Nigeria: Fifty-Two Years After Independence, Education Remain in Shambles

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As another day of Nigeria’s independence anniversary draws near, it is obvious that all is not well with the country’s educational sector. The portrait of independent Nigeria, after 52 years of its existence is disquieting. While the Asian Tigers, many of whom started out on the journey of development at the same time with Nigeria, are busy taming the moon and befriending Mars, Nigeria tramps on in poverty, disease and illiteracy.

It has been saddening in the last fifty-two years watching Nigeria slide down hill in virtually every sector. The economy is in shambles and still sinking fast in spite of the so-called measures put in place to halt the downward slope. Insecurity has attained its most terrifying loftiness; power supply has remained as erratic as the country itself while the decay of social infrastructure has reached unbearable proportions. Indeed, confidence and national pride have become very low in Nigeria. Many continued to wonder why the country will continue to experience backwardness on a daily basis despite the abundant resources, plentiful brain and the overflowing brawn of its citizens. The answer is very conspicuous: as long as our leaders continued to pay a lip service to the development of the education sector, the country will never emerge from this insulation of penury.

Whether our political leaders accept it or not, the fact remains that education is a basic social need. It is an indispensable ingredient in the nation’s developmental calculus. Based upon this premise, the palpable neglect of the needs of this all important aspect of our national life is too curious to be overlooked. The state of the educational sector in Nigeria today is nothing short of a national tragedy. All around us, we are assaulted by a morass of decayed infrastructure, poor staff, administrative highhandedness, plummeting standards of learning and research, and general low input. All of which are borne out of government’s massive under funding of education.

It would be recalled that the first major attack on education took place in 1978, when the then Obasanjo military regime increased tuition and feeding fees in universities as part of economic austerity measures. Of course, students responded with nation-wide ‘ALI MUST GO’. In 1984, the Buhari military junta phased out the subsidized feeding system in the higher institutions. Increasingly, the trend has been for the government to hand off education, and to privatise and commercialise it with devastating consequences on the education of children and youth from poor working class families. Reprehensibly, since the inception of the present civilian administration, budgeting allocation to education has been relentlessly on the decline. The Federal Government has refuse to implement the agreement it reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), while the allocation to education in the 2012 Appropriation Act is 10% (N400.15 billion) as against the recommendation of the agreement. As a result of the 2012 miserly budget provision, fees are skyrocketing beyond the means of average and poor working class parents. As I write, fee increment is sweeping across the length and breadth of Nigerian campuses like a raging harmattan fire.

Or how can a country develop in the midst of monumental examination failures that are being recorded annually in the O-level external examinations? The report that was given by the WAEC Zonal Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Alozie, showed that out of the 1,672,224 candidates who sat for this year’s May/June WASSCE in Nigeria, only 649,156 (38.81 per cent) obtained credit in five subjects, including English and Mathematics. And according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2011 Report, Nigeria has an illiteracy rate of 28 percent and claims 142nd position on the world literacy ranking behind less developed countries like Algeria, Malawi, and the war-torn countries like Iraq etc.

The questions that have been asked and which continue to beg for answer is: would the president be in a celebration mood if his children were among the millions of Nigerian children that will live with the scar of their inability to realise their academic dreams due to their parents inability to meet up with the astronomic school fees that are being charged by our higher institutions? Will the governors be in celebration mood if their children had any stake in the rottenness of the educational system? Will our rich Senators and Honourables jubilate if their children were part of the over 1million Nigerian children that failed this year WAEC? The past years has witnessed monumental scales of failure in the WAEC, NECO and UTME exams and the immediate future is not promising either because starvation of fund by the government remains a common features in the system.

The government’s refusal to adequately fund education has created basis for the authorities of various institutions to impose various obnoxious charges and fees on the students. This has been making education the exclusive preserve of children of the few rich, the privileged and treasury looters. Moreover, the decrying state of our institutions, from the primary to tertiary, is not a concern to the governments since members of the capitalist ruling class can afford to send their wards to private schools or abroad to acquire sound education.

This is further buttressed by the fact that while government claims there is no money and the education institutions at all levels are left to decay, public officials (elected/unelected) live fabulous ostentatious lifestyles with fat salaries and allowances with a coterie of aides, special advisers, special assistants, and hangers-on, while billions of naira are being looted on a daily basis, squandered and wasted on frivolous activities that do not fundamentally have direct or indirect effect on the living conditions of the working people for the better. Apparently, it is not a case of non-affordability but lack of sincerity, political will, charismatic drives and sensitivity to the welfare of the citizen.

