The Federal Government said yesterday that lack of values was responsible for high level corruption in the country. This is even as it said that over-dependence on government for means of livelihood, is breeding corruption, noting that one of the reasons why there is corruption in Nigeria is because the economy revolves around government. Minister of Information Labaran Maku, stated this yesterday in Abuja during a press conference which x-rayed government’s key achievements in 2013, saying for a long time, people are rated by how much money they have and not by their capacity to do things. Maku referred to United States President Barack Obama, who generated more money from contributions from the masses during his campaign and won the election, saying in Nigeria today, most of the time, you find people saying, has he brought working material? “When they say working material, they are talking about money. That is high level of corruption. The highest corruption is for you to sell your votes for money. “When you are talking about leadership, you are not looking at quality. You are looking at whether the person has money. That is the highest level of corruption and that is making it impossible for people who have knowledge, who have capacity, who are sincere, who are honest and they want to serve this country, they hardly ever get through because the voters put so much emphasis on money so that politics then becomes something for the highest bidder. “So, I cannot deny that there is no corruption in Nigeria. I believe there is corruption in Nigeria because even sometimes, if you go to religious organizations, you go to Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), there are problems of poor management of funds sometimes. We have poor management of funds. “And sometimes, our public officers, if you look at the pressure on public officers here; I am going to London and I passed through Number 10, Downing Street, nobody is hanging there. You won’t find anybody there. So, our system needs a lot of reform,” Maku said. Noting that laws alone cannot stop corruption in the country, Maku further noted that it was a matter of conscience. “But even then, I believe that fighting corruption also involves making the system inhospitable to fraud. “As we approach 2015, you will notice. Everyday, somebody would sit and say hey, they have stolen forty-something billion, one hundred billion. It is aimed at getting headlines to make the government look bad. When you ask them to bring the facts, they don’t have. “I, who is talking to you, I read the headline that I have stolen one hundred billion in one of the national newspapers. So, the truth of the matter is this; abuses are still taking place in Nigeria. We need a lot of work,” Maku noted. On the economy, Maku said Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),is one of the fastest growing in the world, noting that the growth rate in 2013, was put at 7.2 percent by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He also said there was stable exchange rate as the dollar exchange had remained stable in the last two years between N155 and N160.
University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, workers
continued for the second day, the protest calling for the removal of
the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Bartho Okolo and the
Supervisory Minister for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike over alleged
maladministration in the university.
The protest was held both at the commodious Freedom Square, Nsukka Campus and the Enugu campus of the university.
As a result, all activities including post-ASUU-strike mop up examinations and project defence for final year students have been grounded in the university.
Lecturers and non-academic workers in university had Wednesday, vowed to continue mass demonstrations until the supervisory Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, reinstates Chairman of the University’s Governing Council, Professor Emeka Enejere.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/unn-crises-staff-demand-vcs-removal/#sthash.RC43MGCR.dpuf
Abuja - The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) issued a stern warning to
the All People Congress (APC) over calls for the impeachment of
President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We have noted with utter disdain,
the reckless and irresponsible call by the APC on Sunday for the
National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President
Goodluck Jonathan.
"Ordinarily, we would not have dignified
Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s latest vituperations in the service of his
paymasters with a response, but we thought it necessary to warn that the
Federal Government will not standby idly and let the nation be plunged
into unnecessary crises and political instability because of the
desperation and apparent readiness of the APC spokesman and his gang of
power-seeking desperadoes to sacrifice the well-being of the country on
the altar of their selfish personal ambitions,” the special adviser to
the president on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, stated from Abuja.
He
said the presidency totally condemned the decision by Mohammed and his
party to “move further beyond the bounds of honourable and acceptable
political conduct with the senseless call for the impeachment of a
president who continues to sincerely devote himself to the discharge of
the sacred mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.”
“The APC, which remains a minority party with doubtful credentials in
the National Assembly, knows fully well that its attempt to hector and
blackmail a parliament dominated by loyal members of the president’s
party, the PDP, into an impeachment process, will come to nothing.
"But
it has cavalierly embarked on this outrageous gambit, with scant regard
for peace, order, security and political stability in the country, in
furtherance of its dastardly and heinous strategy of over-heating the
polity and working to cause public disaffection against the Jonathan
Presidency with lies, false accusations and unjustifiable indictments
ahead of the 2015 general elections.”
The APC’s calls come amid
accusations of the Jonathan’s administration’s criticized stance on
corruption and allegations PDP was training snipers to quash dissent.
“We
urge Nigerians to take special note of this boastful indication of an
intention to resort to lawlessness. The presidency warns that the APC
and any persons who make themselves its willing tools for the breach of
public order and safety will be made to face the full sanctions of the
law.
"Those who are threatening fire and brimstone should be
ready for consequences of treasonable action. The APC's false copy-cat
allegation that 1 000 snipers are being trained by the Jonathan
Administration clearly shows that they are now in cahoots with some
other elements who are bent on discrediting this administration and
inciting the public against it.
"President Jonathan is running a
people's government. He does not need any snipers. His legitimacy comes
from the people. Those who are alleging the existence of snipers should
step forward and provide the evidence or shut up forever and go down in
history as spineless cowards, driven by sheer greed and indecency,”
Abati stated.
He described APC’s call for the President’s impeachment as opportunistic, partisan and ill-motivated.
“We
dismiss the APC’s call for the President’s impeachment as
opportunistic, partisan and ill-motivated. We call on patriots to make
the necessary distinction between such reckless violations of civic duty
and the urgent need to protect the integrity of the Nigerian nation
against those who for selfish reasons have declared their readiness to
stop at nothing.”
The sooner you try out these tips, the more prepared you will be for the holiday foods.
1. Activity compensates for extra calories Give
yourself the gift of 30 minutes of exercise a day. In addition to
burning calories, exercise also helps to relieve tension – so you are
less likely to eat to control holiday stress.
2. H20, H20, H20 A
little water goes a long way – small sips throughout the day are a
smart way to keep well hydrated. It acts as a shock absorber and joint
lubricant, helps to transport nutrients and eliminate waste, and works
in regulating body temperature. Even better, water has no fat, no
calories and no cholesterol.
3. Be a food snob Don’t
waste precious calories on everyday chips or biscuits. Be selective and
choose only the foods you really love, or that you associate with the
season.
