My Husband’s Love Intoxicates Me, Mercy Johnson Celebrates 5 Years Of Marriage

August 28, 2016

Popular Nollywood actress and mother of three, Mercy Johnson Okojie has declared her undying love for her husband, saying: “I love you babes. Everyone is intoxicated by something but I am intoxicated by you.”

In a message she composed as she and her husband celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary through her Instagram page, the actress wrote:

“Fate and time have stood as a witness to our love

You are in my heart like a prayer and the mention of ur name is my worship

With you thorns feel like flowers in my hands

The biggest risk in my life is spending a moment without u

Love bows to no one and needs no permission hence ur name is in my heart like a prayer

I love u babes, everyone is intoxicated by something but I am intoxicated by u,

Ur my fantasy and my every imagination

I love u so much, my quarreling partner, my gossip pal, my trusted friend, my secret keeper and lover.

5yrs down, forever to go. Please Pray for me my friends cus I adore him and with him is where I want to be.

HWA My Hope

#thankujesus#myGodisnotamanthatheshouldlie#mama3andreadytogoagain#”. [myad]

23 Nigerian Athletes To Compete In 3 Sports In Rio 2016 Paralympics Games

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

Twenty three Nigerian athletes and six coaches have been picked to participate in the forthcoming Rio 2016 Paralympic Games slated between 7th and 18th of September in Rio, Brazil.
The media officer of the Paralympics Committee, Patrick Ibeh said that Nigeria would be competing in only three sports where it has comparative advantage, saying that the games are athletics, powerlifting and table-tennis.
Ibeh said that six athletes made up of five females and one male would compete in athletics event, while fourteen athletes (7 males and 7 females) would participate in powerlifiting. Table-tennis has three ping ponders (2 males and 1 female).
Some of the selected athletics are Hannah Babalola, Eucharia Iyiazi, Lauritta Onye, Lovina Onyegbule, Flora Ugwunwa and Friday Aibangbe, the only male athlete while Patrick Aieto and Adekunle Adesoji are the two coaches.
It would be recalled that Nigeria won six gold, five silver and two bronze medals at the last Paralympic Games in London 2012. [myad]

Lagos Gives Hawkers In Ikoyi, Others 14 Days To Quit Or Face Task Force Anger

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

The Lagos State Government has given owners of illegal structures, shanties, street hawkers and those who have converted walkways into trading points and food courts in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and the Lagoon Front of Lekki, 14 days to remove such illegal structures after which the Special Task Force on the Clean Up of the areas would move in to enforce the laws
In a statement, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tunji Bello, said: “owners of all the illegal structures, shanties, abandoned buildings and all those who have converted road median to commercial uses in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki have between today (Monday) and two weeks’ time to comply or have the State Special Task Force on the Clean Up of the areas to contend with.”
The SSG added that owners of all abandoned buildings in different areas of Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island, which are now harbouring prostitutes, illegal miscreants and unwanted elements must clear the structures of such undesirable elements immediately.
Bello specifically warned owners of properties on the Lagoon fronts of Lekki Phase 1 who have littered the whole areas with compactors and several other deadweight equipment to remove them outrightly.
Bello said that the State Government is concerned about the conversion of the frontages of properties and abandoned houses to kiosks and trading points by maids and guards as well as the unregulated activities of horticulturists who have turned setbacks to hideouts and selling points.
He reiterated the determination of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration to restore the original master plan of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki by checking the activities of roadside automobile repairers who have converted many dual carriage lanes to single lanes with indiscriminate parkings.
He said that the State Government would no longer tolerate unauthorised parking of vehicles, trucks as well unsightly state of drainage infrastructure, adding that owners of such vehicles and properties with unkempt drainages will be prosecuted.
Bello said that it is totally unacceptable for people to stockpile and display wares such as bags of charcoal on major roads like Ahmadu Bello Way and Federal Secretariat Road, Ikoyi, saying that henceforth such goods would be confiscated and the owners prosecuted.
“We are using this medium to sensitise members of the public and residents of the affected areas who are involved in these illegalities to immediately take right action and do the needful as the State Government will take the necessary steps to enforce its environmental and sanitation laws forthwith.
“All those engaging in roadside display of wares, illegal street trading and all illegal squatters on undeveloped land and all those who have converted road median to commercial uses in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki are being advised in their own interest to put a stop to the illegalities.” [myad]

