Welcome to Marlex's Blog: Manufacturing will grow if power sector reforms succeed – SIMS bosson

Welcome to Marlex's Blog: Manufacturing will grow if power sector reforms succeed – SIMS bosson

Okorocha advocates power devolutionon

November 10, 2014 By Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, weekend, advocated for what he termed “systematic devolution of power in Nigeria where the enormous power at the centre is decentralized to the state and local governments.” Okorocha, who spoke in Owerri, while addressing board members of the Nigerian Media Merit Award, NMMA, contended that it would help to create sustainable economic development at the grassroots. According to him, devolution of power was the solution to the alarming poverty in Nigeria, noting that the country’s political authority was highly concentrated on an individual solely determining the survival or death of millions of Nigerians.

Manufacturing will grow if power sector reforms succeed – SIMS bosson

November 10, 2014 By CHIOMA OBINNA As manufacturing companies in Nigeria continued to face challenges of poor power supply, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of SIMS Nigeria Limited, Chief Simeon Eyisi, has said that manufacturing will explode if the power sector reform agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan succeed. Eyisi in a chat shortly after the official opening of Samsung Premium Brand Shop in Lekki, Lagos posited that there are thousands of good reasons why high cost of electricity should fall drastically in the country. Eyisi who lamented the numerous challenges faced by manufacturing companies due to poor power supply said: “As with most enterprises operating in Nigeria, SIMS is bedevilled by the challenges in the environment, particularly epileptic power supply that compels companies to rely on diesel generators and the exorbitant cost of funds from the banks. He further noted that customs duty regime does not favour local assembly of products from CKD (completely knocked down) parts as against fully built units imported in ready-to-use format. Noting that current duty on CKDs was between 5 – 10 percent; Eyisi argued that if the government could increase this substantially, it would make more sense and encourage more local production of goods being imported at present. The immediate benefit if this, he said, will be increase in employment opportunities which will reduce social problems associated with unemployment. “The high rate of interest charged by banks on funds they extend to businesses is another major headache that has become a migraine that hamstrings the operations of the companies and discourages new investments. “Our two major challenges are energy and high interest rates. You cannot run manufacturing enterprise without electricity that is affordable. But we know that public power supply in Nigeria is a big headache. We have had to depend on running huge diesel generators to be able to produce. This makes the cost of production quite high and affects profitability. It does not allow companies here to compete with organisations that get funds at a cheaper rate. “When we borrow at 18 percent from the banks, you know that you cannot compete with someone who got facilities at single digit rate like 9 percent. If the government could look into this, it will help manufacturers greatly. That is one thing the Federal Government and the Bank of Industry should critically look at and ameliorate the burden of manufacturers.