4. Bundle flavours Variety might be the
spice of life, but it is also a recipe for overeating. Bundle together
similar flavours. For instance, put only salty (or meaty) foods on your
plate at once. You will grow tired of that specific flavour more quickly
and end up feeling satisfied on fewer calories.
5. Pare down those portions Try
to keep your portions small and make only one visit to the table.
Choose the smallest plate possible. Pile greens and other tasty veggies
on your plate first, leaving just a little room for those high-calorie
treats like sweets and cheeses. Eat small, lower-calorie meals during
the day so you can enjoy a special treat later – just make sure you do
not starve yourself for the party and overeat later.
6. Step away from the table If
you don’t put your choices on a plate, you have no idea how much you
are really eating. The worst thing you can do at a party is stand around
the table dipping into the bowl.
7. Drink slimmer Alcohol
is a double whammy during the holidays. It tends to weaken your
resistance when it comes to eating, and the calories in drinks add up
quickly. Sip on a glass of water between cocktails.
8. “I paid for it, so I’m going to eat it” Don’t
feel as if you need to clean your plate just because you paid for it.
Put part of your meal right away into a take-home container. Portion
sizes in restaurants can be two to three times the amount you need.
Instead of the usual starch and vegetable sides, skip the starch and
double the veggies instead. Stop eating as soon as you begin to feel
full.
9. Zen Yourself Holidays can be stressful.
Keep expectations for the holiday season manageable. Organise your time
and make a list and prioritise the important activities. Be realistic
about what you can and cannot do. And don’t forget to schedule some down
time to relax.
10. Slip, don’t slide If you eat
three helpings of mashed potatoes and half a pie, all is not lost.
Rather than polishing off the rest, learn from your slip-up. Next time,
eat a salad first, start a conversation, and park yourself far from the
danger zone. The next time starts today.
Luigi Gratton is vice president of medical affairs at Herbalife, a global nutrition and direct-selling company.
Sunday, 8 December 2013
David Livingstone
HISTORY MAKER
"A Privilege Not A Sacrifice"
Livingstone is best known for his accomplishments as an explorer
as he was the first man to map Africa and the first European to discover many
areas of Africa. What is less known of
Livingstone is the immense suffering he endured in order to reach Africa with the gospel of Christ.
By
Kevin Thiemann
Besides living in Scotland,
David Livingstone was a man on track to successfully accomplish the
"American dream",only something went horribly wrong. Born in
1813 and raised in a humble Scottish home, Livingstone set his heart on
achieving success by becoming a medical doctor. He supported himself through
college and was accepted to medical school in London. Livingstone graduated with honors but
not before his life goals would be rearranged by the words of one Dr. Robert
Moffat.
While a student in London,
Livingstone had the opportunity to hear a message presented by a missionary
doctor from Africa named Moffat. Moffat
reported,
"I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke
of a thousand villages, where no missionary has ever been."
These words burned in Livingstone's heart ultimately compelling
him to give up his small ambitions in order to join Dr. Moffat as a missionary
in Africa. David Livingstone lived the next 30
years of his life as a missionary and explorer in Africa.
He traveled over 29,000 miles preaching the gospel, providing medical services,
building churches, and mapping the vast African continent.
Livingstone is best known for his accomplishments as an explorer
as he was the first man to map Africa and the first European to discover many
areas of Africa. What is less known of Livingstone
is the immense suffering he endured in order to reach Africa
with the gospel of Christ. He was once attacked by a lion on the mission field
crushing his shoulder to the point that its mobility would be hindered for the
rest of his life. Livingstone married and deeply loved Mary Moffat (the
daughter of Dr. Moffat), but because of the difficulty of travel and various
sicknesses he would spend more than half of his 18 years of marriage separate
from his wife. The couple lost a child to sickness on the mission field, and
later Livingstone also lost his beloved wife to sickness on the mission field
as well. During his time in Africa Livingstone once went 3 years with no
correspondence from his family because the letters were unable to get to him.
After all of this here is what Livingston had to say about the
price he paid to live as a missionary in Africa.
"People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much
time in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice
which is simply paying back a small part of a great debt owing to our God which
we can never repay? Away with the word in such a view and with such a thought.
It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege." (written
in David's journal late in life)
David Livingston lost his wife, a child, his health, and gave up a
comfortable future living out what we know as the "American dream."
Instead he eeked out an existence in the bush of Africa
for 30 years. After all that suffering Livingstone says it was a privilege, not
a sacrifice. Why? By the grace of God David Livingstone bought into a dream far
bigger than himself and a comfortable life. Livingstone lived to participate
with God in the greatest of possible adventures. He gave his life for the glory
of God among the people of Africa.
From our friends at the Traveling Team (www.thetravelingteam.org)
Patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)
in Lagos are counting their ordeals as resident doctors' indefinite
strike enters the fourth week.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
correspondent, who visited the hospital on Wednesday, reports that only a
few consultants were seen attending to a number patients.
The
National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had on 1 October
directed its members nationwide to embark on an indefinite strike.
The NARD President, Dr Jibril Abdullahi, said that the strike was to protest poor funding of residency training.
NAN reports that consultants, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and cleaners, were seen attending to patients.
One of the patients, Mrs Dolapo Afolabi, told NAN that the strike was worsening the patients' conditions.
She regretted that the strike by health workers had become incessant. Afolabi said that a strike by health workers should be avoided in the interest of patients.
"Strikes are taking place too often in our hospitals. This is very dangerous because people's lives are involved," she said.
Another patient, Alhaji Ibrahim Amodu, told NAN that he came from Ikorodu to keep an appointment with a specialist.
Amodu appealed to the striking doctors and the Federal Government to reach an agreement. Miss Nkiruka Eloho said that she was used to the services of the teaching hospital because they were cheap.
Eloho
regretted that she had been unable to see her doctor since last week
because of long queues of patients waiting for few consultants.
"I came here very early this morning but have yet to see a doctor. Consultants are attending to those with critical conditions.
"It is likely that I will not see a doctor today. "I do not like to visit private hospitals where I may not get a specialist. Also, their services are expensive.
"The strike is depriving us access to doctors to look after our health," she said. Mr Femi Samuel told NAN he spent the whole Tuesday without seeing a doctor because only few senior doctors were working.
