AKANIMO SAMPSON
UNDP, DELTA CLOSE TIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE
THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Delta State Government are currently moving towards sealing a deal on the worrisome global climate change. They have already set a July time line to sign a pact on measures aimed at combating and mitigating the effect of the environmental challenge in the state.
Officials of the UNDP team on Territorial Approach on Climate Change (TACC) and top government officials of the state have been putting heads together in Asaba, the Delta state capital, to chart a path for the state.
UNDP team leader from Geneva, Christophe Nuttal, has briefed the state Deputy Governor, Amos Utuama, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on their efforts so far.
The UNDP team appeared to be quite pleased with the administration of Emmanuel Uduaghan on steps they have taken ahead of other governments in Africa in the crusade and measures on Climate Change.
A member of the UNDP team from South Africa, Akiko Yamamoto, claimed that the body and the state government have set a July time line for the signing of a final agreement on measures to address climate change.
Yamamoto explained that under the arrangement, a consultant would come to the state in May to interact with stakeholders and look into documents prepared by the Delta State Government.
“Then in June we will have first draft project document ready for review. We hope by ending of June we have a final document ready for appraisal. Our target is by end of July we have project document signed by Delta State Government, by the Federal Government and the UNDP,” she added.
Utuama, who stood in for the governor, on his part, said “We want to win the battle against the adverse effect of climate change… Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan’s leadership in the issues of climate change will not only be at the conception stage. It will be carried further to the implementation stage and even much further to the monitoring stage and step further to the conclusion stage.
In all of these, we will partner with you and others wherever it becomes necessary to do so. For us in Delta we are very certain…and will be on top of climate change in Delta State.”
Head of Climate Change Unit in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Victor Fodake on his part, acknowledged that the Delta State Government was taking the lead in the fight against the adverse effect of climate change and expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to collaborate with the state.
The Delta state Commissioner for Environment, Bello Orubebe also noted, “as a ministry we have attempted to frame the climate change. We’ve looked at mediation and we’ve also looked at adoption.
“We are the first in sub-Saharan Africa to develop a programme on climate change. We have submitted this to the stakeholders’ forum in February…We have embarked on consultations and we have been dealing with communities.”
ENDS
Monday, March 29, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
BAYELSA IN TUG-OF-WAR OVER MADUEKE
WITH the dust over alleged massive fraud in Bayelsa State yet to settle, there were strong indications on Monday in Yenagoa, the state capital, that all was not well with the choice of Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, former Minister of Solid Mineral by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan as one of the 32 nominees for the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF).
The state at the moment is polarised along pro and anti-Allison-Madueke camps. The former minister hails from Yanaka community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state. She was appointed a minister two years ago by the ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua.
A group that calls itself Movement for Genuine Democracy in the state has said that the renomination of the Epie born female politician as a minister was not acceptable to them. They are claiming that Mrs. Allison-Madueke did not represent the best interest of the state in the past two years.
As the Senate began the screening of the nominees yesterday, the group threatened to stage a peaceful protest against her nomination should the Acting President fail to rescind his decision on the issue.
The anti- Allison-Madueke group which is led Ebiowei Amatari, a community chief, in a another statement in Yenagoa called on the Acting President to revisit the nomination. In their earlier statement, they vowed not to accept her since according to them, ''there are other qualified persons who can represent the state creditably''.
Amatari, the spokesperson for the group, is claiming that the ex-minister in the past two years failed to justify her position, insisting that the people of the state are yet to feel her impact in government.
They therefore want Mr. Jonathan to demonstrate greater understanding of the dynamics of governance and respect the feelings of the people and make an alternative nomination for the state.
But in a swift reaction,another group, the Association of Democratic Governance warned that it will organise a rally to neutralize whatever opposition that may have been perpetrated to frustrate the nomination of Mrs. Allison-Madueke.
Mr. Ken Embelede, chairman of the pro-group, and Mr. Conference Moupeide its secretary in a counter statement said that the re-nomination of Mrs. Allison-Madueke was designed to ensure continuity in the business of governance of the country.
They reminded those opposed to her nomination to realise that Mr. Jonathan who endorsed her current status had worked with the former minister for the past two years to appreciate the qualities that prompted her re-nomination.
The group accordingly urged citizens of Bayelsa to accept the nomination of their sister by the Acting President considering the fact that it will promote ''peace, unity and stability'' in the polity. ENDS
BAYELSA IN TUG-OF-WAR OVER MADUEKE
WITH the dust over alleged massive fraud in Bayelsa State yet to settle, there were strong indications on Monday in Yenagoa, the state capital, that all was not well with the choice of Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, former Minister of Solid Mineral by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan as one of the 32 nominees for the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF).
The state at the moment is polarised along pro and anti-Allison-Madueke camps. The former minister hails from Yanaka community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state. She was appointed a minister two years ago by the ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua.
A group that calls itself Movement for Genuine Democracy in the state has said that the renomination of the Epie born female politician as a minister was not acceptable to them. They are claiming that Mrs. Allison-Madueke did not represent the best interest of the state in the past two years.
As the Senate began the screening of the nominees yesterday, the group threatened to stage a peaceful protest against her nomination should the Acting President fail to rescind his decision on the issue.
The anti- Allison-Madueke group which is led Ebiowei Amatari, a community chief, in a another statement in Yenagoa called on the Acting President to revisit the nomination. In their earlier statement, they vowed not to accept her since according to them, ''there are other qualified persons who can represent the state creditably''.
Amatari, the spokesperson for the group, is claiming that the ex-minister in the past two years failed to justify her position, insisting that the people of the state are yet to feel her impact in government.
They therefore want Mr. Jonathan to demonstrate greater understanding of the dynamics of governance and respect the feelings of the people and make an alternative nomination for the state.
But in a swift reaction,another group, the Association of Democratic Governance warned that it will organise a rally to neutralize whatever opposition that may have been perpetrated to frustrate the nomination of Mrs. Allison-Madueke.
Mr. Ken Embelede, chairman of the pro-group, and Mr. Conference Moupeide its secretary in a counter statement said that the re-nomination of Mrs. Allison-Madueke was designed to ensure continuity in the business of governance of the country.
They reminded those opposed to her nomination to realise that Mr. Jonathan who endorsed her current status had worked with the former minister for the past two years to appreciate the qualities that prompted her re-nomination.
The group accordingly urged citizens of Bayelsa to accept the nomination of their sister by the Acting President considering the fact that it will promote ''peace, unity and stability'' in the polity. ENDS
Chinedum Emeana, Port Harcourt
RIVERS STATE: PROMOYING POVERTY VIA KEKE NAPEP BAN?
IN the year 2000, the United Nations decided that for humanity to survive
there has to be certain benchmarks which all nations must attain in variousspheres and codified this initiative to what is now popularly known as theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The key motive of MDGs is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
across the world come 2015.
From the set milestone, the world has six years to 2015 when gains of the
MDGs are supposed to be made manifest.
Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the UN recently observed that efforts
aimed at scaling down poverty and hunger across the world have begun to slow
down.
Ki Moon who spoke at the March16, 2010 General Assembly of the UN maintained
that something must be done urgently by government at various levels to meet
these set goals of eradicating poverty and hunger.
In 2007, when President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was sworn-in, he came up with
the 7-point agenda initiative. Item no three on Yar’Adua’s development
agenda is wealth creation aimed at alleviating poverty.
All over the country, responsible governments are seeking for creative
avenues to empower Nigerians to “catch their own fish” and one of the
established and successful channels has been through encouraging the
purchase of three wheelers (tricycles) which are deployed for transportation
goods and passengers in the inner cities.
The tricycles was first introduced into the nation’s transportation mix by
last military governor of Lagos state Buba Marwa, and fondly called Keke
Marwa (note that keke in Yoruba stands for bicycle).
For its success in throwing up another option for the perennial challenge of
moving people from point to point, and serving as a authentic source of
wealth creation for those who operate them, the federal government keyed
into the idea in its bid to create sources of work and income for the large
army of employed people, young and not too young.
This was the basis on which the National Poverty Eradication Programme
(Napep) used it as a catalyst of it poverty eradication thrust. Napep
initially purchased about four thousand of these tricycles for beneficiaries
who now have a source of livelihood at the same time contributing to
solving, even though in small measure, the transportation question.
Aside from making the operators economically relevant to the society,
tricycles opened up a whole new network of allied industry, such as
mechanics to handle repairs and maintenance and dealers in its spare-parts,
to mention just the obvious.
They are also contributing of government revenue because they pay various
forms of taxes to the government, and a proven area of profitable funding
for banks, especially the Micro Finance Banks.
There are indications that Keke Napep introduction has gone beyond
instrument for “give us this day our daily bread”, to a formidable medium
for wealth creation.
It therefore beats the imagination why the Rivers state government will just
decide to prohibit the operation of tricycles in parts of the state, even
though by their nature they are already self restricted in terms of areas of
operation – they never ply the expressway.
You wonder whether this state government, despite posturing to the contrary,
is not out to ensure that poverty remains entrenched in these parts. May
Well, may be the government has reasons for its actions. However, the only
reason coming from the Rivers State ministry of transport is that the
operators of these tricycles are likely to become a public nuisance like the
banned commercial motorcycles. You wonder what that means.
Some of the reasons proffered for the banning of commercial motorcycles
operation include issues of security since bandits deploys it for get-away,
the plying of highways, and the devil-may-care approach of some of the
riders, which often led to accidents.
But these reasons are not applicable to keke Napep. They cannot be used for
robbery, while their operations are restricted to suburbs.
Moreover, keke Napep do not have the hideous statistics of accidents, either
in Rivers State or anywhere else in the country, associated with commercial
motorcycles.
It appears that the ministry of transport did not properly think this
decision through. Or is it a small thing for them to, in one fell swoop,
remove the source of income of thousands of people without batting an
eyelid?
Did they do any Environmental Impact Assessment? Did they consider how much
will be removed from the economy of the Rivers State? The number young men
and women who automatically become unemployed? How it will affect the market
women, commuters and the families and extended families? Did they reason
along these lines? I guess not!
Did anybody consider that most of these tricycles were purchased by the
operators through loans from MFBs, or most case on hire-purchase arrangement
and that abruptly prohibiting their operation would adversely affect the
economics of these Nigerian citizen, who by whatever design are resident in
Rivers State?
The popular advert payoff line of Toyota says “good thinking, good product”.
This obviously ignominious and awful decision is not the product of
first-rate thinking, and it definitely will not yield good results.
All men and women of goodwill within and outside the state should intervene
to help the hapless less privileged people of Rivers state that the ministry
of transport is determined to strap down below the poverty line. It is the
height of executive thoughtlessness. And yet people wonder why youths are
restive!
Despite the global gloomy picture in the attainment of the MGDs, the UN
scribe still insists that: “evidence shows that the Goals can be achieved,
even in the poorest countries, when good policies and projects are backed by
adequate resources.”
But on the evidence of this law to outlaw the operations of Keke Napep,
signed on February 19, 2010 to take effect April 1, 2010, Rivers is rather
determined to promote the proliferation of poverty in this treasure base of
the nation.
The position of the Institute of Human Right and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) is
reflected in a letter to the Rivers State Transport Commissioner in which it
pointed out to him that “the owners and drivers of the commercial tricycles
have rights to their economic, social and cultural development. The
operation of tricycles is one of the avenues of achieving this right.
Moreso, these tricycles are a source of income to lots of families, and a
source of employment to many youths and homes”.
The correspondence added: “Now sir that the ministry of transport has put a
ban on the operations of these commercial tricycles, what shall become of
the thousands of youths and homes that have lost their primary source of
income? The implications are apparent and clear; many children may drop out
of school, many homes would go without food, families may even lose their
homes, and the rate of nuisance and crime occasioned by the increase of
unemployed men and youths would increase phenomenally.”
Like Ali Baba, the acclaimed godfather of modern stand-up comedy in Nigeria
colourfully asks in his giant billboard along the Marina (is it still
there?) in Lagos: Need I Say More?
Governor Rotimi Amaechi should prevail on Rivers state ministry of transport
to immediately proscribe that law banning the operations of tricycles, as it
appears they have lost the plot. The governor is responsible for the actions
of all his aides.
It is never too late to retrace one’s steps from a wrong direction. ENDS
RIVERS STATE: PROMOYING POVERTY VIA KEKE NAPEP BAN?
IN the year 2000, the United Nations decided that for humanity to survive
there has to be certain benchmarks which all nations must attain in variousspheres and codified this initiative to what is now popularly known as theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The key motive of MDGs is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
across the world come 2015.
From the set milestone, the world has six years to 2015 when gains of the
MDGs are supposed to be made manifest.
Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the UN recently observed that efforts
aimed at scaling down poverty and hunger across the world have begun to slow
down.
Ki Moon who spoke at the March16, 2010 General Assembly of the UN maintained
that something must be done urgently by government at various levels to meet
these set goals of eradicating poverty and hunger.
In 2007, when President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was sworn-in, he came up with
the 7-point agenda initiative. Item no three on Yar’Adua’s development
agenda is wealth creation aimed at alleviating poverty.
All over the country, responsible governments are seeking for creative
avenues to empower Nigerians to “catch their own fish” and one of the
established and successful channels has been through encouraging the
purchase of three wheelers (tricycles) which are deployed for transportation
goods and passengers in the inner cities.
The tricycles was first introduced into the nation’s transportation mix by
last military governor of Lagos state Buba Marwa, and fondly called Keke
Marwa (note that keke in Yoruba stands for bicycle).
For its success in throwing up another option for the perennial challenge of
moving people from point to point, and serving as a authentic source of
wealth creation for those who operate them, the federal government keyed
into the idea in its bid to create sources of work and income for the large
army of employed people, young and not too young.
This was the basis on which the National Poverty Eradication Programme
(Napep) used it as a catalyst of it poverty eradication thrust. Napep
initially purchased about four thousand of these tricycles for beneficiaries
who now have a source of livelihood at the same time contributing to
solving, even though in small measure, the transportation question.
Aside from making the operators economically relevant to the society,
tricycles opened up a whole new network of allied industry, such as
mechanics to handle repairs and maintenance and dealers in its spare-parts,
to mention just the obvious.
They are also contributing of government revenue because they pay various
forms of taxes to the government, and a proven area of profitable funding
for banks, especially the Micro Finance Banks.
There are indications that Keke Napep introduction has gone beyond
instrument for “give us this day our daily bread”, to a formidable medium
for wealth creation.
It therefore beats the imagination why the Rivers state government will just
decide to prohibit the operation of tricycles in parts of the state, even
though by their nature they are already self restricted in terms of areas of
operation – they never ply the expressway.
You wonder whether this state government, despite posturing to the contrary,
is not out to ensure that poverty remains entrenched in these parts. May
Well, may be the government has reasons for its actions. However, the only
reason coming from the Rivers State ministry of transport is that the
operators of these tricycles are likely to become a public nuisance like the
banned commercial motorcycles. You wonder what that means.
Some of the reasons proffered for the banning of commercial motorcycles
operation include issues of security since bandits deploys it for get-away,
the plying of highways, and the devil-may-care approach of some of the
riders, which often led to accidents.
But these reasons are not applicable to keke Napep. They cannot be used for
robbery, while their operations are restricted to suburbs.
Moreover, keke Napep do not have the hideous statistics of accidents, either
in Rivers State or anywhere else in the country, associated with commercial
motorcycles.
It appears that the ministry of transport did not properly think this
decision through. Or is it a small thing for them to, in one fell swoop,
remove the source of income of thousands of people without batting an
eyelid?
Did they do any Environmental Impact Assessment? Did they consider how much
will be removed from the economy of the Rivers State? The number young men
and women who automatically become unemployed? How it will affect the market
women, commuters and the families and extended families? Did they reason
along these lines? I guess not!
Did anybody consider that most of these tricycles were purchased by the
operators through loans from MFBs, or most case on hire-purchase arrangement
and that abruptly prohibiting their operation would adversely affect the
economics of these Nigerian citizen, who by whatever design are resident in
Rivers State?
The popular advert payoff line of Toyota says “good thinking, good product”.
This obviously ignominious and awful decision is not the product of
first-rate thinking, and it definitely will not yield good results.
All men and women of goodwill within and outside the state should intervene
to help the hapless less privileged people of Rivers state that the ministry
of transport is determined to strap down below the poverty line. It is the
height of executive thoughtlessness. And yet people wonder why youths are
restive!
Despite the global gloomy picture in the attainment of the MGDs, the UN
scribe still insists that: “evidence shows that the Goals can be achieved,
even in the poorest countries, when good policies and projects are backed by
adequate resources.”
But on the evidence of this law to outlaw the operations of Keke Napep,
signed on February 19, 2010 to take effect April 1, 2010, Rivers is rather
determined to promote the proliferation of poverty in this treasure base of
the nation.
The position of the Institute of Human Right and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) is
reflected in a letter to the Rivers State Transport Commissioner in which it
pointed out to him that “the owners and drivers of the commercial tricycles
have rights to their economic, social and cultural development. The
operation of tricycles is one of the avenues of achieving this right.
Moreso, these tricycles are a source of income to lots of families, and a
source of employment to many youths and homes”.
The correspondence added: “Now sir that the ministry of transport has put a
ban on the operations of these commercial tricycles, what shall become of
the thousands of youths and homes that have lost their primary source of
income? The implications are apparent and clear; many children may drop out
of school, many homes would go without food, families may even lose their
homes, and the rate of nuisance and crime occasioned by the increase of
unemployed men and youths would increase phenomenally.”
Like Ali Baba, the acclaimed godfather of modern stand-up comedy in Nigeria
colourfully asks in his giant billboard along the Marina (is it still
there?) in Lagos: Need I Say More?
Governor Rotimi Amaechi should prevail on Rivers state ministry of transport
to immediately proscribe that law banning the operations of tricycles, as it
appears they have lost the plot. The governor is responsible for the actions
of all his aides.
It is never too late to retrace one’s steps from a wrong direction. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
MILITANTS TACKLE SYLVA ON GRAFT REPORTS
UNREPENTANT militants in Bayelsa State have taken on the state governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva, saying the flurry of media reports on massive fraud in the state is no smear campaign.
