Oil Hearing to Cast Spotlight on West Africa

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WARRI, Nigeria—Olubunmi Akindele mans the shaky front line of West Africa’s losing battle with its oil spills.

Sitting in his small office here on a recent day, Mr. Akindele, a regional head of Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, fielded two calls in 45 minutes from villagers reporting different spills nearby in the oil-rich delta. Finishing one call, he telephoned a Western oil company’s local office to pass word of a leak at its facility, asking them to follow up themselv

Villagers pointing out oil in a river in the Ogoni region of Nigeria’s Niger Delta last summer. Oil firms blame spills on militant groups that divert oil.

With a small budget and access to a single oil-dispersement plane based in another country, his agency has almost no means to respond to near-daily spill reports. “You can’t just go out to the creeks every time someone calls,” Mr. Akindele said.

International environmentalists and lawmakers are looking nervously to West African oil-patch countries including Nigeria and Angola, where watchdog groups say a near epidemic of unaddressed spills is the result of either lax regulation, pipeline vandalization by groups seeking to divert oil for their own profits or an underprepared spill-response effort.

Some of these people fear the situation could worsen as oil exploration moves from the swamps and shallows of places like Nigeria’s Niger Delta. In deeper water, security concerns are lower, replaced by the risks that come with the more complex techniques required for these larger, deeper reservoirs.

On Jan. 26, lawmakers in the Dutch Parliament are preparing to question Royal Dutch Shell PLC about years of spills in the Niger Delta. The exchange is expected to highlight West Africa’s lack of preparedness for almost any kind of spill, much less a huge accident like the one at a BP PLC deepwater well in the Gulf of Mexico in April.

“BP has shown a giant spill in the Gulf of Mexico is possible in deep water,” said Joseph Croft, executive director of Nigeria civic rights organization Stakeholder Democracy Network. In West Africa, he said, where “health, safety and the environment are not at the forefront [of government priorities], it is not only possible, but more likely.”

West African countries have some of the world’s least rigorous regulatory schemes, watchdog groups say. In Angola, which has large deep-water reserves, local fishermen complain that companies are left to handle spill oversight. The country, which has had an offshore oil industry since the 1960s, adopted a national response plan two years ago and critics say it hasn’t adapted its regulations in the aftermath of the U.S. Gulf disaster.

Ghana, which just started oil output from its massive offshore Jubilee field, is a relative newcomer with unclear offshore oil and gas regulation, said Alex Vines, head of Africa Program at U.K. research institute Chatham House. “I don’t see that Ghana is ready for production,” he told a recent oil conference.

Angola says it is considering increasing inspections and fines on foreign oil companies. An official with Ghana’s Environmental Protection agency says the country has the capacity to respond to an emergency.

The acting director of Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency didn’t respond to requests for comment. The Minister of Environment in Nigeria, John Odey, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

West Africa’s oil production has historically been from onshore or shallow-water fields that call for exploration methods that have been tested since the oil industry’s early days.

For decades, swamps in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta have been beset by thousands of spills. Last year, the spill-response agency said it had recorded about 2,405 oil spills involving all the major international oil companies operating in Nigeria between 2006 and June 2010.Nigeria doesn’t disclose the overall amount of oil spilled.

Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell says the vast majority of the pollution in its Nigeria operations in recent years has been caused by oil theft and militant attacks. For its Nigeria operations, it says an equivalent of 102,000 barrels of oil were spilled into the Niger Delta in 2009 as a direct result of sabotage or theft. That is close to half the equivalent of 257,000 barrels spilled in Alaska’s 1989 Exxon Valdez spill.

West Africa’s appeal has grown since BP’s troubles with the Deepwater Horizon, as some rigs idled by last year’s temporary U.S. drilling freeze departed the Gulf of Mexico for Africa.Transocean Ltd.’s Marianas rig—which preceded the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon on BP’s Macondo well in the Gulf—recently moved to offshore Nigeria.

Big regional producers Nigeria and Angola together held 50.7 billion barrels of proven oil reserves as of end 2009, nearly twice as much as the U.S. and its 28.4 billion barrels. A large share of those reserves are deep offshore.

While BP says it and the U.S. government marshaled an armada of 6,000 ships and 100 aircraft to battle the Gulf spill, West Africa’s standing response team consists of a single small plane, based in Ghana, and a few boats, according to the Global Initiative for West and Central Africa, an international partnership of oil companies and watch groups.

The plane is positioned to immediately disperse the equivalent of 280 barrels to 560 barrels on each flight, said Archie Smith, chief executive of Oil Spill Response Ltd., an industry body financed by the industry to respond to spills. Mr. Smith added that his own company could mobilize four larger aircraft coming from outside Africa.

In Mr. Akindele’s office in Warri, the oil hub of the Western part of the Niger Delta, one of the calls fielded on a recent day by the official was from a citizen reporting oil pollution from a nearby Chevron Corp. facility. Mr. Akindele replied that the government would send a team “as soon as Chevron does a flyover and confirms it.”

Chevron later said it did reconnaissance flyovers but that spills were issuing from another company’s pipeline.

Fines and penalties for spills in West Africa are relatively modest. In the U.S., any company failing to notify authorities of an oil discharge is given a one-time fine of $500,000, and other penalties may accrue. Egypt levies a one-time fine of at least $52,000 if a spill isn’t disclosed “promptly.” The fine in Nigeria is about 500,000 Nairas ($3,200) per day of delayed disclosure.

