Bishop Martins Uzoukwu of the Catholic Diocese of Minna on Wednesday appealed to political office holders to create projects that would alleviate poverty among the people of their various constituencies.
Uzoukwu told newsmen in Minna that democracy was all about meeting the expectations of the people through the provision of basic amenities that would impact positively on their development.
“Elected politicians and public-office holders must connect with their people and find out how best to alleviate poverty among them.
“They should support all economic programmes and trades of their people, irrespective of the political parties they belong,’’ he said.
He also called for the setting up of skills’ acquisition centres to train women and youths in various trades for them to become empowered.
He said that the centres would prepare the beneficiaries to with self sustaining skills to fight poverty.
Uzoukwu also advised government to institute a soft loan programme for the teeming unemployed youths.
According to him, unemployment and idleness have continued to widen the poverty gap in the country and pose a great threat to our collective existence.
He explained that providing job opportunities for the teeming youths would help to fight insurgency, cattle rustling and militancy in the country.
He appealed to Nigerians to support the efforts of the Federal Government in the fight against criminal activities by offering intelligence information to tackle crime and criminality in the society.
He said that only collective efforts from all residents would reduce crime in the society and also attract foreign investors for the overall development of the country.
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.
Identifying animals and reciting a list of words are among the type of challenges contained in the cognitive fitness test taken by US President Donald Trump.
According to White House doctor Ronny Jackson, Trump scored “exceedingly well” (30 out of 30) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and has “no cognitive issues whatsoever.”
Jackson said Trump himself had requested to sit the test after questions about his mental health.
“I think he saw doing the physical as an opportunity to put some of that to rest,” Jackson said. “And I think he wasn’t the least bit concerned that he had anything to hide.”
But what is this test, first created in 2005, and how does it work?
According to the website mocatest.org, it is a “rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction.”
Among other things, the test assesses attention and concentration, memory, language, calculation and — appropriately for a president — executive function.
It takes around 10 minutes to complete and any score above 26 is considered “normal.”
An example of the sort of test Trump faced is available online.
Candidates first have to copy a cube, link up numbers to the appropriate letter in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, etc) and draw a clock showing the time 11:10.
They are then given three animals to identify — the online example shows a lion, rhinoceros and camel.
Five simple words are then read out and the candidate has to recite them immediately and then again after five minutes.
This test is then repeated with numbers, with a series of three numbers to be recited backwards.
To test “attention”, the examiner reads a long list of letters and the candidate has to tap with his or her hand whenever the letter “A” is read out.
Numeracy is examined by asking the candidate to subtract seven from 100 and repeat this operation five times (giving a series of 93, 86, 79, 72, 65).
To test language, the candidate is asked to repeat two phrases and then recite as many words beginning with a certain letter as possible in one minute. Eleven words are required to secure a point.
The two final questions are an abstraction test, where candidates have to decipher a link between two words, and “orientation”, where the candidate has to state the day of the week, as well as the month, date, year and what city they are in.
In the initial study that established the test, the average score was just over 27. Candidates with “mild cognitive impairment” scored just over 22 and people with Alzheimer’s disease around 16.
An example of the test can be found online here: http://dementia.ie/images/uploads/site-images/MoCA-Test-English_7_1.pdf
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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that the U.S. will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem within a year.
The prime minister’s timeline drastically differs from that offered earlier by White House officials, who said the move would take at least three to four years due to stringent security measures and other requirements.
Netanyahu made this known to Israeli reporters on a flight from Dehli to Gujarat during a state visit to India, the Times of Israel reported.
A spokesman for the prime minster confirmed the content.
“My confident assessment is that it will move much faster than people think, within a year from today,” Netanyahu said, according to the Times of Israel.
President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Dec. 6 and initiated a process to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
Israel occupied the eastern half of Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed the territory in a move that was not internationally recognised.
Israel has long claimed that Jerusalem as its “undivided capital,” while the Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Trump’s controversial decision sparked protests in some countries and was rejected in a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution.
The recognition was welcomed in Israel, and Guatemala has since announced it will follow the U.S. in moving its embassy to the city.
Arab foreign ministers are set to meet on Feb. 1 in Cairo to discuss steps against Trump’s recognition, the Arab League had earlier said.
