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Tag: unhappy

  • Okorocha: 89 per cent of Nigerians unhappy

    Okorocha: 89 per cent of Nigerians unhappy

    •Gov. urges Air Force to create Happiness dept

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has said that 89 per cent of Nigerians are unhappy “in the real sense of the word happiness”.

    According to him, only 4 per cent could really be happy to some extent, while 7 per cent might claim to be happy. He added that the vital aspect of human existence, which is happiness, must be addressed.

    Governor Okorocha, who recently created the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment, spoke at the weekend when Airmen, led by the Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, AVM Sampson Akpasa, visited him at the Government House in Owerri.

    He noted that agitations, insurgence, hate-speeches and the likes, come up when people are unhappy.

    His words: “I thank you for your efforts in bringing Regiment 211 to Imo State. In appreciation, we have donated a 200-bed hospital to the force. This morning I spoke to the Chief of Air Force, about our intention to also donate the school to train electricians and artisans; you are doing a wonderful job.

    “But if you can observe recently, the level of crisis and agitations are on the increase. While we fight insurgence, I would want to advise that we also should go deep down to find the root cause of this agitation.

    “Agitation comes up when people are not happy, and the whole essence of life is to be happy. For this reason, I will advice that the Air Force too, just like I did recently, which most people didn’t understand, should create a department for Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment. This will help to address the need of even junior officers, who may have some forms of dissatisfaction in the discharge of their duties. Sometimes, you may think they are happy when they are not, and this sabotages the efforts of the Federal Government.

    “Mentorship is another aspect which can help people achieve their purpose in life. If people are happy, there will be less agitation. The amount of money we spend on aircrafts and in the purchase of arms would have reduced by 50 per cent. This could also end issues of restructuring, Niger Delta and all other forms of agitations…”

    AVM Sampson hailed Okorocha for the tremendous transformation his administration has recorded in the state. He said they had come on a familiarisation tour of the constituent security outfits established on July 3, 2017, adding that Enugu was carved out of other commands due to clumsy administration, and that their new training ground has helped handle insurgency in the Northeast.

    He asked for collaboration and synergy as key in all security challenges, and craved for more cooperation in Imo and other Southeast states, saying the command needs every form of support to blossom into maturity and global excellence.

  • Unhappy ending for a ‘performing’ rector

    Unhappy ending for a ‘performing’ rector

    IT was not the kind of parting gift Dr. Philipa Idogho, former Rector of the Federal Polytechnic in Auchi, Edo State, was looking forward to. Since there were talks of her outstanding performance, she would have expected to bow out in style. But the workers gave her a shocker.  Instead of a red carpet treatment she was greeted with a protest last Thursday when she ended her eight-year tenure.

    A colourful ceremony planned to mark her exit was marred by the protest, which drew tears from many of her admirers. The protesters barricaded the Benin-Abuja highway, causing a traffic gridlock for hours.

    The workers, dressed in black, carried a mock coffin and a portrait of the former rector as they moved round the campus.

    The workers, comprising Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) Senior Staff Association of Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) defaced her picture and name on the institution’s properties.  They vented their anger on the Auchi Campus II, which she developed and named the Philipa Idogho Campus.  They removed the first letter ‘I’ and the last two letters ‘H’ and ‘O’ in Idogho inscribed on the entrance to the campus, turning it to “Dog Campus”.

    The workers had grounded academic activities two weeks to the end of her tenure over nonpayment of December and January salaries. Students were chased out of lectures halls which were then locked.

    Other reasons adduced for the strike included non-remittance of  workers’ cooperative contributions amounting to over N400 million, unpaid project supervision and invigilation allowances for 2014/2015 academic session for evening students and promotion without financial benefits.

    A statement signed by ASUP Chairman, Isah Abdulazeez, SSANIP chairman, Comrade Godwin Ikhide and NASU Chairman Hassan Ikhanaede urged the Federal Government to probe Idogho’s tenure.