Regulators in West Africa are often badly paid, unskilled and unmotivated. The budget for Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, which is in charge of pollution inspections, was $3.39 million in 2007, the latest year available for approved expenditures. That’s roughly 3% of the amount budgeted for audits and inspections at the agency’s U.S. counterpart.

The agency is a “watchdog without teeth,” said Ben Amunwa, a researcher at U.K. environmental group Platform.

“People in Nigeria are outraged that in the U.S. there is such [a comprehensive] response to oil spills,” said Geert Ritsema, the international coordinator at Friends of the Earth Netherlands. “Show me where are an oil spill has been properly cleaned. There is no such place in Nigeria.”

Write to Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@dowjones.com

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria starts road-shows for power sector privatisation

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Read Time:1 Minute, 57 Second

Lagos, Nigeria — Codewit.com — 19 January 2011 – Nigeria has kicked off a series of investor road-shows for the planned multi-billion dollar privatisation of its power sector, in a bid to solicit interest in the country’s electricity distribution companies and power stations.

Reuters reports that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) ‒ the country’s privatisation agency ‒ has met with investors in the commercial hub of Lagos, and will hold similar meetings in Dubai, London, New York and Johannesburg over the next three weeks.

Africa’s most populous nation, plagued by blackouts, wants to privatise power generation and distribution. Government will continue to own the national grid, but its management will be privatised, Reuters explained.

The investor meetings come ahead of a February 18 deadline for expressions of interest in 11 distribution companies, two thermal generating firms and two hydropower stations.

They also precede presidential and parliamentary elections in April, which have meant the original timetable has fallen behind. Some investors have said they are reluctant to commit until the political uncertainty has cleared.

“The idea of this is that it enables investors to gain some confidence. Even if we don’t complete it before the handover of government, no harm is done,” BPE director-general Bolanle Onagoruwa said.

“From the response you have seen here, power is something that has attracted the interest of most people in Nigeria. I don’t think any administration will come in and not take the issue of reforms in the power sector seriously,” he added.

President Goodluck Jonathan unveiled the privatisation plans last August, and the government estimates it will need US$10 billion a year of investment over the next decade to meet its energy needs.

The 11 distribution companies up for grabs are in the capital Abuja in central Nigeria, the cities of Benin, Enugu, Eko, Ibadan, Ikeja, and Port Harcourt in the south, and those of Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Yola in the north.
The thermal power stations are Ughelli Power plc, in Delta state in the southern Niger Delta oil region, and Geregu Power plc in Kogi state in north-central Nigeria.

The hydro power companies for which concessionaires are sought are Kainji Power plc comprising power stations in Niger and Kwara states in north-central Nigeria; and Shiroro Power plc, also in Niger state.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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University of Helsinki and University of Nairobi to engage in closer cooperation

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Read Time:1 Minute, 45 Second

The universities have signed an agreement on research and education cooperation. “I hope that the agreement will establish better opportunities for genuine cooperation, particularly in disciplines which may promote societal development and well-being in Kenya through their results,” says Georg A. O. Magoha, Rector of the University of Nairobi, at the signing meeting in Nairobi.

Researchers from the University of Helsinki have conducted research throughout Africa for decades now. In recent years, cooperation with African universities has especially focused on agriculture and forestry, consumer economics, and biosciences.

The University of Helsinki has now established a research station in the Taita Taveta district in Kenya. The opening ceremony of the university’s first station based abroad took place last week. The establishing of the research station was initiated by Petri Pellikka, Professor of Geoinformatics, who has already worked long periods in Taita Taveta in many years.

The Taita research station focuses on multidisciplinary environmental research and offers accommodation and research resources for researchers from the University of Helsinki, Kenyan researchers, and other international researchers working in the region.

At the signing of the cooperation agreement between the University of Nairobi and the University of Helsinki, Rector Georg A. O. Magoha and Rector Thomas Wilhelmsson pointed out that the universities have cooperation opportunities based on both parties in the fields of biosciences, medicine, veterinary medicine, computer science, law, and teacher training.

Kenya is currently facing its most difficult drought in years, and the locals are already forecasting a famine. Technology and research related to water supply and water were also highlighted in the speech given by the Rector of the University of Nairobi.

– The objectives of the University of Nairobi with respect to implementing the agreement in practice are fully consistent with those of the University of Helsinki. According to its strategy, the University of Helsinki actively works to promote the well-being of humanity and a just society, says Rector Wilhelmsson.

