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Tag: expect

  • Expect His Shakings!

    technological advancement has made life easy for all but it has regrettably robbed some elders of experiencing the fun of yesteryears. During those days of manual black and white television sets with control switches at the front and the back, the act that brings order to the set whenever the image is unstable is to hit the top of the television set and for voice clarity, one needs to hit it at either of the sides. Whenever such a shaking is provoked, order is interestingly brought into disorderliness and the harder one hits it, the better its conformity to order.

    From our text, the Almighty God said that in a little while, His hands (not the hands of man) will shake the entire creation. Who is this God? He is the Almighty God (Genesis 17:1). He introduced Himself as the Central Bank Governor of the world economy – He said that Gold and Silver are His (Haggai 2:8). Whenever God shakes anything, all the ripe fruits, either low, medium or high hanging, visible to human sight or covered by leaves, that are set for human consumption and necessary for human enjoyment, strength and vitality are duty bound to drop. In fact, they all drop of their own accord.  For your sake, and during this Lenten season, God shall shake all shakeables and your ripe fruits shall drop into your hands without hesitation, in the name of Jesus.

    When He shakes, He has promised that the desire of nations shall come, that He will restore the glory of the latter days which shall be nothing comparable to the former and that He will arrest every storm with peace (Haggai 2:7-8 cf Mark 4:35-42). His shakings provoke the manifestation of the sons of God that the entire creation has been waiting for (Romans 8:19). His shakings changes menopause status to ‘menostart’ and the the restrictive laws and embargoes by human contraptions are lifted for extraordinary happenstances. Suffice to say that His shakings will bring to externalisation answers to prayers, fulfillment of divine purpose and actualisation of the essence of creation. It therefore doesn’t matter the level of your hopelessness or what your desires or prayers have been, when He shakes, manifestation shall come.

    At Philippi, which is the chief city of Macedonia, Paul and Silas were held bound and thrusted in the inner prisons with their feet fast in the stock, God caused a shaking such that “…. the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16:26 cf Job 9:6). When God shakes brethren, He addresses issues of the foundation (Psalm 11:3). A foundation is that unseen but most important aspect of a structure that controls the seen (physical structure). When God shakes, He brings order into disorderliness and form into formlessness (cf Genesis 1:1-3). Doors that have also hitherto been locked shall open of their own accord. What this means is that where they have told you that there is no way, God has the capacity to suspend order and make not only a way but introduce ways therefrom, and He shall make ways for you (Isaiah 43:19 cf Exodus 14:15-16) and where there is none to help you, the help of the helpless shall arise for you (John 5:5-9).

    Beloved, there is a time for everything on earth (Ecclesiates 3:1-8). Permit me to announce to you that this is the beginning of your joy, peace, progress and testimonies. God is about to do new things in our land and we are on the verge of singing new songs of triumph. The night time of weeping, that will herald a new morning, is over. This season is the set time for God to shake, reposition, favor and elevate Zion (Psalm 102:13). “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former’, says the Lord of hosts: ‘and in this place will I give peace”(Haggai 2:9). To be a partaker of the blessings of this set time, you must to surrender your life to Jesus Christ because He has informed us that holy things are not for dogs (Matthew 7:6). You must hand over the affairs of your life to Him and ask Him to shake the heaven, the earth and the waters for your sake. As He lives who honours His words more than His name, God shall restore your lost grounds and you shall not only celebrate but you are set to be celebrated, in Jesus’ name.

    Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, forgive all my sins, give me grace to flee every appearances of sins, let there be shakings in my life and right all my wrongs, in Jesus’ name

  • What to expect today: Black Friday at Lagos Trade Fair

    Today has been declared as Black Friday by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the organisers of the Lagos International Trade Fair. It said the Black Friday will witness more discounts on products at the fair.

    The Lagos International Trade Fair, which started on November 3, has attracted hundreds of brands. The brands range from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) to industrial produce. Before today, visitors have been buying products at promo prices.

    A young lady, who introduced herself as  Stephanie said: “You don’t know how happy I am to have this.” Stephanie was a able to get a blender for N4, 000 and she was given an additional kitchen item free of charge.

    According to Sola Oyetayo, chairman, Trade Promotions Board of LCCI, people should expect to get products at ridiculously cheap prices today. The furniture section at the fair has the likes of Lifemate, Bedmate and Master Furniture with big show rooms stocked with irresistible designs and architectures. This writer found some furniture items offered at 60 per cent discounts. Kwese TV and Startimes are also at the trade fair and people, who visited their booths enjoyed special offers. Also at the fair, Foton buses are being sold at cheaper prices. Instant gifts are being shared inside Tecno Mobile’s booth.

