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Tag: expectations

  • Anxiety, expectations as new Olu of Warri emerges today

    Anxiety, expectations as new Olu of Warri emerges today

    •No ambition to be Olu – Prince Ebiyemi 

    There are mixed feelings among the Itsekiri people in Warri, Delta State, and those in the Diaspora, as all roads lead to Ode-Itsekiri (Big Warri), ahead of the naming of a new Olu (monarch) for Warri Kingdom.

    Although the invitation for the event was sent under the guise of a special convention of the ethnic group, there were, however, strong indications that it is for the formal announcement of the transition of Ogiame Atuwatse II, who reportedly died in a Lagos hospital a fortnight ago.

    “The announcement of Ogiame Atuwatse II will also pave the way for the emergence of his successor,” a reliable traditional source told The Nation.

    The Nation gathered that the Itsekiri people, who occupy the oil-rich Warri area of Delta state, hold their monarch in very high esteem.

    The Olu is said to be a rallying point and unifying factor for the small, but very influential people, and the selection process is very important for them.

    Already, as earlier reported, Prince Godfrey Ikenwoli Emiko (aka Abiloye) may have emerged  as the successor to his elder sibling, after the son of the late Olu, Prince Tsola Emiko, was disqualified on the ground of his maternal lineage.

    “His (Prince Tsola) mother is not from the two tribes that can be the mother of Olu; only princes born of Itsekiri or Edo mothers are qualified,” a source said.

    As a result, it was gathered that the race was narrowed down to Prince Ikenwoli and his half brother, Prince Ebiyemi Emiko, a former staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited.

    Prince Ebiyemi (Yemi), however, denied nursing an ambition  for the highly exalted stool, even as he feigned ignorance of its vacancy.

    Speaking in a telephone chat to correct what he termed “some misrepresentations”, he explained: “I have no interest whatsoever in being the Olu of Warri; not now or in the future. My interests are in other areas. But I am committed to the growth and unity of the kingdom.”

    In the same vein, Prince Yemi affirmed his qualification, saying:  “I am a full-blooded Itsekiri; my mother was not an Isoko, but an Itsekiri woman from Ekurede-Itsekiri, where she was buried and she was née Agbeyegbe.”

    Meanwhile, sources close to the first son of the late Warri monarch, Primce Tsola, told our reporter that he is under intense pressure to challenge the decision of the Itsekiri kingmakers.

    “The young prince is being inundated by people around him and those who are claiming to love him more than he loved himself. They want him to go to court to stop the process because they feel that it is his right to succeed his father.

    “But from his body language and what he has said so far, he doesn’t seem to be interested, because he has been telling everybody that he is bounded by the decision of his elders and leaders of the land,” the source added.

  • Buhari performing to expectations, says ex-lawmaker

    Buhari performing to expectations, says ex-lawmaker

    Barely three months into the tenure of the current administration, Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation in Osun State, Senator Mudasiru Hussain, has expressed satisfaction that president Muhammadu Buhari has performed to expectations.

    According to Hussain, the Buhari presidency has restored discipline in all facets of our national life owing to the President’s integrity and incorruptibility.

    Government institutions, the former senator added, have also keyed into the change mantra by improving on their service delivery.

    Speaking on the achievements of the federal government, he said: “There is increase in the federal allocation in spite of the continuous fall in the price of crude oil in the international market. It shows Buhari has been blocking all the leakages through which our money was being siphoned. Allocation to states is now improving and by default, things are changing for good.

    “In just three months, our refineries are now working simply because of the fear that Buhari would not condone indiscipline, corruption and sabotage. Power generation has also increased and Nigerians are beginning to enjoy stable electricity.”

    On the financial crisis in Osun State, Hussain said it is not peculiar to the state, even as he expressed his optimism that the state would soon overcome its challenges within the shortest period of time.

    Husain said: “The economic crisis we are facing in Osun is not peculiar to the state. Sincerely, the economic quagmire of the state is as a result of the bastardisation of the country’s economy and brazen corruption under the former President Goodluck Jonathan led administration.”