But Governor Sylva is claiming that reports of alleged massive fraud in the accounts of the
state government is an orchestrated campaign to tarnish his image and ruin his rising
political stature. Sylva who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, also lashed out at some media reports at the weekend which quoted an alleged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) interim report, alleging fraud in the finances of the state to the tune of over N100 billion.
The Sylva spokesperson in an on-line statement yesterday said the reports are “a well
structured campaign to undermine the Bayelsa state government, truncate the governor’s political career by preparing the ground for his illegal removal from office, and may be send him to jail after his governorship.”
But the Network of Freedom Fighters in Niger Delta (NFF), an insurgent group, said the governor was economical with the truth. Co-ordinator of the group, Mr. Nengi James, said on a phone interview on Monday, ''we have been crying out since last year about the worrisome level of corruption in Bayelsa. The said EFCC interim report appears to be vindicating us''.
Another insurgent group, the Niger Delta Patriotic Front (NDPF) galvanised by Mr. Dan Anderson, said the people of Bayelsa are crying for another Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to come and salvage them from rot.
According to Mr. Anderson who co-ordinates the affairs of the NDPF, ''Bayelsa state the way it stands today, is nothing short of a failed state. There is no life-changing developmental project the current ruling circle can point to as theirs. The state is simply rotting away with graft as the order of the day''.
Despite these seeming harsh comments, Governor Sylva is maintaining that a quick content analysis of the said media reports shows that the reporters responsible for the stories have already adjudged the state government guilty even when the said allegations of
financial misconduct have not been tested in a court of law.
''We do not see it as a coincidence that on the same day, two other newspapers carried another story about the Bayelsa State governor, saying he was contesting “power” with the Acting President!”, he said.
Ola stressed: “This story about grand larceny in Bayelsa state is bogus, and carefully planned to achieve political ends, namely tarnish the image of Governor Sylva, the easier to remove him from Government House.
''The stories are also meant to arouse people’s emotions, and incite them against the Sylva administration. If the EFCC has established a prima facie case against senior officials of the Government of Bayelsa State as it is claimed, the road to travel is the law courts, not the pages of newspapers.
Pointing out that one report went further to accuse the governor of involvement in “N101 billion fraud”, and in the infamous Wilbros scam, Ola questioned : “is it that the whole life of the governor that is being investigated by EFCC or his governorship?”
''Every one knows that the Wilbros matter happened before Sylva became governor. Is the said EFCC report an investigation of corruption in Bayelsa state or an investigation into the Wilbros scandal? At best, this is confusion at work!
The spokesman explained that no government since the inception of Bayelsa state has gone through the kind of financial challenge which the Sylva administration is contending with. “Yet, the evidence of the massive infrastructural development is there for all to see.”
“If over N100 billion has been removed from the Bayelsa state government accounts, how much has the state received from the Federation Account and from Internally Generated Revenue since 2007? How much has been spent on salaries and projects?”, he asked.
ENDS
MILITANTS TACKLE SYLVA ON GRAFT REPORTS
UNREPENTANT militants in Bayelsa State have taken on the state governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva, saying the flurry of media reports on massive fraud in the state is no smear campaign.
But Governor Sylva is claiming that reports of alleged massive fraud in the accounts of the
state government is an orchestrated campaign to tarnish his image and ruin his rising
political stature. Sylva who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, also lashed out at some media reports at the weekend which quoted an alleged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) interim report, alleging fraud in the finances of the state to the tune of over N100 billion.
The Sylva spokesperson in an on-line statement yesterday said the reports are “a well
structured campaign to undermine the Bayelsa state government, truncate the governor’s political career by preparing the ground for his illegal removal from office, and may be send him to jail after his governorship.”
But the Network of Freedom Fighters in Niger Delta (NFF), an insurgent group, said the governor was economical with the truth. Co-ordinator of the group, Mr. Nengi James, said on a phone interview on Monday, ''we have been crying out since last year about the worrisome level of corruption in Bayelsa. The said EFCC interim report appears to be vindicating us''.
Another insurgent group, the Niger Delta Patriotic Front (NDPF) galvanised by Mr. Dan Anderson, said the people of Bayelsa are crying for another Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to come and salvage them from rot.
According to Mr. Anderson who co-ordinates the affairs of the NDPF, ''Bayelsa state the way it stands today, is nothing short of a failed state. There is no life-changing developmental project the current ruling circle can point to as theirs. The state is simply rotting away with graft as the order of the day''.
Despite these seeming harsh comments, Governor Sylva is maintaining that a quick content analysis of the said media reports shows that the reporters responsible for the stories have already adjudged the state government guilty even when the said allegations of
financial misconduct have not been tested in a court of law.
''We do not see it as a coincidence that on the same day, two other newspapers carried another story about the Bayelsa State governor, saying he was contesting “power” with the Acting President!”, he said.
Ola stressed: “This story about grand larceny in Bayelsa state is bogus, and carefully planned to achieve political ends, namely tarnish the image of Governor Sylva, the easier to remove him from Government House.
''The stories are also meant to arouse people’s emotions, and incite them against the Sylva administration. If the EFCC has established a prima facie case against senior officials of the Government of Bayelsa State as it is claimed, the road to travel is the law courts, not the pages of newspapers.
Pointing out that one report went further to accuse the governor of involvement in “N101 billion fraud”, and in the infamous Wilbros scam, Ola questioned : “is it that the whole life of the governor that is being investigated by EFCC or his governorship?”
''Every one knows that the Wilbros matter happened before Sylva became governor. Is the said EFCC report an investigation of corruption in Bayelsa state or an investigation into the Wilbros scandal? At best, this is confusion at work!
The spokesman explained that no government since the inception of Bayelsa state has gone through the kind of financial challenge which the Sylva administration is contending with. “Yet, the evidence of the massive infrastructural development is there for all to see.”
“If over N100 billion has been removed from the Bayelsa state government accounts, how much has the state received from the Federation Account and from Internally Generated Revenue since 2007? How much has been spent on salaries and projects?”, he asked.
ENDS
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
WHY EU IS INTERESTED IN AMNESTY PROGRAMME, BY FRENCH AMBASSADOR
THE French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jean-Michel Dumond, has given reason why the European Union (EU) is very keen on seeing to the success of the Amnesty Programme to repentant militants in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's volatile oil and gas region.
A well-placed functionary of the Rivers State Government told our correspondent in an interview on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that the visiting envoys rose from a closed door meeting with Governor Chibuike Amaechi and some key administration officials, pledging to partner with the state, the Federal Government and other core partners in the amnesty programme for a comprehensive programme of development for the country.
Mr Dumond, who spoke at the end of the closed door parley of 15 foreign envoys, which included nine Ambassadors to Nigeria, said the EU believes that such a programme will be a long term solution to Nigeria’s crises.
The French Ambassador, according to our source claimed that the EU was impressed with the success of the amnesty programme so far, and expressed the hope that the federal government would take all necessary measures that would ensure that the 2011 general elections would be free and fair.
“We, of course, take into consideration the elections which will take place in Nigeria in 2011, and we commend the authorities for the way the situation in Abuja has been handled”, the French Ambassador stressed.
Mr Dumond commended Amaechi, for what he described as ''a determined effor''t to develop Rivers state, pointing out that their visit was interesting because they were impressed with what they have seen in the state.
Governor Amaechi had explained that the idea behind the parley was to discuss issues concerning the wrong perception about the security situation in the Niger Delta, especially in his state.
The envoys were later conducted round some infrastructural projects such as the newly built Model Primary School, and Health Centre at Elekahia, some road projects and Trans-Amadi Gas Turbine station, by Governor Amaechi.
Ambassadors of Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Ghanaian High Commissioner, German Consul-General, British Deputy High Commissioner, Netherlands’ The Charge D’Affairs, Indian Defence Advisor were among the envoys that attended the meeting which was at the instance of the Rivers State Government. ENDS
WHY EU IS INTERESTED IN AMNESTY PROGRAMME, BY FRENCH AMBASSADOR
THE French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jean-Michel Dumond, has given reason why the European Union (EU) is very keen on seeing to the success of the Amnesty Programme to repentant militants in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's volatile oil and gas region.
A well-placed functionary of the Rivers State Government told our correspondent in an interview on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that the visiting envoys rose from a closed door meeting with Governor Chibuike Amaechi and some key administration officials, pledging to partner with the state, the Federal Government and other core partners in the amnesty programme for a comprehensive programme of development for the country.
Mr Dumond, who spoke at the end of the closed door parley of 15 foreign envoys, which included nine Ambassadors to Nigeria, said the EU believes that such a programme will be a long term solution to Nigeria’s crises.
The French Ambassador, according to our source claimed that the EU was impressed with the success of the amnesty programme so far, and expressed the hope that the federal government would take all necessary measures that would ensure that the 2011 general elections would be free and fair.
“We, of course, take into consideration the elections which will take place in Nigeria in 2011, and we commend the authorities for the way the situation in Abuja has been handled”, the French Ambassador stressed.
Mr Dumond commended Amaechi, for what he described as ''a determined effor''t to develop Rivers state, pointing out that their visit was interesting because they were impressed with what they have seen in the state.
Governor Amaechi had explained that the idea behind the parley was to discuss issues concerning the wrong perception about the security situation in the Niger Delta, especially in his state.
The envoys were later conducted round some infrastructural projects such as the newly built Model Primary School, and Health Centre at Elekahia, some road projects and Trans-Amadi Gas Turbine station, by Governor Amaechi.
Ambassadors of Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Ghanaian High Commissioner, German Consul-General, British Deputy High Commissioner, Netherlands’ The Charge D’Affairs, Indian Defence Advisor were among the envoys that attended the meeting which was at the instance of the Rivers State Government. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
ENVOYS TASK NIGERIA ON 2011 POLLS
HEADS of foreign missions in Nigeria have said that the international community is expecting Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, to overseer the most credible elections ever in the country in 2011.
The envoys who were on a visit to Rivers State on the invitation of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, claimed that anything short of a well organised transparent polls will not do Nigeria any good.
Speaking in Government House, Port Harcourt, on behalf of the diplomats, the Ambassador of Czech Republic to Nigeria, Mr Jaroslav Siro, according to the Acting Chief Press Secretary to Governor Amaechi, Mr. Blessing Wikina, said Rivers state and the Niger Delta are very important to Nigeria, which according to the envoy, is a major economic as well as business partner to their countries.
The Amaechi spokesperson claimed in an on-line statement to our correspondent that Mr Siro said the International Community appreciated the handling of the recent constitutional problem in Nigeria and hoped that future issues would be addressed maturely, especially the forthcoming general election in 2011, which they hope to be conducted in a transparent manner.
''He commended the Rivers State Government for the initiative of their visit, and for what they are doing in the state, and urged the people to support the governor in achieving his laudable objectives'', Mr. Wikina said.
Amaechi however, used the visit of the envoys to point out one of the reasons he goes out to public places at night without his usual tight security cover is to reassure residents of Port Harcourt, the state capital, that peace and night life has been restored to the state.
The governor was said to have stated this Sunday night during a dinner for some of the visiting foreign Ambassadors and envoys at the Government House, insisting that his free movement at anytime of the day is an indication that the security challenges were virtually over.
“If the security challenge is as bad as I hear, I will not take the risk of driving out in the night without escort”, Governor Amaechi reportedly said, and cited instances of his late night movements to visit places and people.
''The governor emphasized that as a young man, he attends night clubs sometimes, stressing that “I do that also to reassure the citizens that they are protected, first by God, and through human instruments put on ground by the state government for the safety of their lives'', Mr. Wikina said.
Amaechi was full of appreciation for the envoys for honouring the state with their presence. He is hoping that they will exchange knowledge, which will lead to changing the perception about the state, and that the assumption that whatever happened in the Niger Delta was in Port Harcourt was wrong.
He gave an example of the bomb blast in Delta State which was ironically said to be in Port Harcourt in some quarters, while the kidnap incidences in the neighbouring Abia State was also painfully attributed to be in Rivers State. ENDS
ENVOYS TASK NIGERIA ON 2011 POLLS
HEADS of foreign missions in Nigeria have said that the international community is expecting Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, to overseer the most credible elections ever in the country in 2011.
The envoys who were on a visit to Rivers State on the invitation of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, claimed that anything short of a well organised transparent polls will not do Nigeria any good.
Speaking in Government House, Port Harcourt, on behalf of the diplomats, the Ambassador of Czech Republic to Nigeria, Mr Jaroslav Siro, according to the Acting Chief Press Secretary to Governor Amaechi, Mr. Blessing Wikina, said Rivers state and the Niger Delta are very important to Nigeria, which according to the envoy, is a major economic as well as business partner to their countries.
The Amaechi spokesperson claimed in an on-line statement to our correspondent that Mr Siro said the International Community appreciated the handling of the recent constitutional problem in Nigeria and hoped that future issues would be addressed maturely, especially the forthcoming general election in 2011, which they hope to be conducted in a transparent manner.
''He commended the Rivers State Government for the initiative of their visit, and for what they are doing in the state, and urged the people to support the governor in achieving his laudable objectives'', Mr. Wikina said.
Amaechi however, used the visit of the envoys to point out one of the reasons he goes out to public places at night without his usual tight security cover is to reassure residents of Port Harcourt, the state capital, that peace and night life has been restored to the state.
The governor was said to have stated this Sunday night during a dinner for some of the visiting foreign Ambassadors and envoys at the Government House, insisting that his free movement at anytime of the day is an indication that the security challenges were virtually over.
“If the security challenge is as bad as I hear, I will not take the risk of driving out in the night without escort”, Governor Amaechi reportedly said, and cited instances of his late night movements to visit places and people.
''The governor emphasized that as a young man, he attends night clubs sometimes, stressing that “I do that also to reassure the citizens that they are protected, first by God, and through human instruments put on ground by the state government for the safety of their lives'', Mr. Wikina said.
Amaechi was full of appreciation for the envoys for honouring the state with their presence. He is hoping that they will exchange knowledge, which will lead to changing the perception about the state, and that the assumption that whatever happened in the Niger Delta was in Port Harcourt was wrong.
He gave an example of the bomb blast in Delta State which was ironically said to be in Port Harcourt in some quarters, while the kidnap incidences in the neighbouring Abia State was also painfully attributed to be in Rivers State. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
COURT ORDERS EFCC TO RELEASE BAYELSA AG, 2 DIRECTORS
THE Federal High Court in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, has ordered the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release the Acting Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Francis Okakuro and two other directors of the state Ministry of Finance and Budget held by the agency.
In an exparte order, Justice Faji directed the EFCC on Monday afternoon to release the AG, the Director of Treasury, Mr. Abott Clinton, and his predecessor, Mr. Anthony Ikhoboh on liberal bail conditions, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The three applicants had filed a suit against the EFCC for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights in line with the provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which does not condone the detention of anyone beyond 48 hours without charge or trial.
The three senior officers of the Bayelsa State Government have been with the EFCC since 15 March, without charge or trial, and denied access to their doctors and relations. Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva described the EFCC action as crude, wondering why his men would be taken away by the EFCC when no crime has been established. ENDS
COURT ORDERS EFCC TO RELEASE BAYELSA AG, 2 DIRECTORS
THE Federal High Court in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, has ordered the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release the Acting Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Francis Okakuro and two other directors of the state Ministry of Finance and Budget held by the agency.
In an exparte order, Justice Faji directed the EFCC on Monday afternoon to release the AG, the Director of Treasury, Mr. Abott Clinton, and his predecessor, Mr. Anthony Ikhoboh on liberal bail conditions, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The three applicants had filed a suit against the EFCC for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights in line with the provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which does not condone the detention of anyone beyond 48 hours without charge or trial.
The three senior officers of the Bayelsa State Government have been with the EFCC since 15 March, without charge or trial, and denied access to their doctors and relations. Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva described the EFCC action as crude, wondering why his men would be taken away by the EFCC when no crime has been established. ENDS
Monday, March 22, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
IRATE YOUTHS STILL HARASSING BUSINESSES IN RIVERS DESPITE AMAECHI's WARNINGS
DESPITE repeated warning by the Rivers State Government, irate youths in the state are still harassing businesses , traders, lorry drivers and the like. The menace appear to be worse in Oyigbo and Obio/Akpor council areas of the state.
Apparently piqued, government on Monday again issued what a top official described as ''last warning'' to community youth bodies to desist from harassing businesses operating in the state.
The state Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi who handed down the warning while addressing protesting Rebisi Youths at the Government House gate in Port Harcourt, said government has outlawed the system in which youths and community leaders harassed companies operating in the state with demands and all sorts of spurious levies.
The governor who spoke through by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Magnus Abe, warned that youth bodies should desist from approaching companies for whatever reason as the government has instructed the firms not to listen to any demands from such bodies.
He explained that the Bill prohibiting such harassment from Community and Youth organizations would soon be forwarded to the State House of Assembly, and the law when passed, provides for three years imprisonment without an option of fine for anyone convicted.
“You can no longer go to companies to squeeze them, we would not allow it and we would fight it to the end”, he declared, and advised the youths to look for something meaningful to do.
He said any Community or group that has any grievance against any company, to channel such matters to the relevant ministries for prompt attention.
He noted that time has come for youths in the state to do things differently, emphasizing that what the youth groups can do now is to organize themselves positively, so as to benefit from government laudable programmes such as scholarships.
Governor Amaechi maintained that companies operating in the state must be allowed to work without any hindrance, to enable them expand their business and employ more Rivers people, rather than impose staff on them, adding that the government was working hard to provide a conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish.
He promised to look into the allegations raised by the protesting youths against the company.
Earlier, the Secretary of Rebisi Youth Progressive Alliance, Mr Edward Odum, said Weatherford Nigeria Limited terminated the employment of 18 indigenes of their Community, and replaced them with non-Rivers people.
Mr Odum said the company rebuffed efforts to hold dialogue with the youth body, and appealed to the state government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the maltreatment of Rivers indigenes in the company.
But in the Oyigbo axis of the state, rampaging youth groups have devised a means of operating with badges purportedly issued to them by the Local Government Council. Petty and small-scale business operators are subjected to pay for sundry levies ranging from N4,000-N7,500.
While the Office of the Council Chairman has been denying this, sources at the council secretariat at Afam, are alleging that the youths concerned are operating in collaboration with some council officials. ENDS
IRATE YOUTHS STILL HARASSING BUSINESSES IN RIVERS DESPITE AMAECHI's WARNINGS
DESPITE repeated warning by the Rivers State Government, irate youths in the state are still harassing businesses , traders, lorry drivers and the like. The menace appear to be worse in Oyigbo and Obio/Akpor council areas of the state.