    The trade fair is full of wonderful experiences. Entertainment in form of music and dancing is going on at every section. Religious brands are also being showcased. Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship International (FGBMFI) sets up a meet-and-talk area, where professionals, who are interested in knowing more about the group are welcomed. Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM) is there displaying spiritual books and also at the fair with a small team of choirs to provide spirit-filled musicals. Most interesting is the parade of food canteens at the trade fair. They offer sumptuous home-made-kind-of meals, which are also at ridiculously cheap prices. This writer also discovered a cozy air-conditioned room fitted with lighting gadgets, where the creative imaging company, Studio 24, offers free pictures when you pay for the make-up. Black Friday will be fun here.

  • ‘States can’t continue to expect bailout’

    ‘States can’t continue to expect bailout’

    Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU in Lagos on how the country overcame recession, the anti-terror war, the battle against corruption, national security and restructuring. 

    What is the evidence that Nigeria is out of recession?

    The same evidence that Nigeria was in recession is the same evidence that Nigeria is out of recession. Technically, when a country goes into recession, it has recorded two has recorded two consecutive quarters of negative growth in the Gross Domestic Product (DGP), which is measured by the services and products the country has achieved. If you have a negative growth two consecutive quarters, then, the country is said to be in recession. And we have been in recession in the last five quarters. But, we have come out of that recession by the second quarter of this year. The important thing about recession is that first, it is not good for economic growth and what is pleasing in this particular recovery, is that it was led, not by the oil sector, but by the non-oil sector of the economy, notably agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, electricity and creative industry and the like. Why this is pleasing to us is that, one of the first things we realized when we came in was that we have been operating a defective economic structure, which is overtly dependent on oil. The government decided that it will divert Nigerians to the area of agriculture, manufacturing, mining, construction, creative industry and other service industry so that if there is inactivity in the oil sector, it will not affect us the way it has affected us in the past. Among other reasons, the main reason for recession was that the price of crude dropped from over 100 dollars to as low as 20 dollars in an economy that failed to invest in infrastructure, save for the raining day, pay its debt when there was a boom. It was quite injurious. So, we decided that henceforth, we will diversity our economy. I am to say that, even throughout the quarters when we were in recession, agriculture and mining were not in recession. They were always recording positive growth. By the second quarter of 2017, agriculture and mining, manufacturing, electricity have improved.

    How do you measure the impact of that on the wellbeing of the citizenry?

    Coming out of recession is like the person has been very ill. He has been in an intensive care. Now, he is moved out of the intensive care. He is now in the general ward. He has not been discharged. He will not go to the farm the very next day. He won’t begin to visit people the very next day. It will take time for other parts of the body to wake up. So, what happens when you get out of recession? Number one, it gives confidence to the operators of the economy, principally the investors. And foreign investors; it gives them confidence about the economy. That invariably translates into more jobs and better productions. For instance, in the second quarter of 2017, we recorded a 95 per cent increase in foreign capital inflow. In the first quarter of 2017, we attracted only 902 million dollars, but by the second quarter, we attracted 1.792 billion dollars, which was about 95 per cent increase in foreign capital that was brought in. Our trade balance has improved positively. We import less, we export more. Our foreign reserve between October 2016 and August 2017 has reached almost 80 million US dollars. These are indices that shows the reawakening of the economy. The multiplier effect has to be felt. Then, you will see there will be more jobs created, prices of food will go down and it will impact on the lives of common Nigerians.

    Workers in many states are still in pains over the non-payment of salaries. When should states expect the next phase of bailout from the Federal Government?

    This is a very important question. I think as much as a searchlight is being brought on the Federal Government, we must not fail to understand that we run a federal system of government, whereby each level of government also has direct access to revenue accruing to government. The constitution also gives them certain responsibilities. I think the fact between 2015 and 2017 the Federal Government released over 1.6 trillion naira bailout shows how caring it has been. This is in addition from what they receive as federal allocation every month. I think the government at the centre has shown enough passion, enough commitment and enough concern for the welfare of Nigerians. It is not under obligation to give any money to any state, but because we wanted to soften the impact of the recession, because we wanted to make sure that workers don not go hungry, because whoever works must be happy, that was why the government made available the 1.6 trillion in the last two years. For one to appreciate that, it is more than one quarter of the total budget in 2016. That was what the Federal Government gave out in the last two years. All states and local governments should ensure that money meant for bailout are meant to pay workers, supplement workers’ wages, supplement payment to contractors and make life more abundant for the people in the states. At the end of the day, every citizen belongs to one state or one local government.

