GSM tax: Labour, CLOs fume, threaten showdown

Labour movements and civil rights organisations are on a collision course with the PresidentMuhammadu Buhari administration over the proposed communication tax.

Groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Civil Liberty Organisations, in separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH in Abuja on Friday, vowed to shoot down the GSM bill.

The bill, which has been submitted to the National Assembly by the Ministry of Communications, will empower the Federal Government to impose nine per cent taxation on all calls, texts and data packages if passed into law.

President Muhammadu Buhari

The General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, described the planned telecommunications bill as a bad policy with potential to deepen poverty in the society.

“If they go ahead with it, we will also, through the National Assembly public hearing, before passage into law, make our input to it, by submitting a memorandum,” he said.

Ozo-Eson said that the tax was regressive as it would have more adverse effects on the poor than the rich.

He said that the poorest segment of the society needed telecommunication to run their lives and their small businesses.

Ozo-Eson stressed that while the NLC believed that the Federal Government should come up with taxation to raise revenue, the burden should not be on the poor.

He said, “We believe it is a bad policy, it will visit more hardship on Nigerians by the very nature of the tax, it is a regressive tax because even the poorest require communication to run their lives.

“Even the small traders depend of communication via GSM to be able to transact their businesses and therefore the tax that is imposed across board is regressive.

“And the burden is higher on the poor. While we agree that the government should design taxes that should raise revenue, we believe that progressive taxation would be the best way to do that.”

He urged Buhari’s administration to focus on the rich in the drive to regenerate revenue through taxation.

He said, “We always insist that you must do a tax system that does not put unnecessary burden on the poor. We need a tax system that is progressive, not regressive.

“When you have a tax system that is regressive, it means you are placing undue burden on the poor in the society. A progressive tax system gives relief to those at the very bottom of the income ladder so that they are not taxed, or are even placed on minimal taxation. That is how other societies function.

“And then, of course progressively, you tax those that are more capable, and who have more income and more wealth. This is what we think Mr. President must strive to put in place, to target the rich and the wealthy.”

Ozo-Eson, who also commented on the claim by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, that the current administration had created millionaires through the sale of foreign exchange, urged the monarch to provide more facts on the issue.

The Trade Union Congress also condemned planned tax

The group, in a statement by its President and Acting Secretary-General, Messrs. Bala Kaigama and Simeso Amachree respectively, wondered how the government  would expect workers in a country with a minimum wage of N18,000 to pay such a tax in the face of aggravated economic difficulties.

They said that the policy, which according to them, was designed to exploit the impoverished masses, would discourage investments and cause job losses.

The unionists warned the Federal Government to suspend the bill as the masses expected to cough out the tax were already over-burdened with multiple taxation.

Kaigama and Amachree said that it did not make economic sense to initiate policies that could stifle businesses and worsen the woes of the citizens.

The TUC leaders faulted the claim of the Minister of Communications, Chief Adebayo Shittu, that the country could earn as much as N20bn monthly from the passage of the proposed bill, and could help to alleviate the economic challenges facing the country and fund budget deficit.

Also, the President of Civil Liberties Organisation, Igho Akeregha, said the planned GSM tax by the Federal Government would amount to excessive oppression of Nigerians who had been severely burdened by the government’s “warped economic policies.”

According to him, it is either the All Progressives Congress does not articulate a sustainable political and economic development plan for the country or President Muhammadu Buhari is insensitive and bereft of ideas on how to govern.

Akeregha said, “The CLO shall resist the obnoxious and tyrannical plan to further impoverish Nigerians by way of foisting devious tax on them. We have a great tradition in the CLO of standing with the people and defending their rights when the need arises.

“The CLO will definitely join forces with our allies in labour and the CSO’s to resist the GSM tax which clearly is an extortionist agenda. Enough is enough of this undemocratic assault on Nigerians.”

Akeregha said although the CLO had deliberately refrained from joining issues with the current administration, it had become irrational to be silent in the face of the unprecedented suffering that Nigerians were going through.

He asked, “How can any sane person propose a bill to tax Nigerians for use of GSM when the people are already too poor to feed themselves? This idea is criminal as it seeks to abort and significantly infringe on the rights of citizens to freely receive and impart information as provided and guaranteed in the constitution.

“Already, Nigerians are paying so much for the use of GSM as all kinds of taxes and levies are hidden in recharge cards while the network providers rip citizens off through unsolicited network services amid poor quality service.

