Transparency International defends Nigeria, says Britain world’s ‘big corruption problem’

Leading anti-corruption group, Transparency International, on Tuesday rose strongly in defence of Nigeria as a country that is making strong effort in the fight against corruption.

The organisation also suggested that a statement by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, was hypocritical.

Cobus de Swardt, T.I.’s Managing Director, in his response to Mr. Cameron’s video, in which the British leader described Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt”, said the UK was actually the country that is “a big part of the world’s corruption problem.”

“There is no doubt that historically, Nigeria and Afghanistan have had very high levels of corruption, and that continues to this day.

“But the leaders of those countries have sent strong signals that they want things to change, and the London Anti-Corruption Summit creates an opportunity for all the countries present to sign up to a new era.

“This affects the UK as much as other countries: we should not forget that by providing a safe haven for corrupt assets, the UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are a big part of the world’s corruption problem,” Mr. de Swardt said.

Nigeria currently ranks 136 of 168 countries and territories ranked in T.I.’s Corruption Perception Index for the year 2015.

Mr. Cameron was caught on camera ridiculing Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country on Tuesday afternoon.

In the short footage, published by British television station, ITV News, Mr. Cameron told the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, that Nigeria and Afghanistan were “two of the most corrupt countries in the world”.

Nigeria promptly rejected that description, saying it found Mr. Cameron’s comment “embarrassing.”

“This is embarrassing to us to say the least, given the good work that the President is doing,” President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Garba Shehu, said shortly after the news of the Prime Minister’s comment went viral on the Internet.

“The Prime Minister must be looking at an old snapshot of Nigeria. Things are changing with corruption and everything else.”

Mr. Cameron’s comment was published just as President Muhammadu Buhari departed Nigeria Tuesday to attend an anti-corruption summit organised by the UK government to be held in London on Thursday.

Mr. Cameron was briefing the Queen on the notoriety of countries expected to attend the summit during an event at the Buckingham Palace to celebrate the monarch’s 90th birthday, ITV News reported.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, however, said Mr. Buhari was not a corrupt person.

“But this particular president is actually not corrupt,” the religious leader said. “Oh yes, he’s trying very hard this one.”

Source: Premium Times

Military vows to crush the new militant group, "Niger Delta avengers"

The Nigerian Army have released a statement vowing to crush the new militant group known as the Niger Delta Avengers. The group attacked the Chevron oil platform last week and has vowed to carry out more attacks. In a statement signed by Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, the Army says it will not hesitate to deploy every available resources to deal decisively with any threats to economic lifeline of the nation.

Statement goes thus;

"The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) is not unaware of the emergence of a group in the Niger Delta region who have vowed to cripple economic activities through pipeline vandalism, oil theft and kidnap of expatriate workers in that region; it will not hesitate to deploy every available resources to deal decisively with any threats to economic lifeline of the nation. The military will employ all available means and measures within its rule of engagement to crush any individual or group that engages in the destruction of strategic assets and facilities of the government in the Niger Delta or any other location and they will stand to regret the consequences of their actions. The whole world has seen what they are causing in terms of economic terrorism against the nation and would be treated as criminals in line with the laws of the land. While the military and other security agencies would continue to put in place more proactive measures within the creeks and other places to fish out those responsible for the heinous crime, it will remain focused and assure oil companies and law abiding community members of their safety and protection of their sanctity. The DHQ advises the community leaders, traditional rulers and the general public to cooperate with the security agencies to ensure the apprehension of the culprits for the interest of our great nation; as no individual or group interest is above national interest of this country.” 

Nigerians mock Dino Melaye after tweeting he is representing the Senate at London anti-corruption summit

This afternoon, Senator Dino Melaye announced via his twitter handle that he is presently in London to represent the Nigerian Senate at the London Anti-corruption summit. Many Nigerians found it funny that he's representing Nigeria at such a summit. His tweet obviously got a lot of reactions as many feel he is not worthy...

Surgeons remove giant tumour weighing 15 stone that sat in woman's stomach for 5 years

 

Last Friday, surgeons removed a giant 15 stone tumour from a woman after living with it for five years. 

Kamlesh Devi, 45, from Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh, in northern India left her ovarian tumour for years because her late husband and family feared the treatment would be expensive. Even though she suffered through unbearable pain for years, she agreed with her husband.


Her husband died six years ago and Mrs Kamlesh decided to finally see a doctor. She discovered she was entitled to free treatment as part of an Indian poverty scheme.

The surgeons took just three hours to remove the massive tumour, which weighed the same as a large man, from her right ovary.

"She was in severe pain when she came to the hospital. The tumor had started leaking and it would have turned fatal if there was any further delay. Three units of blood were infused during the surgery and then the patient was kept in ICU for a day. She is recovering well and we’re now waiting to see the results of the tests taken on the tumour." said Surgeon Dr A S Jaggi.

"I’ve never seen such a tumor in my whole career. Ovarian tumors are common but never this big. It must be three feet in length and two feet in width, it's huge. The tumor has now been sent to a pathology lab for tests." he added.

Dr Jaggi said that the hospital has also contacted India’s version of the Guinness Book of Records, the Limca Book of Records to see if the tumour qualifies for a recognition.

        

 
   A pre-surgery scan shows the ovarian tumour weighing 97 kg

Lagos generates N101 billion in Q1 2016, declares N4.85 billion revenue surplus

The Lagos State Government generated a total revenue of N101.69bn in the first quarter of 2016 out of which a surplus of N4.85bn was realized as against an expected N29.92bn deficit, the State’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade said on Monday.

Speaking at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja to commemorate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s first year in office, Ashade said the generated revenue was above that of 2015 which stood at N97.28bn in the first quarter, adding that in absolute terms, the revenue performance was N4.4bn more than comparative period of 2015.