    How cordial is the relationship between the executive and the National Assembly now?                                                               

    I think both arms of government have realized that there is the need for cooperation. Yes, once in a while, there are differences, there are spats. But, overall, it is an experiment and it is work in progress. Daily, we begin to understand one another better. I think what has really impressed me recently is the improved working relationship between the executive and the judiciary. About two weeks ago, the judiciary on its own said it will set up courts for trying corruption cases and its directives are out to all the chief judges to ensure that they nominate or put aside one court each where the cases will be tried. They first of all set up a monitoring committee on corruption and financial crimes cases. I think this is a good turning point in the relationship between the judiciary and the executive. Both arms of government are now aligned and are convinced that corruption is unarguably the greatest threat to our corporate existence.

    How do you react to complaints by some leaders of the ruling party that they are being sidelined from the affairs of the Federal Government?

    All such complaints are being looked into.

    What is the status of the anti-terror war now?

    I think the war against terror has been largely won by government. I always like people to remember that, when we were sworn in on May 29, 2015, 24 local governments in the federation were under the sovereign control of Boko Haram terrorist. By this control, I mean, not only were they physically present in those local governments, they set up parallel government; they hoisted their own flags, levy taxes. They had a judicial system of government alien to Nigeria. I can say without any fear of contradiction that they do not hold sway again in that manner in any local government of the federation. There is no doubt that Boko Haram has been severely degraded. They do not have the kind of capacity they had before. Before 2015, they were active. They were attacking. And they were operating in about 12 states of the federation-Sokoto, Kano, Borno, Niger State. Even, the federal capital was not immune. They were attacking at will. As a matter of fact, in those days, people went to churches and mosques with their hearts in their mouths. I think all that has ceased now. Again, if you look at the Northeastern part of the country, which was largely inaccessible before; for some years, schools were closed, roads were closed. They have all been reopened. If there is any further proof that normalcy has returned to the Northeast, I think one of the finals of the Nigerian football matches recently was played in Maiduguri between and MFN and El-Kanemi Warriors. It is ample proof that peace has returned to the Northeast. Yes, we are battling with humanitarian crisis in the region. But, it is not limited to the region. It extends to the entire Lake Chad and the government has been proactive. It set up two committees. The infrastructure there has been destroyed. Government is fixing them and ensuing that normal life returns to the area. We are also addressing the issue of several people who have been displaced, to take care of their welfare. It is a commitment that we made. Our goal is to ensure that, not only do we have to win the war on the battlefield, but we also ensure that the people return home in peace and continue their normal life.

    And what about the twin battle; the anti-corruption war? What is the status of the war because people are complaining that it is not easy to secure conviction in cases involving high profile people?

    I think this is why we are so excited about the new collaboration between the executive and the judiciary. Now, the looters took comfort in the congestion in our courts. They play a game of encouraging obstruction in the judicial system. Now, with the creation of separate court to try corruption cases, there is no longer any hiding place. The corrupt official, no matter how highly placed, cannot go scot free.

    Opinion is divided on the deployment of troops to the Southeast for ‘Operation Crocodile Smiles and Python Dance’…

    I think we must stop criticizing the issue of security. It is a dangerous game. Everywhere in the world, the security is important. The military has a role to play; to protect, secure our borders and ensure the territorial integrity of Nigeria. We must not attempt to politicize it. We must not attempt to localize it. A situation whereby some people in one part of the country will say no is not acceptable. You may have your local concerns, agitations. But, the military should be completely be immune from that. The military should defend the territorial integrity. Otherwise, you will have a situation whereby a group will say, oh, you can’t pass here; another group will say you can’t pass there. Who is going to defend us? We should stop politicizing the issue of security. It is a serious matter.

    IPOB was once described as a terrorist organisation by the Federal Government. A foreign organisation said it cannot be categorised as a terrorist group. What is the status now?

    I think Nigeria as a sovereign nation does not need the permission of another country to declare any particular body a terrorist organisation, once it is done within the ambit of our own law. And what the world needs today is collaboration and cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Alqueda was pronounced a terrorist organisation by the US, by the western world. We cooperated with them. If we have not done so, the issue of Boko Haram would have been much difficult to handle. I don’t think we need the permission of any nation to declare a particular body a terrorist organisation. It is in the interest of world peace and stability that countries collaborate with one another over what IPOB means to Nigeria. We are glad that, even the governors of the Southeast that IPOB claims to represent, have dissociated themselves from IPOB. What they are seeking for is not self-determination. MASSOB has been around much longer than IPOB. As long as they did not cross the line and they did not publicly solicit for arms, making insurgent statement that, if you don’t give us Biafra, what we have done will be a child’s play, attacking the military, erecting checkpoint and extorting money. That is not self-determination. It is a terrorist act. As far as we are concerned today, IPOB remains proscribed.

    What is your assessment of the performance of the 2017 budget?