"I decided to come early today, hoping that I would see a doctor to attend to me in time, but it is still the same story."
The President of the LUTH chapter of NARD, Dr Emeka Ugwu, said that the strike was still on. "During
the emergency NEC meeting of NARD held on 7 October, members were
dissatisfied with the Federal Government's position on our demands. "As a result, we have to continue with the nationwide strike," he said.
[PHOTOS] Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah In Another Car Scandal, 4 Limousines bought for moving VIPs
Another car purchase scandal has hit the embattled Minister of
aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, less than a week after a report showed
with evidence how two BMW bullet-proof cars worth N255 million were
purchased for Oduah in August.
The latest report by SaharaReporters, an online news source, alleged
that the National Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, an agency under the
Ministry of Aviation, also bought four Toyota Tundra vehicles for Oduah
at an unspecified amount of money.
The same medium had on 15 October revealed the BMW purchase by the cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
The revelations triggered outrage and condemnation with many calling
on Oduah to resign or be fired by President Goodluck Jonathan for
corruption, mismanagement and breach of trust.
The new report alleged that the four vehicles are an addition to four limousines purportedly purchased for the movement of VIPs.
Photographs show the Limousines parked at the headquarters of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, TRACON, in Abuja today.
NAMA in a reaction admitted that the vehicles are parked within its premises in Abuja but said they belong to an unnamed person.
“The cars are parked within our premises but they do not belong to
us. They belong to someone who will address the press and unveil his
identity soon,” an official at NAMA said, pleading anonymity.
Supo Atobatele, spokesperson at NAMA was not available for comments.
The new report said NAMA’s CEO, Nnamdi Udo, reportedly made the
purchase and ‘donation’ of the Tundras to Stella Oduah in June this year
while the four Limousines were received in the third week of June but
have not been put to use.
Last week after the story of the two over priced BMW cars was
published, Oduah’s aides scurried to dismiss it. They later owned up
when the evidence was overwhelming.
Joe Obi, spokesperson to Oduah, said the cars were bought because the
minister’s life was in danger following her so-called transformation
agenda in the aviation industry.
However, following anger and condemnation, the Director General of
the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Fola Akinkuotu, claimed the
vehicles were meant for VIP movement.
A former lawmaker and leader of Anti-Corruption Network, Dino Melaye,
has said it is the duty of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to transport
international VIPs in Nigeria.
The minister has been battling a number of challenges in the aviation
sector before the latest corruption-related reports which threaten to
tear her reputation apart.
Twelve days before the leak of the BMW car purchase, an Associated
Airline plane carrying 20 people and the remains of Olusegun Agagu,
former governor of Nigeria’s southwestern state of
Ondo, crashed in
Lagos, killing 15 people.
The small plane came down only seconds after take-off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The next day, on 4 October, another plane, belonging to Kabo Air and
loaded with 512 pilgrims and crew, crash-landed in the northern city of
Sokoto, damaging some airport equipment and coming to a stop with burst
tyres.
Two days after, Dana Air’s licence was suspended after an air return
due to engine failure. Arik Air also had an air return and hovered in
the air for about 30 minutes.
Shortly after, an IRS Airline plane loaded with 89 passengers had an
emergency landing in Nigeria’s northern city of Kaduna. The passengers
disembarked from the runway even as firefighters and other emergency
teams surrounded the airport.
These accidents and serious incidents came only 16 months after a
Dana Air plane crashed in Lagos on 3 June last year and killed 163
people.
The minister was still under heavy criticisms and lawmakers had
already scheduled a public hearing with her to explain why close to 200
people have died in plane crashes since she became minister of aviation
on 2 July 2011, when the latest scandals blew open.
Meanwhile, reports said Stella Oduah left Nigeria early today for undisclosed reasons.
When contacted, Joe Obi, the minister spokesperson said there was no ban on the minister to travel out of Nigeria.
Yakubu Dati, spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria who often spoke for Oduah, said he could not confirm the
information since he was in Togo.
“What I can however say is that with Dino Melaye going to protest at
the ministry of aviation tomorrow in Abuja, it shows the witch-hunt
against Oduah is political. It’s from APC,” he said.
N255m Car Deal: Stella Oduah Responds To Jonathan’s Query,Says Her Side Of The Story
Embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who is facing
separate probe panels set up by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as
the National Assembly over the purchase of N255 million armoured cars
has written the president to explain her side of the story. The President on Tuesday issued query to her to explain her role in the purchase of the armoured cars. In her response which Vanguard obtained exclusively, the minister
said procurement of the cars followed due process and was provided for
in the NCAA 2013 budget. Defence In her defence titled: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE PROCUREMENT OF NCAA
OPERATIONAL VEHICLES, she wrote: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,
NCAA, is the statutory regulator of the Nigeria Civil Aviation
Industry. Consequently, the NCAA is charged with oversight responsibilities
over all civil aviation operations in the country, including safety,
security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended
Practices, SARPs, and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs. 2. Towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory
responsibilities, therefore, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully
equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including
adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over
400 airstrips. In keeping with standard practice, provision is
therefore made annually for the replacement of obsolete, inadequate and
unreliable monitoring equipment. 3.In the 2013 budgetary appropriation, provision was made for the
procurement of specialised equipment (including operational vehicles) to
complement and in some cases replace obsolete ones. Furthermore, the fact that NCAA, as the regulator of the industry,
often plays host to dignitaries from ICAO, IATA, US FAA, AFRAA, AFCAC
BAGASO, CANSO, ACI and a host of others makes it necessary to have
specialised operational vehicles. 4.With regard to the procurement of additional operational vehicles
(including BMW Security Vehicles), the following due process was
observed: (I) By letter dated April 15, 2013, NCAA officially requested
authorisation from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to procure 56
operational vehicles through lease financing. This option was proposed
to the ministry to enable the NCAA make 36 monthly payments based on
receipts from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. Approval The Ministry therefore granted due approval. (ii)Based on the ministry’s approval, the NCAA invited Expressions of
Interest from all Banks in Nigeria for the financing of the said
vehicles. EOI was adopted because the procurement is two sided. First,
the financier would have to be selected before the supplier is
determined. This is in line with procurement best practices. (iii) On May 24, 2013, the response received from the various banks
to the Expression of Interest, EOI, request was opened publicly and
minutes of the opening exercise was duly documented. During the EOI
opening exercise, NCAA got commendation from one of the Civil Society
Organisations, CSOs, approved by BPP who were invited for the opening
exercise. (iv) The evaluation of the expression of interests was held on May
31, 2013 during which First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC
emerged most responsive. On the June 10, 2013 the above three banks were
invited to submit Financial Proposals. Thereafter, First Bank emerged
the highest rated responsive bidder. (v)Between June 20 and 25, 2013, invoices were received from various
accredited motor vehicle dealers during which only Coscharis Motors
Limited quoted for BMW Security Vehicles. Tenders Board (vi) On June 28, 2013, NCAA Parastatal Tenders Board approved the
selection of First Bank Ltd for the Lease Financing as well as
Metropolitan Motor Vehicles and Coscharis for the supply of the
vehicles. All necessary approvals were duly sought and obtained
accordingly. (vii) Between July 8, 2013 to August, 12, 2013 various meetings were
held with First Bank Ltd, contract agreement was signed and necessary
documentation executed. Your Excellency is respectfully invited to note: (i) The crucial statutory role of the NCAA in regulating civil
aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and
strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs)
and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs). (ii) The need for NCAA to be fully equipped with highly specialized
tools and facilities (including operational vehicles) to enable the
effective implementation of its statutory functions. (iii) The procurement of specialized operational vehicles is duly
provided for in the NCAA 2p 13 (IGR) Budget and the need for adopting
instalmental lease payments over36rionths. (iii) That Due Process was followed in the procurement of the said operational vehicles. Please your Excellency my continued loyally and esteemed regards. Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, OON, Honourable Minister.