“It’s only in Nigeria that citizens have remained docile and complacent while being daily subjected to inhuman and degrading policies by the same government they elected to govern them. It is the inalienable right of all Nigerians irrespective of status, creed or tribe to enjoy democracy dividends.”

On his part, the Board Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Emeka Umeagbalasi, said that Nigerians were already over-burdened.

He said, “People are passing through challenges in the hands of the Buhari administration. Nigeria under him has already graduated into a jungle. Big businessmen and importers of consumable goods have shut down their importation businesses and are divesting outside the country. Exchange rates are acutely unsteady, unavailable and unaffordable.

“Even if you are able to source for foreign currencies locally, then how will you remit them to your foreign business partners or factories? The worse is that 95 per cent of imported items in Nigeria cannot be manufactured locally.  Recent media reports have it that 272 major industries have shut down their industries in Nigeria and relocated beyond the shores of the country and 180,000 jobs lost in the process.

 “Imposition of GSM tax on consumers or network users will have no meaningful effect on the embattled economy. It will go the same negative way of payment of the forceful lodgment duty of N50.00 imposed on every cash deposit and the Treasury Single Account; yet nothing meaningful has happened.”

Umeagbalasi said that the economy would only thrive where government’s credibility among its people was positive.

He stated, “Unless Buhari’s administration reverses itself in all the areas of its governance blunders, the country will continue to rigmarole in intractable absurdities and confusions.

“We totally oppose any form of the so-called GSM tax. Nigerians are already over-taxed, yet nothing to show for it. This is eight months into the 2016 fiscal year, still Nigerians are yet to feel any positive impact of public governance except mass hunger and poverty, falsehood, deceit, propaganda, violence and bloodletting. It  saddens our heart!”

Faulting the proposed tax, a constitutional lawyer and Chairman, Egalitarian Mission for Africa, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo,  said the proposed bill   was  absolutely anti-people and a sure way of “killing” the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.

He added, “The bill, if passed into law, will be impracticable due to the social, political and legal irregularities imbedded therein that would embarrass the government of President Buhari. Politically, almost 110 million people in Nigeria have access to mobile services that is about two-thirds of Nigeria’s population. With two-third of the population without a mobile connection, you can imagine the consequence.”

On what the group will do, he said, “We are playing down the option of street protests as we believe that once premium is given to superior arguments at the National Assembly  public hearing on the proposed bill, the bill will find its rightful place in the dustbin of history.”

Shittu, had at a private sector dialogue session organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lagos last week, said that the planned tax, which had passed first reading in both chambers of the National Assembly, would help the Federal Government develop the ICT sector and implement its policies and plans in an integrated manner.

According to him, the country will earn as much as N20bn monthly if the bill is passed into law.

In his reaction, Special Assistant, Media,  to the Minister of Communications, said, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare, said, “The bill in the National Assembly is not an executive bill; it is a private member bill.

“What the minister has told those against the bill is to aggregate their views and present them to the National Assembly.

“The government is doing its best to address the recession in the country. If there is no money to run the government, the government can look into all the sectors.

“There is need for all stakeholders to get involved and address their positions to the National Assembly.”

Source: News Arena

Allow states to develop their resources, Ambode urges FG

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has advised the Federal Government to allow state governments to develop the natural resources within their domains in order to create the necessary infrastructure that will attract investors.

Governor Ambode of Lagos State.

According to him, the Federal Government has a critical role to play in addressing the fundamental structural challenges undermining sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the various states.

Ambode spoke in Kaduna at the 4th Progressive Governance Lecture Series organised by Governors of the All Progressives Congress with the theme: ‘Building The Economy of States: Challenge of Developing Inclusively Sustainable Growth’.
He urged the Federal Government to encourage the state governments to harness their resources by unbundling the potential of each of the federating units.

The governor, who was reported in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, to have spoken on the Lagos experience of de-emphasising reliance on oil, also said governors must be encouraged to tap into multiple streams of income within their domains, especially with the Federal Government allowing them to develop their potential.

Ambode lamented the situation whereby governors had power over the land in their domains but could not tap into the resources under the land.

Such practice, he said, must stop so that state governors could have power over both the land and resources underneath, thereby unbundling the potential of the states.

He said, “We need to start looking at some changes that we need to make within and among ourselves as a government, irrespective of whether it is federal, state or local government that will now unbundle the potential of each state, which is the cornerstone of the whole message we are talking about.

“There is a great need for all of us to decide once and for all to unbundle the potential of each state; take the comparative advantages of each state and fuse them together for the needs of our people.

