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Tag: Goodluck Jonathan

  • Easter: Let’s unite against terrorists- Jonathan

    Easter: Let’s unite against terrorists- Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to unite against global terrorists and their local accomplices who want to divide the country.

    He made the call in his Easter message to the Nation.

    Full text of the message follows:

    “I greet and felicitate with you all as we celebrate Easter which commemorates the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ after his redemptive self-sacrifice for the eternal salvation of mankind.

    “Irrespective of our religion or faith, all holidays provide us with a fresh opportunity to establish stronger bonds with our family, friends and all those around us for more enduring, harmonious and beneficial relationships.

    “As we celebrate this year’s Easter therefore, I urge all Nigerians to rededicate themselves to living in peace and oneness with all members of their communities no matter their ethnicity, religious beliefs or places of origin.

    “By now, it ought to be an accepted fact amongst us that our immense potential for greatness in the comity of nations derives in the main from our collective strength as a country of close to 170 million people and the acclaimed richness of our diverse human resources and natural endowments.

    “It follows, therefore, that to successfully achieve our vision of becoming one of the most dominant nations on the global stage in the shortest possible time, we must stay together as a people and continue to effectively resist by all possible means, the evil machinations of global terrorists and their misguided domestic accomplices who seek to provoke turmoil, hatred and harmful divisions among us.

    “I assure all Nigerians that our security agencies, armed forces and I will continue to fully discharge our constitutional responsibilities for protecting the unity and territorial integrity of this country with all the powers and forces at our disposal.

    “We must have peace, security and stability to effectively implement our agenda for national transformation in all parts of the country and we shall continue to work ceaselessly to re-establish the prerequisite conditions for nationwide progress and development.

    “For your part, dear countrymen and women, I urge you to continue to exhibit restraint and understanding in the face of seeming provocations. Those who mindlessly and indiscriminately attack churches, schools, health workers,  motor-parks, banks and ordinary road users must be seen as they truly are: the brainwashed pawns of international terrorism.

    “They do not represent any true religion or section of the country and we must never play into their hands by succumbing to their nefarious ploys to incite religious, ethnic hatred and division among us.

    “It is my hope and prayer that as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, his lessons of self-sacrifice, brotherly love, placing others before self, tolerance, obedience, respect for lawful authorities, dutifulness, diligence, honesty, justice and fairness to all will take firmer root in our beloved country and help us to overcome present challenges and build the more peaceful, secure, united, progressive and prosperous nation of our dreams.

    “I wish you all happy Easter celebrations.”

  • Another look at Jonathan’s scholarship scheme

    Another look at Jonathan’s scholarship scheme

    Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan registered his displeasure over the statistics of the National Universities Commission (NUC), which stated that 60 per cent of lecturers in Nigerian universities have no doctorate degree. The President, in his wisdom, decided to work out a scholarship scheme for the lecturers to make them obtain their doctorate degrees.

    Furthermore, the President decided to send about 25 graduates of universities, who made First Class, these “best brains”, as he called them, to top class 25 universities abroad. This suggests that the President admitted that our own universities are not equipped to impact the kind of knowledge he desires for the young intelligent men.

    To some of us, the idea is laudable and innovative, considering that these First Class graduates achieved such feat under harsh conditions, such as archaic libraries and unsupportive learning environment and literature badly lifted from the internet.

    However, it should be emphasised that the trend of lecturers teaching without doctorate degrees is not good for our universities. There is an urgent need to improve the quality of teaching and research. Given the hurried manner the scheme was packaged, I began to doubt the raison d’etre of the president’s intention to send First Class graduates abroad as the critical way out.

    Sending these geniuses outside the country for further studies is not bad after all. But the idea has raised questions that are begging for answers.

    From the data obtained from the Secretary-General, Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof Michael Faborode, in a published article in a national daily entitled The trouble with Nigeria universities, the don stated categorically that Nigeria had 15,000 students studying in the United Kingdom and the figure may likely increase to 30,000 by 2015.

    Some 7,000 are in the United States and 1,500 in Canadian universities. With the revelation of the number of Nigerians studying in renowned universities abroad, in addition to others in developed countries, one would wonder what will become of these foreign-trained graduates after the completion of their studies abroad. Already, there are many foreign-trained graduates still looking for jobs.

