[size=16pt]FG makes available N15 Billion cheap funds to farmers[/size]

The Federal Government has approved the grant of fifteen Billion Naira (N15 Billion) to the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), to be provided to farmers at single digit interest rate for the 2013 farming season.

The Vice President, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, during the closing ceremony of the 19th edition of the National Economic Summit, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in partnership with the National Planning Commission.

Similarly, Vice President Sambo said, to make the BOA more efficient the National Council on Privatisation had been granted approval for its unbundling, noting that Government was mindful of the problems currently facing access to cheap financing by farmers.

Accordingly he said, “Mr. President has approved the grant of N15 Billion to the Agricultural Bank to be provided to our farmers for the 2013 farming season at one digit interest rate. Furthermore, the National Council on Privatisation has been granted approval by Mr. President to privatise the Bank of Agriculture in order to unbundle it and make available cheaper funds for agricultural development.”

The Vice President emphasised that this was in line with the administration’s drive to redefine agriculture as a business and make it more competitive, adding that Government was committed to diversifying the economy to create wealth and jobs.

While speaking further, he stated that the President Jonathan administration was addressing all other bottlenecks hampering the agric sector by unlocking all its potentials, through favourable policy instruments, women and youths empowerment initiatives, land security, revitalisation of the transport sector, improving power supply, access to markets and revival of commodity exchange systems.

“The face of agriculture has changed in this country, and it is refreshing. Agriculture is no longer a development programme. Agriculture is now a business. In the transformation of our agriculture, we are taking the full value chain approach, from the farm to the table. As we grow agriculture, non-farm income and employment opportunities will develop, through multiplier effects in the local economy.

Arc Sambo, while commending the NESG for adopting a very appropriate theme which was dear to Nigerians, said “our collective future depends on agriculture. All hands must therefore, be on deck to assure that Nigeria becomes a global agricultural powerhouse. We will not relent. We will succeed.”

The Director General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr. Frank Nweke II, while presenting a summary report of the Summit, said the Summit stressed that to realise the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, there was the need for linkages across all sectors of the economy, women and youths empowerment, access to financing, revitalisation of commodity exchanges, as well as provision of infrastructure.

Others he mentioned were the exhibition of political will and partnership with the private sector by all tiers of government, research and development and policy sustainability. He also said that the Summit had proposed the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Agric Business to reflect the new thinking of Government.

Highlight of the closing ceremony was a plenary session chaired by Mr. Atedo Peterside, the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation.

DivideUs:


Have you been reading what's been going on in borno or you just read this current post and decide to believe? Ok let me update you, THE CIVILIAN JTF HAVE BEEN GOING AFTER BH FOR A WHILE!! And the JTF's been well aware of that, now that things ended badly it's their fault abi? Useless country i tell ya 99% of what comes out of naija govt is lie lie, but hey believe ehat you like

While the JTF appreciates the efforts and inputs of the Civilian JTF in the fight against BH, they've always admonished the Civilian JTF not to be embarking on their activities without clearance and back-up from them. But some of them are always eager and enthusiastic to go and catch BH members, i don't blame them for that, but they should be using their heads, because their lives should be more important to them. It's a person that's alive that fights against evil.

The Federal Government has taken delivery of the Igoli and Wet Milling Machines (crushers) from South Africa for the Safer Mining Programme in Zamfara State.

According a statement received in Abuja last night, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Mohammed Sada, made the disclosure while declaring open a three-day training programme on safety, health and environmental issues in mining for artisanal and small scale cooperatives in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

The training programme, the first in the series, mapped out for the Safer Mining Programme in Zamfara State, was organised by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

Sada disclosed that more training programmes and extension services would be provided for the artisanal and small scale mining cooperatives in the state.
Represented by the Director of Planning Policy Analysis and Monitoring in the ministry, Mr. John B.G. Mshelia, the minister said the machines would be installed very soon at three mineral processing centres in Anka, Bukkuyum and Maru Local Government Areas of the state for the processing of gold ores to prevent re-occurrence of lead poisoning.

He advised artisanal and small scale miners all over the country to form cooperatives in order to benefit from various training programmes and extension services offered by the ministry for sustainable mining in the country.

Sada advised the participants to take the training programme seriously in order to benefit from it, adding that they should imbibe and practice what they were taught at the event.

The statement said safety kits for mining operations were distributed to the artisanal and small scale miners at the training programme which was flagged off by the minister.