    Reacting, the former rector, who is an alumna of the institution, said the unpaid salary arrears were not caused by the polytechnic management under her watch but errors from implementing the Treasury Salary Account (TSA) from source.

    “The polytechnic is on a platform where payments are made directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) into individual accounts and last December we had a short fall of the salary and these salaries have already been uploaded. We only interact with the issue of salary online where somebody reviews and another person approves.

    “When we did approval it was showing insufficient fund and so in January this year we wrote to the Office of the Accountant-General and the Minister of Finance to complain.

    “Already that issue is being looked into and while that issue was going on, we called the unions and we told them what was happening.  At a stage the bursar and the national leadership of SSANIP met at the budget office to actually see what was happening with our salaries and they saw it and they equally realised too that it was not an issue of Auchi Polytechnic alone.

    “For January we were paid and they got their salaries through December system and that is what we have been using for quite some time now. So it ought not to be an issue because they all know it is not within the control of the polytechnic,” she said.

    Two women groups, the Girls Power Initiative (GPI) and International Reproductive Rights Research Action Group (IRRRAG), condemned the workers’action describing it as unfortunate and barbaric.

    GPI Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Osakue said singing of dirges for Dr Idogho was evil and uncalled for.

    “Dialogue is a better way of doing such things. They took it personal against her. The issue of financial challenge is not particular to the institution alone. It is a national challenge.

    “The woman did not employ herself. You will recall that there was protest all over Nigeria last week over increase in electricity tariff. Yet, nobody got coffin for Fashola,” she said.

    IRRRAG Coordinator, Mrs. Jane Osagie, said the workers’ approach was barbaric and unacceptable.

    She said: “No matter what happened, I am not saying that the workers do not have rights to protest unpaid salaries. But it is indeed painful for such things to have been done against a woman who attracted so much development to the institution. That was too much. It was absolutely wrong for anybody to wish her dead.”

    A final year student of Mass Communication, who declined to be named, said the workers sent students away from the campus last Friday as a result of the protest.

    The workers met with management of the institution on Tuesday at the end of which they suspended the strike for 21 days.

    ASUP Chairman, Abdulazeez, said the time was to enable the management looked into their grievances.

    Meanwhile, the students lamented the loss two weeks break caused them.

    A final year student, Adegbulehin Deborah, said the strike would delay their graduation.

    “The students suffered the strike action. We may not be able to go to service on time like our colleagues in other institutions,” she lamented.

    Isemede Joy, a recent graduate who came for her clearance said the strike forced her stay longer.

    “I have been here since last week Friday and I have not been able to finish a clearance that is not suppose to take two days.  It is frustrating,” she said.

  • Ooni: Ife residents unhappy over town criers’ message

    Ooni: Ife residents unhappy over town criers’ message

    Residents of Ile-Ife, Osun State have expressed displeasure over announcement by town criers, who  asked them to be calm following the “death” of the Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

    They also condemned the way the Council of Ife Chiefs were handling the matter.

    The residents said rather than being specific, the town criers’ message was evasive and put them “in an unnecessary suspense”.

    While many of them refused to talk until they were assured that they would not be named, few that spoke said the “hide and seek game” over the matter would eventually be put to rest soon.

    One of them, who said: “Despite the persistent assurances by the traditional chiefs that the monarch was not dead, but in a healthy condition in an unidentified London hospital, the people of Ife deserve to know the condition of our traditional and spiritual symbol”.

    He said evidences abound that it was not well with Oba Sijuwade, even if the people were not sure whether “he is dead or alive”.

    Another indigene, who was warned not to comment on the matter because of the “spiritual implications”, advised the traditional chiefs to give proof “that Oba Sijuwade is healthy and alive”.

    But traditional and palace chiefs continued to say Oba Sijuwade was hale and hearty.

    The security around the palace remained very low  yesterday, as only few guards and four policemen man its main gate.

