The United States Government on Tuesday in Abuja ruled out any financial assistance for Nigeria to conduct its nationwide census whose preparation had been dogged by shortage of funds.
Although the population census had been shifted to 2017, feelers from the National Population Commission, indicated that it may not hold because President Muhammadu Buhari had yet to make a proclamation on it.
The American government specifically told Nigeria that it would not fund the exercise because “it is not somebody else’s census, it is your census.”
The Office Director, Health Population and Nutrition Office, United States Agency for International Development, Dr. Nancy Lowenthal, ruled out financial assistance in an interview with The PUNCH, during the opening ceremony of a training workshop for the members of staff of the NPC on the 2017 population and housing census organised by the United States Census Bureau with support from USAID.
She said, “It is important to stress that the United States government does not fund the census of another country. But what Nigerian government can do is to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census.
“It is very important for the Nigerian government at all levels to recognise what a census does. It is a demographic information about your country: how many men, how many women, and how many children are in Nigeria. There are also information about household income and other aspects of demography in a census. Without a credible census in every single community, you cannot have a data. This is fundamental to governing your country. It is, therefore, fundamental to government to find the resources to finance its census.
“It is important for any government to be able to fund its census because without it, you will not be able to do other components. It is not apportioning the Federal Government with funding, this is real planning; the commissioners should know the type of vaccine coverage and how many children are out there. It is not somebody else’s census but the census of the government of Nigeria as represented by Mr. President through the chairman of the NPC down thorough all the structures in the federal, states, local governments and rural levels and it is your census.”
The Chairman of the NPC, Chief Eze DuruIheoma (SAN), had last year, during a press briefing in commemoration of the 2015 World Population Day with the theme, “Vulnerable population in emergencies,” hinted that the population census earlier scheduled for this year would not take place due to poor budgetary allocation.
Although the exercise had, however, been scheduled for 2017, DuruIheoma,when asked about the actual date for the 2017 census said, “The President has not made any proclamation and, as such, nobody can tell the date and time for the census.”
Justifying the reasons why the 2016 census would not hold, the NPC chairman had told journalists that if, indeed, Nigerians wanted the 2016 national census, they must demand it just like they did during the recently concluded general election.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
My Plan To De-market APC — Lere Olayinka
Lere Olayinka, Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Public Communication and New Media, is one of the serious contenders for the post of the National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party. In an interview, he affirmed that his mission as National Publicity Secretary of the PDP would be to de-market the ruling All Progressive Congress. He speaks on his plans and strategies.
By Rotimi Omoyela
Why do you want to be the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party?
I’m a committed member of the PDP. I have never belonged to any other party since I joined party politics. Again, I will say that I have paid my dues in terms of projecting the PDP, in Ekiti State, Southwest and Nigeria as a whole. Most importantly, the leader of the party in this state, Dr. Ayodele Fayose is interested in me becoming the National Publicity Secretary of the party.
How would you assess the present Publicity Secretary of your party, Chief Olisa Metuh performance?
Lere Olayinka
I’m a forward looking person, I don’t dwell on the past, I don’t go about condemning and castigating people, the environment in which Mr. A operated last week, may be different from which Mr. B is operating now and the environment in which Mr. C will operate tomorrow might be different. So the strategy that worked yesterday would obviously be different from the one that might be applied tomorrow. I’m not saying those who have handled the media in the past have not done their best, in the political environment they operated, they did their best, I’m willing to pick up from where they stopped.
Do you think you have what it takes to be Publicity Secretary of a Political Party?
I’m a journalist and have been in this job for 19 years. I started active journalism since my days in the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, I have practiced as a publisher, as a reporter, I have been involved in broadcast journalism, print journalism and even social media journalism.
The Peoples Democratic Party as at now appeared to be riddled with crisis and internal strife, what image do you intend to give a party of this nature?
Politics is about conflict and conflict resolution when you have an organisation with varieties of interest there will always be conflicts. Unfortunately, we allowed minor crises to balloon into a major issue. Like every other political party, we have our share of crises in the PDP, and it is normal in politics, because of the divergent interests. The APC that is the ruling party today has its share of crises because of the divergent interests in that party. You must be aware of what is going on within the APC, and it has not been consumed by the crisis, PDP too will not be consumed by its crisis.
Some say that the consensus arrangement used in the last congresses in Ekiti State is akin to imposition?
I can tell you that there was no imposition of anyone. Don’t get it wrong. Consensus is never an imposition; they are not the same thing. Consensus is a mechanism put in place to discourage acrimony and rancour among contenders for a particular position.
