Families whose loved ones were electrocuted by an exploding electric transformer at Tundunwada area of Lugbe, a satellite in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have demanded N20 million compensation from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for each life lost .
It was learnt that the community would be pressing for N5 million pay out to the four persons that suffered varying degrees of injuries during the accident last Saturday.
It would be recalled that the transformer caused the death of six persons, including a pregnant woman who recently moved into her house in the area.
Ikenna Olelewe, who lost his brother, James Olelewe, 28, said that the affected families and other community leaders have been discussing the issue of compensation from the AEDC.
According to him, the families had met with the chief of Tudunwada, whom he said pleaded with them not to drag the power firm to court.
“The community chief pleaded with us to resolve the matter amicably with the AEDC officials, but the resolution depends on how cooperative the power firm is. The affected families have resolved to demand N20 million for each life lost and N5 million each for those injured; we have instructed our lawyer to write to the company and make our demands known.”
Ikenna said that his family planned to conduct the funeral of his late brother in Imo State on Saturday, but added that the ceremony has been postponed to next Friday.
A community leader, Felix Omeje, confirmed that the bereaved families have been meeting and would demand heavy compensation, but declined to give further details.
“I will let you know the moment we reach an agreement with the (AEDC) officials, but I can’t say anything now.”.
Omeje had earlier blamed the AEDC for the tragedy, attributing the explosion to wrong connection.
But the Head, Corporate Communications and Community Relations, AEDC, Oyebode Fadipe, said that investigation has just commenced into the incident, adding that he would not comment until the probe is concluded. [myad]
I have a dream, that Nigeria will produce more rice than Thailand, more cocoa than Cote d’Ivoire, more palm oil than Malaysia and abundant wheat and sugar for local consumption. I have a dream that the era of malnutrition and hunger in Nigeria have come to an end.
I have a dream that Nigeria will no longer import vegetable oil, frozen fish and poultry products. I have a dream that we’ll produce enough feed for livestock while we’ll also own abundant fishing fleets. I have a dream that Nigeria’s agricultural produce will meet international standard as they will be largely sought after. I have a dream that our agricultural institutions will become one of the best in the world.
It has been erroneously believed that commercial and subsistence farming are the two forms of agriculture being practised in Nigeria. Subsistence and commercial agriculture may be what are obtainable in other nations, but what we practise are far from these. Actually, the forms of agriculture we practise are mainly ‘primitive’ and ‘political’ farming.
Primitive farming is practised by rural farmers. They lack capital, information, modern implements and other necessary facilities that can initiate massive food production. Political farming is practised by governments and her agencies in which so much noise is made concerning provision of loans, fertilisers and farm implements to rural farmers, yet the outputs are nowhere to be found.
A terribly wrong perspective Nigerians have towards agriculture is that ‘it is a cutlass and hoe thing’. We have been able to abundantly produce some food items such as cassava, beans, onions, tomatoes and maize with cutlass and hoes, so we assume we must use these primitive tools to cultivate all crops. The buoyant agrarian economy Nigeria had in the 1950’s and 1960’s was achieved without use of modern machines, therefore we dream of bringing back the good old days with same operation mode.
Nigeria imports so much rice, wheat and vegetable oil and more because peasant farmers who are into agriculture do not have what it takes to import necessary technology for massive food production. Our engineers and scientist are poorly equipped to develop modern machines and facilities needed on farm as well. One more thing is that, instead of investing in agriculture, a business which adds more value to the economy, Nigerian investors prefer to invest in hotels, clubs, importation, filling stations and bureau de change.
Our educational system trains medical students who graduate to practise as doctors, such that our hospitals can do without expatriate doctors. Likewise we have Nigerian trained professional economist, lawyers, pharmacists, accountants, architects, and nurses who are doing exploits in their various fields without relying on foreign professionals. But agricultural science graduates are not so, I mean they do not end up as professional farmers after school.
There are three approaches we can utilise in order to achieve this dream. They are the short, medium and long term approaches. We should totally discard political farming as it an avenue to corruptly enrich few people. I believe in introducing new capable investors and organisations to venture into agriculture for transformation of the sector.
Firstly, I have identified a specific organization -religious organisations- they have massive investments in education, health, media and other socio-economic activities. They can equally be harnessed for job creation, especially in the agricultural sector. They are potentials waiting to be tapped for further exploits. I am confident that if these organizations are properly harnessed, they are capable of providing investments worth over 100 billion naira in the agricultural sector over the next ten years. The major challenge is how to sensitize them so that they can do more in the economy (I am seeking for partnership on a proposal I have on this).
