naijakonnect.com

Oando is Recuiting

2009-10-29T02:55:00.000-07:00

The Graduate Trainee Programme is designed to develop tomorrow's leaders today and guarantee a constant stream of highly skilled and professional employees with a good understanding and commitment to the Company's vision and mission.

Subsequent to a highly competitive selection process, short-listed candidates will undergo a structured, broad-based training programme involving formal learning and on the job attachments for 12 months. At the end of the programme, successful candidates will be considered for permanent positions in the company.

Requirements:
Prospective candidates will be professional, passionate, ambitious and able to demonstrate a high level of integrity. They will be team players, who have respect for other team members and must possess the following:

Bachelors or Masters Degree with minimum of Second Class Lower Division (2.2) in any of the following areas/disciplines:

Engineering, Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts, Accounting & Business Studies
NYSC Discharge Certificate
Minimum of 3 ‘B’s AND 2 ‘C’s in WASC, SSCE OR GCE 'O' Level in one sitting, which MUST include Mathematics and English.
Age: Not older than 26 years by the 31st of December 2009.
The programme is open only to graduates who completed their Bachelor's degree studies in the last four years.

How to apply:
If you are interested, kindly go to www.brassconsulting.net/gtp and complete the application form. Also attach a copy each of your:

Bachelor's degree and
WASC/SSCE/GCE Certificates only

NB:
The deadline for submission of all applications is Tuesday, 3rd, November 2009. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted through their email address and/or by SMS to the telephone number provided.

Genesis Food Nigeria: Centre Manager

2009-10-20T09:26:00.001-07:00

The Genesis Centre is an ultra modern, mixed – use leisure, shopping and dining complex with a distinctive and unparalleled excellence in family entertainment provision for a full day out.

The Genesis Centre is looking for vibrant individuals to join our team that exemplifies service excellence and sets the pace for others to attempt to follow.

We are now looking for a Center Manager.

We are currently looking for a dynamic, commercially aware, financially astute, business professional with strategic management skills who will drive the profitability of the centre.

You will be expected to develop the commercial and financial areas of the business, while overseeing the smooth and efficient operational management of the centre and it’s tenants.
should also have the ability to spot market trends and opportunities for growth and possess a flair for marketing and guest service.
Effective communications at all levels with tenants, employees, agents and consultants is essential.

Qualifications-
With unlimited drive, energy, creativity and a passion for the industry being the key traits for our ideal candidate, you will have at least 10 years post – NYSC experience and a proven track record within the retail sector in department store management, commercial property, or in the leisure and hospitality sectors.

If you meet our requirements and find the positions interesting, please send in an application attaching your resume including your contact and email addresses not later than two weeks from the date of this publication to: vacancy@genesisfoodsng.com

Genesis Food Nigeria: Finance Manager

2009-10-20T09:22:00.001-07:00

The Genesis Centre is an ultra modern, mixed – use leisure, shopping and dining complex with a distinctive and unparalleled excellence in family entertainment provision for a full day out.

The Genesis Centre is looking for vibrant individuals to join our team that exemplifies service excellence and sets the pace for others to attempt to follow.

Genesis Group’s commitment to developing a world class has created a high profile opportunity for a Finance Manager to drive the finance and accounting functions of the centre.

Your brief includes monthly financial control and reporting, review of profit & loss and balance sheet accounts, analysis – highlighting business performance against budgets and forecasts, improvement of international financial reporting processes, review and enhancement of management information quality and timelines.

We required a qualified accountant with at least 5 years post – NYSC experience and strong management accounting experience gained within the retail or hospitality industry.

If you meet our requirements and find the positions interesting, please send in an application attaching your resume including your contact and email addresses not later than two weeks from the date of this publication to: vacancy@genesisfoodsng.com

Meridian Technologies: Trainer / Faculty

2009-10-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Meridian Technologies Ltd is a mega IT Training and Education Company representing Aptech Computer Education in Lagos.

It is an authorized Oracle University partner, a Cisco Networking Academy, Microsoft partner, CompTIA member and has authorized Prometric and Vue Testing Centres.

Meridian Technologies has been a pioneer in delivering training on latest IT technologies and has been training students on the following courses :

1. Sun Java Courses : SCJP, Sun Certified Web/Business Component Developer.
2. SQL Server, ASP.net, C#, Perl, PHP, Apache, MySql

To meet its expansion it requires the following key staff: Trainers

Computer Science Graduates with NYSC discharged certificate, 2 to 3 years experience and having International Certifications in the related technologies need apply.

1. Sun Java Courses: Candidate should hold international certifications in SCJP, SCBCD & SCWCD and should have very good exposure and experience in delivering training on advanced Java technologies. The candidate should have good technical skills on the following modules :

All modules covered in SCJP (Sun Certified Java Programmer)
All modules covered in SCBCD (Sun Certified Business Component Developer)
All modules covered in SCWCD (Sun Certified Web Component Developer)
2. Programming, Database & Open Source Technology Courses: The candidate should be having very good technical skills on all of the following modules: SQL Server, ASP.net, C#, Perl, PHP, Apache, MySql

Candidates with additional certifications in other IT technologies than stated above will be preferred. IT training experience of more than 3 years will be an advantage.

Candidates must be dynamic, technically oriented, possess excellent communication skills and be willing to work on weekends.

After initial screening, short-listed applicants must qualify technical tests before being recruited.

The position offers a challenge of working with major international IT brands and offers a competitive salary package, performance based incentives, continuous training and an exciting long term career.

As the positions are based at Lagos, candidates residing currently in Lagos will be given preference.

Interested candidates should apply with their CV and passport photograph to career@meridian-nigeria.com.
Deadline is 24th October 2009.

FHI: Senior Monitoring / Evaluating Officer

2009-10-20T09:19:00.001-07:00

Family Health International (FHI) is dedicated to improving fives, knowledge, and understanding worldwide through a highly diversified program of research, education, and services in HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, reproductive health, and infectious diseases.

In collaboration with national governments, local communities and leading research institutions, FHI delivers services and conducts research in reproductive health, and other infectious diseases to improve the lives and well-being of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations

FHI is recruiting for a Senior Monitoring and Evaluating Officer

The Senior Monitoring and Evaluating Officer, under the supervision of the Associate Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, will assist in the design, implementation and supervision of the LAFIYA Management Information System (LAMIS) at national, zonal, and facility levels, and the creation and use of associated analysis products.

Responsibilities-
Ensure that LAMIS meets intended reporting and data output requirements for USG and Government
Provide technical assistance for the development and implementation of a systematic data analysis process of data outputs from the LAMIS, and linking the LAMIS to the DHIS
Coordinate and supervise the deployment of the LAMIS system to new sites as identified by the Director, M&E
Support the Zonal M&E teams in carrying out their local M&E activities
Provide technical assistance to partner M&E units and to the Government M&E counterparts
Coordinate all related research activities and contribute to FHI publications

Requirements-
MPH or similar degree in monitoring and evaluation or a related field (a Bachelors degree will be considered with 5-7 years experience)
At least 3 -5 years experience in M&E in reproductive health or HIV/AIDS programs in developing countries
Experience working on the development and implementation of a patient level health management information system
Sound knowledge of statistics and epidemiology
Experience working with local partners, including local NGOS and CBOS
Knowledge of the local context is essential and familiarity with USAID programs preferred

How to Apply-
Interested applicants should forward their suitability statement (application) and resume (CV) as a single MS Word document to: MandEjobs@ghain.org for Monitoring and Evaluation Department vacancies.
Deadline is 24th October, 2009.

FHI: Monitoring and Evaluating Officer

2009-10-20T09:18:00.001-07:00

FHI is now recruiting for a Monitoring and Evaluating Officer

The zonal Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, under the supervision of the zonal Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, and Zonal Manager, and with technical oversight from the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, will be responsible for implementing monitoring and evaluation activities for the zonal office.

Requirements:
MBBS/MD and MPH or similar degree with 1–3 years experience in monitoring and evaluation in reproductive health or HIV/AIDS programs in developing countries
Experience working with local partners, including NGOs and CBOs and knowledge of the local context
Familiarity with USAID programs is preferred

How to Apply-
Interested applicants should forward their suitability statement (application) and resume (CV) as a single MS Word document to: MandEjobs@ghain.org for Monitoring and Evaluation Department vacancies.

Deadline is 24th October, 2009.

FHI: Community Health Specialist

2009-10-20T09:17:00.001-07:00

FHI Nigeria: Community Health Officer

2009-10-20T09:15:00.001-07:00

FHI: Senior Inventory & Assets Officer

2009-10-20T09:13:00.001-07:00

CBN rolls out list of five troubled banks’ debtors

2009-10-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

A LONG list of bank debtors – over 600 names in all – was rolled out last night by the Central Bank.

On the roll of multi-billion debts are frontline businessmen, corporate giants and manufacturers as well as notable politicians. They are directors of the debtor companies.

The apex bank, in a statement issued by its spokesman Mohammed Abdullahi, noted that the list is for the un-performing loans of N100million and above in Bank PHB, Wema Bank, Spring Bank, Unity Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank (ETB) as at June 30.

The list is published in an advertorial inside this paper today.

The CBN had on October 2, 2009 fired the Chief Executive Officers of Equitorial Trust Bank, Spring Bank, and Bank PHB. It ordered Unity Bank Plc to recapitalise before June 30, next year. WEMA Bank was also directed to recapitalise.

The statement reads: " In furtherance of the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to assist the banks affected by the outcome of the recent CBN/NDIC Special Examination, we publish herewith the list of non-performing loans of N100m and above for Bank PHB, Spring Bank, Unity Bank, Wema Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank as at June 30, 2009."

The list cuts across the various sectors of the economy – oil and gas, import and export, construction and many others.

There are states and local governments. A minister is listed.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Tony Anenih is listed alongside Osahon Asemota as directors of Mettle Energy and Gas. The company is owing SpringBank N2.6billion.

Industrialist Kola Daisi is listed as director of National Lottery.

Labour Minister Prince Adetokunbo Kayode is said to be owing Bank PHB N122million. But the minister said last night: I’m not owing the bank. I have taken them to court in the last seven months before the reforms in the banking.

"It was a loan to buy shares. I was persuaded. They offered N80million to buy shares. I paid 20% of the loan. Ever since I have not seen a share certificate not to talk of dividend. They are owing me because my money is still with them."

Igbinedion University, which belongs to the Esama of Benin, Sir Gabriel Igbinedion, is on the list. He is listed as a director.

Former President Atiku Abubakar is also listed in one of the directors of a debtor-company. So are the Vaswani brothers, who have been deported for alleged unwholesome business practices.

There are also former Wema Bank boss Adebisi Omoyeni, politician Fasawe and Kola Abiola, son of the late Chief Moshood Abiola.

Former presidential aspirant Prof. Pat Utomi is listed.

On the list are companies belonging to many prominent businessmen, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Otunba Mike Adenuga Jnr, Femi Otedola and Emeka Offor.

According to the CBN, Dangote Industry Ltd that is jointly owned by Aliko Dangote, Sani Dangote and Bello Dangote owe Equitorial Trust Bank N1,968,998,820.81.

Conoil Plc, of which Adenuga is a director, owes ETB N19,866,448,948.32 as at June 30.

Otedola’s firm, Zenon Petroleum Gas Ltd, owes Bank PHB N5,660,099,295.54 as at June 30.

Offor’s company, NIMEK Investment Ltd, owes Bank PHB N678,349.40 as at October 5.

Mr. Cletus Ibeto of Ibeto Petrolchemical Industry is owing Spring Bank N1.1 billion. Ibeto Cement is owing N1.7billion.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman Mrs. Farida Waziri, will today relocate to Lagos for debts recovery.

A source said last night: "Mrs Waziri might storm Lagos with over 100 operatives.

"The list was handed over to the EFCC chairman on Wednesday evening by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

"On the basis of the list, the EFCC chairman has mobilised her operatives to shift base to begin the recovery of these debts. About 100 operatives might be involved.

"So, our team is moving to Lagos on Thursday. We hope the debtors will cooperate and pay up."

BANK PHB

•Ankara Overseas
10,948,141,375.19
•Cogipar Nig Ltd 3,573,092,889.77
•Delta Steel Ltd 4,078,178,535.66
•Falcon Securities Ltd 16,718,149,032.05
•Futureview Securities 3,606,149,329.46
•Gitto construzioni 4,187,899,087.96
•Springboard Trust 3,583,121,315.91
•Westcom Tech 8,116,050,052.49
•Zenon Petroleum 5,154,041,716.86

WEMA BANK

•Akwiwulease Acct-Elf 1,803,142,057.19
•Dekit Const. Limited 1,096,760,175.25
•Fernandes Patricks
5,521,161,627.00
•Frontage Com. Ltd. 1,003,549,473.22
•Global Fleet Acct 1,981,885,496.35
•Global Fleet Loans Acct 1,264,918,929.48
•Independent Sec. Ltd. 1,430,416,967.55
•Indept Securities Ltd 20,586,679,793.00
•Joseann Global Res.
3,636,250,623.81

SPRING BANK

•Netlink Digital 4,821,168,438.27
•Mofas Shipping line
3,053,633,054.57
•Baywood Continental 2,743,349,386.22
•Watyem-dks Ent. Ltd 2,556,930,297.06
•National Sports Lottery 2,369,131,266.17
•Mettle Energy & Gas
2,065,661,421.09
•National Sports Lottery 1,752,069,645.19
•Nsl Lotteries Mgt Ltd 1,479,913,736.58
•Victoria Con. Int. Ltd. 1,589,076,946.68

UNITY BANK

•Alpha Property & Dev 1,818,468,256.89

•Kola Abiola 1,405,198,221.31

•Waziri B. Mustapha 1,108,642,692.45

•Albarka Air Service 1,066,240,164.19

•Mbogason Int’l 943,327,039.24

•Sage Int. Nig. Ltd 1,055,028,853.94

•Acct-Gen. Plateau 865,695,994.50

•Okefena Limited 804,535,075.19

•LG Joint Acct (Bauchi) 676,232,072.60

ETB

•Conoil plc 19,866,448,943.32

•BYSJ project account 5,972,498,005.67

•Dangote Ind Ltd 1,968,998,820.81

•Globe Motors Holdings 3,031,530,569.82

•Hotel Excel Limited 1,244,241,246.48

•Bauchi State Govt 224,331,897.09

•Formosa Bottling Co. 1,027,057,797.66

•Michelle Nig. Ltd 1,021,487,383.38

•Igbinedion University

841,987,562.18

ASUU-Fed Govt dispute‘ll be over in two weeks, says Oshiomhole

2009-10-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said all outstanding issues in the industrial dispute between the Federal Government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will be resolved within the next two weeks.

Oshiomhole, who brokered a truce in the industrial face-off, said: "The future of Nigeria was at stake. Everyday lost in academic is a day lost forever."

He hoped that education will be strengthened.

Speaking when the newly-elected Executive and members of the Edo State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him, Oshiomhole noted that the nation’s future depended on credible elections.

He urged reporters to be factual and objective during elections.

Oshiomhole regretted that journalists were in the forefront in the fight for a better society but no one fights for their welfare.

Earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Adewumi Faniran, said the crisis in the chapel has been resolved.

He praised Oshiomhole for brokering the truce in the Federal Government-ASUU face–off.

Also yesterday, The University of Calabar branch of ASUU urged students not to hurry back to school following the two-week suspension of the union’s nationwide strike.

It advised students to remain at home and monitor developments on the suspension of the strike, to ensure that "they do not rush to school only to move out again if the strike has to resume’’.

The branch Chairman, Dr. Chike Ekeopara, said in Calabar that the advice became necessary, because the ongoing negotiations were not conclusive yet.

"It is true we are back at work, but I won’t advise the students to come back now, because government may disappoint and we will resume the strike.

"The wise thing for them to do now is to remain at home and monitor what happens during and after the two weeks,’’ he said.

Uncertainty as students, lecturers returns to campuses

2009-10-13T02:50:00.000-07:00

Activities pick up at UI, UNILAG

Virtually all public universities were yet to come back to life yesterday despite last Friday’s suspension of lecturers’ strike.

The classrooms remained empty, even with the presence of some members of staff and students.

From University of Lagos (UNILAG) to University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State to University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), Ogun State to University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), there were no academic activities.

At UI, economic and social activities, however, picked up, with the return of workers and students.

Students, who returned to school in anticipation of resumption of academic activities, were disappointed. They could not gain access to lecture rooms.

When our correspondent visited UI, most offices were opened but the classrooms were shut, forcing lecturers to their offices.

The institution’s branch of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), however, said universities could witness uninterrupted academic calendars henceforth, if government commits itself to the new agreement with the labour unions.

UI SSANU Chairman Mr. Jonathan Omolona thanked the public for supporting the workers, stressing that they enjoyed enough sympathy from Nigerians throughout the struggle.

His words: "Let me express my appreciation to them because they stood by us; they prayed for us and they were agitating on our behalf. So, we appreciate them. We are not praying this struggle will repeat itself. The strike will not raise its ugly head on the university campuses. At least, for the next five years, we might have a smooth calendar and that will go a long way to help the country.

"Some of our leaders that are sending their children to Ghana and other neighbouring countries would now know that we have a stable calendar so they will ask their children to stay at home. Then, they too will feel concerned for whatever we are agitating for without going on strike."

Academic activities were yet to be in full swing at OAU. Returning students were also not allowed to stay in the hostels because there was no light.

Some final year law students were, however, seen receiving lectures.

The Chairman of the UNN chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Aselem Ibeanu, said in Nsukka that lectures could not start immediately because the students had not returned to campus.

"We are ready to start lectures but are we going to teach empty classes?

"It is unfortunate that students who have been pressurising us to call off the strike are yet to come back," he said.

Ibeanu said the strike would be fully called off as soon as the government and ASUU signed the necessary documents.

"ASUU has resolved its misunderstanding with the government, what remains is the signing of documents,’’ he said.

Kelvin Okoh, a student of the department of Physics, said some students were not in a hurry to return to school because ASUU said the suspension was for two weeks.

"We do not know if after two weeks, ASUU will continue with the strike.

"No student will like to come back to campus after two weeks and be asked to go home again.

"Government and ASUU should make it clear to the students that the strike has been called off without putting two weeks clause on it," he said.

There were partial academic activities at UNILAG where students of Chemical Engineering were taught.

Many of the students were excited to return to school.

An official at UNILAG’s Information Unit, Mr. Wale Olasunmade, said students resumed yesterday.

"We have resumed. Our students are back and lecturers are working," he said.

But some students of UNIABUJA were denied entry into the campus.

The securitymen only allowed 400 level and 500 level students into the institution after screening.

The securitymen turned back students of 100, 200 and 300 level students. The security officer, in charge of the mini-campus of the university, said the screening was to control the flow of students.

The official, who pleaded anonymity, said the 400 and 500 level students were allowed into the campus to enable them complete their project work and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) arrangements.

"The crowd will be difficult for us to control if we allow all the students in, considering the fact that academic activities have not started.

"Other trade unions in the university are still on strike; the libraries, business centres as well as other offices are still under lock and key.

"So, our resolution to screen them is to give room for law and order in the institution since academic activities have not started," he said.

Some students called for sincerity in the negotiations between the ASUU and the Federal Government.

Mr. Boni Okoh, a 400 level Economics student, said it would be difficult for students to return to school since ASUU was suspending the strike for only two weeks.

"I am very sure that most students will not come back because of fear of what step ASUU will take at the expiration of the two weeks.

"It will be painful to pack your load and come back to school and after two weeks you are back home again because of the same problem," Okoh said.

Arshavin desperate to stop Hiddink from Chelsea

2009-10-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin doesn't want to see Russia coach Guus Hiddink return to Chelsea.

The Arsenal midfielder has launched a campaign to keep Hiddink with Russia for the next few years.

Russia’s captain has two motives. He doesn’t want London rivals Chelsea to be a stronger force in the next few years, as he’s sure Hiddink’s return to Stamford Bridge would benefit the Blues.

Arshavin said: "I want Guus to stay, all the players are begging him to stay. In fact, the whole of Russia is desperate for him to continue working here.

"His charisma and understanding of us, has given Russian players a big boost. I hope he will be convinced it is better to sign a new contract with us."

48 lawyers for SAN interview

2009-10-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Forty-eight lawyers are being considered for the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title.

The public has been given till Friday to comment on the integrity and competence of the lawyers.

A statement yesterday by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary, Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC), Usman Musale, listed the shortlisted candidates as: Rotimi Jacob, Orji Nwafor Orizu, Dorothy Udeme Ufot, Chuwkuma Ekomaru, Joe Ojo Abrahams, Patrick Ocheja Okolo and Olusina Sofola, Mike Ozhekhome, Offiong Bassey Offiong, Akinlaja Moses, A.J. Owonikoko, Adekunle Ogunba, Oluwemimo Ogunde, Fredson Chijoke Okoli, C.O. Toyin Pinheiro, and O.O. Ojutalayo, among others.

The interview date is yet to be announced.

No fewer than 126 lawyers, 19 from the academics and 117 advocates applied for SAN last year.

After the screening and the interview, 61 advocates and three academics were found to have met the criteria for the award. Twenty-six were eventually appointed.

The appointment raised the number of SAN to 300

SAN is conferred on legal practitioners of not less than 10 years’ standing and who have distinguished themselves in their work.

It is the equivalent of the Queen’s Counsel in the United Kingdom, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Canada (except Ontario and Quebec).

Several countries use similar designations such as Senior counsel, state counsel, senior advocate and president’s advocate.

A SAN is said to have been admitted to the "Inner Bar", as distinguished from the "Outer", where junior lawyers sit in court.

The LPPC, the conferring authority, comprises the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), as Chairman, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, a Justice of the Supreme Court who is chosen by the CJN and the Attorney-General (for a term of two years, renewable once).

Others include the President of the Court of Appeal, five states’ Chief Judges (chosen by the CJN and the Attorney-General for a term of two years, renewable once), the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, and five legal practitioners who are SAN (chosen by the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General for a term of two years, renewable once).

The title was first conferred on the late Chief F.R.A. Williams and Dr Nabo Graham-Douglas on April 3, 1975.

CBN may cancel Bank PHB-Spring Bank deal

2009-10-12T08:39:00.001-07:00

IF the authorities embrace the advice of the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Remi Babalola, Bank PHB may wave a final bye to its troublesome acquisition of Spring Bank.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is believed to be thinking of nullifying the 2008 deal.

The basis for the nullification is the report submitted by Babalola, following President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s directive. The President was said to have received many petitions from aggrieved shareholders of Spring Bank on the takeover, which many have defined as "hostile".

There were earlier indications in Istanbul, Turkey last week that the CBN was thinking of nullifying the takeover when CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi maintained that some of the aggrieved shareholders would be accommodated in the new scheme of things at Spring Bank.

But Sanusi did not say anything about the Babalola report, which a Presidency source described as indicting.

Sanusi said that from a practical view, "what will seem to be a most reasonable thing to do is seen in what manner some accommodation can be reached with the aggrieved shareholders and in what manner their interest can be taken into consideration in any kind of arrangement that Spring Bank gets into in the future. This is the only way I see this happening; otherwise, it’s going to be very difficult," he said.

Among the six reasons given by the report for condemning the acquisition is failure to execute post-merger adjustment, which is fundamental to the determination of the ownership structure of Spring Bank Plc, before any other interests or purported sale of shares in the bank.

The Babalola report also alluded to the joint CBN/NDIC Investigation Team, which it said should have been implemented on the position of the shares purportedly acquired under an explicit breach of banking practices by some of the then directors of Legacy Guardian Express Bank.

The Minister’s report examined the recommendations and directives made by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice on August 25, last year, but which the CBN ignored.

Babalola, a senior banking executive before joining the government in 2007, stated that the conduct of the interim management board of Spring Bank headed by Suleiman Ndanusa was not in good faith, professionally and impartially and that the CBN acted without due regard for the law in the conduct of its statutory responsibilities, despite the recommendations of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

It indicted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for what it termed as tampering with the subject matter of the substantive suits before the courts and contravening the principle of lis pendis.

Babalola drew the President’s attention particularly to two suits: Abdul Wahab Muhammed & three others Vs Bank PHB plc, Spring Bank plc, CBN and SEC and Lord Chief Udensi Ifegwu and Emmanuel Okorie Vs Bank PHB plc & six others. These two suits, the report maintained, render any administrative decision subjudice at that stage and until their conclusion (or withdrawal), it will be difficult to resolve the various issues at stake.

SEC, according to the report, acted beyond its scope of responsibilities in the approval of the sale of shares of Springbank plc to Bank PHB Plc and Westcom Technologies. It urged the President to ensure that the directives of August 25, last year, made by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice are fully implemented.

It also recommended that the Ministries of Finance and Justice should convene a meeting of the CBN, SEC, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the principal parties involved in the PMA exercise to resolve all the outstanding issues within three months from the date of the meeting.

Besides, said the report, the CBN should invoke its powers under Sections 33, 36, 37, 38 and 39 of Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) should the PMA not be concluded within the said three months.

Incidentally, CBN then under Prof Chukwuma Soludo ignored the recommendations, the source disclosed - a situation which angered Yar’Adua, who then reportedly refused former Bank PHB MD Francis Atuche’s entreaties in the weeks leading to his sack by Sanusi. The Yar’Adua family owns substantial interest in Bank PHB.

Ribadu, el-Rufai threaten to sue govt over passports

2009-10-12T08:38:00.001-07:00

The last may not have been heard about the Federal Government’s purported refusal not to renew the passports of former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nasir el-Rufai and pioneer Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chair Nuhu Ribadu.

It is likely they go to court to challenge the government’s decision.

Their lawyer Femi Falana claimed yesterday that his clients’ rights were breached by the directive.

According to him, the directive violates section 38 (1) of the Constitution, Article 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article three of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on Community Citizens ratified by Nigeria.

He said the decision taken when Ribadu and el-Rufai’s citizenship was not in question, was reminiscent of the days of military rule in the country, adding that even the military "never went this far."

In the statement entitled: "Illegal directive on renewal of passports of Messrs Nuhu Ribadu and Nasiru el-Rufai," Falana said under section 38 (1) of the Constitution, every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to possess a passport to enable him/her exit the country at will.

Falana described the government’s action as "a primitive display of executive lawlessness", urging it to "reverse the illegal and unconstitutional directive without any further delay."

"The decision is a tragic reminder of the dark days of brutal military dictatorship when the confiscation of the passports of political opponents, human rights’ activists and pro-democracy campaigners was the order of the day. Even then, none of the military dictators ever directed Nigerian missions not to renew the passports of their opponents.

He cited the case of Director, State Security Service (SSS) versus Olisa Agbakoba (1999) 6 NWLR (PT 595) 314 where the Supreme Court held: "It is not in dispute that the Constitution gives to the Nigerian citizen the right to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof. It also guarantees to the citizen the right not to be expelled from Nigeria nor be refused entry thereto or exit therefrom.

" Section 38(1) of the Constitution which provides that every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit therefrom.

"It is matter of common knowledge that for a Nigerian to travel out of Nigeria to another country he must first hold or possess a valid passport issued by the government of Nigeria. See: Section 4(1) of the Immigration Act, Cap 171 LFN 1990 and the definition of the word ‘passport’ in Section 51 thereof. Without this document, he cannot leave Nigeria or be admitted to another country.

"It follows therefore, that without a passport a citizen of Nigeria cannot exercise the right guaranteed him by the Constitution, of egress from Nigeria. Can it, then, be said that the right to hold a passport is not one guaranteed by the Constitution? That is a question that calls for determination in this appeal."

Falana said he subscribed to the apex court’s position that possession of a passport makes exit out of the country possible, adding that "it follows that without it a citizen of Nigeria cannot enjoy the right of egress from Nigeria given him by section 38(1) of the Constitution.

"In my respectful view, therefore, to hold or possess a passport is anciliary to the right of egress from Nigeria given in Section 38(1). It is, as rightly held by the Court below, per Ayoola JCA (as he then was), concomitant to the right of egress from Nigeria. It is a concomitant right without which the right of egress from Nigeria becomes hollow or empty.

"In the light of the foregoing, the decision of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Administration to strip Messrs Ribadu and el-Rufai of Nigerian citizenship by denying them of their constitutional right to hold Nigerian passports is a dubious violation of the provision of Section 38 of the Constitution and Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

"Having regard to the fact that President Yar’Adua is the current Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, the denying of passports and their renewal is a clear violation of Article 3 of the ECOWAS Protocol on Community Citizens which has been ratified by Nigeria."

Opposition threatens Iwu, Ogbulafor over Soludo

2009-10-12T08:37:00.001-07:00

THERE were signs yesterday that the adoption of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Chukwuma Soludo as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Anambra may run into a big crisis.

Party members, particularly fellow contestants, are kicking.

The protests have spread to other parties, with the umbrella Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) threatening to sue.

It threatened to sue Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chair Prof. Murice Iwu and PDP National Chairman PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.

Reason: The CNPP claims they have violated the 6pm deadline of October 9 (last Friday) to submit the name of the Anambra 2010 gubernatorial candidate.

CNPP, in a statement, objected to the "late" submission, adding that it is too early in the Anambra race for Iwu to start bending the rules in favour of PDP. It described the INEC chief as "an axe-man".

"We will contest this to the highest court in the land," the opposition parties said.

To the CNPP, Soludo had "wittingly or unwittingly" violated the PDP constitution as a beneficiary of an illegitimate mandate; hence PDP and their surrogates like Prof. Maurice Iwu, pose great threat of denying the good people of Anambra State the opportunity to elect a governor of their choice, under a free and fair election template.

CNPP said it recalled how "Mr. Fix" it; Chief Tony Anenih and other big- wigs of PDP hosted Soludo at a social function, the retention of Maurice Iwu and flagrant disobedience of court orders by Iwu on the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) issue without sanction from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa.

CNPP said it sensed a plot to manipulate next year’s Anambra State governorship election and indeed the 2011 general elections, with the recent moves by PDP members.

The statement, signed by CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, read: "Pundits and lots of Nigerian democrats had predicted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Anambra State gubernatorial primary that took off penultimate week will show case free, fair and transparent election, hence internal democracy, that opportunity was lost; for it is trite law that you cannot give what you do not have nor build nothing out of nothing.

"To us democracy is a journey, not a destination. The violation and disobedience of INEC’s 6pm deadline of October 9, 2009 and lack of internal democracy from the so-called largest political party (PDP) in Africa calls for great concern, as robust practice of internal democracy and obedience to INEC rules are essential ingredients to electoral rule of law and procedure for free, fair and transparent elections.

"The failure to manage successfully a party primary holding in only one state and submit candidate’s name on time has paradoxically gazetted why PDP is growing as the largest political party in Africa; while the country it has ruled for nearly 10 years is dangerously sliding into a failed state.

"CNPP has for the umpteenth time maintained that PDP’s chronic phobia for election is synonymous with their inordinate ambition to transform Nigeria into one-party state and rule for 60 years; otherwise how can one explain the repeat of the 2003 and 2007 sham elections prototype fraud, violence and plethora of petitions, in a primary conducted by a regime which preaches electoral reform.

"The sordid outcome and failure of PDP to conduct free, fair and transparent gubernatorial primary, in spite of the deployment of soldiers, serving governors, ministers and the Speaker is that Professor C.C Soludo, emerged the candidate of PDP without the genuine votes of members of the PDP but that of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and fixers.

"PDP’s chronic phobia for election, even in this instance, is painful not only because it signposts 2011 election looming anarchy, but the main objective of intra-party primary to enhance and restore the inalienable rights of party members to choose the candidate of their choice and purify the electoral process, has been violently atrophied by party bosses, fixers and their machine.

"CNPP thus contends that the fundamental principle of democracy is substantially flawed in Anambra State PDP gubernatorial primary, for the PDP constitution was violated and INEC’s 6pm deadline violently disobeyed. Thus, to save Nigerian democracy and stop the manipulation of the 2010 Anambra State election; CNPP calls on the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgent national importance, fast track genuine electoral reform, in accordance with the Uwais Electoral Reform Committee Report."

But defending its choice of Soludo, PDP said it relied on the provisions of its constitution.

PDP spokesman Prof. Ahmed Alkali said: "With the pressure of time mounting on the party, the National Working Committee (NWC) invoked the provisions of Article 17.1 of the PDP constitution, which recognizes the powers of the National Executive Committee (NEC), exercisable by NWC, as the final authority for resolving all disputes relating to the choice of candidates for the party for any elective public office in the federation."