  • Okorocha and burden of expectations

    SIR: When Governor Rochas Okorocha won the hard fought governorship election in 2011, he knew the task ahead was gargantuan but he never gave a thought to the burden of expectations he would be confronting. By the time he became governor, he became his own man, he belonged to no one but everybody.

    The decision to belong to all Imolites was what made the difference between him and his predecessors. During his first term, there was no area or sector one would say didn’t feel the impact of Rochas’ administration.

    He started by fulfilling one of his core campaign promises that many said was impossible – Free education from primary school to tertiary institutions in Imo State.

    Apart from the free education, the health sector is also having a facelift across the 27 Local Government Areas in the state. The beautification of the state capital, the roundabouts, city gates, pedestrian bridges, street lights etc. The road sector is also not left out, there have been tremendous improvements in the construction of quality and durable roads across the state in the past four years. Opposition  may have lied to the world during the last campaigns that there are no motorable roads in Imo State, but we know the truth.

    Even with the achievements recorded so far, the burden of expectations here is so high that every project done goes almost unnoticed. There’s so much to do but with little resources. You won’t  blame Imolites.   Imolites have not really enjoyed dividends of democracy since its inception in 1999. What we have had in the past is a government for the interest of a few. The coming of Gov. Rochas, for a fact upped the political consciousness of Imolites. the fact he was delivering awakened the political consciousness of Imolites and I had no fear he would win his re-election.

    The second tenure has commenced in earnest and the governor is wasting no time in keeping to his campaign promises especially now that Imo state has connected with the ruling party at the centre and the peoples governor has reiterated he would continue with his inclusive government and would ensure all the zones in Imo state are represented in his government including politicians that defected from other political parties.

    Let me use this opportunity to remind the peoples governor of one of his main campaign promises: industries to absorb the teeming unemployed youths. We voted for you not only because you have been tested and trusted but because we can’t afford to lose a performing governor to conceited politicians whose manifestos were just to criticize a performing governor without telling us what they would do differently.

    The challenges ahead may seem insurmountable considering the burden of expectations from Imolites, but its not an impossible a task. The desire to succeed far outweighs the fears. Imo must be better and with Rochas we know, it will remain a promise kept.

     

    • Joseph Chimezie,

    Oweri, Imo State.

     

  • Groups list expectations from new Benue government

    Groups list expectations from new Benue government

    Various groups yesterday evening listed their expectations from the incoming administration in Benue State ranging from the provision of critical infrastructure and good governance to positions in government.

    They bared their minds during separate courtesy calls on the Benue State Governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom, at his Makurdi residence.

    The Gaambe-Tiev All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum, Minda Accountants Forum and Traders at Modern Market wrote their requests, read and handed the documents to Dr Ortom.

    Spokesman for the delegation from the five council wards of Gaambe-Tiev in the Logo Local Government Area, Mr Mathias Mtserkyaa, stated  that Dr Ortom’s rise from humble beginnings to become a minister of the Federal Republic has nurtured him to provide the state with the needed leadership.

    Mr Mtserkyaa, a former Benue State House of Assembly member expressed appreciation for what he described as Dr Ortom’s close association with the people of the area, particularly Mr James Anbua.

    He sought an end to the incessant Fulani attacks, resulting in the loss of lives and property as well as the rape of women in the area.

    He called for the  provision of portable water and establishment of industries in the  area.

    The Minda Accountants Forum, in an address presented by its president, Mr Patrick Asarya, said they had no doubt that Dr Ortom’s administration would impact positively on the lives of Benue people in an unprecedented manner.

    In a goodwill message signed by Okoye Francis, the traders stated that they had a burning desire to see the uplift of the Makurdi Modern Market.

    He pledged to reciprocate his cordial relationship with the Gaambe-Tiev community and several of their sons, including Governor Gabriel Suswam and Anbua who he said had washed his hands well enough to dine with kings.

    Dr Ortom assured the community that he would utilize dialogue to resolve  all  conflicts in the state as soon as possible on assumption of office.

    He said he would provide the infrastructure they requested as it would also serve his immediate community.