Jonathan under pressure to sack Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah
President Goodluck has come under intense pressure to sack the
Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, over the bulletproof car scandal
rocking the ministry. The call for the minister’s removal followed the ministry’s
confirmation on Wednesday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for the minister. SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that the president’s associates have told him to remove Oduah to save the reputation of his administration. “She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too
much,” one of the president’s close associates told one of our
correspondents. An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Tuesday that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August. It reported that documents in its possession showed that the
transaction for the purchase of the two BMW cars started in June, but
the request for the delivery and payment for them was fast-tracked
between August 13 and 15, 2013. The NCAA on Friday said the cars were in its possession and are used to “convey the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries.” This contradicted the statement of the minister’s aide, Mr. Joel Obi.
who had earlier admitted that the cars were purchased because Oduah’s
life was in danger. Following the development, civil society groups, on Friday, called on
President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack and order the
prosecution of Oduah. Leaders of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders and Campaign for Democracy, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH in
separate interviews, said the minister’s acceptance of the cars,
amounted to receiving a bribe to neglect her duty, leading to the loss
of lives in plane crashes that had occurred during her tenure. The Executive Director of CLO, Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike, described the
minister’s action as evidence of the level to which impunity had grown
among public officers because of the Federal Government’s inability to
fight corruption. Ezike demanded that Oduah be sacked and prosecuted. He said, “If this happened in climes where laws are obeyed; where the
credibility of processes is respected, such public officer is sacked
and prosecuted. We believe that what has happened is enough reason for
the minister, not only to be removed, but to be prosecuted. “But these things happen and nothing is done. That is why we have
been saying that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is
not interested in fighting corruption.” Similarly, the Executive Director of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said
Oduah and her accomplices should be sacked and prosecuted for corruption
and negligence of duty. He said, “Not only should Oduah be sacked, she and her accomplices
should be promptly arrested, investigated, prosecuted and actually
punished for such heinous crime. What she did is like taking a bribe
from NCAA, which means she will no longer be able to maintain standard
in aviation sector.
And when standards are not maintained, all you get
is that ordinary Nigerians are killed in plane crashes. “The woman (Oduah) should be prosecuted, not only for corruption, but
also for gross negligence, which led to the NCAA not taking adequate
precautionary measures on the flights that have crashed during her
tenure, killing about 300 people.” Also, the President of CD, Joe Okei-Odumakin, demanded that the
bulletproof car scandal be thoroughly investigated by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission. Okei-Odumakin said in order to stem impunity in the system, the minister should be sacked, prosecuted and punished. She said, “We have been following the developments in the aviation
sector, but with this colossal waste of public funds and the arrogance
with which the explanation was given, we ask that Oduah should step
aside. “We want to use this opportunity to call on the EFCC to thoroughly
investigate the scam and ensure that all those who are involved in
purchasing the vehicles and the minister herself are prosecuted.” In their reaction to the scam, members of the House of
Representatives, also demanded that the minister and the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority be probed. Senators, however, opted for a more cautious approach to the issue; as most of them declined comments when contacted. The representatives, who were favourably disposed to a probe, however, differed on the approach to the investigation. The Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes, Drugs/Narcotics,
Mr. Adams Jagaba, said President Goodluck Jonathan “must urgently ask
the minister to step aside” to allow for free investigation into the
scandal, while the Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila,
suggested that the investigation should be done with caution “by
ensuring that Oduah’s constitutional right to fair hearing is not denied
her.” Jagaba, who expressed shock over the development, described it as the
“highest level of corruption in a government that is fighting
corruption.” Urging Jonathan to suspend Oduah immediately, the lawmaker said the minister should answer certain questions immediately. He asked her to tell Nigerians why she needed “this protection by spending heavily to buy bulletproof cars.” Jagaba also asked the minister to explain why she needed more
protection than Jonathan or the presiding officers of the National
Assembly. He added that Jonathan must prove to Nigerians that there were no
“super-human ministers” in his cabinet by directing Oduah to step aside. He spoke further, “This is corruption at its highest level. “Who is Oduah afraid of that she needs that level of protection? Is
she saying that she needs more protection than Mr. President,
Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of
Representatives? “We have the Ministry of Petroleum Resources that is generating our
revenue. We have the Ministry of Finance; are the ministers in these
ministries demanding Oduah’s level of protection? “That ministry (aviation) is due for probe. There has to be a
thorough investigation into how she spent all the billions allocated to
the sector under her. On his part, Gbajabiamila observed that much as the “allegation is a
national embarrassment,” he would want the minister to be accorded her
constitutional right to fair hearing. “It’s a national embarrassment. Unfortunately, the EFCC cannot look
into it as demanded by most Nigerians because now we hear the EFCC is
broke. Cry, my beloved country.” Similarly, the House spokesman, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said, “The House
is interested in knowing the relevance of the cars because tax payers’
money is involved. Is she Mr. President to drive in N255m bulletproof
cars? Anything that is of interest to our constituents, we are also
interested.” In the Senate, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, Eyinnaya Abaribe, told SUNDAY PUNCH that it would be too hasty to offer an opinion on the scandal because the matter was before the Upper Legislative chamber. Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Victor Lar, did not
pick calls made to his mobile phone neither did he respond to a text
message sent to him. Similarly, Senators Babafemi Ojudu, Ganiyu Solomon, and Ayo
Akinyelure declined to comment on the issue when one of our
correspondents contacted them on the telephone. In spite of public call for probe, the nation’s anti-graft agencies
have kept sealed lips on possible investigation into the scam. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesperson, Mr.