15,000 security police Eagles

2009-10-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

Close to 15,000 security operatives kept vigil at the Abuja National Stadium before, during and after the match sensing that there will be reprisal attack on the players and coaches.

Every section of the stadium was cordoned off by plain clothes and uniformed police men all fully armed who were seen in their twos and threes walking around the premises.

Each of the nine exit gates had a retinue of officials as many as 15 all around the stand with pick-up vans ready to pick up anyone who misbehaves.

At the entrance of each gate, even though the traffic was not much as many as three plain clothes prior to the match took their turns to identify and search vehicles and those inside before allowing them in.

It must be stated here that after Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Tunisia Abuja fans pelted missiles at the players and the bus that was conveying back to their Nicon Hilton hotel the security network was beefed up to avoid a reoccurrence.

Strike: Oshiomhole is a traitor - Varsity worker - As ASUU calls off strike for 2 weeks

2009-10-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

THE 111-day-old strike declared by unions in the nation’s tertiary institutions, which has now been called off for two weeks by one of the unions —Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) — took a new twist on Thursday when former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was disowned by three of the four unions involved in the strike.

Oshiomhole had been invited by the Federal Government to broker peace between it and the unions but the officials of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) said, in Minna, Niger State that the step taken by the Edo State governor was at variance with his comradeship position.

SSANU, NASU and NAAT members of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, embarked on a peaceful demonstration on Thursday where they said they no longer recognised the Edo State governor as a comrade.
The union leaders, Saidu Ndagi and Ibrahim Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of others, blamed Oshiomhole for the alleged twist in the crisis in the universities and described him as a ‘sell out’.
They also described as ‘untrue’, the claim that ASUU was in the forefront of the three-month old strike, adding that “we all went on strike and it is very unfortunate that Oshiomhole and the Federal Government opted to talk to only ASUU.”
Scores of members of the unions involved in the peaceful demonstration carried placards, some of which read “no going back on this strike,” “what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” “we say no to salary disparity in the university.”

The gates leading to the university were blocked by the protesting union members while those that had business to transact could not gain entry into the institution.
NASU, SSANU and NAAT officials said they would ensure that the universities were made not to function until the Federal Government listened to and addressed their demands.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has been urged to ensure that it signed, without any further delay, the terms of agreement it recently reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in order to facilitate a genuine and final resolution of the crisis bedevilling the education sector.
The call was contained in a statement by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU, NASU and NAAT of the University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD).

The agreements, according to the statement signed by the chairmen of the three unions at a JAC meeting held at the UNAD premises, bordered on university funding and genuine autonomy, improved condition of service and 65 years retirement age as earlier agreed with the Federal Government.
In a statement entitled “University strike-UNAD aligned with the National Joint Action Committee (JAC) decision “and signed by Messers Olaitan Akinwumi (SSANU), Julius Asaolu (NAAT) and Joseph Adegbola (NASU) and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the committee noted that the unions at all levels in UNAD had withdrawn all the concession services earlier granted.
“This action is premised on the action of the Federal Government that excluded the three unions from the resumed re-negotiation with ASUU as this runs contrary to the advice of the Committee of the Vice Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors.
“Consequent upon this, the JAC (UNAD Branch) (consisting of all cadres of non-academic workers in the university community), who had been providing skeletal services since the commencement of the three-month old strike, resolved to put a halt to their services with immediate effect,” the statement read.

It urged its members not to succumb to any form of intimidation or threat from any quarter while obeying the directive of the three unions, admonishing them to ignore what it called sponsored propaganda which might make them derail.

In another development, ASUU will today in Owerri Imo State, suspend for two weeks the about four months industrial action embarked upon by the union over the failure of the Federal Government to sign an agreement it entered into with the union.
ASUU President, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, who confirmed the development to the Nigerian Tribune, said the decision to open the doors of the universities to academic activities for only two weeks was to let the Federal Government hasten the release of the modalities for the return of peace to the nation’s university system.
He disclosed that the two weeks were enough to arrive at any meaningful negotiations aimed at ending the impasse.

TechnoGlass Nigeria: Head, Admin & Legal

2009-10-08T05:38:00.001-07:00

Technoglass Industries, a world class company in the business of manufacturing high quality safety glass and glazing and in the forefront of promoting Architectural, Automative and domestic products through strategic alliances.

The company is seeking aggressive, dynamic and result oriented professionals to occupy the following position:

HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION/LEGAL

Qualification & Skills:

B.Sc or HND in secretarial studies, social sciences, or law
Minimum of 5 years experience in similar position; membership of CIPM is an advantage
Must be computer literate
Very good communication skills
Good initiative analytical skills
Maximum age of 35 years
Method of Application

Interested candidates can apply by sending their detailed CV to jobglass@technoglassng.com

Deadline is 13th October 2009

Audit Report: CBN ready to sack three bank chiefs

2009-10-01T22:58:00.001-07:00

arring a last-minute change of mind, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will release the second leg of its Audit Report of banks today.

Three banks may be in trouble for insider abuse and huge portfolio of non-performing loans, it was learnt last night. Their managing directors may be asked to step aside.

The 14 banks awaiting the CBN Audit Report are: Zenith, Bank PHB, First City Monument Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Spring Bank, Access Bank, Wema Bank, Equatorial Trust Bank, Skye Bank, Ecobank, IBTC, Fidelity Bank and Citi Bank.

Of the three banks, two have recently mergd. The third has links with a telecommunications giant, according to sources.

CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and his management team finalised recommendations on the last segment of the Audit Report on Thursday after a 24-hour marathon meeting in Abuja.

A source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: "The CBN management has been meeting in the last 24 hours on the recommendations on the observations of the Audit Team on the 14 banks.

"There are strong indications that the report might be released on Friday because the anxiety over it has been hampering banking activities in the country in the last few months.

"I also think that three banks might be affected following their unjustifiable huge portfolio of non-performing loans and insider abuse.

"There is likelihood that the managing directors of the three banks might be asked to step aside."

Responding to a question, the source said: "The banks would have been more but the CBN had to weigh a lot of factors and indices."

The source confirmed that the CBN might change its method of releasing the report.

He added: "I think this time around, the CBN may adopt a different approach to the release of the report. For instance, the apex bank has been engaging the boards of some of the banks on how to apply the recommendations without any shock.

"When our examiners completed their assignment in the 14 banks, they had exit meeting with their management on their observations.

"So, all the affected banks have fair insight into the findings of the examiners."

The highly-placed source in the apex bank added: "The report is going to be much better than the previous one. It is likely to be a corrective report.

"For instance, if a bank needs to recapitalise, the CBN will say so without necessarily wielding the big stick of taking over such a bank."

No CBN official was prepared to speak on the release of the report today.

A source, who confided in our correspondent, said: "Very, very soon, we will release the report. We are still meeting on the findings; it is too early to give you any date. There is no cause for alarm.

"I think the CBN may issue a statement, instead of an elaborate press briefing. The names of the debtors might also not be made public as the case with the first report."

It was, however, learnt that the release of the report followed the submission of brief on the Audit Report on the 14 banks to President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Sanusi on Tuesday briefed President Umaru Yar’Adua on the findings of the apex bank.

The President is believed to have been consulting his Economic Team on the findings of the management CBN.

The briefing at the Villa followed the exit interaction between the CBN Examiners and the management of the banks on the observations of the audit team.

Some sources in The Presidency confirmed the briefing.

A source, who pleaded not to be named because of what he described as the sensitivity of the matter, said: "Sanusi has briefed the President on the latest audit report on banks. The President is still studying the findings of the CBN.

"I think the President has been meeting with members of his Economic Management Team on the findings and their implications for the economy.

"A few think-tank in government too have also been put into confidence in analysing the findings of the CBN.

"I cannot say when the President will get back to the CBN on his views on the report. But the nation should be hopeful that the report might be made public soon."

Asked whether the report has been tabled before the Federal Executive Council, the source added: "All I know is that issues in the report are already being appreciated by the Presidency, including cabinet members."

The CBN leadership has been discussing the report with the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri.

They are said to be thinking of debt recovery ‘without any jolt’ on the economy.

A source said: "You know that Sanusi and Mrs. Waziri met recently in Saudi Arabia on the latest findings. There might a change of tactics in the release of the report this time around.

"Even the Presidency is aware of the new modalities for the release of the latest audit report."

There has been anxiety among the 14 banks over their fate.

A source said: "Some of these banks have been eager to know the contents of the full report but the CBN has been reassuring them that they have no cause to worry at all.

"In fact, as at Wednesday evening, the CBN management was still meeting on the findings and taking time to allay fears."

AC rejects mega party initiative

2009-09-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

Action Congress (AC) leaders yesterday dissociated themselves from the mega party initiative, saying the idea is restricted to politicians battling with fading influence.

They also reflected on preparations for the 2011 elections.

The party leaders hinged the survival of democracy on peaceful conduct of the election.

They added that a successful poll may not be possible unless there is democratic reform.

AC National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba, former Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina, former Ekiti State Governor Niyi Adebayo, AC governorship candidate in Osun State, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola and Alhaji Tajudeen Bello said danger looms in 2011 if the electoral reform process is jettisoned by the Federal Government.

They spoke at a one-day conference of the Ogun State chapter of the party held at the Bishop Court Hall, Onikolobo, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Governor Babatude Fashola of Lagos State evoked passion at the meeting when he canvassed the restoration of welfarist system of government to the South-West states

The conference entitled: "Olumo2009" was attended by delegates from the 236 wards in the Gateway State and leaders of the party from other states of the federation.

Akande described the conference as a meeting of the national stimulators who were set to build and defend AC, instead of joining the mega party.

Thanking the chapter for its dedication, he assured that their labours would not be in vain.

Adebayo said attendance at the conference instilled confidence that the future of AC in Ogun State is bright.

Osoba said former governors, who were elected under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), had not been guests of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since they left office.

He stressed the need to re-adopt the modified open-secret ballot system.

The system, Osoba said, would stem rigging.

The former governor noted that when Nigeria and Ghana used the method, riggers were left in the cold.

Aregbesola, who spoke on party organisation, suggested that AC should build cadres dedicated to mass mobilisation of party faithful for electoral success.

At the conference were Bisi Adegbuyi, Femi Lanlehin, Lateef Raji, Abiodun Mafe, Daniel Adejobi, Segun Adesegun, Ayo Afolabi, Bimbo Awofeso, Pa Sunmola, Dipo Dina, Kayode Tejuoso, Kayode Soyinka, Pa Farinu, Rafiu Ogunleye, Segun Taiwo and Mudashiru Hussein

Abbe warns militants not to test govt’s might

2009-09-30T10:16:00.003-07:00

The Federal Government yesterday closed all possibilities of extending the grace period granted militants in the Niger Delta to embrace peace.

It said by October 4 when the amnesty ends, there will be no extension.

This was the decision at a meeting between President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the Presidential committee on Niger Delta amnesty.

Also at the meeting were Vice President, Goodluck Joanthan, Governors Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa, Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Adam Oshiomhole of Edo, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom, Deputy Governor of Rivers Tele Ikuru, the Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, presidential aide on Niger Delta Timi Alaibe, Ministers of Niger Delta Ministry Ufot Ekaette and Godsday Orubebe, amongst others.

After the meeting, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Niger Delta amnesty, Major Gen. Godwin Abbe (rtd), told reporters that there cannot be talks with the militants while they are carrying weapons.

He warned the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) against testing the might of the government, noting that the government is prepared to express the sovereignty of Nigeria in all its ramifications.

Gen Abbe also said that the government was resolute in its plan to execute the amnesty to the letter.

He said: "As you notice, Mr. President and the vice president, the governors of Niger Delta Region, Ministers of Niger Delta Ministry, myself and other senior government officials have been deliberating in the last couple of hours and reviewing the amnesty programme and after looking at the various aspects of the programme, we have now come out with the conclusion that all the militants who have embraced the amnesty deserve commendation as patriots of this country, and to believe that between now and 4th of October, if there are other militants who are still in doubt as to the sincerity of government to make use of this opportunity by embracing the amnesty because after 4th of October the amnesty terminates; there will be no extension. Government is firm, is resolute and government will continue with subsequent aspects of the rehabilitation and reintegration of all those who have embraced amnesty."

On whether the government will consider MEND’s condition that they will only listen to their choice envoy, Gen Abe said that the government does not recognise the group as the spokesperson for the militants.

He warned that if they chose to test the might of the Federal Government, the government would defend the sovereignty of Nigeria in all its ramifications.

His words: "MEND is not recognised by the Federal Government as the spokesperson for the militants that are, if they exist at all physically. MEND can not choose for the Nigeria nation, if MEND decides to test the will of government and choose to threaten the very existence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the government is prepared to express the sovereignty of Nigeria in all its ramifications."

He also said that MEND’s demand for the full implementation of the presidential committee on Niger Delta report is an expression of democratic right; adding: "The amnesty was granted unconditionally and they are expected to accept it unconditionally. What is important is that they cannot be discussing with government while they are carrying weapons. It is illegal and they have no right to bear arms."

On what to expect after 4th October, Gen. Abbe said: "Government is going to pay attention to all the militants who have embraced amnesty. They are going to be put together in various camps that have been designated and in these camps they will be categorised and personal contacts will be established with each of them after thorough documentation and their choice of training and settlement will also be identified."

He added: "Government is willing to train them and to join them in any rehabilitation effort that will bring about their going into life as normal citizens without resorting to militancy."

Ogedegbe dies after complications from eye surgery

2009-09-30T10:14:00.001-07:00

Former Nigeria goalkeeper Best Ogedegbe tragically passed away on Monday night after being in a coma for a week following an eye operation at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

"It is very sad but Ogedegbe is no longer with us. I visited him yesterday [Monday], but his wife informed me of his death this morning," a top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Taiwo Ogunjobi, confirmed to Goal.com.

A family member had earlier this week disclosed that Ogedegbe was moved to the intensive unit of the hospital, where he was kept alive with the aid of a life support machine.

"He was in a coma since last Monday, when he underwent corrective eye surgery," said a family member.

Ogedegbe was one of the heroes as Nigeria won their first ever Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in 1980. He was preferred by Brazilian coach Otoo Gloria to man goal for Nigeria ahead of the popular Emmanuel Okalla.

Four years earlier, he featured for the Shooting Stars, who became the first Nigerian club to win the African Cup Winners' Cup.

He has worked as a coach with the country's youth team and only recently signed a deal to train Premier League club Sharks of Port Harcourt.

The devil is called Obasanjo

2009-09-30T10:13:00.001-07:00

When men are caught in wrongdoing, or are overwhelmed with troubles, they often lay the blame at the door of the devil. Poor chap. And so it is that former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, woke up with a start to discover that at the root of all his legal troubles has been none other than that old vengeance-seeker, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Verdicts are still some way off in the many cases against Ibori, but I hazard that if in the end the courts find against him, he may yet come up with something novel like ‘Obasanjo made me do it.’ Why not? After all he has blamed him for virtually every other thing.

I am not sure what the man expected when he called that press conference to inveigh against the former president and ex-EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu.

If he thought we would all whip out our handkerchiefs and start weeping in collective sympathy over his sudden troubles, then he was badly advised.

He would have been better served to keep his head below the parapet, given that the indefatigable Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, was already doing a good job battling Ribadu and the British on his behalf.

The trouble with press conferences is that your utterances cause those you accuse to activate their right to reply. I believe that Ribadu has done that to devastating effect. I am not sure how to interpret Obasanjo’s dismissive silence. Could that be read as contempt for his accuser? May be.

The former Delta State governor wants Nigerians to believe that his present prosecution is politically motivated because of his initial opposition to Obasanjo’s second term bid. If we accept Ibori’s recollection of events there were 15 likeminded governors, so how come he’s the only one being persecuted?

Much has been made of the fact that Obasanjo has the memory of an elephant, is unforgiving and vindictive. Still the man is no longer in office and has little or no say in who gets persecuted or prosecuted. Depending on who you talk to, it is even said that ties between Ota and Aso Rock could use some defrosting.

If anything it is the likes of Ibori who are the current influence peddlers in the court of President Umaru Yar’Adua. Political lore has it that he and a few others provided the financial magic carpet that swept the current incumbent into office.

For his troubles Ibori was rewarded with the installation of his loyalist and former Delta Finance commissioner, David Edevbie, as the President’s gate keeper in his position as Principal Secretary to the President.

This whole business of Ibori blaming Obasanjo for his woes gets more laughable by the minute. In the eight years in which both men were in power, they always found ways to use each other when it was convenient. Obasanjo deployed Ibori as one of his foot soldiers to force Yar’Adua down the throat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and ultimately the rest of Nigeria.

Ijaw leader and former Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark, has also in response to the press conference, claimed that the former governor and president worked together to install the current Delta State governor – who just happens to be Ibori’s cousin. At that point Ibori also claimed to be at daggers drawn with Obasanjo!

Just as unconvincing is the motivation that Ibori imputes to Ribadu. If the former anti-graft czar turned political refugee is gunning for him it certainly cannot be over this nonsense about not being appointed Inspector-General of Police.

Any one truly determined to get into such high office in Nigeria would not put all his lobbying efforts into just one basket. So if Ribadu really wanted to be top cop, he would also have had some other people making the case for him, as well as a couple of others who would have declined to do so. Again, how come poor James Ibori is the only being picked on?

The truth is that from the onset officials of this administration charged with prosecuting former governors have been less than enthusiastic about doing the job. Their body language and utterances said it all.

Rather than carry on from where the Obasanjo regime stopped, their overriding priority appeared to be decapitating the pesky leadership then in control of the EFCC, and exposing its supposed shortcomings rather than going after corruption targets.

The only thing keeping Ibori’s prosecution alive is public interest. Secondly, some of the cases are outside Nigerian jurisdiction - otherwise our great defenders of the rule of law in the Ministry of Justice would have pulled the plug long ago.

I think that going forward the former governor would himself greatly by staying away from press conferences, until all the awkward questions swirling around his head are answered.

For years he has battled claims that he was either an ex-convict or corrupt. In one instance he was discharged by an Abuja court. Ribadu claims that while in office as EFCC boss he had established two such cases against Ibori. Unfortunately, he did not give further details.

Aside the cases in court, there is the other matter of 820 million units of shares of Oceanic Bank International Plc belonging to the Delta State Government, being used to secure a loan facility in favour of a private firm – Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited – with Intercontinental Bank Plc. This was done in January 2007 while Ibori was still in office.

Mr. Ibori must understand that he’s in a bit of jam here. He has questions to answer and needs to come up with a better performance than what he delivered at the press conference. Unfortunately for him the court of public opinion is irrelevant in his current travails. Only the court of law can determine now whether he winds up in jail; and they work with facts not sentiments.

Amputee tells Ekiti Tribunal how thumb-printed ballot papers sparked violence

2009-09-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

An Action Congress (AC) witness, Mr. Segun Ajayi, has attributed the violence at the collation centre in Ido/Osi Local Government Area during the April 25 governorship rerun election in Ekiti State to an attempt by Governor Segun Oni’s aides to smuggle sacks of thumb-printed ballot papers into the centre.

Ajayi, who had his leg amputated from the upper thigh as a resulted of the injury he sustained from gunshot wounds he got from those he referred to as PDP thugs and security men attached to Oni’s aides, presented his medical report on the severed leg admitted by the Election Petitions Tribunal at yesterday’s proceedings.

The tribunal rejected the witness statement on oath of another witness, who was subpoenaed to appear before the tribunal, Mr. Peter Oladosu, on the grounds that his witness statement on oath was filed ahead of the subpoena on him.

Ajayi, who brought the severed leg to the court on Monday, averred in his witness statement on oath that he his leg was shattered by bullets allegedly fired by suspected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thugs and armed policemen in the violence that erupted at the collation centre in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.

He could not be cross-examined at the Monday’s proceedings following the foul odour oozing out of his severed leg.

The AC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who is aggrieved with the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is challenging Oni’s return as the winner of the election.

Ajayi, in his witness statement on oath, which was adopted before the tribunal, said violence erupted at the centre when Oni’s aides allegedly attempted to force their way into the collation centre in Ido-Ekiti with what he called "rigged results and phony ballot papers" in Ghana-Must-Go sacks.

The witness admitted that the election was held peacefully at Oke Are polling unit 2, Ido-Ekiti, where he acted as agent for the AC, following which he escorted the result to the Ido/Osi Local Government Area collation centre.

The amputee identified suspected Oni’s aides, who allegedly stormed the collation centre in a commando-like manner to include his Personal Assistant (PA), Mr. Bunmi Ojo, the Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Mr. Olusoji Akinbayo and the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Mr. Philip Ojelade.

The witness claimed in his statement on oath that the governor’s aides stormed the collation centre in two vehicles and allegedly shot indiscriminately into the air.

But, he said the crowd that massed at the centre resisted the aides from gaining access into the main building where the collation was going on.

His words: "I know that collation began and everything was going on smoothly without hitch until about 5:00 p.m. when two vehicles containing Ghana-Must-Go bags arrived at the INEC office.

"Trouble erupted because the GMG bags contained thumb-printed ballot papers which the PDP members wanted to forcefully take inside the INEC office.

"The Police fired tear gas canisters and everywhere became rowdy and I suddenly felt that bullet entered my leg from the direction of the vehicle and I became unconscious.

"I was later taken to the hospital where my shattered leg was eventually amputated and now I am bed-ridden and in pain."

Ajayi, the Petitioner Witness 42 (PW 42), who was led in evidence by the Fayemi’s counsel, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, sought to tender the medical report on his severed leg but the move was opposed by counsel to the respondents.

The witness intended to tender the document in support of his averment in Paragraph 5 of his witness statement on oath that he was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Ado-Ekiti, where his shattered leg was amputated.

The medical report, which was the original copy, was signed by Dr. P.O. Abiola.

Opposing the tendering of the report, Mr. Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN), who objected on the grounds that the document was not in Ajayi’s witness statement on oath in line with Paragraph 4 (3) of the Tribunal Practice Direction.

Adenipekun’s second ground of objection was that the witness was not the maker of the document, adding that no foundation was laid for its tendering.

He said the document could only be relevant if the doctor who issued it is summoned to tender it.

Counsel to the PDP, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, aligned with Adenipekun’s submissions, adding: "It is trite in law that evidence dealing with an issue not pleaded is a non-issue".

Mr. Roland Otaru (SAN), counsel to INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said it is the medical doctor who issued the report was supposed to be called.

Counsel to Returning Officers of Ido/Osi and Ijero, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Police’s and Inspector-General’s Milton Ohwovoriole (SAN) adopted the submissions of Adenipekun, Adewale and Otaru.

Replying, Adeniyi noted that the issues raised by the respondents’ counsel had been raised in similar situations before the court but were overturned by the tribunal, adding that the decisions of the tribunal had not been appealed against.

Urging the tribunal to consign all the arguments of the respondents’ counsel to the trash can, Adeniyi said the report being sought to be tendered passed the tests of relevance, admissibility and pleadings as demanded by the Practice Direction.

He said the content of the medical report was relevant to the petition at hand, stressing that it was not only pleaded but was also listed as Item Number 18 of Fayemi’s petition.

In a short ruling, Tribunal Chairman Justice Hamma Barka admitted the medical report subject to the weight attached to it.

Ajayi, who was later cross-examined after the report was admitted, said his father was a soldier but he had not handled a gun before.

He denied struggling with the armed mobile policemen at the collation centre, adding that he had never been arraigned in court for any offence.

Oladosu, the PW 43, who told the tribunal that he lives at F5, Iletin Steet in Orin-Ekiti,Ido/Osi Local Government Area and that he works as a driver and farmer.

An attempt to adopt his witness’ statement on oath was opposed by lawyers to all the respondents.

They said it violates the provisions of Section 11 B of the Practice Direction.

Counsel to the respondents faulted the proposed adoption of Oladosu’s witness statement on oath on the grounds that it was dated September 24 while the subpoena issued by the tribunal had September 27.

They argued that it is a subpoena that gives rise to the witness statement on oath and not the other way round.

Another long session of arguments ensued among lawyers who cited a plethora of authorities to substantiate their submissions.

The row was sparked by Adeniyi’s oral application to have Oladosu stepped down from the witness box, a request which was opposed by respondents’ lawyers.

They insisted that the witness be cross-examined.

The tribunal, however, adjourned ruling on whether Oladosu’s cross-examination should continue or that he stepped down from the witness box.

Also yesterday, some PDP members and mobile policemen harassed a photographer working for The Nation newspapers, Toyin Anisulowo and a reporter with Adaba 88.9 FM, Akure, Jide Ogunluyi, at the court premises.

Anisulowo, who left the courtroom to ease himself outside, was harassed by some PDP members who were not happy with his shots on the happenings at the tribunal.

They warned him against coming to the tribunal or he would be attacked.

Anisulowo had to leave the court premises through the second gate.

He was stopped by some mobile policemen who demanded his identity card.

One of the mobile policemen seized his identity card, saying: "The Nation’s photo journalist. Na you we dey find".

Anisulowo was briefly detained by the policemen.

Ogunluyi, who went to find out what was happening to Anisulowo, was also harassed by the policemen.

Anisulowo fingered one of his family members, who is a member of the PDP as the one who revealed his identity to his fellow party faithful.

Ogunluyi also alleged that some PDP members threatened him over the reports of the tribunal proceedings being aired on his radio station. He is the Head of News and Current Affairs.

The news of the reporters’ harassment soon filtered into the courtroom, a development which prompted reporters in the court to rush to the scene.

A senior police officer, who later stormed the scene, warned his men to be civil with journalists who are doing their jobs.

Anisulowo and Ogunluyi were released after the officer’s intervention.

Anisulowo’s identity card was returned to him.

Oshiomhole briefs Yar’Adua on talks with ASUU chiefs

2009-09-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

University teachers and the Federal Government resumed talks yesterday, raising hopes of a resolution of their disagreement.

The talks dragged on late into the night, with Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole as mediator.

Oshiomhole, who persuaded the teachers to return to the negotiation table, briefed President Umaru Yar’Adua on his efforts, before the parties went into another round of talks at the National Universities Commission (NUC) secretariat at about 8.15p.m.

Oshiomhole had met with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) leadership at the Labour House, Abuja. He later met with Education Minister Dr Sam Egwu, the leader of the government’s team, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode and ASUU president Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie.

Oshiomhole told reporters that the meeting was to seek ways of ending the over three months strike in public universities.

Oshiomhole said: "This meeting was convened so that we can revisit the dispute between the government and ASUU and the aim is to find a common ground to proceed so that the dispute can be resolved and the university system restored."

The government pulled out of the talks in July, asking the teachers to suspend their strike before the parley could continue.

But the lecturers refused, saying they would only return to the classrooms after their demands have been met.

The National Assembly leadership will join Oshiomhole in resolving the strike.

Senate spokesman Ayogu Eze lamented that the strike was capable of crippling the education system.

He said the intervention would be multi-faceted, adding that the Senate leadership would join the committee on education to dialogue with the university teachers.

A meeting convened by the Senate Committee on Education on July 21, to resolve the disagreement suffered a setback as the committee chairman, Senator Joy Emodi, could not find a common ground with the teachers.

Govt, ASUU resume talks today, SSANU plans prayers

2009-09-29T07:34:00.001-07:00

THE intervention of Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, in the industrial disagreement between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) seems to be yielding fruits as both feuding parties have agreed to meet today to explore areas of mutual understanding towards ending the four-month old strike action.

The Guardian learnt that the parley, scheduled for the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja at 4.00 p.m. today, will be preceded by a parley between ASUU and Oshiomhole at the Labour House, headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), at 11.00 a.m.

The meeting, it was further gathered, was meant to smoothen the grounds for the meeting with government officials later today.

Though the detail of those to attend the meeting was sketchy as at yesterday, The Guardian learnt that the President of the Congress, Abdulwaheed Omar, the General Secretary, John Odah, will be leading the ASUU President and his group to the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has instructed its members to observe a three-day fasting and prayers for the early resolution of the imbroglio.

Addressing journalists in Abuja at the end of its emergency meeting, SSANU Deputy President, Malam Bala Gadanga Sokoto, said the association decided to seek God's intervention since the Federal Government has refused to listen to the advice of prominent Nigerians, including the pro-chancellors, traditional and religious leaders.

He said: "This emergency National Executive Council (NEC) has therefore ordered its members to fast and pray between the 5th and the 7th, three days, for God's intervention since government will not listen to the intervention of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, will not listen to that of the Pro-Chancellors and will not listen to that of Chancellors who are custodians of our culture. The important thing is that three very strategic committees, the Committee of Vice Chancellors (CVC), the Pro-Chancellors and finally the Chancellors who also double as the conscience and the custodian of our culture have intervened and government is not interested. We want to resolve this issue so that our students can return to school and give peace to their parents and guardians."

Though he welcomed the latest truce spearheaded by Oshiomhole, Sokoto stated that the effort might be futile if government comes to the meeting with a fixation of an already pre-determined position.

"His involvement is a welcome development. Not just because he is our leader, he is not a former leader, he is still our leader, but because anything that will be an equitable resolution to this issue must be encouraged, welcomed and supported because we believe that the issues at stake are simple and that any sincere arbitrator would be able to see that the issues can be resolved in a matter of days. But this matter cannot be resolved within the concept of a fixated position by the Federal Government but I am confident that our leader must have taken those into consideration before accepting this onerous task," he said.

Oshiomhole's intervention is the latest in the series of efforts by stakeholders to intervene in the ASUU/FG crisis.

The Senate Committee on Education, headed by Mrs. Joy Emordi, had tried unsuccessfully to persuade the teachers to go back to the classroom. The meeting between the committee and the ASUU leadership ended abruptly over a disagreement on how to resolve the crisis.

Besides, an attempt by the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, to resolve the crisis was rejected when the teachers were asked to suspend their strike. In August, after all attempts to resolve the issue failed, the Federal Government issued a warning that it would invoke the no-work-no-pay rule if the teachers failed to return to work.

And in a swift response, the ASUU leadership called the government's bluff, insisting that the strike would go on for as long as it takes their demands to be met.

In fact, ASUU's President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, accused the government of playing politics with the university system because, according to him, children of most government officials are not in Nigerian universities but in institutions abroad.

Education Minister, Sam Egwu, shot back, insisting that children of ASUU members were also in foreign universities.

Indeed, there have been several accusations and counter- accusations since the strike started. While the government gave the impression that the teachers were on strike because of salaries, the union insisted that the collective issues affecting the university system informed their latest action.

In an open letter by ASUU to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua recently, the university teachers blamed the Federal Government negotiating team headed by Gamaniel Onosode for the current deadlock.

According to the teachers, despite the assurances they received that the team had the full mandate of its principal to discuss, resolve and sign an agreement with them, the same team turned around when it was required to sign the agreement after months of painstaking negotiation.

"When the negotiation ended in 2008, two years after it started," ASUU claimed in the letter, "in spite of his admission that he had the mandate to negotiate and sign an agreement with ASUU, your agent, Deacon Onosode, leading the government team, refused to sign the agreement reached by both sides, claiming that he was acting on the instruction of his principal."

What was particularly worrisome, the teachers further argued, was that "contrary to the principle of collective bargaining on July 10, 2009, Onosode announced that the negotiations were to be concluded by individual university councils."

The union then queried: "Is it permissible in a game for the player to change the rules after the game is over and ask the other player to accept the changed rules whether they are legitimate or not?"

The teachers further noted that the government eroded the collective bargaining rule "when the Education Minister announced a 40 per cent take-it-or-leave-it award to ASUU," since "it did not come from the negotiation table." Besides, ASUU reminded the President that when the late Gen. Sani Abacha took a similar step in 1996, by referring ASUU to governing councils, "it (the step) was abandoned when it became clear that it had worsened the crisis."

They continued: "What is at stake is really that ASUU members are citizens, not slaves. ASUU insists on truth and honour in dealing with citizens. We said it that negotiation could end in one week. Those who prefer to leave the university system in crisis instead of promoting industrial democracy, truth and honour are the ones who have refused to sign and have decided to abrogate agreements validly negotiated."

EFCC seeks psychiatric tests for public officers

2009-09-29T01:35:00.001-07:00

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chair Mrs Farida Waziri reignited on old debate yesterday, with her call for psychiatric tests for would-be leaders and public officers. This, to her, is a way out of corruption in public office.