Apparently piqued, government on Monday again issued what a top official described as ''last warning'' to community youth bodies to desist from harassing businesses operating in the state.
The state Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi who handed down the warning while addressing protesting Rebisi Youths at the Government House gate in Port Harcourt, said government has outlawed the system in which youths and community leaders harassed companies operating in the state with demands and all sorts of spurious levies.
The governor who spoke through by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Magnus Abe, warned that youth bodies should desist from approaching companies for whatever reason as the government has instructed the firms not to listen to any demands from such bodies.
He explained that the Bill prohibiting such harassment from Community and Youth organizations would soon be forwarded to the State House of Assembly, and the law when passed, provides for three years imprisonment without an option of fine for anyone convicted.
“You can no longer go to companies to squeeze them, we would not allow it and we would fight it to the end”, he declared, and advised the youths to look for something meaningful to do.
He said any Community or group that has any grievance against any company, to channel such matters to the relevant ministries for prompt attention.
He noted that time has come for youths in the state to do things differently, emphasizing that what the youth groups can do now is to organize themselves positively, so as to benefit from government laudable programmes such as scholarships.
Governor Amaechi maintained that companies operating in the state must be allowed to work without any hindrance, to enable them expand their business and employ more Rivers people, rather than impose staff on them, adding that the government was working hard to provide a conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish.
He promised to look into the allegations raised by the protesting youths against the company.
Earlier, the Secretary of Rebisi Youth Progressive Alliance, Mr Edward Odum, said Weatherford Nigeria Limited terminated the employment of 18 indigenes of their Community, and replaced them with non-Rivers people.
Mr Odum said the company rebuffed efforts to hold dialogue with the youth body, and appealed to the state government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the maltreatment of Rivers indigenes in the company.
But in the Oyigbo axis of the state, rampaging youth groups have devised a means of operating with badges purportedly issued to them by the Local Government Council. Petty and small-scale business operators are subjected to pay for sundry levies ranging from N4,000-N7,500.
While the Office of the Council Chairman has been denying this, sources at the council secretariat at Afam, are alleging that the youths concerned are operating in collaboration with some council officials. ENDS
Monday, March 15, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
WHY WE BOMBED WARRI, BY MEND
MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a dreaded insurgent network, claimed on Monday that they bombed Warri, the commercial heart of Delta State in order to teach the state Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, a lesson on how not to run his his political mouth.
MEND Spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, told our correspondent in an on-line interview that the governor caused what their fighters did. According to him, ''after receiving the baton of ignorance from his Bayelsa state counterpart, the governor of Delta State declared in the Vanguard newspaper of February 22, 2010 that MEND is a media creation."
Continuing, MEND said, ''this assertion coming from the same person who claimed publicly that an oil pipeline can be destroyed by one man armed with a bottle of petrol, is hardly surprising. What is surprising is how he managed to obtain a science degree.
''Thinking of no better way to announce our continued presence in the Niger Delta to Mr Uduaghan, operatives of MEND today March 15, 2010, successfully breached the security at the Delta state government house in Warri and planted three explosive devices in and around this compound which is the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue organised by the Vanguard newspaper.
''These devices will be detonated remotely.
''In our usual effort to prevent the loss of innocent life, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta advises the immediate evacuation of the the Government House annex Warri and its immediate surroundings up to the Delta state Brodcasting Corporation.
''The time given for this evacuation before the detonation of the first bomb is thirty (30) minutes which will elapse by 1130 hrs Nigerian time. The primary school bordering the government house annex should be evacuated immediately!
''The first bomb will be detonated at exactly 1130 hrs. We will thereafter advise on the other devices planted within and around the venue of the vanguard newspaper organised and Delta state sponsored conference. Organisers and participants at this jamboree will ignore this warning at their peril !!!
''People must not remain in their cars and attempt to drive their cars and maintain safe distance from all cars and the area''.
They are not yet done. Hear them, ''the deceit of endless dialogue and conferences will no longer be tolerated. The lands of the people of the Niger Delta was stolen by the oil companies and Northern Nigeria with the stroke of a pen.
''The vanguard organized and delta state sponsored conference is one of such tools of deception. The Niger Delta has been partitioned into oil blocks which have been distributed amongst mostly Northerners while indegenes of the Niger Delta can barely survive. One such example being General T.Y. Danjuma.
''It is common knowlede that no southerner can lay claim to an inch of land in the North so why should we continue to talk as the occupation of our land and theft of our reources by the oil companies and Northern Nigeria persists?
''The governors of the Niger Delta are shameless and visionless stooges who are more concerned with looting their state treasuries and seeking a second term in office, even against the wishes of their peop.
MEND said they will attack any such gatherings designed to propagate more falsehood. Members of the public are hereby warned to avoid such gatherings as they may not be fortunate to have a warning before detonation.
''In the coming days, we will carry out a number of attacks against installations and oil companies across the Niger Delta and will spread out to companies such as Total which have been spared in the past. We hope the actions which will follow will persuade Mr Uduaghan that we exist outside of cyberspace'', they said.
However, there were strong indications yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, that some of the leaders of the active social formations that were invited for the Warri event srayed out.
For instance, Co-ordinator of the Network of Freedom Fighters in the Niger Delta (NFF), Mr. Nengi James, said most of them have better things to do rhan attend an ''empty talk shop''. ENDS
WHY WE BOMBED WARRI, BY MEND
MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a dreaded insurgent network, claimed on Monday that they bombed Warri, the commercial heart of Delta State in order to teach the state Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, a lesson on how not to run his his political mouth.
MEND Spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, told our correspondent in an on-line interview that the governor caused what their fighters did. According to him, ''after receiving the baton of ignorance from his Bayelsa state counterpart, the governor of Delta State declared in the Vanguard newspaper of February 22, 2010 that MEND is a media creation."
Continuing, MEND said, ''this assertion coming from the same person who claimed publicly that an oil pipeline can be destroyed by one man armed with a bottle of petrol, is hardly surprising. What is surprising is how he managed to obtain a science degree.
''Thinking of no better way to announce our continued presence in the Niger Delta to Mr Uduaghan, operatives of MEND today March 15, 2010, successfully breached the security at the Delta state government house in Warri and planted three explosive devices in and around this compound which is the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue organised by the Vanguard newspaper.
''These devices will be detonated remotely.
''In our usual effort to prevent the loss of innocent life, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta advises the immediate evacuation of the the Government House annex Warri and its immediate surroundings up to the Delta state Brodcasting Corporation.
''The time given for this evacuation before the detonation of the first bomb is thirty (30) minutes which will elapse by 1130 hrs Nigerian time. The primary school bordering the government house annex should be evacuated immediately!
''The first bomb will be detonated at exactly 1130 hrs. We will thereafter advise on the other devices planted within and around the venue of the vanguard newspaper organised and Delta state sponsored conference. Organisers and participants at this jamboree will ignore this warning at their peril !!!
''People must not remain in their cars and attempt to drive their cars and maintain safe distance from all cars and the area''.
They are not yet done. Hear them, ''the deceit of endless dialogue and conferences will no longer be tolerated. The lands of the people of the Niger Delta was stolen by the oil companies and Northern Nigeria with the stroke of a pen.
''The vanguard organized and delta state sponsored conference is one of such tools of deception. The Niger Delta has been partitioned into oil blocks which have been distributed amongst mostly Northerners while indegenes of the Niger Delta can barely survive. One such example being General T.Y. Danjuma.
''It is common knowlede that no southerner can lay claim to an inch of land in the North so why should we continue to talk as the occupation of our land and theft of our reources by the oil companies and Northern Nigeria persists?
''The governors of the Niger Delta are shameless and visionless stooges who are more concerned with looting their state treasuries and seeking a second term in office, even against the wishes of their peop.
MEND said they will attack any such gatherings designed to propagate more falsehood. Members of the public are hereby warned to avoid such gatherings as they may not be fortunate to have a warning before detonation.
''In the coming days, we will carry out a number of attacks against installations and oil companies across the Niger Delta and will spread out to companies such as Total which have been spared in the past. We hope the actions which will follow will persuade Mr Uduaghan that we exist outside of cyberspace'', they said.
However, there were strong indications yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, that some of the leaders of the active social formations that were invited for the Warri event srayed out.
For instance, Co-ordinator of the Network of Freedom Fighters in the Niger Delta (NFF), Mr. Nengi James, said most of them have better things to do rhan attend an ''empty talk shop''. ENDS
Friday, March 12, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
JOS CRISIS EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL COLONIALISM, SAYS MILITANTS
THE recurring ethnic conflict in Jos, the Plateau State capital, in North Central Nigeria, is an evidence of internal colonialism, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, said on Friday.
The group claimed that the last of such ethnic conflicts was the gruesome murder of over 500 persons mostly Christians, in a day.
Spokesperson of the JRC, Mr. Bakabio Walter, said, ''the recent Jos killings is a tragic reminder of the severity of internal colonialism in the entity called Nigeria. The occupying Fulani militants, backed by the Nigerian military, unleashed mayhem and commited genocide against the indigenous people of Jos''.
Although the military chiefs in Jos haver denied their involvement, the Niger Delta militants however, went on, ''how else can we explain that the Nigerian military led by the Fulani aristocracy was informed of plans by Fulani militants to invade indigenous settlements in Jos and environs, yet there was no response. This is totally unacceptable and must be condemned by all genuine advocates of peace and justice''.
According to them, ''this is a litmus test for the Jonathan administration. The sack of Nigeria's National Security Adviser who used his inaction to support Jos massacre might be a welcome development but it is definitely not enough. No amount of soldiers sent to Jos can bring an end to this conflict''.
They argued that if the Jonathan administration is committed to resolving the recurring ethnic violence in Jos, the Niger Delta among other volatile regions of thwe country, ''the only logical thing to do is to convene a Sovereign National Conference of all the ethnic nationalities that were forcefully conscripted into Nigeria''.
The insurgents claimed that their mission is to achieve independence for a Niger Delta Federation and not to seek relevance for the sake of patronage, adding, ''we shall continue to strike until we achieve our ultimate goal. We note with curiosity, the continuous denial of knowledge of our attack on oil installations by the management of Shell and Agip and the Joint Task Force (JTF'').
Continuing, they claimed that the management of Agip ''is meeting with criminals, called 'repentant militants', who are secretly claiming responsibilty for our actions for the purpose of receiving monetary benefit from Agip. No amount of money you give to them will prevent us from striking you more. Our actions will be sustained and will differentiate us from the criminal pretenders in MEND who are negotiating currently with the management of Agip''. ENDS
JOS CRISIS EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL COLONIALISM, SAYS MILITANTS
THE recurring ethnic conflict in Jos, the Plateau State capital, in North Central Nigeria, is an evidence of internal colonialism, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, said on Friday.
The group claimed that the last of such ethnic conflicts was the gruesome murder of over 500 persons mostly Christians, in a day.
Spokesperson of the JRC, Mr. Bakabio Walter, said, ''the recent Jos killings is a tragic reminder of the severity of internal colonialism in the entity called Nigeria. The occupying Fulani militants, backed by the Nigerian military, unleashed mayhem and commited genocide against the indigenous people of Jos''.
Although the military chiefs in Jos haver denied their involvement, the Niger Delta militants however, went on, ''how else can we explain that the Nigerian military led by the Fulani aristocracy was informed of plans by Fulani militants to invade indigenous settlements in Jos and environs, yet there was no response. This is totally unacceptable and must be condemned by all genuine advocates of peace and justice''.
According to them, ''this is a litmus test for the Jonathan administration. The sack of Nigeria's National Security Adviser who used his inaction to support Jos massacre might be a welcome development but it is definitely not enough. No amount of soldiers sent to Jos can bring an end to this conflict''.
They argued that if the Jonathan administration is committed to resolving the recurring ethnic violence in Jos, the Niger Delta among other volatile regions of thwe country, ''the only logical thing to do is to convene a Sovereign National Conference of all the ethnic nationalities that were forcefully conscripted into Nigeria''.
The insurgents claimed that their mission is to achieve independence for a Niger Delta Federation and not to seek relevance for the sake of patronage, adding, ''we shall continue to strike until we achieve our ultimate goal. We note with curiosity, the continuous denial of knowledge of our attack on oil installations by the management of Shell and Agip and the Joint Task Force (JTF'').
Continuing, they claimed that the management of Agip ''is meeting with criminals, called 'repentant militants', who are secretly claiming responsibilty for our actions for the purpose of receiving monetary benefit from Agip. No amount of money you give to them will prevent us from striking you more. Our actions will be sustained and will differentiate us from the criminal pretenders in MEND who are negotiating currently with the management of Agip''. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
MINISTER DARES MILITANTS ON CONTRACT DEALS
MINISTER of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Ufot Ekaette, has taken on militants in the oil and gas region who are pressing for his sack over alleged duplication of contracts, to come up with evidence to substaciate their claims or remain silence forever.
The minister who spoke on phone through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Soni Daniel, said it was unfair for any group or individual to make a wild cat allegation against public officers without tangible evidence.
According to the minister's spokesperson, ''we are challenging all those making these wild cat allegations to come in the open with their facts and stop hiding under a mask. If they fail to do so, let them remain silent for ever, and stop throwing stones at a man who rose to his present position through hard work and honesty''.
The Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, has been pressing for the immediate removal of Mr. Ekaette as the minister of Niger Delta and the termination of all alleged duplicated projects of the ministry.
Spokesperson of the militants, Cynthia Whyte, alleged, ''Ekaette is incompetent and unqualified to lead a ministry as sensitive as the Ministry of Niger Delta. His intentions are ungodly, his visions are clouded and his ability to deliver on assigned objectives is questionable''.
''Such incompetence'', they went on, ''is capable is capable of derailing the campaign for a better and more prosperous Niger Delta. Yar' adua's biggest mistake was Ufot Ekaette. His second was Godwin Abbe as the Chairman of the Amnesty Committee. Little wonder, months after, there has been nothing to show. Shameful''.
They claimed in an on-line statement that their demand was driven by reports from various groups in the oil region about alleged dubious and treacherous duplication of projects across the length and breadth of the Niger Delta by officials of the Ministry of Niger Delta in active connivance with the minister.
''Many of the ministry’s planned projects that have already been rolled out by either some of the various states of the Niger Delta or the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). What this means is that the ministry did not harmonize its objectives before going ahead to plan on the projects.
''Some of these projects include the Ekeremor-Agge road in Bayelsa State. Another is the Niger Delta coastal road which is supposed to link up key coastal communities in the Niger Delta'', the JRC claimed.
Continuing, they said years ago, the NDDC awarded the contract for the design of the Niger Delta Coastal road project, claiming that years after, the Ministry of Niger Delta is about to re-award another contract for the same project, and accordingly querried, ''who is fooling who?''
Adding, they said, ''this blatant attempt at project duplicating is a plot by a dubious cabal to extinguish funds meant for the development of the Niger Delta because the deadline for the use of funds for government parastatals is set for March. Clearly, they do not want to refund money to the federal purse.
T''he cost of these project duplication runs into large tens of billions of naira.
''We condemn this attempt to shortchange, hoodwink and undermine the people of the Niger Delta and demand that the recently convened Presidential Project Monitoring and assessment team immediately investigate these and other cases of project duplication which have been severally reported by various groups across the Niger Delta.
''We also demand that all such contracts be terminated immediately and funds budgeted for them be channeled to more useful projects that would impact on the people of the Niger Delta.''
In the mean time, Mr. Daniel says the ministry will soon come out with a formal response ''to the unwholesome game of some faceless elements working for some unknown paymaster''.
Continuing, the minister's spokesperson said, it is very clear to us that those who want Mr. Ekaette removed do not know anything about due process in contract awards. We are yet to see any evidence that the NDDC or any of the nine oil-producing states had previously awarded contracts for the projects we are executing. If there are such evidence, we will like NDDC and the states to come up with them''. ENDS
MINISTER DARES MILITANTS ON CONTRACT DEALS
MINISTER of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Ufot Ekaette, has taken on militants in the oil and gas region who are pressing for his sack over alleged duplication of contracts, to come up with evidence to substaciate their claims or remain silence forever.
The minister who spoke on phone through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Soni Daniel, said it was unfair for any group or individual to make a wild cat allegation against public officers without tangible evidence.
According to the minister's spokesperson, ''we are challenging all those making these wild cat allegations to come in the open with their facts and stop hiding under a mask. If they fail to do so, let them remain silent for ever, and stop throwing stones at a man who rose to his present position through hard work and honesty''.
The Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, has been pressing for the immediate removal of Mr. Ekaette as the minister of Niger Delta and the termination of all alleged duplicated projects of the ministry.
Spokesperson of the militants, Cynthia Whyte, alleged, ''Ekaette is incompetent and unqualified to lead a ministry as sensitive as the Ministry of Niger Delta. His intentions are ungodly, his visions are clouded and his ability to deliver on assigned objectives is questionable''.
''Such incompetence'', they went on, ''is capable is capable of derailing the campaign for a better and more prosperous Niger Delta. Yar' adua's biggest mistake was Ufot Ekaette. His second was Godwin Abbe as the Chairman of the Amnesty Committee. Little wonder, months after, there has been nothing to show. Shameful''.
They claimed in an on-line statement that their demand was driven by reports from various groups in the oil region about alleged dubious and treacherous duplication of projects across the length and breadth of the Niger Delta by officials of the Ministry of Niger Delta in active connivance with the minister.
''Many of the ministry’s planned projects that have already been rolled out by either some of the various states of the Niger Delta or the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). What this means is that the ministry did not harmonize its objectives before going ahead to plan on the projects.
''Some of these projects include the Ekeremor-Agge road in Bayelsa State. Another is the Niger Delta coastal road which is supposed to link up key coastal communities in the Niger Delta'', the JRC claimed.
Continuing, they said years ago, the NDDC awarded the contract for the design of the Niger Delta Coastal road project, claiming that years after, the Ministry of Niger Delta is about to re-award another contract for the same project, and accordingly querried, ''who is fooling who?''