The University of Nairobi was formed in 1961 from the Royal Technical College of East Africa. The multidisciplinary university has approximately 40,000 graduate students.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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2011 Election: The Odd Favors Goodluck Jonathan Over Nuhu Ribadu

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Read Time:14 Minute, 51 Second

A lot have been said on the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan and the former Nigeria Anti-Corruption czar-cum Crime Buster, Nuhu Ribadu. For this analysis, I paired these two candidates because both candidates currently receive the highest number of support online and in public arguments over who would lead the country. Some people have thrown the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari into the argument, but judging from the fact that Buhari has contested and lost the presidential election two times in the past; and for the fact that he represents the old generation puts him out of the equation. The country is ready for generational change in leadership. Also people have more negative opinion of Buhari than Jonathan and Ribadu. A good number of Nigerians rightly or wrongly view Buhari not only as a fanatical moslem, but also as divisive, sectional, withdrawn, cocky and condescending. Another negative Buhari has is the fact that he is a Fulani! Because of the fact that the north has ruled the country and could be seen as being responsible for the ruins the country is trying to free itself from puts; Buhari is in a more disadvantaged position than the other to candidates. Even though no one has ever linked Buhari with corruption of any kind, but the fact that he comes from the area that ruled the country for many years since independence makes it difficult for him. In past elections, his votes came from the core north like Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina etc. and there is no sign that his political fortune would be better this time around.

So having removed Buhari from the equation; let me go ahead and discuss the chances of the two leading candidates. Nuhu Ribadu and Goodluck Jonathan share one thing in common: both are lucky people. They are both lucky in the sense that none of them have won any election in the past in any category as the main candidate. Jonathan was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State when his principal former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was in charge. The latter was impeached before Jonathan became the substantive governor in line with the constitution. Jonathan also was picked up to be a Vice presidential candidate in 2007 running with former Governor of Katsina State, Umaru Musa Ya’Ardua. Jonathan later became Acting President after Ya’Ardua took ill and later became the president after death of Ya’Ardua. On the other hand, Ribadu has never won any elective office prior to being adopted by the ACN as their presidential candidate. Even Ribadu has never vied for anything or contested for anything. He always got appointed to post be it as an EFCC director or in the police.

By any means, both candidates are eminently qualified to be president; not just because of the constitutional requirement of being a Nigerian citizen and being of the statutory age. If you talk about paper qualification, GEJ Jonathan holds a B.Sc. degree in Zoology in which he attained Second Class Honours, Upper Division. He also holds a M.Sc. degree in Hydrobiology and Fisheries biology, and a Ph.D. degree in Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt. On the other hand, Ribadu has both a Bachelor Degree in Law (LL.B) and a Masters Degree in law (LL.M) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and a fellow at the reputable St Anthony’s College, Oxford University. Both candidates are young and were born exactly three years apart. GEJ was born in November 20, 1957 while Ribadu was born on November 21, 1960.

On his resume, Ribadu has been a public servant for twenty five years, a lawyer, police officer, federal prosecutor and an Interpol Crime Officer. GEJ on the other hand has executive experience as a deputy governor and governor of a state as well as Vice President, Acting President and President of the country. I must add that both candidates have positive ratings but Ribadu has more international acclaim as a crime fighter and an incorruptible public official.

Coming to the election itself, the best ‘paper’ candidates never won in elections. A lot of things come into play. In 1979, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was head and shoulders better than Alhaji Alihu Usman Shehu Shagari who later purportedly won the election. In 1999, Olu Falae was arguably more qualified than Chief Olusegun Obasanjo if you judge by his credentials as a technocrat. The problem with many so-called political analysts is that they do not look at the mood of the country before jumping into conclusion. The mood of the country is that Nigerians want a new generation leader. Having concluded that the country is better served with a generation of Nigerian leaders that are young and in line with the 21st century world; the ball is now in the court of both Ribadu and Jonathan. The odd favors Jonathan.

Ribadu is a good man by the standard of Nigerians; at least there is no accusation of corruption against him, a case of a good thing coming out of Nazareth. However, the fact that he from the north is not a good attribute at this time. Most Nigerians are seriously kicking against that trend of most Nigerian president being from the north or being endorsed by the caliphate whether civilian or military rulers. It is no longer ‘cool’ for the Hausa/Fulani or the north to control the destiny of the country while other tribes or sections of the country remain mere onlookers. Many people have argued that elections should not be about where you are from but rather about what you can offer and many with this opinion favor Ribadu. However, if 9 out of the 13 Nigerian presidents come from a particular area or section, questions would be asked whether we are operating a democracy, a monarchy or theocracy. In out of over 300 tribes or ethnic groups in Nigeria, we have presidents from one tribe; you need no ghost to tell you that it’s either other sections of the country are all foolish or they lack qualified people for president. Also because of the fact that past leaders ruined the country and that majority of the past leaders are from the north, the ruin of the country comes from a particular section. That is why Ribadu has a problem.

On the other hand, GEJ represents the hope ethnic minorities and even Igbos that have never mounted the saddle as the president of the country. This is another issue that commentators have not paid a due attention to. Also in GEJ’s favor is that the country is ready to see a Niger Deltan become president. This is the area that lays the golden egg. Because of the injustice suffered by the oil-producing areas of Nigeria, they have made a strong case that if oil that fuels Nigeria’s economy is discovered from their area, it is unjust and even wicked not only to alienate them from the wealth that comes from their backyard but also to deny them their lifetime opportunity of producing the president of the country. In 2008, the United States was ready for a black president. In fact, it would have been disastrous for the democrats to ditch Barack Obama for any other candidate since blacks would see the Democratic Party as using them in every election, in spite of the fact that they have a candidate that is very qualified to be president. Also Obama did not fit a profile or stereotype of ‘an angry black man’ unlike Rev. Jesse Jackson or Rev Al Sharpton. In fact it would have the end of black people support for the Democratic Party if they did not present Obama as the democratic candidate.