    Why have these graduates not gainfully employed with their expertise? Is it that the environment they find themselves in Nigeria is not conducive in relation to the one they were exposed abroad? What noticeable difference have they made to the academic sector that makes them different from their locally produced colleagues?

    But the reality is that most of them are back in the country and the question to ask is whether the federal government has made any considerable attempt to employ those with a doctorate degree except the multinationals who exploit their potentials in a non-academic environment. It didn’t come as surprise to me when Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, announced last year that the most wanted kidnapper in the state is a doctorate degree holder in Mechanical Engineering.

    The poser for the government is: what difference would the “best brains” make when they come back home? Methinks sending graduates abroad for study is not the best when their counterparts who were also trained abroad have not been usefully engaged.

    In another words, sending first class graduates abroad to acquire more knowledge to improve the quality of teaching and research in our universities without addressing the rot in the system will ultimately produce no significant result. Come to think of it, what meaningful step has the federal government made of the Needs Assessment Panel it set up to evaluate the problems and challenges facing public universities?

    The Prof Mahmood Yakubu –led committee came out with its findings and it is still obvious nothing has been done to tackle the anomalies in the report. It has been reported by the committee that less than 10 per cent of our public universities have video conferencing facility, less than 20 per cent use interactive boards while more than 50 per cent do not use public address systems in their lecture halls.

    In as much this type of decay still persists, we do not expect any miracle from the “best brains” when they come back with their loaded brain.

    Aside the prestige, it is needless to say that these graduates will be frustrated at the end of the day and may eventually take an exit route out of the system at the completion of the five years mandate to work as a researcher. Well, the president has even made it crystal clear to them that they could opt out for a different career after the expiration of the mandate. Now, another question: what then is the usefulness, relevance or value of the scholarship scheme when the trained graduates will be sent out of the system after five years?

    In a nutshell, the scholarship scheme looks more or less like a wasteful adventure that lacks purpose and significance. Mind you, it is a good idea but it is ill-conceived by the president. After all, I do not expect these “best brains” to grumble over incessant strikes associated with Nigerian universities when they join their colleagues back home, since these same universities produced them. The difference is that they have seen the world outside their home country and they must adjust to it as some have done before them. They must be ready to carry the banners of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embark on solidarity missions even against their benefactor who sent them abroad. If I may ask once again, what will be the fate of locally produced doctorate degree holders when their foreign trained colleagues are rated above them? Sadly, the president has demonstrated to parents, through the scheme, that they must work hard to send their wards outside the country if they yearn for a qualitative education.

    Taiwo, a Corps member, NYSC IBADAN

  • Goni named new Head of Service of the federation

    Goni named new Head of Service of the federation

    President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji  as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

     Goni, who was until his new appointment, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, will take over from Alhaji Isa Bello Sali who will attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 on Saturday, March 23.

     An indigene of   Yobe State  born on January 13, 1959,  Goni  attended Government College, Maiduguri, Borno College of Basic Studies, Maiduguri and graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 1984.

     A career civil servant,  Goni has held several key positions at the state and federal levels including Chief Administrative Officer, Governor’s Office, Maiduguri (1989-1991), Principal Secretary to the Military Administrator of Yobe State (1991-1992), Principal Secretary to the First Civilian Governor of Yobe State (1992-1993) and Principal Secretary to the 2nd Military Administrator of Yobe State (1993-1995).

     Goni was appointed Director, Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in 1995 and moved to the Federal Ministry of Defence in the year 2000 as Director of Personnel  Management. He headed various departments in the Ministry of Defence until his posting to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in 2008 as Director, International Organisations.

     He was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2009 and posted to the Ministry of Defence. He later served as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Police Affairs (August, 2009 – August, 2010) and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works (September, 2011 – November, 2012).

  • Minister wants Jonathan to sign Bio-safety bill

    Minister wants Jonathan to sign Bio-safety bill

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said he is hopeful that President Goodluck Jonathan will sign the Bio-safety bill into law.

    Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said this at the launch of a book titled: “Insights: Africa’s Future, Can Biosciences Contribute?’’, a compilation of essays by Prof. Brian Heap of the Cambridge University, United Kingdom.

    Adesina, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Baba Abubakar, noted that the ministry was working vigorously on the issue of biotechnology.