Adding, they said, ''this blatant attempt at project duplicating is a plot by a dubious cabal to extinguish funds meant for the development of the Niger Delta because the deadline for the use of funds for government parastatals is set for March. Clearly, they do not want to refund money to the federal purse.
T''he cost of these project duplication runs into large tens of billions of naira.
''We condemn this attempt to shortchange, hoodwink and undermine the people of the Niger Delta and demand that the recently convened Presidential Project Monitoring and assessment team immediately investigate these and other cases of project duplication which have been severally reported by various groups across the Niger Delta.
''We also demand that all such contracts be terminated immediately and funds budgeted for them be channeled to more useful projects that would impact on the people of the Niger Delta.''
In the mean time, Mr. Daniel says the ministry will soon come out with a formal response ''to the unwholesome game of some faceless elements working for some unknown paymaster''.
Continuing, the minister's spokesperson said, it is very clear to us that those who want Mr. Ekaette removed do not know anything about due process in contract awards. We are yet to see any evidence that the NDDC or any of the nine oil-producing states had previously awarded contracts for the projects we are executing. If there are such evidence, we will like NDDC and the states to come up with them''. ENDS
ACTION CONGRESS (AC)
RIVERS STATE
11-03-10
PRESS RELEASE
ALL ROADS LEAD TO PH RESIDENCE OF RIVERS STATE AC LEADER PRINCE TONYE AS
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT ((NDM) PLANS TO METARPHOSE INTO ACTION
CONGRESS (AC)- POLITICIANS ACROSS POLITICAL DIVIDES CLAMOUR TO IDENTIFY
WITH THE NEW VISION.
In an unprecedented political move, the first of its kind to be witnessed
in the political arena in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill has set in
motion the berthing of a Movement that is bound to change the entire
political climate of not only Rivers State but hopefully the entire
South-South Region.
Fresh from a series of meetings held by the NDM a fortnight ago in Abuja,
where he holds appointment as one of the three members on the Steering
committee from the South-south, Prince Tonye Princewill has since his
arrival in PH, been tirelessly involved in the mobilization of diverse
demographic groups and stakeholders for the purpose of sensitizing,
recruiting, regrouping and organizing them in line with the National
Democratic Movement’s vision of forming a Mega Movement to save Nigeria
from the throes of hardship and the threat of collapse occasioned by inept
PDP leadership.
According to him, the various meetings were a direct response to the
mandate given to members of the Steering Committee to sensitize, mobilize,
and enlighten their state constituency on the vision and guiding
principles of the NDM. The Prince of Niger Delta Politics also stated that
their mission was also to feel the pulse of the different groups by
gauging their responses and cataloguing same, which would then be
presented for deliberations at the NDM steering committee meeting slated
for the 16th of March in Abuja the Nation’s Capital.
He stated that three options were presented during their last meeting on
what the mega party structure would look like. He said that considering
the late timing in the formation of a new political party that will
challenge PDP at the polls and the failure of alliances in the past, the
Movement has decided to adopt AC as the consensus platform come the 2011
general elections. To this end the AC will be totally “restructured” to
accommodate new members from across political divides. This would involve
the dissolution of all its structures (in their entirety) at every level
from ward to local government to state and national to give every new
entrant a sense of belonging.
In the course of the sensitization drive he met first with Barrister Osima
Ginah, Hon. Commissioner for Urban Development, his counterpart in the
Special Duties Ministry, Dr. Ibiamu Ikanya, (the two opposition
Commissioners in the Unity Government of Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike
Amaechi), also with Chief Williams Igweh , Deputy Leader of Rivers State
AC and Special Adviser to Gov. Amaechi on Inter-Party Matters and his
state party Chairman Mr Alexander Suage Badey.
Subsequently within a three day interval from 8th through 10th March, 2010
he met and briefed the following Groups – The Rivers State AC Executive,
Womens Wing led by Dr. Mrs Edith, Youth Wing led by Mr Norisa Pepple,
members of the Forum of the Organized Opposition Political Parties (FOOPP)
comprising of 46 political parties led by Dr. Ikanya its Chairman; the
Rivers State Hausa Community led by Alh. Musa Saidu, Chairman of the
Rivers State AREWA Consultative Forum, Leadership of the various Markets
Women and Motor Parks in Port Harcourt, PMAN, AC Chapter Chairmen in the
23 Local Government Areas, Clergy led by Bishop (Dr) Boma Lawson of West
African Mission and Rev. (Dr) Ugoh Amadi, Technocrats, Professionals,
Artisans, Stakeholders led by Chief Lavender Longjohn, Elders etc. He
concluded his sensitization drive with the leadership of the South-South
Forum comprising various political leaders from Bayelsa led by Mr. Miriki
Ebikibina; Akwa Ibom led by Comrade David Ekanem, AK CNPP Chairman and
Cross River State led Comrade Cletus Obunu CRS CNPP Chairman.
The Groups gave their blessing to the new initiative of the NDM and stated
their willingness to fall behind the Prince in support of whatever the NDM
will metamorphose into as far as he is there. They all promised to ensure
that the Movement takes a firm root within the region. Below are some of
the resolutions reached by the groups.
1. All the Groups including the Organised opposition parties passed a
motion supporting and embracing the whole concept and spirit of the NDM.
II. They also mandated the Prince to represent and defend the interest of
all the Groups in the whole NDM arrangement.
III. They called on the NDM to emulate the ideals and the initiative of
the Prince in forming FOOPP comprising of 46 political parties in Rivers
State by reaching out to more political parties and stakeholders with a
view to assemble a formidable force to confront the PDP.
IV. They called on the leader Prince Tonye Princewill and the leadership
of NDM as presently constituted to prevail on the Rivers state Action
Congress to allow for a level playing field for intending members of the
NDM.
V. They pleaded to be carried along and more involved in the NDM not just
as individuals or as states but as a region.
Comrade Cletus Obunu who spoke on behalf of the four South-South States in
attendance, Bayelsa, Rivers, CRS and Akwa Ibom assure Prince Tonye
Princewill of their continued support and promised to effectively mobilize
back in their various states.
In his discussions with the various groups, Prince Tonye Princewill
articulated the importance for every group to understand that the period
of relegating affairs pertaining to the South - South region to the
background in the Nation’s polity is a thing of the past. To achieve this,
he said there is a need to, “take our destiny into our hands, since no
other region can fight our cause better than we can”. He further
reiterated the need to unite as a common force to be relevant in the
political vehicle that is poised to sweep out the disaster that is PDP. He
reminded everyone that the main reason why this step is different from
previous attempts aside from the calibre of persons involved is that for
the first time the process of respecting people’s mandate will begin from
within internal democracy is the watchword in this new Movement. Nigerians
should forget the insinuation going on in some quarters that either Alhaji
‘A’ or Mr. ‘B’ has been selected to fly the flag of the new Movement as
everybody interested in any political office within the new Movement will
be subjected to the will of members and Nigerians in general. We are in it
to assure that our country is respected all over the world as a democratic
nation.
In appreciation to all the Groups, Prince Tonye Princewill thanked them
for the confidence reposed in him and assured them that he will continue
to do his best to make sure all interests are represented in the scheme of
things by ensuring that their views and feelings are captured in the plan
of actions of NDM.
A minute’s silence was observed before and after each meeting as a mark of
respect for the victims (mainly defenceless women and children) of the
recent Jos massacre. Rivers state AC wonders how so many innocents can
simply disappear like the wind without a care in the world. Is security of
lives and property no longer the preserve of government? Can we not assure
the future of our country rested in our children and in our mothers of
being able to go to sleep and wake up in basic security? Our leader was
bred in Jos and lived in its outskirts in his early years. By implication
this means that he could have been one of those children or one of those
children could be him. What kind of Nigeria are we building?
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
Rivers State AC Publicity Secretary
RIVERS STATE
11-03-10
PRESS RELEASE
ALL ROADS LEAD TO PH RESIDENCE OF RIVERS STATE AC LEADER PRINCE TONYE AS
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT ((NDM) PLANS TO METARPHOSE INTO ACTION
CONGRESS (AC)- POLITICIANS ACROSS POLITICAL DIVIDES CLAMOUR TO IDENTIFY
WITH THE NEW VISION.
In an unprecedented political move, the first of its kind to be witnessed
in the political arena in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill has set in
motion the berthing of a Movement that is bound to change the entire
political climate of not only Rivers State but hopefully the entire
South-South Region.
Fresh from a series of meetings held by the NDM a fortnight ago in Abuja,
where he holds appointment as one of the three members on the Steering
committee from the South-south, Prince Tonye Princewill has since his
arrival in PH, been tirelessly involved in the mobilization of diverse
demographic groups and stakeholders for the purpose of sensitizing,
recruiting, regrouping and organizing them in line with the National
Democratic Movement’s vision of forming a Mega Movement to save Nigeria
from the throes of hardship and the threat of collapse occasioned by inept
PDP leadership.
According to him, the various meetings were a direct response to the
mandate given to members of the Steering Committee to sensitize, mobilize,
and enlighten their state constituency on the vision and guiding
principles of the NDM. The Prince of Niger Delta Politics also stated that
their mission was also to feel the pulse of the different groups by
gauging their responses and cataloguing same, which would then be
presented for deliberations at the NDM steering committee meeting slated
for the 16th of March in Abuja the Nation’s Capital.
He stated that three options were presented during their last meeting on
what the mega party structure would look like. He said that considering
the late timing in the formation of a new political party that will
challenge PDP at the polls and the failure of alliances in the past, the
Movement has decided to adopt AC as the consensus platform come the 2011
general elections. To this end the AC will be totally “restructured” to
accommodate new members from across political divides. This would involve
the dissolution of all its structures (in their entirety) at every level
from ward to local government to state and national to give every new
entrant a sense of belonging.
In the course of the sensitization drive he met first with Barrister Osima
Ginah, Hon. Commissioner for Urban Development, his counterpart in the
Special Duties Ministry, Dr. Ibiamu Ikanya, (the two opposition
Commissioners in the Unity Government of Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike
Amaechi), also with Chief Williams Igweh , Deputy Leader of Rivers State
AC and Special Adviser to Gov. Amaechi on Inter-Party Matters and his
state party Chairman Mr Alexander Suage Badey.
Subsequently within a three day interval from 8th through 10th March, 2010
he met and briefed the following Groups – The Rivers State AC Executive,
Womens Wing led by Dr. Mrs Edith, Youth Wing led by Mr Norisa Pepple,
members of the Forum of the Organized Opposition Political Parties (FOOPP)
comprising of 46 political parties led by Dr. Ikanya its Chairman; the
Rivers State Hausa Community led by Alh. Musa Saidu, Chairman of the
Rivers State AREWA Consultative Forum, Leadership of the various Markets
Women and Motor Parks in Port Harcourt, PMAN, AC Chapter Chairmen in the
23 Local Government Areas, Clergy led by Bishop (Dr) Boma Lawson of West
African Mission and Rev. (Dr) Ugoh Amadi, Technocrats, Professionals,
Artisans, Stakeholders led by Chief Lavender Longjohn, Elders etc. He
concluded his sensitization drive with the leadership of the South-South
Forum comprising various political leaders from Bayelsa led by Mr. Miriki
Ebikibina; Akwa Ibom led by Comrade David Ekanem, AK CNPP Chairman and
Cross River State led Comrade Cletus Obunu CRS CNPP Chairman.
The Groups gave their blessing to the new initiative of the NDM and stated
their willingness to fall behind the Prince in support of whatever the NDM
will metamorphose into as far as he is there. They all promised to ensure
that the Movement takes a firm root within the region. Below are some of
the resolutions reached by the groups.
1. All the Groups including the Organised opposition parties passed a
motion supporting and embracing the whole concept and spirit of the NDM.
II. They also mandated the Prince to represent and defend the interest of
all the Groups in the whole NDM arrangement.
III. They called on the NDM to emulate the ideals and the initiative of
the Prince in forming FOOPP comprising of 46 political parties in Rivers
State by reaching out to more political parties and stakeholders with a
view to assemble a formidable force to confront the PDP.
IV. They called on the leader Prince Tonye Princewill and the leadership
of NDM as presently constituted to prevail on the Rivers state Action
Congress to allow for a level playing field for intending members of the
NDM.
V. They pleaded to be carried along and more involved in the NDM not just
as individuals or as states but as a region.
Comrade Cletus Obunu who spoke on behalf of the four South-South States in
attendance, Bayelsa, Rivers, CRS and Akwa Ibom assure Prince Tonye
Princewill of their continued support and promised to effectively mobilize
back in their various states.
In his discussions with the various groups, Prince Tonye Princewill
articulated the importance for every group to understand that the period
of relegating affairs pertaining to the South - South region to the
background in the Nation’s polity is a thing of the past. To achieve this,
he said there is a need to, “take our destiny into our hands, since no
other region can fight our cause better than we can”. He further
reiterated the need to unite as a common force to be relevant in the
political vehicle that is poised to sweep out the disaster that is PDP. He
reminded everyone that the main reason why this step is different from
previous attempts aside from the calibre of persons involved is that for
the first time the process of respecting people’s mandate will begin from
within internal democracy is the watchword in this new Movement. Nigerians
should forget the insinuation going on in some quarters that either Alhaji
‘A’ or Mr. ‘B’ has been selected to fly the flag of the new Movement as
everybody interested in any political office within the new Movement will
be subjected to the will of members and Nigerians in general. We are in it
to assure that our country is respected all over the world as a democratic
nation.
In appreciation to all the Groups, Prince Tonye Princewill thanked them
for the confidence reposed in him and assured them that he will continue
to do his best to make sure all interests are represented in the scheme of
things by ensuring that their views and feelings are captured in the plan
of actions of NDM.
A minute’s silence was observed before and after each meeting as a mark of
respect for the victims (mainly defenceless women and children) of the
recent Jos massacre. Rivers state AC wonders how so many innocents can
simply disappear like the wind without a care in the world. Is security of
lives and property no longer the preserve of government? Can we not assure
the future of our country rested in our children and in our mothers of
being able to go to sleep and wake up in basic security? Our leader was
bred in Jos and lived in its outskirts in his early years. By implication
this means that he could have been one of those children or one of those
children could be him. What kind of Nigeria are we building?
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
Rivers State AC Publicity Secretary
AKANIMO SAMPSON
UTUAMA, DELTA DEP GOV, CHALLENGES JAMB ON INTEGRITY
DELTA State Deputy Governor, Amos Utuama, a law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has challenged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to protect the integrity of its qualifying examinations into institutions of higher learning in the country.
Utuama made this challenge while the Chairman and Registrar of JAMB, Sam Ukpabi and Dibu Ojerinde, both of them professors respectively on a courtesy call in his office on Thursday in Asaba, the state capital.
The deputy governor who is also a one time sub-dean of Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos, observed that at the moment there was no correlation between the performance of students in the qualifying examination and their performances in their various departments.
“I think one way to protect the integrity of the qualifying exams is that there should be some correlation between the performances of students in the qualifying exams and their performances in the various departments,” he said.
He however, commended the initiative of the board, in unifying the qualifying examinations, but reasoned that beyond that measure, efforts must be made to ensure that students’ performance at the examination were true reflections of their academic abilities.
The state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in his goodwill address to the JAMB coordinators meeting for the 2010 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which held in Asaba, commended the board “for the speedy way in which results of its examination have been released in recent times.
“I want to believe that this innovation (unification) by your board will enhance access to tertiary education by prospective candidates and bring to an end, the disturbing perennial problem of admission, which has adversely affected our children over the years.”
JAMB registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde had in his remarks explained that the unification would enable candidates seeking admission “to universities, monotechnics/polytechnics and or colleges of education (to) sit for the same matriculation.”
This he explained, besides its cost effectiveness, was one sure way of removing the dichotomy that exists between university graduates and their polytechnic counterparts.
Ojerinde informed that the “meeting with the coordinators of the boards examination is intended to assist in mapping out plans and fine-tuning arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 2010 UTME.
ENDS
UTUAMA, DELTA DEP GOV, CHALLENGES JAMB ON INTEGRITY
DELTA State Deputy Governor, Amos Utuama, a law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has challenged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to protect the integrity of its qualifying examinations into institutions of higher learning in the country.
Utuama made this challenge while the Chairman and Registrar of JAMB, Sam Ukpabi and Dibu Ojerinde, both of them professors respectively on a courtesy call in his office on Thursday in Asaba, the state capital.
The deputy governor who is also a one time sub-dean of Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos, observed that at the moment there was no correlation between the performance of students in the qualifying examination and their performances in their various departments.
“I think one way to protect the integrity of the qualifying exams is that there should be some correlation between the performances of students in the qualifying exams and their performances in the various departments,” he said.
He however, commended the initiative of the board, in unifying the qualifying examinations, but reasoned that beyond that measure, efforts must be made to ensure that students’ performance at the examination were true reflections of their academic abilities.
The state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in his goodwill address to the JAMB coordinators meeting for the 2010 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which held in Asaba, commended the board “for the speedy way in which results of its examination have been released in recent times.
“I want to believe that this innovation (unification) by your board will enhance access to tertiary education by prospective candidates and bring to an end, the disturbing perennial problem of admission, which has adversely affected our children over the years.”
JAMB registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde had in his remarks explained that the unification would enable candidates seeking admission “to universities, monotechnics/polytechnics and or colleges of education (to) sit for the same matriculation.”
This he explained, besides its cost effectiveness, was one sure way of removing the dichotomy that exists between university graduates and their polytechnic counterparts.
Ojerinde informed that the “meeting with the coordinators of the boards examination is intended to assist in mapping out plans and fine-tuning arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 2010 UTME.
ENDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EKPEYE PEOPLE APPEAL FOR AMENDMENT OF LOCAL GOVT. LAW …. PETITIONS GOVERNOR AMAECHI
A group of concerned indigenes of Ekpeyeland in Rivers State have appealed for an amendment of the State Local Government Law on five per cent stipends for Traditional Rulers.
The appeal is contained in a letter presented to the State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi today during a peaceful protest by some chiefs, elders and youths of Ekpeyeland to Government House Port Harcourt.
Presenting the letter, the Secretary, Eze Ekpeye Logbo in-Council, P. C. Eze Ihua Maduenyi explained that the appeal became necessary because if the law was not amended to reflect the homogenous status of Ekpeye people, it could balkanize the traditional and cultural heritage of the people.
