The Nation Newspaper

Tag: soul

  • Winning souls for Christ

    Winning souls for Christ

    Members of the Apostolic Faith Campus Fellowship (AFCF) at the Delta State Polytechnic in Otefe-Oghara marked Easter with songs of praise to win souls for Jesus Christ. PHILIP OKORODUDU (Graduating student of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Delta State University) was there.

    Their sonorous voices lifted the congregation. Members of the Apostolic Faith Campus Fellowship (AFCF) at the Delta State Polytechnic in Otefe-Oghara entertained staff and students of the institution at an Easter concert to mark the resurrection of Jesus.

    The fellowship is the youth wing of the Apostolic Faith Church. The students sang classical gospel songs and played musical instruments.

    The concert, held in the expansive hall of the Applied Sciences Department, was attended by lecturers and non-academic staff, including the Head of Office and Technology Management Department, Dr Steve Osakwe; Director of Weekend Programmes, Dr Jacob Ighere; and an administrative secretary, Mrs Hope Egere, among others.

    Students were led by the president of the Joint Christian Campus Fellowship (JCCF), Philip Atete, an HND II Business Administration student, and Vice President of the World of Life Campus Fellowship, Celestina Anazie.

    The first rendition titled: Get all excited attracted passers-by.

    Musical instruments, such as the violin, viola, clarinet, flute, baritone, trombone and keyboard were played by the orchestra. The congregation was surprised by the choir’s performance.

    Some of the songs sang by the orchestra included Because He Lives, The Old Sentinel March and Spring of living water, among others.

    There was also a violin solo of I have got my mind made up, performed by Joy Apare, an ND II student of the College of Education in Warri. Daniel Omonoba, a graduate of Computer Science, rendered a special trumpet solo titled: Trumpet voluntary.

    Some students, who spoke with CAMPUSLLIFE after the event, said they were excited by the performance, praising the fellowship for organising the event.

    Lucas Emasaruome, HND 1 Statistics, described the concert as divinely-ordained.

    “I felt that heaven was on earth throughout the concert. This was a feeling I never had and I will say ‘thank you’ to the organisers for putting up such a divinely-ordained concert,” he said.

    Maureen Akpene, an ND 1 Science Laboratory Technology student, urged the organisers to hold the event “regularly” to redeem more souls for God. Maureen described the song ministration as unique, adding that the concert would bring people closer to God.

    Osakwe said the management supported the concert because it was a way of taking students away from vices and bringing them to the “true religion of peace”.

    The highpoint of the event was a drama, which depicted how a life without Christ could lead to shattered dreams.

    The president of the fellowship, Philomena Okoh, HND II Computer Engineering, was elated by the large turnout of students.

    She said the aim of the event was to strengthen people’s faith in God, thanking the choristers for the “brilliant performance”.

  • Big battle for the soul of ALSCON

    Big battle for the soul of ALSCON

    The statement said BFI Group Corporation was unable to pay the agreed 10 per cent of the offer price as directed by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court directed that the 10 per cent must be paid within 15 working days of the execution of the Share/Sales Purchase Agreement (SPA).

    The deadline for the execution of the SPA and payment of the 10 per cent of the offer price elapsed on March 18.

    “As at that deadline date, BFI Group had neither executed the SPA nor made the initial mandatory 10 per cent of the bid amount,’’ the statement said.

    The statement added that BFI Group Corporation was expected to execute the SPA and pay the agreed 10 per cent of the offer price of 410 million dollars within 15 days of the execution of the SPA.

    It added that “BFI Group Corporation, in total disregard of the apex court, drafted and executed an agreement that was different from the one ordered by the Supreme Court.”

    The BFIG has returned to the Supreme Court pleading the apex court to compel the BPE to get to RUSAL comply with the order dismissing it from the plant.

    While the apex court’s decision is being awaited, brickbats are flying about. BFIGroup Corporation is accusing RUSAL of looting the assets of the firm in order to stifle its operations.

    A 50,000-litre oil tank belonging to the company was recently discovered in nearby Ibom Power Company, which is owned by Akwa Ibom State Government. RUSAL said it loaned it out. BFIG believes it buttresses its allegation of assets looting.