She advocated psychiatric tests because, in her view, some aspiring leaders "are mentally and psychologically unsuitable for office with the way they amass public wealth".

Mrs Waziri was delivering the keynote address at a workshop in Kaduna on transparency and accountability in the public service.

She said: "Having dealt with many corruption cases, I am inclined to suggest that public officers should be subjected to some form of psychiatric evaluation to determine their suitability for public office.

"The extent of aggrandisement and gluttonous accumulation of wealth that I have observed suggests to me that some people are mentally and psychologically unsuitable for public office. We have observed people amassing public wealth to a point suggesting ‘madness’ or some form of obsessive-compulsive psychiatric disorder."

In her address entitled: Transparency and accountability in public service: the role of anti-corruption agencies, Mrs. Waziri said the culture of accountability could only be entrenched in the public service if the proper legislation is in place.

"As you may all know the struggle has been on to get the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill passed into law. Closely related to this is the bid to have a whistle blower act passed into law. Let me emphasise that the future of the anti-corruption war may depend on what happens to these efforts.

"If we truly expect a public service that is accountable to the people of Nigeria, then the Freedom of Information Bill must be passed. If you deny the public the right to know, the anti- corruption war is lost, "she said.

Calling for collaboration among the various anti-graft agencies, Mrs Waziri said: "When these agencies work together, they are potentially capable of creating an environment which could make corruption a very hazardous affair for a public officer."

She urged Nigerians to be involved in the war against corruption, adding that it is only through their active involvement that the nation could be saved from the menace.

Mrs Farida said: "When I launched the anti-corruption revolution (ANCHOR), skeptics thought it was just another jamboree. But I think the crisis rocking the banking sector has justified our efforts. Were it not for the swift intervention of the Central Bank and the EFCC, we were surely leading for a crash that would have rubbished our financial system along with your money; your pensions. You cannot afford to be neutral in this war; make it your war."

She urged organisers of the workshop, especially the Kaduna State Government, to create an anti-corruption watchdog in the state public service that could work closely with the EFCC on information and intelligence gathering, budget tracking and project implementation, grassroots anti-corruption mobilisation, anti-corruption education and awareness as well as whistle blower activity, among others.

It was also an opportunity for Mrs Waziri to defend the EFCC’s integrity.

Lamenting that many states in the country were not doing enough in the fight against corruption, Mrs Waziri noted that Nigerians were in the habit of condemning the commission.

She said it was sad that when the commission takes a step to fight corruption, it is opposed and antagonised.

Mrs Waziri said: "When I arrest your friends, you criticise me and call me all sorts of names; you say I have lost track and I’m not doing my job the way it should be done, but when I arrest your enemy you now say I am doing a great job. It mustn’t be so

"Good governance is not necessarily attained because good road or a hospital has been attained or fertiliser has been provided to farmers, because even dictatorial regimes where the rule of law is completely absent provide these, but the question to be asked is: was due process followed in awarding the contracts?

"Has any public officer directly or indirectly benefited? The state of Nigeria today is a fact that most of our public servants are still lacking in transparency and accountability. The private sector does not fare better too

"Menace of corruption is still a large challenge to our developmental efforts as a country. Everybody seems so concerned about corruption but you wonder why it is still happening.

"It is everybody’s fight and not just that of the EFCC. Regrettably, corruption is still seen largely as a Federal Government responsibility."

She noted that it is sad that after 49 years as an independent nation, Nigeria is still where it was because of corruption, adding that it was regrettable that everybody is a victim of the menace.

Mrs Waziri is sure that the passage of the FOI Bill by the National Assembly would help check corrupt practices and curtail rumours of corruption where it did not exist in the country.

"In order for information to be readily available, I am one of the advocates of the Freedom of Information Bill because once the information is not free, citizens tend to speculate and carry very dangerous rumours. All we need to do is to pass the bill and put in place checks and balances so that these laws are not abused," she said.

Mrs Waziri disclosed that EFCC has recovered over N103billion from bank debtors across the country.

According to her, the commission has made giant strides in the recovery of loans within the short span of her tenure.

She said most of the recovered loans were the ones considered insolvent by the banks.

The loans, she said, were granted in complete disregard of banking procedures and questioned the rationale for the granting of a N15billion loan without collateral.

"Most of the recovered loans were collected without the intention of paying back at all.

"Imagine that somebody will collect such large sums without collateral and instead of paying back, they buy houses abroad and open offshore accounts," she said.

Mrs Waziri challenged those criticising her for pursuing bad loans instead of executing her mandate to define the boundaries of her job for her.

She wondered what could be an economic crime if the refusal to pay bank loans was not.

She called on Nigerians to support the fight against corruption, saying: "We stand to benefit from the gains of a corrupt free society."

Mrs Waziri lamented that the evils of corruption were responsible for joblessness, poverty and diseases.

She was, however, optimistic that the efforts of the present administration are paying off as Nigeria has leapt from its 147th position by international rating to 121.

The feat, she said, was accomplished by the strict adherence to transparency and accountability embedded in the concept of the rule of law.

The chairman of the occasion, former Chief Justice of the Federation Muhammadu Uwais, called on the media to expose all cases of corruption without regard to whose ox is gored.

Uwais bemoaned the dangers of corruption, saying it brought the society backward and caused the economy to remain stagnant.

The workshop attracted dignitaries within and outside the state. Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris and Deputy Governor Patrick Yakowa were among those in attendance.

Oyedepo lifts the old at 55th birthday

2009-09-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

The Bishop of the Living Faith Church World Wide (a.k.a Winners Chapel), Rev. David Oyedepo, at the weekend lifted the spirits of the poor as part of activities marking his 55th birthday.

Some of his senior pastors were at Regina Mundi Catholic Church’s Old People’s Home, Mushin, Lagos, where they presented some gifts on Rev. Oyedepo’s behalf.

The leader of the team and an Associate Pastor, Mr. John Izebere, said the move was to show Bishop Oyedepo’s love for the aged.

He said the gifts were to nourish them physically and spiritually, adding that the cleric is concerned about them.

The items presented to the Home included seven bags of rice, seven kegs of groundnut oil, five packs of hot balm, two cartons of beverages and five packs of toilet soap.

The delegation also visited the Lagos State government, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Old People’s Home, Sabo, Yaba, where similar gifts were presented to the Social Welfare Officers in charge of the Home, Mrs Sadiat Sabiu and Mr. Ola Omisile.

Another member of the team, Pastor Paul Maijeh, described the occasion as an extension of God’s love in Rev. Oyedepo’s life.

18 die in Abuja–Lokoja road crash

2009-09-28T10:23:00.001-07:00

No fewer than 18 persons died in an accident on the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway at the weekend.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Nseobong Akpabio, said in a statement in Abuja that the accident, which involved a luxury bus, was caused by reckless driving on Saturday night.

The FRSC had has published a report in which it identified the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway as "dangerous" and warned motorists to be more cautious on the road.

Akpabio said: "Eighteen persons lost their lives about 10.40pm on Saturday.

"The Commander of the FRSC, Yangoji Unit, Abdullahi Umar, got a distress call regarding the accident at Anini village near Kwaita on the Gwagwalada–Lokoja Expressway.

"A rescue team, led by Umar, moved to the scene. The team also informed the police.

"From an unconfirmed report, one white 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus marked XP 269 BEN from Lokoja overtook other vehicles dangerously and collided head-on with a Luxury bus marked XV 952 APP from Kaduna.

"Seventeen persons died instantly, while two persons were injured.

"Two other persons from the luxury bus were also injured.

"The Toyota bus had 19 passengers on board while the Luxury bus had 50."

He added that one of the injured passengers from the Toyota bus later died in the hospital, bringing the number of casualties to 18.

Sanusi: Banks Must Communicate Risk to Customers

2009-09-28T10:21:00.001-07:00

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has asked banks to commence awareness campaign on risk and exposure to customers and key stakeholders.
Sanusi make this call in Abeokuta, Ogun State last weekend at the Annual Conference and Retreat of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB).
The CBN governor said the awareness campaign would give customers an appreciation of risk in the industry, reduce public anxiety and help improve the health of banks.
“Banks should begin to talk about risk and risk management. Some of the benefits of risk communication include improved collective and individual decision making. Both the purpose of the exchange and the nature of the information have an impact on the benefits. Depending on the situation, depositors and public anxieties about banking system health can be reduced or increased,” Sanusi said.
The CBN governor said banks must communicate risks to customers and other stakeholders including employees and investors through internal and external awareness campaigns, increased disclosure in financial statements and training.
Sanusi had made full disclosure by banks one of his cardinal programmes on assumption of duty on June 4, 2009.
He said this would help to provide adequate information about banks and increase confidence in the sector.
“Risk communication refers to the idea that people are uncomfortable talking about risk as they tend to put off admitting that risk is involved, as well as communicating about risks and crises,” Sanusi said. He added that risk communication could also be linked to crisis communication.
In his paper titled “Risk Management as the Panacea for Preventing Systemic Image Crisis in the Nigerian Banking Industry”, the CBN governor said banks would need to imbibe and practise the seven cardinal rules of risk communication as propounded by Vincent T. Covello and Frederick H. Allen.
He said: “They are accepting and involving the public as a legitimate partner; planning carefully and evaluating the banks efforts; listening to the public's specific concerns; being honest, frank, and open; coordinating and collaborating with other credible sources; meeting the needs of the media and speaking clearly and with compassion.”
He warned that banking is not just about deposit mobilisation and lending, saying it is more about managing loans and other assets created from the pool of deposits. He said that Nigerian banks have taken banking for granted and this is the time to realise that it is a serious and solemn business that demands the highest sense of diligence.
“Banking is about risk analysis and strategic placement of funds to enhance maximum returns at minimal risk. It is not about “my balance sheet is bigger than yours” or “I am the fastest growing bank,” he said.
Sanusi stated that Nig-erian banks would, as a matter of urgent operational importance, need to engage the services of competent Chief Risk Officers (CROs) who should report directly to the board through the MD/CEO.
He said: “As the banks grow bigger and go international, they are increasingly taking on several risks that they have not been familiar with before now. This explains the reason why the ability to manage cross border regulatory risks, currency risks, financial market risks are strange to most of them. Skills development in these areas will be critical going forward. Most banks will have to overhaul their risk divisions in order to help them evaluate and manage the various risks they face in the deployment of the huge resources at their disposal.
“On our part as regulators, we shall continue to evolve and deploy more robust and risk sensitive supervisory framework in line with global best practice to proactively supervise the banks and their non-bank subsidiaries in order to nip potential crisis in the bud. The near future will see greater collaboration among the financial sector regulators and supervisory agencies.
“We are already working with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit and National Insurance Commission on inter-agency cooperation on the implementation of consolidated supervision for the banking sector.”

Nigerians Spend N796bn to Fuel Generators Yearly

2009-09-28T10:15:00.001-07:00

N796.4 billion
What Nigerians spend on fuelling generators as alternative power supply every year.

N796.7 billion
What the Federal Government budgeted for capital expenditure for 2009.

Nigerians spend about N796.4 billion on fuel to generate electric power every year, the National Electricity Regula-tory Commission (NERC) has said.
This figure is strikingly similar to the federal budget of N796.7 billion for capital expenditure for the current fiscal year.
A breakdown shows that N540.9 billion is spent on diesel and N255.5 billion goes into the purchase of petrol annually for power generating sets.
These facts were contained in a document authored by Assistant General Manager, Project Monitoring Office, Ify Ikeonu.
Although all the details were not available at press time, THISDAY investigations show that of the amount, industries operating under the aegis of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) spend over N350 billion to fuel their generating sets.
Early in the year, the Federal Government came under heavy criticism for budgeting N2 billion to buy, maintain and fuel generators this year.
According to the details of the budget passed by the Senate in December 2008, the Presidency will spend N27 million to fuel its generators and N14.3 million to maintain them.
Other details were: the National Assembly, fuel, N233 million; National Assembly Office -fuel- N63 million; maintenance, N57.2 million; the National Assembly White House, which houses Chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives - N58 million for fuelling and N55 million for maintenance; the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), fuel and maintenance - N25.8 million; and Police formations nationwide - fuel and maintenance, N110 million.
THISDAY did not gain access to the number of generating sets currently in use in the country as contained in the survey report.
There was also some controversy over the actual estimate of what Nigerians spend to fuel their generators because of a recent report that the entire amount was N50 billion.
It has since emerged that the recently reported figure was for Aba, Abia State, alone.
THISDAY gathered that the amount concerning the monetary value of fuel used in Aba was contained in the report of a survey commissioned in 2007 by Geometric Power, Aba. The survey was conducted by National Rural Electricity Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Washington, U.S.A.
Making the clarification about the amount spent by consumers in Aba in the course of THISDAY investigation, Senior Manager, Public Affairs, Geometric Power Limited, Oseloka Zikora, said: “According to statistics, Nigerians spend about N540.9 billion on diesel and N255.5 billion on fuel (petrol) to generate power and not N50 billion as ascribed to Prof Nnaji in newspaper reports.”
According to him, “the (about) N50 billion quoted is only the share of Aba industries, commercial and residential consumers’ expenditure on fuel and diesel to generate power.”
His reference was to a newspaper report which he said quoted the Chairman of Geometric Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, as saying Nigerians spend about N50 billion for fuel to power their electric generating sets every year.
He said the former Minister had to clarify that aspect because it was understood in some quarters to mean that the figure represented what was spent around the country.
Nnaji had explained at a meeting with the Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr. Christopher Anyanwu, that the expenditure pattern in fuelling generators was that residents/small commercial entities spend N14.4 billion on generator fuel while the large industries part with N43.2 billion for the same purpose.
However, in the publication, the fact that the figures were limited to the expenditure in Aba was not expressly stated.
Unreliable power supply in the country has seen most households resort to the use of power generating sets as their primary means of electricity, while the state utility company, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, (PHCN), which is essentially a monopoly, hardly meets up to 20 per cent of the nation’s demand. It generates between 2,000mw and 2,500mw.
This has led to a situation where power supply from PHCN is viewed as a standby source, to be used when available, while generators are seen as the principal mode of catering for power needs.
To make PHCN more efficient, it was unbundled into 18 successor companies comprising 11 power generating companies, GenCos, six power distribution companies, DisCos, and one transmission company, Transmission Company of Nigeria.
The country is moving towards a situation where other means of generating power that will involve less expensive fuel, such as solar, are being explored.
Although the initial financial outlay in setting up a solar-powered plant is astronomical, it can last for 25 years without fuel other than solar energy which is captured by the solar panel.
The government also recently signed a contract with a French outfit to establish a wind-fuelled plant in Katsina as a mark of its seriousness to diversify public power supply sources from the traditional hydro and thermal to wind, solar and coal, among others.
To improve power supply however, it has been realised that the private sector must play a critical role, which has led to NERC licensing about 29 independent power producers, IPPs, which are in various stages of completion.
A gas master plan has however been put in place to make gas more readily available to fuel the over 70 per cent of power plants that depend on thermal source of energy.

Ondo Assembly: Labour Party closes in on PDP

2009-09-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Without any controversy, Saturday September 19, 2009 will remain memorable for the people of Akure North in Ondo State.

The local government, which has 12 wards comprising Iju, Ita-Ogbolu, Oba-ile, Ogbese, Igboba, Ilu-abo, Eyelewo and other towns and villages had been in trenches courtesy of some notable politicians in the area who for almost six years held the area in the jugular.

When the trauma lasted, no responsible indigene of the area would want to be proud of being part of this rebellious community.

In fact, Akure North was branded "the most politically volatile" area in Ondo State, where a prominent traditional ruler was on exile for almost four years. He abandoned his throne and subjects because of violence and attacks perpetrated by hoodlums reportedly sponsored by some politicians in the area who were in the saddle then.

Hundreds of indigenes of the area particularly Iju fled the town as its monarch, Oba Amos Farukanmi, the Okiti of Iju abdicated the throne and abandoned his palace, crowns and the paraphilenia of his office for safety.

There were cases of violence and killing of innocent indigenes, massive destruction of private and public buildings by political hoodlums under the aegis of "Soobo boys".

One of the pathetic experience witnessed in the area was in 2007 when the former Majority Leader and prominent PDP member in Akure North local government council, late Emmanuel Oludare Ogunleye representing ward eight in the council was hacked to death in the presence of his octogenarian father in Iju because of political rivalry between party leaders within the same political party in control then.

The palace of the traditional ruler was vandalised, while the properties of his brother and former Alliance for Democracy (AD) senator, Olorunimbe Farukanmi were damaged.

However, with the inception of the Olusegun Mimiko administration, peace is gradually returning to the crisis-ridden Akure North. Oba Farukanmi and his numerous subjects, including the newly elected legislator, Akindele Adeniyi who was the former vice chairman of the local council are now back into their ancestral home.

They entered Iju community recently with ecstacy just like the biblical "triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem" with a promise by Governor Mimiko to renovate the vandalised palace of Okiti of Iju.

This same scenario pervaded in the April 14, 2007 when the House of Assembly election took place in the area. It was won by PDP’s candidate, late Akin Alasoadura. Unfortunately, he could not join his other colleagues during their inauguration in June 2007 as he died shortly after being declared winner.

Consequently, the seat became vacant since 2007, thereby depriving Akure North constituents from sharing out of benefits derivable from the state House of Assembly, especially proactive legislation.

For almost two and half years, the seat of Akure North at the parliament was vacant until penultimate Saturday when INEC took the responsibility of conducting election which many observers described as the most peaceful and hitch-free.

As early as 8.00a.m on the election day, voters trooped out in large number in almost all the units designated for the election.

Without minding the rain that threatened to mar the voting exercise, electorate defied the downpour and cast their votes in peaceful manner at Iju, Ita-ogbolu, Ogbese, Oba-ile, Ilu-Abo, Eleyewo and other communities, security agents were on hand to maintain orderliness.

Aside some pockets of violence in Igoba and Iju where loyalists of the two rival parties (LP and PDP) wanted to out smart themselves; the exercise was smooth and hitch-free.

Though, as it is customary for losers in any contest to attribute their failures to certain cause, both the PDP and AC said the election was not conducted in consonance with electoral laws. But many political observers were of the opinion that the bye-election in Akure North was devoid of violence and could be rated the best since 1999.

They argued that INEC made solid arrangements for hitch-free and fraud-proof election, while police and other security operatives displayed high sense of commitment to the exercise. Many observers recalled that the 2007 general election in Akure North was an exclusive exercise for PDP loyalists that were in control of government machinery then.

They noted that in the past, particularly in the April 2007 general election, there was no election, alleging that PDP, INEC and the police colluded to perpetrate electoral heist against other political parties.

During the period, the common language was ballot stuffing, hijacking of ballot boxes, multiple voting, visible attacks on electorate, burning of opposition member houses and other electoral vices which were conspicuously absent during the bye-election in Akure North.

Though, the PDP’s State Chairman, Dr. Tayo Dairo and his AC counterpart, Mr. Sola Iji criticised the conduct of the election, but opinion from majority observers indicated that the election went according to the dictate of electoral law.

Dairo, who was supported by the party’s secretary, Mr. Sola Oludipe and former Commissioner for Finance, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, said the ruling LP) in collusion with security agencies and state brought political brigandage on the hapless electorate to scare them.

He also accused INEC of giving only 24 hours notice instead of 14 days to the party to submit the name of its candidate, alleging that PDP agents were driven out of the election materials distribution centre.

Said Dairo, "the PDP was not part of distribution of materials or the process of checking the number and authenticity of the documents deployed for the exercise. PDP agents who were supposed to monitor the election were chased away by thugs to allow LP access to voting manipulation at the unit level".

The PDP chair disclosed that the party would challenge the result at the election tribunal when all relevant documents are available.

Also the AC said the bye-election was planned to favour the ruling LP because of the two weeks notice given to the parties.

Iji said contrary to the assurances by Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and the Police Commissioner to conduct a free and fair poll, the experience was disappointing.

Iji condemned the alleged act of fraud, stressing that electoral thuggery and violence received support of the government. The AC leader said the party had rejected the outcome of the result.

But both the state police boss, Iroham and REC, Chief Ayo Dada, described the election as most transparent and hitch-free.

According to Dada, the election was relatively peaceful, saying "all political party agents went through the final result sheets after the election and acknowledged that it went according to the voting pattern, stressing that he was embarrassed by the reports of some dailies on the outcome of the election".

The INEC commissioner maintained that security men were on hand to ensure hitch-free exercise.

Also the Ondo State Police Commissioner said the bye-election in Akure North was devoid of violence.

The Command’s spokesman, Mr Adeniran Aremu, said reports from all the polling units manned by his men indicated that the election was peaceful, stressing that the police did their best to maintain law and order.

According to him, there was no record of violence in all polling centres and the local government collation centre, noting that the police were impartial to all political parties in maintaining law and order.

The State Secretary of Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), Hon. Pius Omolola, who was also in Akure North to monitor the bye-election, said it was free and fair and conducted without any intimidation.

In his own remark, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi who monitored the election expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the poll, which, according to him, was devoid of any major crisis

Olanusi commended voters for trooping out and conducting themselves with decorum saying "the peaceful conduct of the election is a demonstration of philosophy of Mimiko’s administration which is justice, equity and progress.

Also, Governor Olusegun Mimiko through the Commissioner for Information, Ranti Akerele rejoiced with Akure North citizenry and LP supporters and other progressives on the victory of its candidate.

He noted that the election described by observers, residents and electorate as the first true genuine election since 1999 was made possible through the collaboration of security agencies, INEC and the citizenry that uphold the basic tenets of democracy, which accords recognition to one man, one vote.

Mimiko stressed that future elections would be observed in similar pattern devoid of political brigandage and electoral fraud, urging the new legislator to strive hard to offer proactive legislation to his constituency.

With the emergence of LP’s candidate, Akindele Adeniyi to represent his constituency at the state parliament, there is hope that he would strive hard to give solid representation to the entire communities in Akure North.

Policeman detained over rape suspect’s death in Lagos

2009-09-28T10:10:00.001-07:00

A middle-aged man has been killed by the police in Lagos for alleged rape, it was learnt yesterday.

The incident occurred at Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb on Saturday afternoon.

A woman reportedly went to the nearby Iju Police Station, popularly known as "Red House’, to incident a case of alleged rape against a man simply identified as Dele.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was said to have ordered some of his men to arrest the suspect.

A source said when a police team went to arrest the suspect, he (the suspect), reportedly mobilised street urchins, popularly known as "Area Boys", to attack them.

It was in the confusion that ensuing one of the policemen fired a shot that hit Dele.

But another source said Dele was killed in the house of the woman, who is said to be a friend to one of the policemen sent to arrest him.

The source said the policeman had severally warned the deceased, who is popularly known in the area as "Dele 7 Up" to leave the woman.

He said immediately the policeman got information that Dele was at his lover’s home, he mobilised some of his colleagues with whom they stormed the place.

It was learnt that after killing Dele, the policeman and his colleagues took away his body and dumped it in a bush path.

Police spokesman Frank Mba said the woman who reported the case was in protective custody.

"It was based on the report of the woman that policemen moved in to arrest the suspect. I do not know where the issue of fighting over a woman came into this matter. There was no such thing," he said.

Mba said when Dele was shot,the DPO ordered that his body be taken to the General Hospital, Ikeja. From there, he was moved to Igbobi where he died.

He said the policeman who killed Dele was being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.

Best Ogedegbe on life support

2009-09-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Nigeria’s goalkeeper during the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations Best Ogedegbe is dying at the Intensive Care section of the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital (UCH) and is breathing only with the aid of a ventilator as at 6.20 pm on Sunday.

NationSport telephone interview with Ogedegbe’s wife from Ibadan was truncated by the woman’s sob only after she had revealed that her husband has been breathing through the ventilator since September 21, after undergoing a surgery on his eye.

But technical committee chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Taiwo Ogunjobi revealed to NationSport that there is the urgent need for well meaning Nigerians like the Lagos State governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), the Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi et al to come to the family’s aid because the goalkeeper’s situation is critical.

"Best underwent an eye surgery but has not come out of coma since September 21. He is just lying down on his bed breathing with the aid of the life support machine and with I’m have been told, if the machine is switched off that is the end. This situation is what I want Nigerians to avert.

"I believe if best is taken out of the country, he would be okay. We have commenced prayers and I trust God to keep him alive until help comes urgently.

"I’m at the UCH intensive care and the doctors are just observing him. It is very bad Ade," Ogunjobi said whilst trying to fight back tears. Then the phone went dead as the man wept.

Siasia harps on precision as Nigeria tackles Spain

2009-09-28T10:07:00.001-07:00

HEAD Coach Samson Siasia has told his boys they must be more precise in front of goal if they wish to retain hope of progress to the Round of 16 of the on–going FIFA U-20 World cup finals, as the Flying Eagles take on Spain in their second match of the tournament today.

The 1994 World Cup star bared his mind to the players in the dressing room after Friday’s shock 0-1 loss to Venezuela at the Al Salam Stadium, just before Spain hammered Tahiti 8-0 to sound a note of warning to all teams here.

This is the 13th time that Spain will be playing at the FIFA U-20 World Cup (previously known as the FIFA World Youth Championship) and Monday afternoon’s game is the on-going tournament’s match number 13. Nigeria have won only 13 of its previous 36 matches at FIFA’s second most important competition, yet has picked silver on two occasions and won bronze at the finals in Soviet Union 24 years ago. Pulling no punches in addressing his players and expressing his disappointment with the way they started the game, Siasia said the strikers and midfielders must learn not to pull their punches in front of goal henceforth.

“This is a big tournament and you must learn to take your chances. There is no use creating 50 chances and wasting all of them. You must get to a situation where you can put away five of seven chances. “Nigerians back home are expecting us to go far in this competition and even win the trophy. We cannot continue to throw away begging opportunities.

Against Spain, we must be up to it right from the first minute and show the seriousness that the match deserves”, Siasia told his boys early Sunday morning. The match will bring memories of the final match between both countries at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Republic of Korea two years ago, which Nigeria won on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes. Nigeria will be wearing green with white stripes while Spain will spot all white with black stripes. The Flying Eagles will still be without injured goalie Dele Ajiboye, while Ikande Harmony, Rabiu Ibrahim and Muhammed Shagari are all still injured. Lukman Haruna, who was sent off against Venezuela, is ineligible for selection.

IBB: Politicians are our problem

2009-09-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida seldom speaks to the press. But each time he does, he grabs the headlines. When JIDE ORINTUNSIN met him recently, he spoke about electoral reform, President Umar Yar’Adua, the late Gani Fawehinmi and global economic meltdown. Excerpts:

We have just concluded the Ramadan period, what lesson do you think we have learnt as Muslims and as a nation?

The Ramadan period has afforded us the opportunity to reflect on a number of things. One, our relationship with God and with other people in the society and it has made us appreciate that God did not create us equally and that we have a duty to the less privileged in the society. The period equally taught us how to respect ones feeling, views and religion and to live in peace and harmony in one another.

Nigeria like every nations of the world is under the heavy burden of the global economic meltdown. As a one time President of this country, what in your view is the way out?

I think the situation requires a number of efforts. It needs the efforts by government, efforts by the leadership of this country, the private and the public sector’s efforts. What goes for Nigeria is that we are very innovative as a people. All we need is to put on our thinking cap and get our acts together and work towards a more vibrant economic development.

Don’t you think that the meltdown hit us more because our leaders lack good foresight?

The recession is a global problem. One thing triggers the other and the most important thing for us is to learn lesson from the meltdown and make sure we don’t fall into that trap again. I don’t think it is a question of lack of foresight, but that of leadership. I have been trained as a military man all my life and as a Commander; my job is to instil confidence on every body that we will eventually win the war. We may have problems and casualties as we move along, but as a leader, I will always say we will make. I think it is a problem of leadership.

The financial sector no doubt plays a vital role in the revival of any ailing economy like ours. How will you assess the policies of Lamido Sanusi, the new Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)?

From my experience of this country, for every genuine and sincere measure you took, for every major policy that you make, give Nigerians a day, they will read meaning to it. Before you know it, people will start to read southern or northern agenda to it. That is typical of Nigerians. On the other hand, they will say it is a Muslim or Christian agenda. If you are able to go through that, they will probably say it is Hausa/Fulani or Yoruba agenda. I have always advised that if you have a conviction or you believe that what you are doing is right, then go ahead. I think there are many opinions in Nigeria as there are many people in it. Just go by your conviction. With what the CBN governor is doing, I think he meant well and I know it will be well for the country.

President Musa Yar’Adua has embarked on an electoral reform, what do you think is wrong with pervious electoral policies, vis-à-vis your own electoral policy? Must we always dust the books?

That is an interesting question. During our time, we looked into the electoral systems that obtained from independence to the time we introduced Option A4. We were able to see how elections were conducted; we were able to see what went wrong with some of these elections, so we sat down and decided on how to stop and solve the problems. We then resolved that certain things must be done. Firstly, we resolved that the ordinary man must feel he has a stake, that he has a say. Secondly he must know that his vote counts in determine who governs him, either at the local government, state or federal levels. We tried to simplified the system and make it more transparent and I am glad it worked

But it seems the present system is devoid of these virtues of transparency and simplicity you just spoke about; people believe that the present electoral system has a lot of flaws….

(He cuts in) I think you guys (media) will have to educate and enlighten the people about this. We have enormous information and researches available to us, but I think we have the tendency to try to re-invent the wheels all the time in this country. If not, why do we not want to accept what worked when it has worked. If it has been there for long, fine tune it, if we must, but to start new thing every time has been our problem. We don’t have to loose the nuts every time.

Another area of concern is that of who midwife the new reform. Many feel INEC under the Chairmanship of Prof. Maurice Iwu should not be allowed to conduct the February 2010 Anambra State election. What is your take on this?

My take is that Nigerians are yet developed in our respective minds about how elections are run. It is like soccer match; you either win it or lose it. If you win, so be it. You have that responsibility ahead of you, the promises you made to the people must be fulfilled. If you lost out, you should be contented. Go back and try next time. This how best to do things, but the win at all cost syndrome has eaten deep into our national fabric

But what happens when a candidate is denied of his or her mandate?

You have the court and the tribunals

Are you saying courts and tribunals are the ideal organs to determine election results?

It is not the ideal. I quite agree with you that the courts and tribunals are not the ideal, but the psychology of the people have to change towards this.

So, in essence you are exonerating the system and you are blaming the electoral flaws on the players (Politicians), even when there heaps of allegations against INEC, painting the electoral body as a bias umpire

.

Let us consider the developed democracies of the world. For example, India, with over billion people and over 600 million registered voters, they still conduct their elections and they do it well. Our problem in this country is that our politicians are not honestly working as hard as other politicians in other countries of the world. There the politician goes out to appeal to people to win elections, but here the elites are in control. I am sure you that people like you (the reporter) and some of your elite friends hate the idea of queuing to vote. Those of us go out to vote are doing it for publicity. We all in most cases act it, to give the ordinary man the impression that we are for the system, but thousands of elites don’t want to queue to vote, but they want to decide the outcome of elections.

Can we talk about the outcome of all the meetings you have been holding in Abuja, Kaduna and here in your Hill-top residence? What are Nigerians expecting from these meetings?

I am equally hearing about the meetings like you. A friend of my called and sent me text that he heard a lot of meetings are going on and asked why I left him out. I asked him to tell where and when the meetings are holding. I told him I was dead serious I am not in picture of any meeting and asked him to tell me where the meetings are holding for me to go and report (he laughs). According to them, the meetings are always holding in Kaduna, Abuja and my Hill-top residence. That is Nigeria for you.

You mean you are not aware of any meeting

No. I am saying it emphatically that I am aware of any meeting. I am not involved in any meeting; my friends are not involved in any meeting. To the best of my knowledge, there were no meeting in Abuja , in Minna, Abuja and Kano .

Reports have it that your admirers, supporters and former boys in the military who are now retired are the ones behind the meetings.

(Cuts in) Fortunately for me, they have not come to tell me. So, I don’t know.

But we learnt that they are converging in Minna on the 1st of October to come and persuade you to run for Presidency come 2011 general elections.

My friend, don’t forget you and I have been living in Minna and this is not the first time that such a thing happened and you know my stand. That is life for you my brother.

But sir, what gives you the impression that this time you will not cave in to their pressure?

No. normally, I don’t cave in to pressure. Don’t forget I have 32 years experience in uniform. I am trained to be tough all the time. I cannot cave into pressure. I will rather cave in to sound argument and sound reasoning.