According to him, “the law as it is could also deprive Ekpeye people of Ahoada East extraction the opportunity to aspire to the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo in future”.
Eze Ihua Maduenyi, who is also the Eze Igbu Ehuda (Ahoada III) maintained that since Ahoada has been the traditional headquarters of Ekpeye kingdom, the creation of Ahoada West and Ahoada East as separate Local Government Areas should not on its own, relocate the site of the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo to Akinima in Ahoada West.
He pointed out that the law as passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly on the provision of five per cent stipends for the kingdom, “excised the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo to Ahoada West whereas the sit of the stool is in Ahoada Town, Headquarters of Ahoada East Local Government Area”.
The amendment of the law, he maintained, would ensure “one indivisible ethnic nationality with the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo remaining a unifying factor and the highest chieftaincy stool that binds Ekpeye people together in keeping with the dream of their forefathers”.
Receiving the protesters at Government House, Port Harcourt, on behalf of the Governor, the Permanent Secretary Government House Mr Oguru Fortune Oguru assured them that their message would be taken to the Governor as soon as he returns from Abuja.
Mr Oguru, who explained that the creation of Local Government Areas was for administrative convenience and not to divide the people, urged them to remain peaceful and law abiding as the present administration was poised to protect the interest of all citizens.
BLESSING WIKINA
Ag. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
EKPEYE PEOPLE APPEAL FOR AMENDMENT OF LOCAL GOVT. LAW …. PETITIONS GOVERNOR AMAECHI
A group of concerned indigenes of Ekpeyeland in Rivers State have appealed for an amendment of the State Local Government Law on five per cent stipends for Traditional Rulers.
The appeal is contained in a letter presented to the State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi today during a peaceful protest by some chiefs, elders and youths of Ekpeyeland to Government House Port Harcourt.
Presenting the letter, the Secretary, Eze Ekpeye Logbo in-Council, P. C. Eze Ihua Maduenyi explained that the appeal became necessary because if the law was not amended to reflect the homogenous status of Ekpeye people, it could balkanize the traditional and cultural heritage of the people.
According to him, “the law as it is could also deprive Ekpeye people of Ahoada East extraction the opportunity to aspire to the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo in future”.
Eze Ihua Maduenyi, who is also the Eze Igbu Ehuda (Ahoada III) maintained that since Ahoada has been the traditional headquarters of Ekpeye kingdom, the creation of Ahoada West and Ahoada East as separate Local Government Areas should not on its own, relocate the site of the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo to Akinima in Ahoada West.
He pointed out that the law as passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly on the provision of five per cent stipends for the kingdom, “excised the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo to Ahoada West whereas the sit of the stool is in Ahoada Town, Headquarters of Ahoada East Local Government Area”.
The amendment of the law, he maintained, would ensure “one indivisible ethnic nationality with the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo remaining a unifying factor and the highest chieftaincy stool that binds Ekpeye people together in keeping with the dream of their forefathers”.
Receiving the protesters at Government House, Port Harcourt, on behalf of the Governor, the Permanent Secretary Government House Mr Oguru Fortune Oguru assured them that their message would be taken to the Governor as soon as he returns from Abuja.
Mr Oguru, who explained that the creation of Local Government Areas was for administrative convenience and not to divide the people, urged them to remain peaceful and law abiding as the present administration was poised to protect the interest of all citizens.
BLESSING WIKINA
Ag. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
AKANIMO SAMPSON
PROBE JOS MASSACRE, US RIGHTS GROUP TELLS JONATHAN
HUMAN Rights Watch (HRW), a United States based global human rights federation, has called on Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, to probes the massacre of at least 200 Christian villagers in Jos, the troubled Plateau State capital, on March 7, 2010.
The US rights group while pushing for a thorough and prompt investigation of the incident with a view to prosecuting those responsible, claimed that Nigeria is deeply divided along ethnic and religious lines.
According to them, ''more than 13,500 people have died in religious or ethnic clashes since the end of military rule in 1999. The outbreak of violence south of Jos on March 7 is the latest in a series of deadly incidents in and around Plateau State''.
In an e-mail to our correspondent on Friday, Corinne Dufka, senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch added, ''the acting president should also ensure that the military and the police act swiftly to protect civilians of all ethnicities at risk of further attacks or reprisal killings, including by conducting regular patrols throughout the vulnerable region''.
The latest killings in the country's restive Plateau state took place in the early morning hours of March 7, when groups of men armed with guns, machetes, and knives attacked residents of the villages of Dogo Nahawa, Zot, and Ratsat, 10 kilometers south of Jos. The dead included scores of women and children.
"This kind of terrible violence has left thousands dead in Plateau State in the past decade, but no one has been held accountable," said Corinne Dufka, the HRW senior researcher . "It's time to draw a line in the sand. The authorities need to protect these communities, bring the perpetrators to book, and address the root causes of violence."
Witnesses interviewed by the rights group said the attacks were committed by Muslim men speaking Hausa and Fulani against Christians, mostly of the Berom ethnicity.
Civil society leaders in Jos said that the attacks appeared to be in retaliation for previous attacks against Muslim communities in the area and the theft of cattle from Fulani herdsmen. On January 19, more than 150 Muslim residents were killed in an attack on the nearby town of Kuru Karama.
The witnesses said that groups of armed men attacked the largely Christian village of Dogo Nahawa at around 3 a.m. After surrounding the town, they hunted down and attacked Christian residents, killing many as they tried to flee and burning many others alive. The witnesses said they believed some of the attackers had previously lived in their villages before fleeing during inter-communal tension in 2001, 2008, and earlier in 2010.
Witnesses to the killings, community leaders from Jos, and journalists who visited the villages told Human Rights Watch that they saw bodies, including corpses of young children and babies, inside houses, strewn around the streets, and in the pathways leading out of the villages. A Christian leader who participated today in a mass burial of 67 bodies in Dogo Nahawa said that about 375 people are dead or still missing. Journalists and community leaders who visited the town said that many homes, cars, and other property were burned and destroyed.
"These attacks we see as reprisal attacks from the crisis in January," the Plateau State police spokesperson, Mohammed Lerama, told Human Rights Watch. According to official police figures, the police have so far arrested 98 people in connection with the attacks.
Goodluck Jonathan, who on February 9 was named acting president by Nigeria's National Assembly, responded to the January violence by deploying additional troops to the streets of Jos and surrounding communities.
''The military presence and patrols have been largely limited to major roads and towns and have not protected many of the smaller communities'', HRW said
After the worst of the mid-January violence in and around the nearby town of Kuru Karama, Jonathan pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. "Those found to have engineered, encouraged or fanned the embers of this crisis through their actions or pronouncements will be arrested and speedily brought to justice," he said. "We will not allow anyone to hide under the canopy of group action to evade justice. Crime, in all its gravity, is an individual responsibility, not a communal affair."
While Jonathan's commitments are a step in the right direction, they need to be followed with credible investigations and prosecutions, the rights group said. ENDS
PROBE JOS MASSACRE, US RIGHTS GROUP TELLS JONATHAN
HUMAN Rights Watch (HRW), a United States based global human rights federation, has called on Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, to probes the massacre of at least 200 Christian villagers in Jos, the troubled Plateau State capital, on March 7, 2010.
The US rights group while pushing for a thorough and prompt investigation of the incident with a view to prosecuting those responsible, claimed that Nigeria is deeply divided along ethnic and religious lines.
According to them, ''more than 13,500 people have died in religious or ethnic clashes since the end of military rule in 1999. The outbreak of violence south of Jos on March 7 is the latest in a series of deadly incidents in and around Plateau State''.
In an e-mail to our correspondent on Friday, Corinne Dufka, senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch added, ''the acting president should also ensure that the military and the police act swiftly to protect civilians of all ethnicities at risk of further attacks or reprisal killings, including by conducting regular patrols throughout the vulnerable region''.
The latest killings in the country's restive Plateau state took place in the early morning hours of March 7, when groups of men armed with guns, machetes, and knives attacked residents of the villages of Dogo Nahawa, Zot, and Ratsat, 10 kilometers south of Jos. The dead included scores of women and children.
"This kind of terrible violence has left thousands dead in Plateau State in the past decade, but no one has been held accountable," said Corinne Dufka, the HRW senior researcher . "It's time to draw a line in the sand. The authorities need to protect these communities, bring the perpetrators to book, and address the root causes of violence."
Witnesses interviewed by the rights group said the attacks were committed by Muslim men speaking Hausa and Fulani against Christians, mostly of the Berom ethnicity.
Civil society leaders in Jos said that the attacks appeared to be in retaliation for previous attacks against Muslim communities in the area and the theft of cattle from Fulani herdsmen. On January 19, more than 150 Muslim residents were killed in an attack on the nearby town of Kuru Karama.
The witnesses said that groups of armed men attacked the largely Christian village of Dogo Nahawa at around 3 a.m. After surrounding the town, they hunted down and attacked Christian residents, killing many as they tried to flee and burning many others alive. The witnesses said they believed some of the attackers had previously lived in their villages before fleeing during inter-communal tension in 2001, 2008, and earlier in 2010.
Witnesses to the killings, community leaders from Jos, and journalists who visited the villages told Human Rights Watch that they saw bodies, including corpses of young children and babies, inside houses, strewn around the streets, and in the pathways leading out of the villages. A Christian leader who participated today in a mass burial of 67 bodies in Dogo Nahawa said that about 375 people are dead or still missing. Journalists and community leaders who visited the town said that many homes, cars, and other property were burned and destroyed.
"These attacks we see as reprisal attacks from the crisis in January," the Plateau State police spokesperson, Mohammed Lerama, told Human Rights Watch. According to official police figures, the police have so far arrested 98 people in connection with the attacks.
Goodluck Jonathan, who on February 9 was named acting president by Nigeria's National Assembly, responded to the January violence by deploying additional troops to the streets of Jos and surrounding communities.
''The military presence and patrols have been largely limited to major roads and towns and have not protected many of the smaller communities'', HRW said
After the worst of the mid-January violence in and around the nearby town of Kuru Karama, Jonathan pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. "Those found to have engineered, encouraged or fanned the embers of this crisis through their actions or pronouncements will be arrested and speedily brought to justice," he said. "We will not allow anyone to hide under the canopy of group action to evade justice. Crime, in all its gravity, is an individual responsibility, not a communal affair."
While Jonathan's commitments are a step in the right direction, they need to be followed with credible investigations and prosecutions, the rights group said. ENDS
KILLINGS CONTINUE IN SOMALIA, SAYS SCOOP
Over 43 people have been killed in the Somali capital of Mogadishu in the past two days in fighting between Shabab (al-Shabaab) insurgent forces, who on March 10 advanced to within one mile of the nation's presidential palace, and troops of the U.S.-backed Transitional Federal Government. The fighting has just begun.
The last ambassador of the United States to Somalia (1994-1995), Daniel H. Simpson, penned a column for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on March 10 in which which he posed the question "why, apart from the only lightly documented charge of Islamic extremism among the Shabab, is the United States reengaging in Somalia at this time?"
He answered it in stating "Part of the reason is because the United States has its only base in Africa up the coast from Mogadishu, in Djibouti, the former French Somaliland. The U.S. Africa Command was established there in 2008, and, absent the willingness of other African countries to host it, the base in Djibouti became the headquarters for U.S. troops and fighter bombers in Africa.
"Flush with money, in spite of the expensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Department of Defense obviously feels itself in a position to undertake military action in Africa, in Somalia." [1]
Fulfilling its appointed role, the New York Times leaked U.S. military plans for the current offensive in Somalia on March 5 in a report titled "U.S. Aiding Somalia in Its Plan to Retake Its Capital." (Note that the Transitional Federal Government is presented as Somalia itself and Mogadishu as its capital.)
The tone of the feature was of course one of approval and endorsement of the Pentagon's rationale for directly intervening in Somalia at a level not seen since 1993 and support for proxy actions last witnessed with the invasion by Ethiopia in 2006. The report began with a description of a military surveillance plane circling over the Somali capital and a quote from the new chief of staff of the nation's armed forces, General Mohamed Gelle Kahiye: “It’s the Americans. They’re helping us.”
Afterward "An American official in Washington, who said he was not authorized to speak publicly" - a hallmark of the American free press - was, if not identified, quoted as maintaining that U.S. covert operations were planned if not already underway and “What you’re likely to see is airstrikes and Special Ops moving in, hitting and getting out.” [2]
The New York Times also provided background information regarding the current offensive:
"Over the past several months, American advisers have helped supervise the training of the Somali forces to be deployed in the offensive....The Americans have provided covert training to Somali intelligence officers, logistical support to the peacekeepers, fuel for the maneuvers, surveillance information about insurgent positions and money for bullets and guns." [3]
Four days later General William ("Kip") Ward, commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In his introductory remarks the chairman of the committee, Senator Carl Levin, reinforced recent American attempts to expand the scope of the deepening Afghanistan-Pakistan war, the deadliest and lengthiest in the world, to the west and south in stating that "al Qaeda and violent extremists who share their ideology are not just located in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region but in places like Somalia, Mali, Nigeria and Niger." [4]
In his formal report Ward pursued a similar tact and expanded the Pentagon's "counter-terrorism" (CT) area of responsibility yet further from South Asia: "U.S. Africa Command has focused the majority of its CT capacity building activities in East Africa on Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda, which - aside from Somalia - are the countries directly threatened by terrorists." [5]
He also spoke of the current offensive by "the transition government to reclaim parts of Mogadishu," stating "I think it's something that we would look to do and support." [6]
Senator Levin and General Ward included eight African nations in the broader Afghan war category of Operation Enduring Freedom, countries from the far northeast of the continent (the Horn of Africa) to the far west (the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea). The U.S. military has already been involved in counterinsurgency operations in Mali and Niger against ethnic Tuareg rebels, who have no conceivable ties to al-Qaeda, not that one would know that from Levin's comments.
In between South Asia and Africa lies Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. The New York Times report cited earlier reminded readers that "The United States is increasingly concerned about the link between Somalia and Yemen." Indeed as Levin's comments quoted above establish, Washington (along with its NATO allies) is forging an expanded war front from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Yemen and into Africa. [7]
That extension of the South Asia war has not gone unobserved in world capitals, and earlier this year Russian political analyst Andrei Fedyashin commented: "Adding up all four fronts - if the United States ventured an attack on Yemen and Somalia - America would have to invade a territory equal to three-fourths of Western Europe; and it is hardly strong enough for that." [8]
Strong enough or not, that is just what the White House and the Pentagon are doing. The only other objection that can be raised to the above author's description is that it too severely narrows the intended battlefront.
In the past six months Somali troops have been sent to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda for combat training and "most are now back in the capital, waiting to fight."
In addition, "There are also about 5,000 Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers, with 1,700 more on their way, and they are expected to play a vital role in backing up advancing Somali forces." [9]
Last October the U.S. led ten days of military exercises in Uganda - Natural Fire 10 - with 450 American troops and over 550 from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The U.S. soldiers were deployed from Camp Lemonier (Lemonnier) in Djibouti, home to the Pentagon's Joint Task Force/Horn of Africa and over 2,000 U.S. forces. The de facto headquarters of AFRICOM.
At the time of the maneuvers a major Ugandan newspaper wrote that they were "geared towards the formation of the first Joint East African Military Force." [10]
In addition to using such a multinational regional force in Somalia, the U.S. can also deploy it against Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in Uganda, Congo and Sudan, and could even employ it against Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Sudan, along with Somalia the only nations on the African continent not to some degree enmeshed in military partnerships with Washington and NATO. (Libya has participated in NATO naval exercises and South Africa has hosted the bloc's warships.) [11]
Earlier this month the Kenyan newspaper The East African divulged that "American legislators are pushing for a law that will see another phase of military action to apprehend Lord’s Resistance Army rebels."
The news source added that the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Bill adopted by the U.S. Congress last year "requires the US government to develop a new multifaceted strategy" and as such the new bill under consideration "will not be the first time the US government is providing support to the Uganda army in fighting the LRA.
"The US has been backing the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Force] with logistics and training to fight the rebel group." [12]
Last month it was announced that the U.S. Africa Command has dispatched special forces to train 1,000 Congolese troops in the north and east of their nation, where Congo borders Uganda.
Former U.S. diplomat Daniel Simpson was quoted above as to what in part is Washington's motive in pursuing a new war in and around Somalia: To test out AFRICOM ground and air forces in Djibouti for direct military action on the continent.
A United Press International report of March 10, placed under energy news, offered another explanation. In a feature titled "East Africa is next hot oil zone," the news agency disclosed that "East Africa is emerging as the next oil boom following a big strike in Uganda's Lake Albert Basin. Other oil and natural gas reserves have been found in Tanzania and Mozambique and exploration is under way in Ethiopia and even war-torn Somalia."
The region is, in the words of the Western chief executive officer of an oil prospecting firm, "the last real high-potential area in the world that hasn't been fully explored." [13]
The article added: "The discovery at Lake Albert, in the center of Africa between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is estimated to contain the equivalent of several billion barrels of oil. It is likely to be the biggest onshore field found south of the Sahara Desert in two decades."
It also spoke of "a vast 135,000-square-mile territory in landlocked Ethiopia that is believed to contain sizable reserves of oil. It is estimated to hold 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas as well."
And, more pertinent to the Horn of Africa:
"A 1993 study by Petroconsultants of Geneva concluded that Somalia has two of the most potentially interesting hydrocarbon-yielding basins in the entire region - one in the central Mudugh region, the other in the Gulf of Aden More recent analyses indicate that Somalia could have reserves of up to 10 billion barrels." [14]
Washington's North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies are also deeply involved in the militarization of East Africa.
On March 10 NATO extended its naval operation in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Ocean Shield, to the end of 2012, an unprecedentedly long 33-month extension. On March 12 "Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 will take over missions from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 for the four-month assignment. The change will increase NATO’s contribution from four ships to five ships...." [15]
At the same hearings of the Senate Armed Services Committee that AFRICOM commander William Ward addressed, NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, America's Admiral James Stavridis, "noted that 100,000 NATO troops are involved in expeditionary operations on three continents, including operations in Afghanistan, off the coast of Africa, and in Bosnia." (Evidently Kosovo was meant for Bosnia.)