About 50 artisanal and small scale miners cooperatives in Zamfara State, non-governmental organisations, investors, stakeholders, the media; officials of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, the Zamfara State Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals Development attended the training programme.
The Zamfara State Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals Development, Mouktar Lugga, who was represented by a Director in the ministry, Kabiru Morai, thanked the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for organising the training programme and assured them that the state would continue to support the federal government to ensure safer and sustainable mining activities in the state.

Speaking at the event, the Director of Artisanal and Small Scale Mining in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Obiora Azubike, told the participants that there registration as Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Cooperatives enables them to access some privileges the ministry gives to cooperatives.

He, however, told them to note that the certificate of registration issued to them by the ministry is not a mineral title.
He added that if they want to mine without mineral titles, they have to enter into agreements with investors who have mineral titles in the areas they intend to mine.

Azubike advised that the cooperatives should apply for and acquire mineral titles if they want to mine any mineral in the state in accordance with Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

The Director advised the beneficiaries of the safety kits to use them for mining and processing of minerals.

The papers presented at the training programme were on safety, health and environmental issues such as the safe ways of disposing tailings; the use of the wet milling process for Gold Ore with the use of the Igoli machines and crushers; better extraction process of gold ore; the need to engage mineral processing outside residential areas; appropriate dressing in mining and mineral processing activities; prevention of children from mineral processing areas; sustainable mining among others.

For better understanding and active participation at the training programme, the papers were delivered in Hausa language.

The Chairman of Lala Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Cooperative, one of the participants at the training programme and beneficiaries of the safety, health and environmental kits, Alhaji Lawal Garba, commended the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the training programme and the safety kits, adding that the knowledge they gained from the training would help them immensely towards safer, profitable and sustainable mining in Zamfara State.

The minister visited Jabaka mining site in the state as part of the training programme and distributed safety, health and environmental kits to artisanal and small scale miners.

He also appointed an Extension Service Officer in Bagega and presented a motor cycle and generator at the Bagega mining outpost.

Source: Federal Ministry of Information
https://www.facebook.com/FMINigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Thursday warned Nigerians about the presence of mycotoxins, a toxic substance in foods and feeds.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, gave the warning at a workshop organised by the agency in Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday for stakeholders in the South-West .

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the forum was organised in collaboration with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan.

Represented by the agency’s Director of Laboratory Services, Mrs. Stella Denloye, Orhii said the substance could cause liver cancer.

He added that the need to create awareness was necessary in view of the dangers inherent in the consumption of the substance.

The DG said, “Records have shown that there are concerted efforts all over the world directed at the introduction of preventive strategies to reduce the risks associated with aflatoxin contamination.

“These efforts are seen from the backdrop of introduction of mitigation products and stringent monitoring and control measures of the quality of food products by national and international control authorities.”

Source: Punch

DivideUs: hahahahahaha nigeria!!!!! na today? and some idiots were here shouting up and down how borno people should come out and act, well they did and this is the statement from those they helped. so now its their fault abi cos the authorities are always credible, useless country that will never get it right!!

Did you read the post at all? Or are you just commenting on the mere headline of the thread?
That JTF asked Borno people to help in the fight against the activities of Boko Haram sect in the state doesn't mean that they should just on their own embark on manhunt of BH members without getting clearance and backup from the Military.

The Joint Task Force (JTF), which is spearheading the Operation Restore Order in Borno State, said the youth killed by the outlawed Boko Haram sector were largely to blame for their demise.

Speaking to the media in Maiduguri, the Spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa argued the youth failed to fully comply with all security details resulting in the death of more than 20 of them.

He said the youth blundered by going after the sect members without guidance by the military, noting that only the security forces in the state ought to be involved in such counter-insurgency operation.

Musa said the inability of the youth volunteers to seek security escort from the task force in the manhunt for the fleeing Boko Haram insurgents led to the tragedy that was avoidable.

“We have always made it clear to the vigilante youth that they should not operate on their own but should always seek for military backing for security and appropriate guidance in the hunting of fleeing insurgents from Maiduguri."

"The youth are just supporting the security agencies with information. The real battle should be left in the hands of security agents. We will continue to appeal to these vigilante youth not to conduct any operation without armed military escort,” said Musa.

Musa nonetheless said the Nigeria Army was disturbed and concerned about the incident.

"The Nigeria military high command is very much aware of the killing at Monguno and it is very disturbing, the Nigeria Army Brigade at Monguno has been mandated to carry out full investigations into the matter."

