Saturday, 25 January 2014
Anti-Gay Law Will Not Affect HIV Fight, Says NACA
THE National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has said that the
anti-gay law, also known as same-sex marriage prohibition act, recently
signed by President Goodluck Jonathan would not have negative effects on
fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country as
being speculated in some quarters.
Power Supply: Still No Respite Even After Privatisation of PHCN
2015 Election timetable... Mixed Reactions from all quarters
Inec has released dates for the election timetable and mixed reaction are coming from different quarters regarding the choice of dates. some say it will give unfair advantage to jonathan.
While some hailed the commission on the dates for the presidential and governorship elections, others questioned its decision to hold the presidential and National Assembly polls before the governorship and state assembly elections.
Monday, 13 January 2014
Jonathan signs bill banning same sex marriage
ABUJA (AFP) – Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has approved a bill banning gay marriage and same-sex partnerships that sparked international condemnation, his spokesman said on Monday.
“I can confirm that the president has signed the bill into law,” Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman Reuben Abati told AFP, without specifying a date but adding that it happened earlier this month.
Abati said Jonathan signed off on the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill 2013 because it was consistent with the attitudes of most people towards homosexuality in the west African nation.
“More than 90 percent of Nigerians are opposed to same sex marriage. So, the law is in line with our cultural and religious beliefs as a people,” he added.
“And I think that this law is made for a people and what (the) government has done is consistent with the preference of its environment.”
Amnesty International urged Jonathan to reject the bill, calling it “discriminatory” and warning of “catastrophic” consequences for Nigeria’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Under the terms of the law, anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage or civil union can be sentenced to 14 years in prison while any such partnerships entered into abroad are deemed “void”.
It also warns that anyone who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations or who directly or indirectly makes a public show of a same-sex relationship will break the law.
Punishment is up to 10 years in prison, it adds.
“Only a marriage contract between a man and a woman shall be recognised as valid in Nigeria,” the law states.
Nigeria is a highly religious society, with its 170 million people roughly divided in half between Christians and Muslims, though a significant number are also believed to follow traditional religions.
The anti-gay law follows similar legislation in Uganda that was condemned by US President Barack Obama as “odious” and compared to apartheid by South African peace icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/jonathan-signs-bill-banning-sex-marriage/#sthash.qbRgyF81.dpuf
Irregular power supply a bane to nigeria developeme...labour faults-fg-ultimatum-private-sector-electricity-companies
National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has faulted the June deadline given to the private sector electricity companies by the Federal Government to stabilise power supply in the country, saying it is not feasible.
Giving reason while it believes it is unrealistic, General Secretary of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the union was surprised by the ultimatum given by the Minister of Power, insisting the Minister had earlier said, “The problem of the power situation was gas supply.”
“If he knew the problem was gas, why did he hand over the sector to the private sector operators? He should have addressed the gas supply problem. Even within six months, will the gas problem be over especially with the political sitting of power stations in Nigeria? Where you site a power station at 200 or 300 kilometres from the source of gas because you are a minister, you want a power station to be sited in your state.
Saturday, 11 January 2014
Revealed: Stella Oduah’s Ph.D Certificate Is Fake Too
We might not have heard the last on the Aviation Minister...not when we actually thought it was just Stella Oduah’s Masters’ degree that is fake, unfortunately there are indications that her Ph.D too is fake.
Folorunsho Alakija And Lagos State 2015 Gubernatorial Race
If only the race is for the swift this woman, Folprunsho Alakija would surely clamp all opposition without lifting a finger. Posters of the business mogul in a bid to contest for the position of Governor of Lagos state has flooded some parts of the state especially the seat of power (Ikeja).
Folorunsho has since debunked the rumor
Gospel Act Lanre Teriba Weds Pregnant Lover After Fathering Five Kids From Different Women
Y’all think 2face got the award of fathering kids with different ladies, please re-think. He has a stiff contender. Gospel singer, Lanre Teriba popularly called ‘Atorise’ tied the knot with his long-time beau Folashade Ademosu two weekends ago.
A marriage introduction was was earlier held at the bride’s family home in Ikotun Egbe area of Lagos State. Folashade is heavily pregnant and expecting a baby soon.
Interestingly, Mr Teriba already has five children from several women including a chorister named Deborah at the Celestial Church of Christ, Elon Parish in Ajara, Badagry)
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
US air force helicopter crashes in Norfolk, killing at least four people
US base at nearby RAF Lakenheath confirms HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crashed while training on English coast
An undated image made available by the US air force shows a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter of the same type as the one that crashed in north Norfolk. Photograph: USAF/AP
Christmas ghost stories: Ofodile by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A sleeping brother, a piercing cry, a lost key: award-winning novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie unravels a mystery
On the day our new neighbours came to our house, my brother Ofodile bit my mother on the arm. She was feeding him, pushing soft mashed yam into his mouth. She did it quickly, she always did, spoonful chasing another spoonful, then a plastic cup of water forced into his mouth to make him swallow. She did it silently, without really looking at him, her movements thick with duty, in his bedroom with the foam-carpeted floor that caught his falls. The door was always shut. Never ajar. When guests visited, the door was not just shut but locked, Ofodile sleeping inside. Sometimes she asked me to lock his door and I did it as she did, key turned swiftly, not looking in to see him first.
What's in a name?
Anonthology presents nine stories and nine names of authors, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Joyce Carol Oates, and invites readers to match writer to tale. But can it tell us anything about how we choose our reading?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: could you guess which of Anonthology's stories is hers? Photograph: Justin Williams/Rex Features
Over at Fourth Estate, which turns 25 this year, they've set us a literary challenge which I'm slightly concerned could end up whiling away much of my day. Posing the intriguing question of how much we judge books by their authors, they've launched an experiment to "assess the importance placed on name and reputation over quality of writing".
Nine of their writers, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Joyce Carol Oates, have penned a short story, and Fourth Estate has published them anonymously online in Anonthology. Our challenge is to identify the authors, who as well as the Orange-winning Adichie also include the Booker shortlisted Philip Hensher, Guardian first book award winner Yiyun Li, bestselling Richard and Judy author Patrick Gale and 29-year-old Rebecca Connell, plus Rudolph Delson, Christopher Nicholson and Laura Spinney.
"When you go into a bookshop, how often do you look for the author's name before you look at the title? How much value do you place on literary prizes, or Richard and Judy stickers? Do writers' reputations matter? Should they? Can you really judge a book by its author?" Fourth Estate asks. "We have one author who's sold over half a million copies, another who's written over fifty books. But you tell which is which? And how does it change the reading experience, not knowing if the author is young or old, male or female?"