     

  • Amokachi unhappy with late Bafana goal

    Amokachi unhappy with late Bafana goal

    Super Eagles caretaker coach, Daniel Amokachi, believes the draw with South Africa was a fair result.

    Nigeria looked to be securing a 1-0 win over Shakes Mashaba’s side but Bongani Zungu popped up in stoppage to ensure both side earn a share of the spoils.

    “It is fair game, coming away from home after losing to Uganda,” Amokachi said after the game.

    “Ninety-eight percent of the players are having their first, second or third cap.

    “It is fair result but when your are winning and one goal up, conceding is not good.

    “But that’s football, it’s not over until the fat lady sings and that’s what happened to us.”

  • Fed Govt unhappy with TCN manager Manitoba

    Fed Govt unhappy with TCN manager Manitoba

    •43, 375 PHCN workers have been paid’         •Oando powers 130 industries in Lagos

    THE Federal Government is not happy with the managers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Manitoba. The company was engaged to train and pass on skills to Nigerians in the next three years.

    Speaking with The Nation in Abuja at the weekend, Minister of Power Prof Chinedu Nebo said Manitoba has failed to transfer knowledge and skills to Nigerians in the TCN.

    He said: “Well, there is no problem actually with Manitoba and the Federal Government. It is just that we are not so pleased at the pace of work of Manitoba. Manitoba is supposed to take over the Transmission Company of Nigeria as managers and then pass on their skills to Nigerians who are there.

    “So, we have counterparts that should be trained and we really don’t see that happening. And we have seen so many system collapses in the past year that we felt that they needed to be made to do more work than they are already doing.

    “There is no quarrels other than government expects Manitoba to do more than it is already doing now. We want to get value for our money and whenever we are not getting value for our money, we will complain and that is exactly what we are doing now.”

    Nebo added: “If somebody tells you that he can train you to be a middleweight champion and he will do it in six months, and then at the end of the day by the third month, you are noticing that you are not making any progress, it is better for you to start crying in time. So that is what we are doing now. We want value for our money. So we want Manitoba to do a lot more than Manitoba is doing now.”

    President Goodluck Jonathan, he said, will today flag off the government’s solar energy programme for rural areas in the country not connected to the national grid in the next ten years.

    Nebo said two communities, Durumi and Shafe, in the Federal Capital Territory is now powered by solar energy as a pilot project to attract the private sector to tap the opportunities available in exploiting solar energy in the country.

    He said: “Frankly, what we did is pilot demonstration because not just government, we are working on the legal framework. We will invite the private sector too. We have done it to show people that it is possible without being connected to the national grid to have 24/7 power supply in a remote community that might not see national grid for the next ten years.

    “We have proved it. It is possible. Mr. President has already approved that it be done in every senatorial district in the country. It is during the second pilot that the state governments, local governments and private individuals who want to do it and make money will come in.

    “So, we are just showing that there is a big boom for the future of solar energy in Nigeria and that rural communities, agrarian communities, local manufacturers, small and medium enterprises in the rural areas, they can all benefit and be fully powered whether or not they are connected to the national grid. We want to open the door to the private sector because they will move faster. They have more money.”

    The Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) yesterday said it had settled the gratuity and pension of 43, 375 former workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    The Head, Public Communications, Mr Chigbo Anichebe, said, in a statement, that the beneficiaries were among 47,913 workers presented to the government at the beginning of the privatisation process.

    Anichebe said it became imperative for the bureau to make the clarification because of a recent allegation by the National Union of Electricity Employees that 25, 000 former PHCN staff had yet to be paid.

    “To effect the payment of the 43, 375 staff, the bureau has remitted N361,024,432,338.48 to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

    “That brings the payment made with regards to the validated staff to 94.79 per cent of the workforce. Validation of another 2,382 has been concluded and payments are in process.

    “This brings the total number of staff verified to 45, 757 or 95.5 per cent of the purported staff strength of PHCN.

    “Furthermore, the committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, is still working tirelessly to validate the remaining 4.5 per cent of the workforce.