It was reported that 24 youth vigilante who went to the Borno town of Monguno to hunt for members of the Boko Haram sect were ambushed and killed and 32 of them was declared missing. Monguno is about 175 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital.

http://www.news24.com.ng/National/News/JTF-blames-youth-for-own-deaths-in-Borno-20130904

maclatunji: ^It is not a valid marriage because it is against the girls wishes.

The newspaper reported that the marriage was sealed by a dowry payment and had been consummated.

The father, who took 85,000 riyals (more than $22,000) in dowry, defended his decision to marry off his 11-year-old daughter even though his wife vehemently objected.

Did you not read this part?

[size=14pt]Mohammed's Marriage to 9 Year Old Aisha Does Not Justify Child Marriage Today-Sheikh Abdullah al-Man[/size]

A senior Saudi cleric said the Prophet Mohammed's marriage to a nine-year-old girl some 14 centuries ago cannot be used to justify child marriages today, a Saudi newspaper reported Thursday.

The comments by Sheikh Abdullah al-Manie, a member of the Council of Senior Ulema (scholars), followed the marriage of a 11-year-old girl to a man 68 years her senior.

Manie told Okaz newspaper that circumstances are different today from when Islam's Prophet Mohammed married young Aisha.

Aisha's marriage "cannot be equated with child marriages today because the conditions and circumstances are not the same," Manie said.

The sheikh spoke as the case of a girl in the city of Buraidah, in al-Qasim province, marrying a man estimated to be 80 years old, sparked new criticism of Saudi Arabia not having a law banning child marriages.

Against her will

According to a report last week in Al-Riyadh newspaper, the girl was given in marriage by her father against both her and her mother's wishes. The newspaper reported that the marriage was sealed by a dowry payment and had been consummated.

The father, who took 85,000 riyals (more than $22,000) in dowry, defended his decision to marry off his 11-year-old daughter even though his wife vehemently objected.

"I don't care about her age," he told the paper. "Her health and her body build make her fit for marriage. I also don't care what her mother thinks."

The father added that marriage at such an early age has been a custom in the Saudi society for a very long time and that he saw no reason why it should be a problem now.

"This is a very old custom and there is nothing wrong with it whether religiously or socially."

Saudi Arabia's legal system is based on Islamic Shariah law, which is defined by the Quran and other Islamic texts. Judges are all Islamic scholars and, instead of adhering to a modern written body of laws, base their decisions on their own interpretations of these texts.

Help requested

The case of Aisha, known to Muslims as "The Mother of Believers," is often used by Saudi judges and clerics to justify child marriages.

The government's Human Rights Commission said it was following the Buraidah case, which is currently being weighed by a local court.

"The mother of the Buraidah girl asked for our help, requesting that we become involved to help her daughter in getting a divorce," commission head Bandar al-Aiban told AFP.

"The case is now in the hands of the legal authority, and I do not want to say anything before they make their decision, but I hope they will reach a decision very soon," he said.

The groom has expressed his surprise at how the media has leveled harsh criticism against him and his family for marrying the girl.

"It is very simple. We didn’t do anything wrong. It is a valid contract that meets all the conditions for marriage? What's the point of all this fuss?"

The groom has three other wives, all much younger, and they all have kids.

As for the bride, it is reported she repeatedly called for help and burst into tears.

"Save me. I don't want him," she cried.

http://www.naijapundit.com/news/mohammed-s-marriage-to-9-year-old-aisha-does-not-justify-child-marriage-today-sheikh-abdullah-al-man

@OP, you forgot to add "Cultist" or "Pirate" to the adjectives that qualify the Prof.

The office of the coordinating minister of the Nigerian economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has described reports credited to SaharaReporters, an online news medium, indicating that the country is broke as not only a “fabrication” but also “alarmist.”

In a statement issued by Paul Nwabuikwu, the Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister, Okonjo-Iweala said, “Contrary to the claim in the story that the country has borrowed from local and international banks to finance recurrent spending, the Jonathan administration has in fact reversed the tendency of borrowing to finance recurrent as was the practice in the past.

“The multi-dimensional strategy adopted by the Jonathan administration is leading to positive outcomes,” she added.

Read the full release below:

We have received several enquiries about a story titled “Nigerian Government broke; targets pension savings” posted on the website of Saharareporters.

The story, like many other recent articles by Saharareporters purporting to be exclusive stories on various aspects of the Nigerian economy, is a complete fabrication.

