Violence that followed elections in northern Nigeria last year forced thousands of people to flee their homes. That was 18 months ago. But in Kaduna city, hundreds of people are still living in a camp in desperate conditions.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Video - Conditions desperate for Nigerians displaced by violence
Violence that followed elections in northern Nigeria last year forced thousands of people to flee their homes. That was 18 months ago. But in Kaduna city, hundreds of people are still living in a camp in desperate conditions.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Nigeria beat Venezuela in football friendly
Ideye Brown and Igiebor Nosa scored in a five-minute span early in the second half to lead Nigeria past Venezuela 3-1 in an international friendly on Wednesday.
After both teams failed to convert multiple scoring opportunities in the first half, Nigeria broke through when Brown slotted his shot past goalkeeper Daniel Hernandez in the 48th minute, reports greenwhichtime.com.
Nosa made it 2-0 in the 53rd, landing an arcing 30-yard shot inside the right post.
Venezuela got a goal back when Frank Fleschcer scored in the 69th.
Nigeria's Onazi Ogenyi completed the scoring in stoppage time.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Nigeria is second most corrupt country in the world according to poll
The perception of the Federal Government before Nigerians crashed further, as they rated the nation's leadership as the second most corrupt in the world, a Gallup poll just made public has revealed.
Gallup, in its first-ever report on "Global States of Mind: New Metrics for World Leaders," stated that 94 per cent of Nigerians believe there is widespread corruption in government.
The poll also showed that in the world, only Kenyans believed their government was more corrupt. The poll also revealed that about 96 per cent of Kenyans had alleged that there were widespread corruption in their government, while only five per cent of Singaporeans said their government was corrupt.
Singaporeans believe their country was the least corrupt in the world. Gallup said last year's revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt where GDP was rising, shows that world leaders need more than just GDP and other traditional economic metrics to run their countries.
Gallup Chairman and CEO, Jim Clifton, said: "Economic data are becoming less and less valuable because they tend to be outdated by the time they are made available. More significantly, GDP is less valuable because leaders now need to know much more than what people are spending-they need to know what they are thinking; GDP isn't enough if you are watching for instability."
"All institutes worldwide knew GDP was rising in Tunisia and Egypt. They knew what 11 million Tunisians and 80 million Egyptians were buying and selling-but they didn't know what they were thinking," Clifton added.
Clifton said GDP wasn't enough if leaders were trying to figure out the levels of hunger, hopelessness, or suffering, adding that the United Nations did not see those revolutions coming, neither did the World Economic Forum (WEF), nor the World Bank.
"The US spends tens of billions on intelligence- and it missed those revolutions too," Clifton said. Gallup's World Poll spans about 150 countries, territories, and areas, annually capturing what more than 98 per cent of the world's adult population is thinking on topics from basic needs to job creation. Gallup's World Poll data set now includes more than one million interviews conducted since the research initiative started in 2005.
Respondents were asked questions on law and order, food and shelter, institutions and infrastructure, good jobs, wellbeing, brain drain and quality GDP growth.
Vanguard
Related story:
Gallup, in its first-ever report on "Global States of Mind: New Metrics for World Leaders," stated that 94 per cent of Nigerians believe there is widespread corruption in government.
The poll also showed that in the world, only Kenyans believed their government was more corrupt. The poll also revealed that about 96 per cent of Kenyans had alleged that there were widespread corruption in their government, while only five per cent of Singaporeans said their government was corrupt.
Singaporeans believe their country was the least corrupt in the world. Gallup said last year's revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt where GDP was rising, shows that world leaders need more than just GDP and other traditional economic metrics to run their countries.
Gallup Chairman and CEO, Jim Clifton, said: "Economic data are becoming less and less valuable because they tend to be outdated by the time they are made available. More significantly, GDP is less valuable because leaders now need to know much more than what people are spending-they need to know what they are thinking; GDP isn't enough if you are watching for instability."
"All institutes worldwide knew GDP was rising in Tunisia and Egypt. They knew what 11 million Tunisians and 80 million Egyptians were buying and selling-but they didn't know what they were thinking," Clifton added.
Clifton said GDP wasn't enough if leaders were trying to figure out the levels of hunger, hopelessness, or suffering, adding that the United Nations did not see those revolutions coming, neither did the World Economic Forum (WEF), nor the World Bank.
"The US spends tens of billions on intelligence- and it missed those revolutions too," Clifton said. Gallup's World Poll spans about 150 countries, territories, and areas, annually capturing what more than 98 per cent of the world's adult population is thinking on topics from basic needs to job creation. Gallup's World Poll data set now includes more than one million interviews conducted since the research initiative started in 2005.
Respondents were asked questions on law and order, food and shelter, institutions and infrastructure, good jobs, wellbeing, brain drain and quality GDP growth.