    He observed that one of the major interventions the ministry had made, through the ARCN, was to introduce biotechnology programmes in all research institutes in the country.

    The minister added that the research institutes had all been working together to ensure that the bill was signed into law.

    “What we are faced with is the negative propaganda about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and we know that a lot can be gained through biotechnology.

    “And biotechnology is about the science of DNA; both nature and laboratory do a lot of DNA and the issue of GMOs is a matter of application,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying at the book launch.

    He assured the authors that the ministry would do everything to support the book.

    Adesina urged the media to do more advocacy about biotechnology, adding that the Federal Government would always ensure that what the populace consumed was safe.

    In his remarks, a former minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun, observed that the contents of the book were simplified, as the authors understood the subject matter.

    He commended the authors for dedicating an aspect of the book to cowpea.

    Isoun, however, said that there was still a lot to be done to ensure that cowpea was produced and made available to Nigerians.

  • Jonathan, ministers laud Africa Magic awards

    Jonathan, ministers laud Africa Magic awards

    President Goodluck Jonathan has described the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) which held Saturday in Lagos  as  cultural liberation for Africa.

    Jonathan, who was represented at the event by Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke recalled that before the advent of Nollywood 20 years ago, Nigeria had relied on other countries for television and video dramas, but noted that the reverse is now the case.

    Two other  Ministers, Edem Duke of Culture and Tourism and Olusegun Aganga, Trade & Investment also graced the event.

    Jonathan noted that following the independence of most African countries in the 60s and 70s, the first thing on the mind of African leaders was political liberation. He said they nurtured political unity through the Organisation of African Unity, now known as African Union (AU), and on the economic side, through Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    “Africa recognised the fact that irrespective of the artificial boundaries that separate us, our needs and aspirations had no borders, ” he said adding  that celebrating African films through an awards scheme like the AMVCA was a cultural liberation of the continent from the western world.

    Aganga  who was full of praise for the award , analyzed the underlying economic potentials of the entertainment industry in the continent.

    He noted that Africa is described everywhere today as the last frontier. “Why because every of the largest and fastest growing economy are in Africa – last frontiers because when you invest in an industry like this, your minimum return is 20 to 30 percent; so Africa today, is a testimony for high growth, high return and value,” he said.

     

  • Boko Haram: Nigerian Christians in U.S seek Obama’s intervention

    Boko Haram: Nigerian Christians in U.S seek Obama’s intervention

    The Christians Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANAN) on Monday decried the inability of Federal Government to checkmate the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the northern part of the country.

    It pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to seek the assistance of President Barack Obama in tackling the menace.

    President of CANAN, Dr. James Fadele and the Executive Director Laolu Akande stated this at a joint press conference in Abuja.

    About N8 million ($50, 000) was donated to victims of the Boko Haram attacks at the event.

    At the solemn event, former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, broke down in tears after listening to Pastor Sarana Chinda of All Saint Protestant Church, Hauran Wanki, Barracks, Kano, on how 17 members of his congregation were wiped out for refusing to renounce Jesus Christ.

    Ezekwesili also heard from a 45- year old Deborah Shetima from Borno State how her husband was slaughtered on April 25 last year and her other two children abducted by Boko Haram members and their whereabouts still unknown.

    After this sad development, the sect came back three months later and killed her third child in cold blood.

    According to Akande, President Jonathan should become aggressive in fighting the Boko Haram sect and those members of the National Assembly that were indicted, whose cases are in court.

    He said: “I think government itself has expressed haplessness including President Goodluck Jonathan who has said in several occasions that this problem is big. We believe that Nigerian government cannot handle this problem anymore. There are instances of lack of political will on the part of the Federal Government to prosecute some supporters of Boko Haram like those Senators who have been accused.

    “Government can become more aggressive in going after members of Boko Haram and those supporting this sect. Government is not proactive and it should seek support from other countries like the United State to deal with the sect. This is an international problem. I wish government can do more in protecting the lives of Nigerians.”

     

  • Jonathan signed one-term agreement —Junaid Mohammed

    Jonathan signed one-term agreement —Junaid Mohammed

    A new twist has been introduced to the controversy on the alleged secret  signing of a single tenure term by  President Goodluck Jonathan as a top northern  second republic legislator , Dr. Junaid Mohammed, insists that the document exist.