We should encourage Nigerians in Diaspora to invest in agriculture. Today, many state governments have association with Songhai Farms because of the giant strides Songhai has recorded in agriculture. A Nigerian named Rev Father Godfery Nzamujo, who once lived in the US, heard of the severe malnutrition in Nigeria, returned to Africa to establish a farm. The success story of Songhai Farm (www.songhai.org) is what we need to replicate in almost every local government area in Nigeria.
The long term approach Nigeria needs to achieve agricultural revolution is for research and educational institutions to develop and commercialise abundant machines, chemicals and processes for the sector. Sustainability can never be achieved when all facilities needed for production are imported. Food exporting nations have understood the need for developing sophisticated technology locally as a panacea to abundant food production and this is what Nigeria must emulate.
Modern agriculture is a business of the educated people in developed nations. I mean people who can access information and provide innovative solutions for agricultural revolution. I believe the government should equip our agricultural science students in order to own own farms before and after graduation as this will yearly increase the number of professional farmers in an arithmetic progression.
We must understand that the criteria for accepting our agricultural produce in developed nations is when it meets their stipulated standards. We cannot afford to continue to depend on crude oil as the only foreign exchange earner. Standards must be locally established while required government agencies must have well equipped laboratories to offer adequate monitoring. Measuring up to their standards means creating more avenues for exportation and foreign exchange.
Government must be ready to adequately fund the academic and research institutes so that they’ll measure up to their responsibilities. Tax holidays, import waivers and incentives for a specific time should be given to the new investors. Other investment friendly policies should also be made.
When the agricultural revolution dream is achieved, we’ll save over $10bn spent annually on importation of rice, sugar, vegetable oil, wheat, apple, fish and other agricultural products. Achieving this dream means a great reduction in unemployment, poverty and malnutrition.
The governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose has admitted that he actually bought several houses worth N1. 35 Billion in Lagos and Abuja, but that he owned such properties legitimately.
In a statement aimed at pre-empting the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over the illegal acquisition of properties bought with stolen funds from the coffers of a state that has not been able to pay workers’ salaries for over six months, Fayose confessed that some of his aides assisted him to buy properties in Lagos and Abuja.
Not knowing that his agents and contractors had admitted that he stole Ekiti state funds to purchase the properties, Fayose claimed that he bought them from the “campaign fund’ donated to him by zenith bank plc and some unnamed friends.
Reacting to the confession, the Coordinator of Value and Integrity Group (VIG), Sina Odugbemi, noted that the more Fayose talks the more he implicates himself.
“Whether the N1.2 billion was stolen from the office of the NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki through Mr. Obanikoro or donated by zenith bank plc the EFCC has the power to recover the criminally diverted fund. Granted that zenith bank plc donated the fund does the financial institution have the power to remove depositors’ fund and donate it to Mr. Fayose for his political campaign? Can a bank contribute N1.2 billion to a political campaign of a politician?
“Has Mike Ozekhome SAN forgotten to educate his client whose confessional statements are sufficient to convict him in a court of law. Is Ozekhome not aware that the maximum amount stipulate for political expenses of a governorship candidate is N200 million whereas his client has admitted that he spent N1.2 billion? Has Ozekhome not made it clear to his client that the N1.2 billion is forfeitable since it was either stolen from the office of the NSA or from the vault of a bank being depositors’ fund?
“However, the EFCC must be commended for carrying out a professional investigation which is so thorough that the explanations of the suspect, Mr. Fayose, look so unintelligent. Surely, Mr. Fayose stands to forfeit all the properties and other assets traced to the campaign fund of N1.2 billion, whether stolen from the government of Nigeria or donated illegally by zenith bank plc. But since the efcc has shown that the money for the properties was stolen from the account of Ekiti state government through contractors, what is the explanation of Mr. stomach infrastructure?