Battling With National Economic Parasites, By Godwin Onyeacholem

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

Over the years, it has been identified in countless studies that one of the core reasons Nigeria has failed to develop to its full potential is pervasive corruption. Corruption, it is said, runs through the entire gamut of the country’s life such that many official enquiries and probes have exposed widespread monumental fraud, bribery, embezzlement, rent seeking and kickbacks across the public and private sectors.
It can’t be emphasised enough that funds which ought to have gone into building infrastructure and generally improving the lives of the people invariably end up in the pockets of some people. The result is that healthcare, education, food security, human security, job creation and other areas where funds are needed to make life meaningful to the people are severely neglected. Why? The monies budgeted for these sectors over the years are spirited away by a few heartless crooks.
Today, all over the country evidence of this willful theft and unconscionable looting of public funds can be seen in the appalling healthcare delivery system, deplorable facilities in educational institutions, avoidable food importation, massive youth unemployment, dreadful state and federal roads, as well as shockingly ill-equipped armed forces, police and other security outfits.
Even the emergence of violent extremism in the North-east, militant agitations in the Niger Delta and the serial abysmal performance of Nigeria’s athletes in the Olympic Games cannot be attributed to anything other than corruption.
In the words of Eghosa Osagie, professor of comparative politics and Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, “It is easy to see how corruption breeds on the ownership of the state on the one hand, and the weak bonds and structures of accountability on the other.” According to him, corruption does not symbolize privatization of public office for private gain, embezzlement and other negative pecuniary transactions that deprive society of much needed resources only. It also includes the manipulation and subversion of institutions, rules regulations, procedures and laws which he said is mostly evident in the flawed electoral process.
Indeed the damage corruption inflicts on society is huge, costing the global economy some $2.6trn annually, according to John Kerry, US Secretary of States during his recent visit to Nigeria. From all indications, going by the manner corruption has torn through its fabric, Nigeria no doubt would be one of the countries contributing a large percentage to the global scam.
Mindful of the havoc it continues to wreak on nations, Kerry describes corruption as not just a disgrace and a crime, but also dangerous. He praised President Muhammadu Buhari for confronting the monster frontally and pledged continual support in that regard. From the way the war is being conducted, he surmised that Nigeria could in fact be a model to other nations.
And truly since assuming office May 29, 2015, Buhari has lived up to his campaign promise of tackling corruption headlong and providing a fresh template for instilling transparency and accountability. On the matter of corruption, credit goes to him for he indeed hit the ground running. Seeing the way the screw has been turned on treasury looters and the big thieves in the society, all those harbouring the belief that there are ‘untouchables’ who would never be called to give account are now beginning to have a rethink.
The message is now out there that under this administration, it would no longer be ‘business as usual.’ But the fight should also not be conducted in a manner that leaves the impression that Buhari as the general of this war has no army behind him. It cannot be denied that at the federal level the battle is raging, but it has to percolate to the state and local government levels for it to register the desired impact. Governors, especially those of the ruling party, must take a cue from Buhari in the quest for zero tolerance for corruption.
But by far the greatest army in this all-important assignment is the now rejuvenated Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The institution has so far demonstrated not just the courage, but also the will and the focus to ensure that corruption is reduced to the barest minimum in the country.
The Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has not betrayed the image of him that was awash in the media when his name was announced as the new anti-corruption czar, in November last year. Magu was said to be the squirrel teeth that cracked many cases leading to the conviction of some treasury looters during the tenure of the first chairman of that agency, Mallam Nuhu Ribau. He was described as more ruthless in the anti-graft war front than even his famed former boss, Nuhu Ribadu. The man is proving to us that all that was true, and even more!
Going by the accolades and international respect his work has earned Nigeria from all over the world, Magu is indeed a patriot that should be encouraged.
Rising up to the rots of corruption and challenging the powerful cabals in the temple of graft is no mean task. It is not for the lily-livered nor is it for one with moral deficit.
Under Magu’s stewardship, and with the full support of President Buhari, EFCC has regained its biting teeth by tackling cases of monumental fraud. Several billions of naira have been recovered from looters and many of them have been dragged to courts.
Considering all these, by the time Magu’s appointment is confirmed by the Senate, it is expected that the anti-corruption war would be more invigorated and the EFCC more emboldened in its quest to rein in the monster of corruption and the merciless parasites that have been sucking on our collective patrimony.

Onyeacholem is a journalist. He can be reached on gonyeacholem@gmail.com. [myad]

Buhari Gives Boko Haram Condition For Dialogue Over Abducted Chibok Girls

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has given Boko Haram insurgents a condition under which his government would dialogue for the release of the over 200 female students of the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state in 2014 and release of their members in various detentions in the country.

The President, in a chat with news men in Nairobi, Kenya on Sunday, said that his government is ready to dialogue with bonafide leaders of the terror group who know the whereabouts of the girls.

“I have made a couple of comments on the Chibok girls and it seems to me that much of it has been politicized.

“What we said is that the government which I preside over is prepared to talk to bonafide leaders of Boko Haram. If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognized Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know.

