Jonathan Withdraws Two Ministerial Nominees
•Re-nominates Idi-Hong, 3 more to go
From Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja, 03.31.2010


Former Minister of National Planning Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman’s hope of being re-appointed to the new cabinet may have been dashed yesterday.

His nomination has been stepped down, while that of Alhaji Umar Aliyu was withdrawn.
Both men were nominees of Kano and Taraba States respectively. No reason was given for this last minute move.
But sources told THISDAY that Usman might have failed to scale security screening following some actions he took during his tenure as minister.

There were also feelers that the Senate acted on a message from the Presidency that it should stop action on both nominees.
The next 24 hours would determine the fate of the two men.
Three more nominees are still being expected from Acting President Goodluck Jonathan as the Senate continues this morning with the screening of the remaining nominees.

Twenty-six nominees (three on Monday and 23 yesterday) have so far been screened by the Upper House and there were indications that the exercise might be concluded today.
Meanwhile, former Minister of National Planning Sanusi Daggash was asked to take a bow after he faced the Senate yesterday.
Contrary to reports that he would face a tough time because of the role he played in the 2008 budget impasse between the Executive and the National Assembly, he was not tackled by the senators.

THISDAY learnt that Daggash had embarked on a marathon lobby to explain to senators his role as the then Minister of National Planning in which capacity President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua directed him to analyse the implications of the budget as tinkered with by the National Assembly.

He was said to have visited some of the senators more than three times between last Friday and yesterday morning to pave the way for the easy treatment he received on the floor of the Senate in the Committee of the Whole.
Daggash, who was diplomatic in his remarks, said he took a census of the Senate and declared that he personally knew the personalities and the pedigrees of no fewer than 96 per cent of the membership.

He said that although he found himself at the deep end of another arm of government where he had to learn the ropes, he was appreciative of the fact that it was the citadel of the Senate that developed him.

According to him, “It is the same citadel that has changed me; that had developed me; that has put me forth and today, as I stand before you giving me the due respect that I do not even have to say anything, I know I am back home; and, to that effect, I am looking forward to be given a second opportunity to be able to prove myself.

“This is history in the making; in one government, the same government I was asked to bow out and the same government has asked me to come in. Clearly, for anybody, in a lifetime, this is a record-from 1960 to date.

“I am very appreciative of this opportunity to speak directly to the senators, collectively, not individually, as I have done in the last few days, to prove to you that I am one of you and I will be looking for that extra support this time to be able to prove myself. I thank you, Mr. President.”

Senate President David Mark before asking Daggash to take a bow and go said the Chamber expects him to put up an excellent performance.
The Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Jibril Aminu was excited as his candidate for ministerial appointment and former Minister of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi-Hong, was re-appointed.

Jonathan’s executive communication conveying Idi-Hong’s nomination to the Senate was read under announcement by Mark.
Others who were asked to take a bow and go without being asked any question include: former Minister of Youth Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi; former Minister of Transport, Hon. Ibrahim Isa Bio; former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye; a serving Senator, Bala Mohammed; and Hon. Nduese Essien.

They were accorded the legislative privilege (bowing and going) as one-time members of the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly.

Those taken through the rigour of screening were former Minister of Steel and Mines Development Diezani Allison-Madueke; former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia; former Minister of State (Niger Delta Ministry), Mr. Godsday Orubebe; former Minister of State for Power, Mr. Somo Nuhu Wya; former Minister of Environment, Mr. John Ogah Odey; former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Aderemi Babalola; and former Minister of State for Commerce, Mr. Humphrey Abbah.

The new nominees, who appeared before the Senate yesterday, were: Mr. Emeka Worgu, Chief (Mrs.) Josephine Anenih, Mr. Labaran Maku, Alhaji Murtala Yar’Adua, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), Mrs. Josephine Tapgun, Navy Captain N.S. Olubolade (rtd.), Mr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, Alhaji Suleiman Bello and Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho.

During her appearance, Allison-Madueke spoke on the problems and prospects of the yet-to-be-passed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)
She said: “The PIB has been extremely topical for the petroleum sector. In its essence, it is a bill that seeks to separate regulatory policy and monitoring issues from the commercial operations issue in the sector.

“It is also a bill that, if followed through in its entirety, will ensure for Nigeria, from government’s point of view, to realize a much higher commercial value for every petrol dollar that is produced in this country.

“So, it has various legislative and administrative instrument consolidated under an omnibus whole and this instrument helps to ensure that there is greater flexibility for the Federal Government in terms of royalties and taxes in these areas.”
Speaking on the problem of gas supply, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ajumogobia, said that the challenge faced in the gas sector stemmed from inadequacy of supply.