Political communication
It’s an arrangement put in place to encourage contestants to step down for each other and allow the best candidate who is properly fit for a position to emerge, but in a situation where nobody wants to step down, we can call for the outright election to settle the matter.
What are your other plans for the projection of the image of your party?
Political communication is simple, you tell the people what your party is capable of doing, you tell the people what your party would have done differently, by making the people see that if our party is the party in government, we would have done things differently. It is about marketing your party and de-marketing your competitors; my job is to market the PDP and de-market APC.
The latest crisis in PDP has to do with zoning and gladiators in Southwest want the chairmanship zoned to the area. But Governor Fayose has a different opinion, what is your take?
The Chief Executive Officer of any political party is the Secretary, are you saying this position is not important? The National Publicity Secretary is the mouthpiece of the party, are you saying that is not important too?
Though this issue has been resolved, and I would not like to go into it. With two governors in the Southwest are they complaining? Those are the major stakeholders in the party as at today.
PDP = The House divided by Greed
Confusion Trails PDP Congresses In Ekiti, Ogun, Anambra as Imo State Postpond their's
State congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun, Ekiti and Anambra states ended in confusion on Tuesday.
In Ogun State, three state party chairmen and other officers emerged after parallel congresses were held by factional groups at different venues in Abeokuta, the state capital.
One of our correspondents observed that three separate state congresses were conducted at different venues by the loyalists of the senator representing Ogun-East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu; the member representing Remo constituency in the House of Representatives, Ladi Adebutu; and those of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.
The Kashamu-led group held its congress at the party secretariat, the Adebutu group held theirs inside the amphitheatre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library while the Bankole group made use of the Ake Palace ground.
Chief Bayo Dayo emerged as the state chairman of the Kashamu group, the Adebutu faction elected a two-term member of the Ogun State House of Assembly and former chairman of Ifo Local Government Area, Sikirulahi Ogundele, as the party’s chairman in the state.
The Bankole faction, however, elected a former commissioner under the Governor Gbenga Daniel administration, Chief Wale Egunleti, as its own state chairman of the Ogun PDP.
The story was the same in Ekiti State where two parallel congresses of the party were held in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
One of our correspondents observed that a faction opposed to Governor Ayodele Fayose held its state congress at the Omo-Ilu Foundation building in the Ajilosun area of Ado Ekiti.
The faction elected Chief Williams Ajayi as its chairman.
But as of the time of filing this report, a faction loyal to the governor was holding its own congresses at the Adetiloye Hall of the state-owned Fountain Hotel in Ado Ekiti.
The outgoing state Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, in an interview with our correspondent said the factional congress was illegal.
“We are still conducting our congress, so, I’m not aware of any other congress,” he said.
In Anambra State, the state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday ended in confusion.
The party held two parallel congresses. One was held at Emmaus House and another at Marble Arch Hotel, in Awka, the state capital.
State congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun, Ekiti and Anambra states ended in confusion on Tuesday.
In Ogun State, three state party chairmen and other officers emerged after parallel congresses were held by factional groups at different venues in Abeokuta, the state capital.
One of our correspondents observed that three separate state congresses were conducted at different venues by the loyalists of the senator representing Ogun-East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu; the member representing Remo constituency in the House of Representatives, Ladi Adebutu; and those of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.
The Kashamu-led group held its congress at the party secretariat, the Adebutu group held theirs inside the amphitheatre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library while the Bankole group made use of the Ake Palace ground.
Chief Bayo Dayo emerged as the state chairman of the Kashamu group, the Adebutu faction elected a two-term member of the Ogun State House of Assembly and former chairman of Ifo Local Government Area, Sikirulahi Ogundele, as the party’s chairman in the state.
The Bankole faction, however, elected a former commissioner under the Governor Gbenga Daniel administration, Chief Wale Egunleti, as its own state chairman of the Ogun PDP.
The story was the same in Ekiti State where two parallel congresses of the party were held in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
One of our correspondents observed that a faction opposed to Governor Ayodele Fayose held its state congress at the Omo-Ilu Foundation building in the Ajilosun area of Ado Ekiti.
The faction elected Chief Williams Ajayi as its chairman.
But as of the time of filing this report, a faction loyal to the governor was holding its own congresses at the Adetiloye Hall of the state-owned Fountain Hotel in Ado Ekiti.
The outgoing state Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, in an interview with our correspondent said the factional congress was illegal.
“We are still conducting our congress, so, I’m not aware of any other congress,” he said.
In Anambra State, the state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday ended in confusion.