    “These are purported staff that the committee has so far not been able to obtain documents to validate their claims to being staff of PHCN.

    “The union is very much aware of this.

    “ Does the union want government to pay ghost workers?” he asked.

    Anichebe said that the remaining 4.5 per cent who had yet to be paid had issues of irregular staff identities, duplication in staff numbers and names.

    He said some had issues, such as the lack of or irregular Retirement Savings Account (RSA) pin and account numbers.

    “In some cases, the beneficiaries failed to sign or thumb-print their benefit statements or inserted wrong passport photographs.

    “There were also a few cases of corrupted biometric data or pictures.

    “Most of these have been addressed by fresh biometric captures as was done for Enugu Disco. Some staff also failed to supply the new NUBAN account numbers.

    “All these, the leadership of labour are aware of, since they are members of the Presidential Committee on the Resolution of PHCN Labour Issues,” he said.

    Anichebe called on stakeholders to be patient, stressing that such issues were normal in any exercise involving such huge numbers but that they were being resolved.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Oando Gas and Power, Mr Bolaji Osunsanya, has said about 130 industrial customers had been connected to its gas pipeline grid for their electricity needs.

    Osunsanya disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    He also said the company had embarked on the expansion of its gas pipeline in Lagos to ensure steady supply of “clean, safe and environment-friendly gas fuels”.

    The target, he said, was to keep the industries running profitably.

    The CEO disclosed that 14 new customers would be hooked to the company’s gas grid, once the expansion of the Ijora to Marina pipeline was completed.

    According to him, the new pipeline will serve other areas including Apogbon, Marina and Lagos Island.

    “The enumerated customers on the new project will be about 14 customers but is not about the number but the quantum of gas in use.

    “We are targeting about 10 megawatts on Marina and also some potential customers within Ijora axis.

    “We are excited about the size of purchase of gas by customers and not the number of customers connected to the segment,” he told NAN.

    Osunsanya said that cost efficiency and environmental friendliness were some of the reasons why many companies opted to use gas for their operations.

    The CEO said the project, which started in 1999, had recorded tremendous patronage by companies in Lagos, adding that the services would be extended to other parts of the country and West Africa.

  • Ahmed Musa unhappy over CSKA draw

    Ahmed Musa unhappy over CSKA draw

    Nigeria international, Ahmed Musa is unhappy despite scoring his first goal of the season for Russian Premier League defending champions, CSKA Moscow in the 2 – 2 draw with Ural is

    However the former Kano Pillars ace is relieved the Army Men did not lose the game, with the scoreline reading 2 – 1 just four minutes before the final whistle.

    He said: ”We started the game great and had a good first half. But after the break, the opponent did not give us chance to attack through the flanks.

    ”I was not pleased with the final result, but not too upset. There are still a lot of games ahead,” Musa told the official website of CSKA Moscow.

    Wednesday’s result has left CSKA Moscow in 6th position, 2 points behinds behind traditional rivals Spartak Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg.

    They host Krylya Sovetov in the second round of matches on Monday, July 22.

     

  • Eguma unhappy with media treatment

    Eguma unhappy with media treatment

    Dolphins manager, Stanley Eguma has denied that he refused to speak to the media shortly after his side’s 1-1 draw at home to Sunshine Stars on Matchday 4 of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

    It was reported that the gaffer refused to speak to the press after the game because he was unhappy with the officiating in the game at the Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium.

    “I was angry when I read reports that I did not speak to the press after the game. That was not true,” the former Gabros manager told supersport.com.

    The gaffer explained that he stood at his “usual position” in the mixed zone waiting for the journalists present at the stadium to commence post-match interviews but claimed that he was ignored.

    “I was at my usual position waiting to be interviewed but the journalists all ignored me and were instead speaking to the Sunshine Stars coach. What was I supposed to do? Wait there forever? Also, the atmosphere after the game was tense and I was advised by my aides to leave the pitch as the security presence was fast thinning out,” he added.