“Governors are the owners of the land in their states but underneath the land and even inside the water, the Federal Government is structured in a way that it controls the potential. In a situation where the states are being spoon-fed, because I call the federation account more or less like spoon-feeding.

The Federal Government collects a total revenue on Value Added Tax and various revenues on behalf of all of us and make us to come to Abuja and more or less share it to us as peanuts, thereby not allowing us to reach our potential as competitive states individually.”

Alluding to the fact that insignia of progressivism in Nigeria should be first seen in the APC states, Governor Ambode said all critical actors must work together in the interest of the people.

He said, “There is just one economy in this country and so we need to first of all accept the fact that there is nothing like private sector as against the public sector; there is nothing like the Federal Government as against state governments.

“We are collaborating to drive the economy of this country. So, if that describes what Nigeria is and what it ought to be, we also want to say that government should be seen as an enabler, a platform that more or less creates the enabling environment for the public sector to thrive.”

Source: Economic Confidential

Elumelu tasks nation’s policy makers on poverty reduction

The Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu, has advocated entrepreneurship as a veritable solution to achieving poverty reduction in the country.

Elumelu who is also the Founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, delivered a paper themed:

‘Entrepreneurship, Corporate Social Responsibility and Africapitalism: The Role of The Private Sector in Fighting Poverty in Nigeria’, at the nation’s think-tank, the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State.

Mr. Tony Elumelu

He addressed a distinguished guest list of 67 participants from top government constituencies including the police, the military, national planning, works, and the presidency, debating ways to move the country forward in light of the present economic challenges.

In his lecture, Elumelu expressed optimism that with the right policy reforms, Nigeria could be well on its way to rising above its present challenges.

He reiterated his long-term conviction on entrepreneurship as a solution to arresting the economic challenges facing the country.

The UBA chairman stated that past governments had not been successful in eradicating poverty in Nigeria in spite of the various entrepreneurship schemes that have been introduced over the past 30 years.

“Governments alone do not have the capacity to provide the basic daily needs or employment for the millions of young Nigerians entering the job market every year. Therefore, the private sector must be an integral part of our national poverty eradication and development strategy,” the consummate entrepreneur stated. “If our entrepreneurs succeed, Nigeria succeeds,” he stressed.
An advocate of Africapitalism, Elumelu noted that entrepreneurship and not philanthropy, is key to achieving poverty reduction and empowering Nigerians as we strive to solve our challenges without dependence on aid from outside the country.

“No one but us will save ourselves,” he said. “The development of Africa is up to Africans. Donors and partners can help, but the work of developing our nations is ours. Nigeria’s poverty and development challenges are great. But they do not exceed the capacity of our people to solve them. We welcome every initiative that helps in reducing poverty. More effort is required’ said Elumelu.

Expounding on the benefits of Africapitalism, he cited the achievements of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme as a case study of how Africans, and by extension Nigerians, can solve their own problems via entrepreneurship, adding that the goal of the yearly programme is to invest $100 million over the next 10 years to identify, train, mentor and seed 10,000 African businesses with a view of creating one million new jobs and $10 billion in additional revenue for the continent by democratizing and institutionalizing the ‘luck. The second set of 1,000 entrepreneurs, he said was announced a few months ago and boasted of representation from all thirty-six states of Nigeria and other African countries.

The Acting Director General of the Institute, Ibrahim Lamorde, in his vote of thanks, urged the participants in their respective workplaces to commit to creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs to thrive.

“All 67 participants and those of us who are also in other areas of responsibility will go out and ensure that between now and the end of the year, we promote just one policy that will drive change. I think this will go a long way in addressing the issue of poverty in this country.”

He concluded by urging Elumelu to encourage and advise other wealthy entrepreneurs to emulate and support the good work he is doing in Nigeria and across the African continent.
Source: Economic Confidential

Osanebi to meet with constituents in Aboh

 The Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Friday Ossai Osanebi will on Friday, 2nd September, 2016 hold an interactive town hall meeting with members of the Ndokwa East state constituency in Aboh, headquarter of the constituency.

Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi

 In his avowed determination to always connect and feel the pulse of his people, the Deputy Speaker will be taking advantage of the ongoing house recess to meet with his people and to give report of his stewardship.

The  town hall meeting, according to the Special Assiatant to the Deputy Speaker on media and communication, Agbanashi Obinne;  will afford members of the state constituency opportunities to ask their representative questions and get first hand information on issues that affect the constituency and governance in  general.