As Nigerians know, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan recently presented its mid-term report which is a forthright account of the achievements as well as challenges facing the economy.

The country has $48 billion in reserves, including N5 billion in the Excess Crude Account to help shore up the economy. So the idea that the country is broke is alarmist.

It is true that the country is experiencing some revenue shortfalls that everyone knows about due to oil theft for which the President is taking some serious measures.

Also, contrary to the claim in the story that the country has borrowed from local and international banks to finance recurrent spending, the Jonathan administration has in fact reversed the tendency of borrowing to finance recurrent as was the practice in the past.

Also untrue is the claim that the country has been downgraded by international ratings agencies. In fact the truth is the exact opposite; ratings agencies and international investors have consistently stated, through various platforms, that the Nigerian economy is a well-managed one with good prospects in the medium and long term.

Regarding the country’s debt situation, the overall picture is positive as the Coordinating Minister showed clearly in her recent well publicized statement. The multi-dimensional strategy adopted by the Jonathan administration is leading to positive outcomes.

The level of borrowing has been brought down, bonds are being paid off through a sinking fund and the country is not taking the kind of high interest loans that led to the debt burden which existed before the historic Paris Club debt deal. The Borrowing Plan which was approved by State Governors and the National Assembly is focused on financing power transmission projects, inter and intra city rail projects, dams and other key infrastructure.

The notion that the Jonathan government is “eyeing” the N3.4 trillion pension funds to finance deficits underscores the desperation of this “activist” medium and its sponsors. It is a total invention. In fact, the government is currently engaged in strengthening institutions and critical processes in the sector to enhance security and stability of the funds.

With this latest outing, Sahara reporters has reinforced its well-earned reputation as a discredited purveyor of falsehood.

http://www.ynaija.com/saharareporters-is-a-discredited-purveyor-of-falsehood-minister-okonjo-iweala-fires-back-read/

Seriously, na wa oh.
I suggest that that Commandant should be severely disciplined, if not relieved of his duty sef.
Then the NYSC/ Federal Government must see to that girl's treatment. She must not be left to be crippled for life. They should please fly her abroad for proper treatment.
Then, ladies, learn how to bridle their tongues. You don't challenge a man to the extent of hurting their ego, or else, they would do anything just to salvage their ego.

I sincerely hope so, because the guy has exhibited great talent this period. More power his elbow and to the entire Super Eagles.

The truth of the matter is that the day these two gentlemen would reconcile, we won't be there.
Meanwhile, the bodyguards may have done that for the sake of the two visiting presidents. Protocol demands that. Assuming there were no foreign presidents at the table, Amaechi may have been allowed to go near and greet the president.

It's high time the First piped low and allowed her husband to lead. She should learn not to dabble into state affairs, but should rather focus on women and youth empowerment, and pet projects for children. That is what First ladies are known for, they are not known for joining in their husbands' political fights. Let the men be, let them do their thing man to man.
On the other hand, Gov. Amaechi's seemingly disloyalty to the Presidency has caused him all this. And i feel it's high time he makes amends.

That's his business. He is probably reacting just because of the public reactions his comments generated. Now he remembered that he was misquoted.

As at 4:25pm, 21/6/2013
GEJ 98
Buhari 62

This boy should pls grow up already. From the way he is going, we may one day hear that he's shot his Dad or gateman or driver or girlfriend during an argument.

Besides, in a society that cares, celebrities are meant to help reorientate and influence the minds of their fans. Fans tend to imitate their favorite celebrities, that's why you see them being used in adverts because it is believed that their fans could start using those products just to identify with their favorite celebs. Yet some celebrities don't know this and they go about doing trash, not knowing that their follow-follow fans could unconsciously imbibe those behaviors.

chris365: Does this niggur know how much i make from pure water bizness? Is someboby in aso-rock running mad

When they should be talking about banning curruption by 2014 or creating millions of jobs, they are talking of taking away the basic need of the poor.

na God go punish and kill person wey come up with this idea. Thunder go kill him generation.

I hope your Purewater business is NAFDAC approved.
You could change your business line into paper-bag manufacturing or sales.

Pls update the topic, Moderator!
Goal!

The Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has organized a three day training for some sons and daughters of Bayelsa State as part of efforts to make them employable and self-reliant.

The Director of subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, Mr. Audu Maikori regretted that most firms require working experience for new workers which most graduates don’t have, as the firms do not wish to spend time and resources on green horns that may not eventually fit in.