Vanguard
Related story:
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Police drop case against alleged racist comments referee made to John Obi Mikel
The official had come under scrutiny after Chelsea duo John Obi Mikel and Juan Mata both raised complaints following the Blues 3-2 Premier League defeat to Manchester United last month.
However, Police have since stated that "without a victim and/or any evidence that any offence has been committed", there is no line of enquiry that can be pursued.
A statement from the Metropolitan Police read: "An investigation was launched into alleged comments made during a football match between Chelsea FC and Manchester United FC at Stamford Bridge on October 28, 2012.
"This follows on from a complaint received by the Metropolitan Police Service on October 29.
"Enquiries were made and no victims have come forward.
"If the situation changes and a victim and/or evidence to support an allegation of a crime comes to police attention then further enquiries will if appropriate be made."
Chelsea quickly dropped the Spaniard's allegation against the 37-year-old, although they have continued to support the Nigerian midfielder, with club chairman Bruce Bruck once again discussing the complaint on Tuesday.
"The reaction has been very unfair," he told the Evening Standard. "We weren't interested in any confrontation with the referee or anybody else, had no thoughts of revenge on the referee.
"We were guided by obligations that are imposed by the Football Association and also as an employer. FA rule E14 basically says a participant shall immediately report to the association any incident or matter which may be considered to be a misconduct.
"I spoke to the players involved, either because they were allegedly the recipient of that abuse or had heard it, three separate times. I asked them if they could be mistaken. I asked them, if they might have heard 'Mikel' instead of 'monkey'. I thought I had covered that base.
"[The decision] was made after a great deal of anguish and after talking long and hard that evening about what should we do.
Nigeria has the highest incidents of oil spills in the world
The Senate, yesterday, disclosed that Nigeria has the highest number of oil spill incidences among oil producing countries with no penalty regime attached to such oil spills.
It noted that the level of spills in the country was a reflection of the total disregard on our environment and the dignity of our people.
Declaring open a public hearing on National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, Amendment Bill 2012 in Abuja by Senate Joint Committee on Environment and Ecology, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bukola Saraki, said oil spill had become an irresponsible environmental behaviour and reckless waste of the people’s wealth and benefit, adding that it was high time multinational oil companies in the country stopped oil spills.
Saraki said the move had become imperative against the backdrop of its devastating effect on the environment and livelihoods of the people, even as he lamented that the statistics of oil spills in the country was “shameful” while the impact on the environment is “offensive.”
He said that the Bill titled: “An Act to amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) establishment, etc, Act 2006 and for other matters connected therewith” was designed among others to redress the legal loopholes in the existing Act.
He said, ‘’Oil spill is ravaging our environment and has become one of the greatest threats to our sustainable development. This amendment Bill is a clarion call to us all, to put a stop to this.
‘’The statistics of oil spills in Nigeria is shameful; the impact on the environment is offensive. It can no longer be business as usual. Without a doubt, oil spillage is dealt with all over the world as an environmental issue and a human right issue that goes to the quality of the environment and the value of life of those impacted by spills.
‘’It is erroneous to continue to view oil spills as a necessary consequence of oil exploration.”
Senator Saraki who stressed that the Act setting up NOSDRA was presently deficient to meet current challenges posed by oil spill and at such a better legal framework was required, said, ‘’this bill seeks to cure the observed deficiency in the previous law by
tweaking the institutional framework for oil spill management and regulation to make it more efficient.
‘’Our objective is to reverse the ugly trend of endless spilling and devastation of our environment and the repugnant impact on our people.
‘’This bill seeks to make business more peaceful, the regulatory and governance system much clearer and predictable for all and achieve a more livable environment for our people.
‘’This bill also seeks to provide specific powers that will help deal with the regulatory confusion in the sector, which has pitched certain government agencies against one another and inhibited effective regulation.
‘’It is in the interest of all that we streamline this jurisdictional challenge and make it more economical for everyone involved in the causative chain of oil spill management to prevent spills as much as possible and where there is a spill, that our people are protected from bearing the economic and opportunity cost arising from same.
‘’Internationally, where there is a spill, the polluter pays for the cost and damage. But it is worrisome that in Nigeria whether an oil spill has been as a result of accident, operational failure, deliberate sabotage, negligence to take adequate measures or refusal to act there is as yet no legal mechanism or structure for determining mode of paying compensation or recovering damages.
‘’Rather we heap the brunt of the spill on the necks and shoulders of our citizens, whose livelihoods and opportunities are severely impacted by refusal to cleanup and remediate the environment.
‘’It is reprehensible to neglect or refuse to pay compensation for loss or damage from oil spill.
