Okonjo-Iweala: 2013, A Game Changer for Nigeria

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that 2013 is going to be a game changer and a turning point for the country.

The minister, who said this on the Christiane Amanpour current affairs programme, “Amanpour” monitored on CNN Tuesday, said that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration was going to produce results this year, even as she pointed out: “We are already producing results within the administration.”

Okonjo-Iweala added: “On the economic side, I just want to say that macroeconomic stability has been restored. Now, nobody should minimise that.

“Remember there were the lost two decades in Africa, in the 80s and 90s, where there was instability such that people could not focus on areas that could create jobs.

“Now things are turning right because we had growth of 6.5 per cent last year and we are projecting the same number this year, compared to the average five per cent in other African countries.”

The minister however admitted the growth figure was intangible and could not be felt by the average Nigerian seeking employment and grappling with the challenges of insecurity and other vices in the country.

“But I just want to add that when you mention GDP growth in my country, people will immediately say you can’t eat growth because we have challenges of unemployment, we need to create more jobs; we also have challenges of inclusion and there are problems of inequality, all those are challenges we face,” she said.

The finance minister also called for the cooperation of the international community so that Nigeria could overcome the rising spate of oil theft.

Okonjo-Iweala, who put the volume of oil stolen from the country daily at 150,000 barrels, expressed disappointment over the loss of revenue to the nation.

According to her, “We are still a poor country, we cannot afford any leakage. Mexico and Nigeria have this problem but that of Mexico is much smaller.

“But we also need international community to get involved. We have international people who buy this stolen oil and we need them to treat it as stolen crude just like you do with blood diamonds so that those people don’t have a market to sell the stolen oil.

Margaret Thatcher's funeral begins in London

Funeral service for Britain's former prime minister Margaret Thatcher has begun at St Paul's Cathedral in the capital London, attended by the Queen and dignitaries from around the world.

Baroness Thatcher's coffin was driven from the parliament to the church of St Clement Danes for prayers before the former leader's full funeral at St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday.

World leaders and dignitaries from 170 countries are attending the funeral.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip are among the mourners, who include 11 prime ministers from around the world, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and former US vice-president Dick Cheney.

Dozens of people camped out overnight near the 17th-century cathedral hoping to catch a glimpse of Thatcher's flag-draped coffin and its military escort, and hundreds had arrived hours before the funeral was due to start.

"I came to commemorate the greatest hero of our modern age," Anthony Boutall, a 25-year-old clutching a blue rose, said. "She took a nation on its knees and breathed new life into it."

Flags on government buildings were lowered to half-staff across the country before the service, but not all Britons were joining in the mourning.
Hundreds of political opponents said they would stage a silent protest by turning their backs as the coffin goes by.

"Like anyone else she deserves a decent funeral, but not at the expense of the taxpayer," Patricia Welsh, a 69-year-old protester, said.

More than 700 soldiers, sailors and air force personnel will line the route and around 4,000 police officers will be on duty as part of a major security operation, stepped up after Monday's bombings at the Boston Marathon that killed three people and wounded more than 170.

Parliament's Big Ben bell will be silenced for the funeral service, which will include hymns and passages from the Bible read by Prime Minister David Cameron and the late prime minister's granddaughter, Amanda Thatcher.

Minister vows to end corruption in Nigeria's power sector

Nigeria's Minister of Power Chinedu Nebo has warned that the era of fraud in any form in the nation’s power sector is over.

Speaking on a Television programme Tuesday, the minister said the syndrome of ‘the Nigerian Factor’ would not have a place in the sector during his tenure, indicating that a monitoring mechanism was being put in place to plug all loopholes in the system to ensure that every money utilised was accounted for.

“We are setting up a very robust monitoring device. One thing I can assure you is that all leakages will be plugged. It’s not going to be business as usual. The legacy that we have now will not tolerate the so-called ‘Nigerian Factor’ and leakages," he said.

The minister warned: “If anyone wants to continue in the old games, then we will hold them accountable. I can assure you that we have put in place a solid mechanism to ensure that when government puts in funds somewhere, government gets a concomitant, good, quality work that it has paid for.”

Nebo also announced that government would soon establish a National Council on Power, as exists in the education and other critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, to bring all stakeholders, including state governments, into the Federal Government’s programmes on power.