A few hints are provided - see if you recognise the way the writer uses syntax, adjectives, verbs or tenses, look for recurrent themes, for US or UK spellings. We've got until 20 October to work it out, with those who get it right to be entered into a draw for some Fourth Estate special editions.
Even if you don't fancy the challenge, the stories themselves are worth reading. I think the answer to their question of how much importance we place on name and reputation is an obvious one – we can't help but place a great deal, because we're not reading in a vacuum, we're not approaching each visit to a bookshop from first principles. But it's fun to enter the vacuum for a bit, and I'm certainly going to be puzzling over who wrote what for a while. Any thoughts?
Record freeze extends to eastern United States, at least nine dead
By Victoria Cavaliere and Brendan O'Brien
NEW YORK/MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A deadly blast of arctic air shattered decades-old temperature records as it enveloped the eastern United States on Tuesday, snarling air, road and rail travel, driving energy prices higher and overwhelming shelters for homeless people.
At least nine deaths have been reported across the country connected with the polar air mass that swept over North America during the past few days. Authorities have put about half of the United States under a wind chill warning or cold weather advisory.
Temperatures were expected to be 25 degrees to 35 degrees Fahrenheit (14 to 19 degrees Celsius) below normal from the Midwest to the Southeast, the National Weather Service said.
PJM Interconnection, the agency that oversees the electric grid supplying the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest, said electricity suppliers were struggling to keep up with surging demand as the cold forced some power plants to shut.
"This particular cold is far-reaching, and most of our neighbors are experiencing the extreme conditions we are," said Michael Kormos, executive vice president for operations at PJM Interconnection.
Oil refiners were also hit, with Marathon Petroleum Corp and Exxon Mobil Corp both experiencing cold-related outages.
In Oklahoma, a depleted supply of propane due to extreme weather led Governor Mary Fallin to declare a state of emergency, waiving licensing requirements for out-of-state transportation companies to allow them to bring in propane.
Homeless shelters and public buildings took in people who were freezing outside.
Daniel Dashner, a 33-year-old homeless man who typically sleeps under a bridge on Milwaukee's south side, said he opted to seek a spot at a shelter on Monday night.
"Usually if I have four or five blankets, I can stay pretty warm, but when that wind is blowing, I don't care how many blankets I have, the wind blows right through me," he said, as temperatures dropped to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 21 degrees Celsius).
The extreme cold won't last much longer, according to AccuWeather.com. The frigid air and "polar vortex" that affected about 240 million people in the United States and southern Canada will depart during the second half of this week, and a far-reaching January thaw will begin, according to AccuWeather.com.
COLD'S BROAD REACH
Major U.S. cities were in the grip of temperatures well below freezing, with Chicago seeing 2 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 17 C), Detroit 0 F (minus 18 C), Pittsburgh 5 F (minus 15 C), Washington 19 (minus 7 C) and Boston 15 F (minus 9 C).
New York's Central Park recorded the lowest temperature for the date, 4 Fahrenheit (minus 16 C), rising to 9 F (minus 13 C) on Tuesday afternoon with wind chills making it feel much colder, meteorologists said.
At New York's Bowery Mission homeless shelter, the 80-bed dormitory was full on Monday night and 179 other people slept in the chapel and cafeteria, officials said.
Schools in Minneapolis and Chicago were closed for a second day on Tuesday, although Chicago plans to reopen schools on Wednesday. Cleveland remained below freezing after temperatures fell to minus 11 F (minus 24 C) on Monday, breaking a 130-year-old record.
Impassable snow and ice halted three Chicago-bound Amtrak trains on Monday, stranding more than 500 passengers overnight in northwestern Illinois.
In the normally mild south, Atlanta recorded its coldest weather on this date in 44 years, as the temperature dropped to 6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 14 degrees Celsius), while temperatures in northern Florida also briefly dropped below freezing, though the state's citrus crop was unharmed, according to a major growers' group.
Among the deaths reported was a 51-year-old homeless man in Columbus, Georgia, whose body was found in an empty lot after spending the night outdoors.
Two men died in Westerport, Massachusetts, while duck hunting on Tuesday when their boat capsized, dropping them into a frigid river, officials said. A third man was rescued.
A large avalanche in backcountry outside the Colorado ski resort area of Vail killed one person on Tuesday and caught up three others who survived and were being rescued, officials said. Avalanche danger in the area was rated as "considerable" due to high winds and recent heavy snows, said Spencer Logan, forecaster with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Four cold and storm-related deaths were reported around Chicago and an elderly woman was found dead outside her Indianapolis home early Monday.
AIRLINES STRUGGLE
The cold snap could cost the U.S. economy up to $5 billion, when lost productivity and lost retail sales are accounted for, estimated Evan Gold, senior vice president at Planalytics, which tracks weather for businesses. He said about 200 million people in major cities might face "bill shock" for heating.
The deep freeze disrupted commutes on Tuesday, with icy or closed roads and flight delays. Some 2,380 U.S. flights were canceled and 2,912 delayed, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks airline activity. Airlines scrambled to catch up a day after the cold froze fuel supplies, leading to flight cancellations, many at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Hardest hit were travelers who had booked trips on JetBlue Airways Corp, which on Monday halted its flights at New York's three major airports and Boston Logan International Airport overnight. Flights had resumed by midday on Tuesday.
Tuesday proved too cold even for some polar bears. At Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, a 14-year-old female polar bear named Anana mostly remained in her indoor enclosure, where temperatures are 40 F (4 C), said zoo spokeswoman Sharon Dewar.
She said that in their native environment, polar bears build up a layer of fat to help them through the Arctic winter of long periods of sub-zero temperatures. In Chicago, however, she said "we don't create that fat layer in zoo animals because that would normally not be something they would be comfortable with."
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Best hollywood movies of 2013
2013 was a banner year in the old household for movie watching. I've already revealed
but I decided to expand the list to include 90 more movies totally
worth seeing when you get the time. It should only take you around nine
days to watch everything! You'd better get going, it's already 2014! you can add to the lsi and tell us why you think it should be make this list.