The party held two parallel congresses. One was held at Emmaus House and another at Marble Arch Hotel, in Awka, the state capital.
Soldiers Kill Niger-Delta Militants In Foropa, Bayelsa
Isa Ado, spokesman of Operation Pulo Shield – the joint force in the Niger Delta – on Tuesday said many militants were killed during an exchange of gunfire with soldiers in Bayelsa state.
Ado said a combined team of suspected militants and sea pirates, attacked his men in Foropa, a community in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.
He said three soldiers were killed in the incident, revealing that troops had been stationed in the community since 2010.
“The location came under fierce attack and three of our soldiers, who were hit by bullets, died on their way to the hospital,” he told NAN.
“There were so many casualties on the side of the militants, but we cannot precisely know the number.
“The morale of the troops remains high and the sacrifices of these soldiers shall never be in vain; we remain resolute in our determination to stamp out oil theft and illegalities in the Niger Delta region.
“These soldiers gave their lives for peace in the Niger Delta.”
The defence headquarters has threatened to crush militants who have renewed attacks on oil installations in the region.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Women Protest Unclad In Nkwegu, Ebonyi
There was pandemonium at Nkwegu community near Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi state as over 200 women from Afikpo South Council area of Ebonyi state protested Unclad over the alleged continued detention of the President General of the community, Ndubuisi Ekumankama. He was detained by the police for allegedly demolishing a widow’s house in Amangwu Edda community.
The women, who had planned to storm the Government House in protest were intercepted by policemen at the Nkwegu, near military cantonment when they resisted the first team of policemen who could not withstand the sight of the rampaging Unclad women.
Daily Sun gathered that the women protested without wearing anything at the upper parts of their body which threw many into confusion, including the policemen.
However, it took the intervention of the Police Commissioner, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah who immediately mobilised another team of policewomen led by the Officer in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, who led other policewomen to the scene.
Speaking to our reporter on the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), ASP George Okafor, described the actions of the protesting Unclad women as shameful and desecration of Igbo culture and norms.
Mr. Okafor said the women had planned the protest last week but were advised to follow the legal way of registering their complaints since the suspect and the President General of the Community who was arrested by the police in connection to the demolition of the widow’s house has been charged to court.
“Last week, a group of women numbering about 20 stormed the state headquarters to protest over the arrest and detention of a suspect who was being held for demolishing a widow’s house in Amangwu-Edda. After we spoke to them, they even saw the suspect and he spoke to them which showed that he is alive. They went back and today again, we got information that the same women had gone and mobilised over 200 other women to storm the government house to protest and we also got information that they were coming into the town Unclad so we tried to halt them from gaining entrance into the city.
“Our men who earlier got to the scene were repelled because of the sight of the unclothedness of these women and we had to mobilise our police women led by woman ACP in charge of CID. They went there as women, who understood each other. And they had more access to them unlike the men who were being careful because these women were Unclad.
Their actions were unfortunate and shameful. They have desecrated the Igbo culture by protesting Unclad over a politically motivated issue. If there were reasons to protest Unclad, these women should have known that it must be a serious issue.”
The women, who had planned to storm the Government House in protest were intercepted by policemen at the Nkwegu, near military cantonment when they resisted the first team of policemen who could not withstand the sight of the rampaging Unclad women.
Daily Sun gathered that the women protested without wearing anything at the upper parts of their body which threw many into confusion, including the policemen.
However, it took the intervention of the Police Commissioner, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah who immediately mobilised another team of policewomen led by the Officer in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, who led other policewomen to the scene.
Speaking to our reporter on the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), ASP George Okafor, described the actions of the protesting Unclad women as shameful and desecration of Igbo culture and norms.
Mr. Okafor said the women had planned the protest last week but were advised to follow the legal way of registering their complaints since the suspect and the President General of the Community who was arrested by the police in connection to the demolition of the widow’s house has been charged to court.
“Last week, a group of women numbering about 20 stormed the state headquarters to protest over the arrest and detention of a suspect who was being held for demolishing a widow’s house in Amangwu-Edda. After we spoke to them, they even saw the suspect and he spoke to them which showed that he is alive. They went back and today again, we got information that the same women had gone and mobilised over 200 other women to storm the government house to protest and we also got information that they were coming into the town Unclad so we tried to halt them from gaining entrance into the city.
“Our men who earlier got to the scene were repelled because of the sight of the unclothedness of these women and we had to mobilise our police women led by woman ACP in charge of CID. They went there as women, who understood each other. And they had more access to them unlike the men who were being careful because these women were Unclad.