What if by October 1st, they are able to provide you with sound argument and sound reasoning?

I have experience, may be strength. I will be glad to impact this knowledge on those of you coming after us and because they have respect for me, being my admirers, I think they will accept and respect whatever I want them do.

Recently the human right activist and lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi passed on and some members of his family accused you and your administration of complicity in the infection of his lung which culminated into cancer of the lung that eventually killed him.

It is sad that Gani’s family could be thinking like that. I was not the judge that sent Gani to jail. I was not involved in any of his interrogations. It will be wrong for anybody to accuse me of what I know nothing about. I want to believe that the family of late Gani are Muslims like me and because they are, they should believe in what God said in the Holy Quran, that every soul should taste the pangs of death (Kullu nasfsin za,ikatul mautu). If they believe in that, then I don’t have problem with them, if not then, it is their problem. I am happy I have bore my mind about Gani, even before he died. I did not eulogise him like some people are doing after his death. It is wrong of the family to link me with his death.

Groom abandons bride on wedding day

2009-09-28T06:45:00.001-07:00

Guests were shocked at the weeked at a Church in Gwagwalada, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), when a 42-year-old bridegroom refused to show up for his wedding.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the bride, the officiating priest, family members, friends and well-wishers waited in vain at the church premises.

A member of the groom’s family, who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said the groom had paid the bride price of her bride in 2002.

He said: "But the groom went to the parents of his bride in 2005 to ask for a refund, saying he was no longer interested in the marriage.

"He later went back to the bride’s parents to repay the bride price, claiming that the scale had fallen off his eyes.

"And so, palns were made for the church wedding, with the groom fully in charge, dancing on the bachelor’s eve.

"But to our surprise, with the reception venue fully decorated and the church already filled to capacity with the choir ministering, the groom was nowhere to be found.

"Information later got to us that he drove to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, where he demanded to be placed on admission against the doctor’s advice.

"The groom, however, told some family members who rushed to the hospital to check him that he was no longer interested in the marriage."

The source added that when the priest visited the hospital, the groom told him that he decided to discontinue with the wedding because he had known no peace since he paid the bride price.

Rerun will spell doom for Osun ’ - d nation

2009-09-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

Olarotimi Makinde, prominent actor and accountant, contested the election into the House of Representatives in Osun State in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress (AC). His opponent was declared winner. He spoke with Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN on how far he has gone to seek justice, the implication of the tribunal ordering a rerun in Rauf Aregesola’s petition against Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and so on

As a successful theatre arts practitioner, what actually prompted you into politics?

It is simply the urge to lend my voice to happenings around me in the interest of my people. As an apostle of positive change, I had always been condemning happenings around me, especially in my community, Ile-Ife. At a point, the fear that people often nurse about going into politics did not move me; that is why I boldly ventured into the murky waters of politics the day after the murder of the late governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Engineer Funsho William. At that point, many began to see politics as a danger zone; wives were warning their husbands while fathers warned their wards to steer clear it. I believe that if those with clear idea of how to rescue the country from the doldrums are shying away from politics, the fools will continue to hold sway to the detriment of the masses. That explains my venturing into it.

At what point did you decide to contest for the House of Representatives?

I must confess that while coming into politics, I did not actually dream of contesting. I believe that if I have a leader who is accommodating, who share the same vision and ideal of people-oriented change with me, I don’t necessarily have to aspire to be the head. But at a point, while campaigning with him from one corner to the other, especially in my community, to urge people to help themselves out from the grip of Omisore/Oyinlola and company. When you challenge people to come out to challenge Iyiola Omisore, they tend to have the fear that he cannot be dared. No doubt, Omisore is an illustrious son of Ife but he does not have the genuine interest of the people at heart. We are from the same community. This is a man who has had the opportunity of changing the course of things in Osun State, especially, Ife, but he has not done it. He was deputy governor to Baba Akande, rather than join hands with the man to make meaningful impact, he colluded with others to fight the good old man. In the Senate, he has not done anything to benefit us. He lacks focus and that explains the kind of people he has around him. That was why I declared my intention to run against him for the senatorial seat. But as the Action Congress would think right, it preferred me in the House of Representatives and I picked the ticket for the 2007 elections.

But today, you are not in the House of Representatives; what happened?

Yes, the election came and went, but I’m a living witness to all that happened. Interestingly, Engineer Aregbesola and I had been able to sell ourselves to the electorate before the election. The reason is clear: The failure of the existing administration. The eagerness to have us on board was great and because of that, everyone was on us. But there were several bottlenecks created by the Oyinlola government. Some of our supporters were rounded up and put in various detention centres. Most of out leaders were declared wanted before the polls and on the election date; not a few went underground. At our campaigns, we were being attacked and blackmailed; I was even kidnapped in my father’s house. They caught me, blind-folded me and took me to a bushy place. I was not allowed to vote in an election in which I was contesting. I was in the kidnappers’ den for 24 hours. During the election, I was chased about with dangerous weapons by PDP thugs; I eventually got refuge in the hands of the Police Area Commander in Ife. In broad daylight, the thugs hijacked ballot boxes and did all they wanted to do. Omisore was going from one polling booth to the other in with some PDP leaders who paraded themselves as monitoring officials.

But Oyinlola believes he has brought good governance to Osun…

(Laughs) Osun is stagnant! All revenue avenues are lying fallow; no one has the initiative to harness them to hasten up development. In Osun, there is no good road, no water and peace is a scarce commodity. Recently, Oyinlola promoted about 40 Baales to the position of Oba. Sure, it was a good step, but honestly, it was politically motivated by him. He seems to be tactically preparing for a rerun. And to me, rather than ordering a rerun in Osun, it is better Oyinlola is left there because any rerun will lead most Osun people into their early graves. If the judge that delivered the Ekiti judgement knew it would lead to bloodshed, he would not have ordered a rerun. We have to learn from that.

Anxiety grips ministers as cabinet shake-up looms

2009-09-28T05:45:00.001-07:00

Between five and seven ministers may be dropped by President Umaru Yar’Adua in the planned changes in the Federal Executive Council.

The last cabinet reshuffle by the President was on October 29, 2008 when 20 out of the 42 ministers were dropped.

But barely a year in office, investigations have shown, some cabinet members have not lived up to the expectations of a public officer.

A highly-placed source, who confided in The Nation yesterday, said: "They might be from five to seven but it won’t be a complete overhaul like the case last year.

"Some of them are aware that they have to leave but they do not know when."

Findings by The Nation revealed that some of the affected ministers are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the State Security Service (SSS).

It was learnt that the President is not too comfortable with security reports on the performance and financial activities of the said ministers.

Although the list of the ministers is being kept secret, it was gathered that some security agencies have had cause to interact with them on some issues and allegations.

It was also gathered that some of the affected ministers were not initially cleared by security agencies.

But, based on political exigency, the President decided to give some of these ministers a chance to either prove their mettle or confirm the security reports against them.

Besides a few with below average performance, some ministers are also being investigated for abuse of office, graft, spendthriftness and acquisition of properties.

The source added: "Actually, about seven ministers are seriously under consideration for removal from the cabinet.

"Their exit depends on the outcome of the ongoing investigation of their financial activities by the EFCC and other security agencies.

"Also some of the ministers have not met the performance benchmark put in place by the President. Yar’Adua has been fair to them by allowing them free hand to operate.

"Some of the ministers too have not been prudent and they dispense favours without moral decorum.

"The truth is that in line with the President’s policy of fairness, he will lay the cards on the table for the ministers to see why they have to leave the cabinet.

"A few courageous and dutiful ministers have no cause to fear. In fact, there is a report on a minister who refused moves by an influential leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to give a contract to him.

"The conscientious minister said the party chieftain was not qualified for the job and he won’t want to be dragged before any tribunal after leaving office. It is such ethical ministers that are wanted in the cabinet."

As at press time, most ministers were eager to know whether they will be dropped or not.

Another source said: "They are wielding influence here and there but it is difficult to know the mindset of the President."

Investigation showed that some jittery ministers could not go far because the President does not believe in lobbying.

It was however unclear at press time when the cabinet change will be effected.

Ribadu Demands Assets Declaration Form from Conduct Bureau- disday newspaper

2009-09-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has demanded from the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Certified True Copies of the asset declaration forms he submitted to its office on December 1, 2008.
This is coming as the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) at weekend called on the former governor of Delta state, Chief James Ibori, to produce evidence to convince Nigerians and his admirers nationwide that he is being deliberately vilified by Ribadu and others.
In a letter dated September 25, 2009 and entitled “Re:Suit No: CCT/ABJ/01/2009 – Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, Request for Certified True Copies of Asset Declaration Forms of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu”, Ribadu disclosed that upon his assumption of office as chairman of the anti-corruption agency on March 14, 2003, he declared his assets in strict compliance with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
The former EFCC boss, who had since fled the country to London, was arraigned in absentia before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for allegedly failing to declare his assets before and after he served as chairman of the EFCC from 2003 to 2008.
In the letter, which was signed by his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, he argued that although he was not formally removed as the chairman of the anti-graft commission by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he nevertheless declared his assets upon the completion of his management course at the Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State.
He urged the CCB chairman to avail him of the document to facilitate his defence at the tribunal on October 2, 2009 when the case against him would be argued.
The full text of the letter read: “As you are no doubt aware our client declared his assets upon assumption of office as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on March 14, 2003, in strict compliance with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
“Although our client was not formally removed as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes by the President he declared his Assets on December 1, 2008 upon the completion of the Management Course at Kuru.
“In the circumstances we have our client’s instructions to request for Certified True Copies of the said Asset Declaration Forms which were submitted to your office at the aforesaid dates.
“It will be appreciated if you can urgently attend to this application to facilitate the preparation of our client’s defence in respect of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal which has been fixed for 0ctober 2, 2009.”
Meanwhile, CNPP has also challenged Ribadu to publish the records of all the 31 ex-governors and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, which Mrs Farida Waziri has been unable to prosecute.
It stated: “This will go a long way to plug the ongoing leakages and once for all in absolving Ribadu of the accusation of being selective”.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Osita Okechukwu, the coalition of opposition parties said that the ball is now in the court of Ibori to prove that the former Chairman of EFCC deliberately lied against him.
Ibori had told a press conference last Friday that he was being persecuted by Ribadu and Obasanjo because of previous disagreements.
“CNPP like most patriots would be happy to witness the resolution of Chief James Ibori's corruption charges, that of all the 31 ex-governors and ex-president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo either way; for without the resolution, corruption will continue to not only hamper our development but scuttle our transition to democracy. Democracy has refused to grow, because those who loot our treasury are using same to impose leaders on us, buy favour and loyalty,” the statement said.
CNPP asked: “How can Nigerians live to see all those who squandered our unprecedented oil revenue, without any tangible investment in the land to go scot-free and enslave us? It is a negative model for any nation that wants to advance in this anarchic global system.
“For it is on record that between year 2000 -2008 the allocation figures are: - the South-South States - N3.2 trillion, North-West N2.1 trillion, South-West N1.7 trillion, North-Central N1.5 trillion, North-East N1.3 trillion and South East N1.2 trillion; without commensurate impact on the people on whose behalf the monthly Federal Allocation is meant for.”
It further said that democracy cannot thrive under monumental corruption, “so now Ribadu has every opportunity to open the lid and save our nascent democracy and the millions of poverty-avaged Nigerians.”

Oshiomhole wades into Fed Govt-ASUU face-off

2009-09-25T07:24:00.001-07:00

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday waded into the-Federal Government-university teachers’ rift, raising the hope that he would use his labour background to resolve the dispute.

At his first meeting with Education Minister Sam Egwu in Abuja, Oshiomhole lamented that the teachers’ strike has dragged on for too long.

The strike began on June 22.

Oshiomhole will meet with the teachers next.

He said the dispute could be resolved, adding that the major issue is how to get the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resume talks.

The government withdrew from the talks in July, asking the teachers to return to work before the negotiation would continue.

But the teachers said they would only return to work after their demands are met.

Oshiomhole said, soon, he and Egwu would meet with ASUU and other parties to strike a common ground on which everyone can build on.

Asked how he will go about the crisis, he said: "I am a labour man any day any where and we will talk through the issues. It will not be helpful to disclose what we will discuss. I think everybody realises that the strike can’t go on forever".

The governor added: "Like any Nigerian, I am concerned about the dispute between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

"We simply can’t allow long closure of universities because the future of our country depends not on our liquid resources, but a function of our human capital.

"I came to dialogue with the minister because I have riends on both sides and I believe that we can talk through the issues and find a formula that will be acceptable to all the parties.

"There is no doubt in my mind that more than any President ever, Umaru Yar’Adua recognises that education is key to our future.

"I also don’t have any doubt that ASUU recognises that for a school to be called a university, there are couple of things that must be present including proper funding, good welfare package for lectures and non- lecturers.

"I am very convinced that these are issues that can be resolved. And by the special grace of God they will be resolved so that the universities can return to normalcy.

"I think the key issue is negotiation and the Federal Government is ready to talk, and I know that ASUU is quite happy and willing to talk. If we all want to talk, let’s talk through the issues and have them resolved in the interest of the country."

Egwu said the government is worried over the situation adding: "We never thought that this problem will linger on up to this moment.

"We in the Ministry of Education have a duty to appeal to ASUU to accept what has been offered while demand for increased funding continues.

"Government is ready to continue the negotiation even if it is tomorrow.

"At the point of negotiation, government is willing to shift grounds."

University students from across the country protested in Abuja yesterday over their demand that the government and ASUU should resume talks to end the three-month strike.

The students, led by Okechukwu Ebodo, a law student of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), said the situation was not funny because youths are now engaging in questionable deals.

Also yesterday, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, expressed worry that if nothing urgent is done to end the strike, Nigeria’s dream of becoming one of the 20 industrialised nations by 2020 will be at risk.

In a statement made available to The Nation in Ibadan, the monarch urged the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the crisis.

Olubadan, who observed that the socio-economic and security implications of the strike "are too numerous to mention," said: "In this age of science and technology, every hour lost because of the strike puts at risk Nigeria’s dream to become one of the 20 industrialised nations by 2020."

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) chapter of ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) yesterday staged a peaceful protest to the palace of the Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

They were also joined by the students of the institution.

The protesters had gone to the Oba’s palace to protest the protracted face-off between ASUU and the government.

Five chiefs from the palace interacted with the protesters.

Among the protesters were ASUU President Dr. Ife Adewumi, immediate past president, Prof Idowu Adepoju, Dr. (Mrs), Taiwo Makinde and the student union leader.

Dr Makinde urged the monarch to intervene in the crisis because students were being labelled armed robbers and prostitutes.

Also worried by the strike is the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar yesterday said in Johannesburg, South Africa, that the congress is bothered by the "debilitating effect of the strike on students."

Abdulwaheed, who is in Johannesburg to attend the annual congress of COSATU, South Africa’s trade union, said the concern had made the congress to intervene in the crisis.

He said the NLC held far-reaching discussions with the leaders of ASUU, SSANU and NASU to resolve the crisis.

"When we rose from that meeting with them, we promised to reach out to the Federal Government to ensure they resolve the crisis," he said.

Ribadu: Aondoakaa Wants to Kill Me

2009-09-24T03:47:00.000-07:00

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu has pointedly accused the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) of threatening his life.
Ribadu said yesterday that his refusal to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja over allegations that he did not declare his assets while in office was because Aondoakaa was threatening his life.
The Code of Conduct Bureau had recommended the former EFCC chairman for trial over the allegation and the tribunal had summoned him to defend himself.
Under the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, public officers are required to declare their assets before they assume office.
Speaking through his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, Ribadu alleged that Aondoakaa had already sent assassins after him.
“He wanted to stay for this trial but for the fear of his life, he had to travel back. If your lordship wants this case to go on, we want an order because already the Attorney-General of the Federation has sent a manhunt on him,” he said.
Tribunal Chairman, Justice Constance Momoh, had fumed over Ribadu’s short visit to Nigeria without staying back to appear before the tribunal.
Ribadu had sneaked into the country about two weeks ago and emerged at the residence of the late legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, to commiserate with his family over his death.
At yesterday’s proceedings, Justice Momoh told Falana that the tribunal was angry that Ribadu came into the country on September 10 to pay his respects to the late Gani and still refused to honour the tribunal’s summons.
Momoh said: “The tribunal is feeling slighted; we just have to take our cool.”
Falana, however, told the tribunal chairman that when his client was in the country, he had wanted to stay back to answer the tribunal until he got intelligence report that some forces in the government wanted him dead.
According to him, “he (Ribadu) wants your lordship to make an order to guarantee him of his security and liberty.”
He added that before Ribadu travelled abroad, two attempts were made on his life in Abuja and Jos.
Falana further disclosed that the ex-EFCC boss was assisted out of the country by sympathisers and that he wanted to be alive to face his trial.
But the tribunal chairman quipped in, asking Falana, “What has Ribadu done to warrant anybody to be after his life?”
Ribadu was expected to appear before the tribunal yesterday to take his plea over the allegation of non-declaration of his assets in office levelled against him.
The tribunal chairman had earlier drawn the attention of the various counsel to the court’s record where the tribunal held that if Ribadu failed to appear before it, the court would allow the prosecution counsel, Ahmed Kyari, to re-introduce his application for bench warrant of arrest on the former EFCC chairman.
Falana, however, urged the tribunal not to go on with the case as he had filed an appeal before the appellate court in respect of the matter, adding that due to the absence of the AGF’s lawyer, the matter had been adjourned till December 16 by the appellate court.
Efforts made by the prosecution counsel to re-introduce his application for warrant of arrest on Ribadu were thwarted by Falana, who warned the three-member tribunal not to do anything that would put it at conflict with a higher court since there was a matter on the same suit pending before an appellate court.
He said: “The tribunal cannot and will not make any order until the Court of Appeal dispenses the application before it. To do otherwise will be a fait accompli.”
The tribunal has, however, fixed October 2 for hearing of the applications before it.
Meanwhile, Aondoakaa has reacted to the allegation by Ribadu that he was after his life.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Taiye Adeyemi, the AGF dismissed the allegation, saying Ribadu was just trying to divert attention from his trial.
Akinyemi said: “The allegation is diversionary. Nothing would have warranted the AGF to be after Ribadu’s life. This is the first time ever in this country that the rule of law would be employed in the conduct of government business and the AGF should be praised for that, and not for a lawyer of Falana’s status to be making such wild, unfounded, unwarranted and malicious allegation.
“Ribadu is a respected Nigerian and if he has a case against him he should come and face it, instead of engaging in this kind of diversionary tactics.”

ASUU Strike: Yar’Adua Seeks Oshiomhole’s Intervention- Bukola Olatunji in Abuja

2009-09-23T07:45:00.001-07:00

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has sought the intervention of Edo State Governor Adams Oshimohole to help in resolving the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had put university students at home since June.
Negotiations between the Federal Government and ASUU had broken down following Federal Government’s insistence that it could not sign any agreement that would be binding on state governors.
Oshiomhole is the immediate past president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
THISDAY learnt that President Yar’Adua met with the Edo State governor last Monday afternoon in Abuja and they discussed all the issues with regards to ASUU strike and the possible way of resolving the matter.
The President was also said to have invited the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, to work with Oshiomhole towards resolving the matter this week.
When contacted, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, confirmed that Oshiomhole was assisting the Federal Government on the issue.
He said: “Yes, I can confirm that Oshiomhole has the mandate of the President to negotiate with ASUU so that this issue can be resolved so quickly but he is working in collaboration with the Education Minister, Dr. Sam Egwu.
“The President recognises that in Labour matters, the Governor of Edo State comes with experience and expertise and is highly respected. That was why the President sought his intervention on this matter together with Dr. Egwu.
“I’m hopeful that there will be positive developments very soon so that the students can go back to school.”
The Chief Gemaliel Onosode-led Federal Government/ASUU Re-Negotiation Committee was appointed by former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, in 2006.
It concluded its work in December last year and came up with a provisional draft agreement.
The conclusion of the re-negotiation coincided with the change of baton at the Education ministry.
ASUU met the new Minister of Education, Dr. Egwu, in January this year and called for the signing of the agreement.
The union gave notice of a warning strike in May to press for the signing of the agreement and later went on a one-week warning strike, which ended on May 31. ASUU also warned that it would go on a total and indefinite strike if the agreement was not signed. The minister invited the union to a meeting on June 19 but ASUU had already resolved to go on strike and this began on June 22.
Since then, interventions by both the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Education, Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors have been fruitless.
The single term of reference of the Onosode Committee was to re-negotiate the 2001 FGN/ASUU Agreement, which sought to reverse the decay in the university system, reverse the brain drain, not only by enhancing the remunerations of academic staff but also by disengaging them from the encumbrances of a unified civil service wage structure; restore Nigeria universities, through immediate, massive and sustained financial intervention; and to ensure genuine university autonomy and academic freedom.
The 2001 agreement was the product of the 1992 agreement reached between the Federal Government when Prof. Babs Fafunwa was the Minister of Education under military President Ibrahim Babangida and ASUU.
The same Babangida with Prof. Ben Nwabueze as Education minister abrogated that agreement in January 1993 and the FG/ASUU crisis has been on ever since.
President Yar'Adua's argument is that in a democracy, the Federal Government cannot sign an agreement that is binding on state governments.
ASUU, however, says the process that started more than two years ago must be concluded.
The government also says re-negotiating with ASUU when the union is on strike amounts to arm-twisting and has therefore called for at least a suspension of the strike.
But ASUU says it will only call off the strike after the signing of the agreement.
ASUU had demanded that it be paid the same wages as university academic staff in South Africa.
But the Federal Government said it would pay what was referred to as “Africa Average”which meant looking at the wages in various rich and poor countries in Africa and finding the average. This is what is regarded as 109 per cent of their current wages, a claim that ASUU has denied.

Fear heightens in banks over CBN fresh audit

2009-09-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

CEOs lobby to save jobs.

CBN Governor Fear has gripped workers and Chief Executive Officers, (CEOs) of the remaining 14 banks who are currently awaiting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) fresh audit report expected to be released soon.

Bank workers and top officials who spoke to our correspondent yesterday said they were uncertain about what fate awaits their banks amidst last week's seizure of the traveling documents of some of the banks' CEOs.

The source told The Nation that the “travel ban imposed on the bank Executives has heightened tension that the day of reckoning is near. But the thrust of the lobbying is the need for soft landing.

The Nation gathered that some of the CEOs of the 14 banks have consequently begun an intensive lobby to retain their plum jobs. Officials say the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi will soon brief the nation on the health and liquidity of the 14 banks.

Unfortunately for the bank chiefs, a source stated that "apart from a few governors, Ministers, CBN officials, and influential politicians, it has been difficult for these bank Executives to reach out to the President. "Their problem is compounded by the fact that Sanusi is uncompromising on this cleansing of the bank sector."

The 14 banks awaiting CBN report are Zenith Bank, Bank PHB, First City Monument Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Spring Bank, Access Bank, Wema Bank, Equatorial Trust Bank, Skye Bank, Ecobank, IBTC, Fidelity Bank and Citi Bank.

Another source in Abuja said: "While some of the banks’ CEOs are desperate to know the contents of the Audit Report, others with privileged information, based on enquiries raised by the CBN, are busy lobbying top government officials to save their career.

The first phase of the audit covered only 10 banks out of which five Chief Executive Officers were sacked over accumulated N747billion non-performing loans.

It was however learnt that Sanusi would "soon begin consultations with some stakeholders on the findings of the CBN in the books of the14 banks.

Another source added: "I think the strategy will change this time around to avoid any further shock in the economy. That is not to say there won’t be sanctions where necessary."

Meanwhile, fresh facts emerged yesterday that Sanusi has direct access to President Umaru Yar’Adua to avoid leakage of the rot in banks.

But sources say some influential members of the cabinet are unhappy with Sanusi for by-passing them.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that Sanusi has been able to affect the sack of five banks because of his direct access to the President.

It was learnt that were it not for the access, some of the bank Executives would have wielded political influence to avert their removal.

A source said: "Sanusi has succeeded so far because of the backing of the President and the direct access he has to Yar’Adua.

"With the access, he has been able to manage the findings of the Audit Report to a reasonable level that it could not be sabotaged.

"But some influential members of the cabinet are unhappy that Sanusi usually briefs them at the last minute.

"In fact, an influential aide wanted Sanusi to pay obeisance to him but the CBN Governor would rather stick to his access to the President.

"So, with the exception of the President, only a few are aware of the contents of the latest Audit Report on 14 banks."

As at press time, there was tension over the second phase of the Audit Report which might be released before the end of September.

Soyinka, Ribadu, el-Rufai to tackle Aondoakaa in US

2009-09-18T03:24:00.000-07:00

President Umaru Yar’Adua’s electoral reform is set for examination in the United States on October 1.

The American audience will listen to the critics of the reform and a Federal Government delegation.

The two parties have confirmed their readiness to appear at a forum being organised by the Change Nigeria Project Incorporated.

According to a letter of invitation obtained from a source in The Presidency, the event will hold at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Auditorium in Washington D.C.

As a mark of its commitment to removing electoral flaws, President Umaru Yar’Adua had in 2007 inaugurated an Electoral Reform Committee (ERC), which was headed by Justice Muhammadu Uwais (rtd).

The ERC submitted its report to the President in December, last year, after "considering 1,466 memoranda and holding public hearings in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at which no less than 907 representations were made.

But the review of the ERC’s report by the Federal Executive Council has been widely criticised by many Nigerians, especially the opposition.

The Federal Government has also stuck to its right to review the ERC report, fuelling international interest in the debate.

It was learnt that the October 1 debate is organised by Change Nigeria Project Incorporated, in conjunction with the House Committee on Diaspora, to enable the international community feel the pulse of the reform debate in Nigeria.

Findings revealed that some of the speakers will also talk on the Niger Delta, Diaspora Voting Rights and the Role of Diaspora in Nation Building.

Some eminent Nigerians slated to speak are Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka; former Chief Justice of Nigeria Muhammadu Uwais; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN); former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

Others are Vice-President of the World Bank, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Ledum Mitte, and a delegation of the Federal Government, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Chief Mike Aondoakaa (SAN); and the Minister of Niger Delta, Obong Ufot Ekaette.

With the exception of Soyinka, Uwais, Nnamani, and Akeredolu, all other speakers have confirmed their preparedness to participate at the forum.

One of the letters, signed by the Secretary of Change Nigeria Project, Somi Obozuwa, said the forum is designed to "galvanise Nigerians on the imperative of nation-building which goal cannot be accomplished without an attitudinal change that ushers in good governance at all levels of our society".

"This is to be followed by question-and-answer session by the audience."

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that there are reservations in the Presidency over the likelihood of Ribadu and el-Rufai using the forum to launch propaganda against the Federal Government.

A source said: "While it is true that Aondoakaa and Ekaette have confirmed plans to attend the session, the government is weighing the security implications.

"We knew what these people did to influence the opinion of the US Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, on Yar’Adua’s administration. We are suspicious that the forum might be hijacked to run down this administration.

"In any case, we still have less than two weeks to the debate. We hope there will be fairness.President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration has nothing to hide but it is unfortunate that some people with hidden agenda have been running down the government abroad."

Chelsea outstrips Man Utd, Liverpool in C/League earnings

2009-09-17T10:33:00.001-07:00

Chelsea have outstripped Manchester United and Liverpool in Champions League earnings in recent years, it has been revealed.

According to a study produced by Italian sports business consultancy StageUp, Chelsea have earned more than any club in Europe from the competition between 2005 and 2008. The club has earned around 184m euros of the 3bn euros that UEFA has distributed to 70 clubs.

Manchester United and Arsenal follow Chelsea as the second and third biggest earners from the competition, while Liverpool, who have received 131m euros, are fifth. The fourth-placed club, the only one to split the English sides, is Lyon, boosted by being the only consistent French performers in the league.

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Mechanical Maintenance Engineer.

2009-09-15T10:00:00.001-07:00

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Mechanical Maintenance Engineer.

Within the framework of a integrated project, the main objectives are to review the Maintenance engineering works performed during the previous phases of the project and to finalise, on their basis, the maintenance methods in the field of Mechanical Maintenance until delivery of workable packages, and also to ensure, through adequate support Contracts, trainings, and proper technical supervision and coordination that the maintenance activities are efficient and optimized in the that field.

The main duties consist of organising the mechanical maintenance support, initiating and following-up the Mechanical Specific Maintenance Contract (SMC) with the various rotating equipment suppliers, and other external support services, supervising technically the main maintenance Contractor, and performing any form of methods activities as required before, during that period of start-up.

The duty includes close relations with other Field Operations staff including HSE, Production, Inspection and Marine. It also includes direct contacts with the maintenance staff on board the FPSO and with the Contractors.

Job description:

Reports to the Head of Maintenance Support.
Organises and coordinates with the main Maintenance Contractor the maintenance methods for the mechanical systems.
Prepares and develop until routine implementation the Contracts to be agreed with the various rotating machinery suppliers.
Develops the techniques and tools required for an efficient maintenance in the mechanical field, including both technical and administrative/reporting aspects.
Ensures proper management of the equipment support means including documentations, tooling, softwares, etc.
Ensures suitable spare-parts availability/coverage through adequate stock management parameters; initiates the necessary improvements in accordance with the reliability and availability objectives.
Provides complementary support as required to the offshore teams in all matters including logistic, resources, etc. Mobilises external parties as required.
Follows-up technically the equipment performance during and after the start-up period, identifies the weaknesses, leads the technical analyses and studies, and initiates the necessary improvements.
Supervises technically the main Maintenance Contractor teams on the field of mechanical maintenance.
Perform technical studies or analysis, provides technical support on technical queries.
Contributes to training and development of the National staff, and in particular of the engineers and technicians under his authority.
Requirements:

BSC or equivalent with minimum 12 years experience of mechanical maintenance, including at least 8 years in petrochemical industry.
Experience in rotating machinery, aero derivative gas turbines, centrifugal process compressors, pumps, process static equipment such as piping, valves, heat exchangers, et.
Experience of Computerised Maintenance management systems.
Perfect command of written and spoken English.
Ability for offshore visits for work follow-up and coordination purpose.

How to Apply: Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV. Apply within 10days from today.

Brunel Energy: Construction Foreman (E/I)

2009-09-15T09:59:00.001-07:00

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Construction Foreman (E/I).

Minimum Requirements/Education:

High School education, HND preferred
15 years + experience with large oil and gas projects
Minimum 5 years supervisory experience
Prior expatriate experience, preferably West Africa
Appropriate certifications for offshore working environment
Team participation and mentoring skills
Cultural awareness and sensitivity
Roles (Basic Function and Scope):

Lead the Project Execution Groups Construction Team to ensure all projects and construction activities are executed safely, cost effectively and to schedule, delivering facilities fit-for-purpose meeting the defined safety and quality standards with minimum life cycle costs.
Monitor and appraise construction work in the specific area of his discipline
Ensure implementation (@ site level) project quality and safety plans
Ensure necessary corrective actions are taken in areas such as planning and scheduling, cost control, subcontract administration, safety, and quality of the work
Responsibilities (Duties Performed):

Monitor and appraise contractor construction work in the specific area of his/her discipline for conformance with engineering drawings, design specifications, owner’s standards, save work practices, and applicable codes by spot checking actual work performance
Review and appraise contractor’s construction planning and scheduling
Evaluation performance of the contractor’s construction organization and supervisor personnel, suggesting remedial steps where deficiencies are noted
Organize and provide daily work direction and coordination of discipline inspectors
Review and endorse discipline-related change requests
Review and endorse discipline-related procurement and subcontracting
Compile inspection records for turnover to operating organization
Interface with quality personnel
Authorize work permits
Facilitate Quality Audits
Serve as the PMT’s first line supervisor for safety management
Provide construction technical guidance and mentoring to personnel with a keen focus on National development
Liaise with contractor for field level changes
Monitor environmental /EIA compliance as required
Provide accurate and timely construction reports depicting progress, safety, issues, and forward plans.
Provide pre-commissioning/mechanical completion oversight/verification
Supervise the mechanical completion phase and transition to final Hookup and Commissioning Phase (punch list management via contractor)
As site/area lead, serve as day-to-day interface with contractor/craft labor during the Construction & Installation Phase, providing a focus on safety, quality, cost, and schedule

How to Apply: Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV. Apply within 10days from today.

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting an Installation Engineer.

2009-09-15T09:58:00.001-07:00

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting an Installation Engineer.