Wilson Uwujaren, only said, “EFCC does not give advance notice to
conduct any investigation”. When also contacted, the spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Mr. Folu Olamiti,
declined comment.
Atiku, 215 others sign petition to end ASUU strike
Two hundred and sixteen Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora have
signed an online petition
asking the Federal Government and the Academic
Staff Union of Universities to end the industrial
dispute which has
kept public universities shut for four months.
The petition launched on change.org, a go-to site for web
protests, is asking President Goodluck Jonathan and the National
President of ASUU, Dr. Nassir Faggae, to reach an “amicable consensus.”
In the petition entitled, “Mr. President and the Academic Staff Union
of Universities: Please End the ASUU Strike now,” the petitioners said
the Presidency should stop playing politics with education of the
Nigerian youth.
The petition read in part, “Since the ASUU strike began, it has been
over half a semester, a lot in the life of students waiting at home, not
knowing when the strike will be over. The future of Nigeria is at
stake. Stop playing politics with education.
“It is urgent we send a message that it is long past time for the FG
and ASUU to reach consensus and get students back to school by ending
this strike.”
A majority of non-students who appended their signature to the
petition noted that they joined the online protest with a view to crying
out to ASUU and the FG to consider poor students whose parents cannot
afford the luxury of sending them overseas to study like the sons and
daughters of political office holders.
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, joined other students and
concerned Nigerians clamouring for a speedy end to the crisis rocking
the higher education sector.
Atiku, who featured the link to the petition signing website on his
Twitter handle, wrote, “We should never play politics with education.
Our future depends on it. It is time for the FG and ASUU to reach a
consensus and get students back to school by ending this strike.”
An Abuja-based post-graduate student in one of the public
universities in the country, Mubarak Jubrin, expressing his
dissatisfaction, wrote: “I am stuck with a semester to finish my
Master’s programme. The FG should be doing everything possible to rescue
the one institution left that is working towards producing better human
beings who will shape the future of our dear country.”
Noting that prolonged shutting down of public universities is a
dangerous omen for the society and development of the nation, a
Kaduna-based student, Tarik Abubakar, also said Nigerians students were
being denied their rights to education.
“Students in other countries are enjoying their rights to education. I
am pleading with the FG and ASUU to settle their issue and call off the
strike,” Abubakar stated.
A Nigerian student studying at the University of Cape Town, South
Africa, Godspower Onwudiwe, lamented that the industrial action paints a
bad picture of Nigeria on the international scene.
Onwudiwe stated, I feel so sorry for my beloved country because these
incessant strikes are a barrier to her general development. Also, as a
student in the Diaspora, it paints a very pitiful and shameful picture
on our international identity.
“I cannot wait to not only see this strike end but also the end of
future strikes to the detriment of the future of this generation and our
country at large.”
Jemima Gana, who was moved to sign the petition because she believes
that the status quo needs to change as the prosperous future of Nigeria
depends on quality education, which is being threatened by the strike.
Gana, who according to the information she provided on the site, is
based in Lagos, said Nigerian students need a stable learning
environment devoid of strikes for them to be able to compete globally.
“It is so important to me because it is high time the FG took the
value of education seriously and in high regard. Students in Nigeria
need a stable environment to acquire knowledge and graduate on time in
order to contribute their skills to the growth and development of this
great nation,” she wrote.
FG reiterates call on ASUU to end strike
The Federal Government on Tuesday reiterated its call on
striking university lecturers to return to work in the interest of
students and prevent further damage to the education system.
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, made the call during the Ministry’s monthly press briefing in Abuja.
He
said that government had conceded to most of the demands made by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and wondered why the union
would not budge.
He said government's commitment to resolve the
crisis was further demonstrated by its representation by Vice President
Namadi Sambo in the dialogue.
Maku explained that the strike was not for salaries but for allowances, as salaries had been increased.
"Salaries
have been increased by 54.3% which is half of their monthly income, but
they still insist on their 100 billon allowance.
"Government
offered N30 billion, but after a meeting with the vice president,
government promised another N10 billion, making it N40 billion.
"Government
has also promised N100 billion from Education Trust Fund and the N40
billon allowance have already been paid in many universities, yet they
are still under lock and key," he added.
The minister also stated that no government had cooperated with ASUU the way this present government had.
"We are building an infrastructure in the universities. For example, we have 38 new buildings at the University of Benin.
"No
one would want our teachers to suffer because I have worked as a
teacher, same as the president, but we cannot give all that they are
asking.
"No nation can move forward if we all expect government to
give 100 percent of their time and effort to our problems. We run an
economy that needs attention in all phases," he said.
He, however,
sympathised with students now at home and called on parents and
Nigerians in general to appeal to ASUU to go back to the classrooms.
"It is not in the interest of the country for the strike to continue."
Robbers on power bikes attack bullion van in Apapa,Lagos
Commercial activities at Ijora Badia, in the Apapa area of Lagos
State, came to a halt on Wednesday when policemen and robbers engaged in
a gun duel.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the robbers, who had arrived Marine
Bridge on several power bikes, dislodged a bullion van laden conveying a
huge amount of money from its escort vehicle by opening fire at them.