    The former minister said he expected the accountants to exhibit honesty in the performance of their duties and assured the traders his administration would boost the private sector through support for micro, small and medium scale enterprises, trading activities and investment.

  • ‘All eyes on APC to meet Nigerians’ expectations’

    ‘All eyes on APC to meet Nigerians’ expectations’

    A House of Representatives member-elect, Hon. Oluwole Oke, has said that all eyes are on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to meet the aspirations of Nigerians when the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is sworn in on May 29.

    Oke, who would be representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    The PDP, Oke added, will put the new ruling party on its toes and ensure that it delivers on all its electoral promises.

    He commended the outgoing President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, for his patriotism in accepting  defeat, saying with that singular act, he has won the confidence of the international community particularly foreign investors.

    Oke, however, berated politicians defecting from the PDP to the APC, describing their action irresponsible.

    He said: “It is very irresponsible; though they have their fundamental human rights to join any party of their choice, but to me, if the APC people had defected to PDP in the last 16 years ago, would they be where they are today?

    “These people laboured, they toiled day and night for16 years and they strategised to capture power and because they have captured power, you now suddenly jump to APC. It is bad. You heard what the President-elect said, you heard what the National Chairman of the APC has said, that all sinners are allowed to come to the church, but they would not allow them to go to the pulpit. That is a clear message.

    “Being in opposition does not mean being an enemy of the state or being an enemy of the government. Our duty is to form a shadow government in line with international democratic practices and to hold the majority party to its electoral promises and to ensure that they discharge their duties constitutionally so that at the end of the day, every Nigerian will benefit from good governance. Don’t forget that if Nigeria gets better, it is not only the APC members that would benefit. All of us collectively will benefit.”

     

     

     

  • ‘Lobi played below expectations‘

    Lobi stars Team Manager Banabars Imenger has admitted that Dolphins FC of Port-Harcourt were better than his side during their Federation Cup quarter final clash played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu yesterday.

    Dolphins won by 4-2 to progress to the semi final stage of the competition.

    Imenger, who won the trophy as a player with El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in 1991 and 1992, said his boys were not at their best yesterday.

    “It was our bad day because our boys played below expectations. Dolphins played better than us and they took their chances. I wish them best of luck.

    If they continue to play the way they  played us today they have a chance to win the trophy. We will evaluate what happened in the game and make necessary corrections,” Imenger told SportingLife.

  • Expectations from new CBN governor

    SIR: I congratulate the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele who assumes duty today Monday June 2, as  11th governor of the apex bank.

    It is said that to whom much is given, much is expected. He will be expected to continue and possibly build on the successes recorded by his predecessor, especially in attaining a workable monetary policy, banking reforms and the cashless policy. The naira and external reserves have not been very strong in recent time. While the naira has continued to slide against the US dollar, Nigeria’s external reserves have steadily dropped from about $50 billion mid last year to less than $37.8 billion. Emefiele will need to introduce proactive measures to stabilise the naira and to shore up the nation’s foreign reserves.

    Price stability is central to economic management; it is one of the major criteria by which a central bank is assessed in its effectiveness. This explains why it is the number one among the mandates or objectives of the central bank. He should focus on the core objective of managing the monetary policy of the country.

    The introduction of a cashless policy stands as one of the remarkable accomplishments of the CBN under Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Linked to this is the $50 million biometric solution project which was inaugurated by Sanusi six days before his suspension. The project aims at building a central database of bank customers in the country. It will specifically serve to identify those transacting business with Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and Point of Sales (PoS) machines. As erstwhile chairman of the Biometrics Sub-committee of the Bankers’ Committee, Emefiele must ensure continuity of the project.

    Nigerian banks charge the highest fees and rates in the entire world. Customers pay N5-10 per sms alert, even for bank error repeat texts – though bulk sms texts are offered to businesses by mobile networks at N1/sms. Hardware token for security is issued at N2000; bank statements are charged at about N40/page; renewal of ATM card attracts a charge of N1000.  N500 is charged monthly as maintenance fee for current accounts; even reference letters come with a charge of up to N2000. And then, you also have the Value added tax, for ‘no value added.’