In 1999, the western Nigeria was volatile because of the June 12 election that was nullified after Chief MKO Abiola, who is from the southwest undoubtedly won the election. That was the main reason why the lot fell on Obasanjo to become president, so that the political tension would be doused in the southwest. Even though there were pockets of dissidents in the southwest after OBJ became president, the opposition was greatly watered down. It was for that same reason that GEJ was hand-picked for the Vice Presidential slot. The Niger Delta was volatile and to douse the political tension over there, OBJ and his cabals had to settle for a non-confrontational candidate and the lot fell on GEJ. The cabals are not foolish. The corporate existence of Nigeria is paramount to the north since they stand to gain from a united Nigeria than a divided Nigeria. If the Niger Delta does not produce oil, I don’t think the area would be volatile in the first place and GEJ would not have been lucky to benefit from that.

Another problem Ribadu has as against the GEJ is that of perception. The popular perception of him is that he is a no-nonsense crime buster. However, this cuts both ways. Even though many Nigerians see him as what the country needs to clean up the mess, many are afraid that his youth and zeal may not be a positive political attribute. This is because many see him as combative and may be a disaster because he might have problem of not being a team player. He might get impeached by the National Assembly if he is so rigid and does not play ball with their quest to corruptly continue to enrich themselves. This would lead to a politicalinstability. Moreover, morally righteous but combative politicians never made it in Nigeria; otherwise Chief Gani Fawehinmi of National Conscience Party (NCP) would have been president of Nigeria. Many have forgotten that one of the reasons while Chief Awolowo was not the president of Nigeria was because he vowed to probe past presidents and to fight corruption. That didn’t seat well with the status quo. The Head of State, General Obasanjo would not have in good faith handed over to Awolowo knowing full well that the latter would probe him; even though Awolowo was by far a better qualified candidate and had a better blue-print for the country than Shagari. Also the smartest people do not actually translate to leadership of their country otherwise Albert Einsten would have been the president of the world or even the president of the United States or his native Israel. Many could mistake Ribadu’s confidence for Hausa/Fulani arrogance, sense of entitlement and royalty. This is unlike GEJ that is viewed as more calm or even docile and has a friendlier disposition.

Also, the corrupt politicians would do anything to make sure that Ribadu does not win. Majority of Nigerian politicians; and even politicians all over the world fight for their own selfish political interests irrespective of what that interest is. Even Ribadu’s northern politicians know that their political interests are not well served with a President Ribadu. They believe that he would be out to prosecute many of them that helped impoverish Nigerians; so they would work against him. Even though most northern politicians want a northerner to be president in keeping with the often talked about PDP’s zoning formula, however, if that choice of Ribadu would send the likes of IBB, Adamu Ciroma, or Atiku to jail, I don’t think that they are ready to compromise their ill-gotten wealth or freedom for a President Ribadu. They would throw Ribadu overboard (if they have not done so already) in other to protect their selfish economic and political interests. Moreover, Ribadu and Buhari would divide the core north between themselves. On the other hand GEJ does not seem like someone that could ruffle feathers, rock the boat or dislodge the status quo. The corrupt politicians see him as a lesser evil.

Also Ribadu has no political experience. Political experience in Nigeria is a code word to denote people that have squandered Nigeria’s money or having been friends or allies with people that have done so in the past. The only thing working for Ribadu is the goodwill of Nigerians especially the youth that see him as the face of change. That alone would not land him to Aso Rock. The youths of Nigeria might like to vote for Ribadu but cannot help him in campaign contribution. Majority of Nigerians youths are unemployed and cannot contribute money. Also to mobilize the youths is difficult in our clime since you cannot mobilize people with empty stomachs. Moreover, the economy is so bad that youth could be enticed with money to follow the highest bidder. This could work in other climes but not in Nigeria. GEJ and Ribadu share almost same youth enthusiasm if the internet furor is anything to go by. But GEJ looks more of a mainstream politician.

Another very important factor against Ribadu is the incumbency factor. No Nigerian president had ever lost a second term. Shagari won second term in 1983 and Obasanjo won his own re-election is 2003. Even though GEJ did not stand an election in 2007 as the main candidate, but now he is the incumbent. In Nigeria, incumbents have many advantages over their political adversaries. First of all, incumbents have access to unlimited and unregulated campaign funds. The country’s unlimited resources are there for GEJ to spend as much as he wants during campaigns. He also can auction Nigeria out to the highest bidder. By this I mean that he has unlimited power to share oil blocks and contracts to win political support even from his arch-rivals. He can also use the trappings of office and the ‘bully pulpit’ to stifle all oppositions. The state-owned radio and television media would sing his praise all days. Also the army of sycophants would buy up spaces in both the print and electronic media to drop support for GEJ. On top of that, many politicians that want to curry favor from GEJ would contribute immensely to support his campaign. Even corporate organizations are not left out. Many of them would bundle money for GEJ. In politics, that quid pro quo or ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’ is always there. This was manifested in the just concluded PDP presidential primaries where the state governors and National Assembly members negotiated for GEJ support their quest for 2nd term in exchange for their support and that of their states and constituency delegates. Politicians also see politics as investments. The question you ask yourself is whether they can bet their money with GEJ or with Ribadu?