    Now, when people complain about the performance of the budget, I think the budget was passed around June. I don’t think it is fair to be asking about its performance three months later. We are still addressing the bureaucratic bottlenecks about procurement. For me to procure, I need to advertise for six weeks, after which I will analyse all the bids, contact all those that are qualified and then contact the Bureau of Public Procurement and go to Federal Executive Council. It is burdensome. The real issue is that we have to overhaul the procurement process. There are many requirements that may slow down governance. A person is bidding; you asking for his tax clearance, evidence of whether he has paid his contributory pension scheme. I don’t think this kind of requirement is helpful. Part of the mandate of the Committee on ease of Doing Business is to identify the statutes and recommend them for overhauling.

    What lesson has government learnt from the late passage of the budget?

    There are two issues that may affect development. One is the late passage of budget. The other would be the revenue; the finance. When budget is passed late, one of the challenges is weather. You cannot build or construct during the raining season. You have to wait for the rain to stop. Fertilizers must reach farmers before the start of planting. These are some of the setbacks of late passage of budget. But, this year, we will submit next year’s budget by October to the National Assembly and hopefully, by December, it will be passed.

    Is the Federal Government prepared for restructuring?

    The president is clear on this matter. There are some legitimate demands. But, the question is: what do we mean by restructuring? Restructuring means different things to different people. To some, it is simply about resource control where every state will have control over its resources. To some, it is going back to the former three or four regions. To even some, it is the creation of more states. To some, it is the devolution of powers to states. Each of these will have to be examined. The APC committee is going round the country today to collate opinions. So, when we get the aggregate of the views, there will be need for constitution amendment. Restructuring will be about the amendment of the constitution.

  • ‘I expect nothing but excellence’

    Text of the speech delivered by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the swearing-in of 19 permanent secretaries at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja

    Today is an important day in the careers of the officers who have just been elevated to the prestigious position of Permanent Secretaries in the Lagos State Civil Service.

    Your appointments, from a pool of equally competent and qualified substantive directors, are as a result of a careful selection based on merit, professionalism and proven track record of service to the State.

    You will all recall my promise at the Inaugural address on the need to carry out public sector reforms. This phase has seen the merging and realignment of ministries and agencies as well as the creation of new ones. We have established the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment and the Office of Civic Engagement. These are in line with our campaign promises to run an inclusive government and create better opportunities for our people.

    This phase has also witnessed the realignment of Parastatals/Agencies reporting through their superintending Ministries to the Governor.  In all, we must be committed to the principles of good governance; probity, transparency and accountability.

    I expect you to apply the best tenets of the Civil Service in your roles as Permanent Secretaries, making Service and the Common Good of all Lagosians your watchwords.

    Your primary allegiance is to the people of Lagos, irrespective of creed or colour. This is the banner of this administration.  You must today rededicate yourselves to the service of Lagos State.

    The quality of service delivered by this government will be measured on daily basis. Any ministry where the quality of service is compromised, the Permanent Secretary, as Accounting Officer, should be held liable. I expect nothing but excellence in this centre of excellence.

    The next phase of our administrative agenda will be the constitution of the executive council as we consolidate on the foundation we have laid in the last Sixty days.

    I congratulate all of you on your appointment and charge you to immediately get to work, prove yourselves and justify this responsibility that has been placed on you.

    I look forward to working with you to deliver a cleaner, safer and more prosperous Lagos State.

  • FC Taraba expect another win over Lobi Stars

    FC Taraba expect another win over Lobi Stars

    FC Taraba striker, Mohammed Abdulmalik has said that the Jalingo Boys would be targeting another home win against Lobi Stars this weekend to consolidate on their first position on the premier league table.

    Abdulmalik provided the assist with which Usman Mohammed scored in Uyo to shock hosts, Akwa United in a Match Day 2 tie last weekend and the striker has disclosed that the players would be fired up to beat Lobi Stars at the Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo.

    “We won our first home match of the season and followed that up with another victory against Akwa United away. We want to add Lobi Stars to the number of those we have beaten this season. It won’t be easy but we will pull through,” Abdulmalik told SportingLife.

    FC Taraba are top with six points from two matches.

  • What to expect on your wedding night

    What to expect on your wedding night

    It’s been a long, tiring journey, planning for your wedding. The running around, the planning, the actual wedding day; it will all take a toll on you and your beloved mentally, emotionally and physically. By the end of your wedding day, you’ll be tired though chances are you might not even feel it.

    Our plan for the honeymoon night was dinner, lots of cuddles, massage, plenty of rest and sleep. But things didn’t’ go according to plan! The saving grace was that we’d talked about slowing down so we were able to extend a lot grace to ourselves later.

    “Slowing down” is easy to say, but not so easy to follow through when you feel like you’ve been waiting forever! So, you’ll need to discuss with your husband-to-be and be on the same page. Don’t get into intimate details but have a rough idea how the evening will play out.