It was said that the robbers started shooting sporadically into the
air to scare motorists and residents, and attempted to escape with the
bullion van. Their progress was said to have been slowed down by heavy
traffic.
Our correspondent learnt that the Divisional Police Officer, Apapa,
Usman Ndanbabo, and policemen from the Area B Command arrived at the
scene after being alerted by the sound of gunfire. The robbers
reportedly disembarked from the bullion van and engaged the police in a
shootout.
Other police divisions within the area command were said to have also
blocked all the escape routes and dispatched anti-robbery teams to
assist the Apapa Division.
In the gun duel which lasted for several minutes, a member of the
Nigerian Navy and two other civilians were said to have sustained
injuries.
However, one of the robbers was reportedly shot dead while another was arrested.
It was learnt that the Navy personnel and the others, who were
injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. As of press
time, the condition of the injured could not be ascertained.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos Police Command, Ngozi
Braide, told our correspondent on the telephone that the remaining
suspects escaped with bullet wounds.
Braide said, “The DPO of Apapa Division was informed of the gunfire
around Ijora Badia Bridge and dispatched a team of anti-robbery
policemen. The robbers opened fire on the policemen and our men
retaliated. One of the robbers was killed, another arrested, while the
others escaped with bullet wounds.
“A yellow unregistered power bike, with the inscription, Apache
Hipar, was recovered from the robbers as well as two Ak-47 rifles with
double magazine each loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.
“Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects but normalcy has returned to the area.”
PUNCH Metro had reported on October 9, 2013, that some gunmen,
on a bike, shot and killed three policemen in a patrol van in Ijora
Olopa area of the state.
Police sources told our correspondent that they were working on the
theory that it was the same gang of robbers that operated on Wednesday.
A policeman from Area ‘C’ Police Command, Surulere, Lagos, who
pleaded for anonymity, identified the dead robber as one of the
culprits.
“You may recall that two weeks ago, five policemen on patrol were
shot and three of them died while two survived after the robbers on a
bike opened fire on their vehicle. One of the surviving policemen gave
us information and from what we put together, it is highly possible that
it is the same gang,” he said.
THE Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced
the suspension of its weeklong strike.
The suspension of the strike is contained in a statement issued Friday in
Abuja and signed by the association’s National Secretary, Mr. Promise
Adewusi.
SSANU had embarked on a strike to agitate for the payment of August and
September subventions to university workers by the federal government.
SSANU disclosed that the decision to suspend the strike was informed by the
federal government’s compliance with the association’s demands.
“Following substantial compliance with our demand for the payment of August
and September salaries of our members, which is the reason for our current
national strike action, we hereby suspend the strike and direct all our members
to return to their duties with effect from Monday, the October 14, 2013.”
The association expressed appreciation to its members for their solidarity,
adding that the non-payment of the salaries of its members for work done would
not happen again.
Meanwhile, a National Industrial Court, sitting in Enugu, on Friday, refused
to vacate an injunction it granted against the Academic Staff Union
of Polytechnics (ASUP), Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu
chapter.
The court presided by Justice Awal Ibrahim refused to hear the counsel to
ASUP.
Counsel to the Institute of Management and Technology, Chioma Egbuniwe had
objected to the appearance of the ASUP counsel, arguing that apart from filling
their processes out of time, the defendants were also yet to file their
memorandum of appearance.
Her objection followed an attempt by counsel to ASUP, E.W. Orji, to pray the
court to vacate the existing injunction, on the grounds that the union had
suffered much injustice as a result of the ex-parte injunction.
However, Egwuniwe told the court that it would be foul of the relevant laws
to hear any prayer from the defendant even when they were yet to regularise
their processes before the court.
The court had earlier granted an “order for interim injunction restraining
the defendants and members of the 4th defendant (ASUP), their agents, servants,
privies, no matter how so constituted or persons acting for and on their behalf
from convening and or holding the meeting of the 4th defendant or any union
meeting whatsoever during the office hours of the claimant between 8am and 4pm
Mondays to Fridays pending the hearing of the motion on notice filed in this
suit.
The Judge agreed with the claimant’s counsel and adjourned the matter to
October 31, 2013, to enable both parties file and respond to processes.
US-based Chevron announced Tuesday it was
selling its interest in two Nigerian oil blocks, becoming the latest
multi-national to part with assets in Africa's biggest crude producer.
The move will see Chevron sell its
40-percent stakes in oil mining leases 83 and 85 located in shallow
water off Nigeria's Bayelsa state in the country's southern Niger Delta
region.
The blocks contain the Madu and Anyala fields and are owned through a joint venture with Nigerian state oil firm NNPC.
Chevron
declined to provide information on reserves. Local media reported that
the blocks contain reserves of some 250 million barrels of oil.
Chevron
has been Nigeria's third-biggest oil producer, after Shell and Exxon,
with daily output at 238,000 barrels of crude per day in 2012. It will
continue to have a major presence in Nigeria.
The move marks the
latest sale of Nigerian assets by a multi-national company and comes
amid uncertainty in the country's oil industry, with a sweeping overhaul
of regulations, royalties and taxes delayed for years and still stuck
in parliament.
Shell has been seeking to sell off its stakes in
several onshore blocks, and analysts say the British-Dutch firm appears
willing to shift more of its focus offshore, where the risks of
sabotage, theft and militant attacks are lower.
In November,
French oil group Total announced the sale of its 20-percent stake in a
Nigerian offshore bloc to China's Sinopec for $2.5 billion.
Meanwhile in December, Nigerian firm Oando announced the purchase of ConocoPhillips' interests in the country.
Nigeria has been producing around 2.0 million barrels of oil per day.
60 minutes reveals untold story of Vietnam war-era. Follow this link below for the video.
http://screen.yahoo.com/60-minutes-reveals-untold-story-141240992-cbs.html
THE BIG SLEEP: Why The Stock Market Will Crash In A Few Months, Then Go Nowhere For Years
By Matthew Boesler | Business Insider – 1 hour 26 minutes ago
Nearly all of Wall Street is optimistic about the prospects for the stock market in the coming years.
Today, the S&P 500 closed at 1676. The median 2014 year-end
target for the index among Wall Street equity strategists, according to a
poll by Bloomberg, is 1900 — 13% above today's levels.