A business man puts his money where he expects an instant dividend and not where he is unsure of a good turnover. Ribadu can only use his reputation or goodwill for whatever it is worth to appeal to mostly Nigerians living abroad who cannot constitutionally register to vote or vote in any election. He also enjoys immense support of idealist and that of the youth. Mostly Nigerians living abroad and the youths are even divided between GEJ and Ribadu. Also most state governor in the PDP controlled states and even in the ones in some non-PDP controlled states are ready to back GEJ so long as he does not interfere with their own affairs as did OBJ.

Another important factor militating against Ribadu is the fact that the opposition is not united. Buhari would not step down for Ribadu for them to present a common front, even though Buhari cannot win any national election outside his northern comfort zone. In politics, you cannot win against the ruling party if you cannot maintain the discipline and teamwork that oppositions are known for all over the world. It was reported that the PDP prevailed on Prof. Maurice Iwu’s Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to register legion of political parties in order to water down opposition to the PDP. The adage ‘divided we fall’ is still relevant as the opposition are so divided that they cannot even muster a common strategy to win even local elections let alone the general election and cannot even present a common developmental program should they win the election.

Finally as the adage would say “I rather be lucky than right”, many write off the issue of luck in the affairs of men. Former Vice President Al Gore spent his whole life preparing to be president of the United States. He did everything right, kept himself out of scandal or trouble to the extent of be a “Mr Clean”, however, a bumbling but lucky George W. Bush came and defeated him, and that was at the time that the US economy was great under President Clinton and Al Gore. People took for granted the economic stability of the United States and were ready to gamble with George Bush. So you don’t wish away the element of luck and the special grace of God in human affairs. God would have chosen the bigger and more mature brothers of King David, but he rejected all of them and chose David who was not even in the radar of the kingmaker, Samuel. GEJ is the luckiest person to be president of Nigeria and I dare say that barring unforeseen circumstances, he would not just defeat Ribadu but defeat him convincingly. GEJ is the most under-estimated politician in the country. People should go and ask Alhaji Atiku Abubakar about his experience. If GEJ could beat Atiku in his own game, I dare say that Ribadu is a lesser adversary. But as they say, in politics anything is possible.

*Chukwudi Nwokoye writes from Maryland, USA. nwokoyeac@hotmail.com

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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A Closer look at the Nigerian presidential election candidates

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Read Time:3 Minute, 39 Second

ABUJA Jan 20 (Codewit.com) – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan will face at least three opponents from the mostly Muslim north in elections in April, according to the results of primaries conducted by the main political parties. 

As the incumbent, Jonathan is the clear favourite as the ruling party candidate has won every presidential election in Africa’s most populous nation since the end of military rule more than a decade ago.

Here are some details on the presidential aspirants:

GOODLUCK JONATHAN – PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY

— Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was born in the Niger Delta in November 1957 to a family of canoe makers. He studied zoology and worked as an education inspector, lecturer and environmental protection officer before going into politics in 1998.

— Usually dressed in his trademark fedora and traditional caftan-like attire, he has a PhD in zoology.

— Jonathan won election in 1999 as deputy governor of Bayelsa, one of three main states in the oil-producing Niger Delta, as a member of the PDP. He became state governor in 2005 after his boss was impeached.

— He was nominated by the PDP as Umaru Yar’Adua’s running mate in the April 2007 presidential race. Yar’Adua won, although the election was marred by ballot-stuffing and intimidation.

— Jonathan was sworn in as president on May 6, 2010, a day after Yar’Adua died, vowing to fight corruption and promising to push through electoral reforms and organise credible polls.

— In August 2010, he announced his biggest policy drive yet, a multi-billion dollar strategy to end chronic power shortages by privatising the domestic energy sector.

— On Jan. 14 he clinched the ruling PDP nomination for April’s presidential elections, fighting off opposition from the “consensus northern candidate” Atiku Abubakar.

— Jonathan’s campaign was controversial due to an informal pact within the PDP that says power should rotate between the mostly Muslim north and the largely Christian south every two terms, a pattern his nomination breaks.

MUHAMMADU BUHARI – CONGRESS FOR PROGRESSIVE CHANGE (CPC)

— Buhari was born in December 1942 and was military ruler of Nigeria between December 1983 and August 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2003 presidential election, running for the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).

— Major-General Buhari was selected to lead the country by military officers after an almost bloodless New Year’s eve coup ended Nigeria’s second attempt at democracy.

— His iron-fisted administration is best remembered for its austerity measures, the jailing of politicians on corruption charges and the execution of drug traffickers.

— Buhari himself was overthrown in a coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida in August 1985.

— Buhari’s reputation as a disciplinarian and a popular perception that he is cleaner than many in the political elite make him the main opposition candidate to Jonathan.

IBRAHIM SHEKARAU – ALL NIGERIA PEOPLE’S PARTY (ANPP)

— Born in November 1955, Ibrahim Shekarau is a mathematics graduate and has been governor of the northern state of Kano since April 2003.

— After university he joined the civil service before beginning his career as a mathematics teacher. He was principle of a Kano school and later a university lecturer.

— In 2007 Shekarau became the first governor of Kano state to be re-elected. He has vowed to restore trust in government if he wins the in April but his support base is mostly in the north and he is an outsider in the race to be president.