The ideal candidate will have a University degree in Engineering (Qualified Professional Engineer)

Experience:

5+ years experience in oil and gas operations / projects.
Competent understanding of field construction activities.
Understanding of OIMS requirements.
Understanding of MPN production facilities.
Job description:

Coordinate contractor oversight activities during the execution phase of the project.
Supports the Project Management team during construction with field and site activities.
Coordinates the review and approval of Contractors execution phase procedures, (e.g., site mobilization, safety and safety training, QA/QC, site materials management, marine operations, etc.)
Ensure and participate in quality assurance verification activities and audits in the design office and the field. Provide required technical input to field non-conformance reports (NCR’s) and butt list items during construction and commissioning phases.
Physically verify that facilities are constructed in accordance with the Job Specification prior to turnover.
Assist Construction Superintendent with coordination of project construction activities with Operations and Maintenance.
Develop, progress and resolve construction technical queries.
Ensure timely development of commissioning and startup procedures.
Participate in Constructability, Design and Risk Reviews during the project phases.
Ensure that Constructability, Design and Risk Reviews finding assigned to Construction department are addressed and closed out.
Ensure the Company supplied materials have been procured, warehoused and delivered. Work with the project materials specialist to ensure all material meet specification and are delivered to the construction sites on time.
Provide field cost monitoring to the Project Engineer.
Ensure that permits, regulatory/statuary obligations and notifications are in place before the start of construction.
In conjunction with Design and Project Engineers, input to the PEP as required.
Ensure agreed corrective actions are taken and monitor progress to closeout.
Review, endorse and assist the Project Engineer with Contractor’s change orders during the construction phase of the project to assess their effect on project cost, schedule and risk, and assess whether an MPN change request is required (significant scope change).
Assist Project Engineer with as-built drawings, project data books, spare parts listings, etc.
Assist with the field procurement activities as required.
Review and obtain approvals of all critical lift plans and other engineered construction activities.
Evaluate the Contractor’s construction planning and scheduling.
Review/confirm that all Vendor-supplied or prefabricated equipment delivered to the job site meets all specification and inspection requirements prior to installation.
Coordinate punch listing of systems and ensure timely corrective actions.
Work Contacts

Internal:

Project Engineer
Project Design Engineers
Facilities Engineers
Construction Manager and Superintendent
Operations and Maintenance
External: Contractors

Physical Requirements:

Moderate, includes construction site visits both onshore and offshore in year round weather conditions.

How to Apply: Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV. Apply within 10days from today.

Brunel Energy: Construction Supervisor

2009-09-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Construction Superintendent / Supervisor.

Candidate will possess 10+ years in project construction and execution, including management of safety, quality and work execution planning for construction.

Job description:

Responsibilities (Duties Performed):

Project Execution
Review and endorsement of construction safety, quality and construction plans.
Review and endorsement of organization plans for the construction phase of the projects.
Work with Construction Manager to ensure projects are appropriately staff for the construction phase.
Review updates to the Construction Management System.
Regularly report to Project Engineering Design and Implementation Manager and Construction Manager on all project status.
Monitor the performance of contractors during construction phase and meet with contractor management for discussion on project issues and status
Implement and plan the construction phase execution strategies, resource planning, contractors monitoring and oversight programs.
Work with Construction Engineer to ensure all work activities are carried out to construction work scope.
Construction Activities:

Implement project safety, quality, schedule and cost objectives during the construction, commissioning and startup phase.
Daily interface with construction contractors to ensure alignment with Contract obligation, technical specification and terms and conditions.
Ensure knowledge in MPN Safety, Work Management Procedures and SIMOPS Manuals and appropriated integrated in projects.
Ensure that MPN contractor oversight plans (QA/QC, safety, etc.) are in place prior to start of construction.
Ensure required QA/QC systems are in place and that adequate staff are assigned to projects.
Ensure construction lessons learned are documented and reported.
Ensure commission, startup and handover to Operations and Maintenance plans and procedures are implemented.
Ensure effective project closeout.
Ensure contractor sub-contractors are screened and approved.
Leadership Activities:

Support and communicate MPN corporate policies, practices and goals.
Develop and steward group mission and visions, objectives and priorities, job descriptions and individual personal objectives.
Provide leadership, supervision, construction technical guidance and mentoring to personnel.
Ensure monthly safety meetings are conducted.
Provide regular and constructive feedback to individuals. Steward personnel development, technical and safety training for group.
Recognize individual and team contributions and celebrate accomplishments.
Assist with construction planning and execution capabilities at QIT consistent with Department procedures, systems and EMM.
Business Objectives:

Develop and steward construction activities.
Maintain construction/installation budgets within cost estimates and with effective Controls.
Maintain and disseminate knowledge of business processes.
Align with functional counterparts, MPN Operations and Maintenance on project goals objectives.
Requirements:

Minimum Requirements:

Extensive knowledge of and experience in project management, budgeting, cost estimating, project planning, and cost forecasting requirements
Significant experience as a project construction professional
Knowledge of UPMS, EMM, OIMS and CIMS applications
Detailed knowledge of upstream production facility operations.
10+ years in project construction and execution, including management of safety, quality and work execution planning for construction.

How to Apply:
Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV. Apply within 10days from today.

Brunel Energy: Cost & Schedule Engineer

2009-09-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Cost & Schedule Engineer.

Candidates should possess a B.Sc. in Engineering with strengths in the areas of Project management, and production facilities.

And 5 years varied engineering experience, with fluency in English.

Job description:

Roles (Basic Function and Scope):

Assist project teams by developing and maintaining project monitoring and reporting systems aiding the effectiveness of the management of projects.
Assist in the timely financial closeout of projects.
Responsibilities (Duties Performed):

During the initial definition phase/funding phase of the project, the engineer will:
Document the project team’s/project engineer’s execution plans in the project schedule.
Consolidate, and document the project estimate at each project gate.
Assist in the development of the project funding plan and funding package.
Develop the Estimate Confidence Package (Cost and Schedule)
Document the control plans for the project
Assist team in documenting the organization plan for the project
Develop expenditure forecast consistent with project team plans.
Assist team in appraising the overall performance of the project with respect to cost and schedule
During the execution phase of the project, the engineer will:

Update status on the project schedule, and ensure the project team’s/ project engineer’s execution plans are reflected in the remaining activities of the project schedule. Assist team in identifying and implementing recovery plan actions.
Assists accounting in ensuring costs are correctly charged to the project.
Perform cost allocation as required by project ( project costs split to AFEs, or project management allocations)
Update cost reports reflecting expenditure versus approved budgets and forecast of final project costs. Incorporate formal cost in the month project report.
Ensure compliance with approved control plans for projects
Assist team in documenting the project management organization for comparison against plan.
Maintain forecast of expenditure forecasts consistent with project team plans and monitor against previous forecasts.
Provide input into the annual plans and budgets (P&B), and JV budget submissions for the project.
Assist team in appraising the overall performance of the project with respect to cost and schedule
Prepare monthly cash-calls and follow through with controller to ensure expenditures within approved levels
Prepare monthly accrual forecasts to accounting group.
Maintain/update AFE log for project.
Assist team in monitoring AFE status and preparing supplements as required.
Assist team in developing project closeout documentation.

How to Apply:
Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV. Apply within 10days from today.

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Marine Lead Offshore Construction.

2009-09-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Candidate will possess a Degree – BS/MS in Nautical Science/Marine Transportation and/or BS/MS in Naval Architect, Engineering or equivalent.

And also have 15-20 years experience to include Master of Towing, AHT and PSV Vessels, Shore Side Marine Operations in Management of Vessels, Knowledge of all IMO and Class Requirements

Job description:

Main Functions:

Maintain/build/apply competency in specific area of Marine supervision and champion development of nationals.
Identify and assist in resolving Marine Advisor resource gaps in Function
Steward the development of core competencies in Marine discipline
Administer personnel resources in Marine discipline
Responsible for NPO marine vessel safety
Provide expert Marine consultation to function and project teams
Provide technical leadership for vulnerability and risk assessments
Support Contractor Development Advisor in specific area of marine vessel contractors
Coordinate interface with JVO Marine Dept, EMDC and NPO organizations
Member of the Construction Planning Team (CPT)
Tasks and Responsibilities:

Provide Marine input to concept selection and contract strategy
Supervise and coordinate Marine resources
Support Construction Superintendant / Discipline Leads (On-Vessel Management)
Participate in Risk Assessments and pre-mobilization reviews
Provide expert Marine consultation to function and project teams
Develop and maintain common (NPO, JVO Marine & EMDC) marine vessel procedures, processes, systems and tools, and specifications / vessel requirements
Identify gaps / vulnerabilities in installation plans and recommend solutions/mitigations
Develop, provide strategy / guidance and approve mooring / anchor pattern plans
Assist PT’s with review of marine costs, vessel availability, schedules and specifications
Provide field wide daily marine reporting to stakeholders
Evaluate / nominate Marine subcontractors as required
Provide functional input to concept screening and early project planning deliverables (mob/demob plan, cost, schedule, etc.)
Ensure / monitor Contractor’s vessel operating MOC process
Monitor / rectify non-compliance to vessel operating procedures (MPN, Class, etc.)
Provide offshore field wide Marine support resources for NPO
Secure marine warranty surveyor services
Proactively manage NPO marine activities and vulnerabilities; develop and implement mitigation plans
Identify and provide Functional and other Marine specialist resources to support installation teams.
Support Contractor Development Advisor in specific area of marine vessel contractors
Support (as requested) Nigerian Content initiatives
Support Nigerian vessel contractor capacity assessment and improvement initiatives
Maintain current knowledge of marine vessel contractor capabilities
Develop / action initiatives to improve performance level of marine vessel inspections / mooring activities
Requirements:

Degree – BS/MS in Nautical Science/Marine Transportation and/or BS/MS in Naval Architect, Engineering or equivalent
License – Licensed Master of Towing, Anchor Handling and Supply Vessels of Any Gross Tons (License does not have to be active)
High level of marine vessel knowledge, skill and experience
15-20 years experience to include Master of Towing, AHT and PSV Vessels, Shore Side Marine Operations in Management of Vessels, Knowledge of all IMO and Class Requirements

How to Apply:
Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV. Apply within 10days from today.

Brunel Energy: Construction Engineer

2009-09-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Brunel Energy is currently recruiting a Construction Engineer.

Education:

University degree in Engineering (Qualified Professional Engineer)

Experience:

5+ years experience in oil and gas operations / projects.
Competent understanding of field construction activities.
Understanding of OIMS requirements.
Understanding of MPN production facilities.
Job description:

Coordinate contractor oversight activities during the execution phase of the project.
Coordinates the review and approval of Contractors execution phase procedures, (e.g., site mobilization, safety and safety training, QA/QC, site materials management, marine operations, etc.)
Ensure and participate in quality assurance verification activities and audits in the design office and the field. Provide required technical input to field non-conformance reports (NCR’s) and butt list items during construction and commissioning phases.
Physically verify that facilities are constructed in accordance with the Job Specification prior to turnover.
Assist Construction Superintendent with coordination of project construction activities with Operations and Maintenance.
Develop progress and resolve construction technical queries.
Ensure timely development of commissioning and startup procedures.
Participate in Constructability, Design and Risk Reviews during the project phases and ensures that Reviews finding assigned to Construction department are addressed and closed out.
Ensure that Constructability, Design and Risk Ensure the Company supplied materials have been procured, warehoused and delivered. Work with the project materials specialist to ensure all material meet specification and are delivered to the construction sites on time.
Provide field cost monitoring to the Project Engineer.
Ensure that permits, regulatory/statuary obligations and notifications are in place before the start of construction.
In conjunction with Design and Project Engineers, input to the PEP as required.
Ensure agreed corrective actions are taken and monitor progress to closeout.
Review, endorse and assist the Project Engineer with Contractor’s change orders during the construction phase of the project.
Assist Project Engineer with as-built drawings, project data books, spare parts listings, etc.
Review and obtain approvals of all critical lift plans and other engineered construction activities.
Evaluate the Contractor’s construction planning and scheduling.
Review/confirm that all Vendor-supplied or prefabricated equipment delivered to the job site meets all specification and inspection requirements prior to installation.
Coordinate punch listing of systems and ensure timely corrective actions

How to Apply:
Copy and paste this link on your browser- http://cv.careersnigeria.com/register.html to upload your CV.
Apply within 10days from today.

U A C looking for fresh graduates NOW!!!

2009-09-13T04:54:00.000-07:00

UAC Nigeria is a leading diversified company operating in key sectors of the nation's economy.UACN is recruiting graduates who have completed their National Youth Service Corps programme for their Management Trainee 2009.
The successful candidates would undergo a systematic and broad-based training programme; exposure to various business functional areas; cross-business units exposure; counseling and a structured mentoring programme.

To qualify for this highly challenging opportunity, applicants should meet the following Minimum Requirements:
AGE: Not more than 26 years old by August 2009
Secondary Education:
WASC/SSCE/GCE "O' Level with at least credit in five subjects INCLUDING English and Mathematics at one sitting.
University Education
Bachelor's degree with a minimum of second class lower degree in any of the following disciplines:
• Electrical/Electronics Engineering
• Food Science & Tech
• Law
• Economics
• Accounting
• Chemistry
• Mechanical Engineering
• Computer Science
Deadline is 7th September 2009

Follow this link- http://www.nigeriajobcentre.com/uacmts.php

CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIPS

2009-09-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

Are you a future leader who is already experienced in your chosen profession and would like to further develop your career with a postgraduate course in the UK? Then the Chevening Scholarship could be right for you.

ABOUT CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIPS
The Chevening Scholarship Programme is a prestigious awards scheme that funds international postgraduate students who want to study in the UK for one academic year. Funded by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council, the scheme operates in over 150 countries and annually provides funding for over 2 300 scholars.

Applications are only accepted at certain times of the year and these will be advertised here on this site and in the local newspapers.

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE A CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIP?
This is a prestigious award that gives you the chance to experience a world-renowned educational system. In addition, it provides you with the opportunity to experience UK life and meet other Chevening scholars. Once you become a Chevening scholar, you will discover a lot of opportunities to develop your career and become a future leader in your field. Hear from the Chevening scholars themselves.

WHO CAN APPLY?
You can apply for a Chevening scholarship if:

You are a postgraduate student who can prove your academic success and who has already begun a career in your chosen field.
You'll need to show you have between two and five years working experience (depending on the country you are applying in), with an excellent track record illustrating your achievements and your potential to use the skills gained during your scholarship to make a difference in your country.
You have achieved an excellent mark for you undergraduate degree and can provide a transcript of your academic record. Specific academic requirements are available from the British Council offices in your country.
You must be 21 years and older (there are upper age limits for specific countries so please ensure you check this during your applications process).
You must be a resident in your country when you apply and provide your birth certificate (with translation).
You must have good English language skills (most UK Higher Education institutions require a minimum IELTS of 6.5 for admission into postgraduate courses).
HOW TO APPLY
You will need to submit the following documents to us when the application season is open:

Complete the application online or the download the form depending on the country. (See below).
birth certificate (with translation).
supporting letters from two referees.
photocopies of academic certificates.
transcript/record of exams that you have passed.
Applicants will normally be selected from those who wish to take courses in: economics, finance, banking, law, human rights, public administration, management, project planning, media, political science, international relations, diplomatic training and environmental studies although applicants for other courses (as varied as counter-terrorism, religion and energy/climate change) may be considered. You are expected to show a commitment to return to your country, where you will contribute to the country's socio-economic development using the new skills and knowledge acquired during your stay in the UK.

WHEN TO APPLY
Applications are only accepted at certain times of the year and differ per country. The dates will be advertised here on this site and in the local newspapers. If you would like us to notify you of web updates on this page please complete the website feedback form.

COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

NIGERIA
Apply online Deadline: 16 October 2009 Advert
KENYA
Apply online Deadline: 30 October 2009 Advert
SENEGAL
Apply online Deadline: 20 November 2009 Advert
LESOTHO
Apply online Deadline: 09 October 2009 Advert
NAMIBIA
Apply online Deadline: 09 October 2009 Advert
SOUTH AFRICA
Apply online Deadline: 09 October 2009 Advert
SWAZILAND
Apply online Deadline: 09 October 2009 Advert
TANZANIA
Opening: 01 September 2009 Deadline: 31 December 2009
BOTSWANA
Opening: 07 September 2009 Deadline: 17 December 2009
GHANA
Opening: 26 October 2009 Deadline: 17 December 2009
For further information about the Chevening programme please visit the Chevening website or contact your local office.

2010 World Cup: Get ready to quit, Ndanusa tells NFF

2009-09-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Nigeria’s Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Sani Ndanusa, yesterday, read the riot act to fumbling officials of the National Football Federation, to start preparing to vacate the Glass House in the event of Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

After watching half-hearted display by the Nigerian squad, who were held to a 2-2 draw by the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia at the Abuja National Stadium on Sunday, Ndanusa, while apologising to Nigerians, has urged fans not to give up on the quest to grab the ticket.

Speaking to Sports Vanguard, Ndanusa told NFF top shots, to prepare for the exit door should they fail to produce the World Cup ticket, which they promised Nigerians, when they sought the plum positions.
“I wish to apologise to Nigerians over the performance of the Eagles in the crucial game against Tunisia. We expected victory and a better performance than what we got and as a patriotic Nigerian, I feel the pains of every Nigerian fan, at home and abroad.
“Playing at the World Cup is something special to us as Nigerians because of our great love and passion for the game that we know how to play. That we are where we are now is even more painful due to the unflinching support that President Umaru Yar’Adua has extended to this campaign. The President loves sports with a passion and he wants to see us play at the World Cup.
“We are not yet out of this race and I remain hopeful and I hope that those at the Nigeria Football Federation, who are saddled with running our game and ensuring that the Eagles get to South Africa, understand the implications of not achieving that target, which they on assumption, swore to make a reality.

Nigeria is blessed with football stars but what is missing is efficient administration to translate these potentials to results. The Eagles are where they are now because those in the NFF, failed to address basic developmental problems and find suitable persons to execute them. Failure to be at the World Cup would not be accepted by Nigeria and those in the NFF, should brace up to the challenges ahead or ship out to allow right thinking persons to do the job”, added Ndanusa.
He said further that “the government sees the World Cup campaign as a national priority and anybody found wanting in the discharge of his duties would face the music. We have zero tolerance for failure and hope that timely solutions would be found by those administering football.

Football is about results. We want results and the result, in this matter, is World Cup qualification. If we are not there, there is no point for them remaining in the NFF. They should resign because Nigerians cannot stand persons who cannot deliver on a simple target like South Africa 2010”, added a fuming and fiery Ndanusa.
Interestingly and somewhat ironically, the likes of current NFF President, Sani Lulu, Amanze Ucheagbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi, used the failure of the Eagles to qualify for the 2006 World Cup to see to the exit of the board led by Ibrahim Galadima.

Apply for Oxfam International Youth Partnerships 2010-2013

2009-09-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

Apply for Oxfam International Youth Partnerships (OIYP) 2010 to be held in New Delhi, November, 2010. Partial to full travel, registration, and accommodations scholarships available.

To apply you must be:
aged between 18 and 25 as at 1 October 2010
speak fluent English or Spanish

Application Deadline: 31 December, 2009

Become an OIYP Action Partner!

How does it work?
Between 2010 and 2013, you will have opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and understanding and to talk and exchange with other young people from around the world. You will be able to use these opportunities to support your work with your community.

Your participation in OIYP will start in March 2010. If selected, you must be available to attend an event in November 2010 in New Delhi, India.

Who are we looking for?
Are you a young person who cares about what is happening in your community? Are you committed to working with others to overcome injustices? Do you want to learn from other young people working with their communities all around the world?

If you answered YES to these questions, would you consider applying to be a member of the OIYP?

OIYP is open to all nationalities, Indigenous and ethnic groups. It is open to young people with any level of education and who live in rural or urban areas. We aim to recruit equal numbers of young men and women. We have a strong focus on the participation of Indigenous young people and those marginalised in their communities.

Apply to be part of OIYP
To apply you must be:
aged between 18 and 25 as at 1 October 2010
speak fluent English or Spanish

Your application will be assessed against selection criteria. Applications close on 31 December 2009.

How do I apply?
You can apply by sending your application with your letter(s) of support from community members or organisations before December 31st 2009 by email, fax or mail

For more information or to download application,follow this link - http://oiyp.oxfam.org/oiyp/index.html

10 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview by: Liz Ryan

2009-09-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

The great thing about a job interview is the way that it narrows the field. If you can get in front of the people making a hiring decision, that means that you've already moved from a group of perhaps 100 resume to a field of just a few serious contenders. At that point, your chance of getting a job offer improves dramatically.

Of course, having surmounted that huge hurdle, the last thing you want to do is blow it. To that end, here are 10 job- interview gaffes to avoid.

1. Complaining about the parking or directions.
Don't think it doesn't happen! As cordial and happy-go-lucky as your interviewers may seem, they don't want to hear a job-seeker complain that the place was hard to find or that the parking is inconvenient. The best (that is, the worst) example of this I ever experienced as an HR person came from the candidate who said, "Seven handicapped parking spaces next to the front door? What, are you having a wheelchair convention or something?" That was a short interview.

2. Bad-mouthing your previous job, manager, or company.
If you've been laid off or suffered some other unpleasant experience at your last job, it's easy to launch into a litany of everything the old employer did wrong. Don't do it! The interviewer is bound to wonder "Will this person be bashing me behind my back on some future interview, too?" Zip it.

3. Digging into details off the bat.
The typical selection process allows plenty of time for you to learn everything you need to know about the company's dental plan, its tuition-reimbursement policy, and the size of your cubicle. Don't ask about any of these items on a first interview, when you should be focusing the conversation on the role and the organization.

4. Groveling.
Employers want to hire people who can do the jobs and who are enthusiastic about the work. What's not so appealing is the candidate whose every word and gesture conveys the message, "Hire me, I beg you!" Joblessness is no fun, but you don't help your chances of getting the nod by presenting yourself as a candidate whose most notable attribute is desperation.

5. Answering a question before you understand it.
The absolute worst answer to any interview question is the response that shows you weren't really listening. When an interviewer asks a question that requires thought, like, "Tell me about a time when you had to convince a team of people to change gears," you don't want to blurt out, "Oh, I've done that a million times!" Any "tell me about a time when" question is a question that the interviewer has chosen to elicit a specific problem/solution story from you. Take the time to think through the question and compose a thoughtful answer. A few minutes of silence in the room won't kill anybody.

6. Spacing out.
Any interviewer worth her salt will be able tell when you've zoned out. If you're wondering whether the 5:40 train will get you home in time to watch the playoff game, the interviewer will spot it in your eyes. If you're really out of it, he may throw you a curve ball like, "So, who would you say was the most effective member of Teddy Roosevelt's cabinet, and why?" Stay in the room, with your eyes either meeting the interviewer's or looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. Or your shoes.

7. Slouching.
We'll throw in tipping the chair back off its front legs, resting your head on your hand, and lacing your fingers together behind your head.

8. Cursing.
Interviewers love to put job candidates at ease. When you reach the state of ease that lets an "f-bomb" escape your lips, you've gone too far.

9. "Opening the kimono."
It's tempting to share with a sympathetic interviewer the news that this job search has been really hard, that you're not getting callbacks, and that you've already sent out 150 resumes. Don't do it. Smart job candidates put out a vibe that says, "I'm glad to be here with you and this job might be fun, but I'm a capable person who's aware of his value on the job market."

10. Doing anything disgusting.
The long list of personal gross factors includes picking one's teeth or nose, spitting, and other unmentionables that are best left to the imagination. Any of these is a sure-fire interview-killer (and can we really blame the employer for that?). One candidate asked me for a cup of water, took a sip, swished it around in his mouth, and spat into a potted plant. Niiiiiice!
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new millennium workplace. Contact Liz at liz@asklizryan.com or join the Ask Liz Ryan online community at www.asklizryan/group.
The opinions expressed in this column are solely the author's.

Oil & Gas Company: Senior Geologist

2009-09-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

Our client is one of the world’s largest energy companies. Its major interest is in the exploration, production and distribution of natural gas.

Having recently been established in the country, they are now looking for skilled local Oil & Gas professionals to assist them further develop their plans in the exploring, producing and distributing of natural gas.

They are hiring for a Senior Geologist, to be based in Nigeria.
his role is for a Senior Geologist to join the team as part of a new exploration department. The role itself will cover all aspects of Geology including technical studies on fields, discoveries and prospects to include the evaluation of current fields.

You will also participate in technical and operations meetings at various locations throughout Europe. You will also be involved with the co-ordination of studies focused at reservoir architecture understanding and volumetric estimation.

Skills and Experience

The ideal Senior Geologist will have at least 8 years of post graduate experience from either an operating or consultancy background.

You should have significant hands on technical experience with this experience coming ideally from West Africa.

You should have experience of 3D modelling along with clastic and carbonate reservoir Geology experience. In terms of software you should be able to use a variety of formats including PETREL.

ONLY candidates that demonstrate the relevant skill sets for this role will be contacted. You can only upload your CV once, but login at anytime to update it.

Follow this link to upload/update your c.vs

FG Approves N24.3bn for Benin-Shagamu Road From George Oji in Abuja

2009-09-03T02:39:00.000-07:00

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a total contract sum of N29.5 billion, out of which the Benin-Shagamu express road received N16.67 billion as augmentation to its original N7.5 contract sum.
This brings the total to N24.27 billion.
The review of the contract for the reconstruction of the Benin-Shagamu road, according to the Information and Communication Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili, followed the concessioning arrangement put in place for the road by government.
The completion period for the work was put at 24 months. Another critical contract also awarded by FEC was for the rehabilitation of the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, at a cost of N4.13 billion.
Completion period was put at 12 months. Akunyili, who spoke to correspondents after the FEC meeting in Abuja yesterterday, disclosed that the airport project was approved sequel to a memo from the Minister of Aviation Babatunde Omotaba alerting cabinet members that old age and weathering activities had deteriorated the runway and allied facilities at the airport.
The Council, according to the information minister, also approved a total of N2.5 billion for four contracts to be executed for the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
These include the one of N788.77 million for the procurement of equipment and provision of services for gas reserve studies for the department.
This will help the DPR determine and authenticate Nigeria’s gas reserves, confirm the location and quantity of the nation’s resources, explained Akunyili.
Also in a bid to increase the nations’ oil reserve from 35 to 40 billion barrels by 2011, the FEC approved a contract of N201.31 million for the acquisition of geological and geophysical software and work stations for the interpretation of seismic data, integration of well data generation of geological model and reservoir management for DPR.
FEC again approved N768.4 million contract for the Real Time Gas Pipeline System Surveillance for the DPR to stem pipeline vandalism, ensure quick location and repair of damaged pipelines, as well as facilitate immediate detection, location and quantification of pipeline leakage, whether offshore or on land.
Another Real Time Monitoring system for gas facilities, production and operations costing N724.5 million was approved to facilitate prompt identification of problems and reduce personnel risk, manpower requirements and operation cost.
Other decisions taken by the Council include the award of contract for the construction of the 20-kilometre stretch of the Damboa-Chibok-Mbalala road in Borno State, which will cost N1.24 billion, while the review of scope of work for Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Mai’Adua road in Katsina State was approved for N2.31 billion.
For the education sector, the FEC approved the procurement and distribution of textbooks for primary four pupils in Nigerian public schools in an attempt to reform improve skills and enhance standards.
The books being supplied through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) are in English Language, Mathematics, and Basic Science and will cost N1.17 billion.
The Council also approved the award of contract in the sum of N1.5 billion for the Ministry of Defence to construct Participants’ Quarters at the permanent site of the National Defence College in Piwoyi district of Abuja.

...Seeks End to ASUU Strike -From Onwuka Nzeshi in Abuja

2009-09-03T01:59:00.000-07:00

From the House of Repre-sentatives Committee on Education came an appeal yesterday to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its industrial action and allow a resumption of negotiations with the Federal Government.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Farouk Lawan, who made the appeal in a chat with newsmen, said resumption of normal academic activities in the nation’s ivory towers while negotiations continued was in the best interest of students, parents and the education sector.
Lawan acknowledged that though ASUU had a good cause, it was better to also consider the long term effects of the frequent strikes on the academic calendar and the products of the institutions.
Farouk noted that the state of education in Nigeria was already bad and there was an urgent need to press for reforms like the lecturers were doing, adding that prolonged strike might eventually worsen the state of the institutions.
“The issue of improving the quality and standard of education which I believe is a very laudable objective and it is one that is shared by all of us, those of us in the legislature and also even those in the executive.
“The issues at stake are issues that are quite laudable and issues that nobody can contest with. But the measure in pursuing those issues, to me, is further worsening the situation that is already very critical and very bad
“I believe it is time for ASUU to end this strike; whatever point they needed to make I believe has already been made and any further continuation of this action would only continue to worsen a situation that is already bad,” he said.
Lawan disclosed that talks were on between the House committee, the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, and the leader of the Federal Government negotiation team, Mr. Gamaliel Onosode, on modalities to adopt in tackling the challenge before the nation. The committee, he said, had also met with the Minister of Labour, Chief Adetokunbo Kayode, on the crisis plaguing the education sector.
According to Lawan, dialogue remained a veritable tool for resolving conflicts and urged ASUU to prevail on its members and all other trade unions in the universities to return to their duty posts.
On the recent threat by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to embark on another strike, Lawan said the matter was already being handled by the Governors Forum but pleaded with states that were yet to begin the implementation of the Teacher Salary Scale (TSS) to begin to do so to avert the looming strike.