Therefore, to shoot these elephants and save the country from the obvious shame of backwardness, it has become imperative for those who identify with mass struggle for a better living such as the Students’ Unions of various institutions to start strategizing on how to fight for a better economic system that is democratic, pro-poor and anti-imperialism; a system that will defend nationalization of the commanding height of the economy under the democratic control and management of the working people at various levels of economic activities, that will defend proper funding of the social service, and promote genuine people’s democracy.

To do this, power must be taken away from the present set of self-serving capitalist politicians and put into the hands of the teeming working and toiling people who are the direct victims of the system. Therefore, the human right activists, pro-democracy activists, socialists, etc must be ready to join forces with the sole aim of joining a workers’ party that will lead workers, students, police, army, peasants, and the oppressed in general in the struggle for attaining political power in order to establish an egalitarian socialist society where the need and welfare of the people will be the basis of production, distribution and governance against the existing capitalist system in which interests of the rich few is supreme. The Nigerian situation is between revolution and barbarism.

Adewale Stephen,

Member, Educational Rights Campaign (ERC)

Ilesa,

Osun State.

08031509489

APGA Crisis: I’ve Not Dumped Umeh, Says Okorocha

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Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has re-affirmed that the
cordial relationship between him and the national chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh remains intact.

In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media (Print), Ebere
Uzoukwa, the governor described the purported report that he had
dumped Umeh as the handiwork of the some political detractors and
mischief-makers whose agenda is to destroy APGA and cause disaffection
between him and the national chairman.

The statement reads “Governor Rochas Okorocha remains loyal to APGA
and its leadership at all levels including Chief Victor Umeh led
National Working Committee (NWC).He has demonstrated high regard for
APGA above personal interest and will ever remain committed in making
the party a formidable platform in the quest to provide good
governance to Imo people and Nigerians through well articulated people
oriented programmes which is the hallmark of APGA”.

“It is however noteworthy to mention that Governor Okorocha neither
discussed APGA and Umeh with any northern governor nor directed his
commissioners and political associates to keep away from the national
chairman”.

The governor’s aide however maintained that Governor Okorocha has no
plans whatsoever to quit APGA rather has demonstrated enough
commitment as a leader to resolve the crisis orchestrated by some
detractors who are already jittery over the growth of the party in the
south east and beyond.

Kaduna Awards 31 Roads Contracts Today for N28billion

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See Press Release below –

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Press Release on Contracts Awarded Today

1. In continuing efforts to improve the motor-ability of roads in Kaduna state and to improve on the needed access to densely populated communities in Kaduna, the state Government, today, 28 September, 2012, awarded contract for the immediate construction of 31 roads all across the 23 local Governments of the state at a total cost of 28 billion with various completion dates. Already the state government has made preparation for 25% advance payment to each contractor upon the contractor submitting a bank bond (advance payment guarantee)

2. Also, conscious of the fact that since 2007/2008 that the Operation Yaki vehicles were procured, and in view of the dilapidation and the need to improve the security situation of the state, the state government, today gave the contract for the purchase of 40 additional new operational vehicles with full accessories.

3. Based on the inauguration of a committee to identify programmes and projects to be undertaken by the Kaduna state government with its share of revenue from fuel subsidy reduction, the committee, under the chairmanship of the deputy governor, identified projects and submitted its reports. Considering the social security challenges in the state, and based on the recommendations of the committee, contract was today awarded for the purchase of 40 Nissan Sunny vehicles that would serve as Taxis at a cost of N105,600,000

4. Also, the contract for the purchase of 700 Kings Tricycles that would be use for transportation in Kaduna state has been given at a cost of N288,750,000.00 all under the state SURE-P

5. The state government also gave the contract for the purchase of 4 No. 15 Seater Toyota bus with AC to four faith-based institutions in the state at a total cost of N37,128,000.00

6. In view of the fact that the faculty of medicine, Kaduna state university is due to graduate pre-clinical students ready for their clinical training and that the 300 specialist bed is not yet ready, the state government has given contract for the upgrading of Barau Dikko specialist hospital to provide teaching services at a cost of N474 million in the first phase of the upgrade.