Stavridis, who is concurrently top military chief of U.S. European Command, said “The nature of threats in this 21st century [is] going to demand more than just sitting behind our borders.” [16]
He also said he finds "Iran alarming in any number of dimensions,” specifically mentioning alleged "state-sponsored terrorism, nuclear proliferation and political outreach into Latin America." [17]
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen recently returned from Jordan and the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain where he pressured both nations to support the war in Afghanistan and Alliance naval operations.
NATO's top official said [on March 9] that he has asked Jordan and Bahrain to contribute to alliance naval operations fighting terrorism and piracy in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden, as he ended a visit to the two countries. NATO is keen to improve cooperation with Arab and Muslim states, seeing them as important allies for a number of missions, including the all-important deployment in Afghanistan." [18]
Regarding the Western military bloc's almost nine-year Operation Active Endeavor in the entire Mediterranean Sea and its Operation Ocean Shield in the Gulf of Aden, Rasmussen said, "We would very much like to strengthen cooperation (with Bahrain and Jordan) within these operations." [19]
While in Jordan he was strengthening military ties with NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue partnership - Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia - and in Bahrain firming up the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative aimed at the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have military personnel serving under NATO in Afghanistan.
In late February a delegation of the 53-nation African Union (AU) visited NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium.
"NATO continues to support the AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) through the provision of strategic sea- and air-lift for AMISOM Troop Contributing Nations on request. The last airlift support occurred in June 2008 when NATO transported a battalion of Burundian peacekeepers to Mogadishu." [20]
On March 10 AMISON deployed tanks to prevent the capture of the Somali presidential palace by rebels.
The North Atlantic military bloc, which in recent years has conducted large-scale exercises in West Africa and inaugurated its international Response Force in Cape Verde in 2006, also supports "the operationalisation of the African Standby Force – the African Union's vision for a continental, on-call security apparatus similar to the NATO Response Force." [21]
In May the European Union, whose membership largely overlaps with that of NATO and which is engaged in intense integration with the military bloc on a global scale [22], will begin training 2,000 Somali troops in Uganda.
Brigadier General Thierry Caspar-Fille-Lambie, commanding officer of French armed forces in Djibouti, said "the Somali troops will be trained with the necessary military skills to help pacify and stabilize the volatile country."
He issued that statement "at the closing ceremony of four-week French operational training of 1,700 Ugandan troops to be deployed" to Somalia in May. The French ambassador to Uganda said "The EU troops shall work in close collaboration with UPDF to train Somali troops." [23]
The 2,000 soldiers to be trained by the EU will represent a full third of a projected 6,000-troop Somali army.
The U.S.-NATO-EU global triad plans an even larger collective military role in the new scramble for Africa. On March 4 and 5 a delegation from AFRICOM met with European Union officials in Brussels "seeking EU cooperation in Africa," specifically in "areas where cooperation could be possible, notably with the soon-to-be-launched EU mission to train Somali troops." [24]
Tony Holmes, AFRICOM’s deputy to the commander for civil-military activities, said "Somalia, that’s an area where we’re going to be doing a lot more, the European Union is already doing a lot and will be doing more....
“Somalia is very important for us. The European Union is involved in training Somalis in Uganda and that’s something we might be able to work closely with to support.”
The AFRICOM delegation, including Major-General Richard Sherlock, director of strategy, plans and programs, also discussed "counter-terrorism cooperation with the EU in the Sahel region, notably in Mauritania, Mali and Niger..." [25]
In late January the chairman of NATO's Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, said "that the Alliance is in discussion with a Gulf state to deploy AWACS planes for a reconnaissance mission over Afghanistan in support of its ISAF mission and also for anti-piracy off Somalia." [24]
To demonstrate that NATO's anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia has other designs than the one acknowledged, early this year a NATO spokesman announced that the bloc's naval contingent in the Gulf of Aden "now has an additional task" to intervene against a fictional deployment of Somali fighters across the Gulf to Yemen.
The spokesman, Jacqui Sheriff, said "NATO warships will be on the lookout for anything suspicious." [25]
As though Somali al-Shabaab fighters have nothing else to do as the U.S. is engineering an all-out assault on them in their homeland.
Five days after the New York Times feature detailed American war plans in Somalia, the Washington Times followed up on and added to that report.
U.S. operations are "likely to be the most overt demonstration of U.S. military backing since the ill-fated Operation Restore Hope of 1992...."
"Unmanned U.S. surveillance aircraft have been seen circling over Mogadishu in recent days, apparently pinpointing insurgent positions as the TFG [Transitional Federal Government] marshals its forces. U.S. Army advisers have been helping train the TFG's forces, which have been largely equipped with millions of dollars' worth of U.S. arms airlifted into Mogadishu over the last few weeks."
The newspaper report further stated: "It's not clear when the offensive will start. The word on the street is sometime in the next few weeks...."
The campaign has already begun.
"After securing Mogadishu, the offensive, supported by militias allied with the government, for now, at least, is likely to continue against al-Shebab in the countryside west and south toward the border with Kenya."
Over 43 people have been killed in the Somali capital of Mogadishu in the past two days in fighting between Shabab (al-Shabaab) insurgent forces, who on March 10 advanced to within one mile of the nation's presidential palace, and troops of the U.S.-backed Transitional Federal Government. The fighting has just begun.
The last ambassador of the United States to Somalia (1994-1995), Daniel H. Simpson, penned a column for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on March 10 in which which he posed the question "why, apart from the only lightly documented charge of Islamic extremism among the Shabab, is the United States reengaging in Somalia at this time?"
He answered it in stating "Part of the reason is because the United States has its only base in Africa up the coast from Mogadishu, in Djibouti, the former French Somaliland. The U.S. Africa Command was established there in 2008, and, absent the willingness of other African countries to host it, the base in Djibouti became the headquarters for U.S. troops and fighter bombers in Africa.
"Flush with money, in spite of the expensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Department of Defense obviously feels itself in a position to undertake military action in Africa, in Somalia." [1]
Fulfilling its appointed role, the New York Times leaked U.S. military plans for the current offensive in Somalia on March 5 in a report titled "U.S. Aiding Somalia in Its Plan to Retake Its Capital." (Note that the Transitional Federal Government is presented as Somalia itself and Mogadishu as its capital.)
The tone of the feature was of course one of approval and endorsement of the Pentagon's rationale for directly intervening in Somalia at a level not seen since 1993 and support for proxy actions last witnessed with the invasion by Ethiopia in 2006. The report began with a description of a military surveillance plane circling over the Somali capital and a quote from the new chief of staff of the nation's armed forces, General Mohamed Gelle Kahiye: “It’s the Americans. They’re helping us.”
Afterward "An American official in Washington, who said he was not authorized to speak publicly" - a hallmark of the American free press - was, if not identified, quoted as maintaining that U.S. covert operations were planned if not already underway and “What you’re likely to see is airstrikes and Special Ops moving in, hitting and getting out.” [2]
The New York Times also provided background information regarding the current offensive:
"Over the past several months, American advisers have helped supervise the training of the Somali forces to be deployed in the offensive....The Americans have provided covert training to Somali intelligence officers, logistical support to the peacekeepers, fuel for the maneuvers, surveillance information about insurgent positions and money for bullets and guns." [3]
Four days later General William ("Kip") Ward, commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In his introductory remarks the chairman of the committee, Senator Carl Levin, reinforced recent American attempts to expand the scope of the deepening Afghanistan-Pakistan war, the deadliest and lengthiest in the world, to the west and south in stating that "al Qaeda and violent extremists who share their ideology are not just located in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region but in places like Somalia, Mali, Nigeria and Niger." [4]
In his formal report Ward pursued a similar tact and expanded the Pentagon's "counter-terrorism" (CT) area of responsibility yet further from South Asia: "U.S. Africa Command has focused the majority of its CT capacity building activities in East Africa on Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda, which - aside from Somalia - are the countries directly threatened by terrorists." [5]
He also spoke of the current offensive by "the transition government to reclaim parts of Mogadishu," stating "I think it's something that we would look to do and support." [6]
Senator Levin and General Ward included eight African nations in the broader Afghan war category of Operation Enduring Freedom, countries from the far northeast of the continent (the Horn of Africa) to the far west (the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea). The U.S. military has already been involved in counterinsurgency operations in Mali and Niger against ethnic Tuareg rebels, who have no conceivable ties to al-Qaeda, not that one would know that from Levin's comments.
In between South Asia and Africa lies Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. The New York Times report cited earlier reminded readers that "The United States is increasingly concerned about the link between Somalia and Yemen." Indeed as Levin's comments quoted above establish, Washington (along with its NATO allies) is forging an expanded war front from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Yemen and into Africa. [7]
That extension of the South Asia war has not gone unobserved in world capitals, and earlier this year Russian political analyst Andrei Fedyashin commented: "Adding up all four fronts - if the United States ventured an attack on Yemen and Somalia - America would have to invade a territory equal to three-fourths of Western Europe; and it is hardly strong enough for that." [8]
Strong enough or not, that is just what the White House and the Pentagon are doing. The only other objection that can be raised to the above author's description is that it too severely narrows the intended battlefront.
In the past six months Somali troops have been sent to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda for combat training and "most are now back in the capital, waiting to fight."
In addition, "There are also about 5,000 Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers, with 1,700 more on their way, and they are expected to play a vital role in backing up advancing Somali forces." [9]
Last October the U.S. led ten days of military exercises in Uganda - Natural Fire 10 - with 450 American troops and over 550 from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The U.S. soldiers were deployed from Camp Lemonier (Lemonnier) in Djibouti, home to the Pentagon's Joint Task Force/Horn of Africa and over 2,000 U.S. forces. The de facto headquarters of AFRICOM.
At the time of the maneuvers a major Ugandan newspaper wrote that they were "geared towards the formation of the first Joint East African Military Force." [10]
In addition to using such a multinational regional force in Somalia, the U.S. can also deploy it against Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in Uganda, Congo and Sudan, and could even employ it against Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Sudan, along with Somalia the only nations on the African continent not to some degree enmeshed in military partnerships with Washington and NATO. (Libya has participated in NATO naval exercises and South Africa has hosted the bloc's warships.) [11]
Earlier this month the Kenyan newspaper The East African divulged that "American legislators are pushing for a law that will see another phase of military action to apprehend Lord’s Resistance Army rebels."
The news source added that the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Bill adopted by the U.S. Congress last year "requires the US government to develop a new multifaceted strategy" and as such the new bill under consideration "will not be the first time the US government is providing support to the Uganda army in fighting the LRA.
"The US has been backing the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Force] with logistics and training to fight the rebel group." [12]
Last month it was announced that the U.S. Africa Command has dispatched special forces to train 1,000 Congolese troops in the north and east of their nation, where Congo borders Uganda.
Former U.S. diplomat Daniel Simpson was quoted above as to what in part is Washington's motive in pursuing a new war in and around Somalia: To test out AFRICOM ground and air forces in Djibouti for direct military action on the continent.
A United Press International report of March 10, placed under energy news, offered another explanation. In a feature titled "East Africa is next hot oil zone," the news agency disclosed that "East Africa is emerging as the next oil boom following a big strike in Uganda's Lake Albert Basin. Other oil and natural gas reserves have been found in Tanzania and Mozambique and exploration is under way in Ethiopia and even war-torn Somalia."
The region is, in the words of the Western chief executive officer of an oil prospecting firm, "the last real high-potential area in the world that hasn't been fully explored." [13]
The article added: "The discovery at Lake Albert, in the center of Africa between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is estimated to contain the equivalent of several billion barrels of oil. It is likely to be the biggest onshore field found south of the Sahara Desert in two decades."
It also spoke of "a vast 135,000-square-mile territory in landlocked Ethiopia that is believed to contain sizable reserves of oil. It is estimated to hold 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas as well."
And, more pertinent to the Horn of Africa:
"A 1993 study by Petroconsultants of Geneva concluded that Somalia has two of the most potentially interesting hydrocarbon-yielding basins in the entire region - one in the central Mudugh region, the other in the Gulf of Aden More recent analyses indicate that Somalia could have reserves of up to 10 billion barrels." [14]
Washington's North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies are also deeply involved in the militarization of East Africa.
On March 10 NATO extended its naval operation in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Ocean Shield, to the end of 2012, an unprecedentedly long 33-month extension. On March 12 "Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 will take over missions from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 for the four-month assignment. The change will increase NATO’s contribution from four ships to five ships...." [15]
At the same hearings of the Senate Armed Services Committee that AFRICOM commander William Ward addressed, NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, America's Admiral James Stavridis, "noted that 100,000 NATO troops are involved in expeditionary operations on three continents, including operations in Afghanistan, off the coast of Africa, and in Bosnia." (Evidently Kosovo was meant for Bosnia.)
Stavridis, who is concurrently top military chief of U.S. European Command, said “The nature of threats in this 21st century [is] going to demand more than just sitting behind our borders.” [16]
He also said he finds "Iran alarming in any number of dimensions,” specifically mentioning alleged "state-sponsored terrorism, nuclear proliferation and political outreach into Latin America." [17]
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen recently returned from Jordan and the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain where he pressured both nations to support the war in Afghanistan and Alliance naval operations.
NATO's top official said [on March 9] that he has asked Jordan and Bahrain to contribute to alliance naval operations fighting terrorism and piracy in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden, as he ended a visit to the two countries. NATO is keen to improve cooperation with Arab and Muslim states, seeing them as important allies for a number of missions, including the all-important deployment in Afghanistan." [18]
Regarding the Western military bloc's almost nine-year Operation Active Endeavor in the entire Mediterranean Sea and its Operation Ocean Shield in the Gulf of Aden, Rasmussen said, "We would very much like to strengthen cooperation (with Bahrain and Jordan) within these operations." [19]
While in Jordan he was strengthening military ties with NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue partnership - Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia - and in Bahrain firming up the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative aimed at the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have military personnel serving under NATO in Afghanistan.
In late February a delegation of the 53-nation African Union (AU) visited NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium.
"NATO continues to support the AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) through the provision of strategic sea- and air-lift for AMISOM Troop Contributing Nations on request. The last airlift support occurred in June 2008 when NATO transported a battalion of Burundian peacekeepers to Mogadishu." [20]
On March 10 AMISON deployed tanks to prevent the capture of the Somali presidential palace by rebels.
The North Atlantic military bloc, which in recent years has conducted large-scale exercises in West Africa and inaugurated its international Response Force in Cape Verde in 2006, also supports "the operationalisation of the African Standby Force – the African Union's vision for a continental, on-call security apparatus similar to the NATO Response Force." [21]
In May the European Union, whose membership largely overlaps with that of NATO and which is engaged in intense integration with the military bloc on a global scale [22], will begin training 2,000 Somali troops in Uganda.
Brigadier General Thierry Caspar-Fille-Lambie, commanding officer of French armed forces in Djibouti, said "the Somali troops will be trained with the necessary military skills to help pacify and stabilize the volatile country."
He issued that statement "at the closing ceremony of four-week French operational training of 1,700 Ugandan troops to be deployed" to Somalia in May. The French ambassador to Uganda said "The EU troops shall work in close collaboration with UPDF to train Somali troops." [23]
The 2,000 soldiers to be trained by the EU will represent a full third of a projected 6,000-troop Somali army.
The U.S.-NATO-EU global triad plans an even larger collective military role in the new scramble for Africa. On March 4 and 5 a delegation from AFRICOM met with European Union officials in Brussels "seeking EU cooperation in Africa," specifically in "areas where cooperation could be possible, notably with the soon-to-be-launched EU mission to train Somali troops." [24]
Tony Holmes, AFRICOM’s deputy to the commander for civil-military activities, said "Somalia, that’s an area where we’re going to be doing a lot more, the European Union is already doing a lot and will be doing more....
“Somalia is very important for us. The European Union is involved in training Somalis in Uganda and that’s something we might be able to work closely with to support.”
The AFRICOM delegation, including Major-General Richard Sherlock, director of strategy, plans and programs, also discussed "counter-terrorism cooperation with the EU in the Sahel region, notably in Mauritania, Mali and Niger..." [25]
In late January the chairman of NATO's Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, said "that the Alliance is in discussion with a Gulf state to deploy AWACS planes for a reconnaissance mission over Afghanistan in support of its ISAF mission and also for anti-piracy off Somalia." [24]
To demonstrate that NATO's anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia has other designs than the one acknowledged, early this year a NATO spokesman announced that the bloc's naval contingent in the Gulf of Aden "now has an additional task" to intervene against a fictional deployment of Somali fighters across the Gulf to Yemen.
The spokesman, Jacqui Sheriff, said "NATO warships will be on the lookout for anything suspicious." [25]
As though Somali al-Shabaab fighters have nothing else to do as the U.S. is engineering an all-out assault on them in their homeland.
Five days after the New York Times feature detailed American war plans in Somalia, the Washington Times followed up on and added to that report.
U.S. operations are "likely to be the most overt demonstration of U.S. military backing since the ill-fated Operation Restore Hope of 1992...."
"Unmanned U.S. surveillance aircraft have been seen circling over Mogadishu in recent days, apparently pinpointing insurgent positions as the TFG [Transitional Federal Government] marshals its forces. U.S. Army advisers have been helping train the TFG's forces, which have been largely equipped with millions of dollars' worth of U.S. arms airlifted into Mogadishu over the last few weeks."
The newspaper report further stated: "It's not clear when the offensive will start. The word on the street is sometime in the next few weeks...."
The campaign has already begun.
"After securing Mogadishu, the offensive, supported by militias allied with the government, for now, at least, is likely to continue against al-Shebab in the countryside west and south toward the border with Kenya."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
RSG SETS UP PENSIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE
Following the sufferings experienced by Pensioners in the State Civil Service, the Rivers State Government has constituted an eight-member committee to review the process of pensions payment to retiring workers.
The Committee which has the Head of Service as Chairman include Director General Pensions Board, Director Pensions in the Ministry of Finance, Director Pensions in the Ministry of Establishments and Director Pensions (Audit) in the Office of the Auditor General.
Other members include the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Permanent Secretary Establishment and Director Pensions in Parastatals Pensions Board who is to serve as Secretary.
Inaugurating the Committee today in Port Harcourt on behalf of the State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Secretary to the State Government Hon. Magnus Abe, charged the Committee to review the current process of handling payment of pensions and gratuities to retired workers in the state.