“When inaugurated, the Federal, state and local governments will buy into the entire power sector reform,” he said.

Nigerian Christian group threatens retaliation over Islamist attacks

Nigerian Christian group threatens retaliation over Islamist attacks. Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta says it will launch terror campaign 'in defence of Christianity'

The Mend leader Henry Okah in court in Johannesburg. He was convicted of terrorism last month. Photograph: AP
Nigeria could face a battle between rival terrorist groups after Christian militants threatened to attack Muslim targets in response to bombings carried out by the Islamist group Boko Haram.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), the umbrella body of armed groups in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, said it would launch a new terror campaign "in defence of Christianity".
"The bombings of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institutions, large congregations in Islamic events and assassinations of clerics that propagate doctrines of hate will form the core mission of this crusade," the Mend spokesman Jomo Gbomo said in an emailed statement.

The group appears to be responding to the ongoing attacks against churches and Christian populations in northern Nigeria, which some estimate have killed more than 1,000 people, including Christians and Muslims, in recent years.
The threat of a new round of violence, which Mend said would be codenamed Operation Barbarossa, comes a week after the Christian group claimed responsibility for the ambush of a boat in Bayelsa state, southern Nigeria, in which 13 police officers were killed.
The statement prompted concern in Nigeria, although there were questions about whether Mend had the capacity to launch widespread attacks on Muslim targets.

Last month the Mend leader Henry Okah was sentenced to 24 years in jail after a South African court convicted him of terrorism over twin car bombings in Nigeria's capital city, Abuja, in 2010.

There was speculation that the threat from Mend was at attempt to coerce the government into negotiating for Okah's release. "The timing of this sentence suggests to me that this might be intended as some sort of proxy conflict with the federal government," said Abiola. "But at this point in time and given the unpredictable turn of events in Nigeria, that anything is possible and they shouldn't be ignored."

Elders/Workers New Year Get Together At RCCG Rehoboth Chapel

Pregnancy: Nigerian Celebrities' Hope Dashed On Green Cards

Hope of our celebrities who plan to travel to the United States of America to have their babies has finally come to a halt, as the new policy of Uncle Sam’s country may not favour 90% of them.

The likes of Mercy Johnson who recently had her baby there should be thankful to God because she is likely going to be the last woman standing in Nollywood.

According to report gathered from Compass, the United States government appears to have tightened the noose on Nigerian pregnant women who have formed the habit of traveling to the US to deliver their babies. The women employ the ploy to ensure that such babies become citizens of the US in order to enjoy all the benefits of US citizenship.

However, with the new policy being introduced in the US, Nigeria women who travel abroad to deliver their babies may now have to opt for other countries other than the US or be multi-millionaires before they can have access to travelling for child delivery and qualify for automatic citizenship.

Most pregnant women in the past concealed their pregnancies during their visa interview or went for the interview with protruding tummies. But unfortunately for them now, women who are making such future plans may have the plans fall flat as the U.S embassy has got wind of the popular gimmick pregnant women use to secure visa for child delivery in the foreign country.

Already, the embassy has outlined some conditions which have to be met before such a visa which falls under medical tourism category is issued. But these conditions will not be favourable to many.

The applicant has to show proof of available funds of at least $140,000 (about N24 million) to pay medical fees; the applicant has to show proof of the need for medical attention in the U.S, such as high risk pregnancy and the likes.

US Embassy Chief of Consular Section, Ms Carol Cox disclosed that it would cost at least $60,000 to have a baby in the US and when complications arise from the delivery; the medical bills may go as high as $140,000.

Thus, fund availability, is very important as it is necessary to ensure that American taxpayers do not have to pay such bills, says Cox.

‘We owe the American public who pay taxes to make sure that those who seek medical services in the US pay for such services. This is essential because there are those who have the money and are not willing to pay.

‘It is very frustrating when you see a woman who is obviously pregnant. Sometimes seven months gone, tell you during a visa interview that she is just going to the US for a vacation,’ she said.

This new law was obviously made to discourage Nigerian women from traveling in the bid to get citizenship for such children but only those who need medical attention and can afford at least N24 million for medical bills will have the opportunity to deliver children in the country.

Fun Time

Do you remember this guy?

World News :At least three dead, 144 injured as two bombs hit Boston Marathon finish line

The final runners of the Boston Marathon were trickling in Monday afternoon when twin bombs exploded near the finish line raising alarms that terrorists might have struck again in the U.S.