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- 12 Years a Slave
- Nebraska
- Stoker
- Ain't Them Bodies Saints
- Gravity
- The Place Beyond the Pines
- The Counselor
- Wrong
- Upstream Color
- American Hustle
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- Spring Breakers
- Drinking Buddies
- The Hunt
- Stories We Tell
- Out of the Furnace
- The Spectacular Now
- Prisoners
- Captain Phillips
- Short Term 12
- Dallas Buyers Club
- Blue is the Warmest Color
- Rush
- Blue Jasmine
- The Bling Ring
- Berberian Sound Studio
- Frances Ha
- Gimme the Loot
- Room 237
- Mud
- Sightseers
- Computer Chess
- Leviathan
- Fruitvale Station
- The Grandmaster
- The Angels' Share
- Trance
- Side Effects
- The Act of Killing
- Lee Daniels' The Butler
- The Wind Rises
- All is Lost
- This is the End
- The Broken Circle Breakdown
- The World's End
- Enough Said
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
- Philomena
- Europa Report
- Before Midnight
- Lone Survivor
- What Maisie Knew
- Blue Caprice
- The Iceman
- The Great Beauty
- Blackfish
- Which Way Is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington
- Much Ado About Nothing
- A Touch of Sin
- In a World...
- The Punk Singer
- Despicable Me 2
- Prince Avalanche
- Only God Forgives
- Crystal Fairy & The Magical Cactus
- August: Osage County
- Elysium
- Post Tenebras Lux
- Kill Your Darlings
- Bad Milo!
- To the Wonder
- Pain & Gain
- Before Midnight
- The Past
- The East
- The Evil Dead
- Deceptive Practice
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- The To Do List
- The Way, Way Back
- Star Trek Into Darkness
- Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
- Frozen
- Behind the Candelabra
- The Selfish Giant
- The Unknown Known
- The Great Gatsby
- The Invisible Woman
- The Wolverine
- Reality
- Iron Man 3
- Ender's Game
- World War Z
- Pacific Rim
- Broken City
- 20 Feet From Stardom
- The Armstrong Lie
- Anchorman 2
Inside a Beating Silicon Heart
By capturing a patient’s beating heart in 3D, doctors can optimize treatment plans
If it were a model of his own heart, Guccione would have seen it racing. “This is something doctors have been trying to get to since before the 1900s,” he said. The advent of technologies like magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography, he said, have been a “dream come true” for measuring abnormal motion in a patient’s heart. But by modeling a beating heart in 3-D, the hope is that one day doctors will be able to diagnose and treat patients based on the unique forces at work within each patient and even rehearse open-heart surgery on an individual before opening up his chest.
“The heart isn’t just made of tissue; it also has an electrical current. I compare it to a machine,”says Dassault Systèmes Chief Executive Bernard Charlès, whose company has been creating digital mock-ups of machines like airplanes and automobiles for more than 30 years. With $2.8 billion in revenue and 11,000 employees (3,000 in North America), it’s the leader in the $16 billion market for product life-cycle management (PLM) software, which engineers at companies such as Boeing and Gap use to manage the development of everything from jumbo jets to jeans, saving both time and money.
As the Living Heart project suggests, Charlès, 56, is steering the company in new directions as part of a plan to double its revenue in five years. Instead of just peddling software for designers and manufacturers, Dassault Systèmes is recasting itself as a “3D experience company”whose simulation technology can be applied to just about anything.
Last year it combined its nine software brands, including Catia, Simulia and Enovia, into one 3D Experience Platform, which clients can use to model and simulate not only the way a product is designed or manufactured but even how it is bought, feels or is used. Charlès’ favorite example: a woman with an armful of groceries who swings her leg under the bumper of her Ford SUV, causing the liftgate to open automatically. Catia software helped realize that “experience.”
Dassault Systèmes has already branched out beyond aerospace and automotive design to a total of 12 sectors, including life sciences, architecture and construction, energy and consumer packaged goods. Even some fashion designers are using Dassault Systèmes’ 3-D tools to design their collections (though they don’t like to admit it, Charlès says).
SHoP Architects and its virtual construction arm, SHoP Construction, are known for pushing the limits of technology on projects like the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which features an undulating latticework “wrapper”made of 12,000 unique prefabricated, preweathered steel panels.
SHoP used Dassault Systèmes’ 3D Experience software to transform the way designers and engineers worked together on the project, streamlining the process by creating a single model that all teams could work from, including plumbers, electricians and carpenters. The 3-D model logged changes made by any of the construction teams in real time, so every team, regardless of trade, was always working from the most current information. That helped reduce material costs by 25%.
SHoP is now testing a cloud-based version of Dassault Systèmes’ technology to manage its next project–modular, prefabricated houses to replace homes lost in Hurricane Sandy. By sharing 3-D design data directly with the Long Island factory that will build the housing modules, SHoP says it will be able to erect a finished home in just 48 hours, instead of the customary four to six months.
At the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Harvard professor Peter Der Manuelian is converting its impressive collection of photos, diaries, drawings and documents from Egypt’s Giza pyramids into 3-D models so he can take students inside the tombs for a realistic view of the Fourth Dynasty. Armed with that rich data and a 3-D printer, he’s even re-creating ancient Egyptian artifacts that had long since vanished.
“If you can imagine it, you can simulate it,”says Steve Levine, chief strategy officer of Dassault Systèmes’ Simulia, who heads up the Living Heart project. He admits there’s a chicken-and-egg problem: You need to start with good data in order to produce an accurate simulation. In the case of the Living Heart project, Dassault Systèmes lifted geometric data about the electrical and mechanical properties of the heart from about a dozen different sources–academic researchers, cardiologists, medical device companies and regulators–then combined it into one massive database. “People had been working on different pieces of this in great detail, but no one has attempted to work it together,”Levine said.
Matching up data about the heart’s electrical impulses with its mechanical ones–called coupled multiphysics–was a meticulous job. Using a standard 48-processor workstation, Dassault Systèmes’ scientists needed about four hours to calculate the precise biomechanical forces of a single heartbeat, tracking how electricity is conducted through every strand of muscle fiber to replicate the true motion of a human heart. Once they accurately described the physics, the model operated on its own. “We do nothing more than pulse it the way nature does,”said Levine.
The next step is personalized 3-D heart models. Doctors would start with the Dassault Systèmes model of a normal heartbeat, then modify it to reflect the behavior of the patient’s own heart as detected by an MRI or echocardiogram. If a portion of the heart was damaged after a heart attack, for instance, they would observe how the physics had changed and simulate various treatment options to ensure proper blood flow.
Bernard Charles, CEO of Dassault Systemes
This story appears in the January 20, 2014 issue of Forbes.
Sandra Bullock downplays Roberts dispute
During an acceptance speech at the 25th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Saturday, 4 January, Sandra talked about Googling herself.
And the results led to a number of surprising revelations for the Oscar winner.