“If they do it through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognized NGO, then Nigeria will be prepared to discuss for their release.”

President Buhari insisted that the Federal Government will not waste time and resources with “doubtful sources” claiming to know the whereabouts of the girls, adding: “we want those girls out and safe. The faster we can recover them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us.”

The President maintained that the terror group, which pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been largely decimated by the gallant Nigerian military with the support of immediate neighbours from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin.

“Some of the information about the division in Boko Haram is already in the press and I have read in the papers about the conflict in their leadership.

“The person known in Nigeria as their leader, we understand was edged out and the Nigerian members of Boko Haram started turning themselves to the Nigerian military.

“We learnt that in an air strike by the Nigeria Air Force he was wounded. Indeed their top hierarchy and lower cadre have a problem and we know this because when we came into power, they were holding 14 out of the 774 local governments in Nigeria. But now they are not holding any territory and they have split to small groups attacking soft targets.”

On the militancy in the Niger Delta region, the President said that his government is also open to dialogue to resolve all contending issues in the area.

“We do not believe that they (the militants) have announced ceasefire. We are trying to understand them more. Who are their leaders and which areas do they operate and other relevant issues.” [myad]

We Are Removing Bottlenecks Stifling Business, Economic Activities In Nigeria – Buhari

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured investors in Nigeria and other countries that his government is determined to remove various bottlenecks that have been stiffling businesses and economic activities in the country as a way of attracting investments.

He is sure that by the time he is through with the solutions to the impediments, Nigeria would be the easiest country to do business.

President Buhari, who spoke on Sunday at a plenary session on “Dialogue with the Private Sector” at the sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD VI), said that his administration is implementing policies and measures to create right and enabling environment for business and investors in Nigeria.

He told the session, attended by several African leaders, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and international business executives, that his administration’s vision and objective is to make Nigeria one of the top investment destinations in the world, within the shortest possible time.

“We believe government has a particular responsibility to create right and attractive environment for businesses and economic activities to thrive.

“In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council, PEEC and Inter-Ministerial Council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities and thereby create economic activities and the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria.

“The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that would be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector.

“We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s ease of doing business index 20 places in first year and be in the top 100 within the next 3 years.”

Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank, according to the Bank’s 2016 Ease of Doing Business report. [myad]

Kogi Governor Vows To Flush Out Criminals From The State, Equip Security Personnel

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has made it clear that he is determined to flush out criminals out of the state, even as he donated over 104 patrol vans to the Army, Police, Navy and the Nigeria Security, Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Customs Service and local vigilant groups.
The governor who presented the vehicles to the security agencies on Saturday in Lokoja at an event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state said: “my administration will not rest on its oars until hoodlums and miscreants making live unbearable for the citizens are flushed out of the state.”
Governor Yahaya Bello said that the vehicles would serve as boost to the confidence of the security agencies and enhance their operational capability to discharge their duties, even as he promised to continue to provide necessary support to the security agencies until criminals are flushed out of the state.
The governor recalled the events that led to the creation of the state and commended its founding fathers for their contributions to its growth and development in the past years.
He, however, noted that the dream of having a prosperous Kogi State is being frustrated by some leaders through impunity, greed, corruption and other forms of abuses.
He pledged to reverse the trend and put the state on a sound economic footing through the implementation of the “New Direction Agenda” of his administration.
According to him, the New Direction Agenda which will be implemented in various sectors like health, education, agriculture and critical infrastructure is designed to lift the state and people from poverty and squalor.
Yahaya Bello highlighted the efforts made by his administration in the past seven months of his assumption of office and promised to chart a better way forward for the state.
The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who spoke on behalf of the security agencies, said the patrol vans would enhance their operational capacity.
The IGP expressed appreciation to the governor for the gesture and said that the vehicles would assist in combating criminal elements and enhance the fight against kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, Folashade Ayoade, described the celebration of Kogi State at 25 as “worthy and remarkable.”
She called on the people to join hands with the administration in its quest to take the state to the next level, saying that state still has a long way to go. [myad]

Nigeria Will Soon Export Excess Food Items, Buhari Assures

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

“We are very positive that soon we will be able to export these food products. We are also lucky that the farming season in the northern part of the country has been very good and we are expecting a bumper harvest this year”

These were the words of President Muhammadu Buhari when he addressed news men in Nairobi, Kenya on the margins of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI).

The President, who said that African countries had a lot to learn from Japan on developing agriculture, said that his government whas decided to devote more resources to agriculture in the 2017 budget as one of the measures aimed at sustaining diversify the economy.

“This year, in Nigeria, we started an aggressive farming programme that entails organising farmers into cooperatives in the second and third tier of government.