    Executive Vice President (Media Relations) of BFIG, Frank Scherer, said it was unclear under what condition RUSAL transferred the oil tank to Ibom Power and asked the Federal Government to take action against such atrocity.

    Scherer said: “Even after the Supreme Court, the highest court in Nigeria, in its ruling of July 6, 2012 ordered the BPE to take over the plant and prepare to hand over to the preferred bidder that emerged at the end of the bid exercise in 2004,the privatisation agency has always neglected to do its job.

    “Reports of massive asset striping and illegal removal of critical assets of ALSCON have always been reported to BPE against UC RUSAL. But, it is a shame that BPE has always shown that it has other selfish interests to protect over this national asset.

    “This is a disturbing development when BPE keeps denying and deceiving Nigerians and the Presidency about the serial pillage at the company.”

    The Chief Executive Officer of BFIG, Dr. Reuben Jaja, wrote to the Managing Director of Ibom Power, Gareth Wilcox, to demand some explanations over the transaction.

    Jaja said: “On Wednesday, September 18, 2013, or thereabouts, a 50,000 Transformer Oil Tank and other equipment were illegally stripped and removed from the ALSCON’s premises and discreetly transferred to Ibom Power.

    “As you may be aware, the legal proceedings, with regard to the transfer of ALSCON ownership to BFIGroup Corporation USA, are now before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    “Despite the order of injunction placed by the apex court, we have received information from the public and media with regards to the widespread asset striping, criminal vandalisation and outright sale of ALSCON property. Consequently, I urge you to secure the property as our legal counsel will be contacting you shortly.”

    But, UC RUSAL Director, Communication Tatyana Smirnova said the missing oil tank was not illegally transferred to Ibom Power.

    Smirnova said in a newspaper interview: “No illegal stripping or removal of 50,000 litres transformer oil drain tank from the ALSCON’s premise has occurred. ALSCON is the owner of the 50,000-litres cylinder steel tank (Transformer oil Drain Tank).

    “In compliance with the request for assistance from Ibom Power Company, ALSCON has allowed Ibom Power Company to temporarily borrow the Steel Tank in accordance with the terms and conditions of Guarantee Letter signed by both parties.

    “Additionally, Ibom Power Company is responsible for the loading and transportation of the Steel Tank to and from Ibom Power site at Ikot Abasi under the strict supervision of ALSCON personnel.”

    Workers of the ALSCON and Ikot Abasi community youth group have also accused UC RUSAL of stripping the plant of core components to cripple its operations.

    The workers, under the aegis of the Metal Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (MPSSAN), said: “The Russians have put everything in place to siphon the remaining coke and alumina from the silos for sale. When they took over the plant in 2007, they inherited over 8,000 metric tonnes of alumina; 5,200 pieces of Anode Blocks; 5,820 pieces of cathode blocks; over 8,000 Anode Stems; over 200 tonnes of cryolite and over 170,000 tonnes of cast iron. Why they now want to sell even cast iron blocks, together with the pots, is mind boggling.”

    Smirnova described the allegation as “misleading and does not correspond to reality”.

    “Presently, ALSCON is cleaning its territory from unrealisable assets, obsolete and not suitable for use equipment, which cannot be utilized for production of aluminum,” she said.

    She added: “In addition, I would like to emphasize that the acquired equipment is the property of RUSAL and makes a part of modernisation programme that was implemented from 2007 till 2012. RUSAL has put around $US159.4 million of its own investments into the plant.”

    The BPE believes BFIG has not been fair to it on the ALSCON matter. Its Director-General Benjamin Dikki was quoted in an interview as saying the agency would not take BFIG seriously. He accused the American firm of instigating reports about ALSCON in the media and causing the BPE troubles.

    As the battle for the firm rages, a lot of things are suffering. One is the electricity the national grid could have benefitted from the company’s gas-fired plant. The power plant is capable of satisfying the electricity needs of the company and also supplying the excess power to the national grid. Annually, 360mw can be supplied to the national power grid after the company has taken its own need. The plant has a capacity for 540mw.