“The meeting is one of the many avenues the Deputy Speaker has always created to interface  with his people, give them updates of his people friendly representation  and developmental strategies of the government. He also uses the platform to  get feed backs and contribution cum advice from the people and in turn give an updated version of his report card," the statement said.

To this end, Obinne said invitation is hereby extended to political and non political family members, but members of the constituency, opinion leaders, socio-economic groups, the PDP family of Ndokwa East, elders, women, youths, students, farmers, cultural groups and other important stakeholder in the state constituency.

The town hall meeting will allow for divergent opinions and views from various sources. The people are therefore expected to come with their own perspectives and issues to the table. There will be enough time for questions and conversation” the statement added.

This is the second constituency briefing and interaction with his constituents this year . The first one held on the 27th of May, 2016 was in Ashaka, in which members of the constituency were empowered with cars and cash to boost economic strength and foster the prosperity agenda of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Aniocha North mourns as Ntanwu dies

By Patrick Ochei

For days now, the people of Aniocha North have been mourning one of their own, Interstate (Ntanwu), who slumped and died on Friday night of 26th August. He was a nice, hilarious official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Aniocha North Branch.
He was known for his usual way of calling passengers to board the Union's bus where works at the Lagos Park in Issele-Uku.

Late Ntanwu

Lagos travelers had always had to board vehicles at the Park because of the way and manner Ntanwu would convince them to board a bus at the Union's Lagos Park, usually shouting, "Ojuelegba oooo, Eko Idumuota oooo, etc."
Apart from being funny and clownish, Ntanwu was always dressed in the Union's uniform as a mark of respect and honour for the job he was doing. He was proud to be an 'Agbero', he was never embarrassed being called an 'Agbero'. This is a job he had done for decades, and it was dignifying for him so long he was not stealing.
Above all, he was a committed family man. He cared and fared for his family even in death. Even when his wife left him with about six children, he carried on with pride, becoming both a father and a mother to his children.
Ntanwu hailed from Ogbeowele Quarters of Issele-Uku, and until his death he had a history of peaceful coexistence with his kinsmen. Though he died a poor man; but he was one of those whose death was a big blow and whose presence would be greatly missed.
From the stable of the Union Chairman, Comrade Marshal Okwudili, the National Union would greatly miss Ntanwu for his diligence and commitment to duty.
Meanwhile, information has it that his body was deposited in mortuary, pending when the Union would release a date for his burial. The source had revealed that his burial is the responsibility of the National Union.
Until his burial, it remains a good bye to this Ogbeowele son who had traversed the length and breadth of this country, speaking at least four languages - Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo. Even until his death, his mother tongue still fluctuated in his intonation. He was also known for catapult shooting. Adieu Ntanwu, the Omonla 1 of National Union.

John Kerry's unadulterated garbage and his new-found friends

(In his new piece, NAIJ.com’s contributor and former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has in strong terms condemned the visit of the United State’s secretary of  state John Kerry to some specific parts of Nigeria. He also criticised his meeting with selected notable Nigerians and some incidents that have taken place within the past few days). Now read on.

Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode

Mr. John Kerry, the American secretary of state, President Barack Obama’s confidante and Mrs. Hilary Clinton’s successor in office, came to Nigeria the other day. The first meeting that he had was with the Sultan of Sokoto, who is the supreme leader of the Fulani Caliphate, the spiritual leader of all the Muslims of the north and the man who said, only last week, that “Christians commit wicked acts and crimes against humanity” and that “the wearing of the hijab is the right of every Muslim”. The second was with the 19 northern governors, 16 of whom are Muslims. The third was our Muslim-fanatic and sharia-loving President who has refused to call his kinsmen, the Fulani herdsmen and militants, to order or to arrest and prosecute even one of them for mass murder and genocide.

 On the very same day that all this was happening the Islamic Development Bank visited the President and opened their first office in Nigeria. The government has also quietly put two separate pieces of legislation before the National Assembly for consideration which, if passed, would on the one hand legalize criminal sharia law and on the other give grazing land to the Fulani herdsmen in the middle belt and the south. The Christians of Nigeria should make of all this what they will. I wonder whether they still “love and trust” the “liberal” Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama? I wonder if they still believe that Clinton and Obama love ALL Nigerians and not just those that they helped to get into power last year?

John Kerry (left) sitting with the Sultan, Sa'ad Abubakar III in his palace .