Hon. Abe noted that the current process where retiring workers write letters of disengagement and move from office to office before tracing such letters was embarrassing to the state and those retiring from service after serving dutifully.
“The state government is determined to see that those who served the state do not suffer at the point of getting their pensions and gratuities”, Hon. Abe stated, emphasizing that the Committee was to review and reform the system so that those retiring would not face difficulties in getting their entitlements.
The Secretary to the State Government said on assumption of office two years ago, Governor Amaechi paid all outstanding arrears of pensions and gratuities to retired workers and wondered how pensioners are still suffering to ensure that their entitlements are given to them.
He therefore advised the Committee to take the assignment seriously and create a system whereby those retiring are given proper attention before leaving the service as a way of recognizing their contributions to the state.
Following the sufferings experienced by Pensioners in the State Civil Service, the Rivers State Government has constituted an eight-member committee to review the process of pensions payment to retiring workers.
The Committee which has the Head of Service as Chairman include Director General Pensions Board, Director Pensions in the Ministry of Finance, Director Pensions in the Ministry of Establishments and Director Pensions (Audit) in the Office of the Auditor General.
Other members include the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Permanent Secretary Establishment and Director Pensions in Parastatals Pensions Board who is to serve as Secretary.
Inaugurating the Committee today in Port Harcourt on behalf of the State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Secretary to the State Government Hon. Magnus Abe, charged the Committee to review the current process of handling payment of pensions and gratuities to retired workers in the state.
Hon. Abe noted that the current process where retiring workers write letters of disengagement and move from office to office before tracing such letters was embarrassing to the state and those retiring from service after serving dutifully.
“The state government is determined to see that those who served the state do not suffer at the point of getting their pensions and gratuities”, Hon. Abe stated, emphasizing that the Committee was to review and reform the system so that those retiring would not face difficulties in getting their entitlements.
The Secretary to the State Government said on assumption of office two years ago, Governor Amaechi paid all outstanding arrears of pensions and gratuities to retired workers and wondered how pensioners are still suffering to ensure that their entitlements are given to them.
He therefore advised the Committee to take the assignment seriously and create a system whereby those retiring are given proper attention before leaving the service as a way of recognizing their contributions to the state.
EMULATE MACEBUH, SYLVA ADVISES JOURNALISTS
Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State has urged journalists in the country to emulate the professional ideals of Dr. Stanley Macebuh, a seasoned journalist and essayist who died on Sunday at 67.
In a tribute to the late journalist, signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, Sylva said, “Macebuh practised journalism devoid of sensationalism, half-truth, and bare-faced lie, whether in his days at Daily Times, The Guardian, The Post Express, or The Sentinel.
“These titles under the editorial guidance of Macebuh never descended into the practice of emphasising the most lurid, shocking or emotive aspects of our society for selfish pecuniary advantages.”
The governor praised Macebuh as a “self-effacing professional, a forward-looking journalist who carefully considered his choice of subjects, knowing that the things he put into words and mass communicates could seriously affect the lives of other people and the character of society, generally.”
Sylva said, “Macebuh will forever live in our hearts and we will never forget the ideals he left for journalism.”
The governor prayed God to give Macebuh’s family the strength to bear the loss.
Macebuh died at National Hospital, Abuja, after an illness.
He was pioneer managing director of The Guardian and also pioneer managing director of the ThePost Publishing Company, and Editor-in-Chief of Post Express. His last public post before his death was Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
DOIFIE OLA
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State has urged journalists in the country to emulate the professional ideals of Dr. Stanley Macebuh, a seasoned journalist and essayist who died on Sunday at 67.
In a tribute to the late journalist, signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, Sylva said, “Macebuh practised journalism devoid of sensationalism, half-truth, and bare-faced lie, whether in his days at Daily Times, The Guardian, The Post Express, or The Sentinel.
“These titles under the editorial guidance of Macebuh never descended into the practice of emphasising the most lurid, shocking or emotive aspects of our society for selfish pecuniary advantages.”
The governor praised Macebuh as a “self-effacing professional, a forward-looking journalist who carefully considered his choice of subjects, knowing that the things he put into words and mass communicates could seriously affect the lives of other people and the character of society, generally.”
Sylva said, “Macebuh will forever live in our hearts and we will never forget the ideals he left for journalism.”
The governor prayed God to give Macebuh’s family the strength to bear the loss.
Macebuh died at National Hospital, Abuja, after an illness.
He was pioneer managing director of The Guardian and also pioneer managing director of the ThePost Publishing Company, and Editor-in-Chief of Post Express. His last public post before his death was Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
DOIFIE OLA
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
5000 ECOWAS FARMERS BENEFIT FROM $2.4M GERMAN-FAO DEAL
THE United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Tuesday that around 5000 West African farmers are currently able to take advantage of the growing popularity of organic foods in industrialized countries due to their $2.4 million German-backed programme that has helped the farmers meet the necessary certification and other requirements.
The market for organic and fair-trade products in developed countries is expected to grow by about five to ten percent per year over the next three years, offering new opportunities for smallholder farmers in poor countries. However, these poor farmers struggle to comply with high-level food standards in the developed countries and need to meet certification requirements.
Furthermore, to enter organic markets the farmers have first to go through a conversion period from conventional to organic agriculture during which they tend to incur higher costs as a result of applying new organic techniques without yet obtaining the higher prices usually associated with the organic label.
FAO projects in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and Sierra Leone helped farmer groups and small exporters overcome these challenges and take advantage of the remunerative markets. They increased their technical skills and improved product quality, which enabled farmers to obtain organic and fair-trade certification.
"Some farmer groups had never exported products before, at best they offered them to the local market at a low price. Most of them had a very low level of institutional capability, technical capacity and financial resources", FAO's Trade Economist Pascal Liu, said. "Now most of the groups have legal status, meet regularly, keep records and are now made up of ‘real members' who pay dues".
As a result of the improved structure and organization farmer groups are now in the position to draw up and negotiate contracts with an exporter.
"Some pineapple exporters from Ghana and Cameroon still see their exports increasing despite the economic crisis," said Cora Dankers, FAO's project officer. "One group in Cameroon, for example, not only found a buyer for their organic pineapples, but thanks to the cost analysis we did with them, they were also able to negotiate better terms with their long-term conventional buyer."
The project focused on all stages of the supply chain from production, harvesting and packaging to certification and marketing. The vital part of the project was to pay for the costly certification in the conversion period and to support better hygienic conditions to comply with high international quality standards.
"The project helped local farmers who normally expect direct financial help from institutions to adopt a more proactive attitude. Their economic situation and self-esteem has definitely improved because they can now sell their products on international markets at much better prices - something they could not even dream about only three years ago," Liu said.
In Ghana, for example, some 30 small-scale pineapple farmers managed to increase their sales from 26 to 116 tonnes, after having obtained organic certification.
The additional income generated through sale of certified products is mainly used for purchasing food or clothing, for paying school fees and for medical expenditures, thereby improving living conditions and food security.
The project's impact at the community level resulted in creating jobs for workers involved in the production of certified products as well as supportive services. Furthermore, the new organic production methods have also been adopted by farmers who are not members of the producer groups and some of them have already expressed the desire to join the groups.
The project also supported national networks of organic farmers, exporters and fair-trade organizations, including the Fédération National de l'Agriculture Biologique (FENAB) in Senegal. ENDS
5000 ECOWAS FARMERS BENEFIT FROM $2.4M GERMAN-FAO DEAL
THE United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Tuesday that around 5000 West African farmers are currently able to take advantage of the growing popularity of organic foods in industrialized countries due to their $2.4 million German-backed programme that has helped the farmers meet the necessary certification and other requirements.
The market for organic and fair-trade products in developed countries is expected to grow by about five to ten percent per year over the next three years, offering new opportunities for smallholder farmers in poor countries. However, these poor farmers struggle to comply with high-level food standards in the developed countries and need to meet certification requirements.
Furthermore, to enter organic markets the farmers have first to go through a conversion period from conventional to organic agriculture during which they tend to incur higher costs as a result of applying new organic techniques without yet obtaining the higher prices usually associated with the organic label.
FAO projects in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and Sierra Leone helped farmer groups and small exporters overcome these challenges and take advantage of the remunerative markets. They increased their technical skills and improved product quality, which enabled farmers to obtain organic and fair-trade certification.
"Some farmer groups had never exported products before, at best they offered them to the local market at a low price. Most of them had a very low level of institutional capability, technical capacity and financial resources", FAO's Trade Economist Pascal Liu, said. "Now most of the groups have legal status, meet regularly, keep records and are now made up of ‘real members' who pay dues".
As a result of the improved structure and organization farmer groups are now in the position to draw up and negotiate contracts with an exporter.
"Some pineapple exporters from Ghana and Cameroon still see their exports increasing despite the economic crisis," said Cora Dankers, FAO's project officer. "One group in Cameroon, for example, not only found a buyer for their organic pineapples, but thanks to the cost analysis we did with them, they were also able to negotiate better terms with their long-term conventional buyer."
The project focused on all stages of the supply chain from production, harvesting and packaging to certification and marketing. The vital part of the project was to pay for the costly certification in the conversion period and to support better hygienic conditions to comply with high international quality standards.
"The project helped local farmers who normally expect direct financial help from institutions to adopt a more proactive attitude. Their economic situation and self-esteem has definitely improved because they can now sell their products on international markets at much better prices - something they could not even dream about only three years ago," Liu said.
In Ghana, for example, some 30 small-scale pineapple farmers managed to increase their sales from 26 to 116 tonnes, after having obtained organic certification.
The additional income generated through sale of certified products is mainly used for purchasing food or clothing, for paying school fees and for medical expenditures, thereby improving living conditions and food security.
The project's impact at the community level resulted in creating jobs for workers involved in the production of certified products as well as supportive services. Furthermore, the new organic production methods have also been adopted by farmers who are not members of the producer groups and some of them have already expressed the desire to join the groups.
The project also supported national networks of organic farmers, exporters and fair-trade organizations, including the Fédération National de l'Agriculture Biologique (FENAB) in Senegal. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
OIL BUNKERING: JTF, MILITANTS CROSS-FIRE AS AMAECHI SACKS 4 DPOs
THE Joint Military Task Force (JTF), a special security outfit saddled with the responsibility of ensuring uninterrupted economic activities in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas basin, is currently locked in a cross-fire with some unrepentant militants over alleged illegal oil bunkering activities.
In Bayelsa State, militants are pressing for the Sector Commander of the JTF, Victor Ezugwu, an Army Colonel, to be investigated over his alleged involvement in oil bunkering.
But the special security outfit has dismissed the accusation saying there are some elements who are not comfortable with the Army chief's anti-oil bunkering war.
Spokesperson for the JTF, Mr. Timothy Antigha, an Army Lt. Col, told our correspondent on telephone that the militants were blowing bad air. According to him, ''the allegation against the officer is not true. That particular officer has put in over 20 years in service. He is deeply involved in anti-bunkering activities. It appears some unpatriotic elements are out to smear him''.
The JTF spoke as the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi last week directed the state Commissioner of Police to redeploy all the four Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Ogoniland as part of measures to stop the illegal oil bunkering activities going on in the area.
The governor's directive as at Tuesday, was yet to be carried out by the police. Spokesperson for the police, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) told our correspondent that the command has to carry out an investigation before acting.
According to her, ''all i can say for now is that the matter is being looked into''.
Amaechi however, gave the order while addressing a stakeholders meeting of Ogoni people in Government House, Port Harcourt. He claimed that since the consensus opinion of the Ogoni indicated that the security men in the area, including the Police, aid the illegal bunkering activities, it would be proper to redeploy the DPOs in the area to other postings.
The governor also constituted a 44 member Surveillance Team, with 10 persons drawn from each of the four local government areas of Ogoniland, in addition to the Council Chairmen as automatic members, and charged them with the duty of patrolling the area in collaboration with the Police and JTF to fish out all illegal bunkerers.
The Committee which has the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Mr Oji Ngofa as its head, is charged with the responsibility of identifying those involved in illegal bunkering activities in the area and assist in apprehending them.
“We have to stamp out illegal bunkering from Ogoniland, so that the local economy can grow again”, Governor Amaechi said, and urged the surveillance team to patrol the areas daily until illegal bunkering activities are stamped out in Ogoniland.
He advised them to work hard to achieve Peace and Security in the Ogoni axis of the state, and called on the people of the area to cooperate with the committee to provide a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive.
The state Commander of the JTForce, Mr.Mutiu Yekini, an Army Colonel, said the special security outfit has zero tolerance for any act of indiscipline among its members and any officer found to be conniving with those engaged in illegal oil bunkering would be dealt with severely.
Apparently not persuaded, a militant group, the Network of Niger Delta Freedom Fighters (NFF), claimed in a statement the previous Tuesday that they want the Defence Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to constitute a panel to probe their allegation.
Some military operatives within the JTF sector command said the allegation was unsettling the command.
This is the second time a militant group is accusing the JTF top brass of being involved in oil bunkering. Last June, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network that comprises some units of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the Refomed Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (R-NDPVF) and others in an on-line statement by their Spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, accused JTF commanders of engaging in illegal oil bunkering.
The JRC pleaded with the authorities to investigate the source of the wealth of the JTF commanders. It seems the allegation was ignored by Abuja.
Not comfortable with how the JRC allegation was treated, Co-ordinator of the NFF, Mr. Nengi James, on Tuesday said, ''we are urgently calling on the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of Defence to constitute a panel to investigate the involvement of Colonel Victor Ezugwu, the Sector Commander of JTF in Bayelsa state for his alleged engagement in oil bunkering activities''.
The Army Colonel is also alleged to be having two dredgers operating within the Brass rivers.
According to the insurgent group, ''The Eagle Eye of Bayelsa state first made the accusation against the JTF chief on February 25, 2010. For us, this is like the case of the military officers who were involved in the African Pride bunkering saga''.
Insisting, they said, ''we want the relevant authorities to address this matter with a view to bringing the culprits and perpetrators to book, and also ruled out the purported involvement of innocent Niger Delta youths in such activities''.
Continuing, the militants said, ''we are worried that military officers posted to the oil region to maintain peace and security are involved in refined and crude oil theft.'' ENDS
OIL BUNKERING: JTF, MILITANTS CROSS-FIRE AS AMAECHI SACKS 4 DPOs
THE Joint Military Task Force (JTF), a special security outfit saddled with the responsibility of ensuring uninterrupted economic activities in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas basin, is currently locked in a cross-fire with some unrepentant militants over alleged illegal oil bunkering activities.
In Bayelsa State, militants are pressing for the Sector Commander of the JTF, Victor Ezugwu, an Army Colonel, to be investigated over his alleged involvement in oil bunkering.
But the special security outfit has dismissed the accusation saying there are some elements who are not comfortable with the Army chief's anti-oil bunkering war.
Spokesperson for the JTF, Mr. Timothy Antigha, an Army Lt. Col, told our correspondent on telephone that the militants were blowing bad air. According to him, ''the allegation against the officer is not true. That particular officer has put in over 20 years in service. He is deeply involved in anti-bunkering activities. It appears some unpatriotic elements are out to smear him''.
The JTF spoke as the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi last week directed the state Commissioner of Police to redeploy all the four Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Ogoniland as part of measures to stop the illegal oil bunkering activities going on in the area.
The governor's directive as at Tuesday, was yet to be carried out by the police. Spokesperson for the police, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) told our correspondent that the command has to carry out an investigation before acting.
According to her, ''all i can say for now is that the matter is being looked into''.
Amaechi however, gave the order while addressing a stakeholders meeting of Ogoni people in Government House, Port Harcourt. He claimed that since the consensus opinion of the Ogoni indicated that the security men in the area, including the Police, aid the illegal bunkering activities, it would be proper to redeploy the DPOs in the area to other postings.
The governor also constituted a 44 member Surveillance Team, with 10 persons drawn from each of the four local government areas of Ogoniland, in addition to the Council Chairmen as automatic members, and charged them with the duty of patrolling the area in collaboration with the Police and JTF to fish out all illegal bunkerers.
The Committee which has the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Mr Oji Ngofa as its head, is charged with the responsibility of identifying those involved in illegal bunkering activities in the area and assist in apprehending them.
“We have to stamp out illegal bunkering from Ogoniland, so that the local economy can grow again”, Governor Amaechi said, and urged the surveillance team to patrol the areas daily until illegal bunkering activities are stamped out in Ogoniland.
He advised them to work hard to achieve Peace and Security in the Ogoni axis of the state, and called on the people of the area to cooperate with the committee to provide a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive.
The state Commander of the JTForce, Mr.Mutiu Yekini, an Army Colonel, said the special security outfit has zero tolerance for any act of indiscipline among its members and any officer found to be conniving with those engaged in illegal oil bunkering would be dealt with severely.
Apparently not persuaded, a militant group, the Network of Niger Delta Freedom Fighters (NFF), claimed in a statement the previous Tuesday that they want the Defence Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to constitute a panel to probe their allegation.
Some military operatives within the JTF sector command said the allegation was unsettling the command.
This is the second time a militant group is accusing the JTF top brass of being involved in oil bunkering. Last June, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network that comprises some units of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the Refomed Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (R-NDPVF) and others in an on-line statement by their Spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, accused JTF commanders of engaging in illegal oil bunkering.
The JRC pleaded with the authorities to investigate the source of the wealth of the JTF commanders. It seems the allegation was ignored by Abuja.
Not comfortable with how the JRC allegation was treated, Co-ordinator of the NFF, Mr. Nengi James, on Tuesday said, ''we are urgently calling on the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of Defence to constitute a panel to investigate the involvement of Colonel Victor Ezugwu, the Sector Commander of JTF in Bayelsa state for his alleged engagement in oil bunkering activities''.
The Army Colonel is also alleged to be having two dredgers operating within the Brass rivers.
According to the insurgent group, ''The Eagle Eye of Bayelsa state first made the accusation against the JTF chief on February 25, 2010. For us, this is like the case of the military officers who were involved in the African Pride bunkering saga''.
Insisting, they said, ''we want the relevant authorities to address this matter with a view to bringing the culprits and perpetrators to book, and also ruled out the purported involvement of innocent Niger Delta youths in such activities''.