But as the FBI took charge of the investigation, authorities shed no light on a motive or who may have carried out the bombings, and police said they had no suspects in custody.
The Boston Marathon came to a halt after two explosions occurred near the race's finish line. Preliminary reports say at least three are dead and more than 140 injured. The FBI has now taken over the ongoing criminal investigation. The next briefing will be Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. EST.

BOSTON — Two bombs exploded in the crowded streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing at least three people and injuring more than 140 in a bloody scene of shattered glass and severed limbs that raised alarms that terrorists might have struck again in the United States.
A White House official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still unfolding said the attack was being treated as an act of terrorism.

WBZ-TV reported late Monday that law enforcement officers were searching an apartment in the Boston suburb of Revere. Massachusetts State Police confirmed that a search warrant related to the investigation into the explosions was served Monday night in Revere but provided no further details.

Some investigators were seen leaving the Revere house early Tuesday carrying brown paper bags, plastic trash bags and a duffel bag.

President Barack Obama, speaking from the White House late Monday, pointedly avoided using the words "terror" or "terrorism," saying officials "still do not know who did this or why." However, a White House official later said the explosions at one of the world's oldest and most prestigious races were being treated as terrorism.
"We will find out who did this. We'll find out why they did this," Obama said in his brief statement. "Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice."

Patience Jonathan And Turai Yar’Adua Fail To Settle Out Of Court Over Abuja Plot

Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan and Hajiya Turai Yar’adua, wife of late President Musa Yar’adua have failed to reach an agreement for three consecutive times over the disputed 1.84 hectares of land in Abuja. This indication emerged after an FCT High Court yesterday adjourned for the third consecutive time the consideration of the negotiated settlement. The court adjourned the case to 23 April. The new date was given yesterday when the lawyers to the two parties met for almost one hour in the chamber of the trial judge, Justice Peter Affen, discussing the way forward after the two earlier failed of out of court settlement. The disputed land, plot number 1347, Cadastral Zone, AOO, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT, was initially allocated to Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation (WAYEF), while Mrs. Yar’adua was First Lady but FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, revoked and reallocated it to Mrs. Jonathan for the building of African First Lady Peace Mission Headquarters on the 2nd of November, 2011.

How to know you marry the “Right Person”

How to know you marry the “Right Person”
Finding Miss or Mr. Right is not always an easy thing to do. Once you think you've found the right person, you may have doubts. Having doubts about who you are marrying is not only normal, having doubts is healthy.
Hopefully you already know that you shouldn't marry someone who drinks too much, spends too much, works too much, brags too much, uses drugs or other illegal behavior, or is unfaithful, cruel, or dishonest.
If your future spouse is free of those destructive behaviors and you are still having doubts about getting married, read through these statements. You will see if your doubts are reasonable and worth paying attention to or if you are having cold feet about getting married without having any rational reasons.
Happiness and Emotional Support
Although expecting a spouse to make you feel happy all the time is unreasonable, being with the right person can bring happiness and a sense of personal strength to your life.
• You will know you are marrying the right person when you feel support and encouragement about your own growth both emotionally and intellectually. The right person will want you to be emotionally healthy and able to stand on your own two feet. When you are with the right person you will feel good about yourself, safe, and fulfilled.

• The right person will not be negative, selfish, wishy washy, silent, embarrassing, critical, or a slob. Why spend your life with a jerk?

Affection, Love, and Sex
It is important that the person you marry is someone who is understanding and agreeable to your wants and needs when it comes to sex and affection.
• You will know you are marrying the right person if your future spouse says "I love you" not only in words spoken, but by loving actions. We define loving actions as doing things such as noticing when you are tired, remembering your birthday, wanting to spend time with you, listening to you, showing you respect, calling if you are running late, showing you affection, being patient with you if you don't understand something, kissing you hello and goodbye, and hugging you for no special reason.

• You will know you are marrying the right person if you are sexually compatible with one another. If the two of you view sexual intimacy differently or have different libidos, your marriage relationship will suffer.
The right person is someone who you like and who is your friend. The right person will enjoy spending time with you.Your love and your marriage will slowly fade if the two of you are not friends.

• The right person is kind, considerate, and polite. Little things in life such as saying 'thank you' and holding a door open may seem old fashioned, but they do reflect the amount of caring and kindness in a person.