    A monitoring committee set up by the Ministry of Power to address the national grid problem has yielded no good result.

    Smirnova said: “This is because there is no infrastructure available, the 330/132/33kv Ikot Abasi substation, the Ikot Abasi-Ikot Ekpene NIPP line, and other infrastructure are unavailable. Besides, the acquisition of the licence for operation needed for connection by ALSCON and PPA are deliberately delayed, although all needed steps and procedures have been accomplished by ALSCON.”

    Gas has also been a challenge to the company. Smirnova explained that a key precondition for ALSCON’s successful operation was an uninterrupted supply of natural gas at reasonable prices.

    She said: “ALSCON has suffered six lengthy disruptions in gas supply which resulted in complete stoppage of aluminium production, losses of about $60 million, and long rehabilitation periods.

    “On June 21 to 23, the gas pressure in the pipeline reduced to zero level, resulting in more losses of over N11million. A possible solution to ALSCON’s gas problem would be the speedy completion of the Esit Eket-Ikot Abasi pipeline by the Federal Government.

    “When RUSAL was considering acquiring its stake in ALSCON, the promised availability of this crucial resource made RUSAL take decision to invest in Nigeria. RUSAL invested around USD160 million between 2007 and 2012 in the modernisation and development of the smelter.

    “Until the power supply issue is resolved, there will be no chance for ALSCON to resume its primary aluminium production. Moreover, further delays in connecting the smelter’s power to the national grid expose the smelter to the risk of existence, as RUSAL actually has depleted all resources in its efforts to subsidise the smelter.”

    Despite the tussle, the Russian firm in the name of ALSCON just commissioned a water project at Ediduo community in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    The project was inaugurated at Edemaya Clan. The inauguration of the project brings to 15 of such water projects implementation by the company as part of its commitment to the development of the communities through investment in life-enhancing programmes aim at addressing, the social and economic well-being of the people in the region.

    Smirnova, who spoke while inaugurating the water facility, said: “The project we are commissioning today is the second water project our company has provided for the people of Edemaya clan. It is also the 15th project the company has undertaken in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area since the programme was initiated in 2010.

    “Indeed, the event is a fulfillment of the assurance the management of ALSCON gave recently that, despite the challenges facing the company, ALSCON will continue to implement projects, which help to improve the well-being of the people of Ikot Abasi and the neighbouring communities.

    She said UC RUSAL has continued to fully meet its social obligations to the staff. According to her, salaries are paid on time and in full, the members of staff continue to live in comfortable estates with 24 hours free electricity, water supply and health care.

    A statement in Uyo said ALSCON has not suspended any of its social programme aimed at improving the well-being of the residents of local communities such as free electricity to communities, the annual scholarship program from 2009 to 2013, where over 200 indigent students have benefited in addition to N720,000 monthly support to three schools in Ikot Abasi.

    She said the water programme is to compliment the Federal Government’s effort at ensuring that, 75 per cent of the citizenry have access to safe drinking water by 2015 in line with the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and World Health Organisation’s safe water scheme.

    But, in all these, the alluminium for which the company was founded is not being produced. The dispute has ensured that and from the look of things, until the dispute is resolved, things will continue to fall apart at the multi-million dollar empire.

  • Recovering the nation’s soul

    Recovering the nation’s soul

    If  Nigeria‘s unflattering scorecard on the Transparency International’s corruption perception index had meant to stoke a soul-search by the Jonathan administration to appreciate how far metastasised the cancer of corruption has become, and by extension, the lack of seriousness by his administration to confront the monster that threatens the foundations of the polity, it has clearly failed to achieve anything near those. Rather, the administration has opted to mount denials while it struggles to persuade itself (certainly not the now cynical citizenry) that the war against corruption is being fought with vigour.

    The context of course is the latest ranking of TI and the nation’s place as the 35th most corrupt nation in the world. Should anyone lose sleep? Is anyone suggesting that the report is spurious given the scale of sleaze in high and low places being daily revealed? Whereas the claim that the government is doing its heroic best to fight corruption is neither here nor there, the issue is whether the so-called strategies are having the desired effect of curbing the virus of corruption. The answer, being so obvious, makes government’s defence of its so-called efforts, rather egregious.