Thus, a new report from Société Générale's asset allocation team —
which calls for a 15% correction in the stock market in the first
quarter of next year, followed by a multi-year journey back to where the
index sits today — may come as a bit of a shock.
SG Cross Asset Research/Global Asset Allocation
SocGen's new S&P 500 price targets.
In the report — titled "S&P 500: -15% in sight, then the big
sleep" — SocGen's global head of asset allocation, Alain Bokobza,
explains how an unwind of easy money policies at the Federal Reserve and
ongoing dysfunction in Washington will cause the stock market to
languish.
"Strategically, we advise investors to switch into eurozone and
Japanese equities, where economic policy is much clearer, monetary
policy very loose and positioning is low," says Bokobza.
The strategist lays out the case in the report:
Between now and the end of the year, any decline in the S&P 500
is likely to be limited given that the Fed is still injecting liquidity.
We expect the S&P to be at 1600 by year-end, in line with our
technical analyst’s forecast (1560+/-10pts).
SG economists expect the January FOMC meeting to be the most likely
timeframe for tapering. They look for the first move to be $20bn
(instead of the $5-10bn previously expected by the market).
We expect the drop to accelerate at the start of 2014 as the market
starts pricing in the end of asset purchases (i.e. well before the
market’s Fed tapering expectation). The S&P 500 should dip to 1450
on our estimates, down c.15% from the peak.
Keep in mind the S&P 500 fell by -16% after QE1 stopped and by -17% after the end of QE2.
From Q2 2014, the S&P 500 should start to recover slowly after a
technical rebound (c.+7%), as 'Growth' returns to the forefront. We see
the S&P 500 at 1600 by the end of the year, so 2014 should be
rather flat.
In the two to three years that follow, the U.S. equity index should
remain relatively flat, burdened by higher yields (rate hikes in
mid-2015), a higher U.S. dollar and limited earnings growth (Return on
Equity is already high), but supported by better economic prospects and a
new shareholder value cycle, staving off a bear market.
The SocGen report calls Fed tightening "a cap on the U.S. equity
market," pointing to liquidity as "the main driver of U.S. equities
since 2008."
Simply put, stocks will not be able to handle higher interest rates.
" U.S. equities have been able to absorb the recent increase in the
[10-year] bond yield without panic thanks to a high equity risk
premium," says Bokobza. "The U.S. equity risk has dropped from 6.8% to
4.7% over the last 10 months. According to our proprietary risk premium
model, U.S. equities can absorb only c.80 [basis points] more; i.e., a
bond yield of around 3.4% (to normalise our risk premium at its
long-term average)."
The surge in long-term interest rates that accompanied a big
sell-off in the Treasury market this summer as investors anticipated a
tapering of quantitative easing did not weigh much on the stock market,
but the 10-year yield only made it to 3.0%.
Note: Red line = linear regression. Return on Equity = 12-month forward earnings/current book value
SocGen says the U.S. stock market — along with Switzerland's — is
the most expensive in the entire world, as the chart at left
illustrates.
"We continue to find some value in U.S. equities, but we
particularly like financial sectors," writes Bokobza. "The rest of the
market is now back to pre-crisis levels, trading at 3.2x book value.
Over the last 30 years, the only period non-financial U.S. stocks traded
higher was during the dot-com bubble (1997- 2001), when markets entered
into a period of ' irrational exuberance'."
From a fundamental standpoint, SocGen argues that it's becoming
increasingly difficult for companies to deliver on earnings
expectations.
"While the profitability of U.S. companies is already relatively
high, earnings momentum remains in negative territory and is
decreasing," says Bokobza. "It will be increasingly difficult for U.S.
companies to beat consensus expectations. Last year earnings growth
expectations for 2012 and 2013 were revised down sharply from the
double-digit level. The consensus expects 10% earnings growth for 2014
and 2015."
But what about the Great Rotation?
"There is more money in U.S. equities now than in 2007 (not the case
for European equities)," writes Bokobza. " Everyone has found good
reasons to buy U.S. equities, even if some of those reasons are
incompatible with one another: economic recovery, monetary stimulus,
energy revolution, safe haven area or simply a lack of alternatives."
"After gaining 170% since March 2009, we believe that US equities are a tired and crowded asset now."
A family carries their
belongings as they move to a safer place at the village of Donkuru in
Srikakulam district, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
October 12, 2013. Rain and wind lashed India's east coast on Saturday,
forcing more than 400,000 people to flee to storm shelters as one of the
country's largest cyclones closed in, threatening to cut a wide swathe
of devastation through farmland and fishing hamlets. Filling most of the
Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Phailin was about 200 km (124 miles) offshore by
noon on Saturday, satellite images showed, and was expected to hit land
by nightfall. (REUTERS/Adnan Abidi)
BEHRAMPUR, India (AP) — A massive, powerful cyclone packing
heavy rains and destructive winds slammed into India's eastern coastline
Saturday evening, as hundreds of thousands of residents moved inland to
shelters in hopes of riding out the dangerous storm.
Roads were
all but empty as high waves lashed the coastline of Orissa state, which
will bear the brunt of Cyclone Phailin. By midafternoon, wind gusts were
so strong that they could blow over grown men. Seawater pushed inland,
swamping villages where many people survive as subsistence farmers in
mud and thatch huts.
As the cyclone swept across the Bay of Bengal
toward the Indian coast, satellite images showed its spinning tails
covering an area larger than France. Images appeared to show the storm
making landfall early Saturday night near Gopalpur.
With some of
the world's warmest waters, the Indian Ocean is considered a cyclone hot
spot, and some of the deadliest storms in recent history have come
through the Bay of Bengal, including a 1999 cyclone that also hit Orissa
and killed 10,000 people.
Officials said early reports of deaths from Phailin won't become clear until after daybreak Sunday.
In
Behrampur, a town about 10 kilometers (7 miles) inland from where the
eye of the storm hit, the sky blackened quickly around the time of
landfall, with heavy winds and rains pelting the empty streets.
Window panes shook and shattered against the wind. Outside, objects could be heard smashing into walls.
"My
parents have been calling me regularly ... they are worried," said
Hemant Pati, 27, who was holed up in a Behrampur hotel with 15 other
people from the coastal town hit first by the storm.