“Mr. Fayose claimed that the N1.2 billion traced to him was donated by zenith bank and unnamed friends. He said that he spent the entire fund on his election. Now, the efcc has found and confirmed that he bought properties worth N1.35 billion within 6 months of his inauguration. Will Mr. Fayose or his lawyer, Mr. Ozekhome add up the figures for the members of the public?” [myad]
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has made it clear that it would not go into dialogue with the Muhammadu Buhari led federal government, even as it vowed to go ahead with its planned strike slated to have commenced by 12:01am on Thursday. The National President of PENGASSAN, Francis Johnson, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that the issues at stake have been pending for so long, adding that the government is only trying to apply fire brigade approach to a serious matter. “We have discussed this matter long enough for the government to address us, but it closed its ears. Now the authorities are calling for dialogue. “We are ready to work with Mr. President to succeed, but other agencies involved in the discussion were not showing serious concern over the matter and we don’t have any choice than to proceed on strike.” Johnson said that the inability of the Federal Government to honour its agreements contained in May 12, 2016 communiqué was the reason for calling for the strike, adding that some of the issues including lingering irregular Joint Venture Funding (JVF) and Cash Call Payment (CCP) arrears and lack of a clear cut direction on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). Others are forceful co-option of government agencies into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the spate of redundancy and retrenchment in the industry. The PENGASSAN president said that several efforts to engage the government to forestall the strike were frustrated and that before now, the union tried to engage the government on May 24, 2016, which was inconclusive. He said that the engagement was later fixed for June 23, 2016, which did not take place, and again the one scheduled for June 30, 2016 was unceremoniously cancelled with no date given. “We see this as a deliberate attempt by the government to frustrate the discussion of the myriad of issues raised in the communiqué, which are critical to the survival of the oil and gas industry in the country. “Among the burning issues raised is that of the Joint Venture Funding/Cash Call arrears, which has stalled new investments and the creation of jobs, and which has consequently brought about massive job losses. “We have equally noted with great dismay that our tertiary institutions keep churning out graduates with no or very limited job placement opportunities. “Even for those that are fortunate to have jobs, it has been a tug-of-war getting their salaries paid as when due and are faced with redundancies on a regular basis, especially in the service sector. “We cannot fold our hands and watch this gradual collapse of our strategic oil and gas industry and its attendant consequences on the nation’s economy. “This is a sharp contrast to the present government avowed promised to create and retain jobs.” PENGASSAN had ordered its members to leave their duty posts in all oil installations and offices throughout Nigeria as from 12.01am on Thursday. [myad]
The General Overseer of Victory Assembly Ministry (VAM), Bishop Jonathan Eze has warned the Niger Delta militants to stop blowing up oil pipelines as the spiritual leaders will no longer sit back to watch militants destroy the country.
“If the militants do not stop this madness, we will fight them spiritually and subdue them.”
Bishop Eze, who gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Owerri said: “the Avengers are not fighting a just cause because their activities are affecting and threatening the peace of the nation. Nigerian oil is a natural gift from God and nobody has the right to destroy it.”
The Bishop who was reacting to the incessant attacks on oil pipelines by the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), said that if the Avengers were aggrieved over any issue, they should address it in a civil manner rather than threaten the country.
According to the general overseer, who is also a UN Peace Ambassador, the avengers are incurring the wrath of God by their activities, stressing that if the country must remain one, no group should threaten the peaceful existence of the nation in the name of militancy.
Bishop Eze blamed Niger Delta leaders for allowing the situation to get out of hand, adding: “the leaders in the Niger Delta region are to be blamed because they are the people that groomed the militants and they should call them to order.
“How can there be governors, senators, traditional rulers and other top government officials from the region; and yet they cannot caution their children from destroying government assets.” The clergyman encouraged the Federal Government to take a critical look into the issue and handle it with diplomacy. (NAN). [myad]
The murder, on Wednesday, of a 36-year-old university lecturer, Emmanuel Chidi Nnamdi in Italy has led to the arrest of a man, Amedeo Mancini, 35, suspected to be the brain behind it.
This is even as the Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi took to Twitter to condemn “hatred, racism and violence,” which was the hallmark of the killing.
The country’s Interior Minister, Angelino Alfano attended a security meeting in Fermo on Thursday, after which he announced that Chinyere, the deceased girlfriend would be granted refugee status.
Chidi was beaten to death in a racist attack by a right-wing football hooligan in the central Italian town of Fermo.
Chidi was walking with his wife, Chinyery, on Via Veneto in Fermo on Tuesday night when they suffered racial abuse. The football hooligan allegedly called Chinyere, 24, a “monkey.”
That led to an altercation and Chidi was brutally beaten on the head, reportedly with a road-sign pole, until he fell to the ground.
The attack caused a brain hemorrhage that resulted in an irreversible coma. Chidi died on Wednesday.
Chid and his girlfriend, Chinyere, arrived in Italy last year after escaping an attack by the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, at a church in Nigeria in which they each lost their parents and their daughter. Chinyere also lost her baby after the perilous Mediterranean crossing.
Meanwhile the president of the chamber of deputies, Laura Boldrini had expressed “dismay” and “outrage” on hearing the news that “a man who escaped the ferocity of Boko Haram terrorists in his country was killed, here in Italy, because of hatred, racism and xenophobia”.
The couple had been living in the area for eight months and were lodged in a shelter run by Catholic charity Caritas. Chinyere has been moved to another centre. [myad]
Senior Special Assistant on State Legislative Affairs to the Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has made it clear that the Niger Delta militants are only destroying the land in the region and causing havoc to environment by the continued blowing up of oil pipelines and other economic sabotages.