“Apparently, Julia -- I don't know where you are -- but apparently, you and I are in a dispute over George Clooney," the actress quipped, according to US Weekly. "We talked about this, right? We share custody, and we are both fine with it!"
Sandra was accepting the Desert Palm Achievement Award for Gravity and started her speech by admitting she found it hard to take compliments and never feels comfortable in “these situations”.
This led to her “doing something different” and researching herself online to see what came up.
"No human should ever read the comments section or Google oneself at any time!" she added with a laugh.
Sandra, 49, went on to list some noteworthy statements she discovered, such as, "There is absolutely nothing special about her acting," "She is not particularly attractive," and "She is mediocre."
She admitted these comments would normally bring her down but this time, she was able focus on some incredible moments in her career.
“I got to do things like play Chopsticks on a floor piano with Tom Hanks," she recalled. "I was reminded that I made out with Meryl Streep. Off screen, not necessarily her choice...I worked with Betty White. I've flown into space. I've had a pretty good life, and a pretty good career.”
During an acceptance speech at the 25th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Saturday, 4 January, Sandra talked about Googling herself.
During an acceptance speech at the 25th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Saturday, 4 January, Sandra talked about Googling herself.
And the results led to a number of surprising revelations for the Oscar winner.
“Apparently, Julia -- I don't know where you are -- but apparently, you and I are in a dispute over George Clooney," the actress quipped, according to US Weekly. "We talked about this, right? We share custody, and we are both fine with it!"
Sandra was accepting the Desert Palm Achievement Award for Gravity and started her speech by admitting she found it hard to take compliments and never feels comfortable in “these situations”.
This led to her “doing something different” and researching herself online to see what came up.
"No human should ever read the comments section or Google oneself at any time!" she added with a laugh.
Sandra, 49, went on to list some noteworthy statements she discovered, such as, "There is absolutely nothing special about her acting," "She is not particularly attractive," and "She is mediocre."
She admitted these comments would normally bring her down but this time, she was able focus on some incredible moments in her career.
“I got to do things like play Chopsticks on a floor piano with Tom Hanks," she recalled. "I was reminded that I made out with Meryl Streep. Off screen, not necessarily her choice...I worked with Betty White. I've flown into space. I've had a pretty good life, and a pretty good career.”
And the results led to a number of surprising revelations for the Oscar winner.
“Apparently, Julia -- I don't know where you are -- but apparently, you and I are in a dispute over George Clooney," the actress quipped, according to US Weekly. "We talked about this, right? We share custody, and we are both fine with it!"
Sandra was accepting the Desert Palm Achievement Award for Gravity and started her speech by admitting she found it hard to take compliments and never feels comfortable in “these situations”.
This led to her “doing something different” and researching herself online to see what came up.
"No human should ever read the comments section or Google oneself at any time!" she added with a laugh.
Sandra, 49, went on to list some noteworthy statements she discovered, such as, "There is absolutely nothing special about her acting," "She is not particularly attractive," and "She is mediocre."
She admitted these comments would normally bring her down but this time, she was able focus on some incredible moments in her career.
“I got to do things like play Chopsticks on a floor piano with Tom Hanks," she recalled. "I was reminded that I made out with Meryl Streep. Off screen, not necessarily her choice...I worked with Betty White. I've flown into space. I've had a pretty good life, and a pretty good career.”
Rihana Confirms Duet with Shakira
Rihanna has confirmed she and Shakira will duet on new single Can’t Remember to Forget You.
The singer posted a photo on Instagram showing the name of the song over two chairs, with “Shakira” on one and “featuring Rihanna” on the other. The date on the picture is “01.13.14”.
"One. Week. Countdown," Rihanna tweeted as she linked to the picture.
Rapper Pitbull first hinted at a collaboration between the Barbadian singer and Shakira last month, when he explained Rihanna was too busy to work with him. According to Pitbull, he wanted Rihanna to sing the hook on his song Timber, featuring Ke$ha.
"That is an ironic situation there. The person we were looking at first to work on that record was actually Rihanna, and Rihanna had something she had to do with Shakira, so she wasn't able to work on our record," he told radio show Kid Kraddick In The Morning.
Rihanna also shared her pick for “Man Crush Monday”, choosing athlete Mychal Kendricks."Is it Monday? Cuz chhh.... #MCM," she wrote, tweeting a picture of the Philadelphia Eagles linebacker.
Mychal admitted he knew what Rihanna had tweeted, and was clearly embarrassed by it. In an interview with CSNPHilly.com, the football player said his teammates were already teasing him about it.
"Some of the guys told me about it. They were busting my chops a little," he said. When asked if he had ever met Rihanna, the 23-year-old refused to answer the question.
"I don't want to talk about this, y'all," he laughed.
Gotham nominations for Lupita, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Gotham nominations for Lupita, Chiwetel
Though a win is not a given, the nomination is no small achievement for an actress on her first lap in Hollywood.
Lupita’s nomination is one of three for new slavery movie 12 Years A Slave, which premiered to rave reviews in the United States on 18 October.
British Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor has also been nominated for Best Actor for his role as Solomon Northup, the man whose true story inspired the film. The third nomination for the flick is Best Feature.
Their fate now lies in the hands of juries made up of writers, directors, actors, producers and editors, who will decide the lucky winners ahead of the 2 December awards ceremony.
“The Gotham Awards celebrate and showcase the very best of the vibrant, entertaining, challenging, and innovative films presented by our community, and help new audiences discover this vital work. We congratulate this year’s master film artists, talented newcomers, and other nominees representing the rich and diverse spectrum of today’s independent filmmaking,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of IFP and the Made in NY Media Center.
Lupita is up against Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings, Kathryn Hahn in Afternoon Delight, Michael B Jordan in Fruitvale Station, and Robin Weigert in Concussion.
Chiwetel meanwhile is hoping for victory over Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis, Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club, Robert Redford in All Is Lost and Isaiah Washington in Blue Caprice.
Who is Lupita Nyongó?
Lupita Nyongó must wake up many nights and wonder what has happened to her because her life right now, is the stuff of fairy tales.
How many Black African actresses… no strike that! How many actresses managed to snag over 30 nominations for their first Hollywood movie?
Lupita Nyongó that’s who and depending on how many she wins and how well the stars align, she could become the next big black actress in Hollywood.
So how did this Kenyan come to dominate the awards season? We put it down to a lot of hard work and okay, some luck.
Born in Mexico, educated in Kenya and the US, Lupita starred in Season 2 of MTV’s Shuga, which airs on DStv channel 322. She subsequently helmed a short film In My Genes, which explored the trauma albinos face in Kenya.