NUHU RIBADU – NIGERIA’S ACTION CONGRESS (ACN)

— Nuhu Ribadu was born in November 1960. He studied law and spent 18 years working for the Nigerian police before becoming the first Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

— He won international praise for arrests of graft suspects and seizures of assets as the head of the EFCC, receiving the the World Bank’s 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service.

— Ribadu also made enemies for pursuing cases against powerful state governors and was fired in late 2007. He fled Nigeria for Britain and the United States in January 2009, saying his life was in danger, but returned last year.

— He opened his bid to lead the ACN in December, pledging to fight corruption, reduce government spending, tackle poverty and develop the restive Niger Delta region.

— Nominated as the ACN candidate on Jan. 14, Ribadu has little political experience and is considered an outsider for the presidential election.

(Reporting by Joe Brock and Nick Tattersall; editing by Alison Williams)

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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American Company to invest in Ghana’s rail transport sector

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Read Time:1 Minute, 27 Second

Accra, Jan. 19, GNA – Mr Ekram Javad Miller, President of the Intercontinental Development Corporation of the United States of America, on Wednesday expressed interest in investing in the country’s rail system.

He said they had already carried out feasibility studies with the Ministry of Transport on rail transport in Accra and were ready to invest a total of $1.5 billion in the construction.

Mr Miller announced this when he called on Vice President John Dramani Mahama to discuss the way forward towards the final implementation of the project.

He said the population of Accra was growing on daily basis and required alternative transport systems to decongest vehicular traffic in the city.

“Due to heavy traffic in the city… I am told some people spend over three hours travelling from home to office and back and I trust that with the implementation of the rail system, workers would spend a little over 20 minutes for the same journey.”

Mr Miller said he had already advanced moves to acquire half of the amount from the United State of America Bank, in addition to his personal funds, to execute the project

He said the project would create a number of jobs for the youth and reduce workers’ monthly expenditure on transport.

Vice President Mahama gave the assurance that government would review its development priority list to include the rail transport system.

He said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning would also study the terms of the project and come out with appropriate measures after which it would be taken to parliament for approval.

Vice President Mahama commended the investor for the confidence reposed in Ghana’s democratic credentials and expressed the determination to collaborate with them for the execution of the project.

GNA

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Why I want to govern Niger State- Bala Adamu Kuta

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Read Time:11 Minute, 1 Second

Bala Adamu Kuta is a member of the House of Representatives representing Shiroro constituency of Niger State. He has spent almost four years in the lower chamber but has refused to seek for another mandate to return to his seat in the National Assembly. He opted to vie for the highest seat of his state – Governor on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party. In an interview with Vanguard Kuta spoke among others on why he deserves the governorship seat, the journey so far as a democratic nation and future elections in the country. Excerpt:

After about 11 years into uninterrupted democracy in the country, how do you assess the journey so far?

Generally, I will say there is an improvement though we have not archived the desired goal we anticipated in the past years. However, with what we have done, we have achieved some level of successes. At least in the past years, we can say we have gone a long way. However, I still want to call on the politicians to be more cautious because at the pace we are going, if we don’t allow democracy to play its role as it should, definitely, we will be inviting a threat to democracy ourselves. That is why I am calling on politicians to play the game as it should be played.

Specifically, in what areas would you want the politicians to be more cautious?

What I am trying to say is that we should allow a popular candidate to emerge in all aspects of the election, be it primaries or the general elections. If you don’t allow popular candidate to emerge, it will derail our democracy. For example, what is happening in the ruling party – PDP clearly shows that there are many who are pro and anti-Jonathan who is the president. This situation for example, need to be addressed properly so as not to bring chaos. If there is any problem as a result of this, the problem will not only be limited to PDP alone but will eventually spread to other parties either directly or indirectly.

So far, do you think government at all levels and even our political parties have cause to roll out drums to celebrate democracy?

What are we celebrating? What achievements do we have to celebrate? We have not achieved much that could warrant celebrations. We can mark the sustenance of democracy for the past 11 years but not enough for us to celebrate.

Specifically, where do you think government should now focus more attention on?

One of the major problems we have is the insecurity in the country. In fact, there is no security in the country at all. The PDP only has security as a slogan in its Seven_point Agenda but it has failed as a party because there is no security at all in this country. People are attacked anywhere and anytime of the day and we are talking of security. The problem is yet to be addressed. Secondly, there is this unemployment problem which is a serious matter. We have thousands of graduates unemployed who need to earn a living but it is not so.

Power is even the worst sector. Though, it is all part of the seven-point agenda of the present government, the issue still remains unsolved. The Niger Delta issue is also in focus and unresolved. If you come back to our own state – Niger we have the problem of scarcity of water for years because most taps have stopped running.

Government vote huge amount of money for all these. What do you think is wrong?

Everybody wonders where the money is going. May be the government is setting the money aside for campaign purposes and just deceiving people. The extent of development is not even commensurate to the amount coming from the Federal Allocation. When you talk of the urban areas, nothing much is happening while the rural areas are even worse. Look at our schools, if you go to most public schools, you will shed tears because of the dilapidated structures we have and if you don’t develop the educational sector, where do we then have the capacity or the manpower to develop the state?. It is said that education is the backbone of development and if that is true, then Niger State has not got any backbone.

Can this underdevelopment be linked to corruption in the public places?