    Mohammed, who made the disclosure on Monday morning on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, said he has sighted the document and that it was signed by the President, some governors and two deputy governors prior to the 2011 elections.

    Niger State Governor, Dr. Aliyu Babangida, had in a radio programme in Kaduna some few weeks ago blown the whistle on the existence of the document while the Presidency debunked the claim, daring anyone in possession of such an agreement to release it to the public.

    But Mohammed said he sighted the original document in the hands of trusted political confidants whom he had known for over 40 years.

    He said: “I am persuaded to say that such an agreement exists and it was signed by some governors, and I think, two deputy governors at the time. I have sighted the document and I got to know this from people whom I have known from 40-50 years that the agreement exists.

     “People are prepared to deny the existence of the paper because of our culture of double talk. We do not need a lower ranked aide of the President to deny it. As far as I am concerned, something of that magnitude should have been cleared by a very senior person at the highest possible level to clarify—someone at the Presidency. Dr. Doyin Okupe is my friend and he did the same thing for Obasanjo until he was fired.”

     The public affairs analyst and former lawmaker, accused Jonathan of lacking the political will to reshuffle the cabinet because of the activities of powerful forces hanging around the corridors of power.

     “There are clearly many powerful forces that are stopping the President from reshuffling the cabinet because there are two women ministers who think they cannot be removed from their posts.

    “The discourse on the 2015 election is premature but it was started by Jonathan. All we’ve had from 2011 to date was slogan. Promises were made and they have not been kept. The promises have been kept aside. You have to blame the President on early talk of 2015 and he is unleashing his attack dogs on the nation.

     “Nobody would believe the tale that the President would not run in 2015. The man is behind it and his body language says a lot. The body language indicates that he would be running. They have started preparing the war chest for 2015. They are pulling money for election through deliberate, half-hearted implementation of annual budgets. They leave no room for anybody to trust them and I, for one, do not trust them, ” Mohammed stated.

     Asked to clarify which party he is associated with , Mohammed said: “I am not  and will not be a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party because the party is fixated to the primordial sentiments of zoning and rotation.

     “I don’t believe that I speak for the North because the leaders of the North who claim to speak for the region are not sincere. That is why they would enter into an agreement with people who cannot keep to the terms of that agreement. Tough luck to them!”

  • BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO ABUJA

    BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO ABUJA

     

  • Patience Jonathan’s thanksgiving service

    Patience Jonathan’s thanksgiving service

  • I was dead for a week, had nine operations – Patience Jonathan

    I was dead for a week, had nine operations – Patience Jonathan

    Recounting her experience on the hospital bed last year, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has revealed that she was dead for a week  and is lucky to be alive.

     She was hospitalized for several weeks in Germany last year and also went for medical check-up early this year.
    Speaking at a special Church thanksgiving service on Sunday in Abuja, she said that she underwent eight to nine surgery operations within a month during her illness last year.
    Likening her experience to that of the Biblical Lazarus, she expressed gratitude to God for sending her back as she rededicated herself to doing things that will touch the lives of the less privilege in the society.
    She said: “I remember when Chief Obasanjo was the President of the country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshipped together in this chapel. It was a painful moment for me that time when she died and her corpse was brought here.”
    “That was how my corpse would have been brought here. It was not an easy experience for me. I actually died, I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.
    “I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost. A black doctor in London who is with us in this service was flown in when the situation became critical. It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I will return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days.
    “I know that some people somehow leaked the information that I was dead.  They are people that I trust and rely on; to them, I was dead and I would never return to the country alive. Some of them even sold my things off.
    “I won’t say everything here. It is the Lord’s doing that I returned alive. When God says yes, nobody can say no.
    “People are always afraid of operation (surgery) but in my own case, while my travail lasted, I was begging for it (surgery) after the third operation because I was going to the theatre everyday.
    It was God who saw me through. I did eight or nine operations within one month. It was not an easy one. The day I came back, I said God I have nothing to say, I offer myself to you. I will be doing things that will touch the lives of the less privilege.
    “God gave me second chance because I reached there. He knew I have not completed the assignments He gave me, that was why I was sent back,” the first lady recounted.