7. In view of hardship being experienced by people in Kaduna state in getting kerosene for domestic use and to ensure that the Kerosene Direct Scheme gets to the rural areas at all times, the state Government has given the contract for the procurement of 4 No. 22,000 litres Dong Feng DF1250 metre trucks and 2 no. 60,000 litre high impact corrosion free surface tanks at a total cost of 153,615,000. This will ensure that Kaduna state government has the means to ensure that kerosene at the approved price of N50.00 per litre gets to all.

8. Contract was also given today for the supply of science, technical and vocational equipment to secondary schools.

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Reuben Buhari, Senior Special Assistant (Media)

Kwankwaso’s Commissioner Arrested By EFCC

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Kano Commissioner Muhammad Nadu Yahaya

Information available to 247ureports.com through sources in Kano State government house indicate that one of the closest cabinet members to the government of Kano, Malam Rabui Musa Kwankwaso, was arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] today.

The Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, Kano state, Muhammad Nadi Yahaya was arrested by the men of the EFCC on the afternoon of September 28, 2012 shortly after he arrived his office.

The arrest of the Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, today, has sent shockwaves through the administrative ranks of the Kwankwaso government. Cabinet members are reported to be uneasy with the recent arrest. Some who spoke to 247ureports.com suspected openly that the EFCC maybe investigating the Governor. 247ureports.com discovered that the arrested Commissioner had been used repeatedly by the Governor as a ‘front’ for many ‘veiled’ dealings within the State.

It is not certain the details of the arrest. The spokeperson of the EFCC, Wilson Ewujaren stated that he was not aware of the details of the case. When pressed further by our correspondent, he admitted that “he was not authorized to comment on the case“.

stay tuned

 

PhotoNews: Sambo Marks Nigeria 52 Independence Anniversary at Central Mosque Abuja

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[flagallery gid=27 name=Gallery]

Samuel L. Jackson Supports Obama In Expletive Filled PSA

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Samuel L Jackson

By Carolyn Amurao

In an effort to inspire voters to re-elect President Obama, the Jewish Council for Education and Research released a new video yesterday called “Wake the F— Up,” starring Oscar-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson. Inspired by the hit book “Go the F— to Sleep” the video features Little Susie, a young girl who is worried about her family’s passive attitude towards the upcoming election.

Jackson, as narrator, pops up in scenes between the girl and her sleepy parents, distracted siblings and mischievous grandparents, sending a message to all that, “we’ve come a long way but there’s still more to do, and we need you all back in the fight ‘til it’s through…you can sleep when you’re dead, it’s time to wake the f—k up!”

Issues of gay rights, education, poverty, student debt and Medicare are all woven into a rhyming narrative punctuated with F-bombs. In a scene where Susie wants to talk to her grandparents but they tell her to wait, Jackson exclaims, “Hell no it can’t wait! Your lives will be affected. Romney and Ryan will gut Medicare if they’re elected. Ask the fact-checkers, those two are fact-duckers.”

The popular actor gives an en energetic and purposeful performance in this short video, joining other celebs like Jay-Z in backing the Obama campaign. Even though he’s “not really into politics,”Jay-Z brought in 4 million dollars for Obama’s road to the White House last week by throwing a fundraiser with his wife Beyonce.

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Professor Obama Lectures The Muslim World

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by ESAM AL-AMIN

On Sept. 25, Professor-turned President Barack Obama lectured the Muslim World and world leaders during his annual address before the United Nations.

The beautifully crafted speech of the Nobel peace laureate would have been believed – and better received—had it simply been genuine. The president’s appeal for rejecting violence, spreading peace among nations, while emphasizing the vital use of diplomacy in international relations, as well as his call for respecting the rule of law, due process, and cultural understanding were remarkable. But unfortunately, they were simply not credible.

In his speech, the president admonished the Muslim World by underscoring the important belief that people must “resolve their differences peacefully” and that “diplomacy” should take “the place of war.” Laudable words, but only if America practiced what it preaches.

In his seminal work “A Century of U.S. Interventions,” based on the Congressional Records and the Library of Congress’ Congressional Research Services, Zoltan Grossman chronicled 133 U.S. military interventions by the most active military in the history of the world, between 1890 and 2001. Similarly, William Blum’s study “A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower,” covered 67 interventions between 1945 and 2000 that, according to him, resulted in the deaths of 13-17 million people. In his book “The Fall of the U.S. Empire – And Then What?,” European intellectual Johan Galtung listed 161 incidents of American overt political violence between 1945 and 2001, including 67 military interventions, 25 bombings, 35 political assassinations (or attempted ones), 11 foreign countries that were assisted with torture, and 23 interferences with elections or the political process abroad. And all that was before the 9/11 attacks.