Lagos plans mass protest over voter’s card distributionon

November 10, 2014 ifford Ndujihe, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke LAGOS—FOR the third day running, the polity was awash with complaints over the unending hitches trailing the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in some states of the country especially in Lagos. The main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, threatened to embark on a mass protest against what they called INEC’s “deliberate” plan to rig 2015 general polls for the presidency. The hiccups elicited mixed feelings from some prominent Nigerians. While many chided the electoral umpire for shoddy handling of the exercise, others said the commission was trying all it could to make the process better. Residents of Sebiotimo street, Agege, checking for their Permanent Voters Cards at ward 5, Agage Local Government in, Lagos state, yesterday [08-11-14]. Photo: Bunmi Azeez To cover lost grounds, Lagos INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, told Vanguard, the exercise will continue in the 11 local councils which cards are available today. In the 11 councils, he said there are 4611 polling units. And of this figure, he said 1072 polling units have severe problems. He advised those who could not find their names in the register to come out for the Continuous Voters Registration exercise on Wednesday. For the remaining nine local councils, which have 3861 polling units, the cards will be distributed between November 28 and 30. In these councils, he said 731 units have serious problems and the CVR will hold between December 3 and 8. According to him, INEC is making efforts to ensure that all eligible voters get their PVCs. Hitches are deliberate –Tinubu Senator Tinubu, who doubted INEC’s sincerity described the exercise as a “failure,” because field reports, personal experiences and observations from different parts of Lagos showed that the exercise “has failed and is unacceptable.” His words: “INEC is responsible for awarding contracts for the production of the cards to whomever. Do not forget that in 2011 we sympathized with the cry of (Professor Attahiru) Jega, apologizing to Nigerians on the presidential election result that was aborted because they failed to bring materials on time. Now they have enough time for four years to have learnt their lessons. This is deliberate as far as I and APC are concerned. Just as we merged to form a formidable opposition party, they (INEC) have merged with Jonathan to form a formidable rigging body.” Tinubu who vowed that the party would resist all plans by the presidency through INEC to disenfranchise the electorate, said the party would soon take to the streets to condemn the exercise and demand for a proper distribution exercise. It’s programmed to rig in PDP – APC Speaking in like manner, the APC alleged that the process was intentionally programmed to fail in order to disenfranchise voters in the 12 states with the highest number of voters. In a statement issued in Lagos, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the fact that most of the 12 states in which the process has been largely botched in the past three days have the highest number of voters and are under the control of the APC point to a clear collusion between INEC and the (Peoples Democratic Party) PDP. It said most registered voters were unable to collect their PVCs because INEC engaged in a programmed incompetence to swing the elections in favour of the PDP, in what is a clear case of rigging at source. “There is no doubt that this programmed incompetence has emanated from just one source, the ICT unit of INEC, with the intent of sabotaging the PVC distribution process in key states, hence we are calling on INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega to institute an internal inquiry into the botched exercise with a view to fishing out the fifth columnists who are behind the sabotage, and meting out the necessary punishment to them.” The party said it is curious that most of the affected states (Kaduna, Kano, Edo, Plateau, Ogun, Imo, Borno, Rivers, Lagos, Nasarawa, Katsina, Niger) are either opposition strongholds or harbour the highest number of voters. INEC has uncovered APC’s rigging game plan –Lagos PDP Lagos State Chairman of the PDP, Mr Tunji Shelle reacted to the accusation levelled by the APC that INEC was collaborating with the Presidency to rig next year’s election in Lagos, saying: “This is the first time I am seeing the APC complaining, especially the governor. When they were allegedly doing multiple registration, they did not complain. Now that INEC has discovered their game plan by blocking all the loop holes of multiple registration, they are now crying foul. INEC has discovered this but the INEC is not trying to rig the elections neither will the president interfere with INEC. “I pray that INEC harmonises themselves to ensure that people get their PVCs. It was discovered that some people are hoarding the card but I think INEC should do something about it to ensure that people are not disenfranchised.” No registered voter has been de-listed in Lagos —INEC Reacting to the complaints and allegations, the INEC, in a statement by Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu (Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman) said no duly registered voter was de-listed in Lagos, noting that the commission was committed to ensuring that every properly registered voter got his / her Permanent Voter Card (PVC) for the 2015 general election. His words: “Contrary to allegations in some quarters, no duly registered person has been de-listed from the Register of Voters; neither will any be denied his/her PVC. This reassurance is against the backdrop of temporary challenges that have been experienced in the third phase of the distribution of PVCs in some states, which the Commission has been making vigorous efforts to re-mediate. “INEC has since Friday, November 7, been distributing PVCs to registered voters in nine states across the country under the third phase of the exercise. Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is scheduled to hold in the same states from Wednesday, November 12 to Monday, November 17, 2014. Similar exercises have already been conducted in 24 other states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the first and the second phases of the programme. The Commission deferred the distribution of PVCs in four other states it had earlier listed for this third phase because the cards for those states have not been fully delivered by printers. “In particular, it is completely false that INEC has removed the records of 1.4 million persons from the Register of Voters compiled in 2011 in Lagos State. It is true that at the end of the 2011 general registration exercise, the Commission announced a figure of 6.1 million registrants in the state. But when that data was subjected to the Automated Fingerprints Identification System (AFIS) software, 82,892 multiple registrations were eliminated. Also, there was the technical challenge of loss of data and incomplete data affecting about one million records – mostly in 1,792 polling units that were identified and made public before the present exercise. That was why the Post-Business Rule figure for Lagos State (on the basis of which PVCs were printed) came down to about 4.6 million registrants. “For avoidance of doubt, a pre-acknowledged data loss and incomplete data of some registrants is not a ‘conspiracy’ issue as has been alleged by some notable persons. It is a back-end technical challenge that is far from sealing the fate of affected persons, and for which INEC has already put in place measures to ensure redress. The Commission has made provision for eligible persons for whom PVCs could not be printed due to data loss or defective data to come out from Wednesday, November 12th to Monday, November 17th, 2014 for their data to be recaptured during the CVR. In special consideration for the 1,792 polling units in Lagos State where the challenge of data loss is much pronounced, the CVR will take place at the polling unit level, as against the Registration Area (RA) level in other parts of the state.” Exercise should be extended — Residents Meanwhile, most of the residents who were yet to collect their PVCs have called for extension of the exercise for at least five more days to ensure that all eligible voters got their cards. Mr. Lekan Oshinade, who has collected his card narrated how he suffered to get the PVC: ‘’There was so much shoving and tossing around. The whole cards were not properly sorted. At least, the cards should have been arranged alphabetically for easy identification. A lot of people could not locate their cards. Without additional days the whole process will be a failure.” Mr Wole Oderinde, who is yet to collect his PVC in one of the polling centres in Ikeja told Vanguard: “I am yet to collect the PVC. When I got there, the INEC official could not find my PVC. I don’t think the three days will be enough to cover all the people, there is need for extension.” There is confidence deficit in INEC –Bugaje Commenting on the issue, Bugaje said: ‘’I am just worried. They have not come to my state. They postponed it. What is playing out has shown that INEC has not been too independent as it should be. What is happening shows that the commission has confidence deficit. They have to work hard and improve because people don’t trust them. It is important that they improve.’’ INEC must do the needful –Ikokwu Also speaking, Ikokwu, who urged the INEC to do needful and ensure that any Nigerian that is 18 years and above is not disenfranchized, also advised Lagos residents to ensure that they play active part in the 2015 polls. The first step to doing so, he said is by turning out en mass to collect their voters’ cards.’’ It should be made a daily exercise –Esele On his part, Esele said: ‘’I think no system is perfect. INEC is trying to make things better. What they are doing will make us know the actual number of voters at the end of the day. I believe INEC is also doing what they are doing to minimise rigging. If that is achieved, it will be good for our democracy that is developing. There is no perfect system, that is why they keep on improving. Where I have grouse with the process, is the number of days approved for it. That has not resulted into good results. For instance, the Lagos State government had to declare a public holiday to enable Lagosians participate. That leads to loss of manpower. I will suggest they make it a daily thing so that Nigerians can do it at their convenient time without challenges.’’ INEC should do more publicity — Adebanjo To Adebanjo, who has collected his PVC, “I think the problem with INEC is that they don’t seems to do enough publicity. Several people were not aware of the development and I learnt there were several complaints all over Lagos. I think the INEC needs to educate Nigerians more on this process.’’ INEC not ready –Ashafa Similarly, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (APC, Lagos East), the challenges showed that the electoral commission was never ready for the exercise, saying: “I want to use this medium to appeal to INEC to wake up to their constitutional responsibilities for the betterment of all citizens by making sure that nobody is disenfranchised for lack of PVCs in 2015 general elections.”