    For example, a typical wedding ceremony might last the whole day. Afterwards, a couple will have a long drive or flight to their honeymoon destination. There’s only so much you can do after being awake and active for almost twenty-four hours. There’s no hard and fast rule but if you can plan to ease into intimacy, the better the evening/night will be.

    Past sexual experience will not make you a “pro” on your wedding night. If anything, you have a lot to unlearn and lots to learn. Also on this first night, you’ll want to err on the side of less “wow”. Most grooms want to wow their brides on the wedding night, many brides want the night to be memorable and intimate and scoring a 10 out of 10.

    But sometimes super high expectations can set you up for serious disappointment when things don’t go according to plan. It’s so much easier when you come to your wedding night wearing a learner’s hat because learners don’t have anything to lose but everything to gain. So, prepare to become a student of your spouse, not just on the wedding night, but for the rest of your married life.

    Begin to ask God to do a deep work in you now, to change you and transform you. It’s easy to feel clumsy and foolish, easy to begin to think that you’ll never learn anything. Actually, there’s a little truth in there; you will always be learning something  better get comfy in that student seat!

    Making love can be awkward, messy and hilarious! Doing it for the first time can be twice as awkward, twice as messy and twice as hilarious!

    There’s no other place where wives hope their husbands will read their minds the most like the marriage bed. And you’ll discover this on your wedding night where you sort-of hope he will figure out your body all by himself without a lot of input.

    The reality of the matter is that you are learning your own body too (and his), so it’s not like you are expected to deliver a whole thesis. So you’ll need to begin to learn how to communicate and engage, to let him know what’s going on with you.

    And in order to let him know what’s going on with you, you’ll need to understand what’s going on with you. Don’t fall for the lie that “he’s the man, he’ll figure it out.” He won’t figure it out because he doesn’t live in your brain. And even if he did, his brain works very differently!

    One of the things you need to begin to learn on your wedding night is to rein in your thoughts and concentrate on the moment. So you want to get a resource and learn something. Begin to unlearn untruths and learn the truth.

    The first night might be uncomfortable, but that’s all it is (or should be). The wedding night is not the end, but the start of your life together.

    You don’t have to have a perfect wedding night. In fact, most couples will tell you that they did not have a picture perfect wedding night. But they loved it anyway.

    With all the embarrassments and little issues, it was the start of their married life and they wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. There’s so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to.

    Real intimacy in marriage is not just about sex. It’s about connecting in all areas – mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Hopefully, you’ve been connecting in all these other areas (minus the physical) before your wedding night. Work on building your friendship during engagement and courtship, because it’s connecting in these other areas that makes sex beautiful.

  • SECOND STANZA: ‘Expect a strong Nembe City side’

    SECOND STANZA: ‘Expect a strong Nembe City side’

    Spokesman of Nembe City FC, Gbenga Adeleye, has assured fans of the Bayelsa State-based team that they will present a stronger side when the second stanza of the 2013-2014 Glo Premier League gets underway this weekend.

    “We are in top shape and ready to change our fortunes on the League table. The mid-season break has given us an insight into where things went wrong in the first stanza which we have corrected.

    “The Federation Cup has also helped us to keep our players in top shape but it was unfortunate we lost out in the round of 16. We have learnt our lesson, so the second stanza will be a different ball game entirely, ” Adeleye stated.

    He further revealed that the team have beefed up the squad with some quality players to help climb out of the bottom of the table.

    “Everybody here is ready and raring to go and wants to start getting things right at the start of the second stanza.”

    The Kala Eku Lema boys were last Thursday eliminated from this year’s Federation Cup after a 2-1 loss to defending champions Enyimba FC at the Akure Sports Complex. “I am confident we will beat the drop at the end of the season,” club chairperson, Mrs. Ebiakpo Rumson Baribote told Sportinglife.

    Nembe City are currently rock bottom of the League with 16 points from 19 games played so far.

  • Eaglets expect tough games in Cairo

    Eaglets expect tough games in Cairo

    The co-ordinator of the Nigeria U17 team, Prince Udofia, has said that the Eaglets expect to play two tough ties against the Junior Pharaohs in Cairo.

    The U17 side played two games against the Egyptians in Kaduna, and yesterday  flew to Cairo for a two-legged return .

    “We are expecting a more difficult game in Cairo, Udofia said.

    “Of course, the Egyptians would want to avenge their last defeats against us but our team has really improved over time.

    “It is going to be competitive and I think it would be good preparatory matches for our qualifiers against Congo,” he added.

    Last May, the Golden Eaglets handed a 3-2 and 3-1 defeat to the Junior Pharaohs  in Kaduna and the return leg in Cairo would see the two sides do battle twice again on July 4th and 6th.