He noted that SURE-P decided to organize three days training for graduates in Bayelsa State tagged: “Why Employers of Labour in the Country do not Engage Fresh Graduates in the Organization Project”.

According to Mr. Maikori, who was represented by the Director of Services, Mr. Anthony N. Kalu, “That was why most graduates remain unemployed due to their inability to hit the ground running”.

All the interns work in a private firm, Mount Tech Engineering Company based in the Bayelsa State Capital.

Mr. Kalu said Government observed this and came up with the graduate internship scheme (GIS), to prepare for the changes. The GIS commenced in October last year with the mandate to engage 50,000 Nigerian graduates by attaching them to firms where they would have acquired working experience and skills.

Each graduate was to be paid a stipend by government while on internship and is supposed to be on the scheme for a period of 12 months. Interns were also only being engaged in their neighbourhoods, so they do not have to spend much on transport and other expenses.

However, Mr. Kalu disclosed that the Company was looking forward to discussing the issue with the Federal Ministry of Finance while enjoining the interns to make maximum use of the opportunity granted them.

Mrs. Peju Adegoke, a consultant, lamented that the school system was not preparing students enough for the world, saying the major challenge was for the interns to know their expectations.

Adegoke, who took the interns on self awareness and understanding, stressed the need for self development as it was difficult to succeed in a competitive world without self development.

Source: Federal Ministry of Information
http://fmi.gov.ng/sure-p-organizes-skills-acquisition-programme-in-bayelsa/

[size=14pt]I've been in this kind of situation before, working where I'm well paid and all that, yet i didn't like what I was doing and the job satisfaction was less than 20%. Since you are still young, I will advise you to follow your heart, but make sure you use your head while following your heart. Instead of starting allover again, you may build up on something similar to healthcare delivery, like someone suggested, in Sports, physiotherapy, health administration or health insurance.
But if you are totally not interested in anything healthcare related, just go for what you really want. You are too young to have an unfulfilled career life. It could cause depression for you.[/size]