    When compared to US banks, there is no Commission on Turnover (COT), no deposit fine, no withdrawal fine, customers have several free banking options, ATM cards are replaced for free, bank statements are obtained for free, and text messages are free. But not so in Nigeria where banks are run by a cabal with the CBN working in the interests of the banks and not the people.

    Closely linked with this is how the banking system, within a high interest rate regime, will be able to avail credit to the private sector. In the event that businesses are hamstrung by high interest rates, the major losers will be the Small and Medium Enterprises, which, unfortunately, are supposed to be the fulcrum for the achievement of an all-inclusive growth.

    In the same vein, the microfinance banks in Nigeria have the potential to build the country’s Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and as a result reduce unemployment in the land. The new governor should see the significance of microfinance banks as the catalyst towards development of SMEs in the country.

    Government must not heed the calls for the reduction in the powers of the CBN Governor; instead government must allow the new helmsman unfettered space to carry out his agenda. Political independence and non-partisan monetary policy provide the promise of policy stability over time, which in turn stabilizes expectations in asset markets. Such stability and continuity are essential to a successful monetary policy.

    Here is wishing Emefiele a successful tenure as CBN Governor.

    • John Tosin Ajiboye,

     Lagos, Nigeria

     

  • Expectations from the National Conference

    SIR: I have always been an advocate of a Sovereign National Conference which our governments have always been opposed until President Jonathan now seems to have had a rethink.

    I still have my doubts as to whether the President will go the whole length. However, whatever his motives were, I believe we can hijack it to our advantage! I am particularly delighted at the calibre of nominees as delegates!

    One area I appeal to these delegates to address is the area of the obscene pays that attach to being in government at whatever level. There are projections that each delegate will go home with N12 million naira. I appeal to the delegates to fix a pay for themselves that will reflect the economic situation of the country! They can then go on from there to fix salaries that will attach to various offices inthe land, from the President to the Councillor. Anyone who feels that pay is too low for him should stay away and allow those who are only out to serve to come forward.

    They should recommend the scrapping of RMAFC,which has been recommending the outrageous pays that are paid to people in government,which pays make getting into office a do or die affair.

    The other day the erstwhile CBN Governor alleged that our legislators consumed 25% of the country’s recurrent expenditure which they denied vehemently. Senator Enyinaya,the Senate spokesperson later claimed it was only three percent.

    Granted that it is three percent, what that means is  that, even if we generously grant that there are about 5000 of them, it means they are consuming the entitlement of about five million people because that is what three percent of 170 million, Nigeria’s population comes to.

    Another area is that not less than 70% of our annual budget should be for capital expenditure. Anyway the trimming down of the compensations for public officers will take care of that.

    If this is all the conference will achieve, it will be quite an achievement as it will sanitize the polity.

    •Abiodun Sopitan

    masopitan@yahoo.com

  • Strike: ASUU members to decide on FG’s fresh offer

    Strike: ASUU members to decide on FG’s fresh offer

    After 13 hours of negotiations, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, on Monday was not forthcoming with the new Federal Government’s offer as he insisted that its members have the final say on the issue.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at First Lady’s Conference Room in the Presidential Villa, he said the meeting rubbed minds on how to tackle the problems confronting university education system in the country.

    He said: “Well we had lengthy meeting with Mr. President, rubbing minds on how best to address the problem of university education in this country.

    “And we now have a message from Mr. President which we are going to take to our members. And we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately to the message of Mr. President.

    On whether the lecturers are going back to the classroom, he said: “That is up to our members.”

    Asked what the message was, he said: “I can’t tell you. It is not for you. It is for our members.”

    If impressed with the message, he said: “Don’t put words into my mouth. Our members will determine that.”

    Also speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Labour Emeka Wogu, said: “We made progress, the President of ASUU told you that they are going back with a message from the Federal Government back to their members. And the message is full of high expectations and hope.”