    Before departing Kaduna last time, Egypt’s coach Gamiel Mohammed Ali vowed to pay back Nigeria in their own coins and it remains to be seen how that is  plausible on the strength of Golden Eaglets rich vein of form.

  • What Lagosians expect from Fashola

    What Lagosians expect from Fashola

    As Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola moves into the last lap of his administration, Lagos residents list the areas he should focus on to sustain the tempo of development. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN reports.

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola is on the last lap of his eight-year tenure. Analysts believe his administration, like that of his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu , has changed the face of Lagos through their of people-oriented policies and landmark projects.

    Fashola, according to them, has proved wrong his critics who seven years ago wrote him off because he was not a professional politician. Their assumption then was that the emergence of a dark horse as governor would draw back the hand of the clock in the Centre of Excellence.

    Political observers are of the view that Governor Fashola has raised the bar of governance and that his regime has become a role model for other state governors. He has excelled in service delivery, transparency, accountability, and policy execution, no matter whose ox is gored. They argued that his administration has impacted positively on Lagos residents through massive road rehabilitation, clean environment, construction of new classrooms in public schools, ensuring security of lives and property and traffic law enforcement.

    Commendable as the performance of his administration is in the last seven years may be, the people of Lagos are expecting more from him even now that he is in the last year of his tenure. The message is that Governor Fashola should sustain the tempo of his performance till his last day in office.

    A resident of Okokomaiko along Badagry Expressway, Mr. Justus Okereafor commended the governor for his effort in expanding the highway from six to 10 lanes to ease traffic flow on the international route that links Nigeria with other West African countries. Okereafor noted that even though the highway leads to Seme, the point of entry where the Federal Government generates huge revenue, the Lagos State government has taken it upon itself to rebuild the road. He said before the state government intervened, the road was a death trap, dotted with giant man-holes that caused traffic gridlock. Okereafor, who commutes between Okokomaiko and Victoria Island daily for work, said he used to spend five hours when going back home from the island. But, according to him, since the reconstruction started there has been a little improvement. His plea to Governor Fashola is that he should give completion of Badagry highway priority.  He should make it a parting gift not only for those who live within the axis, but all Nigerians and foreigners that ply the road.

    Okereafor said of Fashola’s administration: “He has tried for Lagos State just like former Governor Bola Tinubu. My appeal to Fashola is that he should not rest on his oars. He should continue to perform until he hands over to his successor.  He also advised the leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) to put the interest of the people of the state into consideration when searching for Fashola’s successor. I think  they should lay emphasis on ability to perform and transparency, so that the good work started by Tinubu and consolidated by Fashola would continue.

    A banker and resident of Ikorodu, who works on Lagos island, Mr. Hakeem Oladimeji, also commended Fashola for his commitment towards improving the welfare of Lagosians. He spoke of the traffic problems he encounters on daily basis along Lagos-Ikorodu highway, saying the on-going expansion of the road is a bitter pill the people have to swallow. Ironically, the highway also belongs to the Federal Government, but the Lagos State government in its bid to ease the traffic jam along the road is undertaking a giant step of increasing it from four to six lanes.

    Oladimeji said he must leave home by 4.30 a.m., if he must get to his office by 7.30 a.m. According to him, “under normal circumstance, the journey from Ikorodu to CMS in Lagos Island should not take more than 45 minutes. I still face the same problem on my way back home. Sometimes, I return home by 12 midnight or by 1.00am.” He said when the road construction is over, it would bring joy to those who make use of it and boost the economic activities of the state. “It is on this basis that I find it imperative to appeal to our amiable Governor Fashola to tell the contractors to accelerate the completion of the road project. This call has become absolute necessary in view of the fact that Governor Fashola has just only one year to spend in office.  This project must not wait for another regime to complete. Fashola should take full credit for the project,” he added.

    On her part, Mrs. Janet Awobusayo, a trader, wants Governor Fashola to construct more markets before leaving office. Awobusayo, who was a shop owner at Tejuosho market, Yaba, said many of the shop owners at the market before it was reconstructed had been displaced because they cannot afford to pay what the developers are demanding.

    “ Where will I get N10 million to pay for a shop?  For almost six years now, many of us are out of business. The state government promised that the former shop owners would be given priority in shop allocation after reconstruction, but the terms and conditions being put in place by the developers are beyond our reach. The best that the state government can do to placate us is to build new markets that will be within the reach of the ”real” market women. If Governor Fashola can do that for us before he leaves office, we will never forget him.”

    The security challenge in the country is the concern of Ahaji Mustapha Ibrahim. He said Governor Fashola should not to relent in his efforts to make Lagos a no-go area for criminals. Ibrahim lauded him for setting up Trust Fund for security to which the private sector has been making huge contribution. The fund, according to him, has made it possible for the state government to procure equipment for federal police operating in the state. The state also motivates those serving in Rapid Response Squad through payment of monthly allowance.