A scene in Shuga
There was a full scholarship to Yale School of Drama - yes that Yale - and then she was cast in Steve McQueen’s critically acclaimed slave era biopic 12 Years a Slave starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, John Giammati, Alfre Woodard and Michael Fassbender whose lust for Lupita’s character, Patsey, provides for the movie’s most emotionally wrenching and bloody scenes.
When Patsey is declared the best cotton picker, Master Epps runs his hands over her as he declares her “nigger among niggers.” His lust for her fuels his wife’s rage and leaves him conflicted towards Patsey, who is often caught between his lust and his rage.
12 Years A Slave
Lupita has enough screen time to make the audience empathize and love her. Very few scenes can match the emotional intensity of the scene where she asks Platt for a terrible favour.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I'd be involved with a project of this magnitude right after graduating from drama school," Lupita said in a recent interview with Slant magazine but she is also quick to add that she was lucky to audition for a director like McQueen.
"McQueen chooses actors he trusts. He chooses actors because of the work he is confident they can bring, and not because of a name. And because of that, I got this role. He gave me a huge break, and I owe him a lot for that."
Though a character condemned to pain and anguish, Patsey can be sassy and saucy when she wants to and it is that mix of vulnerability and defiance that makes her character shine and the reason why we will be hearing about her for a very long time to come
How many Black African actresses… no strike that! How many actresses managed to snag over 30 nominations for their first Hollywood movie?
Lupita Nyongó that’s who and depending on how many she wins and how well the stars align, she could become the next big black actress in Hollywood.
So how did this Kenyan come to dominate the awards season? We put it down to a lot of hard work and okay, some luck.
Born in Mexico, educated in Kenya and the US, Lupita starred in Season 2 of MTV’s Shuga, which airs on DStv channel 322. She subsequently helmed a short film In My Genes, which explored the trauma albinos face in Kenya.
A scene in Shuga
There was a full scholarship to Yale School of Drama - yes that Yale - and then she was cast in Steve McQueen’s critically acclaimed slave era biopic 12 Years a Slave starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, John Giammati, Alfre Woodard and Michael Fassbender whose lust for Lupita’s character, Patsey, provides for the movie’s most emotionally wrenching and bloody scenes.
When Patsey is declared the best cotton picker, Master Epps runs his hands over her as he declares her “nigger among niggers.” His lust for her fuels his wife’s rage and leaves him conflicted towards Patsey, who is often caught between his lust and his rage.
12 Years A Slave
Lupita has enough screen time to make the audience empathize and love her. Very few scenes can match the emotional intensity of the scene where she asks Platt for a terrible favour.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I'd be involved with a project of this magnitude right after graduating from drama school," Lupita said in a recent interview with Slant magazine but she is also quick to add that she was lucky to audition for a director like McQueen.
"McQueen chooses actors he trusts. He chooses actors because of the work he is confident they can bring, and not because of a name. And because of that, I got this role. He gave me a huge break, and I owe him a lot for that."
Though a character condemned to pain and anguish, Patsey can be sassy and saucy when she wants to and it is that mix of vulnerability and defiance that makes her character shine and the reason why we will be hearing about her for a very long time to come
Keshi backs Mikel to win CAF Award
The super ea gles is poised to start the new year on a positive footing as news filter in that Mikel is getting more boost to win this the African best footballer award.
Keshi, who noted that it has been a long time since a Nigerian clinched the top honor, stated that it will help boost the morale of players in his team and Nigerian football in general if Mikel wins the Award.
"It will boost the team and Mikel and all Nigerians because it has been a long time since we last won the award and I know we deserve to win this year", Keshi said.
On his own nomination as African Coach of the Year, Keshi refused to be tempted into making any predictions, but noted that it would be a great honour to win the Award.
Keshi may not travel with the Chan-bound Super Eagles on Tuesday next week, as he is primed to win the African Coach of the Year Award after successfully guiding Nigeria to win the African Cup of Nations and qualify for the 2014 Fifa World Cup.
FIFA World Cup 2014: Super Eagles To Open Camp In South America
By SR Sports
Keshi, who captained Nigeria in her very first appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals, in USA in 1994, said he cherished the opportunity by the Aminu Maigari administration and would always strive for the best for Nigeria.
“I am happy to have been given the free hand to select the Team Base Camp. You may think it is a small gesture but not every Head Coach has that privilege. I am certainly going to use the opportunity to select the best for our team.”
Keshi’s African champions will contend with two-time world champions Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran in Group F.
Keshi is presently inspecting a number of possible camps in the South American nation, and specifically around Sao Paulo.
Most of the 32 participating member associations are also looking around Sao Paulo for their team base camp. A total of 83 TBCs were offered in the final TBC Brochure.
A Team Base Camp consists of a Team Base Camp Hotel and a Team Camp Base Training Site. All participating member associations must confirm their Team Base Camp before the end of next month.
All teams must report at their Team Base Camp no later that five days before their first match of the tournament. In the case of Nigeria, that means no later than 11th June, five days before the Super Eagles clash with Iran at the 41,000 –capacity Arena da Baixada in Curitiba –a city of 1.7million people in the south of Brazil.
The Eagles will then tackle Bosnia-Herzegovina at the 42,000 –capacity Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, a city of approximately 550,000 people in the centre west, on Saturday, 21st June, before flying to the south again to play Argentina in what is Group F’s most anticipated game. That match comes up at the 48,000 –capacity Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, a city of more than 1.4million people, on Wednesday, 25th June.
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US College Says It Did Not Award MBA To Stella Oduah As It Has No Masters Programme
Stella Oduah: Nigeria Minister of Aviation
Trouble continues for the aviation minister as integrity issues comes to light as regards her certificate.
Stella Oduah, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation who is embroiled in a scandal of towering proportions in the ministry, faces new integrity questions as her Masters’ degree has been challenged by the United States school which supposedly awarded it.
Her resume, which she presented to the Senate as a ministerial nominee in 2011, indicated she obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from St. Paul’s College Lawrenceville, Virginia, United States.
But SaharaReporters has learned from the President of the college that it has never in its 125-year history had a graduate school or graduate program.
The Provost Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the Vice President of Institutional Development said in response to our inquiries, “We don’t offer any graduate programs here.”
Similarly, the school’s website states: “Saint Paul's College is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate [bachelor’s] degrees.” There is no mention of graduate degrees.