Their actions were unfortunate and shameful. They have desecrated the Igbo culture by protesting Unclad over a politically motivated issue. If there were reasons to protest Unclad, these women should have known that it must be a serious issue.”
David Cameron Describes Nigeria As A Fantastically Corrupt Country
David Cameron calls Nigeria and Afghanistan 'fantastically corrupt'
From the section UK Politics
David Cameron and the Queen
Image caption
The PM was speaking with the Queen, the archbishop of Canterbury, Speaker John Bercow and Commons Leader Chris Grayling
David Cameron has described Nigeria and Afghanistan as "fantastically corrupt" in a conversation with the Queen.
The PM was talking about the forthcoming anti-corruption summit when he made the comments.
It was not clear whether he knew the comments were being recorded.
"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain... Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," Mr Cameron said.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby intervened to say: "But this particular president is not corrupt... he's trying very hard," before Speaker John Bercow said: "They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?"
The government will host world and business leaders at the summit on Thursday in London, aiming to "galvanise a global response to tackle corruption".
Source - BBC
From the section UK Politics
David Cameron and the Queen
Image caption
The PM was speaking with the Queen, the archbishop of Canterbury, Speaker John Bercow and Commons Leader Chris Grayling
David Cameron has described Nigeria and Afghanistan as "fantastically corrupt" in a conversation with the Queen.
The PM was talking about the forthcoming anti-corruption summit when he made the comments.
It was not clear whether he knew the comments were being recorded.
"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain... Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," Mr Cameron said.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby intervened to say: "But this particular president is not corrupt... he's trying very hard," before Speaker John Bercow said: "They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?"
The government will host world and business leaders at the summit on Thursday in London, aiming to "galvanise a global response to tackle corruption".
Source - BBC
UNPAID SALARIES: See What a man Did
CIVIL SERVANT COMMITS SUICIDE
A civil servant with the Abia State ministry of lands and survey yesterday committed suicide over funds to purchase uniforms demanded by the wife for women’ s day celebration of their church.
The deceased it was learnt, has not received his salaries for some months and was finding it difficult to meet his family’s monthly bills.
The civil servant identified only as Mr Nwakwo, who was in his fifties left a suicide note in his sitting room before his wife and his three children returned back from church.
The deceased, who hails from Ihe Ndume. community in Umuahia North local government and a father of four children; two in primary schools, while the remaining two are in secondary schools, was said to have given excuses to the wife why he would not be going to church with them without indicating that he intended taking his life.
According to a family source who did not want his identity disclosed,the late civil servant before hanging himself often approached family members and some friends for financial assistance and raw food items to keep his family going
According to the source , ahead of yesterday’s Mother’s Day, the wife had asked her late husband for money to purchase the uniform clothes agreed by the women in the church to wear for the celebration, “I believe his inability to foot the bill and other things may have resulted in the man committing suicide,” he said.
A written note dropped by the deceased which is now at the custody of the police in Ehimiri police station reads, “ I have no other place to go, no hope, nothing to give to my children to eat and no salary for the past four months, am sorry I have to do this.”
According to a community leader, Eric Nkwokocha , the community felt bad with the demise of the community member.
He also disclosed that the corpse has been deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.
A civil servant with the Abia State ministry of lands and survey yesterday committed suicide over funds to purchase uniforms demanded by the wife for women’ s day celebration of their church.
The deceased it was learnt, has not received his salaries for some months and was finding it difficult to meet his family’s monthly bills.
The civil servant identified only as Mr Nwakwo, who was in his fifties left a suicide note in his sitting room before his wife and his three children returned back from church.
The deceased, who hails from Ihe Ndume. community in Umuahia North local government and a father of four children; two in primary schools, while the remaining two are in secondary schools, was said to have given excuses to the wife why he would not be going to church with them without indicating that he intended taking his life.
According to a family source who did not want his identity disclosed,the late civil servant before hanging himself often approached family members and some friends for financial assistance and raw food items to keep his family going
According to the source , ahead of yesterday’s Mother’s Day, the wife had asked her late husband for money to purchase the uniform clothes agreed by the women in the church to wear for the celebration, “I believe his inability to foot the bill and other things may have resulted in the man committing suicide,” he said.
A written note dropped by the deceased which is now at the custody of the police in Ehimiri police station reads, “ I have no other place to go, no hope, nothing to give to my children to eat and no salary for the past four months, am sorry I have to do this.”
According to a community leader, Eric Nkwokocha , the community felt bad with the demise of the community member.
He also disclosed that the corpse has been deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.
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