    No doubt, government’s claim to activism may not entirely be without some merit. After all, if only for the heightened tales of trillions looted outright by officials, plus the countless trillions siphoned via undelivered value for monies said to have been lawfully appropriated, the soulless machine described as the Nigerian government under Jonathan’s watch could, with some justification, claim success – at least going by the number of probes it has instituted – the same way a medic could choose to measure success by the cycle of visits made by the patient to the infirmary.

    The question is – does this amount to winning the anti-corruption war?

    Just as the administration’s claim of commitment and achievement in the prosecution of corruption cases comes across as questionable, there are countless reasons to suggest that the full dimensions of the malaise are far from being fully grasped. I do not wish to dwell on government’s so-called records of achievements, particularly the racket now described as subsidy-gate in which a cartel of 197 oil barons were alleged to have shared of N232 billion, or even the countless other findings from probes spawned in the wake of January 1 protests and the sour tales of vanishing billions. For an administration that appears to have aided and abetted many of the bazaars in the first place, should anyone be fooled by the burst of energy in what is increasingly a half-hearted attempt to punish the alleged subsidy thieves?

    I am alarmed by the increasing reality that corruption has become a way of life. Once, it was tempting to see corruption as exclusive to the public sector. Today, it is as pervasive as it is engulfing – sparing no institution of society. Not the sacred precincts of the religious institution or the hallowed chambers of the judiciary or even the family institution, are exempt. These days, the rule appears to be that the bigger the heist, the higher the likelihood of being able to suborn state institutions to fob off attempts at enforcing restitution.

    Measuring the impact of corruption can be quite daunting. In the public sphere, the cost is reckoned in terms of undelivered value on every unit of public funds spent. In the last decade alone, we have seen how the gap between the value appropriated and value delivered have continued to grow – no thanks to the culture of graft in the public sector.

    But then, the private sector is hardly better. Just as the last financial crisis has shattered the myth about the so-called discipline of the private sector, the impact of the delinquency on the public sector can be quite as devastating. It is worth recalling that the treasury had to shell out more than a trillion naira in bailout funds for its club of delinquent lenders.

    That is how steep the wage of corruption can be.

    Now, I do not pretend that curbing corruption is going to be any easy – any more than one can pretend that it can be a wholly government affair. Indeed, it seems to me as a battle that must be won if the nation’s lost soul must be retrieved. Clearly, there is a lot that the government can do to tame the culture of impunity, to expand the scope of service delivery to facilitate deliverables of governance, and of course to strengthened the institutions in the justice delivery chain.

    Of course, the current strategy of catching the culprit after the act is hopelessly flawed particularly as the larger society appears to have surrendered in some morbid complicity to the monster even when the countless obstacles on the path of institutions notably the police, anti-graft bodies and the judiciary makes the prospects of an all-out battle against the club of social delinquents truly daunting.

    But then, it seems to me that the Nigerian corruption story cannot be explained outside of the collapse of the moral order as we knew it. Once upon a time, Nigerian relished the virtues of hard, honest work and the privileges attached to it. That now belongs to some distant past. Whereas our capitalists, unlike their western counterparts, have long dispensed with the protestant ethics in their wild embrace of a spurious capitalism stripped of any known rules, what is on offer is a grotesque capitalism in which the due discipline of work and the finesse of regulations are missing.

    As a consequence, society has since relapsed into a kind of jungle in which crass individualism rules.

    Where do we go from here. Good question. I do not think that we need new Nigerians. What we need instead are new attitudes. Here, the starting point is to make our governments work for us. I suspect that we will all require a new theology which although heaven bound, also stresses the virtue of civic responsibility. Just as the mission to recover the nation’s lost soul promises to be long and bumpy, it is something that has become urgent. However, if there are any consolations about the challenges which lie ahead, it has to be in the knowledge that the seeds of regeneration will emerge, from nowhere else, but from the ashes of the current rot.

    Happy to be back.