Jonathan meets aggrieved PDP senators

November 7, 2014 by Olalekan Adetayo

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday night met behind closed-doors with the aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party senators. The meeting was held inside the First Lady’s Conference Hall inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting was not opened to journalists. The senators were said to have been led to the meeting by the President of the Senate, David Mark. Some PDP members of the House of Representatives and some state governors elected on the party’s platform were also said to have attended. Some members of the party’s National Working Committee led by the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, also attended. The senators had abruptly adjourned sittings to protest their alleged unfair treatment by Jonathan and the PDP during last Saturday’s ward congresses across the country. Six weeks ago I couldn't perform in bed. Click HERE to read my breakthroughHow a 29-yr-old Benin boy became a millionaire in 73 days from Watermelon business. Click Here to read his AMAZING story.ATTEND AFRICAN INTERNET BUSINESS SUMMIT IN LAGOS WITH 50% DISCOUNT Click Here

Uganda suspends 15 military officers over ‘sex crimes’

November 7, 2014 by Aljazeera

Uganda has suspended 15 of its senior military commanders over their conduct in Somalia, including allegations of sexual exploitation, the army said. The suspension on Thursday comes in the wake of a damning report by Human Rights Watch which has accused troops with the internationally funded African Union force in Somalia, AMISOM, of preying on vulnerable women and girls. “We are doing a general appraisal on performance of the force,” Uganda’s defence and army spokesman Paddy Ankunda told the AFP news agency. “It’s not sexual harassment alone,” he said, but added the concerns were “one aspect we are looking at”. “Those are allegations. We are investigating. Until the investigations are completed that’s when we will know their involvement [in sexual abuse], but for now they are suspended,” he said. The 22,000-strong AMISOM force comprises soldiers drawn from six nations, and has been fighting alongside Somali government troops against al-Shabab fighters since 2007. AMISOM donors include the United Nations, European Union, Britain and the United States. The Human Rights Watch report quoted several women as saying they had gone to the AMISOM camp seeking medicine for their sick babies, but were then forced to have sex. The vulnerable women largely came from camps in the capital Mogadishu, having fled rural Somalia during a devastating famine in 2011. African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has already ordered an investigation into the allegations, and the probe is due to be completed by November 30. The pan-African bloc, however, has also accused Human Rights Watch of being unfair and inaccurate, and of undermining peace efforts in the war-torn Horn of Africa nation. Six weeks ago I couldn't perform in bed. Click HERE to read my breakthroughHow a 29-yr-old Benin boy became a millionaire in 73 days from Watermelon business. Click Here to read his AMAZING story.ATTEND AFRICAN INTERNET BUSINESS SUMMIT IN LAGOS WITH 50% DISCOUNT Click Here

Soldiers kill 16 Yobe worshippers, cleric missing – Residents

Nigerian soldiers have reportedly killed 16 men in the country’s northeast just hours after they were arrested leaving a mosque, according to nurses at a hospital that received the bodies. Troops rounded up 17 people, including a Muslim religious leader, as they left morning prayers at a mosque on Wednesday from the Dogo Tebo area of Potiskum in Yobe state. Residents and hospital staff said the bodies of 16 men were found dead with bullet wounds. “All the bodies have gunshot wounds on them,” a nurse speaking on condition of anonymity said. Residents said the Muslim religious leader was not among the dead, and said they were “worried about what they could do to him”. Community leaders believe the 16 men were picked up and killed because all of them were from the Kanuri ethnic group that forms the bulk of Boko Haram’s membership. “We demand a probe into this unjustifiable murder,” said one community leader, adding “our fear is we don’t know what they will do next”. Human rights groups in Nigeria and abroad have previously accused the military of carrying out extra-judicial killings in the fight against Boko Haram. Amnesty International, the UK-based rights monitor, said in March that there was “credible evidence” that more than 600 people were summarily executed in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, after a Boko Haram jail break. Concerns have also been expressed about atrocities perpetrated by vigilantes, who have assisted the military against Boko Haram. On Friday vigilantes in the Borno town of Biu said they and troops had decapitated 41 Boko Haram fighters who were planning a raid in the village of Sabon Gari, in the south of the state. Two residents said the heads were put on spikes and paraded through the town. “It was like hunters displaying their game after a hunting expedition,” Silas Buba, a resident, said. Human Rights Watch, the US-based rights monitor, said the alleged beheadings were consistent with the vigilantes’ recent conduct. Formed in 2002, Boko Haram is against Western education and has been battling the government in the country’s north and has repeatedly attacked schools, churches, mosques and markets as it seeks to impose a strict interpretation of Islam in territory it controls. More than 700,000 people have been displaced externally and internally as government forces try to hunt down Boko haram fighters, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR says.