Since then, the U.S. military has been extremely busy, invading Iraq in 2003 under false pretenses and causing hundreds of thousands of casualties while creating millions of refugees. Before that, it invaded Afghanistan in 2001, causing tens of thousands of casualties in the longest war in U.S. history while still maintaining to this date over 70,000 soldiers on the ground. The U.S. has also been waging open warfare with the whole world as its theater of operations in the so-called “war on terror.” This endless war allowed the U.S. military to engage in undeclared military operations, violating the sovereignty of many countries in Asia and Africa including Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Djibouti, and numerous Sub-Saharan and West African countries. So much for peaceful conflict resolution and mutual respect between nations.

During that period, the Bush administration allowed (and the Obama administration has since refused to prosecute) the CIA to violate the sovereignty of allied countries including in Europe by authorizing the use of prison black sites, rendition, and torture. In one case, Italy tried and convicted in absentia twenty-three CIA operatives who violated its sovereignty when they kidnapped and rendered an Egyptian cleric to be tortured by the former Egyptian regime. Likewise, Germany condemned the U.S. intelligence agency for kidnapping and torturing one of its citizens of Lebanese descent. While Canada regretted and apologized for its role in rendering one of its citizens of Syrian descent, the U.S. – the country that actually carried out the rendition knowing that the subject would be tortured by the Syrian regime that it now enthusiastically condemns- still refuses to acknowledge its role, let alone apologize for the gross violation of its human rights obligations under international treaties.

Moreover, no American senior officials were ever held accountable for the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and torture in Iraq, or for waterboarding and other “harsh interrogation techniques” (read: torture) used against Muslim prisoners (the overwhelming number of whom were innocent bystanders according to legal and human rights organizations) at Guantanamo, Bagram, or elsewhere.

President Obama further stated in his scolding of Muslim world leaders that they needed to emulate the behavior of civilized nations that respect “the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people.” But such lofty rhetoric from the president might be very difficult to accept since he himself acted as prosecutor, judge, and executioner when he ordered the murder of several American citizens, including a cleric of Yemini descent and a magazine editor of Pakistani descent with a drone attack in Yemen. People across the Muslim world wondered why the rule of law was absent in these cases and why their due process rights did not apply. Even two weeks after their death, the cleric’s sixteen-year old son, also an American citizen with supposedly constitutional protections, and a child by international standards, was also assassinated in a separate drone attack. So much for due process or respect for human rights.

In fact, since Obama became president in 2009, dozens of innocent civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and else where have been killed each year. But rarely does the civilized nation apologize for killing innocent Muslim civilians because “America does not apologize” as many American politicians repeatedly love to say.

Furthermore, Obama’s commendable call for mutual respect among nations may have fallen on deaf ears because it was considered by many as disingenuous. As noted above, for years the U.S. has disrespected the sovereignty of Pakistan and Yemen as it assassinated many individuals, including U.S. citizens, on their soil without any regard for the national sovereignty of the host countries, which are not at war with the U.S. But Obama could not have dared to use a drone attack in the U.K. to kill a cleric of Egyptian descent, who the U.S. has been after for years. In the U.K., the U.S. simply asked the British to extradite him so that he could be tried on U.S. soil. So the U.K. gets every consideration while the administration only shows contempt for Yemen or Pakistan.

In his speech, the president lauded the “enshrined” American values of constitutional protections and freedom of speech, as he reminded his world audience that “citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe,” and that they should be allowed to “speak their minds and assemble without fear.” He then emphatically stated that in the U.S. “our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech.”

Yet Muslims around the world wondered where were these protections of freedom of  speech when several American Muslims were indicted and sentenced to as much as life in prison in the U.S. for exercising First Amendment activities, including an American Muslim pharmacist of Egyptian descent in Boston who was sentenced to seventeen years in 2012 for translating passages and uploading videos to the internet, and a cable operator of Pakistani descent who was sentenced to almost six years in 2004 for connecting his New York customers to Hezbollah’s satellite channel.

In many of these cases, government prosecutors speculated that the speech of the Muslim defendants was not protected because it could have led to violence even though no evidence was ever presented to support such a theory. Contrast that with the proven record of hate speech spewed by numerous American Islamophobes, many of whom were quoted extensively by anti-Muslim extremist Anders Breivik, who deliberately killed in cold blood 77 people in Norway in July 2011. In his 1500-page manifesto, Breivik cited many American anti-Muslim haters such as Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes, Pamela Geller, Martin Kramer, and others. They apparently inspired him to commit the atrocious killings, though none were ever held, even morally, accountable, or subsequently condemned for their hateful inciting anti-Muslim speech.