Consider the religious war that took place in Lebanon years ago and that is taking place in Syria today. No-one wants a war because war is the ultimate evil yet the bitter truth must be told. And that bitter truth is as follows: if the radical Salafist and Wahhabist Muslim fundamentalists of the core north, with their powerful friends in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Obama’s America push us over the edge and such a war ever happens here, it will be 100 times worse than those two put together. Worse still it will go on from generation to generation. Do those that wish to Islamize us and wipe out our faith think it would be worth all that? Are they prepared to pay such a terrible price by trying? The truth is that they are playing with fire. They are playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun and the single bullet that is in the barrel is about to go off in their faces. The Bible says that knowledge is power. How many Nigerians know that Egypt and Turkey were once nations which were 100 per cent Christian until they were Islamized through the back door? It took hundreds of years but, slowly and surely and as a consequence of the total acquisition of political power by the Muslims in both of those countries coupled with the continuous display of complacency, ignorance, weakness, indolence, fear and cowardice on the part of successive Church leaders and leading members of the Christian community, they were totally and completely Islamized. Today the Christians in both Egypt and Turkey constitute a pitiful and tiny minority: 10 per cent in Egypt and 0.4 per cent in Turkey.

President Buhari and John Kerry

 I hope that the new leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as they prepare for their first meeting in Maiduguri, Borno state on the 26th of August, are taking note of all this. May God forbid that we should ever allow it to happen in Nigeria. Yet one thing remains clear: the Christians of Nigeria are not like their counterparts that once constituted a majority in Turkey and Egypt. They are much more resilient and they are much stronger. They are also much more capable of defending themselves when pushed to the wall. Despite consistently turning the other cheek and constantly striving to keep the peace, they are not ignorant, weak, cowardly, complacent, fearful or indolent. When push comes to shove, unlike the Christians of Egypt and Turkey, they will not go down without a fight. A word is enough for the wise.

As a graphic reflection of the anger that is slowly building up amongst Christians in the land, Mr. Kingsely Okah, a public commentator, wrote the following on Facebook: “John Kerry came for the Sultan of Sokoto’s birthday and not a state visit. He came to perfect the western seed of discord foisted on us by the ouster of President Goodluck Jonathan. He came to lay credence to the American support of an Islamic agenda in Nigeria. He came to endorse genocide being committed by some reprobate Muslims whose foot soldiers are Fulani herdsmen and their grand patron Buhari.”

To buttress the point Mr. Aboki Galadima of the Christian Information Network, which is a powerful and fast-rising Christian platform on the social media, went further by writing the following to it’s members. He wrote: “This is such a significant event that minority nationalities and Christians all over the country MUST digest and act.

 1. John Kerry has just confirmed that spiritually, Nigeria is now an Islamic State.

 2. His inspiring attacks on corruption, bad governance and all that stuff are thrilling but only a facade. He and the government of the United States of America are here to divert attention from the real thing.

 3.They are pushing the absurd narrative that we should blame past governments, who they claim did not tackle poverty etc., for the rise of Islamic terrorism in the north and that the Sokoto Caliphate has always been the region which provides Nigeria with decent human resources for good governance. Haba!! Please somebody advise me to halt for now. These diversions should be rejected and resisted. The legality of using Islam to kill and destroy in Nigeria must be challenged. This Network should keep this fight alive and on the front banner of national discourse.

Both Mr. Okah and Mr. Galadima have spoken the minds of many in the Christian community. It would be most unwise for those that are now in power and their misguided friends and supporters to ignore them, attempt to silence them or to dismiss their concerns with the usual, insults, arrogance and contempt. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter US Secretary of State John Kerry recent I say this because there can be little doubt that Mr. John Kerry spoke nothing but unadulterated garbage.

 Permit me to end this contribution with the following. Mr. Jude Chijoke Ndukwe, a writer, a public affairs analyst and one of the most courageous and formidable intellectuals of the new generation of Nigerian leaders captured the mood rather well when he wrote the following in a powerful contribution a few days ago. He wrote: “A man named his dog ‘Buhari’, he was promptly arrested and prosecuted. 8 people are killed in Zamfara by Islamic fundamentalists, as usual no single arrest is made. Unless leaders of the Hausa-Fulani core north change their ways and mentality about religion, education, girl-child and women’s rights etc, their region will remain Nigeria’s most impoverished, most illiterate, most diseased, most malnourished and most backward even if Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Theresa May, John Kerry, Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton et al visit the Sultan on a daily basis”. Mr. Ndukwe has spoken the gospel truth. Let he who has ears hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying. Shalom.