When the military was accused (rather prematurely) of destroying the town of Baga in Borno State, the opposition in Nigeria went into over drive. They gave all kinds of figures of houses that were destroyed and blamed every destruction on the Nigerian military even though it was an established fact that the militant sect, Jama-’a Ahl al-sunnah li-da’wa wa al-jiha-d, commonly referred to as Boko Haram, were the ones that used rocket propelled grenades which have incendiary capacity and could destroy buildings.
Of all the voices that condemned the government and the military, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)’s voice stood out. Not only did he condemn the Nigerian military forces that took part in the defence of Baga along with troops from neighboring nations, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) called for the President to resign because of the incident saying “Jonathan should vacate and give way to competent hand to govern the country”.
Lamenting the fate that befell Baga, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) said “In Bama and Baga towns, military personnel were reported to have been engaged in extortion and sometimes raping of women. And because a soldier was killed in Baga the whole town was sacked by military. This is not the best way military should have acted when they were sent to restore law and order in a town. How can a responsible government allow its people to be killed in this way?”
Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) further said “Government cannot kill all the Boko Haram members. Government should rather arrest and prosecute the Boko Haram members. They should only be killed when they said clearly they wage war against their country like what happened during the civil war. And even during civil war we that fought in the war were given a copy of code of conduct book which guided us against killing innocent people”.
Now, from his reactions to the attack by Jama-’a Ahl al-sunnah li-da’wa wa al-jiha-d, commonly referred to as Boko Haram on Baga and the counter attack by military forces to dispel them from Baga, it is clear that Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) considered the military action an overreaction.
But Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has again given another interview to Daily Trust, published on the 2nd of June, 2013 and in this interview Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) complained about the military reaction to the attack by terrorists Daura, and the cultist attacks by Ombatse in Nasarawa last May. Buhari was particularly disturbed because he is from Daura and Nasarrawa is governed by his party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
This time around, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is not happy with the reaction of the security forces complaining that their reaction was too soft and that it should have been harder. He said “Well, it affected me personally because the way I see it as a former military man, the attack was very efficiently planned and executed. It was the phase one of the agenda to destroy Nigeria. They attacked the security; the police stations in the town were destroyed, and I suspected they must have used incendiary bombs because you cannot repair the police stations. You have to demolish, bulldoze them and rebuild them. They stationed what in the military we call cut off group; they stationed their men on all roads leading to Daura. People approaching Daura were attacked and the soldiers that were coming from Katsina town to give a helping hand to the police were ambushed and shot. I visited the soldiers that survived the ambush at the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina”.
Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) further said “The SSS boss or whoever that said he has left everything to God has no right to do that. Constitutionally, Nigerians can practice any religion they want or they can be atheists or anything they want to be, that is constitutional. But nobody should hurt a citizen of Nigeria and then get away with it, not to talk of slaughtering 56 law enforcement agents and then somebody coming out from the system to say such a thing. It is either that person doesn’t know what he was talking about or he shouldn’t even be there”.
Finally, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) also said “those that killed the 56 security men must be hunted and prosecuted no matter how long it will take because this is the bottom line about law and order and security in the country. They can’t be forgiven; they can’t override the constitution; Nigerians are being hurt and killed in their duties and those that killed them must be brought before the law”.
My question to Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is: Is it just now that he has become aware that the terrorists “must have used incendiary bombs” to burn down buildings and police stations? When the military was telling him that it was the terrorists that used the same incendiary bombs to burn houses in Baga and Bama, why did Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) not believe them until they attacked his own home town?
Has it not occurred to the highly respected former military Head of State that he is given mixed messages to the nation’s military and security officials and showing double standards to Nigerians?
If we keep criticizing our own forces and falsely accuse them of genocide, are we not going to make them hesitate when operating against the terrorists who do not have to hesitate when carrying out their nefarious activities? When facing a bullet, a bomb or a rocket propelled grenade, soldiers have split second to decide on what to do and if they are afraid of false accusations they will end up making the wrong choices and getting killed instead of taking down the enemy.
Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) should realize that Nigeria is at war with terrorists and in a war situation you need a steady hand- the sort of steady hand and leadership provided by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. You need somebody who will speak up in defence of our soldiers and security forces not somebody who will criticize them when they engage the enemy forcefully and then turn around and also criticize them when they temper justice with mercy because of the criticism they received for doing their jobs.
I remember that the opposition criticized the president when he said in Maiduguri that “These soldiers leave their families and sleep in the bush, and on the streets just so that you and I could have some sleep; and I would not want to hear that one of them is killed. I have given directive to that effect. We have warned the soldiers to conduct themselves, not to kill innocent civilians; but I will not celebrate the death of one soldier, and I repeat, I will not celebrate the death of one soldier.”
That is the way a Commander-in-Chief talks. His words must inspire and build morale amongst the military. A Commander-in-Chief stands up for the boys who are sacrificing their lives. He does not give mixed messages. He does not approbate and reprobate. He does not double speak. He gives a clear signal. He does not change his words depending on where the military operates. He says the same thing whether they operate in Kaura Namoda or in Modakeke. You should be able to count on a leader to have universal ethics and not situational ethics.
Perhaps Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) should remember this the next time he gives an interview. He should remember that he was once a soldier fighting secessionists and that the international community were regaled with stories of alleged atrocities committed by Nigerian soldiers during the civil war. These stories necessitated a visit to the war front by the then British Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Wilson, in 1969. I am sure that Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) remembers very well that General Yakubu Gowon, the then Commander-in-Chief, never prevaricated in the defence of the troops he led as Commander-in-Chief. At every stage of the war, he had their back, he protected their interests and made sure that their morale was up. They never worried about whether he would change his stance depending of the place where they operated.
For one who was once a military Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, I must say that it must be very disappointing for Nigeria’s military to have been savagely criticized by Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) even before an investigation had been carried out to ascertain who was behind the Baga incidence. But Nigeria’s military can find comfort in the fact that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan would always have their best interests at heart!

Reno Omokri is Special Assistant to the President on New Media.

Source: http://premiumtimesng.com

(Mod: FP pls)

May their souls continue to rest in peace and may Almighty God comfort and be with the families they left behind. I just can't forget about that Mr. Anyene who died together with his wife and all his children. Not even one was left behind. Na wa oh!
Well, it's good that the government is remembering them today, but I still need to plead with those concerned to kindly speed up the compensation of all the affected families and those who died or lost their properties on the crash site. What is causing the delay plz?

[size=14pt] To the best of my knowledge, this case is still in court. Justice is taking its turn in this case because those killers will definitely not be left to go unpunished. The case is on going in court.

The only problem is the Media who has refused to follow it up and feed Nigeriane with updates. They don't even go to the court for the hearings. Nigerian Media and reporters are just too lazy to follow-up issues. All they know is new events, they forget the past, forgetting that Nigerians stiil need updates on past events.
The only thing reigning for them now is NGF election, 2015 brouhaha and so on and so forth. [/size]