The Minister’s documentation shows she received an undergraduate degree in accounting from the college in 1982, but Dr. Claud Flythe, St. Paul’s current president, could neither confirm nor deny this during a phone conversation with SaharaReporters. Further verification with the Office of Alumni Affairs is also currently impossible, the school said, because the college has been closed since June 2013 to loss of its accreditation.
“[Oduah] realized very early in life the indispensability of a sound education in her growth plans in life and therefore pursued her education with all diligence and sense of purpose,” her documents claimed, adding that a determination “to have the best education at the highest level” prompted her stay at the Virginia college in 1983 for the MBA programme.
As her public relations machinery marched on, in December 2012 The Sun newspaper published an article headlined “Stella Oduah: An Amazon of transformation,” which lauded her “MBA from St Paul’s College, Lawrenceville Virginia USA.” The story also praised her for being an official who brought her “rich educational background to bear on the aviation sector by automating revenue centers in all the agencies and parastatals to boost their revenue profile and enhance transparency and accountability in the system.”
In October, SaharaReporters broke the story that Mrs. Oduah, a former campaign manager for President Goodluck Jonathan, purchased two bulletproof BMW cars worth $ 1.6 Million (N255m) through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, for her own use.
Following an investigation, the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation dismissed the Minister’s pleas of innocence and all her rebuttals during her testimony. The committee’s report, which was subsequently adopted by the House, declared that no budgetary appropriation had been made for the purchase of the cars, and that the NCAA proposal for their purchase was rejected.
President Jonathan also set up a three-member administrative panel to investigate the matter, but he immediately travelled out of the country with Mrs. Oduah and Colonel Dasuki, the National Security Adviser who was to serve as a member of the panel. Not only did the panel submit its report much later than the two weeks it was given for the assignment, Mr. Jonathan has refused to release its report.
Mrs. Oduah’s new certificate questions are certain to feed into national concern about her credibility as an elected official, but also about Mr. Jonathan’s credibility, and about the nation’s security apparatus which verifies official documents offered to the Senate for official nominations.
If Mrs. Oduah deliberately deceived the Senate, it remains to be seen if the Upper House will be sufficiently motivated to take up the matter with the Executive.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s aviation industry continues to face a massive challenge, with struggling airports and airlines, as well as financial and administrative pitfalls that hinder expansion and development.
culled from sahara reporters
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Letter Writing Politics Reaches Kaduna, Associate Writes Sambo Over Crumbling PDP
The letter writing politics has reached Northern Nigeria as a strong member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the region Engr. Umar Gana wrote Vice President Namadi Sambo an open letter cautioning him to wake up from slumber and save crumbling PDP in the North. And also tackle serious issues as the region slips away to rival All Progressive Congress (APC).
SaharaReporters obtained a copy of the letter dated 9th December, 2013, from a prominent member who chairs a leading Federal Government agency in Abuja.
The letter was addressed to Sambo was copied to National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Chief Tony Anenih chair PDP Board of Trustees and President Goodluck Jonathan through his Chief of Staff.
Gana in the letter publicly tell Sambo that he is incapable of addressing the creeping collapse of the PDP in the North West Zone and Kaduna State, which he draws immediate attention of Jonathan in view of its being the largest and most populated zone in the country with 28% to 30% of entire voters in the country going by 2011 figures.
He was also quoted in the open letter as saying that, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna state has skewed misunderstanding of the dangers ahead in their home state of Kaduna, saying, “To me, there is a crucial need for collective concerted efforts to salvage the situation. Otherwise, giving our past ugly experience, we have no alternative than either to join the APC or flee for our dear lives, including the lives of the members of our immediate and extended families.”
Obasanjo Imposed Jonathans On Nigerians, It’s His Responsiblity To Help Of Him - Femi Fani Kayode
ABUJA- Former Nigerian Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode says it is former president Olusegun Obasanjo's responsibility to help rid the country of President Goodluck Jonathan since he imposed him on the Nigerian people. He said this in defense of the former president's open letter to the president. "He more than anybody else has the responsibility- if he doesn't want to be judged harshly by history to ensure that Goodluck Jonathan does not come back in 2015", he said.
Speaking on Sahara TV Mr. Kayode was full of praise for Former President Obasanjo calling his action courageous. "This is a man I've known for the past 11 years. He is not the type of man that will say something that he doesn't mean". Mr. Kayode said he believes the letter was written out of deep concern for the country.
On the alleged 1000-man hit list referred to in the letter, Mr. Kayode said he believes Mr. Obasanjo speaks with conviction and that the government has been challenged in the letter to deny the allegation.
Mr. Kayode who describes himself as a close associate of the former president however opted not to comment on a letter that made the rounds after the fabled letter purported to be written by Obasanjo's estranged daughter Iyabo Obasanjo. "These are personal issues which do not in any way concern me", he said.
Mr. Kayode said Mr. Obasanjo is father of the nation and has stood up to speak in crucial times when nobody had the temerity to do so. He debunked any suggestion that Mr. Obasanjo was considering unseating President Jonathan saying the former President is totally committed to democracy. He said Obasanjo's aim is to protect democracy by ensuring that the president acts in a "sensible democratic manner".
Speaking on another letter written by Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi, Mr. Kayode commended the governor for exposing the rot. In the letter, Mr. Sanusi claimed that about $49 billion which was supposed to be deposited with the bank has not reached the exchequer. He however suggested that Sanusi should have resigned his position as a matter of principle.
He also said that the APC's bid to unseat the Jonathan government should include an alliance with power brokers like Obasanjo.
"You cannot be serious about winning power in Nigeria without talking to an Obasanjo or a Babangida or all these people", he said. He also said PDP is likely to rig the Osun and Ekiti State as well as the 2015 federal elections but If that happens people are likely to take matters into their own hands.
President Jonathan:" My Government Created 1.6 Million Jobs In 2013"
President Jonathan in an attempt to reassure Nigerians about the achievements of the government despite arguments from critics concerning a dismal performance in 2013, has in a new year message,rolled out a list of his “achievements” in the past year.
Among them, he claimed his government may have been responsible for an astounding 1.6 million jobs in 2013 alone, but did not clarify where the jobs were filled.
“Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth,” he said.
“We are keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy.”
Mr. Jonathan did not say anything about the challenge of leading by example, and only referred to corruption and bad governance, which his critics claim he is nurturing in the country, in passing.
“I urge all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life, to rededicate themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our national heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow,” he said, referring to the 2014 being Nigeria’s centenary year.
He reiterated that the amalgamation of 1914 was a blessing rather than a mistake, and called on Nigerians as they celebrate the landmark, to continue to work together to be “even greater” as one, united people.
“Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of strength. We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and mothers, and all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the century made this country what it is today.”
On the issue of peace and security in the country, he said his government will do more in 2014 to further empower the security agencies who are working in collaborative partnerships with its friends in the international community to stem the scourge of terrorism in our country, adding that the allocation of over N600 Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget attests to this commitment.
Mr. Jonathan also highlighted, among others:
• The commencement of the National Industrial Revolution Plan in 2013, aimed at industrializing Nigeria and diversifying our economy into sectors such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, and petrochemicals;
• Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2 million metric tonnes of cement in 2002 to a country that now has a capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes; for the first time becoming a net exporter of cement;
• A revolution in the agricultural sector, where 4.2 million farmers obtained their fertilizers and seeds directly through an e-wallet in 2013;
• Nigeria produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional food in 2013 and inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008 partly as a result, the nation’s food import bill reducing from N1.1 trillion in 2011 to N648 billion in 2012;
• Between 2007 and 2013, the government has almost tripled the allocation for education from N224 billion to N634 billion; and
• Nigeria is building strong safety nets and improving access to primary health care under the Saving One Million Lives programme, and in 2013 recruited 11,300 frontline health workers who were deployed to under-served communities across the country.
Mr. Jonathan promised that in 2014, his government will continue to prioritize investments in key sectors such as infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation and aviation.
“We shall boost investments in transmission to ensure power generated is properly evacuated and distributed,” he said. “In this regard, we have already mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the upgrade of the transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also strengthen regulation of the sector, and closely monitor electricity delivery to increase this beyond 18 hours per day. We will complete the privatization of the NIPP projects, accelerate work on our gas pipeline infrastructure and also continue to invest in hydro-electric power and clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate change on our economy.”
He said his administration believes that the cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced, and would therefore take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages, including curtailing foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed.
He did not say how he would recover public faith in his government that has been shattered by his refusal to declare his assets publicly, his protection of corrupt government Ministers and the state pardon granted to his corrupt friends, all being elements that are known to curtail or compromise every government’s best initiatives.
Full text of the statement:
NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR
DECEMBER 31, 2013
Dear Compatriots,
I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which promises to be a momentous one for our country for several reasons, including the fact that it is also the year of our great nation’s centenary celebrations. I join you all in giving thanks to God Almighty for guiding us and our beloved nation safely through all the challenges of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014.
Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria. For us therefore, today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria.
Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of strength. We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and mothers, and all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the century made this country what it is today.
As I noted, a few days ago, the amalgamation of 1914 was certainly not a mistake but a blessing. As we celebrate 100 years of nationhood, we must resolve to continue to work together as one, united people, to make our country even greater.
I assure you that our administration remains fully committed to the progressive development of our country and the consolidation of peace, unity and democratic governance in our fatherland. Despite several continuing domestic and global challenges, for us in Nigeria, the year 2013 witnessed many positive developments which we will strive to build upon in 2014.
We have diligently carried forward the purposeful and focused implementation of our agenda for national transformation in priority areas such as power, the rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure, agricultural development, education and employment generation.
You may recall that our 2013 Budget was on the theme, “Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth”, and I emphasized the need for us to “remain prudent with our fiscal resources and also ensure that the Nigerian economy keeps growing and creating jobs”. I am pleased to report that we have stayed focused on this goal.
Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth. We are keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy.
In 2013, we commenced implementation of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) aimed at industrializing Nigeria and diversifying our economy into sectors such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, and petrochemicals. We have also negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET) agreement with our ECOWAS partners which would enable us to protect our strategic industries where necessary.
I am pleased to note that as a result of our backward integration policies, Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2 million metric tonnes of cement in 2002, to a country that now has a capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes. For the first time in our history, we have moved from being a net importer of cement to a net exporter. Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has also been strong. In fact, for the second year running, the UN Conference on Trade and Development has named Nigeria as the number 1 destination for investments in Africa.
We are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector and the results are evident. We have tackled corruption in the input distribution system as many farmers now obtain their fertilizers and seeds directly through an e-wallet system. In 2013, 4.2 million farmers received subsidized inputs via this programme. This scheme has restored dignity to our farmers.
Last year we produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional food; and this year, inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008 partly due to higher domestic food production. Our food import bill has also reduced from N1.1 trillion in 2011, to N648 billion in 2012, placing Nigeria firmly on the path to food self-sufficiency.
The sector is also supporting more jobs. Last year, we produced 1.1 million metric tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in these States are now profitably engaged in farming even during the dry season.
This Administration is also developing our water resources which are key for both our food production and job creation goals. In 2013, we completed the construction of nine dams which increased the volume of our water reservoirs by 422 million cubic metres. Through our irrigation and drainage programme, we have increased the total irrigated area by over 31,000 hectares creating jobs for over 75,000 farming families while increasing production of over 400,000 metric tons of assorted irrigated food products.
Fellow Compatriots, I have always believed that the single greatest thing we can do to ensure all Nigerians realize their potential and play a full part in our nation’s future, is to invest in education. The education of our young people is a key priority for this Government. We take this responsibility very seriously and I urge all other stakeholders in the sector to recognize the national importance of their work, and to help advance the cause of education in our nation.
Between 2007 and 2013, we have almost tripled the allocation for education from N224 billion to N634 billion – and we will continue to vigorously support the sector. We have improved access to education in the country with the construction of 125 Almajiri schools, and the establishment of three additional Federal Universities in the North, bringing to twelve, the number of universities established by this administration.
In 2013, we rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new libraries in the Federal Unity Schools; and also rehabilitated laboratories of all the 51 Federal and State polytechnics across the country.
In the Health sector, we are building strong safety nets and improving access to primary health care under the Saving One Million Lives programme. In 2013, we recruited 11,300 frontline health workers who were deployed to under-served communities across the country. Over 400,000 lives have been saved through our various interventions. We have reached over 10,000 women and children with conditional cash transfer programmes across 8 States and the FCT and we intend to scale up this successful initiative.
Our national immunization coverage has exceeded 80%. And for the first time in the history of the country there has not been any transmission of the Type-3 Wild Polio virus for more than one year.We have also eradicated the guinea worm that previously affected the lives of over 800,000 Nigerians yearly. In tertiary health care, we upgraded medical facilities across the country. Two of our teaching hospitals – the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the University College Hospital in Ibadan – commenced open heart surgeries this year after the installation of new facilities.