House Tackles CBN over Banks’ Bailout by Onwuka Nzeshi

2009-09-03T01:50:00.000-07:00

he House of Represen-tatives Committee on Banking and Currency yesterday moved to assert its position on the reforms sweeping across the banking sector.
The committee, which met with the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, challenged the authority of the apex bank to inject N420 billion into five banks without recourse to the National Assembly, saying it was an affront on its powers and control over public funds.
But Sanusi countered the position of the legislators, insisting that his actions were in line with the CBN Act and within the regulatory framework of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA).
He said the money injected into Oceanic International Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Afribank, FinBank and Union Bank is considered a loan (tier 2 capital) and not equity.
It was a heated debate in which each party claimed it was right under the law and it was almost headed for a deadlock when a member of the committee moved that the discussion be held in camera.
Journalists were asked to leave House Hearing Room 08 venue of the meeting to allow the lawmakers and the CBN team iron out their differences.
The ensuing closed-door session lasted about two hours.
On the one hand, the committee held on to the provision in Sections 80, 81 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution, which import is that all revenues and expenditure of the Federal Government must first undergo appropriation by the National Assembly.
For instance, Section 80 (1) of the constitution states that, “All revenues or other monies raised or received by the Federation (not being revenues or other monies payable under this constitution or any Act of the National Assembly into any other public fund of the Federation established for a specific purpose) shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.”
Sub-section 2 states that, “No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidation Revenue Fund of the Federation except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by this constitution or where the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Appropriation Act, Supplementary Appropriation Act or an Act passed in pursuance of section 81 of the constitution.”
On the other hand, Sanusi relies on the CBN Act 2007, Section 42 (2), which provides as follows:
“Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 29 (1) (c) and Section 34 (d) of this Act, the Bank may grant loans and other accommodation facilities at such rate of interest and on such terms as the Bank may determine to any bank which may be having liquidity problems.”
Chairman, House Committee on Banking and Currency, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi (PDP Enugu), who began the debate on a combative mood, was reading from notes he scripted on Rockson Engineering writing pad, which was later photocopied by journalists.
He said the committee was alarmed at the “very disturbing developments” in the banking sector over the last two weeks especially the sack of the managements of five banks and the injection of N420 billion into the banks.
He accused Sanusi of breaching an earlier accord reached between the committee and CBN over the need to keep the lawmakers abreast of the outcome of the CBN audit of the banks in the spirit of full disclosures.
He said that even though the apex bank had taken some far-reaching decisions without consultations with the lawmakers as earlier agreed, the committee had refrained from taking issues with the CBN Governor on the pages of newspapers.
Ozomgbachi stated that the committee was not opposed to the current reforms to sanitise the banking sector, but insisted that the “clean up” must be done in a manner that would not only guarantee the safety of depositors’ funds but also ensure credibility of the process.
“This committee supports any measure which you have taken or will take to sanitise the banking system in so far as these measures are taken in conformity with the relevant laws of Nigeria. But if media reports that you have printed and injected into the five banks whose managements you have sacked are true, this committee will with a sense of responsibility challenge your authority to do so. We do this because we have sworn to protect and defend the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Ozomgbachi who quoted copiously from Sections 80,81 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution challenged the CBN Governor to refer the committee to any section of the Constitution which grants the CBN any special exemption from the provisions of the Constitution on the stipulation that all revenues and expenditure of the Federal Government must first undergo appropriation by the National Assembly.
According to him, the CBN Act cannot supersede the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any action taken in pursuant of the CBN Act that runs contrary to the provisions of the Constitution “is null and void, ineffective and of no effect whatsoever”.
In return, the CBN Governor put up a stout defence and insisted that the five banks whose managements were sacked were in bad shape and needed to be rescued before their situation worsened.
Sanusi, who linked the recent experiences of the Nigerian banking sector to the global financial and economic crises, acknowledged that the bank consolidation and recapitalisation of the banks in one breath boosted the capacity of the banks to grow their assets and in another breath over-exposed themselves to certain sectors of the economy, creating an asset quality problem.
According to Sanusi, the asset quality and liquidity problems inherent in the banking sector particularly the five banks manifested into concerns about solvency as these banks became permanent borrowers on the CBN Expanded Discount Window (EDW) between October 2008 and July 2009 when that option was closed.
“In addition, the five banks in particular were permanently net takers of funds in the interbank money market when the CBN opted to guarantee inter-bank takings. These features signalled possible insolvency problems, which prompted the CBN actions to reduce counterparty risk concerns and stimulate liquidity.
“The funds injected into the five banks is considered a loan (tier 2 capital) and sufficient to enable them to continue normal business operations. The government has no intentions to nationalise the five banks or any other Nigerian bank for that matter,” Sanusi said.
According to him, the injection of capital into the banks was a form of lending, which constitutes an indebtedness by the deposit money banks (the borrowers) to the CBN, adding that the loan is expected to be repaid from the proceeds of capitalisation or from other sources when the borrowing institutions eventually stabilises.
The CBN Governor substantiated his position with relevant sections of the CBN Act and reeled out other options which the apex bank could take to save the banking sector within the ambit of the law.
While the closed-door session lasted, Sanusi reportedly apologised to the lawmakers on the alleged breach of their earlier agreement to be kept abreast of events in the course of the reforms.
He, however, insisted that his actions were backed by the relevant laws guiding the operations of the apex bank and its regulatory activities.
Sanusi had also met with the House Speaker Dimeji Bankole and other principal officers of the House before meeting the Committee on Banking and Currency.
Insider sources said he tendered a similar apology because of the accusation that he did not take the legislature into confidence before taking the actions on the banks.
According to THISDAY source, Sanusi explained to the lawmakers that he notified the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, before embarking on the sweeping reforms in the banks.
This notification, Sanusi assumed, was enough for the legislature since Senator Mark was the head of the National Assembly.
He was, however, reminded that the country operates a bicameral legislature and information passed to the Senate does not necessarily mean it will get to the House of Representatives.
It was not clear whether the lawmakers also succumbed to the position of the CBN on the powers to inject the funds without seeking the consent of parliament but insider sources told THISDAY that both parties emerged from the closed-door session “reconciled and positive” on the contentious issues at stake.
Some lawmakers, however, said the solution to this constitutional quagmire may be the amendment of the CBN Act to ensure that it does not continue to operate like a republic within the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Jobs For A Marketing Manager.

2009-09-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

An emerging leader in the IT Industry has the vacant position below, to be filled urgently:

Position: Marketing Manager

Requirements:

Prospective candidates must possess a Degree in Marketing or Computer Science.
Ability to set targets and motivate subordinates to reach set targets in a highly competitive environment is a must
Must have worked in an IT related setting for not less than 3 years;

Method of Application:

If you are desirous of joining a winning team and interested in the above vacant position, urgently submit your CV online at www.sylvaqconsult.com on or before 10th September, 2009

JOBS FOR A DESTINATION MARKETING – LOCAL/DOMESTIC OFFICER.

2009-09-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

In the bid to make Cross River State the number One Tourism Destination, the Cross River State Tourism Bureau seeks to engage personnel with relevant experience for immediate employment in the position below:

Position: DESTINATION MARKETING – LOCAL/DOMESTIC OFFICER-HP/CT/008

Key Responsibilities

Develop marketing plans to achieve business objectives in researched and targeted domestic markets
Develop and implement local tourism awareness programmes including media campaigns for various market segments.
Develop marketing materials for local distribution
Establish and maintain partnerships with the local media for the attraction of tourism traffic to Cross River State
Establish and maintain relationships with current and potential clients to ensure repeat business

Qualification and Experience

First Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or any related discipline
Minimum of 4 years working experience in marketing for a corporate organization
Strong networking skills
Track record in overseeing and implementing marketing campaigns
Other Requirements

In addition to these requirements,

Interested candidates should possess the following:

Appreciable knowledge of the local environment
Good writing and oral communication skills
Good presentation and proven leadership skills
Good interpersonal and excellent analytical skills
Innovative thinking
Being a Cross River State indigene will be an advantage
Method of Application:

Interested candidates with requisite experience should forward detailed resume and cover letter stating the position applied for on or before 10th September, 2009 via e-mail to: recruitment@hpierson.com

Sanusi: I prefer sale of five troubled banks

2009-08-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

A RESCUE operation is on the way for the five troubled banks. The move includes selling them to stronger institutions, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said yesterday.

Sanusi, who spoke at a meeting of central bankers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said: "I would rather have those banks valued properly and purchased by other banks."

He added: "Then in the event of there being some resolution costs, finding a way of taking those costs and writing it over a long term, which would probably mean issuing some kind of bond over a 10- or 15-year period with National Assembly approval."

It was not certain last night how the sector will receive Sanusi’s proposal.

But analysts argued that the suggestion may not go down well with bankers since the banks have not been declared insolvent.

The banks are: Oceanic International, Intercontinental, Finbank, Afribank and Union.

When Sanusi sacked their chief executives last Friday, he assured their depositors that all was well with the banks.

"To now start talking about selling them to other (stronger) banks may cause anxiety among customers whom he had hitherto assured that their deposits were safe," a banker said.

Last Friday, CBN pumped N400 billion ($2.6 billion) into the banks after their chief executives were removed. The action, Sanusi said, was taken because their undercapitalisation posed what he called "a systemic threat".

Sanusi said the capital injection was a temporary measure, adding that the government would divest its holdings as soon as new investors were found.

"Setting up an asset management company to absorb the bad loans of the ailing banks could also be an option," but Sanusi said that would not be his preferred choice.

He said he did not expect a sharp rise in money supply in sub-Saharan Africa’s second-biggest economy following the bank bailout, pointing out that money supply had been reduced by the huge level of non-performing loans at the five institutions.

The banks reportedly had bad loans totalling 1.14 trillion naira ($7.6 billion), with CBN claiming that lax governance had left them so weakly capitalised that they posed a threat to the wider banking system.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been questioning the bank executives.

It is likely that criminal charges may be brought against them, if they are found to have falsified accounts or manipulated shares prices.

"There were infractions. There were violations of the law. That was not the basis for removing (the sacked chief executives)," Sanusi said.

"The basis was that they were in grave situations and those actions were required to protect the system. It was my central responsibility to do that. Subsequently, we will deal with the other issues, and we will bring them to court."

Asked if it was likely that more executives would be sacked, Sanusi said:

"At the moment, from what we’ve seen, it doesn’t look likely. But ... if at any point in time, if we are convinced that a CEO is not fit and proper to run an institution, we are not going to let him run that institution."

Developments in the banking sector have altered the robust ratings they hitherto enjoyed.

A myriad of problems, ranging from the fallout of the global financial crisis, resulting in the capital market price crash, the fall in oil prices, raising the risk of recovery of loans advanced to operators in the oil and gas and the margin loans for equities trading, with possibility of repayment dimming by the day, has resulted in a down-grading of the industry’s rating.

In a report on the banking industry, Global Credit Rating (GCR), which had accorded the sector an industry risk ceiling of AA+, has downgraded the national scale bank industry ceiling by 2 notches to AA-, and ‘’ simultaneously placed all its Nigerian bank ratings on Rating Watch Negative’’.

"The implication of this sectoral industry risk downgrade is that most individual bank ratings are likely to be downgraded by an average 2 notches,’’ GCR stated.

GCR’s initial rating of AA+, indicating the highest naira local currency National Scale rating that could be accorded in the market, was given, the rating agency said, in consideration of the dramatic increase in the minimum capital requirements, which was N25 billion stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2005. It added that the rating was further enhanced by the subsequent industry market induced consolidation in the sector, which reduced the number of banks to 25 from a bloated figure of 89, with most banks increasing their capital base to over N100 billion and reflecting very high tier 1 capital ratios by international standards.

However, GCR observed that the key element that constituted the downgrade "was the relatively poor disclosure standards and weak management systems that characterised the industry as a whole.’’

The rating agency said it had been worried about the unusual increase loan growth of the sector, implying, in its estimation, ’’ very substantial bad debt fallout, particularly in the context of very weak risk management system".

It said: ’’ This risk has been significantly exacerbated by a massive build up of share backed and margin lending which the CBN estimates could be as high as N1.2 trillion.’’

The rating agency said the level of disclosure was poor, arguing that the officially published non-performing loan ratio of 6.8% for the sector as a whole is wildly understated, adding that certain banks may be taking certain non-performing loans off their balance sheet.

The overall effect of these developments, GCR noted, is that the previous ratings for the sector and the banks could no longer subsist.

Featured Vacancies

2009-08-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Jobs For A Customer Account Officers.
How would you like to be a part of a rapidly growing media company that is creating a multi-channel platform for providing convenient and instant information and entertainment.

This dynamic and innovative media company is dedicated to being the leading media group delivering African information and entertainment without borders.

Creative, highly motivated and result-driver professionals are being actively recruited for the position below in Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt Anambra State:

Customer Account Officers

Remuneration: Highly competitive

Ideal candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3 years work experience, previous, experience in broadcast media is not a prerequisite as we are looking for innovative individuals with a fresh perspective, excellent communication skills and proven track-record of performance as well as competence.

Interested in applying?

Applicants are required to visit: www.vehrservices.com/exphire to register their details by 5pm on or before 25th August 2009. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Jobs In A Media Company
How would you like to be a part of a rapidly growing media company that is creating a multi-channel platform for providing convenient and instant information and entertainment.

This dynamic and innovative media company is dedicated to being the leading media group delivering African information and entertainment without borders.

Creative, highly motivated and result-driver professionals are being actively recruited for the position below in Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt Anambra State:

Finance Manager

Remuneration: Highly competitive

Ideal candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3 years work experience, previous, experience in broadcast media is not a prerequisite as we are looking for innovative individuals with a fresh perspective, excellent communication skills and proven track-record of performance as well as competence.

Interested in applying?

Applicants are required to visit: www.vehrservices.com/exphire to register their details by 5pm on or before 25th August 2009. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Jobs In A Banking Automation Products/IT Systems.

Job Vacancies

2009-08-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

A leading construction company based in Benin City, Edo State requires immediate employment to fill the post of:

CIVIL ENGINEER

Qualification and Experience

Applicant must possess a minimum of B.Sc./HND in Civil Engineering from a reputable institution
Must be registered with COREN.
Candidates for this position must be self motivating, a Goal Getter
Must be highly experienced in civil construction works.
He must not be more than 35 years of age.
Salary:

Salaries and allowances are attractive and negotiable.

Method of Application

Application must be in candidate’s own hand writing and attach copy of CV and photocopy of credentials address to:

The Human Resources Manager,

No. 118, Murtala Muhammed Way,

P. O. Box 782,

Benin City.

Applications should reach him on or before 25th August, 2009

A reputable electronic security firm with head office in Lagos is recruiting personnel to fill the post of:

PROJECT MANAGER

Requirements

Candidate must possess a minimum of B.Sc in Electrical/Electronic Engineering
Possess Minimum of 7 years experience in electronic security systems, 3 of which must be on a managerial level.
Good knowledge of project management methodology, conversant with bidding process, site meetings.
Knowledge of MS Project, Visio, AutoCAD, PowerPoint, etc
Between 35-45 years.
Application Procedure

Candidates who meet the specified requirements should send their applications with detailed CVs and photocopies of certificates on or before 25th August, 2009 to:

The Human Resources Manager

17.A Fola Osibo Street, Off Road 14

Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Or Email: lagosjob@yahoo.com

Jobs For A Marketing Executives.
We are part of a Financial Services group engaged in developing and sales of Insurance and Investments Products / Services.

We seek to recruit matured, self driven individuals to fill the position of the below post

MARKETING EXECUTIVE

Requirement

Candidate must be a graduate of any University or Polytechnic
Previous experience in the Sales/Marketing of Financial Products will be an added advantage.
Age between 30 – 45 years
No fresh graduates please
Remuneration:

Attractive Commission

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should forward their detailed CV to the undersigned or e-mail to: jessycum@yahoo.com on or before 25th August, 2009.

Or

The Product Manager

Royal Exchange Prudential Life Plc,

13 Oke Olowogbowo Street, By Elephant House,

Leventis Bus Stop, Apongbon, Lagos Island.

Tel: 08034078679, 08055135083.

Chevening Scholarships: Call for Applications

2009-08-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Chevening Scholarships are prestigious awards available to international students for study in the United Kingdom.

The scholarships are named after Chevening House in Kent, the official country residence of the Foreign Secretary. They are available in more than 130 countries and around 1000 new Chevening Scholarships are awarded globally each year. Chevening scholarships offer an ideal opportunity for young, high-flying graduates not only to study their chosen subject, but also to meet and network with their peers in the unique learning atmosphere that the UK provides. The ultimate objective is to build a network of friends of the UK, who will be future leaders in their countries.

Candidates are selected by the British Embassy/British High Commission. The scheme is managed by the British Council, on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Chevening scholarships are prestigious awards and highly sought after by people from all over the world who want to make a difference. There are over 17,000 applications for about 1000 awards in 2009/10. A typical successful applicant is:

* A graduate with the personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities necessary for leadership. These include:

- influencing and communications skills, leadership track record, networking ability, ambition, plans for the future

- intelligence, academic potential, drive, self management, strength of character, integrity, interests outside work

* Motivated to make a career that will take them to positions of leadership in their own country within 10 years of their scholarship
* Committed to networking to find global solutions
* Able to use their studies and experience in the UK to benefit themselves, their countries and the UK

Applicants must:

* Have good English Language skills and an IELTS score of 6.5 (or its equivalent) for admission to postgraduate courses
* Meet the academic requirements for their courses of study

For more information on how to apply, check this link - http://www.chevening.com/how-apply/A

How To Detect Job Vacancy Scam!

2009-08-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

There are several job vacancy ads all over the land,
It is important you know how to detect these adverts so you don't fall victim of the unscrupulous members of the land,
These are some things you should look out for when replying to an ad whether in the dailies or on !
The fact that an ad appears in the dailies doesn't make it authentic!
some people have gone ahead to host and run websites for scams mainly, so beware.

1) the ads don't have a secured email address like vacancy@zenithbank.com, vacancy@uba.com, they usually come with vacancy@yahoo.com or any of the free email providers! . I once received a mail in my box advertising a polytechnic (new) and one of the programmes to be run in the school is computer science. The sender of the mail listed a lot of email addresses in the to: and sent to everyone, that was too bad as i replied the person(school) to sack the guys in the computer department of the school because a mailer should be used for such, even scammers know that!

2) the ads dont come with office addresses, you don't have an address to look up in case you want to verify if the company actually exists

3) They tell you to pay to take tests

4) They send messages to you that you have been shortlisted for interview though you never applied to work with them! I read a post recently here where a lady was asking if anyone knew a company because they sent an IV to her meanwhile she couldn't remember applying!

5) They tell you to scan your certificate and send to them! ( I saw one like that on line and wondered how it got there) This is the most criminal of them all. On no occasion should you do that. No company will tell you to do that! The best will be for you to bring original copies during interview and its not to be retained by your supposed employer!

I think i have tried a bit and if you know others, please add so people will not be victims.

MOODY international is recruiting......

2009-08-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Moody International is one of the largest and most respected companies operating in the engineering and technical services marketplace. By working closely with its clients, Moody has played a critical role in executing some of the most notable projects to have been designed, engineered, constructed and commissioned on all major continents. Moody employs a continuous recruitment process and candidates are encouraged to regularly monitor open jobs and to stay in close contact with Moody’s global recruitment team.

Click on this link for Job opportunities - http://www.moodyint.com/jobs.php

HACKING SECRETS REVEALED

2009-08-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of the topics that will be covered:
• How “hackers” get into your system
• What tools they use
• How a hacker can effectively “Bug” your house via your
computer. (Don’t believe me, read on you’ll be very
surprised)
• What information they have access to. And why you
should try to protect yourself. (You might be surprised to
find out what they know.)
• Tips and tricks that hackers use
• How your Antivirus software alone is not enough
• What to look for if you suspect you’re being hacked
• What the greatest flaw to all computers are
• And more…

Did you know it doesn’t matter if you’re connected to the net
24hrs a day or 15 min’s a day your system is vulnerable. Not
only is it vulnerable in that 15 min’s you can possibly loose all
your data get locked out of your own system and have all your
confidential information like your “Bank Account Numbers”, “Your
Budget”, “Your personal home address” compromised.
Don’t give me wrong, I’m not trying to throw you into a state of
paranoia either. What I am saying is that if you’re not careful
you leave yourself open to a wide range of attacks.
Perhaps you’re skeptical and saying to yourself “Oh I don’t do
anything on the net except check my E-mail etc that sort of thing
can’t happen to me.”
Okay I like a challenge let’s do a test!

SYSTEM INTRUSION IN 15 SECONDS
System intrusion in 15 seconds, that’s right it can be done. If
you possess certain security flaws your system can be broken
into in less that 15 seconds.
To begin this chapter I’d like you to do the following. Connect to
the Internet using your dial up account if you are on dial up. If
you are on dedicated service like High Speed connections (ie,
Cable and DSL) then just proceed with the steps below.
• Click Start
• Go to Run
• Click Run (It’s a step by step manual) :-)
• Type Winipcfg
• Hit the Enter Key

This should bring up a window that looks like the following
* For editorial reason the above info has been omitted *
What you should see under IP address is a number that looks
something like this.
207.175.1.1 (The number will be different.)
If you use Dial Up Internet Access then you will find your IP
address under PPP adapter. If you have dedicated access you
will find your IP address under another adapter name like (PCI
Busmaster, SMC Adapter, etc.) You can see a list by clicking
on the down arrow.
8
Once you have the IP address write it down, then close that
window by clicking (OK) and do the following.
• Click Start
• Go to Run (Click on Run)
• Type command then Click OK
At this point you should see a screen that looks like this.
Type the following at the Dos Prompt
• Nbtstat –A IP address
For example: nbtstat –A 207.175.1.1
(Please note that you must type the A in capitol letters.)

This will give you a read out that looks like this
NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table
____________________________________
Name Type Status
-------------------------------------------
J-1 <00> UNIQUE Registered
WORK <00> GROUP Registered
J-1 <03> UNIQUE Registered
J-1 <20> UNIQUE Registered
WORK <1E> GROUP Registered
WORK <1D> UNIQUE Registered
__MSBROWSE__.<01>GROUP Registered
(Again info has been omitted due to privacy reasons)
The numbers in the <> are hex code values. What we are
interested in is the “Hex Code” number of <20>. If you do not
see a hex code of <20> in the list that’s a good thing. If you do
have a hex code <20> then you may have cause for concern.
Now you’re probably confused about this so I’ll explain.
A hex code of <20> means you have file and printer sharing
turned on. This is how a “hacker” would check to see if you
have “file and printer sharing” turned on. If he/she becomes
aware of the fact that you do have “file and printer sharing”
turned on then they would proceed to attempt to gain access to
your system.
(Note: To exit out of the DOS prompt Window, Type Exit
and hit Enter)

I’ll show you now how that information can be used to gain
access to your system.
A potential hacker would do a scan on a range of IP address for
systems with “File and Printer Sharing” turned on. Once they
have encountered a system with sharing turned on the next step
would be to find out what is being shared.
This is how:
Net view \\
Our potential hacker would then get a response that looks
something like this.
Shared resources at \\ip_address
Sharename Type Comment
MY DOCUMENTS Disk
TEMP Disk
The command was completed successfully.

This shows the hacker that his potential victim has their My
Documents Folder shared and their Temp directory shared. For
the hacker to then get access to those folders his next command
will be.
Net use x: \\\temp
If all goes well for the hacker, he/she will then get a response of
(The command was completed successfully.)
At this point the hacker now has access to the TEMP directory of
his victim.
Q. The approximate time it takes for the average hacker to do
this attack?
R. 15 seconds or less.

Not a lot of time to gain access to your machine is it? How many
of you had “File and Printer Sharing” turned on?
Ladies and Gentlemen: This is called a Netbios attack. If you are
running a home network then the chances are you have file and
printer sharing turned on. This may not be the case for all of you
but I’m sure there is quite a number of you who probably do. If
you are sharing resources please password protect the
directories.
Any shared directory you have on your system within your
network will have a hand holding the folder. Which looks like
this.
You can check to find which folders are shared through Windows
Explorer.
• Click On Start
• Scroll Up to Programs
At this point you will see a listing of all the different programs on
your system
Find Windows Explorer and look for any folders that look like the
above picture.
Once you have found those folders password protect them. Don’t
worry I’ll show you how to accomplish this later in a
visual step by step instruction format.

Netbios is one of the older forms of system attacks that occur. It
is usually overlooked because most systems are protected
against it. Recently there has been an increase of Netbios
Attacks.
Further on in this manual we shall cover some prevention
methods. For now I wish only to show you the potential security
flaws.

THE TROJAN “HORSE”
I found it necessary to devote a chapter to Trojans. Trojan’s are
probably the most compromising of all types of attacks. Trojans
are being released by the hundreds every week, each more
cleverly designed that the other. We all know the story of the
Trojan horse probably the greatest strategic move ever made.
In my studies I have found that Trojans are primarily responsible
for almost all Windows Based machines being compromised.
For those of you who do not know what Trojans are I’ll briefly
explain. Trojans are small programs that effectively give
“hackers” remote control over your entire Computer.

Some common features with Trojans are as follows:
• Open your CD-Rom drive
• Capture a screenshot of your computer
• Record your key strokes and send them to the “Hacker”
• Full Access to all your drives and files
• Ability to use your computer as a bridge to do other
hacking related activities.
• Disable your keyboard
• Disable your mouse…and more!
Let’s take a closer look at a couple of more popular

Chapter 7 FIREWALLS A firewall in layman terms is essentially a program which filters network data to decide whether or not to forward them to their destination or to deny it. These programs will generally protect you from inbound “net attacks.” This means unauthorized network request from foreign computers will be blocked. I cannot stress how important it is in this day and age to have a firewall of some kind installed and “running” on your computer. I personally recommend that you use one of the following or both if you can. Black Ice Defender This is a very user-friendly comprehensive firewall program. I highly recommend it to both advance and novice users. It has a simple graphical interface that is easy to understand and pleasing to the eye. It detects your attacker, stops their attack and or scan and gives you as much information available on the “attacker.” You can download Black Ice Defender at: http://www.networkice.com 4 4 Lockdown 2000 I also recommend Lockdown 2000 as a security measure. Lockdown2000 has a very nice graphical interface to it also and is user friendly. It does the same thing Black Ice Defender does but also runs scans on your system for Trojans. It monitors your registry and system files for changes that occur. Then gives you the option of either undoing all the changes or allowing it. You can obtain a copy of Lockdown2000 from: http://www.lockdown2000.com I find using both firewalls in conjunction with each other works quite well. As they both compensate for the short-comings of the other. Anti Virus Software This is also another piece of software you should by all means have on your system. We all know it’s a necessity however we are all guilty of not using them. There are numerous anti-virus software out there. Norton Antivirus and Mcafee are two of the more common ones. They are all good and do their job. You can find each of these programs at: http://www.norton.com http://www.mcafee.com I personally recommend using 1 virus scanner and both firewalls. The reason is I find Black Ice Defender blocks incoming attacks and any system changes that occur on your system Lockdown catches. TIPS & TRICKS I feel it necessary for you to pay particular attention to this section. The above programs will function and do their job, but that’s only half the battle. There are certain precautions you need to take as a user to ensure your system remains a “fortress.”

Tip #1: For Dial Up users: If you are a dial up user then you use a modem either internal or external kind to get online. If you have an external modem then this tip is easy. If you look at the modem you’ll see lights on the front of it. When you’re doing anything on the net you’ll notice lights blinking that indicate that you are Sending Data, and Receiving Data. Depending on how often the lights blink and how fast they blink gives a rough idea of how much activity is going on between your computer and the net. Here’s where a little perception comes into play. If you are connected to the internet, and are just sitting by your system doing absolutely nothing, those lights have no business to be blinking rapidly. They will flash periodically indicating it’s checking it’s connectivity, however there should be no heavy data transfer of any kind if you are not doing anything on the net. For

Example: If you have your email program open and you are just sitting there reading your mail, you may notice that every 15 sometimes 20 mins that the lights will blink back and forth indicating it’s sending and receiving data. This is normal because chances are you have your email program configured to check your mail every 20 mins. If by chance you notice the lights on your modem is blinking consistently for let’s say a period of 2mins non stop be extremely suspicious. If you have an internal modem, you will not be able to see the lights on your modem, instead you can rely on the two tv looking icons at the bottom right corner of your screen near the clock. They will look something like this. Any data being sent and received will be noticed by the blinking of the lights rapidly. If you are on cable or dsl, the same applies. There should never be any form of heavy data transfer of any kind from your system to anything unless you are authorizing it. Some examples of activity that can justify heavy data transfer are as follows:
• Legitimate Programs running that may need to access the net occasionally. (ie, Email programs) • If you are running an FTP server where people purposely log into your machine to download files you have given them access to.

• If you are downloading files off the internet Things of that nature will generate a lot of data transfer. Allow me to take this opportunity to explain to you another “Tool” you should be aware of. Let’s assume you realize that there is a lot of data being sent and received from your machine and you’re not even sitting at it. How do you know what’s going on? Let’s do a short exercise. • Click Start • Go to Run (Click Run) • Type Command • Click OK Again you should get a screen that looks like this. Once you have this screen type the following: • Netstat –a This command will give you a listing of everything your computer is communicating with online currently.
The list you get will look something like this: Active Connections Protocol Local Address Foreign Address State TCP COMP: 0000 10.0.0.1 : 0000 ESTABLISHED TCP COMP:2020 10.0.0.5 : 1010 ESTABLISHED TCP COMP:9090 10.0.0.3 : 1918 ESTABLISHED You’ll see a variety of listings like the above. It will give you the Protocal being used, the local address (your computer) and what port on your computer the “Foreign Address” is being connected to and the (State) of which the (Foreign Address) is. For example if it is (Established) then that means whatever the foreign address says is currently connected to your machine. There is software available that will show you this information without typing all those commands. The name of the software is called Xnetstat, you can obtain a copy of it from here: http://www.arez.com/fs/xns/ If for whatever reason you believe you are sending and receiving a lot of data then it is wise to do a netstat –a to see what is connected to your computer and at what ports. Protecting Shared Resources For those of you who have internal networks between two computers probably have a shared resource of some kind. Earlier in this manual I showed you how to find what is being shared. Let’s have a look at how to protect those shared resources. • Click Start • Scroll up to Programs • Go to Windows Explorer (Click on it) Once you have done this you should see a window that comes up with a bunch of folders listed on the left and more folders listed on the right. Scroll through the listing and look for whatever shared files you have. For a refresher the folder will look like this. Once you have found those folders you must now protect them. • Click on The folder (once) so it is highlighted • Use the right mouse button, (the one closest to your pinky finger) and click on the folder. You will get a menu: Your menu may look different than mine, but what you’re looking for is the word “sharing.” When you click on Sharing you will see another window that looks like the following. This is where you can either share this folder or turn it off.
If you wish to turn off the sharing you would select (Not Shared). If you must share a folder then follows these steps. This will make the folder read only. That means no one can delete anything from those folders if they were to break into your system using a “Netbios” attack. The next step is to password protect the directory. Once you type in the password click (OK) and you’re done. My personal suggestion is to set any directory you are sharing to (Read Only) and password protect it. This is only if you must share resources.
Disabling File and Printer Sharing For those of you who do not have a home network going you should disable file and printer sharing. There’s no reason to have this feature turned on. Do the following steps to disable it. (You will require your windows 95/98 CD for this)
• Click on Start • Scroll up to Settings • Click on Control Panel This will bring you into your Control Panel. You will see a variety of icons the one you are looking for will be the icon that says (Network) and it looks like this. Once you have found the icon double click on it. You will then receive a screen that looks like this. To turn off the file and printer sharing you will need to click on the button that says (File and Print Sharing). After clicking on that a box will open: Uncheck both of these then click okay. You must then click (OK) again and this will return you to the Control Panel. At this point will be prompted for you Windows CD. Simply insert it and click OK. Sometimes you will receive a message that says “The file being copied is older than the existing file ..etc.etc. Do you wish to keep your existing file?” You should click NO.
When the process is completely done your system will ask you if you wish to reboot. Click on Yes. Once your system has rebooted you can come back to the Network Screen and check to make sure the “File and Print Sharing” has been disabled. Software wise up until this point we have talked about how to protect your system. I’d like to discuss the process involved for if you system is infected. OH NO! MY SYSTEM’S INFECTED Hope-fully this is not the case for the majority of you, but I know there will be a few people who are going to be infected. The only way you are really going to know if you are infected is diagnosing your computer properly. I recommend getting Lockdown 2000 for this. Install it on your system and run a full system scan on your machine. (Consult the documentation for Lockdown 2000) After running Lockdown 2000, run your anti virus scanner just in case Lockdown missed anything. You may ask yourself why I suggest such redundancy? Computers are built on the principle of redundancy. One program will always compensate for the short-comings of the other. This should reveal most if not all Trojans currently residing on your machine. Until you are absolutely sure about not possessing any Trojans on your machine I suggest being alert of the happenings on your computer.
1. Watch the transmit and receive lights on the modem like we discussed.
2. Run the firewall programs I suggested to block out intruders.
3. Monitor your system for unusual happenings (CD Rom opening for no reason)
4. Use the Netstat command to see what ports are being used if you get suspicious. The ultimate goal is not to be paranoid about the use of your computer. It’s about being smart about how you use your computer. EVERY SYSTEMS GREATEST FLAW To every computer system there is always this one system flaw. It does not matter how powerful a system you have, how many different firewall programs you run or how many virus scanners you have. In the end you are your systems worst enemy. All “hackers” know this, make no mistake about that. Thankfully not very many have the stamina necessary for a form of hacking called “Social Engineering.” Social Engineering: This is a term used among “hackers” for techniques that rely on weaknesses in people rather than software; the goal is to trick people into revealing passwords or other information that compromises an individual system's security. This is a lot easier said than done, but it can be done. Most telemarketing scams that rob people of money are forms of “social engineering.” Most of these scams occur due to the individuals impersonating credit card companies and or investment firms. Those socially engineered attacks are focused on getting you to give them your money, bottom line. Chapter 8 Transverse that process into a tech industry where a lot of people are not as computer knowledgeable and you have the “wolf in sheeps clothing! Some of the most common forms of social engineering focused on any particular user is to phone up a “mark/victim” who has the required information, and posing as a field service tech or a fellow employee with an urgent access problem. This type of attack happens primarily more in business scenes. Social engineering directed to a business setting usually occur as a phone scam. The scam boils down to how believable the “hacker” sounds on the phone. They pit their knowledge and wits against another human. This technique is used for a lot of things, such as gaining passwords and basic information on a system or organization. Be it known that it’s not the only type of “social engineering” that is used. These same principles are applied when it comes to your personal computer. Chat lines make people highly susceptible to such social mayhem.
CHATLINE EXAMPLE On a chat line a person isn’t evaluated by how they appear. They become as believable as their ability to write and express themselves. On a Chat Line your perception and intuition is all you have to rely on. The person on the other end of the keyboard can be nothing as they describe themselves. The same goes for E-Mail or any form of communication without visual recognition. You read what they send/say to you and your own imagination is what fills in the blanks. This person may sound romantic, funny and down to earth. There is a trust value that is built up and depending on how long you’ve been on the Internet , this initial base of trust is formed very quickly. At this point after the ice has been broken so to speak the “hacker” may ask if you wish to see his/her picture. This is the turning point of your conversation. Most people would reply sure and then receive the picture from the “hacker.” This is where the situation gets interesting.
The “hacker” in question has the window of opportunity to either attempt to send you a real picture or a Trojan. If the “hacker” sends you a legitimate picture, then that helps to build trust between them and you. If they go for the strike right of the bat then they risk exposing themselves. In either case their goal has been accomplished which is to get you to accept the file from them. By gaining your trust and getting you as a user to drop your guard you’ve compromised your systems security. Given it takes a certain level of finesse and grace to accomplish this type of attack. It requires the “hacker” to be socially adept, quick witted and very confident. Not usually the characteristics of the stereotypical “hacker” definition. To protect yourself on this level you must become aware of the “game.” The truth is that this is all a game to “hackers.” Hackers treasure their anonymity to win against them the trick is to reverse the situation. Get them to expose themselves and their intent. Let’s take a real life situation that you may encounter.
For simplicity sake we’ll say you have encountered a “potential hacker” on a chat line. The person seems charming, funny even normal by every sense of the word. The conversation becomes a little personal at some point and while not giving him your life story you share some fairly confidential information with this person. The conversation heats up and turns to the point of a possible picture trade. The “potential hacker” wishes to trade pictures with you. You tell him/her you don’t have a picture and their remark is something to the effect of “well would you like to see my picture anyway?” So you agree for him/her to send you their picture. Upon receiving their picture you notice the file is called: • John.exe or susan.exe (Recalling what you’ve read in this manual you know that their picture should never be in this format. So you don’t double click on it) This is where your awareness and intuition kicks in. You have two options. A) Confront the “potential hacker” about the file type.
B) Play up to the game and see if you can catch this person by making them expose themselves. If you confront the person perhaps you’ll receive explanations like “it’s a self extracting picture.” At which point you can tell them they are lying. You will probably scare off the “potential hacker” by being that direct with them. They will more than likely log offline very quickly. If you play up to the game you have the chance to maybe catch them, or at least find out who they are. IRC EXAMPLE IRC is a hunting ground for “hackers.” It doesn’t take much skill or much know-how, to infect an individuals computer on IRC. Some of the most common tactics is to assume the identity of a girl and going to channels where pictures are commonly exchanged. Channels such as “adults 30+” or “adult-chat.” Hackers know that hacking is 60% psychological warfare 40% computer knowledge. One of the most popular methods of sending a person a Trojan on IRC is to automatically send you the file when you join a channel. The reason goes as such that some people have a feature turned on in their IRC programs that automatically accepts incoming file transfers. (Consult your IRC program documentation) When you join the channel, you automatically accept the file. If you are aware of the file you might see it is called something like tiffany.jpg.exe. Out of sheer curiosity some people will open the file to see what it is, especially those who are not aware of the potential dangers of such files. The result is (MISSION ACCOMPLISHED).