Nelson Mandela's family planning birthday celebrations

Cape Town: Family members of Nelson Mandela are planning to celebrate the former South African president's 95th birthday on July 18 in Pretoria, London and Monaco.

According to a report by the Sunday Times, relatives were peddling “Nelson Mandela birthday celebrations" in various cities, with several soccer matches involving Manchester City.

The events, advertised in a 25-page brochure, are organised by the African Rising Foundation and include a gala dinner at the Union Buildings in Pretoria with 'African leaders, friends of Madiba, pan-African multinationals and institutions', News24 reports.

According to the report, another event, the "Monaco Million Dollar Super Four", is a boxing tournament in which super-middleweight prospect Edwin Rodriguez is expected to take part.
Mandela was discharged on April 06, after being admitted to a Pretoria hospital on March 27 to receive treatment for a lung condition.

ANI

Youngest Commercial Licence Pilot:20-Year-Old Nigerian Sets Record as Graduate

A 20-year-old Nigerian, Favour Odozor, has emerged as the youngest with the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) in both Nigeria and South Africa

Favour Odozor, a 20-year-old Nigerian man has defiled the odds to become the youngest commercial licenced pilot both in Nigeria and South Africa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Odozor who graduated alongside 15 other trained pilots at the Afrika Union Aviation Academy (AUAA), Mafikeng, South Africa on Saturday was described as the new hope of the African aviation industry.

Capt. Allan Roebuck, Director of AUAA, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg that Mr. Odozor completed all the 37 flying procedures in record time.

“The academy is proud of this young Nigerian, with the award of licence and certificate to him. Today, I can say he is the youngest commercial licence pilot in both Nigeria and South Africa.
“I cannot say now if he is the youngest African to attain that record, but I’m sure he is the youngest in South Africa and Nigeria,’’ he said.

The AUAA director noted that it requires a lot of hard work, focus, punctuality and discipline to be trained as a commercial pilot.
“It is not enough to be academically sound to be a good pilot. It requires focus, punctuality, and discipline to get the commercial licence and certificate.

“It has been a long road for the group of qualified pilots to obtain their licences. With the award of certificate, they can fly commercial planes,’’ Mr. Roebuck said.
He said the new pilots underwent two years of rigorous training and 37 flying procedures.

R. Kelly's Closet Emptied & SOLD! Bank Auctions His Foreclosed Home For 1/3 Of What He Paid!

He must be pissed!!
Then again, there are worse things in life than being pissed off! Being pissed on, for instance!

The Space Jam singer took out a $3.5 mil mortgage to build his crazy big dream crib back in '97, but he's been having trouble keeping up with his payments for over a year now!

In 2011, the bank tried to strip him of his house after he went an entire year without making payments!

The 20,000 sq. ft home includes 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, an indoor pool, a private lake, 42 closets, and over 9000 Golden Shower Girls: Rose Gets Blanched With Gold DVDs.

Sorry you're so hard up for cash, R.!

You could always go back to school and study to become a urologist!

Describe this Mopol in with one word

7 Things Men Really Find Romantic(4 Married Only)

#1. Dress Up for Him: Take him shopping and have him choose outfits he would like to see you in.

#2. Initiate Physical Affection: Men find the touch of the woman they love unbelievably reassuring.

#3. Give Him a Night Out...

#4. Tell Him What a Big, Strong Guy He Is.

#5. Score Him a Pair of Tickets to the Big Game.

#6. Show Interest in His Outside Life.

#7. Tell Him a Secret

Boko Haram: Collapse of amnesty may lead to civil war – Bola Ajibola

Former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN, has raised the alarm over the collapse of the ongoing amnesty plans for the Boko Haram sects, saying that it may result into another civil war.

Prince Ajibola, while speaking with journalists at the weekend, called on Boko Haram leadership to see reasons in embracing dialogue, urging the government not to relent on its effort at resolving the security risks the Boko Haram menace had posed to the nation over the years.


The retired Judge of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, who had always insisted that dialogue was catalyst to resolving conflict of any nature, lauded President Jonathan’s latest move to grant amnesty to the sect members but said that the President, in doing so, should ensure that such amnesty be preceded with dialogue.