    Dolphins have made an inauspicious start to the new season racking up four points from a possible 12.

  • Communities unhappy with Jonathan’s silence

    Five local government areas in Anambra State, under the aegis of Omabala Forum, have threatened to protest, if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to break his silence on the bodies dumped in Ezu River.

    The local governments are Awka North, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum and Oyi.

    The forum’s Chairman of Planning and Strategy, Nnanna Egwu, said: “The River is part of Omabala and if it is polluted in Amansea, it will affect other communities within the area.

    He said: “If this kind of calamity had befallen some areas in this country, the youths would have mobilised to cause mayhem, but because we are peace-loving people, that is why we have been quiet.

    “The matter should be of great importance to everybody, we want the President to react and if we continue to wait in vain for that, then Omabala Forum will react.”

  • When did we become a nation of such unhappy people?(1)

    Recently, the results of the ranking of the happiest countries in the world, was released. According to a new global happiness measurement, the Happy Planet Index (HPI), Costa Rica (in Central America), has become the happiest country in the world. The criteria used were namely life expectancy, experienced well-being and ecological footprint.

    With this new ranking, Nigeria has lost her prime position as the happiest country in the world. It was an unsolicited title bestowed on us about seven years ago by another happiness index group. Back then, the news was received with mixed reactions by many citizens. Some, seeing the dire situation in the country then, disagreed with the ranking, wondering the criteria used in judging us so highly in the happiness stakes.

    “How can we be the happiest people in the world with so much poverty, disease, hunger, unemployment and other indices of underdevelopment confronting us?” they wondered. Others, however, incurable optimists supported the ranking, buttressing their stand with this argument:

    “Agreed we have all these problems, but you still see people looking happy and smiling everywhere you turn even in the midst of all these problems. What does that tell you? That we are a happy people!”

    Between that time and today, a lot has happened and our happiness rating has fallen drastically. We are now number 135 in a ranking of 151 countries in the happiness index (with

    Botswana at the bottom of the table as the saddest country in the world).

    What could have happened to make us fall so low, from being the happiest to become one of the saddest countries in the world? Too much, I believe. And more is happening daily to wipe the smiles off our collective faces.

    The causes of misery in the land are obvious and some have been cited above. But above all these, is the death of hope. And optimism.

    Even in the midst of so much poverty, what kept most people, living truly miserable lives, going was the belief, the hope that there is a greater tomorrow- ‘e go better’ as we like to say in local parlance. That is the spirit that moves the market woman sitting under the scorching sun all day selling wares with a street value of less than a N1000, the teenage street hawker risking his young life dashing through the traffic to sell a few bags of ‘pure water’, the danfo driver who leaves home by 4 am to take commuters to their places of work, the unemployed graduate who left school when Abacha was still in power and has not worked for a single day but is praying and hoping that a good job, perhaps in an oil company will materialize soon…the list is endless.

    It’s this Nigerian spirit, a never say die one, that baffles foreigners who can’t understand why we seem to be so happy despite all the ills in our society. What they fail to grasp is our love of life. The average Nigerian will hang on to life no matter how wretched his condition is. That perhaps explains why we have such a low suicide rate compared to other countries, even more affluent societies with higher standards of living. It must take something really terrible for a Nigerian to take his own life. This is unlike in a country like Japan for instance when a man can jump off a bridge to his death just because he feels his name, image and reputation have been affected by a scandal or allegation.

    Not so in this country where some one will be caught stealing billions from the public treasury but will feel no sense of shame. Instead, when taken to court, even with his battered reputation, he will be seen smiling, in hand cuffs and waving to his supporters who are often dressed in aso-ebi, singing and dancing as if in a street carnival.

    Anyway, as I was saying, it’s our zest for life, a belief in a better future that made us rank very highly in the happiness scale in the past. But in the past couple of years, the tables have turned and something seems to have happened to our indomitable spirit…

     

    To be continued