Source: Naij.com

CAN denounces US govt’s attitude to Christians, says Kerry’s visit divisive

·    Rev. Ayokunle accuses Obama’s administration of supporting the excesses of the APC

·    Says Christians under siege

Rev. Supo Ayokunle, CAN president.

The United States Secretary of State, John Kerry has come under strong criticism by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), over his recent visit to Nigeria.

CAN described Kerry’s visit to Nigeria as discriminatory, personal and divisive.

Rev Supo Ayokunle, the President of CAN, alleged that Kerry’s actions during his visit would further the federal government’s plan to continue to persecute the teeming population of Nigerian Christians. During his visit, John Kerry only visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, he also met with the 19 northern governors, of whom only three are Christians.

John Kerry and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar III, during the US secretary
of state's discriminatory visit to Nigeria.

Also at the Presidential Villa, where Kerry was hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari, he met with select northern governors, which also led to criticisms about who selected the governors that were allowed to meet with him.

According to Vanguard, Rev Ayokunle, told journalists in an interview in Abuja that Kerry disrespected the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, while nakedly showing favour to northern Nigeria and Muslims to the detriment of the Christian community. Ayokunle said that the attitude and disposition of the US Secretary of State and the discrimination he adopted during the visit supports accusations that the President Barack Obama’s administration, alongside Kerry and other strategic US politicians in the Obama’s government openly supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2016 general elections, which produced the current leadership of the country.

 The CAN president also asked John Kerry to “stop interfering in Nigerian affairs”, explaining that as far as he was concerned the visit was a complete flop and exposed Kerry’s negligence of Nigeria’s unity in diversity, an ideology that has remained the bedrock of the country. He said: “Why did he meet with 19 states governors, without southern governors, is Nigeria the north alone, why did you go to the north alone?” There’s a siege on Christians. Kerry’s actions speak volume, his actions, body language were very divisive.

“If a US Secretary of States is coming for official visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was selective. Has the Sultan’s Palace become another State House? Was Kerry invited by the Sultan? We have 36 States in Nigeria; he only selected northern governors to meet with them. It was a visit to the north, not to Nigeria. It was surely a very divisive visit. With the visit to the north, Kerry has heightened fear and tension among Christians in Nigeria. If they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs,”the CAN president said.

 Ayokunle while speaking on the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria, said that based on government the selective persecution of Christians mostly by the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Police, it was obvious the administration was anti-Christians. He said: “Have the DSS arrested the Muslim youths who burnt down a Catholic Church in Niger State because they were worshiping on Friday? What happened to the ECWA Pastor who was killed in his farm in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State? What has happened with Redeemed Preacher who was murdered in Kubwa, Abuja? Look at the recent case in Zamfara State, Christians where burnt alive. What has happened? They will tell you, they are still investigating. Have they been arrested and charged them to court? If the government cannot sit up and protect Christians, tolerance is going to break down, they should do the right thing, they should not provoke Christians. Have we ever seen this government bring anybody to book?”

Ayokunle tasked President Buhari “to come out clean”, adding that “a government that doesn’t listen is not for the people.” He said that the police were slow in persecuting Muslims, but fast in persecuting Christians. The CAN leader called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to intervene urgently in the case of Mr Joe Chinakwe who was arrested for naming his dog ‘Buhari’. He said: “The NBA should take up that case and ascertain whether the man has the right to give any name to a dog. They should come and protect the man’s human rights and set the record why the case is not a criminal offence.”

 Meanwhile, Femi Fani-Kayode also criticized the visit saying in part: “I wonder if they still believe that Clinton and Obama love ALL Nigerians and not just those that they helped to get into power last year? Consider the religious war that took place in Lebanon years ago and that is taking place in Syria today.”
Source: Naija news

Fani-Kayode reacts as Sanusi, Soludo criticise Buhari

 Femi Fani-kayode has reacted to the barrage of criticisms that have trailed the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari from prominent Nigerians who once supported the admiration.

 Former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has queried if Buhari had anything to offer. Recall that the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and now Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi recently warned President Muhammadu Buhari that his administration may end like the Jonathan administration if it fails to retrace its footsteps. Sanusi’s warning was followed by a critique of Buhari’s economic policies by another past CBN governor, Charles Soludo, where he faulted the federal government’s economic policies. In reaction, Fani-Kayode has mentioned the two past CBN governors and other prominent Nigerians who are now seriously lamenting over the policies of the Buhari regime. The former mister also queried if Buhari had anything to offer.