Continuing, the militants said, ''we are worried that military officers posted to the oil region to maintain peace and security are involved in refined and crude oil theft.'' ENDS
Monday, March 08, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
OGONI HAIL KINSMAN APPOINTMENT FOR AFRICA
OGONI mass organisation, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), says their kinsmen at home and in the Diaspora gladly salute the appointment of their International Advocacy Officer, Mr.Legborsi Saro Pyagbara as the new Indigenous Peoples Focal Point representing Indigenous Peoples of Africa on the Coordinating Committee of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-NGO Council.
MOSOP Information Officer, Mr. Bari-ara Kpalap, who made this known in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, said Pyagbara replaces Ms. Lucy Mulenkei of the Kenyan-based Indigenous Information Network, whose tenure expired last December, 2009. Mr. Pyagbara’s tenure elapses in 2013.
Mr. Pyagbara, according to to Mr. Kpalap, was appointed in recognition of his resolute dedication to indigenous peoples’ issues in Africa and the world over including his long standing commitment and strong advocacy for the protection of the environment and by extension humanity.
In his acceptance speech, Mr.Pyagbara thanked Indigenous peoples of Africa for reposing confidence in him and providing him with the opportunity to serve GEF and Africa in that capacity especially this crucial period in world history when we are faced by the challenges of climate change and the energy crisis all of which are having serious impacts on the environment and amongst indigenous peoples.
“We see the appointment of our International Advocacy Officer as recognition of his consistency and enormous contributions to the struggle for a better environment and for the basic rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous peoples and other oppressed groups in the world. We wish him a successful term in office, Mr.Ledum Mitee, the President of MOSOP said today in Port Harcourt.”
Mr. Pyagbara is currently serving on several other organizations locally and internationally some of which include, board member, International Network on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights(ESCR-NET),member, Steering Committee, Corporate Accountability Working Group, Deputy Representative, International Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee(IPACC),member, Coordinating Committee, African Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change Network, West African Coordinator, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, National Coordinator, Niger Delta UPR Coalition, member, Steering Committee, Global Coalition on Indigenous Peoples and Extractive Industries
Established in 1991, the GEF is today the largest funder of projects to improve the global environment. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an independent financial organization, the GEF provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities. The GEF give grants for projects addressing the six recognized complex global environmental issues in the world including Biodiversity, Climate Change, International Waters, Land Degradation, The Ozone Layer and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).These projects benefit the global environment, linking local, national, and global environmental challenges and promoting sustainable livelihoods
OGONI HAIL KINSMAN APPOINTMENT FOR AFRICA
OGONI mass organisation, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), says their kinsmen at home and in the Diaspora gladly salute the appointment of their International Advocacy Officer, Mr.Legborsi Saro Pyagbara as the new Indigenous Peoples Focal Point representing Indigenous Peoples of Africa on the Coordinating Committee of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-NGO Council.
MOSOP Information Officer, Mr. Bari-ara Kpalap, who made this known in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, said Pyagbara replaces Ms. Lucy Mulenkei of the Kenyan-based Indigenous Information Network, whose tenure expired last December, 2009. Mr. Pyagbara’s tenure elapses in 2013.
Mr. Pyagbara, according to to Mr. Kpalap, was appointed in recognition of his resolute dedication to indigenous peoples’ issues in Africa and the world over including his long standing commitment and strong advocacy for the protection of the environment and by extension humanity.
In his acceptance speech, Mr.Pyagbara thanked Indigenous peoples of Africa for reposing confidence in him and providing him with the opportunity to serve GEF and Africa in that capacity especially this crucial period in world history when we are faced by the challenges of climate change and the energy crisis all of which are having serious impacts on the environment and amongst indigenous peoples.
“We see the appointment of our International Advocacy Officer as recognition of his consistency and enormous contributions to the struggle for a better environment and for the basic rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous peoples and other oppressed groups in the world. We wish him a successful term in office, Mr.Ledum Mitee, the President of MOSOP said today in Port Harcourt.”
Mr. Pyagbara is currently serving on several other organizations locally and internationally some of which include, board member, International Network on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights(ESCR-NET),member, Steering Committee, Corporate Accountability Working Group, Deputy Representative, International Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee(IPACC),member, Coordinating Committee, African Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change Network, West African Coordinator, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, National Coordinator, Niger Delta UPR Coalition, member, Steering Committee, Global Coalition on Indigenous Peoples and Extractive Industries
Established in 1991, the GEF is today the largest funder of projects to improve the global environment. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an independent financial organization, the GEF provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities. The GEF give grants for projects addressing the six recognized complex global environmental issues in the world including Biodiversity, Climate Change, International Waters, Land Degradation, The Ozone Layer and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).These projects benefit the global environment, linking local, national, and global environmental challenges and promoting sustainable livelihoods
AKANIMO SAMPSON
IJAW LEADERS WARN TROUBLE MAKERS, BACK JONATHAN
THE Ijaw people of the Niger Delta, Nigeria's volatile oil and gas region, have warned that they will apply any means necessary to resist any threat to the life of their kinsman, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
While declaring total support to the Acting President, they also called on the Nigerian people to rise up and resist those subverting the 1999 Constitution of the country.
The Ijaw leaders at home and in the Diaspora, spoke on Monday on the platform of Ijaw Foundation. President of the group, Mr. Ebipamone Nanakumo, who spoke for the Ijaw leaders said in an on-line statement, ''we are shocked, saddened and horrified by reports of great and increasing instability in Nigeria . Specifically, we are concerned about accounts of clandestine plots to oust Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan from his position as Acting President''.
Equally alarming, according to the Ijaw leaders, ''are accounts of shady movements of certain military formations in the country without the knowledge and authorization of the Acting President''.
Continuing, they said, ''these acts are dangerously subversive of constitutional order. They should be resisted by all Nigerians. In the interest of clarity, let it be known that we are not unmindful of the concerns some of our fellow citizens might have.
''Firstly, some Nigerians, citing the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP)internal rotational arrangement ceding power to the North, feel that Acting President Jonathan’s position robs the North of their turn at exercising power at the national level. In our view, this is totally unwarranted since our nation needs steady hands at its helm. From the attempted airline bombing over Detroit , to the political upheaval in next-door Republic of Niger , it is clear that Nigeria has to be optimally engaged at all times in this fast moving world, with a president who is well and fully engaged. Nigeria cannot afford to stand still in the midst of the fast moving events of the global community''.
According to the Ijaw leaders, ''Jonathan, a southerner, becoming president of the country does not in any way violate or subvert the zoning arrangement of the ruling PDP because Jonathan will be taking over from a northern president, and the PDP can re-zone the presidency to the north after Jonathan’s presidency, in perfect sync with its rotational policy. It would therefore be wrong and unacceptable to deny Goodluck Jonathan the right to be the PDP nominee for the 2011 presidential election''.
Theyb claimed that by his actions and demeanor, Jonathan has time and time again shown utmost loyalty to ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, adding, ''we wish to stress that, as Yar’Adua’s deputy in a joint presidential mandate, loyalty demands and compels Jonathan to become Acting President to fully and effectively discharge the duties of the President when the later is incapacitated to do so. Thus, Jonathan’s ascension as Acting President is an inevitable act of loyalty to both Yar’Adua and the nation, and not an act of disloyalty. Like Jonathan and others in the nation, we wish President Yar’Adua well and pray for his speedy and full recovery''.
''Secondly'', they went on,''there are yet others, probably well-meaning, who profess unhappiness at the National Assembly’s action in passing the acting presidency resolution without resort to medical certification of incapacitation or to impeachment as ways to resolve the crisis of the vacuum in leadership. The National Assembly’s solution provides, ironically, a properly nuanced understanding of the political dynamics of Nigeria and, presumably for this reason, commands wide acceptance among the citizenry. Some may call the National Assembly’s approach ‘illegitimate’ and ‘unconstitutional.’
''However, no competent judicial body has, so far, reached any verdict of unconstitutionality . At this point, if any can, with certitude, assert that the Supreme Court of the land will invalidate the National Assembly’s ingenious solution to the bourgeoning crisis, they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them. Until-- and unless--such a legitimate and competent judicial pronouncement is made, Nigerians ought to refrain from unduly overheating the internal order. We should all turn the national temperature down. After all, the National Assembly is the institution invested with law-making and constitution- review authority''.
The rest of their statement went thus:
''The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers the National Assembly to enact laws, including Resolutions such as this, for the good governance, order, security and peace of the country. Furthermore, the Constitution does not allow for leadership vacuum at the highest level of governance of the country, as clearly outlined in sections 143, 144 and 145. It is universal knowledge that President Yar'Adua is critically ill and incapacitated.
''Yar'Adua himself declared his incapacitation and inability to perform any of his functions or duties as president in his infamous BBC radio interview. It is indisputable that the BBC interview was an official address of President Yar'Adua to the nation, including the National Assembly, because it was prompted and compelled by the intense clamor by Nigerians to hear from their ailing president. Therefore, Yar'Adua's BBC interview was both proof and official notice to the nation, including the National Assembly, of his incapacitation. Moreover, the Constitution dictates that, whenever the president is incapacitated or otherwise unable to perform the duties of his office, the Vice President shall automatically become Acting President.
''The avoidable failure to comply with Section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had created an avoidable but contrived constitutional crisis, which had to be resolved to avert anarchy and disaster. In the circumstance, the Resolution of the National Assembly to empower the Vice President as Acting President is constitutional, legitimate, legal, proper and right! It is worthy to note that Senate President David Mark's statement/speech proclaiming the National Assembly Resolution empowering Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President was both brilliant and flawless in its articulation of its unassailable basis and constitutionality! !
''Then, also, there may be those who may be tempted to think that Jonathan has no business at the helm of national affairs—simply by reason of his being from the South-South geopolitical zone. The response is that Nigeria is not a monarchy but a secular constitutional political entity. Thus, Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and not to only a section of the country. Evidently, any Nigerian who is qualified and capable should have the right to rule the country, if a majority of Nigerians agree through either electoral votes or a collective decision of the representatives of the people.
''No one, certainly not Jonathan or anybody else, should attain the position of Acting President—or be disqualified from it—solely by reason of ethnic or regional origin. Regardless of our origins, what binds us together as a nation is the Nigerian constitution. If the constitution is subverted and Jonathan is removed through unconstitutional and undemocratic processes, we shall consider that our constitutional obligations are thereby abrogated. In this connection, therefore, we are issuing this Declaration of unqualified support and affirmation of the communiqué issued by the 26 leaders of the South-South Zone.
''Consequently, we support and affirm that we believe in the oneness, unity and peace of Nigeria (predicated upon the rule of law, social justice and equity); our current constitution binds us all together; no Nigerian is a second-class citizen in our own land; and the rule of law in our democracy is applicable to all. …”
''We warn against any threat, overt or covert, to the life of the Acting President. We shall not tolerate any plot to destabilize his leadership. Such treasonable act will be viewed by us as a declaration to marginalize the South-South and extinct the Ijaw people of Nigeria . Consequently, we are able, willing and ready to activate the forces of the international community under the United Nations charter to assert and protect our rights to survival, human dignity and self-determination as enunciated in the Communiqué issued by the elders of the region. That is because our very survival is under threat.
''Finally, we are reminded of the centuries-old declaration of the American colonies: “When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they declare the causes which impel them to the separation . . .”
''Treating some Nigerians as second class citizens unworthy of the highest positions Nigeria has to offer, is, and ought to be, one such cause. We have not fully arrived at that point yet but what happens to Jonathan will be a critical metric of that determination. Once we decide, however, that we have arrived at that point, we will have no hesitation in taking whatever political and legal actions we deem appropriate''. ENDS
IJAW LEADERS WARN TROUBLE MAKERS, BACK JONATHAN
THE Ijaw people of the Niger Delta, Nigeria's volatile oil and gas region, have warned that they will apply any means necessary to resist any threat to the life of their kinsman, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
While declaring total support to the Acting President, they also called on the Nigerian people to rise up and resist those subverting the 1999 Constitution of the country.
The Ijaw leaders at home and in the Diaspora, spoke on Monday on the platform of Ijaw Foundation. President of the group, Mr. Ebipamone Nanakumo, who spoke for the Ijaw leaders said in an on-line statement, ''we are shocked, saddened and horrified by reports of great and increasing instability in Nigeria . Specifically, we are concerned about accounts of clandestine plots to oust Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan from his position as Acting President''.
Equally alarming, according to the Ijaw leaders, ''are accounts of shady movements of certain military formations in the country without the knowledge and authorization of the Acting President''.
Continuing, they said, ''these acts are dangerously subversive of constitutional order. They should be resisted by all Nigerians. In the interest of clarity, let it be known that we are not unmindful of the concerns some of our fellow citizens might have.
''Firstly, some Nigerians, citing the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP)internal rotational arrangement ceding power to the North, feel that Acting President Jonathan’s position robs the North of their turn at exercising power at the national level. In our view, this is totally unwarranted since our nation needs steady hands at its helm. From the attempted airline bombing over Detroit , to the political upheaval in next-door Republic of Niger , it is clear that Nigeria has to be optimally engaged at all times in this fast moving world, with a president who is well and fully engaged. Nigeria cannot afford to stand still in the midst of the fast moving events of the global community''.
According to the Ijaw leaders, ''Jonathan, a southerner, becoming president of the country does not in any way violate or subvert the zoning arrangement of the ruling PDP because Jonathan will be taking over from a northern president, and the PDP can re-zone the presidency to the north after Jonathan’s presidency, in perfect sync with its rotational policy. It would therefore be wrong and unacceptable to deny Goodluck Jonathan the right to be the PDP nominee for the 2011 presidential election''.
Theyb claimed that by his actions and demeanor, Jonathan has time and time again shown utmost loyalty to ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, adding, ''we wish to stress that, as Yar’Adua’s deputy in a joint presidential mandate, loyalty demands and compels Jonathan to become Acting President to fully and effectively discharge the duties of the President when the later is incapacitated to do so. Thus, Jonathan’s ascension as Acting President is an inevitable act of loyalty to both Yar’Adua and the nation, and not an act of disloyalty. Like Jonathan and others in the nation, we wish President Yar’Adua well and pray for his speedy and full recovery''.
''Secondly'', they went on,''there are yet others, probably well-meaning, who profess unhappiness at the National Assembly’s action in passing the acting presidency resolution without resort to medical certification of incapacitation or to impeachment as ways to resolve the crisis of the vacuum in leadership. The National Assembly’s solution provides, ironically, a properly nuanced understanding of the political dynamics of Nigeria and, presumably for this reason, commands wide acceptance among the citizenry. Some may call the National Assembly’s approach ‘illegitimate’ and ‘unconstitutional.’
''However, no competent judicial body has, so far, reached any verdict of unconstitutionality . At this point, if any can, with certitude, assert that the Supreme Court of the land will invalidate the National Assembly’s ingenious solution to the bourgeoning crisis, they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them. Until-- and unless--such a legitimate and competent judicial pronouncement is made, Nigerians ought to refrain from unduly overheating the internal order. We should all turn the national temperature down. After all, the National Assembly is the institution invested with law-making and constitution- review authority''.
The rest of their statement went thus:
''The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers the National Assembly to enact laws, including Resolutions such as this, for the good governance, order, security and peace of the country. Furthermore, the Constitution does not allow for leadership vacuum at the highest level of governance of the country, as clearly outlined in sections 143, 144 and 145. It is universal knowledge that President Yar'Adua is critically ill and incapacitated.
''Yar'Adua himself declared his incapacitation and inability to perform any of his functions or duties as president in his infamous BBC radio interview. It is indisputable that the BBC interview was an official address of President Yar'Adua to the nation, including the National Assembly, because it was prompted and compelled by the intense clamor by Nigerians to hear from their ailing president. Therefore, Yar'Adua's BBC interview was both proof and official notice to the nation, including the National Assembly, of his incapacitation. Moreover, the Constitution dictates that, whenever the president is incapacitated or otherwise unable to perform the duties of his office, the Vice President shall automatically become Acting President.
''The avoidable failure to comply with Section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had created an avoidable but contrived constitutional crisis, which had to be resolved to avert anarchy and disaster. In the circumstance, the Resolution of the National Assembly to empower the Vice President as Acting President is constitutional, legitimate, legal, proper and right! It is worthy to note that Senate President David Mark's statement/speech proclaiming the National Assembly Resolution empowering Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President was both brilliant and flawless in its articulation of its unassailable basis and constitutionality! !
''Then, also, there may be those who may be tempted to think that Jonathan has no business at the helm of national affairs—simply by reason of his being from the South-South geopolitical zone. The response is that Nigeria is not a monarchy but a secular constitutional political entity. Thus, Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and not to only a section of the country. Evidently, any Nigerian who is qualified and capable should have the right to rule the country, if a majority of Nigerians agree through either electoral votes or a collective decision of the representatives of the people.
''No one, certainly not Jonathan or anybody else, should attain the position of Acting President—or be disqualified from it—solely by reason of ethnic or regional origin. Regardless of our origins, what binds us together as a nation is the Nigerian constitution. If the constitution is subverted and Jonathan is removed through unconstitutional and undemocratic processes, we shall consider that our constitutional obligations are thereby abrogated. In this connection, therefore, we are issuing this Declaration of unqualified support and affirmation of the communiqué issued by the 26 leaders of the South-South Zone.
''Consequently, we support and affirm that we believe in the oneness, unity and peace of Nigeria (predicated upon the rule of law, social justice and equity); our current constitution binds us all together; no Nigerian is a second-class citizen in our own land; and the rule of law in our democracy is applicable to all. …”
''We warn against any threat, overt or covert, to the life of the Acting President. We shall not tolerate any plot to destabilize his leadership. Such treasonable act will be viewed by us as a declaration to marginalize the South-South and extinct the Ijaw people of Nigeria . Consequently, we are able, willing and ready to activate the forces of the international community under the United Nations charter to assert and protect our rights to survival, human dignity and self-determination as enunciated in the Communiqué issued by the elders of the region. That is because our very survival is under threat.
''Finally, we are reminded of the centuries-old declaration of the American colonies: “When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they declare the causes which impel them to the separation . . .”
''Treating some Nigerians as second class citizens unworthy of the highest positions Nigeria has to offer, is, and ought to be, one such cause. We have not fully arrived at that point yet but what happens to Jonathan will be a critical metric of that determination. Once we decide, however, that we have arrived at that point, we will have no hesitation in taking whatever political and legal actions we deem appropriate''. ENDS
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