    He wants Governor Fashola to mobilise other governors in the country to ensure that the National Assembly adopts the recommendation on the establishment of State Police.  He said the existence of local police side by side with the federal police would enhance crime detection. Local police are in a better position to tackle crimes in their area of jurisdiction because they are familiar with the terrain, he said, and added that the creation of state police will create jobs for the unemployed youths.

    Mustapha urged the Fashola regime to intensify its fight against street urchins, touts and undesirable elements whose stock in trade is to foment trouble and unleash terror on law abiding citizens. He said the Task Force on environment has gone to sleep as “area boys” have taken over the bus stops again.

  • ‘Don’t expect much from conference’

    ‘Don’t expect much from conference’

    Former Deputy Senate Minority Leader Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora bares his mind on the National Conference, 2015 elections, national security and other issues. He spoke with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN.

    Are you satisfied with the National Conference set up the Jonathan Administration?

    I am not satisfied with the National Conference. What I envisaged, like other compatriots in this country, is a conference that would seek to address fundamental issues that confront us as a nation. There is need for restructuring of the country along socio-political and economic lines. To achieve that kind of restructuring we would need to put in place an enabling Act to back up the conference.

    The conference put in place by the Jonathan administration lacks the backing of an enabling Act. Coming into being by mere pronouncement of Mr President does not and cannot amount to law itself. What we are being told is that the outcome of the conference would be forwarded to the National Assembly to form part of the constitution amendments. Remember that the National Assembly had embarked on constitution amendment exercise. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have taken decisions on certain issues. The two chambers have to harmonise their positions. Against this background, certain decisions that are not in tandem with the National Assembly position are bound to be jettisoned. Again, the clauses amended in the Constitution by the National Assembly must get approval of the two-thirds of 36 States House of Assembly, who are under the influence of their state governors.

    Are there other reasons why you are not comfortable with the National Conference?

    First, lack of legal backing for the National Conference is number one basis for my dissatisfaction with the way the Federal Government is handling the issue of the National Conference.

    Second, we were told the delegates would sit for three months which I consider inadequate if they must do a thorough job. Three months is not enough to discuss thoroughly the problems of this country. To discuss the problems exhaustively will require 9-12 months.

    Third, it seems to me that what Nigerians really want is a brand new Constitution and not an amendment to the existing one. The way we have set out is to amend the constitution is contrary to the yearnings of the people. A brand new Constitution can only be put in place by a Constituent Assembly established by an Act of the National Assembly.

    Third, the National Assembly has put in place a Constitution Amendment process now at the final stage. What is now due to be done is harmonisation of clauses passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives which would thereafter be sent to the States Assembly. The new process (the National Conference) would end up amending the constitution. The entire process is flawed.

    Fourth, the manner by which the delegates were nominated. If we are serious as a nation, the delegates ought to emerge through election not by selection. If delegates must be selected, they should be very few, not large number or the entire number of delegates being selected by government. It appears to me that those selected are those that are sympathetic to Jonathan’s re-election bid. Quite a number of ethnic groups have been excluded from the process. You can’t solve the problems through a process that is flawed.

    Fifth, large percentage of the delegates is made up of senior citizens. It is rather unfortunate that some of the actors that brought the country to its knees are being gathered to proffer solutions to the problems of the country. It is impossible for those characters to establish a new order for this country.

    The monthly allowance of N4 million per delegate has been described as outrageous. Is the allowance commensurate with the demands of the job?

    I am not in a position to determine the appropriate allowance for the delegates. But considering the state of Nigeria’s economy, the amount (N7 billion) being committed to the exercise is definitely misplaced. In a country where you have a very high level of youth unemployment as clearly demonstrated by the recent unfortunate loss of souls we had during the recruitment exercise of Nigeria Immigration Service to now commit N7 billion to National Conference is a demonstration of misplaced priority.

    What are your expectations about the National Conference?

    Essentially, I would expect that the issues of economic, socio-political restructuring would be addressed. I expect that fiscal federalism, devolution of powers, state police, revenue derivation, high cost of running government would take the front burner at the conference.

    You were the arrowhead of the campaign against Obasanjo’s tenure elongation. Did he actually make moves to extend his tenure?

    If it wasn’t real, I won’t be campaigning for an unfathomable issue. The truth is that Obasanjo wanted a tenure elongation which my colleagues and I with the glory of God succeeded in aborting. I was a prime actor in the entire episode of an attempt in the tenure elongation debacle. For you to be convinced that the tenure elongation bid was real, you need to read Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s book titled “The accidental Public Servant”. El-Rufai was one of the closest aides of Obasanjo. He was part and parcel of the Obasanjo regime. He was a member of the Obasanjo’s cabinet. There are copious evidence in that book that Obasanjo really schemed for a third term in office.