Meanwhile, the presidency on Monday, August 29, has dismissed social media reports that the tenures of Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi and Prof. Charles Soludo, as Central Bank governors, would soon be probed by the federal government. following their critique of the administration’s economic policies. Malam Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to president Muhammadu Buhari, in a tweeted message, said the presidency was not aware that the Emir and Soludo would be probed for offering suggestions to the president.
Source: Naija news

Ukah on benefits of Delta at 25 celebration

 Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, has said that with the celebration of the silver jubilee of the state's creation, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has placed the state in an irreversible path of progress as the state is now opened to the world.

Mr. Ukah

Mr Ukah made the statement during an inter-denominational thanksgiving service to conclude programmes for the silver jubilee celebration of the state. The thanksgiving service took place at St. Philip's Anglican Church, Asaba.

According to Mr Ukah, the 25 years anniversary celebration has opened the state to the world, revealing that from the economic summit alone, the state got commitments towards economic progress and the fact that the development programmes will spread throughout the state will make it a business haven for all.

From the children's day party organized by the First Lady, Dame Edith Okowa, which did not only put the children in the mood of celebration but their parents, the cultural carnival was an eye-opener that the state has a money-spinning machine in the tourism sector that have not tapped in any way, and of course, the economic summit was the success story of Delta succeeding without revenue from oil, he said. 

According to Mr Ukah,  some states are begging to have one sea port, but Delta State is blessed with four and with an international airport, people can come in from any part of the world not only for business but for tourism."

He specifically thanked Governor Okowa for attracting such personalities like the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, and financial egg-heads of the nation, adding that the financial situation of the country did not deter the state from celebrating its oneness 25 years after, rather, the economic situation opened our eyes to the fact that we have not fully harnessed our potentials as a state.

 The Information Commissioner reiterated the fact that the state did not spend a kobo in the one week celebration that was beamed to the world, stressing that this was only possible because, there are still corporate organizations that believes that they can tap into the state and make it a pride of Africa where return-on-investment is very high because of its numerous blessings.

He stated that God has blessed the state with rich soil, a lot of notable rivers, including the coast of Atlantic Ocean, beautiful sand beaches that have not been tapped, a lot of natural resources and above all, with mineral resources.

Mr. Ukah said that it is because of this that the state capped the celebration with a thanksgiving to God for His blessings emphasizing that when you appreciate God for His goodness, He will do more for you.

Be positive about State's Devt, Okowa urges Deltans

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has called on Deltans to play their roles to ensure that Delta State attain an enviable height.
The governor made the call on Sunday (28/08/16) during an inter-denominational thanksgiving service held at St. Philip's Anglican Church, Asaba as part of activities to commemorate the silver jubilee celebration of the state's creation.

Governor Okowa, his wife, Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro (2nd left) with
Church ministers 

He said: "We need to co-operate for us to succeed because things are very tough, by partnering together, we will be able to surmount our challenges.
"For our state to move forward, everyone has a role to play, your role may be different from mine, but, we have to play positive roles for our state to succeed.

"Our individual and collective efforts matter a lot because our state which used to receive N20 billion and more is now receiving N3 billion as allocation from the federation account and salaries of workers is still above N6 billion."
He used the occasion to call on those engaging in vandalism of pipelines to have a rethink disclosing, "for every pipeline you blow up, it is affecting the revenue of our state."
While expressing confidence that the outcome of the silver jubilee celebration will put the state on a progressive course, Governor Okowa thanked those who sponsored the celebration observing that but for the sponsors, the state would not have had the economic summit.

Former deputy Gover, Prof. Amos Utuama and his wife, Dr. Nelly Utuama at
the church service.

Delivering a sermon at the service, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Delta State chapter, Rev. Gideon Oyibo said, Deltans have every reason to celebrate 25 years of existence, noting,  "What we have in Delta State today is more than what we had in 1991, but we must challenge ourselves to achieve the Delta State of our dream.
"If the glory of Delta State must be restored, the personal interest, ethnic interest, religious interest must be put aside for corporate interest, as we match forward to achieve the state of our dream, there is no Senatorial district that can lay ownership of the state, it is not owned by a political party, Delta State is about Delta State, it is only our commitment that will restore the Delta State of our dream and the prudent management of resources," he said.
Governor Okowa took the first reading, his deputy took the second lesson at service which was attended by past governors, deputy governors, captains of industries, members of National Assembly, elected and other political office holders.