He said, “That is a prerequisite. During that dialogue, both parties must be allowed to air their views as to the reason for the grouse which resulted in the killings. Boko Haram members have killed a lot of people and government troops, JTF, has also killed a lot of people, especially on the Boko Haram side.

“It is now time for them to sit on a table and discuss once and for all, and brainstorm on how they could handle the whole matter. They must do that, otherwise, the situation will continue to deteriorate and people will continue to be killed. During the Biafran war, there was the Aburi Accord which collapsed and the civil war started. The Civil War was on for about three years.

At the end of the whole matter, it ended up being resolved in a peaceful way. We should not allow that kind of thing to happen again. We saw it coming even in the days of Bakassi and we tried our best to avoid it because, other powerful nations of the world were ready and prepared to team up with Cameroun against us. We cannot afford to see this thing lead us into Second Nigerian Civil War. We have had enough of that.”

Speaking further, the respected lawyer cautioned the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, over its recent cry of Islamisation of the country through the Boko Haram, describing it as unnecessary distraction.

He assured the Christian community and other concerned Nigerians that the Boko Haram had no choice than to embrace the ongoing peace move by the government.

“The Boko Haram will have no choice than to accept the olive branch offered by the government. Despite their rejection of it, government should still get both parties to the table. It may not be easy but it is important for the restoration of peace and stability. The government must look into their grievances and they must come to an understanding.

“Meanwhile, when we are taking the pains to see how we can solve a national problem that affects all of us, with due respect, I want to warn that people should stop making statements capable of diverting our attention. I am saying this because not only is it unconstitutional to Islamise or Christianise Nigeria but also, it is not possible to do that”.
Source:DailyPost

Airline to charge passengers by weight

Samoa Air has become the first airline in the world to base fares on a passenger's weight. The national carrier of the South Pacific island nation has discarded the traditional pricing model of asking fliers to pay for a seat and instead has moved to a price-per-kilogram structure. The airline flies domestically between the country's two main islands and has started international flights to American Samoa and Tonga. Travellers pay a price of around US$1 per kilogram on shorter routes, and over US$4 on longer flights. Samoa Air CEO Chris Langton said the new initiative would help promote health awareness in Samoa, which has one of the world's highest rates of obesity.

Reaction to the new pricing scheme has been mixed. A spokeswoman from the New Zealand-based campaign group Fight the Obesity Epidemic vehemently opposed the new fares. She said: "I think that's absolutely appalling. It's a stigmatisation of people, and really, just powerfully discriminating." A Samoan community leader said he appreciated that weight was key for airlines. He told the New Zealand Herald: "I weigh 200kg. I would be okay to pay the fare, provided it's reasonable, but I don't think it's a good excuse saying that they're trying to promote healthy living - that's a lame reason." Many industry analysts believe other airlines will follow suit in charging overweight passengers extra.

Some Odd Things Around Us…

Gibraltar Airport is one of the most extraordinary airports around the world

Morning Glory – kind of clouds observed in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia.

Airport in the Maldives is located on an artificial island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Lighthouse guard in Mare, France must be one of the most courageous people on the planet

Photo of storm in Montana, USA, 2010

Heavy fog in Sydney, which enveloped the whole city.

Skyscraper-Crescent Crescent Moon Tower (Dubai).

The river above the river: Magdeburg Water Bridge, Germany.

In northwestern Montana, USA. The water is so transparent that it seems that this is a quite shallow lake. In fact, it’s very deep.

Do You Know.............

Nigeria: Lagos Resettles Flood Victims

LAGOS State Government has commenced the construction of a housing scheme in Agbowa, Epe Local Government Area, for the resettlement of victims of flood in Ajegunle, Ikorodu area of the state, following the receipt of N750 million ecological fund.
It would be recalled that Federal Government released N700 million ecology fund to Lagos State to find permanent solution to the menace of perennial flood as a result of Ogun-Oyo River overflow in Ajegunle area of Ikorodu,
Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, who disclosed this yesterday, during the year 2013 ministerial briefing at Bagaulda Kalto Press Centre, said the construction of resettlement housing scheme was part of measures to mitigate the victims' plight.
Responding to a question on how the ecological fund had been disbursed, Bello said the money was being spent judiciously and part of it had been spent on the housing scheme.
He said: "We should be very proud of the state government. Lagos has used that money effectively. The construction is ongoing at Agbowa area of Epe Local Government Area."
Sources: Vanguard