Ashade said the remarkable feat was achieved despite the diminishing statutory allocation from the federation account, adding that same was due to Governor Ambode’s purposeful and visionary leadership.

He expressed optimism that with the implementation of multiple revenue collection channels and broadening of the revenue base, the State Government would achieve tremendous progress in its revenue drive.

Giving a detailed breakdown of the budget performance, the Commissioner said N76.06bn was the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State in the first quarter representing 72 percent of the estimate for the quarter and 75 percent of the total revenue, as against the N67.21bn generated in first quarter of 2015 representing 74 percent of the estimate and 69 percent of the total revenue in the corresponding period for last year.

He said the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) revenue for the first quarter of 2016 stood at N67.25bn representing 90 percent estimate for the quarter and 88 percent of the total IGR and 66.12 percent of the total revenue, compared to N60.58bn (87 percent of the estimate for Q1 Y2015), representing 90 percent of total IGR and 62 percent of total revenue in 2015.

“This performance was N6.67bn more in absolute terms compared to corresponding period in Y2015 and due largely to more participatory structural and systemic re-engineering.

“Over the course of the first quarter of Y2016, Federal transfers contributed N25.64bn (83 percent of the estimate for the quarter) and accounted for 25.21 percent of total revenue. Further breakdown showed that statutory allocations contributed N7.48bn while VAT contributed N18.16bn,” Ashade said.

Speaking on performance of capital expenditures for the period under review, the Commissioner explained that in the regard, the government expended N48.88bn on capital projects which represented a 51 percent better performance of N15.08bn (24 percent) as at the first quarter of 2015.

He also revealed that as at the end of first quarter of 2016, the ratio of capital expenditures to recurrent expenditures closed at 50:50, better than a ratio of 21:79 recorded for the same period in 2015 but short of the ratio of 58:42 projected for 2016.

He, however, expressed optimism that capital expenditure performance would experience significant improvement in the second quarter of 2016 based on the projections and expectations of revenue inflows.

Ashade, whose Ministry is also responsible for managing the State’s existing relationships with development partners as well as identify new potential ones to drive further development, disclosed that the State Government has gone into partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to invest in a possible monorail project that will link Marina to Oniru in Victoria Island and Ikoyi, and later connect to the Lekki Rail Line project which is also in the works.

He clarified that the monorail project is an urban mass transportation project different from the ongoing Blue Line Rail project that will connect Mile 12 to CMS, and the Red Line Rail Project.

According to him: “A detailed feasibility study has been commissioned on the monorail project to validate the initial survey, which will eventually lead to an investment of US$1billion (about N300billion) in the project if the results of the feasibility study are positive, amongst other conditions.”

Ashade further disclosed that under the Eko Urban Project, the State Government, in partnership with the Agence Francaise De Development (AFD) would soon embark on the upgrade of slums in Amukoko in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State and Ilaje-Bariga in Bariga Local Council Development Area of the State, as well as the provision of modern waste disposal facility in Epe.

He said projects would soon take off as the AFD has already committed a US$100m loan for the projects, while the State Executive Council has equally approved the upgrade of the slums.

University of Ibadan commences sale of forms for the 2016/17 PGD Academic Session Admission Exercise Today, May 9th, 2016...APPLY NOW!!!

PGD Admission form sales starts today, as letter from the School PGD Management goes thus:

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, NIGERIA
THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL


Hello,

Sale of forms for the 2016/17 Academic Session Admission Exercise shall commence on Monday, May 9th, 2016 and would last for six (6) weeks.

All interested candidates are therefore advised to apply through our admissions portal :

http://admissions.pgschool.ui.edu.ng/adm_all_main.aspx

All applicants are to apply through this admissions portal ALONE.

BEWARE of FRAUDULENT people. The Postgraduate School, University of Ibadan, has NO authorized AGENT anywhere.

Kindly inform your friends, and other individuals who may be interested.


Thank you

Management
Postgraduate School, UI

All you need to know about the project Mambilla Power Station Fashola is about to embark on

Mambilla Power Station, one of Africa's (and Nigeria's) biggest dam projects, is a projected hydro power plant which will be connected to three dams across the Donga River in Taraba State, Nigeria.

Conceived in 1982, the main Mambilla Dam is a large rolled compact concrete dam and reservoir at 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) above sea level. From this dam water is diverted off the reservoir towards the western side of the plateau through 3 hydraulic tunnels totaling 33 kilometres (21 mi), intercepted by 2 smaller dams (Sum Sum Dam and Nghu Dam), both at an elevation of 1,250 metres (4,100 ft). Beyond these dams, the tunnels lead into a 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) drop shaft tunneled down through the rock to a massive underground powerhouse with a generating capacity of 3,050 megawatts (4,090,000 hp). Via a short tunnel, the water then exits the base of the plateau and flows into a tributary river that rejoins the Donga River downstream of the plateau.

On November 7, 2012 Nigeria signed a memorandum of understanding with China's Sinohydro Corp. to build Mambilla Power Station. Completion of the project is expected in 2018, and it is expected to multiply Nigeria's generating capacity considerably.

In December 2013, the Nigerian federal ministry of Power has released a statement that the contract with Sinohydro, has been cancelled, while the ministry is currently working on firming the project cost and that an ongoing discussion has been opened with Chinese EPC firms, interested in providing funding for the project.

Just recently, Fashola said no land has been allocated for the project 32 years after it was initiated.

He said the project if completed, will be the single biggest power project in Nigeria and will generate 3000MW. Fashola made the revelations at a book presentation in Lagos and has strategized on ways to go about seeing the project through

READ FASHOLA'S BRILLIANT STRATEGIES FOR MABILLA POWER PLANT PROJECT