The hotel
manager said he would bar the doors against anyone trying to enter,
saying there would be food, water and electricity from generators only
for guests of the Hotel Jyoti Residency. "Nobody can come inside, and
nobody can go out," Shaik Nisaruddin said.
Estimates of the
storm's power had dropped slightly, with the U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon
Warning Center in Hawaii showing maximum sustained winds of about 222
kilometers per hour (138 miles per hour), with gusts up to 268 kph (167
mph).
The storm, though, remained exceedingly strong and
dangerous. A few hours before it hit land, the eye of the storm
collapsed, spreading the hurricane force winds out over a larger area
and giving it a "bigger damage footprint," said Jeff Masters,
meteorology director at the U.S.-based private Weather Underground.
"It's
probably a bad thing it was doing this when it made landfall. Much of
the housing in India is unable to withstand even a much weaker
hurricane," Masters said.
He also said coasts would not be alone
in suffering heavy damage. "This is a remarkably strong storm. It's
going to carry hurricane-force winds inland for about 12 hours, which is
quite unusual," Masters said.
Hurricanes typically lose much of
their force when they hit land, where there is less heat-trapping
moisture feeding energy into the storm.
By Friday evening, some
420,000 people had been moved to higher ground or shelters in Orissa,
and 100,000 more in neighboring Andhra Pradesh, said Indian Home
Secretary Anil Goswami.
L.S. Rathore, the head of the Indian
Meteorological Department, predicted a storm surge of 3-3.5 meters
(10-11.5 feet), but several U.S. experts had predicted a much higher
wall of water would blast ashore. Meteorologist Ryan Maue of the private
U.S. weather firm Weather Bell said that, even in the best-case
scenario, there would be a surge of 7-9 meters (20-30 feet).
A
storm surge is the big killer in such storms, though heavy rains are
likely to compound the destruction. The Indian government said some 12
million people would be affected by the storm, including millions living
far from the coast.
There were few reports coming out of Orissa in the first hours after the storm's landfall.
Phailin
had already been large and powerful for nearly 36 hours, with winds
that had built up a tremendous amount of surge, Maue said. "A storm this
large can't peter out that fast," he said.
The 1999 cyclone — similar in strength to Phailin but covering a smaller area — threw out a 5.9-meter (19.4-foot) storm surge.
Several
hours before the storm hit, about 200 villagers were jammed into a
two-room, concrete schoolhouse in the village of Subalaya, about 30
kilometers (20 miles) from the coast, while local emergency officials
distributed food and water. The roads were almost empty, except for two
trucks bringing more evacuees to the school. Children shivered in the
rain as they stepped down from the vehicles, following women carrying
bags jammed with possessions.
Many had fled low-lying villages for
the shelter, but some left behind relatives who feared the storm could
wipe out lifetimes of work.
"My son had to stay back with his wife
because of the cattle and belongings," said 70-year-old Kaushalya Jena,
weeping in fear inside the makeshift shelter. "I don't know if they are
safe."
In Bhubaneshwar, the Orissa state capital, government
workers and volunteers were putting together hundreds of thousands of
food packages for relief camps.
Stranded tourists who had come for Orissa's beaches and temples instead roamed the hallways of boarded-up hotels.
"It
seemed strange, because it was a beautiful sunny day yesterday," said
Doris Lang of Honolulu, who was with a friend in the seaside temple town
of Puri when news of the cyclone's approach reached them.
The state's top official, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, appealed for calm.
"I
request everyone to not panic. Please assist the government. Everyone
from the village to the state headquarters have been put on alert," he
told reporters.
Surya Narayan Patro, the state's top disaster
management official, had said that "no one will be allowed to stay in
mud and thatched houses in the coastal areas" when the storm hits.
By Saturday afternoon, the sea had already pushed inland as much as 40 meters (130 feet) along parts of the coastline.
Officials
in both Orissa and Andhra Pradesh have been stockpiling emergency food
supplies and setting up shelters. The Indian military has put some of
its forces on alert, and has trucks, transport planes and helicopters at
the ready for relief operations.
The storm is expected to cause
large-scale power and communications outages and shut down road and rail
links, officials said. It's also expected to cause extensive damage to
crops.
In the port city of Paradip — which was hammered in the
1999 cyclone, also in October — at least seven ships were moved out to
sea to ride out the storm, with other boats shifted to safer parts of
the harbor, officials said.
U.S. forecasters had repeatedly warned that Phailin would be immense.
"If
it's not a record, it's really, really close," University of Miami
hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told The Associated Press. "You
really don't get storms stronger than this anywhere in the world ever."
To
compare it to killer U.S. storms, McNoldy said Phailin is nearly the
size of Hurricane Katrina, which killed 1,200 people in 2005 and caused
devastating flooding in New Orleans, but also has the wind power of
1992's Hurricane Andrew, which packed 265 kph (165 mph) winds at
landfall in Miami.
India experiences two cyclone seasons a year, one in May before the annual monsoon rains and another beginning in October.
"Keep
in mind, India's second cyclone season is only just beginning," said
Masters, the American meteorologist. "We could see another big storm in
October or November."
The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining
peace in Plateau, has confirmed the death of 11 people during an attack
by cow thieves at Pandadi Village in the Barkin-Ladi Local Government
Area of Plateau on Thursday.
The STF Commander, Maj.-Gen. David
Enetie, who confirmed the incident in Jos, also confirmed the killing of
five of the attackers by the STF.
Enetie said that the cattle
rustlers, who attacked the village in the morning, killed eight members
of one family and two others while a neighbour, who came out to assist
the victims, was also killed.
He disclosed that STF operatives, who rushed to the scene of the incident, killed five of the suspected cattle rustlers.
The
commander said that the corpses of the five suspected cattle rustlers
had been deposited at the Mangu Police Station, while those of the 11
villagers had been taken to Plateau State Specialist Hospital.
He explained that the incident was not part of any crisis.
"What happened here was not crisis, it was a clear case of cow theft by a group of cattle rustlers."
Enetie said that the cow thieves rustled 20 cows but could not escape with their loot after the STF’s quick intervention.
He
commended the intelligence unit of the STF for its timely information
that enabled his men to quickly storm the scene of the incident, calling
for more information from members of the public to enable the STF rid
the state of criminals.