Delta @25: 30 enrolled into honours’ list

Let’s Build A New Delta, says Okowa; unveils New Delta Logo

It was a night of glitz and glamour as the Delta State Government enrolled 30 distinguished deltans into its Delta @25 Honours’ list with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa urging Deltans to embrace peace, love and cooperation in building a greater Delta.

Governor Okowa (in red cap) pose with some recipients of the award.

Speaking at the Grand Gala and Award Night which climaxed the activities marking the state Silver Jubilee celebration yesterday [27-08-16] in Asaba, Senator Okowa called on Deltans especially those in the diaspora to invest in the development of the new Delta State.

Awards were given to past military administrators and governors of the state, captains of industry, academia, entertainment industry, arts, and community leaders including Air Commodore Luke Ochulor [Rtd], Navy Captain Walter Feghabo [Rtd], Air Commodorre Ibrahim Kefas [Rtd], Olorogun Felix Ibru, Chief Onanefe Ibori, and  Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Others were Mr Jim Ovia, Mr Tony Elumelu, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Senator Stella Omu, Prof J.P. Clark, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mr. Austin Avuru, Mr Peter Igho and  Chief Eddie Ugbomah.

 “We have come a long way since the creation of the state, this celebration has shown the resilience of Deltans even in this difficult time, I believe in God and the resilience of the people, let us not lose hope, let us not be  depressed by the present economic challenges, it is a passing phase, this is the time to rethink our role in the development of the state; we need  to embrace peace, love and trust in our ability to diversify the economy; it is time for Deltans especially those in diaspora to give back to the state”, he said, adding “Delta State in the next 25 years will achieve greatness when we all work together to bring about a new Delta State.”

Governor Okowa, left, presenting award to the son of late Governor Felix Ibru,
 Dr. Paul Ibru who received it on behalf of his father.

He commended Deltans especially participants in the various activities marking the 25^th anniversary saying that the experience was enriching to those in governance.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Deputy Governor, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro said that the Gala and Award Night was the climax of an eventful and purposeful week in commemoration of the state silver jubilee which has deepened the administration’s knowledge of the best practices in governance.

The ceremony was attended by top government functionaries, members of the National and State Houses of Assemblies including Senator James Manager and Chief Monday Igbuya, former Deputy Governor Chief B.I C Elue, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and other prominent Deltans from all walks of life

Highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of the new Delta State Logo and anthem by Governor Okowa amid firework displays.

Niger Delta Crisis: Okowa, Tambuwal canvass dialogue

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and his Sokoto State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal have said dialogue rather than violent agitations would bring about speedy development of the country.

Governor Okowa of delta state (left) with Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto State at
the Delta State economic summit in Asaba.

The two governors made the submission Saturday (27/08/16) in Asaba during the second day of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit.

According to the governors during the summit which was organised as part of activities to celebrate the silver jubilee of the state’s creation, the security challenges in the Niger Delta region in particular could not have degenerated to the situation where the country was losing huge revenue as a result of destruction of pipelines if the people involved had applied dialogue, noting that the region has great potentials for growth when the resources of the region is harnessed which can only be done in a peaceful environment.

Governor Tambuwal (right) about to shake hands with Air commander Ibrahim
 Kefas a former military administrator of Delta state.

“I bring you felicitations from the Nigeria Governors Forum on  your state’s silver jubilee celebration, Delta State is known for peace, and a lot can be achieved when dialogue is applied; I want to call on the youths of the Niger Delta Region to embrace dialogue and peace in their agitations, let us have dialogue on the various issues affecting the region; we need peace and tranquility in the country so that we can harness all our resources for development; I urge the youths of the Niger Delta to engage the Federal Government through dialogue so that solutions can be found,” Hon. Tambuwal said.

Governor Okowa on his part said “we seek peaceful environment from our people, so that a lot of development can take place; we need to cooperate with ourselves so that we can right the wrongs of the past.”

“A lot of the investment community are ready to partner with us to develop the state, but, we need to ensure that we sustain the peace and security in our communities so that investors can come in; it is not wrong to agitate but we can do that through dialogue, we will get better result when we agitate through dialogue,” the governor emphasized.

He assured the people of the state especially the participants of the summit that government would take all necessary measures to implement its resolutions asserting, “the presentation at the summit gives us hope for the future, this summit would not end up as a mere talk show; I have instructed my executive council that all the suggestions and resolutions at this summit should be brought up at  a special Executive Council Meeting within the next two weeks so that we can begin to implement them.”

While commending all the participants especially the former administrators and governors of the state for charting the way forward for the state, the governor called for the cooperation of all to provide an enabling environment for investment to thrive.