According to him, “We have an abundance of supply of gas in the East where the gas is found. Unfortunately, through policy implementation in the past, this administration inherited a system where power plants were built in the West and there was no gas in the West.

“It had to be piped from the East to the West. So, the challenge that the administration had has been how to bridge that gap.”
Ajumogobia spoke on the effort by government to restore proper bunkering in the nation’s territorial waters.

He said: “Bunkering is not a negative connotation. But bunkering really is servicing of the vessels that come to our shore. That is now being done outside Nigeria and to a great loss of revenue to the treasury of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Speaking while appearing for screening, 40-year-old son of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Murtala, said the energy of the youths around the world is very important in national development.

According him, “A lot of our friends and colleagues are in private industry and I believe that I can draw a lot of experience and advice on new ways of doing old things…(laughter). There is nothing wrong with the way things have been done I think energy is what we need.”

On the banking reforms, he said: “I think we have been very lucky with the emergence of the new CBN governor. I believe the situation was caught quite early; I believe if the CBN hadn’t come to intervene, we would have been in a worse, worse situation.”
Abia nominee, Wogu, who is a member of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), declared in response to a question on the Excess Crude Account that it (the Excess Crude Account) was unconstitutional.

He said that it was a child of necessity due to the exigencies of the time even as he stressed that the only account known to the law is the Federation Account as prescribed in Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

Former Minister of State (Finance), Mr. Remi Babalola, said in respect of a question on power that, “People say that a lot of money went into power but they could not see it; the reason is that it takes some real time for power. I can tell you the area, the plan the money has gone into and the state of readiness.”

The Minister of State (Power) Wya stated that power generation during his stay in the ministry of power was about the same before he came into office.
He said that the administration faced challenges which were beyond its control, saying these challenges were the non-availability of gas, security, vandalism of gas pipelines and the paucity of funds for the execution of the power projects.

The Senate president said: “I thought you were going to state in very clear terms whether there has been an increase in power generation since when you came into office, or there has been a decrease in very clear terms.”

Wya replied: “As at 24th of December 2007, we generated and distributed 3700megawatts of electricity. Now to be quite honest, that goal and target was met before our coming on stream, but by the time we came, it had deepened to 1,500 megawatts.
“Now we were able to rehabilitate existing plants and raised it to that level and beyond, but for limitation in availability of gas, we were almost limited to a maximum of 3700 megawatts.”

In her presentation, former Woman Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Josephine Anenih said that all well-meaning Nigerians should endeavour to emphasise issues that cement the unity of the country.

In response to a question, she said: “What I would have to say is that I will do my possible best to contribute to the cementing of the unity of this country in the areas of making sure that we play down on the things that divide us and bring up the things that unite us.

“What binds us together as a people are much more important than the things we put forward to divide us , We have been through a very bad experience during the Nigerian Civil war (Biafran War). Those of us who went through that experience would never want it to reoccur; would never wish it on our children; would never want to do anything to go through that experience again.”




http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=169812

but for limitation in availability of gas, we were almost limited to a maximum of 3700 megawatts.”

Shame

Gas is being flared continuously and wasted in the oil producing areas.

slap1:

Shame

Real shame, I mean big time

Even God has given up on Nigeria.

How very unserious we are.

What a shame.

This power generation issue in Nigeria is a real disgrace,

With all the natural resources,

trueword:


but for limitation in availability of gas, we were almost limited to a maximum of 3700 megawatts.

**SMH**

The same old fools. Why is my visa crawling. Too much money to send off stuff via courier.

Some Idiots make gain from the darkness.

Hmm they are really trying to clamp down on past behaviors. Very good

sulad82i:

Hmm they are really trying to clamp down on past behaviors. Very good

I really wish it is so, for a glimmer of HOPE in d system.

They are just recyclying same old hands. Let's watch & see the magic they will perform.

what magic are they going to perform in less than a year.

The sons of darkness, where d true sons of 9ja make cool and legitimate money in broad day light, sons of darkness make theirs in d dark, shame on these idiots, 50years after indepence there has been exponential decrease in the availability of basic amenities for citizens, I no blame them,their pikins dey US,UK canada so y dem go worry, Dat fool even had d guts to come and tell nigerians dat[i] but for limitation in availability of gas, we were almost limited to a maximum of 3700 megawatts.”[/i], na injury time all of them dey

Forget about all these fulfillment of righteouness, those that will be there has already been chosen. Let them keep fooling themselves.

fools unlimited. 3700 Megawatts for a population of 150 Million. Shameful!

LOL most of you don't even pay your own light bill. you people are retarded lol

Even God has given up on Nigeria.

yes he told me himself