Of course there is still corruption in the country. This is why public office holders and private workers have to be dedicated and sincere. If we are all sincere, we don’t need ICPC or EFCC or any other anti_corruption organization because our conscience will always tell us if we are doing what is wrong. Now that these two anti-corruption bodies are set up, has corruption stopped? Public funds are still being embezzled and siphoned.

What do you think should be the punishment for those indicted for embezzlement?

What is even happening to the people caught is even beyond imagination. Because of what some people see as god fatherism, people tend to escape with all sort of crimes committed as they are released as soon as they are arrested and such person or group of persons are given political appointments.

This need to be addressed and one thing is certain, the masses also need to be conscious of themselves too. If anybody is holding any public office and such person is besieged with catalogue of requests, he is forced to look for such money by all means and this leads to public officers siphoning public funds by all means.

We should be able to challenge the public office holders if they are living above their income and this will caution our leaders. However, the first thing that should be done by government at all levels is to create employment opportunities for all, especially the youths. This is because if somebody is having a means of living, he/she will not go cap in hand begging for food or money. If all these a
re provided, that is employment, electricity, security, portable water, good health facilities, good roads, affordable housing among others, Nigerian will be better for all.

What type of punishment do you think should be meted out to corrupt officers in this country?

First, it has been established that many people go for public offices for personal gains. I want to suggest that anybody caught or found guilty of embezzlement should first be denied such privilege in the future after being prosecuted and the money and property illegally acquired confiscated. For those who are not also public officers, the laws we already have against such offences should be visited on those found guilty without any option of fine or plea to free the offenders. This is the only way out to send strong signals to those who might be planning to siphon government resources and force them to be cautious.

As a member of the National Assembly, most Nigerians now see you people as “Super rich” especially with the recent revelation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN that 25% of the nation’s resources go to you members. How do you defend this?

That comment by the governor of Central Bank continues to baffle me because it is untrue. Remember that, the Chairman the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has also come out with his own figures on how much goes to members of the National Assembly and till now, the report has not been faulted. He came out with his figures contrary to what the central bank governor gave. So how the CBN governor came about his figures, I don’t know. As far as I am concerned, it is mere allegation except he can prove his claims.

Having spent only one term as a legislator, why didn’t you aspire for a second term instead of eyeing the governorship seat?

My aspiration for the governorship did not come from me. The clarion call is from my people. Left for me, my first term as a legislator is even enough for me because I had no plans for second term. However, there is a call from my people not to even continue with my present position but to open a new political chapter in my life and it is not my personal decision but a call by my people to serve them in a bigger capacity.

Does it mean you are not satisfied with the achievements of the present administration in the state?

It is not whether I am satisfied or not but the reaction of the electorate. If the people are satisfied with the developments in the state, they wouldn’t have invited me to come and serve in that capacity. So, I think it is the masses that are not even satisfied, hence the call.

You are vying for the seat under the platform of All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) and the party seems to have crumbled in the state and broken into two factions, which led to Gen.Muhamadu Buhari’s exit even at the national level…

The believe or insinuation is wrong. The party is even stronger after the exit of Gen. Buhari especially at the national level. I have told people that even if there are only five members in the party, we will continue to forge ahead and even remain stronger. Even in Niger State, the party is still intact. There is no faction in the party and I am telling you this authoritatively. Some people say they are of the ANPP (Tiger) and the other ANPP (Hyena). There is nothing like that because INEC has not registered anything like that. There is only one ANPP with our original logo still intact.

From what is on the ground in the state, we have a group led by Barr. Hussaini Garba while the other is led by the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2007 election, Barr. David Umoru. Which one is the original ANPP?

Well, the one recognized by most people and even INEC is the one led by Barr. Hussaini.

So, David Umoru is on his own

Of course, he is an aspirant

Under which party?

Under ANPP

Under which faction?

Under his own faction

So you don’t belong to that faction?

I don’t even see it as a faction but a group (prolonged laughter)

But with the role he personally played in the last election, that is to have given the present state administration a tough fight, one would have expected you i.e. party members to accord him respect and recognition. Have you personally met him to put your house in order and forge ahead as one?

If he had done well, who says others cannot do better than what he did?

What would be your reaction if I put it to you that you are being used or planted by the present state administration to destabilize the ANPP because people believe that you are being sponsored by government?

This is rumour being spread by no other person than the leader of the other group who is looking at me as a threat against his ambition. How can anybody think that I am being used by government at my age and political achievements? I think it is very insulting to my personality.

INEC has registered 63 political parties in the country and many of them are just existing only in name and nothing else. As a politician, do you think these political parties are viable?

You see, it is wrong to deny anybody his or her right. The next election will surely determine how many parties will remain especially with the new law in the National Assembly which stipulated that only the political party that is able to produce not only governor or members of the state Assembly but a member of the National Assembly will remain as a party. So even if they are thousands registered, they will find their levels after the forthcoming elections. This will surely show how many parties that will remain because each party will now be registered through the effort put in place in the next election.

Do you foresee the INEC conducting a free and fair election in the country?

Why not? We have good laws guarding general elections in this country but it is always unfortunate that the implementation of these laws are bad. For instance, those found or arrested to have committed Electoral malpractices during elections should be dealt with according to the stipulated law. It will serve as deterrent to others.