“It is irresponsible to characterize the damage to our country’s invaluable coastal economies, wildlife habitats, and overall coastal livelihoods from oil spills as collateral damage. This bill has as one of its objectives that must be met, to create a realistic framework for compensation for damages and cost.”
Senator Saraki who noted that because of lack of penalties and cost framework, much of the spills in the past have been largely been “ignored, neglected and in most cases never cleaned up or the sites remediated. “Little wonder then that several expert report and testimonies have acknowledged that some of the spills of over 40 years ago had not been cleaned or remediated till date.
“To continue to allow this to persist will be a major dereliction of duty on our part. This bill represents our statement of intent that we will no longer tolerate this state of affairs; responsible parties will no longer be allowed to pass the bulk.”
Declaring open the Public Hearing, Senate President David Mark who was represented by Senate Minority Whip, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Katsina said that it has become crucial to pass the bill as that would put in place a holistic framework to manage the environment, adding that that the country cannot afford to down play the impact of the oil spills.
It noted that the level of spills in the country was a reflection of the total disregard on our environment and the dignity of our people.
Declaring open a public hearing on National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, Amendment Bill 2012 in Abuja by Senate Joint Committee on Environment and Ecology, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bukola Saraki, said oil spill had become an irresponsible environmental behaviour and reckless waste of the people’s wealth and benefit, adding that it was high time multinational oil companies in the country stopped oil spills.
Saraki said the move had become imperative against the backdrop of its devastating effect on the environment and livelihoods of the people, even as he lamented that the statistics of oil spills in the country was “shameful” while the impact on the environment is “offensive.”
He said that the Bill titled: “An Act to amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) establishment, etc, Act 2006 and for other matters connected therewith” was designed among others to redress the legal loopholes in the existing Act.
He said, ‘’Oil spill is ravaging our environment and has become one of the greatest threats to our sustainable development. This amendment Bill is a clarion call to us all, to put a stop to this.
‘’The statistics of oil spills in Nigeria is shameful; the impact on the environment is offensive. It can no longer be business as usual. Without a doubt, oil spillage is dealt with all over the world as an environmental issue and a human right issue that goes to the quality of the environment and the value of life of those impacted by spills.
‘’It is erroneous to continue to view oil spills as a necessary consequence of oil exploration.”
Senator Saraki who stressed that the Act setting up NOSDRA was presently deficient to meet current challenges posed by oil spill and at such a better legal framework was required, said, ‘’this bill seeks to cure the observed deficiency in the previous law by
tweaking the institutional framework for oil spill management and regulation to make it more efficient.
‘’Our objective is to reverse the ugly trend of endless spilling and devastation of our environment and the repugnant impact on our people.
‘’This bill seeks to make business more peaceful, the regulatory and governance system much clearer and predictable for all and achieve a more livable environment for our people.
‘’This bill also seeks to provide specific powers that will help deal with the regulatory confusion in the sector, which has pitched certain government agencies against one another and inhibited effective regulation.
‘’It is in the interest of all that we streamline this jurisdictional challenge and make it more economical for everyone involved in the causative chain of oil spill management to prevent spills as much as possible and where there is a spill, that our people are protected from bearing the economic and opportunity cost arising from same.
‘’Internationally, where there is a spill, the polluter pays for the cost and damage. But it is worrisome that in Nigeria whether an oil spill has been as a result of accident, operational failure, deliberate sabotage, negligence to take adequate measures or refusal to act there is as yet no legal mechanism or structure for determining mode of paying compensation or recovering damages.
‘’Rather we heap the brunt of the spill on the necks and shoulders of our citizens, whose livelihoods and opportunities are severely impacted by refusal to cleanup and remediate the environment.
‘’It is reprehensible to neglect or refuse to pay compensation for loss or damage from oil spill.
“It is irresponsible to characterize the damage to our country’s invaluable coastal economies, wildlife habitats, and overall coastal livelihoods from oil spills as collateral damage. This bill has as one of its objectives that must be met, to create a realistic framework for compensation for damages and cost.”
Senator Saraki who noted that because of lack of penalties and cost framework, much of the spills in the past have been largely been “ignored, neglected and in most cases never cleaned up or the sites remediated. “Little wonder then that several expert report and testimonies have acknowledged that some of the spills of over 40 years ago had not been cleaned or remediated till date.
“To continue to allow this to persist will be a major dereliction of duty on our part. This bill represents our statement of intent that we will no longer tolerate this state of affairs; responsible parties will no longer be allowed to pass the bulk.”
Declaring open the Public Hearing, Senate President David Mark who was represented by Senate Minority Whip, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Katsina said that it has become crucial to pass the bill as that would put in place a holistic framework to manage the environment, adding that that the country cannot afford to down play the impact of the oil spills.
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