As you can clearly see “hackers” are quite adept at the art of subterfuge. They are smart, cunning and do not discriminate against who’s computer they will attempt to gain access too. They will attack whoever falls prey to whatever trap they layout. IRC remains one of the primary sources of victims for “kiddie hackers.” The recipe for protect yourself requires you to be alert, suspicious and a little paranoia helps. Face it everyone is paranoid about something or the other. In the next chapter we’ll discuss how to go about reporting “hackers.” HOW TO REPORT HACKERS Stopping hackers can be very difficult sometimes seemingly impossible. I believe however if you use the right types of programs combined with self-education on how hackers think, you can make your computer much safer. Reporting hackers can sometimes be a little bit tricky. A lot of users never report hack attempts. Simply because they just don’t care or believe that the “hacker” knows he can’t get into their system. There is also the reason that users just don’t know what steps to take once they realize their system is being attacked. Once your system is connected to the Internet, some form of system attack will eventually hit your computer. Most of the times these attacks will be completely random. While not every single attack ever made should be reported, repetitious attacks should. Repeated attacks from the same person/IP address should always be reported. This is a clear indication that someone is trying to gain access to your computer. If you are using Black Ice Defender and or Lockdown 2000, you will be able to see the IP address of the person attempting to break into your system. Chapter 9 What do you do now that you know that someone is attempting to hack into your computer? Before you can do anything you will require some utilities.

I recommend getting the following program. • NetLab Netlab has a variety of utilities combined into one easy to use application. You can obtain a copy of Netlab from: http://www.filedudes.lvdi.net/win95/dns/netlab95.html After obtaining a copy of NetLab and installing it you’ll be ready. I find the best procedure for this is to begin by identifying how many times this “individual” has attempted to hack into your system, and at what times. (Consult your firewall program documentation for instructions on where to locate the number of attacks originating from an IP address.) Once you have identified how many times the person has attempted to gain access and at what time the most recent attack was, it is a wise idea to check if they actually got through. To check what is currently connected to your computer, do the following: • Write down the IP address you were given by Black Ice and or Lockdown 2000 • Click Start • Go to Run • Type in Command and hit Enter This will bring you to your DOS prompt again. Type the following at the DOS prompt. • Netstat This will give you a listing of all active connections to your computer and it will look something like this. Active Connections Protocol Local Address Foreign Address State TCP COMP: 0000 10.0.0.1 : 0000 ESTABLISHED TCP COMP:2020 10.0.0.5 : 1010 ESTABLISHED TCP COMP:9090 10.0.0.3 : 1918 ESTABLISHED Your information will have different numbers. I used the IP address 10.0.0.x for demonstration purposes only. If your attacker is connected to your computer, you will see his IP address in this listing. Compare this listing to the IP address you have written down. In the table above you will see numbers after a (:) For example: COMP: 2020 The 2020 represents the port number that the Foreign computer is connected to on your computer. Using our example let’s take a look at the second row. This shows us that someone is connected to our computer on port (2020) from the IP address 10.0.0.5. Once you have assessed that the “hacker” was unsuccessful in his attempts to hack into your computer, you can proceed to gather information to report the attack. Start up NetLab • Punch in the IP address in the following area • Type in the IP Address in the indicated area below • After typing in the IP Address Click on Ping indicated below At this point you will see one of two results. You will see a response indicating either the person is online or you will see no response indicating they are offline.

We do this to check if the person is still connected. 1: This is the IP address that you are pinging 2: The time it takes to ping the address. The next step is to check who the IP address belongs to. You can do this by using whois.arin.net on the person’s IP address. Once you’ve typed in the IP address in Query String Click on the Whois button. You will then see who the IP address belongs to. This will reveal who the “hackers” internet service provider is. This is very important, if you can figure out where your attacker is coming from you can forward the appropriate information to the right people. Let’s recap our procedure in a step-by-step format. A) Drop to the DOS prompt B) Run netstat to check if they got through C) Start Netlab and do a Ping Test to check if they are still connected D) Do a Whois (Using the whois.arin.net) lookup Once you’ve done the steps above you will need to send the information to your ISP and the attacker’s ISP. The goal is to give them as much information as you can about the attacker. Both firewall programs (Black Ice Defender) and (Lockdown 2000) create log files of each attack. Copy the information along with your own test and include the times of each attack into an email and send it to your ISP provider. Send a copy of that email to your attacker’s ISP provider also. (Note: You may need to call the attackers ISP provider in order to get the right Email Address. If the call will involve long distance charges send the message to support@thehackersisp.com) All ISP providers have an Abuse department. They are responsible for dealing with such issues. If you send the email to the support department of the “hackers” ISP they will forward it to the correct division. It is your responsibility to report any attacks being made against your computer. I encourage you to take an active part in reporting repeated attacks from the same IP address against your computer, as these are clear indications of someone targeting you. It may be that you have something they are interested in, or perhaps your system has been compromised prior to your realization, and with the installation of the firewall program you are now blocking their attacks. Whatever the reason now that you are aware your goal is to protect your privacy. FINAL WORDS Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the manual. That’s probably not an accomplishment for books of the same length. But this manual is different. You can always make reference back to this manual whenever you have questions. It’s like a manual and course in one. Learning the system loop holes and tricks that “hackers” use is only half the process. Protecting your privacy is 90% up to you, the rest can be handled by software. You have the means and ability to protect yourself. By reading this manual alone you have proven that.

You may think to yourself that you’re out gunned on the Internet, don’t. We all have to start learning from somewhere. Even hackers and so called “hackers” had to start learning somewhere. No one was born with the knowledge of how a computer works. The Internet is a tool by which many of these “hackers” educate themselves. You can do the same. It remains the most powerful tool for information and development there is. More and more businesses and services are migrating to the online world. You can either, sit back and watch it go, or jump on the bandwagon and ride it out. It’s all up to you. Exercise caution when dealing with people online, but don’t be too paranoid. Enjoy the power of the Internet it can be a great asset to you or your business. Chapter 10 The online population is growing exponentially. With the recent growth of dedicated access your computer is connected to the Internet 24hrs a day. High speed access gives you the opportunity to download files at lightning fast rates. It’s a long way from the old dial up BBS’s. As technology increases so must your awareness. Realistically most of us don’t care about the inner workings of the Internet. Perhaps we have a sheer curiosity of what happens behind the scenes, but none of us really believes it makes a lot of difference to us to know that information. We primarily care about getting our daily activities done and enjoying the power of the Internet. We want to be able to Log online talk to our friends and family and use the Internet as tool for our benefit.
The Internet connects you to the world where if a friends from Australia wishes to talk to you live one on one they can flip on their webcams turn on their mics and have a video conference. It’s a cut above a phone call for a fraction of the price. Don’t let “hackers” turn future advancements into unwanted nightmares. You as a user can prevent this by being careful.

Take the extra necessary steps to protect yourself. When compared to the benefits you can have it definitely is worth an extra 1hr-2hrs of your time. Don’t stop learning, read all you can. Why not? You’ve got the world at your fingertips and information at every turn. But most importantly when all is said and done, take back your privacy from those who may seek to compromise it.

For a Binded copy of dis, send request to dareolubanwo@yahoo.com,sms- 08024027253

AFRICAN REINSURANCE CORPORATION is Recruiting Nigeria Graduates

2009-07-30T04:05:00.000-07:00

AFRICAN REINSURANCE CORPORATION (SOCIÉTÉ AFRICAINE DE RÉASSURANCE)

Vacancy Announcement

An International Financial Institution owned by 41 member States of the African Union (AU),
the African Development Bank (ADB), the IFC (International Finance Corporation), the DEG
(German Development Finance Institution), the FMO (Dutch private sector financing
company), PROPARCO (Subsidiary of the Agence Française de Développement) and 107
insurance and reinsurance companies, with Headquarters in Lagos (Nigeria), five Regional
Offices in Casablanca (Morocco), Nairobi (Kenya), Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire ), Port Louis
(Mauritius), and Cairo (Egypt), as well as a wholly owned subsidiary in Johannesburg (South
Africa),

Announces vacancy for Young Professional Programme (YPP) in the following fields:

[1.] Insurance/Reinsurance
[2.] Finance & Accounts
[3]. Administration/Human Resource Management
[4] Information Technology

Qualification required
[1.] First university degree (first class) or its equivalent (in relevant fields)
[2.] Universally recognized (local or international) professional qualification (in relevant fields):

Work experience
Candidates for these positions are expected to have post qualification relevant work experience of
between 0 and 2 years.

Remuneration:
- The monthly allowance attached to these positions is attractive and comparable to what obtains in similar organizations
- In addition, successful candidates selected for the programme would be entitled to free medical care and accommodation throughout the duration of their training.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CANDIDATES FOR THIS POSITION:
Applicants must be:
- Nationals of member States of Africa Re;
- At least 21 years old and not older than 28 years by the date of this advert;
Only shortlisted candidates for these positions would be contacted.

(AFRICA RE) PROCEDURE
Applications, together with full curriculum vitae and one passport size photograph, should be sent to the following address:

The Managing Director
African Reinsurance Corporation
Africa Re Building
Plot 1679, Karimu Kotun Street,
Victoria Island
PMB 12765
Lagos, NIGERIA
Tel: (234 – 1) 2800924/2800925/4616820
Fax: (234 – 1) 2800074

E-mail: ypp2009@africa-re.com

CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS: 31 AUGUST 2009

Check the website below

http://www.africa-re.com/career.html

P&G: Financial & Accounting (Graduates)

2009-07-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

The P&G community consists of over 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide.

Procter & Gamble Nigeria is recruiting exceptional graduates for Financial Analysts.

Description

Procter & Gamble Finance & Accounting offers you the opportunity to experience a breadth of assignments as well as the flexibility to meet your individual career objectives as we work together to build our businesses. Finance & Accounting is unique within Procter & Gamble since we work across every area of the business, both domestically and globally.

Our role within P&G is to provide leadership to business decision making as well as manage the Company’s financial and accounting affairs to maximize long-term profits, cash flow, and total shareholder return.

Our assignments offer you the opportunity to make an immediate impact on the business, while you continue to build your analytical, technical, and leadership skills.

Overall job purpose

Analysis or process creation that supports the decision-making and execution of business priorities.
Responsibilities

Finance and accounting member of a multi-functional team.
Determine financial attractiveness of new product launch/pricing moves.
Determine best timing for production capacity upgrade.
Forecast brand manufacturing costs.
Expertise in analytical tools, budgeting and accounting, understanding of company systems/ processes and of functional roles and interactions.
Financial & risk evaluation of new initiatives
Portfolio analysis
Initiative tracking; competitive analysis
Pricing & cost structure analysis
Qualifications

Minimum Qualification of a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent with excellent academic results.
Excellent numeric skills and good use of spreadsheed applications
Not more than one year Post NYSC work experience
Excellent communication skills.
Job: Finance & Accounting
to aplly pls go through the website of (p and g nigeria) search through google

http://www.joinpg.com/

Intercontinenntal Bank is recruiting. Apply now !

2009-07-23T02:58:00.000-07:00

SHIPPING (Ref:CBD-003)
Grade: AM - SM

JOB FUNCTION
Â· To provide direct contacts and relationship with prospects in shipping companies.
Â· To manage account relationships in shipping.
Â· To work with and coordinate other departments and subsidiaries of the bank to ensure cross marketing and total relationship management.
Â· To ensure excellent delivery of services to our shipping customers.
Â· To maximize market share and ensure that the bank gets a sizeable portion of the customers business.
*AM must have worked in the finance dept (Former head of finance) of a major shipping company.

SKILLS:
Â· Strong managerial and leadership skills
Â· Strong analytical and conceptual skills
Â· Excellent interpersonal skills
Â· Very good credit skills with the ability to understand and structure complex credit transactions.
Â· Very good understanding of International operations and International trade finance.
Â· In-depth knowledge of the shipping industry i.e shipping and shipping agencies, regulatory frame work
Â· Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to deliver results in a target driven environment.
Â· Ability to work with little or no supervision.
Â· Knowledge of Cabotage Shipping and Port Operations inline with the recent concessioning at the Port. E.g NSC, NIMASA, etc
Â· Knowledge of the processes involved in Vessel Purchase, Maintenance and security process.

Click to apply

http://www.intercontinentalbankplc.com/vacancies.asp
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AVIATION (Ref:CBD-002) Click to apply
Grade: AM- SM

JOB FUNCTION:

Â· To provide direct contacts and relationship with prospects in foreign and local airlines.
Â· To manage account relationships in aviation.
Â· To work with and coordinate other departments and subsidiaries of the bank to ensure cross marketing and total relationship management.
Â· To ensure excellent delivery of services to our aviation customers.
Â· To maximize market share and ensure that the bank gets a sizeable portion of the customers business.
*AM must have worked in the finance dept (Former head of finance) of an airline.

SKILLS
Â· Strong managerial and leadership skills
Â· Strong analytical and conceptual skills
Â· Excellent interpersonal skills
Â· Very good credit skills with the ability to understand and structure complex credit transactions.
Â· Very good understanding of International operations and International trade finance.
Â· Good understanding of alternative sources of finance
Â· In-depth knowledge of Airline operations: Purchase requirements, Purchase Options, Insurance and Maintenance, Regulatory requirements for Airline set up and Aircrafts purchase and operations dynamics.
Â· Adequate knowledge of the regulatory bodies and considerable influence within this cycle i.e FAAN, NCAA, NAMA
Â· Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to deliver results in a target driven environment.
Ability to work with little or no supervision.

Click to apply

http://www.intercontinentalbankplc.com/vacancies.asp
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS (Ref:CBD-001) Click to apply
Grade: ASSITANT MANAGERS â€“ SENIOR MANAGERS

EXPERIENCE: - 3 â€“ 13 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN CORPORATE BANKING

JOB FUNCTION:
Â· To provide direct contacts and relationship with prospects in multinational companies and national corporates in various sectors, preferably in manufacturing and services.
Â· To manage multinational and national corporate account relationships
Â· To work with and coordinate other departments and subsidiaries of the bank to ensure cross marketing and total relationship management.
Â· To ensure excellent delivery of services to our corporate customers.
Â· To maximize market share and ensure that the bank gets a sizeable portion of the customers business.
SKILLS :
Â· Strong managerial and leadership skills
Â· Strong analytical and conceptual skills
Â· Good credit skills with the ability to understand and structure complex credit transactions.
Â· Good understanding of International operations and International trade finance.
Â· Excellent interpersonal skills
Â· Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to deliver results in a target driven environment.
Â· Ability to work with little or no supervision.
Â· In-depth knowledge of the relevant industry i.e competitor and brand identification
Â· Knowledge of the supply chain
Â· In-depth knowledge of the operational dynamics of the finance functions in the various companies.
Â· Knowledge of competitorâ€™s offerings
Â· In-depth knowledge of the source of raw materials and process cycle.

Click to apply

http://www.intercontinentalbankplc.com/vacancies.asp

ALSO,

Intercontinental Bank is recruiting experienced and executive banking professionals to join their team.

The roles ideally are for candidates with extensive weath of knowledge in the respective roles below. Candidates must be educated up to a BSc or HND level.

All qualified candidates should please read all the requirements carefully and ensure they apply to the correct email address quoting the appropriate reference numbers.

1. Branch Managers: (Ref No: BM010208)

Major Responsibilities

Supervises and coordinates activities of the branch in all parts of Nigeria; Strategies to grow the business of the branch; Manages relationship of existing customers; Prospect for new customers; Relationship management; Knowledge of profit & loss account

Position Requirement

Minimum experience of 9 years; Good credit & marketing skills; Highly passionate about marketing; Strong entrepreneurial spirit; Very strong managerial and leadership skills; Very Strong analytical and conceptual ability; Excellent interpersonal skills; Deep knowledge of financial services sectors; Proven track record in high volume marketing of financial products/services; General knowledge of Branch Management

2. Operations: (Ref No: BM040208) A-E

A. Regional Operations Executive (13 years work experience)
B. Head, Central Clearing (13 years work experience)
C. Head Treasury Operations (9 years experience)
D. Funds transfer Officers (5 years work experience)
E. Head of Operations (8 years work experience)

Major Responsibilities
To effectively manage the operations of the various activities of the Bank

Positions Requirement
Must have experience of having performed same role in a good financial organisation

3. Marketers: (Ref No: BM030208)

A. Relationship Officers (2-5 years of experience)
B. Relationship Mangers (7-10 years of experience)

Major Responsibilities
Credit facilities for customers in line with the bankâ€™s credit policy; Provide and manage direct contacts and relationship with prospects in the various sectors; Relationship management; Research and business development

Position Requirement
Excellent people management skills; Strong analytical skills; Good communication Skills â€“ Oral & Written; In â€“depth knowledge of the market; Deep knowledge of financial services sectors and products

Kindly send your resumes to careers@intercontinentalbankplc.com quoting position reference and sub-numbers (e.g A, B, C .. etc) where applicable.

Resumes are welcomed from Nigerians in the financial sector in the diaspora for these positions and any other that may not have been advertised.

â€”â€”â€“

1. Corporate Banking (Credit & Marketing): (Ref No: BM020208)

Major Responsibilities

Credit facilities for customers in line with the bankâ€™s credit policy; Provide and manage direct contacts and relationship with prospects in the various sectors; Relationship management; Research and business development.

Position Requirement

Excellent people management skills; Strong analytical skills; Good communication Skills â€“ Oral & Written; In â€“depth knowledge of the market; Deep knowledge of financial services sectors and products

2. Corporate Finance (Ref No: BM050208)

Major responsibilities

Responsible for DCM, M&A, Underwriting; Privatisation; Receiving Banker mandates; Issuing House mandates (IPO&RI); Fixed Income Instruments (Bonds, Debenture etc)

Position requirement

Experience of 9-13 years of which not less than 3 years must have spent in a similar position in a financial organization; Very strong managerial and leadership skills; Very Strong analytical and conceptual ability; Excellent interpersonal skills; Deep knowledge of financial services sectors

3. E-Banking Group (Ref No: BM070208) A-E

Business Development Executives (BDE) in:

A. Cards
B. Web Services
C. ATM
D. POS
E. Mobile Banking

Main Responsibilities

Responsible for the overall marketing, positioning and management of the product, Bank wide; Strategic direction for the department and product; Delivering set targets and expectations for the products bank wide

Positions Requirement

Minimum experience of 9 years of which not less than 2 years have been spent in a similar position; Must have proven track records of high performance in similar areas in their current job; Excellent marketing skills; Smart, intelligent and articulate; Good interpersonal relations; Excellent leadership skills; Performance Driven; Team Player; Self driven; Good supervisory skill

4. Currency Trader/Dealer (Ref No: BM060208)

Major responsibilities

He/she will have a responsibility for executing futures and futures options exchanges:

Trading in all major futures, futures options and equity options products and exchanges, domestic and international; Spot trading in the G-10 currency with emphasis on EUR, GBP, CHF and YEN; Creative in creating liquidity; Penetrate the merging markets through hedge funds; Possess proficiency with all major futures and futures options products and exchanges, domestic and international; Project highly developed functional understanding of electronic trading platforms, clearing, margins, credit, fees, risk and compliance.

Position Requirement

Must be proficient in at least two of the following activities: currency trading, swaps, futures and options; Minimum experience of 5-11 years of which three years have been spent in an established financial institution in Europe or America; Strong understanding of the local market conditions and trends and regulatory environment; Ability to work independently; A self starter; High level of analytical skills; Ability to adapt to diverse working environment; A good understanding of profit and loss accounting

Please send resumes to: StrategicCareers@intercontinentalbankplc.com

I WISH YOU ALL GOOD SUCCESS.

PZ Engineering Graduate Recruitment Programme 2009 Recruitment Opportunity

2009-07-23T02:40:00.000-07:00

The application process requires you to register for a GSE ID and password, and complete your CV on the GSE website

www.gse.org.ng

Qualification

1. Minimum of second-class degree (upper division) in Engineering from a recognized/accredited University (Nigerian/Foreign).
2. Only graduates are eligible to apply.
3. Applications must be received on or before 4th August 2009.

CANDIDATES CAN APPLY WITH OR WITHOUT GSE SCORES

Application starts on Tuesday 21st July 2009

http://www.dragnetnigeria.com/pzcussons/

To apply, simply enter your GSE ID and Password.

Mr. President, Nigeria Is Going Down

2009-07-22T06:50:00.001-07:00

Mr. President, I don’t know how you would take this, but there is no nicer way of putting it – Nigeria is going down. I have watched, helplessly, in the last few months as things appear to be spinning out of control on all fronts. What are you up to? At times, I wonder if you’re deliberately quiet or you are just too overwhelmed with the circumstances in which you have found yourself. The simplest of things appear to be too difficult for your administration to handle. Or maybe you just do not see any problems yet, right?
I would start with electricity. I know quite well that you have promised 6,000 megawatts by December 2009, which is very impressive, even if belated. At least, we have something to hold you to. At 6,000mw, we should enjoy some power supply. That alone should reduce diesel and petrol consumption, lower the cost of production, improve economic productivity and bring some businesses back to life. However, I am already hearing well-made excuses on why we may no longer meet the target because of gas shortage as a result of militant activities – which I will come back to later.
Where I live, we’ve not had electricity for three weeks – and nothing is wrong with our “transformer” as you would expect. I’m tempted to ask PHCN to come and remove their cables in front of my house, if not I will start hanging my laundry on those hopeless cables. I thought my situation was worse until I shared my story with some of my colleagues who said I was lucky! They actually envied me. One of them said he has not had power supply in six weeks. I quietly thanked my stars. At least my situation is better. At the back of my mind, I do not really care about the megawatts of darkness around me. I assume I am living in a village without electricity; so I expect to call my generator to duty every night. That is a fair deal.
What I cannot understand, Mr. President, is that we’re experiencing severe power shortage in a rainy season. Conventional wisdom is that power supply improves during the rainy season because our dams are working at full strength; the hydro plants thus generate more electricity. Since we’re always complaining about gas shortage (the complaint didn’t start with militant activities), the rainy season brings – or used to bring – relief. In fact, I used to joke that it is when we don’t desperately need power supply that we get it most: when the rains fall, the weather is friendly and everyone is entitled to natural AC. The conventional wisdom has now been turned on its head. Or are we going to say militants have bombed the water too – in addition to the gas pipelines? Something is terribly wrong.
We did not suddenly find ourselves in this tight corner, Mr. President. Think again. When you came in 2007, the plan on ground was that we would generate 6000mw by December of that year. Contracts had been awarded by the previous government towards meeting the target. I suspect that because your government was new, some people persuaded you that you needed to deal with “new” contractors. For nearly two years, various interest groups in and outside your government fought to take over these projects. You stopped paying the contractors. You and the House of Representatives embarked on a probe. Grammar, grammar, grammar. Nothing came out of the probes – apart from the fact that we keep living in darkness.
At the end of the day, we wasted two years blowing hot air. The economy has been going down, but I have seen nothing to suggest that you are deeply worried or in a hurry to address issues. Now, without exaggerating, I have never witnessed this prolonged spell of power cuts in Nigeria since 1998-99. It has never been this bad, I make bold to say. But this has not happened by accident – it is just a reflection of your attitude, Mr. President, to the condition of this country. With due respect, Alhaji, you’re not in touch with reality. Once in a while, you say the right things about the condition of this country, but your speed tells it all: there is no sense of urgency. The power emergency you promised to declare “within 100 days of assuming office” in 2007 is one of the sweetest sound bites from you – but where is the beef? Everyday, since 2007, we hear billion billons being approved for one power project or the other, but ask me what the end product is.
Dear President, are you aware our crude oil export has gone down dramatically? I guess you’re aware. From the height of nearly three million barrels per day three years ago, we’re now hovering just about a million barrels as militants blow up one oil facility after the other. Did you say it’s not your fault? Yes, it’s not your fault. You didn’t create the problems of the Niger Delta. You didn’t create the gangs. You didn’t found the militant groups. Only a fool will disagree with that. However, what did you do, on assumption of office, to address this problem? What was your strategy? How well has it worked?
You had a chance, dear President, you had a chance to do something. When you came to power, the militants declared a ceasefire, claiming that they wanted to give you a chance. But, you see, the hawks around you would not let go. They kept telling you not to negotiate with the militants. They urged you on to deal with them. They’re criminals! Stupid idiots, all! Go for them! Crush them! That was the first mistake you made – you listened to these war mongers who created the impression that they could crush the militants. Two years on, have they succeeded? Are the militants no longer causing fatal damage to the economy? Are you smiling now?
The mistake you made, Alhaji, was that you did not learn from ex-US President George Bush. After 9/11, he went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, promising to smoke out terrorists with all his military might. He went to Afghanistan in 2001 – the year of the attack – and dethroned the Taliban. Has terrorism come to an end? He jumped to Iraq and dethroned Saddam Hussein. Has terrorism come to an end? He believed bombs and more bombs would curb terrorism. Ask him again how far this has gone.
In 2007, when the militants halted their attacks in the Niger Delta, it was a big opportunity for you to play the statesman and bring peace to the region. But the hawks would have none of it. Pronto, they went and arrested Henry Okah, one of the leading figures in the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), and detained him and put him on trial. The end result was that militant activities were resumed, oil installations were getting destroyed day by day, innocent people were getting killed and the economy started bleeding. After almost two years, Mr. President, you discontinued the trial of Okah and got him released. When you knew, Alhaji, that the possibility of negotiation was there, why did you wait until the economy had been so badly hurt before choosing that option? Who advised you to arrest Okah in the first place?
To be sure, Mr. President, I do not support militant activities. In truth, I harbour serious suspicion about their intentions. Many of them are saying the right things, but the intention is suspect. I support justice and fairness in the Niger Delta, but I am suspicious of some of the agitators. I also do not like a situation where Nigerian soldiers are killed, not by enemy troops, but by their own compatriots. I also have questions to ask about the role being played by some politicians and government officials who benefit from these destructive activities. But, just like terrorists, militants are real human beings. They constitute real threat. They inflict real damages. And, to cap it all, our security forces do not have the capacity to incapacitate them – as the militants have clearly shown in recent times. You cannot wish them away. They are like the bull in the china shop.
So what took you so long, Mr. President? When did you realise there are non-combat ways of resolving the crisis? Why did you allow the hawks to claw you into a corner before embarking on this tactical retreat? You can see the results. The refineries are down, starved of crude oil supply as pipelines go up in flames and get twisted every now and then; our oil exports contracts now depend largely on “force majeur”; our thermal plants are crying for gas as power generation hits its worst in recent years; today, we hear one project or the other that cannot be done because of militant activities in the Niger Delta. Cleverly, those who promised us 6,000mw by December are now qualifying their optimism with “but for militant activities…” – showing clearly that the government underrated the militants when it was making those promises.
Mr. President, take a look round and you see a country lying almost prostrate. Take a roll call of different unions on strike or threatening to go on strike – health workers, midwives, university teachers, electricity workers, postal workers, radio and TV workers, and so on and so forth. There is something I notice: they seem to have lost faith in your government. They seem to be saying that your government does not just care about their plight. They may be right, they may be wrong – but that is a feeling that many Nigerians have. They have observed you over the last two years and concluded that there is no use expecting anything from you. What a sad story.
Your attitude to Lagos, Your Excellency, is also baffling. The least I expected from you is that you would discontinue your predecessor’s anti-Lagos policy. Lagos, whether we like it or not, is the productive base of the Nigerian economy. There is nothing anyone can do about that, not in the foreseeable future. Why federal roads in the state would remain untouched in the two years of your administration is beyond what I can believe. It doesn’t make sense. Everyday, Abuja roads are undergoing repair and construction – while Lagos roads are neglected. You behave, sir, as if you’re the President of Abuja and not the President of the 36-state federation of Nigeria. If Lagos is the economic base of Nigeria, it makes sense that it should not be neglected.
All I have done, Mr. President, is to tell you what I suspect you know – that Nigeria, under your watch, can be better than this. But I refuse to give up on you. We have no other country but Nigeria. We deserve something better. It is not too late for you to wake up to your responsibilities and treat the Nigerian condition as urgent and critical. Make haste, Your Excellency.

Amnesty Not for Cheated Soldiers

Recently, I wrote on the plight of “Akure 27”. It was the pathetic story of the soldiers who went on a UN peace-keeping mission and whose allowances were skimmed off by senior officers of the Nigerian Army. For protesting after being frustrated for weeks in their attempts to collect their allowances, the luckless soldiers were tried for mutiny and sentenced to life imprisonment. I considered this to be unjust, since the stealing was proved and since the officers’ protest was aimed at drawing the attention of the authorities to the nonsense going on in the military.
Of course, some people went all out to justify the nonsense. Some people who call themselves lawyers were even saying in America, soldiers would never protest. It is mutiny, blah blah blah. It is very amusing how Nigerians are quick to point to America when it suits their fancy. Do senior officers in the American military steal the allowances meant for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan? Let it happen in America first before we compare it to Nigeria. I got an interesting e-mail from someone recently. He wrote: “How come the Federal Government is eager to offer amnesty to militants who have been killing soldiers and bombing oil installations while soldiers who were cheated of their entitlements by their superiors are going to spend the rest of their lives in prison?” Now, I have no answer to that!

Our ultimate demand – MEND By Emma Amaize, Samuel Oyadongha & Wahab Abdullah

2009-07-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

* True fiscal federation
*Why we struck in lagos
* Never try it again – OPC

THE Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, says its ultimate demand is “true fiscal federalism”, which it insists is the only guarantee for peace in the country.