Moreover, President Obama proudly affirmed his belief in “freedom and self-determination” and expounded that such concepts are “not unique to one culture,” since they are “not simply American values or Western values; they are universal values.” But these words ring hollow as the American president failed to explain to peoples around the world why the U.S. and its Western allies while steadfastly declaring that they “believe in these values” have continuously blocked freedom and self-determination, even symbolically at the United Nations, to the Palestinian people who have been suffering for over six decades either under brutal military occupation or in squalid refugee camps.

He further failed to justify why America has continued to fully arm and finance the tools that maintain and sustain the Israeli military occupation for decades, while shielding Israel’s atrocious policies against the unarmed Palestinian civilian population. Or why it protects Israel from any accountability for its illegal settlement activities and occupation in flagrant violations of international law and the Geneva conventions.

Towards the end of the speech, President Obama accused the Iranian government of supporting “terrorist groups” in the Middle East (none of which is known to have targeted the U.S.), while his administration has just delisted the Iranian terrorist group MEK, which has a bloody history and in recent years has been responsible for many terrorist attacks and assassinations inside Iran including the targeting of government officials, scientists, and academics.

Overlooking the fact that he started his speech by emphasizing peace and diplomacy, the president ended it by implicitly threatening Iran with war unless it accepts the dictates of the West as he stated that “the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon” since “it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful.”

Most Americans might simply be deceived by Israeli propaganda in regard to the Iranian nuclear program, but most of the citizens of the world are not oblivious to the facts or the double standard applied to this issue by the American administration and its Israeli ally. So here are the facts that the president is fully aware of but conveniently decided to totally ignore.

Israel is the only country in the Middle East that actually possesses nuclear weapons- over 300 nuclear heads along with their delivery systems. Israel is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while Iran is. Under the NPT, Iran not only has the right to have a robust civilian nuclear program, but the five recognized nuclear power countries have the obligation to help Iran develop one.

Moreover, Iran’s nuclear facilities have been fully and are currently under the IAEA inspection regime. Iran has repeatedly disavowed the use of nuclear arms and has only enriched its uranium stockpile to the civilian use level of twenty percent- not the ninety eight percent needed for weaponization. Moreover, since at least 2007 the consensus of the sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies has been that Iran abandoned any steps towards building a nuclear arms program. Finally, it was Iran that accepted the conditions set by President Obama in 2010 in his communication with the president of Brazil and prime minister of Turkey for Iran to prove its civilian use intentions. But it was Obama who subsequently backed away from the diplomatic solution as soon as Iran agreed to it, the same plan that he himself outlined to the world leaders.

When Obama arrived on the world stage in 2009, people the world over including many in the Muslim World had high hopes for real and genuine change. People were ready to turn the page on the painful years of the arrogant behavior of George W. Bush. But apparently the empire’s inertia overpowers the raised hopes of any false prophets.

Regrettably, with such self-aggrandizing posture, Obama’s tenure, whether it ends in four months or four years, will not conclude in celebration or optimism.  Rather, in all likelihood its ending may follow T. S. Eliot’s words: “This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.”

Esam Al-Amin can be contacted at alamin1919@gmail.com

China, Japan trade barbs as Israel duels Iran at UN

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Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) sparked angry exchanges with Japanese diplomats at the UN by accusing Japan of stealing disputed islands.

Chinese and Japanese envoys staged a series of attacks during Thursday’s session after Yang heightened tensions over the Diaoyutai Isalnds (釣魚台) and reopened old diplomatic wounds over World War II.

The Japanese government’s purchase of three of the uninhabited islands from a private owner this month has infuriated Beijing and set off violent protests in China.

“China strongly urges Japan to immediately stop all activities that violate China’s territorial sovereignty, take concrete actions to correct its mistakes and return to the track of resolving the dispute through negotiation,” Yang told the UN assembly.

China has demanded the return of the uninhabited islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan, for decades. Taiwan also claims the islands.

Yang reaffirmed his country’s historical claim that Japan tricked China into signing a treaty ceding the islands in 1895. Japan states that the islands were legally incorporated into its territory.

Japan’s move was in “outright denial” of its defeat in World War II, he added.

In Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters Yang’s remarks were “totally groundless.”