    On whether the strike will be called off, he said: “That is why the message is full of high expectations and hope. So our prayer is that they come back with positive outcome. They might not even come back to meet us, they might take decisions there that will meet your expectations.”

    “Nigerians should be patient for ASUU to finish their meetings and come out with a message to Nigerians.”

    On whether the Federal Government made a fresh offer, Wogu said: “Well, the offer we made are the offer they are taking in line with the 2009 agreement. The issues that led to the strike are issues contained in the 2009 agreement and we did not go beyond the agreement.”

    But before the meeting started on Monday afternoon, President Jonathan had assured the lecturers that the protracted over four months’ old strike would be resolved at the meeting.

    Jonathan, who took charge of the Federal Government’s negotiations with the lecturers, while exchanging pleasantries with the team led by ASUU President, said: “My president all the problems will be over today, all our children must go back to school.”

    Also greeting the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwahab Omar, at the beginning of the meeting, President Jonathan said: “My president with you around today, there will be no problem, our agreement is signed, sealed and delivered.”

    On the Federal Government team are – Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu; Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim; Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof Julius Okogie and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

     

  • New Pope, new hopes and expectations

    New Pope, new hopes and expectations

    Argentina  in recent times has been widely known for the Falklands War   with  Britain and before that  for the debt default crisis of 2001 that almost collapsed the global financial system. On  a happier note  though Argentina is  respected   widely as the nation that gave the world soccer happiness – as the country that produced first Diego Maradona  and  now  Lionel Messi   of Barcelona.   Just last week the magic of Lionel Messi  put paid to   Italy‘s  AC Milan’s dream at the UEFA Champions League with a masterful display by the magical Argentine, Messi. Yet,   the  biggest  global news this last week  was the election of an Argentine by the Conclave of Cardinals  in  Rome  as the    new Pope  Francis and successor  to Benedict XVI, the first  Pope Emeritus in 600  years.

    However,  it was not only in Rome that an historic change  of guard or a unique event was taking place. Similar events in terms of magnitude and importance took place in China where  the Chinese Communist Party confirmed the new  President   Xi Jinping  as  president of the biggest nation on earth in terms of population; and in Kenya where  a new president Uhuru  Kenyatta was elected in spite of a case pending against   him  before the International Criminal Court at  the Hague.  Also  in Afghanistan President Hamid  Karzai rattled American nerves by lumping both ally and enemy together when he accused both the US military and the Taliban  of exacerbating the state of insecurity in his  nation on the eve of the departure  of US troops from Afghanistan next year .Similarly in Nigeria the Nigerian president gave  a State Pardon to his former  boss  who was jailed for embezzlement of public funds  and dashed  all  hopes of successfully fighting corruption in Africa’s biggest  black nation.    In essence then, from the speedy   and fruitful   Conclave in Rome, to the murder and mayhem on  the streets  of Kabul,  to the smooth transition in Beijing   and Nairobi; as well as the horror  created in Abuja, change  and transition underpin  the events and personalities on display in my analysis this week .I  will illustrate  my  observations in this regard with deductions which I think will be apparent to the discerning eye in all these situations.

    Again,  let us go back to Rome for the election of  Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario  Bergoglio   of Bueno Aires aged 76 as the new Pope  Francis. To  me this is a very  smooth  transition as some say  the  new Pope was second to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at the last Conclave in 2005  that saw the emergence  of Ratzinger  as the next Pope  Benedict XVI. Which simply means that the Conclave decided that the no 2  should take over where the no 1 has stepped down. Which really should be expected  of a College  of Cardinals which is no more that a gathering of conservative minds,  very suspicious of any drastic change especially after the rude awakening from the fact that it is possible for a pope  to resign, something that  had not happened for a long time.

    However, it is in the choice of an Argentine that I want to dilate on,  in the light  of what Argentina represents in the comity of nations – in essence its sovereign reputation. First,   in global finance Argentina represents  something of  a way ward child,  and most finance houses hold their breath doing business with that nation because of the threat of debt default. Indeed  an Argentine ship was seized in Ghana  of recent on account of the debt default saga   that  happened  at  the start  of the millennium. In  politics  however  Argentina  is a  highly  legalistic nation in that it has brought to book all past military  leaders who staged coups and toppled   democratically elected governments to gain power.