The group which attacked the strategic Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos last Sunday evening and then declared a 60 day cease-fire wants President Umaru Yar’Adua to “break away from the tradition and fear of the past where other regions were afraid of fiscal federalism” , otherwise “we have a problem on our hands”.

It said it decided to attack Lagos because the oil companies“began to seek refuge there”.

Spokesman for the group, Jomo Gbomo in responding to two e-mails from Sunday Vanguard on the Lagos attack, the criticisms that followed it and what MEND really wants, said: “We hope this period of cease-fire will again allow the government appreciate the need to address the root issues.

“The goal post will again be shifted until the core issue of fiscal federalism has been addressed. We hope the Federal Government will consider justice in every decision it makes because without it, every effort or development will come to nought and the circle will repeat itself and this is what we want to avoid.” (See details in Story of the Week inside)

The group rejected criticisms that it committed a tactical error by attacking Lagos and the warning by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State that this should be the last of any such attack in the state. “NNPC Atlas Cove is not the property of Lagos State.

It is a legitimate target in our oil war. Lagos has attracted our attention after the oil companies began to seek refuge there. We have a list of targets in Lagos that will be visited if the conflict is not resolved”, it said, adding, “In fact, (MEND) have established a cell in Lagos that now monitors the oil industry.” It also said criticisms from other quarters made no meaning to it. “We consider their opinions irrelevant. It’s because of our actions that we see the government taking concrete steps to address the Niger Delta question.”

The support we want: It said: “the type of support we want from any group should go beyond sympathy. If the west are supporting us when we cripple the oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta but get offended when same happens in their region would only confirm they are not sincere.

In the first place, the NNPC Atlas Cove jetty is not the property of Lagos State and is a legitimate target in our struggle. If we achieve fiscal federalism, it is a state like Lagos that will be among the beneficiaries.”

OPC kicks, warns against another attack on Lagos:

But addressing newsmen on Friday in Lagos, the president and founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun warned that a repeat of Sunday’s attack in any part of Yoruba land would attract severe retaliation.

Dr Fasehun said his investigation revealed that the attack on the jetty was carried out by a dissident group within MEND. He said any attack by any group against Yoruba people and its territory would be regarded as an affront against the Yoruba people and would not be tolerated. According to him, Yoruba people, especially OPC, have always been sympathetic to the struggle of the people of the Niger/Delta.

Fasehun lamented that majority of the casualties recorded during the attack
were Yoruba. “We view MEND’s attack on the Atlas Cove with a measure of discomfort. That bombing left collateral damage not just on the key Federal Government facilities; it left deaths on its trail.

Some lives and property lost were those of Yoruba people. And as an organization sworn to defend Yoruba interest anywhere in this country, OPC will be behaving out of character and calling, if it keeps quiet.”

He said if MEND did not refrain from such attack in future, it should know that OPC has the capacity to return fire for fire. “So, MEND should not provoke any unnecessary crisis between us.”

The OPC leader also asked the Federal Government to “begin the implementation of recommendations proffered by the several panels established on the Niger/ Delta, from pre-independence to the 2008 Niger/ Delta technical committee headed by Ledum Mittee.

We especially view the resting of the recommendations of the Ledum Mittee committee as flagrant demonstrations of insincerity on the part of the government. We request that the superlative resolutions of Mittee committee be unearthed and implemented immediately, as a matter of national emergency.”

CAREERS OPPORTUNITY IN CHEVRON NIG LTD

2009-07-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

NOTE: APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MONDAY JULY 27, 2009

(1) Job Reference No.: 2009-IT-01
Job Title: Network Analyst
Job Description: - Design, implementation and support of IT Telecommunication Infrastructure; shall include but not
limited to telephone systems, 2-Way radio communication systems, structured cabling networks,
microwave radio systems, satellite systems, optic fiber systems.
- Installation and maintenance of LAN and WAN devices such as routers and switches.
- Serve as technical resource to relevant project teams.

Required Qualifications: B.Sc. in Electrical/Electronics or Telecommunication Engineering with a minimum of Second Class Upper Division.
Required Skills: - Strong knowledge of telecommunication engineering
- Strong oral and written communication
- Good analytical and project management
- Teamwork and Interpersonal
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Tools.

Experience Minimum of two (2) years and maximum of ten (10) cognate experience.
Job Type: Full Time (Regular)
Job Category: Information Technology
Job Location: Lagos
Effective Job Opening Date: 7/13/2009
Job Closing Date: 7/27/2009

(2) Job Reference No.: 2009-IT-02
Job Title: Desktop/Server Support Analyst
Job Description: - Respond to assigned tickets via helpdesk ticketing system
- Installation and support of computer hardware (desktops/laptops, peripherals) and MS Office Suite and
other Business applications
- Installation of Windows 2003/2008 servers Operating System as well as specialized services such as
Printing, Exchange (email), SMS and authentication services
- Installation and administration of LAN and WAN devices like switches and routers
- Serve as technical resource to relevant project teams

Required Qualifications: B.Sc. in Computer Science, Engineering or Numerate Science with a minimum of Second Class Upper Division plus relevant Microsoft, Cisco and ITIL certifications.

Required Skills: - Knowledge of Windows 2003/2008/XP and Unix/Linux platforms.
- Knowledge of HP/Compaq servers.
- Understanding of networking devices.
- Proficiency in Microsoft SQL and Oracle Database environments.
- Working Knowledge of Microsoft office suites.
- Good analytical and project management skills.
- Should be a self-starter and strong in oral and written communication.

Experience Maximum of two (2) years post NYSC relevant experience.
Job Type: Full Time (Regular)
Job Category: Information Technology
Job Location: Lagos
Effective Job Opening Date: 7/13/2009
Job Closing Date: 7/27/2009

(3) Job Details (Ref: 2009-IT-03)
Job Reference No.: 2009-IT-03
Job Title: Applications Analyst
Job Description: - Providing second line support for the JDE Application and the Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)
Module
- Troubleshooting and proffering solution to users' problems
- Escalation of JDE and EAM-related issues to corporate partners
- Performing Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and Information Protection (IP) controls relating to security
administration and patch updates.

Required Qualifications: B.Sc. in Computer Science, Electrical/ Electronics Engineering or Numerate Science with a minimum of Second Class Upper Division.
Required Skills: - Knowledge of J. D. Edwards (JDE), Application and Web technologies
- Knowledge of current programming languages (e.g. .NET), Scripting languages (e.g. Visual Basic),
Architecture, databases and other platforms.
- Working Knowledge of Microsoft development and diagnostic tools
- Should be a self-starter and strong in oral and written communication.

Experience Maximum of two (2) years post NYSC relevant experience.
Job Type: Full Time (Regular)
Job Category: Information Technology
Job Location: Lagos
Effective Job Opening Date: 7/13/2009
Job Closing Date: 7/27/2009

(4) Job Reference No.: 2009-IT-04
Job Title: Petrochemical Computing Analyst

Job Description: - Provide day-to-day support for existing petro-technical and engineering applications
- Troubleshoot and resolve engineering and subsurface application issues to minimize downtime and
ensure applications are in working condition.
- Provide daily support at general user level for applications and associated databases such as Landmark
Reservoir and Production Management Applications, Schlumberger Reservoir Engineering applications,
Production modeling tools and any other related sub-surface engineering application.
- Provide general technical support including application data management, application programming and
script writing.

Required Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Earth Sciences or Information Technology with a minimum of second class upper division.

Required Skills: - Demonstrated technical skills in subsurface data workflows and data types.
- Good analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Teamwork and Interpersonal skills.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Tools.

Experience Minimum of two (2) years post NYSC relevant experience.
Job Type: Full Time (Regular)
Job Category: Information Technology
Job Location: Lagos
Effective Job Opening Date: 7/13/2009
Job Closing Date: 7/27/2009

APPLY AT http://www.chevronnigeriajobs.com/OpenJobs.aspx

ACCESS BANK RECRUITING (NYSC BATCH B 2009)NEW EAGLES

2009-07-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

Do you desire a rewarding career with a world class bank?
Do you desire quality training and exposure opportunities?
Do you have a Second Class Upper Degree?

If this description fits you,
Access Bank is offering young, intelligent graduates who are about to commence their service year an opportunity to build a rewarding career at Access Bank Plc. Qualified candidates will be required to pass our graduate recruitment test.

Successful candidates will be given the opportunity to serve in locations of primary posting where an Access Bank branch is located.

This might be the process towards securing a permanent job if you excel during your service year

Please send your resume to recruitment@accessbankplc.com

N/B: They always use age to disqualify candidates during the interview stage but they will never tell you.
Their age limit is 24yrs

Lagos Generates N140 Billion By Kazeem Ugbodaga

2009-07-15T02:02:00.001-07:00

The Lagos State Government generated N140 billion in the last six months.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze, disclosed at the weekend that the state government recorded a whopping N140 billion in the first six months of this year as part of its budget performance.

An analysis of the budget showed that the state government projected N202.5 billion to be generated in the first half of this year, with N101.25 billion to be generated quarterly. In the first half, N140 billion out of the projected N202.5 billion was generated by the government, which represented approximately 69 percent performance.

The first half budget performance fell short by N62.5 billion, which represented approximately 31 percent setback of the projected target of N202.5 billion for the 2009 fiscal year.

However, Governor Babatunde Fashola, while assessing the budget performance for the second quarter of the year said the state recorded 68 percent performance, representing N68.85 billion generated out of the N101.25 billion projected for the quarter.

He stated that despite the impact of economic meltdown, the state still recorded success in its budget performance, while he expressed satisfaction with the performance.

“Although this was a slight increase against the budget performance in the first quarter but in terms of the performance between this period last year, there is a four percent increase and when you look at this performance in terms of the difficult economic terrain, I think our government has done very well,” he said.

The governor stated that the budget performance was also being assessed in terms of the impact on the grassroots especially as its thrust is on poverty alleviation and economic growth.

“This we have done through the various infrastructure renewal programmes. We have looked at the impact of the budget and we have seen very encouraging results in job creation, especially at the grassroots level.In terms of direct employment in the public service, we have employed 6,114 people into the public service directly and this is largely made up of health and education workers at the lower level which are people that desperately needed to work in terms of direct employment.

“But outside the public service, we have created 52,665 jobs from so many activities such as field training, micro credit fund, business support and so many others. Some of these people are also already employing other people and this is at the grassroots and there are young graduate who have come out of schools and benefited from these programmes.

“In terms of the indirect jobs that we have created, from figures collected as at June this year, we have a little over 98,000 people who are working at various contractors’ sites as sub-contractors, as employees to people who have taken major contracts from us in building schools, drainage channels, hospitals, roads, bridges, cleaning up the streets and participating in our PSP programme and others. Not only on the macro level has the budget done well, it has also done well at the micro level, giving jobs, putting food on people’s tables,” he stated.

BRITISH COUNCIL TKT(TEACHING KNOWLEDGE TEST) TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAMME

2009-07-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

BRITISH COUNCIL TKT TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAMME

The British Council is about to commence a three days training programme for English Language trainers who will act as trainers and mentors to trainee teachers in the TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test) Essentials course which it is currently rolling out in Nigeria.

TKT Essentials is a training course for teachers of English in primary and secondary schools aimed at improving their content knowledge and skills of delivery in English Language teaching. British Council therefore invites applications from interested teachers of English in the following locations: Abuja, Kano, Jigawa, Lagos, Oyo, Delta, Borno, Niger, Sokoto, and Enugu.

To qualify for the training programme, interested applicants must meet the following requirements:

- Have a good English Language education background
- Must be teachers of English
- Possess at least a five years experience in the teaching of English

The British Council will provide the following to successful participants:

- 3 days intensive training course
- Hotel accommodation for 3 days and 4 nights
- Breakfast, lunch and tea break
- Training materials

Participants will be responsible for their dinner and transportation to Kaduna where the training will take place.

If you are interested to undergo this training, please send your resume by email to: thelma.umeh@ng.britishcouncil.org

Or by courier to:

Thelma Umeh
English Language Manager
British Council, Nigeria
10 Emir’s Palace Road
Kano.

For further enquiries, please call 0703 7496 097

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Closing date for applications is Monday 20 July 2009.
Equal Opportunity Statement

The British Council is an equal opportunity organisation and is therefore committed to equality of opportunity and inclusion and to positive action to promote this.

My life, women and the scandals, 2 Face Idibia speaks-By Ogbonna Amadi, Entertainment Editor

2009-07-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

What else is there to know about one of the nation’s leading Hip Hop and R&B stars, Innocent ( 2Face) Idibia, one may be tempted to ask? So much has been said and written about the Benue State-born musician whom, alongside two other friends, Black-Face and Faze, took the music industry by storm as the Plaintainsion Bois. Well, Saturday Vanguard brings to you the story of 2Face Idibia as never told. Enjoy it.

Is this the first time you’d be getting money from the Music and Copyrights Society of Nigeria (MCSN)?
It’s not the first time MCSN will pay me royalty. But this time, it’s really getting bigger and better.
How does this make you feel?
It’s a very welcome development, and I think MCSN should be encouraged by other members of the copyright community. They should be empowered by government to enforce the rights of Nigerian artistes.
Has government done enough?

Sometimes, one cannot help but wonder at the attitude of government toward important issues, especially copyright matters. I think the problem is that government doesn’t understand the magnitude of the music industry when it comes to the economic development of a nation.
The people in government, I should think are ignorant of the economic gains of the entertainment industry. It is in their own interest to have a change of mind and look inwards and understand that the mirror to any nation is the entertainment industry. They need to organise the industry and ensure that the right laws are put in place, and that the laws are obeyed and respected.
Some people blame the poor level of awareness amongst artistes as bane of the industry. Could this be true?
There are many artistes in America who are into music and who don’t understand anything about copyright and the associating laws.
But they have people with the technical know how to handle their affairs. They have lawyers that handle all the details and who would explain areas that concern the artistes to the musician.
So, here in Nigeria, you cannot blame the artistes for not having knowledge about what his rights are.
There is no school in Nigeria that teaches copyright and the laws protecting the rights of the artistes.
We need more entertainment lawyers, more artistes’ managers and management companies, individuals and corporate bodies that will say to the artist, “Hey, you just concentrate on your talent, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Talking about management and managers, what happened to Hypertek, your company?
Hypertek is still a baby company trying to take a stand in the industry. And right now, we are looking for more efficient hands to run the daily affairs of the company. But by the special grace of God, “We go make things happen at Hypertek.”
First, you were with Now Muzik. You left to run your own show. Now, you are back at Now Muzik. Why?
Let me put things right. I have not said we do not have efficient people at Hypertek. We do have. But the issue is that the work load at Hypertek is massive.

It’s not a child’s play. So, I need more people. It’s more like we are trying to restructure things and get more experienced hands into the company.
My involvement in the running of the company conflicted with my career as an artiste. And as you know, I cannot be the artiste, and at the same time be a manager. That’s why I returned to the safe hands of my friend, Efe Omoregbe, and his Now Muzik management.
In spite of your collaborations with international artistes like R. Kelly, Chaka Demus and Pliers, the album doesn’t seem to have risen to the height your other albums achieved.What happened?
It may not be as popular as the other albums. But it’s gaining a lot respect outside the shores of Nigeria. In Nigeria, I may not be able to say to you, “This is how well the album is doing in the market, because the kind of deal I had with the marketers gives him the power to say if the album is doing well or not in the market.
You got paid outright for the album?
Yes. I got paid in a block payment deal. But I’m still concerned about the album doing well.
Why should you give out your album to a marketer for a fee?
My brother, there is no way you will not be told stories, when it comes to wanting to know figures of your album sold by the marketer. No matter how much pressure you put on the guy, all you will get will be stories. So, the best thing to do is to sell the album right to a market. They know themselves. And if the album is pirated, he’ll know those responsible.
And who is responsible for the video?
Yeah, I handle the video production.
Whatever happened to a video featuring R. Kelly?
We are still working on it. It’s not easy to get people like that.
How were you able to get R. Kelly and Chaka Demus and Pliers to feature in the album?
The R. Kelly deal was made possible by Mr. Toyin Subair, the CEO of HiTV. Chaka Demus and Pliers were made possible by a friend of ours who lives in Chicago. The truth is that they actually featured me in their album but allowed me to also use the track in my own album.
A lot of people have complained that all he did was the chorus and nothing more…
One thing about R. Kelly is that I’m lucky. In most cases, he produces just the beat for some people without his voice, and yet he takes credit for producing such track. Even at that, the owner of the album is happy and shows respect. But in Nigeria here, we always like to put sentiments into issues.
They want to see me jumping around the stage with R. Kelly before they believe that truly R. Kelly was involved in the production. It’s not easy to get R. Kelly to produce a beat and do other stuffs for one.
For me, it’s a huge deal, and a huge achievement to have featured R. Kelly in my album. I don’t really care what people say because they try to belittle you by saying why didn’t he do a verse or whatever. But my brother, I’m cool with his level of involvement. I wrote my lyrics. He produced and provided the hook.
Sex? I thought I heard that line somewhere before?
Yeah. It was originally done by Mad Cobra. But R. Kelly did his magic on the song.
These days, you seem to be more popular outside the country. Could the new album be responsible for it?
Not really. It’s just that I’m trying to cross over to the other continents, especially America and Europe. I need people out there to understand my kind of music. I don’t want to call this new album an abstract. But you have to be really deep in music to understand what I did in the new album. It’s really deep.
And how has the collabo helped your dream?
A lot of people who have heard the song are like, “who is this guy? He’s good and all that.” It’s generating a lot of interest and people want to see me in a concert. They really want to know and feel me.
What has the experience been like since you debuted as a solo artiste?
It’s been a story of growth, the ups and the downs. Good and bad times. But it’s not been easy. So many things have come my way, and I thank God. In all, I have really grown and matured in 10 years as a solo artiste.
Would you have prevented the break up of the Plantasion Bois if you had the chance?
No, I would still have left. I’d still have gone solo. I wanted a life of mine. There is always that quest, that zeal to achieve something on your own without a crowd.
It must have been tough setting out on your own in the beginning?
It was tension all the way. Will the fans be angry with me for going solo? So many thoughts passed my minds. But I kept my fingers crossed and prayed that God took control. Thank God I was accepted.
The success of the song, African Queen, took you to new levels. Did you ever imagine this could happen?
When you do certain things, you expect people to respond to it. You fast and pray that the response is positive. When I and Black Face wrote the song, it was years before I could make use of it. When it did come out, there was tension.
You co-wrote the song with Black Face?
Yeah. The song was there all the time Plantainsion Bois held sway. But we didn’t use it. It was when I started compiling my songs for my debut album that Black Face said to me. “Old boy, make we put this African woman for this your album.” I hesitated initially but succumbed to his prodding.

Is he earning royalty from the song?
Definitely, he does. I thank him for his support during the period.
How did your relationship with Black Face start?
It started in the secondary school in Makurdi, and we lived in the same town, Oturkpo in Benue State. Saint Gabriel Secondary School was where we met and started hanging out as friends. Our love for music started growing and we hooked up together to do small shows until 1996 when we decided to come together to form the group called Plantainsion Bois.
In 1997, we came to Lagos and worked together, playing small time shows to help us survive. We didn’t do any other jobs outside music.
When you arrived Lagos, where were you staying?
In Festac, in Black Face’s uncle’s house. It wasn’t easy. But the man was a kind man. He let us stay. If he had money to give us for one or two things, he did without complaints. It was an experience that when one looks back, we cannot help but laugh.
And Faze …?
Faze joined us in the year 2000. Faze was to feature as guest on the album initially. We met Faze in 1998. He was doing his own thing then. But we became friends and when we started our recording, we featured him in some of the songs. But some months before we released the album, we now decided to include him in the group.
Was the money sharing formula 50-50?
We had no such problem. We were just cool together. We just believed everyone had an equal role to play.
What led to the crack in the wall?
Crack in the wall for me was my desire to grow up personally. I had put in eight years in the group and I wanted fresh grounds to explore my talents.
The several attacks on you.What went through your mind?
I was like, ‘na so like dis, e go just happen.” But I thank God that it wasn’t worse than it did happen. It made me realise that “old boy, anything can happen at any point in time”.
And after the first attack, two more happened. Did you ever ask, why me?
Sometimes, things just keep happening to you and it reminds you of Job in the Bible. There are some people that have been robbed like eight times in their lives but it didn’t happen in the same period and so they may not think of any coincidence.
For me, it happened within a space of two years. Now, there are some people out there who’ve experienced similar situations, and because they are not known, nobody says anything about that.
You never suspected anyone?
It was a possibility then. But I didn’t want to suspect anything like that. The first one happened in my house. The second one on the road, and the third also on the road. On the two occasions it happened, it did at locations far from my house.
With success came the women …
Yes- O!
Women …..
And plenty of wahala
Annie Macaulay was your girlfriend. Why did you use her in the ‘African Queen’ video?
She’s beautiful and was qualified to be in the video. Her appearance was not on the grounds of sentiments.
As a role model, you couldn’t “hold body” and use condoms when you had affairs with these women. Didn’t you care?
It’s not like I didn’t feel bothered about contacting HIV or getting the girls pregnant. I did. “But na so I take do am, na so e take happen and I didn’t run from my responsibilities. Maybe, I wanted it to happen like that.
And you didn’t care about the ladies’ HIV status?
We knew our status before the pregnancies. These ladies were my girlfriends and my relationship with them wasn’t like a one night stand stuff. You mentioned Annie. I have known Annie for a long time. We were already comfortable with each other.
It meant you were not faithful to them …?
“Ehe, the time wen I dey with this one, I faithful to am. The time I dey with the other, I faithful to am too.”
How many kids do you have by these women?
Oh, there are five of them.
And how do they relate?
They know each other. But right now, they live with their different mothers because I’m not always around. But once in a while, I bring them together, go out with them, so at least they will know each other.
And what is it like as a father?
It’s fun but hectic.
How?
It’s fun in the sense that when you just look at them, they are tiny things who’d grow up to become grown ups one day. It excites me when I think of my person as a father. It gives me a huge sense of responsibility, because I have to do virtually everything for them. At every second I spend with them, I have to be alert because anything can happen at anytime.
They need attention and can get injured at the slightest mistake. Everything about fatherhood has been in the positive direction. It gives me more sense of responsibility and it makes me conscious of life now more than ever.
Growing up with your parent, did they know you’d become a musician?
They knew that right from my childhood, my love for music was obvious. When I was a little boy, my love for music was very obvious, since the day I learnt to talk. At birthday parties, I was reputed for my dance. There is no how I hear music that I will not respond to it. But they didn’t know that the love music would transcend everything in my life.
You had a show with the Benue State government in Makurdi…?
No, no! I celebrated my 10th anniversary and the Benue State government was chief host of the show.
When Plantainsion Bois came on board, Hip Hop was not as popular as it is today. To crown your effort, you won the maiden MTV video award (Africa category) as the best Hip Hop artiste. Will you say that was the climax of your effort as a Hip Hop musician?
It certainly is not the climax but one of the highlights because many Nigerian youths didn’t believe in the music industry, didn’t believe that a son of the soil could from the inside of Nigeria, achieve that level of success. So, once that started happening, many other people started coming on board.
The belief that they can achieve greatness from within spurred them into action. In the industry such as ours, there are people who will thrive to better whatever records that may have been achieved in the past.
People who were afraid to sing in pidgin English, their native languages, woke up from their slumber. My first and second albums combined English, pidgin and my native tongue and yet it was a big hit. So, today the youths are stepping up the tempo.
Today, more endorsements are coming up, the pay level has also risen. This is because of the little effort some of us put into the business. I’m grateful to God to be classed as one of the pioneers that stood for the new era music and respect for artistes and level that artistes can achieve today.
It was the first time an African would win an MTV awards…
Yes, it was the first time and it was by merit.
At the time before and after your name was mentioned as winner, what went through your mind?
My feeling was God, I hope I win. I was confident because amongst all the other artistes selected from Africa, I could say that I was the best. For that year alone, I had toured all over Africa and the response I got from all these African countries that I went to, I knew I had no rival.
At their different night clubs, my music was everywhere. I was confident. But my fears were that since a winner must emerge by votes, I was somehow sceptical. So, I was surprisingly voted by these other African countries that voted for me.
The margin between me and the first runner-up was unimaginably wide. But the situation is different today. The people seem to have learnt their lessons. They vote for their own. But in my case, they were very honest.

NAMES OF FAILED BANK DEBTORS

2009-07-10T02:50:00.000-07:00

S/NName of DebtorAmount OwedBank
1Adeyeba Adekunle Johns N7b (Gulf Bank)
2Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero N45.003 million (Gulf Bank)
3Babajide Rogers N11.874 million (Gulf Bank)
4Muyiwa Osho N242.1 million (Gulf Bank)
5Ebitimi Banigo
[Former Minister of Science and Technology] N3.2b with N10 million
recovered (All States Trust Bank)
6Professor Nta Henshaw N17.9 million (All States Trust Bank)
7,8Alh I.Aminu Saleh & A. Aminu Saleh N26.918 million (Eagle Bank)
9Paul Achimugu N5.5 million (Eagle Bank)
10Alh K.A. Olatunde N13.3 million (Trade Bank)
11Alh S.Y.Abdullahi N1.25bn (Trade Bank)
12Alh Sha'aba Lafiagi
[former Governor of old Kwara State] N1.156 million (Trade Bank)
13David Chuka Nwosu N3.4 million (Trade Bank)
14,15Prince S. Adedoyin & Mrs. Sola Adeoti N5.584b with N453 million
recovered (City Express Bank)
16Angela Onyeador N30.7 million (Assurance Bank of Nigeria plc)
17Chuka Nwokoko N31.9 million (Assurance Bank of Nigeria plc)
18Moore Onyekaba N3.6 million (Assurance Bank of Nigeria plc)
19Sir Emeka Ofor N7.5bn with N3.8bn recovered (African Express Bank)
20Chief Victor Odili N54.3 million (Liberty Bank)
21Dr. T.C. Osanakpo N43.6 million (Liberty Bank)
22-27Alh B.I. Bunu, Chief F.EC. Adiele, Chief Jude Akpunku, Dr. Sam Eke,
Nnamdi Anyaehie, Nze Maduako N9.3bn (Hallmark Bank)
28J.I. Abulime N5.8 million (Lead Bank)
29Mallam Saleh Jambo N17.2 million (Lead Bank)
30,31Captain Onu & Chief D. Onyia [former Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs] N26.6 million (Lead Bank)
32Sen Chris Adighije N1.9 million (Metropolitan Bank)
33Sen Mike Ajaegbo N210 million (Metropolitan Bank)
34Chief (Mrs.) R. Adiukwu-Bakare over N1.093 billion (Metropolitan
Bank)
35Great Ogboru N799.7 million (Metropolitan Bank)
36Oladapo Sarumi
[former Minister of Information] N3.8 million (Metropolitan Bank)
37Chief S.O. Bakare N800 million (Metropolitan Bank)

Poignant service says goodbye to M.J., the man

2009-07-08T02:08:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson was an entertainment phenomenon both triumphant and troubled, a dazzling performer who transcended barriers, transformed the music world and transfixed fans and non-fans alike in every corner of the Earth.
But Tuesday's memorial was not for that Michael Jackson.
Instead, those closest to the legend gave us a glimpse of Michael Jackson the man.
In a poignant and serene service, the portrait they painted was of a human just as remarkable, making his loss doubly painful to bear for those who truly loved him.
"I just wanted to say ... ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him — so much," said Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris-Michael, before dissolving into tears and falling into the embrace of her aunt Janet.
It was a deeply emotional moment, the most profound part of a memorial that accomplished what Jackson could not in life: humanizing a man who for so long had seemed like a caricature.
How could someone who moved like he moved, sang like he sang, and reached musical heights no person has ever touched be as human as the rest of us? How could a man who threw a wedding for Elizabeth Taylor, had a chimpanzee as a companion, and wore masks to cover his surgically altered face be any part normal?
How can a man who admitted he shared his bed with boys — though he maintained it was never sexual, as others suggested — be a decent man, closer to saintly than devilish?
It took those closest to him, from his brother Marlon to his old friend Brooke Shields, to explain Michael Jackson to those who saw him as a talented freak — an image that deeply pained Jackson.
So while Motown founder Berry Gordy talked about the child prodigy he signed at age 10, and pronounced him not just the King of Pop, but "the greatest entertainer who ever lived," he also talked about the little kid who played catcher during family softball games against the Gordys, who cracked jokes and frolicked in the pool. Magic Johnson talked about the perfectionist who made him achieve higher heights as a basketball player, but also told of sitting around and eating KFC at his home. And Shields talked about a friendship in which laughter was central to it all.
"We had a bond, and maybe it was because we both understood what it was like to be in the spotlight from a very, very young age," Shields said, fighting back tears. "Both of us needed to be adults very early, but when we were together, we were two little kids having fun. ... M.J.'s laugh was the sweetest and purest of anyone I've known."
For Jackson's family and the organizers of the memorial, it was a successful rehabilitation of the image of a superstar who had been derided for so long. The words "sweet" and "pure" had rarely been used to describe Jackson in the last two decades of his life, marked by allegations of child abuse, an ever-changing face, multiple lawsuits, eccentric behavior and what seemed to be one bad career move after another.
Only true Jackson fans, a number that seemed to be dwindling year after year, seemed to remember the man who dazzled us with "Thriller," made us swoon with delight with infectious grooves like "Rock With You" and "Remember the Time," and conversed with presidents, kings and queens.
Tuesday's memorial reminded us of that Michael Jackson, too. The universally revered and admired former South African President, Nelson Mandela, offered words of condolences and love for Jackson in a statement read by Smokey Robinson.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, talked about how Jackson held court with African leaders in his bid to help slow the spread of AIDS there.
And Maya Angelou, who was also represented by her words instead of her presence, offered a loving tribute for the entertainer in remarks read by Queen Latifah.
"He took a pose on his toes for all of us," Angelou wrote, remarking on his worldwide influence from "Birmingham, Ala., to Birmingham, England."
For an entertainer known for his amazing music, song took a backseat to sentiment at the service. But when it was used, it was to great effect. His very biggest hits were not part of the program.
Instead, what we heard were the songs that reinforced Jackson outside of entertainment. Longtime friend Stevie Wonder — who summarized the thoughts of many when he said, "This is a moment I wished I didn't live to see" — sang his own "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer," originally intended as a bitter breakup song but repurposed as a sad goodbye.
Lionel Richie, Jackson's collaborator on the anthem "We Are the World," sang a gospel classic, "Jesus is Love." Another gospel hymn heralded the arrival of Jackson's casket when a choir sang the lines, "Hallelujah, hallelujah, we're going to see the King."
Two of Jackson's songs underscored his humanitarian side — the closing numbers, "We Are the World" and the anthem for his charity, "Heal the World."
Usher's heartbreaking rendition of "Gone Too Soon," which Jackson recorded as a memorial for Ryan White, one of the early public faces of AIDS, captured the pain not only of his fans and friends, but of his family, as the Jackson brothers came together and gripped a sobbing Usher in their arms afterward.
And Jermaine Jackson's version of "Smile," which Michael Jackson had often used as a metaphor for his own tragic life, was a fitting epitaph for his brother.
But perhaps no one lifted up the image of Jackson more than the Rev. Al Sharpton, in rousing, church-like sermon that took Michael Jackson back from the tabloid headlines. Sharpton looked at Jackson's children and declared: "Your daddy wasn't strange — what he had to deal with was strange."

U.S., Russia ready to set new nuclear arms limits- CNN

2009-07-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

OSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- President Obama arrived in Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in an effort to "reset" the countries' relations.

President Obama prepares to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on Monday.

The leaders will announce a new arms-control agreement at their joint press conference, a source close to the American side told CNN.

The agreement will limit the number of nuclear warheads each side can deploy and the number of missiles they have have to launch them.

The deal -- which will not be legally binding -- will replace the START I agreement, which is nearly two decades old and expires December 5.

Medvedev said a new nuclear arms treaty was the top issue on the agenda. He was speaking in an interview with Italian media RAI and Corriere della Sera.

He said before the two-day summit that relations "have begun to revive" after a period of significant deterioration during the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush.

Russia has for years linked nuclear-arms reductions to the proposed U.S. missile defense system, which would have elements in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Medvedev opposes the missile defense shield. The Bush administration first raised the idea; the Obama administration is reviewing the plan and has not decided whether to proceed.