Yang and Japan’s Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba held stern talks on the dispute in New York on Tuesday, and Yang’s speech sparked sharp exchanges between Japanese and Chinese diplomats as each sought a right of reply.

Insisting that Japan legally incorporated the islands into its territory in 1895, Japan’s deputy UN ambassador Kazuo Kodama said that “an assertion that Japan took the islands from China cannot logically stand.”

China’s UN envoy Li Baodong  (李保東) responded that “the Japanese delegate once again brazenly distorted history, resorting to spurious fallacious arguments that defy all reason and logic to justify their aggression of Chinese territory.”

He said his Japanese counterpart “feels no guilt for Japan’s history of aggression and colonialism.”

The Japanese government’s purchase of the islands is based purely on “the logic of robbers,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his most detailed plea to date for global action against Iran’s nuclear program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday the world has until next summer at the latest to stop Iran before it gets a nuclear bomb.

Netanyahu flashed a diagram of a cartoon-like bomb before the General Assembly showing the progress Iran has made, saying it has already completed the first stage of uranium enrichment.

Then he pulled out a red marker and drew a line across what he said was a threshold Iran was approaching and which Israel could not tolerate — the completion of the second stage and 90 percent of the way to the uranium enrichment needed to make an atomic bomb.

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential threat, citing Iranian denials of the Holocaust, its calls for Israel’s destruction, its development of missiles capable of striking the Jewish state and its support for Arab militant groups.

Iran’s deputy UN ambassador took the floor at the General Assembly later that day to categorically reject Israel’s “entirely baseless allegations,” insisting that the country’s nuclear program is purely peaceful.

Delta Set Up Rehabilitation Camps for Flood Victims

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Delta State government has created rehabilitation camps equipped with medical facilities for flood victims in the state.

The State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who disclosed this yesterday(Thursday 27 Sept. 2012) in Asaba while addressing victims of flood devastated areas in Asaba the state governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan called on those who have been displaced by flood to report at St Patricks College in Asaba for accommodation and relief materials.

Besides, the Governor warned officials in charge of the camps and relief materials to desist from diverting such materials meant for the people as anyone found wanting would be decisively dealt with.

Dr. Uduaghan who visited Oko Amacom, Oko Analla, Oko Ogbele and other surrounding villages in Oshimili South local government area provided logistics support to residents of Camp One and Two to enable them relocate to the rehabilitation camps.

He sympathized with the victims and assured them that proper arrangements have been made for their safety and comfort.

The governor also enjoined them to remain peaceful and calm as his government has taken measures to secure lives and properties.

His word “I feel for you and I know the hazards you are passing through I want to relocate you to SPC Asaba where you will have comfort, so be calm and peaceful as efforts are being made to address the floor challenges”.

The governor who described this year’s flood as unprecedented regretted that residents of the areas affected did not heed to the warning issued to them to evacuate flood prone areas.

Dr. Uduaghan said residents were warned early enough in the year explaining that if they had heeded the warning, the damage would have been less.

He said there was nothing the state government could have done to stop rivers overflowing their banks even as he said that the flood disaster affected many states of the federation.

The governor who also inspected immigration office where flood destroyed properties and displaced, promised to relocate the office to a Permanent place.

Dr Uduaghan also promised to ensure that the Immigration office never returned to the environment where flood sacked it.

Explaining further the governor said “I am going to ensure that you don’t come back to this place again. I am going to make where you are relocating to Permanent so that this kind of thing do not happen to you again I am really touched by the extent of the flood and we will endeavour to save you from any flood scourge again”.

In answer to reporters question the governor enjoined Deltans to obey land laws so that they do not become victims of flood disasters again.

Dr Uduaghan who said his immediate concern was how to address the problem of the flood victims and evacuate them to camps explained that the Ministry of Lands and Survey would be reinvigorated to enable it enforce land and environmental laws.

Responding the comptroller General of Immigration in the State Ishiaku Hammed expressed appreciation to the governor for the visit.

Mr. Hammab said that all the equipment used in processing passport in the office were submerged and appealed to the governor for logistic support.

Responding also on behalf of flood victims at camp one and two by the Niger Bridge Mr. Silvanus Ejezie demanded the governor for his kind gesture especially for providing fund for the evacuation of their prosperity.

 

House of Reps’ Rejection of Budget Presentation: Step in the Right Direction

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PRESS STATEMENT

 

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.

Signed:

Hon Emma Eneukwu

National Publicity Secretary

ANPP

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