    These  included past military generals like Viola  and  Videla  as well as Galtieri  who was jailed for taking Argentina to the Falklands war without proper preparation leading to a disgraceful defeat by Margaret Thatcher’s Britain. So  Pope Francis ascension to the papacy in Rome is a  boon and a great boost to the ego and pride of Argentina  as a Latino nation and to Argentines generally. I wonder  how Britain or Britons will  feel about the emergence of an Argentine  Pope given  the two nations well known truculence  over the  tiny Falklands  Islands. I  also cannot resist  chuckling at what Argentina’s former colonial lord, Spain,  now in austerity chaos  and distress that has caused Spaniards to take to the streets in riot, do  now that they have to pray to an Argentine Pope at mass. Really,   the emergence of a Pope  from the slums and dirty streets of Buenos Aires, after the highly intellectual Benedict XVI  shows  God is not sleeping after  all;  and that even the poor masses of the world have  their hope in high places  as their champion and  past traveler in the bitter  experience of  crass poverty now occupies the high and exalted seat of St Peter in the Basilica  in Rome.

    Similarly  in Beijing  the Chinese leadership  gave the western world a  lesson in orderly transfer of power from one generation to the other albeit in  a 10 – yearly mode. This is in spite of the fact of the skepticism of those in the west who call  the Chinese leaders despots with scant regard  for human rights. Yet  the Chinese are the largest creditors of the US in that they hold the largest chunk of US treasuries  in the world. The situation has been compared to cold war ideological war between the US  and the former US SR when  mutual deterrence or  annihilation  was the name of the game. Only  that this time the game between China and the US  has been called  the financial mutual deterrence or  annihilation war because one can not do without the other in terms of trade and global business and as such they must cultivate themselves in the interest  of   global peace  and  stability. Instead  of scoffing at the democratic credentials of Chinese leaders,  the west is better advised learn something from the slow but sure progress and order in China under their leadership.

    Kenya’s  successful  election has shown that democracy is maturing in that part of the world as the people spoke and showed that democracy in local display can be immune to international pressure and clamoring. Uhuru Kenyatta has been elected and there has been no violence as happened last time around. Although Rahoula Odinga has threatened to go to court he should let sleeping dogs lie  and allow peace in Kenya. This is because Kenya’s CJ is known to be close to Odinga and his verdict will not be respected or acceptable if he overturns the voters verdict. A  word is enough for the wise.

    President Hamid  Karzai’s outburst against both the US forces in Afghanistan and  his enemy the Taliban as birds of the same  feather, also is a fine example  of ingratitude in high places. But for the Americans Karzai  would  have been  ousted out  of power   long ago  in Afghanistan  by the Taliban. Now  for him to say that  both his enemy and ally are  prolonging the war is extremely strange  and nasty. Anyway  that seems to be the fashion that US allies  in the region reward the Americans after taking their money to help snuff out terrorists in the region. Just last week the President of Pakistan an ally of the US met with the President of Iran to sign agreement on the building of an oil  pipeline between the two nations. This is after the US has spent millions on Pakistan to fight terrorists that all parties in the region know are funded by Iran, an implacable enemy of the US.

    Lastly  in giving state  pardon to former  Governor Alamieyesiagha, to whom he was a deputy governor President Goodluck Jonathan  carried cronyism and impunity to  new heights in the fight against corruption  in Nigeria . Undoubtedly the cancer of corruption is a major hiatus  facing the Nigerian nation state . But  at least the government can avoid embarrassing itself  by not bringing opprobrium on itself in enacting a pardon which after all is just an act of mercy. It  leaves a bitter taste in the mouth to discuss  this pardon  which  is an  avoidable embarrassment to Nigerians  not only at home but in the diaspora. We  know that it is within the president’s power and that of the Council of State to do what has been done. We  also know that the saying is true that to whom much is given much is expected. This was one pardon too many and is a real pity for Nigeria’s  sovereign reputation.