Dogara’s spokesman, Iliyasu Zwal, who spoke in an interview in Bauchi on Thursday, reminded the militants that each time they destroyed oil facilities, their environment was the first victim.
“Whenever there is destruction of oil facilities, the problem of pollution in their environment is worsened as the air, water and soil are affected.
“The situation is even capable of triggering outbreak of diseases, just as farming and fishing activities are adversely affected,” he noted.
He said that whatever efforts were being made by the Federal Government to address the environmental problem of the region, were being negated by activities of the militants.
Zwal, who was also the Chairman of Committee on Defense and Security in the seventh Bauchi House of Assembly, advised the militants to embrace dialogue as the Federal Government is willing to negotiate for peace.
He called on the elders in the Niger Delta to prevail on their youth to embrace dialogue in the interest of the region and the country at large.
American Pop star, Madonna shed tears during a trip to Kenya as she listened to a man describe how his five-year-old daughter was recently raped by a neighbour in Nairobi’s Kibera slum.
The singer met the man during a visit to Kibera, one of Africa’s biggest slums where she had gone to see how she could improve the lives of its residents.
Madonna Madonna Trevor Neilson, who manages Madonna’s Raising Malawi and Ray of Light Foundations, said the rape incident was an incredibly powerful and disturbing conversation about the realities of violence in the people’s lives. According to Neilson, this story brought Madonna to tears.
The “Material Girl’’ singer, who took her four children to the east African country, posted a video on Instagram showing cleaning of streets, clearing gutters and painting murals.
Madonna also met Kenya’s First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to discuss working with her charity to scale up maternal and child health programmes and initiatives against gender violence.
The Kenyatta’s “charity Beyond Zero’’ provided mobile clinics that offered basic health services to Kenyans in remote areas that recently introduced safe spaces for victims to report gender based violence.
Madonna’s basic belief was that no child, no woman should be attacked anywhere “Period’’, Neilson said.
“There needs to be a bright light shone on this problem, which creates an environment that enables the victims to come forward and forces the law enforcement to pursue these things.’’ Constance Gakonyo, the First Lady’s Chief of Staff, said the two women also discussed ways of working together but they did not go into details.
Madonna’s welcome in Kenya was in contrast to the criticism she faced after visiting Malawi in 2013.
Madonna was accused by Malawi for expecting its government to be forever be grateful to her for adopting two Malawian children and contributing to the construction of classrooms in that country. (Reuters/NAN). [myad]
“Nigeria’s healing is taking place now, and the health of the nation is being restored now. We are pushing darkness back.”
This was the submission of the Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church (LFC) worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, when he addressed both local and international assembly of the church workers in a broadcast on Thursday morning.
He called on the Christians who are involved in fostering the present revival of the nation by God through their prayers and work not to relent as they were entitled to rewards from the Lord. Oyedepo described Nigeria as a country that is moving forward, in spite of its present economic challenges.
He told the workers that both the nation and the church were in a period of revival and that sacrifices would have to be made. [myad]
A woman identified only as Gloria has blinded one of the eyes of her 12-year-old houseboy identified as Peter, following brutal and frequent torture. Gloria had employed Peter who is from Togo to work as her housemaid at 14b, Olu Akerele Street, Balogun Bus Stop off Awolowo Way, Ikeja area of Lagos State but the minor had been suffering severe beating in the hands of the woman.
It was learnt that in one of such cruel beatings, Peter lost an eye. The victim was said to have been thoroughly beaten when his master returned from an outing and discovered that he did not wash a kettle properly.
She was said to have descended on the boy and in the process, injured his eye.
Concerned residents said they could no longer withstand her cruelty so they reported the case to the police and the woman was arrested.
A resident who pleaded anonymity said the woman was well known for being violent and was avoided by everyone in the area.
“If the boy comes to watch television with them in the parlor, he would be beaten. On school days, you will see the boy leaving home around 9.30a.m.
“We feared the unexpected with the manner the woman used to beat the boy. He has a deep sore on his leg. When we asked him about it, he said it was burnt from fire. He said the swollen eye was caused by beating from his madam for not washing a kettle properly.
“He has been subjected to violence for a long time. You know everybody used to mind his or her business in the compound. When I saw the boy last, he was looking sickly. Hence I decided to seek help from the appropriate agency.
“This is an ideal case of child abuse and child labour. We need the intervention of child protection network in his case,” the resident added.
Meanwhile, the police had not made any comment on the arrest of Gloria. [myad]
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Families whose loved ones were electrocuted by an exploding electric transformer at Tundunwada area of Lugbe, a satellite in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have demanded N20 million compensation from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for each life lost .