Are you really prepared for this job i.e. Governor?. What should the electorate expect from you?

My ambition is to serve them creditably and sincerely especially since they are the people inviting me to serve. I hope to address issues according to peoples’ need and this is the first step to success. If you take time out to visit a rural area, you will shed tears due to the type of life they are living.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria: Jeffrey Tesler court bid to block extradition fails

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Read Time:2 Minute, 21 Second

The High Court in London has refused to block the extradition of British solicitor Jeffrey Tesler to the United States.

Mr Tesler, 62, from London, is accused by US authorities of involvement in a conspiracy to channel bribes to senior officials in Nigeria.

He was arrested last year following an extradition request from the US.

It is alleged he channelled money to Nigerian officials to obtain contracts valued at more than $6bn (£4bn).

Bribes were allegedly paid from a $132m (£88m) slush fund to influence the awarding of a construction contract for a natural gas plant on Bonny Island in Nigeria.

London resident

Mr Tesler was accused of acting as the middleman in the conspiracy, said to have occurred between 1994 and 2004.

Mr Tesler, who has dual British-Israeli nationality, was arrested at the request of the US government after a grand jury indictment was filed at a US district court in Houston, Texas, in February 2009.

He has lived in Tottenham, north London, for more than 50 years.

His legal team has argued that the conduct complained of did not occur in the United States, and there were “insufficiently substantial links” between it and the US to legally justify extradition.

They also argued that his access to a fair trial was compromised by the passage of time because the alleged crimes date back as far as 1994.

But lawyers for the US government have said the extradition request satisfies the requirements of UK law and that Mr Tesler’s removal to America would be neither unjust nor oppressive.

American connection

At the High Court hearing, Lord Justice Pill and Mr Justice Roderick Evans said the fact that the eventual “harm” might be in Nigeria did not detract from the US connection.

This was that the essence of the American offence claim was bribery of foreign officials.

They also said extradition was not barred by reason of the passage of time.

Lord Justice Pill said the joint venture in which Mr Tesler was alleged to have participated had a strong American connection, because one of the four companies involved was both incorporated in and had its headquarters in the US.

“A conspirator does not escape his liability to be extradited as a participant in such a scheme, as a result of which very substantial sums of money were planned to be made in the United States, by remaining out of the United States,” he said.

“The appellant was taking part in a joint enterprise with United States entities, one of the objects of which was to benefit substantially a United States company.

“The effects of his actions were to be felt in the United States and were intended to be felt there. A United States entity was intended to be one of the beneficiaries of his corrupt conduct.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria suspends dozens of stockbroking firms

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Read Time:1 Minute, 5 Second
LAGOS — Nigerian regulators have suspended 57 stockbroking firms from trading in one of Africa’s largest exchanges because they do not meet capital requirements, a spokesman said Thursday.

“They have been suspended from trading until they meet the requirement,” Nigerian Stock Exchange spokesman Wole Tokede told AFP. “The move is aimed at strengthening the capital market, a key financial sector of the economy.”

Firms are required to have a capital base of 70 million naira ($459,000, 341,000 euros).

The stock market lost 70 percent of its value in 2008-2009, much of it due to a major banking crisis in Nigeria, one of the world’s largest oil producers and Africa’s most populous nation.

Corruption and mismanagement at banks — as well as the bad loans that went with it — fed the banking crisis, which led to a bailout.

This week’s suspension followed a recent inspection by regulators.

Also on Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced it had approved the appointment of Oscar Onyema as new chief executive of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Onyema has previously worked at the New York Stock Exchange and American Stock Exchange (Amex).

The bourse regulator last year fired the head of the stock exchange after allegations of mismanagement, in a move seen by some as a victory for reformers.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigerian Market Regulator Confirms Oscar Onyema as Bourse Chief Executive

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Read Time:1 Minute, 34 Second

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission said it approved the selection of Oscar Onyema as the new chief executive officer of the nation’s stock exchange.

Ade Bajomo has also been appointed as executive director of market operations at the bourse, Lanre Oloyi, a spokesman for the Abuja-based commission, said in an e-mailed statement today.

“The commission is optimistic that Onyema and Bajomo would bring their professional experiences and expertise to bear in transforming the Nigerian Stock Exchange into a world-class exchange,” Oloyi said.

The SEC removed former bourse head Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke in August as part of measures to address “inadequate oversight of the exchange,” it said. Abuses such as share-price fixing on bourse, sub-Saharan Africa’s second-biggest, fueled a 64 percent slump in stock prices from the start of 2008 to the end of 2009.

The West African nation’s central bank used 620 billion naira ($4.1 billion) to bail out lenders and fired chief executive officers of eight institutions after they amassed bad debts that posing a threat to their survival. It also set up the state-owned Asset Management Corp. of Nigeria that bought non- performing loans from 21 of the nation’s 24 banks for about 2 trillion naira at the end of last year.

Onyema has held senior management positions at the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange, according to the statement. Bajomo is currently head of IT programs and business transformation for the Africa and Indian Ocean region at Barclays Bank Plc, the SEC said.

The 215-member All Share Index climbed for a second day, adding 0.5 percent to 27,385.53 by 12 p.m. in Lagos.

To contact the reporter on this story: Vincent Nwanma in Lagos via Accra at vnwanma@bloomberg.net.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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