    Are you satisfied with the Federal Government’s handling of security challenges in the country?

    I am not satisfied with the handling of the security challenges, particularly at the initial stage. But now, the Federal Government is doing too little too late. If it had responded much earlier the way it is doing now, the situation would not have deteriorated to this level. The Federal Government underrated the capacity and capability of Boko Haram, until it grew into a monster.

    Hitherto, the Federal Government believed that it had the capacity to handle Boko Haram internally. But, it has been established that the terrorist group has cross-border components. What is now happening is a joint effort; a multi-national force tackling the Boko Haram menace. Like all other terrorist groups in the world, you need multi-national co-operation to tackle the menace. It is after the multi-national force came in that we are now having results in terms of arms cache and arrest of members of the deadly sect. It is now that the Federal Government is seeking the support and co-operation from international bodies that it is making headway in tackling the menace.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has boasted that it would reclaim the Southwest states from All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. What is your reaction?

    PDP’s plan to reclaim the Southwest in 2015 is a mirage. It is a wishful thinking. The party never had a foothold in the Southwest. The so-called foothold it had in the past was through rigging. That was why it didn’t last. PDP ought to know that it was living on a borrowed time. When the time was up, it had to relinquish what it stole. PDP enjoyed the stolen mandate in the Southwest. Of course, it enjoyed it till when it lasted. But, the real owners of the Southwest are back in the saddle.

    What is your assessment of the seventh National Assembly? Are the legislators living up to expectations?

    The National Assembly appears to be doing what it might consider as best. Whether that best is good enough for Nigerians is another thing in the face of the economic down turn, despite the good figures being paraded without improvement on the living condition of the people. The issue of corruption is still worrisome. In spite of the efforts of the National Assembly through various investigative hearings, we don’t seem to be getting good results. The National Assembly has to do more, particularly in the course of its oversight functions. Much as I appreciate the limitations of the National Assembly, particularly its inability to implement decisions and policies, the National Assembly ought to be considering other avenues by which it can stamp its authority.

    The National Assembly should engage more in legislative activism. In the areas of confirmation of appointments, the Senate should do more in terms of their confirmation hearing. In this regard, one of the things I look forward to is that when the President present the names of the ministerial nominees, the Senate should insist that the portfolios of the nominees should be indicated in order to determine the suitability of the prospective ministers for their respective portfolios. The National Assembly is empowered to determine its procedure. This is what the National Assembly should have put in place. This is the way it is being done in the United States that we intend to copy. When the US President nominates ministers, he sends the list with the portfolios of each nominee to the Senate. The competence of that nominee is the focus of screening by the Senate. Why not here?

    The National Assembly has to do more in budget scrutiny. Year in year out, the implementation of the budget is slow. Yet huge budgetary votes are approved for the Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Budget proposals are repeated on yearly basis. What happens to the previous budgets? In spite of the reservations in terms of performance of the National Assembly as an institution, I still want to commend the leadership of both Houses under Senator David Mark and Hon Aminu Tambuwal. They have done fairly well in piloting the affairs of both Houses.

    As a medical practitioner what do you think is responsible for the poor healthcare delivery in the country?

    The healthcare delivery system is disorganised and disjointed. It is poorly funded. These are the main challenges facing healthcare delivery. The best way to fund healthcare is through Health Insurance Scheme which is still at infant stage. The last Senate passed National Health Bill which seeks to correct the disjointed and disorganised health sector but Mr President did not sign the Bill. However, the Bill has been re-introduced, I hope when passed Mr President will not hesitate to sign it in order to bring order into our healthcare delivery system.

    I must not fail to mention poor remuneration for health workers at all levels: doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and health technicians. Healthcare is a team work. Everybody is important in that team. It is also important for me to stress the need to create conducive atmosphere for health workers. In hospitals and clinics, facilities should not only be available, but must be functional.

    What is the true position of the Bill on Tobacco control?

    I had a singular honour of sponsoring the bill on tobacco control. It was passed by the Senate, but Mr President refused to sign it into law. The bill has been resuscitated at the House of Representatives. I hope it will be passed and Mr President will sign it into law. The Bill on Tobacco Control when signed into law will elevate our status at the international level because we are signatory to the framework on Tobacco control. We should not shy away from our responsibility as a nation. Lagos State House of Assembly did something recently by passing a bill that banned smoking in public places. This has been signed into law by Governor Babatunde Fashola. Commendable as it is, it is not far reaching enough. I hope when that of the National Assembly is passed into law, it will be more comprehensive and deal with more issues on tobacco control.