The Military government came to power in pretence of restoring sanity in the government which was gravely disabused by the powers-that-be. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was in power for eight consecutive years with little achievements which Telecommunication was restored totally from the ramshackle of bad Military leaders. Though OBJ almost transited his government into third term bid which was thrown into the waste can by the National Assembly senators. The Likes of OBJ, IBB and Abacha almost thrown the country’s leadership into verbal war which was narrowly overcame through God’s intervention and some political leaders.
Come to think of Nigeria’s independence from 1960, Nigeria has been embedded with high profile corruption which is traced to public office holders in the country. The independence only gives us monumental freedom from foreign policies while the living standard of Nigerians sill remains where it is because of bad leadership that entangled the entire process. The purpose of this political independence has been totally defeated. No government has able to provide adequately for its citizens. Though the Military regimes did well in uniting Nigerians after the bloody civil war that lasted for three years. Every Nigerian leader that has ruled the country had its own shortcomings which overshadowed the positive achievements. At 50. Nigeria was lavishly celebrated which many achievements were attested to Nigerians that cares to listen. That celebration of Nigeria at 50 also experienced innocent killings of Nigerians through Boko Haram insurgence which one Niger Delta activist claimed responsibility of that infamous act.
Moreover, Celebrating Nigeria at 52, it is worthy to be celebrated because Nigeria has able to sustain civilian government to civilian government without interruption of the Military government. Nigeria presently has 124 universities, Polytechnics and colleges of Education but the standard of the educational system has drastically dropped in all ramifications. Even the high brain-drain in our Nigerian universities is nothing to write home about. President Goodluck Jonathan is gradually restoring the power sector with high bills to the electricity users. The attempt to introduce #5000 note by CBN governor Sanusi is an unjust policy but was thrown out of the system by the National Assembly senators. Thus, Nigeria is greatly battling with insecurity threats where thousands of Nigerians have been abruptly killed in the north while property worth billions of naira destroyed.
It is time for present Nigerian leaders to see the Independence celebration as time to reflect our past leaders that took time to
fight for the political emancipation of the country. President Goodluck Jonathan should use this independence celebration to critically looked at the ailing sectors of the economy that needed urgent attention especially oil and gas sector where the current fuel scarcity is plaguing on Nigerians, Aviation, Education, Health, Sports and just mention but a few.
–
BY GODDAY ODIDI. 08058124798,08063458693, Public Affairs Commentator. @20 oro Street Ajegunle
President Goodluck Jonathan declared late Wednesday in New York that attracting greater foreign direct investment to accelerate domestic growth and create more jobs for unemployed Nigerians is now the major focus of Nigeria’s foreign policy.
Speaking at a dinner organised in his honour by the Corporate Council on Africa, President Jonathan said that his Administration was wholly committed to promoting the development of a knowledge-economy that will enhance the security of lives and property, thereby accelerating growth to provide more employment and reduce youth restiveness.
The President told the gathering of leading American businessmen and investors that attracting foreign investment to support the realization of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation was now the topmost priority of Nigeria’s diplomacy abroad.
“Let me restate here that Nigeria’s foreign policy is now anchored on the realisation of this Transformation Agenda through the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment. Under the new policy thrust, our Diplomatic Missions abroad have been directed to focus more on attracting investment to support the domestic programmes of government with a view to achieving not only our Vision 20: 20202, but to bequeathing an enduring a legacy of economic prosperity,” he said.
President Jonathan assured guests at the dinner that adequate safety nets have been established to protect all foreign investors in Nigeria. Such measures, he said, included the establishment and strengthening of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission and the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The President further assured the gathering that his Administration was dealing decisively with Nigeria’s security challenges. “We have some security challenges now, but let me assure you that the Nigerian Government is on top of it. We are dealing with the issue decisively; it will soon be a thing of the past,” he said.
“Opportunities abound for would-be investors with capital and technical know-how in key areas of Nigeria’s economy with a high rates of return on investment. I invite our friends in the United States to take advantage of existing incentives and invest more in Nigeria. I am confident that by the year 2015, Nigeria would have witnessed transformation in all sectors to the benefit of not only its citizens, but also those who have an interest in Nigeria,” President Jonathan concluded.
Welcoming President Jonathan to the dinner earlier, the United States Assistant Secretary of State, Ambassador Johnnie Carson pledged that the Obama Administration will continue to support Nigeria’s efforts to attract greater foreign investment.
Noting that Nigeria was already a very important destination for American companies and the second highest recipient of American direct private sector investment in Africa, Mr. Carson said that he was very optimistic that Nigeria could become a great economic success over the next decade.
The Assistant Secretary of State announced that the US-Nigeria Bi-National Commission which has been established as a primary platform for the promotion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries will meet again in Nigeria next month.
President Jonathan’s other engagements in New York on Wednesday included meetings with President Sauli Ministo of Finland and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs. Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf.
The President had met earlier with President Francois Hollande of France, the Emir of Qatar and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. He also received representatives of the over 200 Nigerians who currently work for the United Nations and its agencies.
President Jonathan and Prime-Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway with whom he serves as Co-Chairperson of the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children also participated at an event to promote its work. Guests at the event included former President Bill Clinton.