Fellow Nigerians, I have dwelt on some of our administration’s achievements in 2013 to reassure you that we are working and results are being achieved on the ground. As we enter our Centennial year, there is still much work ahead. We are determined to sustain our strong macroeconomic fundamentals, to strengthen our domestic institutions, and to invest in priority sectors. These investments will create more jobs for our youth. Government will at the same time, continue to scale-up investments in safety nets and the MDGs to take care of the poor and the vulnerable so that they too can share in our growth and prosperity.
In 2014, we will continue to prioritize investments in key sectors such as infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation and aviation. In the past year, the Federal Government completed the privatization of four power generation companies and 10 power distribution companies. We are also in the process of privatizing 10 power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).
We shall boost investments in transmission to ensure power generated is properly evacuated and distributed. In this regard, we have already mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the upgrade of the transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also strengthen regulation of the sector, and closely monitor electricity delivery to increase this beyond 18 hours per day. We will complete the privatization of the NIPP projects, accelerate work on our gas pipeline infrastructure and also continue to invest in hydro-electric power and clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate change on our economy.
Our administration believes that the cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced. We will also take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages. We have worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have introduced a Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new Director-General. This department will now ensure that those of our pensioners still under the old scheme receive their pensions and gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud. Prosecution of all those involved in robbing our retired people will continue. The Petroleum Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict guidelines to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud.
Foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed. This directive shall apply to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. Our strategy to curb leakages will increasingly rely on introducing the right technologies such as biometrics and digitizing government payments.
I am therefore pleased to inform you that we shall complete the deployment of the three electronic platforms in 2014 – namely, theTreasury Single Account (TSA), theGovernment Integrated Financial Management Information System(GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) – which are all geared towards improving efficiency and transparency in our public finances. Through these reforms, we have already saved about N126 billion in leaked funds and intend to save more.
To sustain Nigeria’s ongoing agricultural transformation, we have planned further investments in the sector. We will provide input subsidies to five million farmers nationwide using the e-wallet system. This Administration recently launched a self-employment initiative under theYouth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), called the Nagropreneur programme. This scheme would encourage our youth to go into commercial agriculture as entrepreneurs and we plan to develop over 750,000 youngNagropreneurs by 2015.
We will also establish new agro-industrial clusters to complement the staple crop processing zones being developed across the country.In 2014, this Administration will continue to work with the private sector to improve financing in the agricultural sector. For example, we will launch the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria(FAFIN) which will serve as a private equity fund to invest in agri-businesses across the country.
Our Small and Medium scale enterprises (SMEs) will be the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization. We have about 17 million registered SMEs, and they employ over 32 million Nigerians. When our SMEs grow, more jobs will be created for our youth. Therefore, in 2014, this Administration will focus strongly on implementing the Nigeria Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) to address the needs of small businesses. Our interventions will include helping SMEs with access to affordable finance, business development services, and youth training. In addition, our new CET policies will enable us to support our emerging industries.
We will also intensify our investment promotion efforts abroad, to ensure we bring the biggest and best companies from around the world to invest in Nigeria.
Dear Compatriots, the housing and construction industry is a critical sector in most developed economies. When the housing sector booms, it creates additional jobs for architects and masons, for electricians and plumbers, for painters and interior decorators, and for those in the cement and furniture industries.
Today, I am pleased to inform you that this Administration is reinvigorating our housing and construction sector. We have established the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) which will increase liquidity in the housing sector, provide a secondary market for mortgages, and thereby increase the number of people able to purchase or build homes at an affordable price in the country.
In 2014, we will work in a number of pilot states where the State Governors have agreed to provide fast-track land titles, foreclosure arrangements, and serviced plots. This new institution will enable us to create over 200,000 mortgages over the next five years at affordable interest rates. In addition, those at the lower end of the economic ladder will not be left behind as this new initiative will expand mass housing schemes through a re-structured Federal Mortgage Bank and other institutions to provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options. I am confident that very soon, many more hardworking Nigerian families will be able to realize their dream of owning a home.
In this our centenary year, we will continue our efforts, through theSaving One Million Lives initiative to strengthen primary health care services. We will scale up interventions in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, routine immunization, HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases. We will pay greater attention to the provision of universal health coverage. Besides the implementation of new initiatives such as my comprehensive response plan for HIV/AIDS, we shall continue to collaborate with global health partners to deliver our health sector transformation agenda.
I am glad that the issues responsible for the long-drawn ASUU strike have been resolved and our children are returning to their campuses. We are committed to making our tertiary institutions true centers of learning for our young people. We will therefore focus on upgrading hostels, laboratories, classrooms, and halls. As the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals approaches, we will continue to expand access to basic education for all Nigerian children. Working with State Governments, we shall decisively tackle the problem of the large numbers of out-of-school children in this country. We will also invest in technical and vocational education to promote skills development for our youth across the country.
Nigerian entrepreneurs still lack access to affordable financing, with medium-to-long-term tenors. To address this gap, a new wholesale development finance institution will be established in 2014 to provide medium-to long-term financing for Nigerian businesses. We are working with partners such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the BNDES Bank in Brazil, and KfW in Germany, to realize this project. Our existing Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry will be re-structured as specialized institutions to retail financing from this new wholesale development bank.
In addition to the foregoing, our administration will also do all within its powers to ensure the success of the forthcoming National Conference. The report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Conference is undergoing urgent review and the approved structure, guidelines and modalities for the conference will soon be published as a prelude to its commencement and expeditious conclusion.
It remains our sincere hope and expectation that the success of the national conference will further enhance national unity, peace and cohesion as we move ahead to the 2015 general elections.
In keeping with our avowed commitment to progressively enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process by consistently upholding the principle of one man, one vote, our Administration will also ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receives all required support to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the next general elections.
As peace and security remain prerequisite conditions for the full realization of our objectives, we will also do more in 2014 to further empower our security agencies who are working in collaborative partnerships with our friends in the international community to stem the scourge of terrorism in our country and enhance the security of lives and property in all parts of Nigeria. The allocation of over N600 Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget attests to this commitment.
Fellow compatriots, the task of making our dear nation a much better place for present and future generations cannot be left to government alone. I therefore urge you all to be ready and willing to do more this year to support the implementation of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation in every possible way.
Let us all therefore resolve as we celebrate the new year, and Nigeria’s Centenary, to place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work harder in our particular fields of human endeavour to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations. I urge all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life, to rededicate themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our national heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow.
I wish you all a happy and rewarding 2014. God bless Nigeria. Happy New Year.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
December 31, 2013
credit: sahara reporters
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