“We intend to put more resources in our 2017 budget, especially in the procurement of machinery for land clearing, fertilizers, pesticides and training of less-educated farmers, as farm extension instructors.

“We have already registered some success this year in a number of states, we identified some 13 states that will be self-sufficient in rice, wheat and grains before the end of 2018.

On his expectation for TICAD, President Buhari said Japan’s story of rapid economic growth, hardwork and advanced technology should encourage Africans to strive harder and solve its development challenges.

“Japan has greatly advanced in technology, particularly in solar power, infrastructure to spur growth in medium and small-scale industries. Because of the advanced use of technology, farming and agriculture can become competitive.

“Japan has the knowledge, technology and capital to assist African countries to develop and Japanese firms are in a very good position to successfully compete for the development of infrastructure in Nigeria.”

The President requested for increased participation of the Japanese government and the private sector in the Nigerian economy. [myad]

Ebonyi Governor Sacks 400 cleaners, Others In State University, College Of Education

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has ordered the immediate sack of some non-academic staff, including 400 cleaners, 100 cemetery workers in the state university and college of education.

The governor heard that most of the workers in the two institutions did not deserve to be employed as they were recruited by the past administrations simply to settle political patronage.
Governor Umahi, who gave the order in Abakaliki on Saturday while receiving the report of a committee to review the activities in the institutions said: “it is not economically viable for the institutions to recruit adjunct staff in the non-academic cadre, as the employees will be redundant in their duties.
“It does not make economic sense for the institutions to employ 400 cleaners as one wonders the scope and nature of work they will be doing. We know that the managements postulated ‘professional sense’ in employing such workers, but with the prevailing economic situation in the country, we should effectively merge it with ‘economic sense.”
The governor also ordered that promotion of staff in both institutions be suspended until the visitation panel concluded its duties. He directed the state’s fiscal responsibility commission to investigate activities in both institutions.
“When we conclude all reviews and investigations, I am optimistic that we can reduce their tuition fees as obtained in other states of the South East geopolitical zone.
“We are unhappy that our students seek academic pursuits in other states due to high tuition fees and we are committed to solving all the problems confronting these institutions.”
The governor also ordered that the salaries of workers under the Consolidated Health Salary Structure be paid immediately provided there was an agreement between the Ministry of Health and the concerned local governments.
“The salaries of those who do not have any binding agreement should also be paid but it must be on equal basis with workers on the same grade level in other segments of the civil service.
“We have agreed that workers not enjoying CONHESS due to deficiencies in certificates should be paid a special ‘hazard allowance to motivate them.”
The Chairman of the committee, Professor Chigozie Ogbu, said that it solicited the assistance of all unions and interest groups for effective discharge of its duties.
Ogbu, a former deputy governor of the state, said that the committee advised the unions to shelve their planned strike and other acts that might disrupt academic activities in the institutions.
The Chairman of the committee on CONHESS, Ignatius Unah, said that most of the workers did not deserve it as they were recruited to settle political patronage.
“The case of cemetery workers was most intriguing as more than 100 workers collect CONHESS when there are non-existent cemeteries in the state,” Unah said. [myad]

Delta Avengers Constitutes 7-Man Team For Dialogue With Government

Greenbarge Reporters

August 28, 2016

The Niger Delta Avengers has nominated a seven-man team, including the former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, Professor Wole Soyinka and others for a dialogue with the Federal Government.
This was contained in a letter addressed to Kalu and signed by the contact person for the East and Central Zones of the (NDA) , Ballatyne Agiri.
According to Agiri, the nomination of Kalu is based on his outspokenness, integrity and track records.

Others in the team are Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Steve Odi-Owei, Dr. Anthony Ani, Nalaguo Chris Alagoa and Chief Mobolaji Osomo.

The letter by Agiri reads: “As the contact person to the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and splinters from other oil-producing states of the Niger Delta Region, I, Mr. Ballantyne Agiri, wish to formally inform you that you have been considered credible to be nominated a member of the dialogue team on behalf of the Niger Delta Avengers of the aforementioned areas and the people of the region.
“Your choice as one of the seven-man dialogue team is based on your integrity, outspokenness and life track records.
“Issues constituting the agenda for the dialogue with the Federal Government shall be distributed to members on the floor of our inaugural /conceptualization meeting coming up next week in Port Harcourt.
“Grateful Sir, as you accept to be part of the team to usher in peace, justice and fair play to the Nigerian State”.
Kalu had, a few weeks ago, charged the militia group to sheathe their swords, said that for the sake of national well-being, it is important for all parties to thread with caution. He made it clear that government as an institution cannot be held to ransom.
He however, pleaded with the Federal Government to embrace dialogue as a mechanism for conflict resolution, pointing out that in view of the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, agitations are bound to arise from different quarters intermittently. [myad]

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