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.
AWKA—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared Chief Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, winner of Saturday, Anambra Central Senatorial re-run.
Umeh, a former national chairman of APGA, beat 13 other candidates, whose party logos appeared on the ballot paper. Although, voters turnout was very low, the conduct of the election was generally peaceful, with security operatives virtually having nothing to worry about. With the outcome of the election, Umeh has become the first APGA senator from Anambra State since 1999. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress, APC, whose party logo was also on the ballot paper, had before the commencement of the polls issued a statement that he was not participating in the election. According to him: “For the information of the General Public and voters as well as my numerous supporters in Anambra Central Senatorial District, I’m not participating in the said election which can be described as a charade. I have since by a letter dated 11th January 2016 withdrawn from this re-run Election when it was earlier scheduled for March 2016 in accordance with the provisions of sections 33 & 35 of the Electoral Act 2010 for personal & Family reasons.” However, INEC returning officer for the re-run, Professor Charles Esimone said Umeh polled 64, 878 votes or 95.6 per cent of the votes cast to defeat others. Esimone, who is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka said the total number of registered voters in the seven local government areasthat made up the zone was 745, 828 out of which only 67, 872 (9.1 per cent) were accredited. The result showed that APC came second with 975 votes, while Progressive Peoples’ Alliance, PPA, came third with 116 votes. Other parties that got votes were the Mega Progressive Peoples Party, MPPP, 111 votes; Labour Party, LP, 95; National Conscience Party, NCP, 72; Alliance for Democratic Congress, ADC, 57; United Progressives Party, UPP, 55; Green Party of Nigeria, GPN, 48 and Action Congress for Democrats, ACD, 33. The court had earlier barred the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, whose candidate; Mrs. Uche Ekwunife was declared winner in March 2015, from fielding a candidate in the re-run. The re-run was conducted in seven local government areas, which are Njikoka, Awka North, Idemili South, Dunukofia, Awka South, Anaocha and Idemili North. The APGA candidate won in all the seven areas. Votes were cancelled in four polling units in Awka South local government area where there were alleged cases of over-voting. There was also cancellation in Agulu, Anaocha local government area where people were accredited manually, as well as in Idemili South where over-voting was recorded in two polling units.
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.
The above highlighted extract is the first line of the Nigerian National Anthem. The word compatriot in the simplest breakdown means a countrymen or women. But, it does not end with this fundamental definition. It also contains strong positive connotation which has to do with optimistic attitude (spirit) of patriotism and nationalism to ones state or nation as the case many be. This positive attitude extends to a sense of pride, dignity and integrity regarding ones cultural heritage. It was a comprehensive ideological commitment towards the upkeep and defense of its geographical integrity. Therefore, compatriotism is closely associated with patriotism. That sense of ethical responsibility and belief in laws and constitution of the land.
I first learns recite the national anthem in elementary school. It created a solemn euphoria even thought many of us in those days did not understand the intrinsic meaning of the wordings. As I grew up and my sense of meaning expanded, I came to appreciate the beauty of the Nigerian National anthem.
Each time there is a national ceremony going on and Nigerians stand to sing the anthem, I often wonder what lots of people might be reflecting about. Do the wordings still make sense to the Nigerian populace or perhaps it has come to be one of those nuisance national cliches that must be adhered to ritualistically?
With the traumatic years of military dictatorships, religious riots, tribalism, nepotism, corruption, embezzlement, unaccountability, lies, egotism, political victimization and economic instability that had characterized the political yesteryear in Nigeria, does the Nigerian populace still see the need to be good compatriots to their God-given fatherland or motherland as the case many be? In the struggle for political independence from the colonial Britain , many Nigerians were full of fiery zeal and patriotic interests for the emancipation of the geographical entity called Nigeria . Our past heroes and heroines worked towards this goal with selfless and unrelenting strength. Then the civil war came up that ruptured the ideology of nationhood into schizophrenic tribal interests.
Today, one may ask, where are the Nigerian compatriots? Has compatriotism faded out of the minds of the Nigerian citizens? Let’s take the United States and China as hand-picked samples. The US citizens have a strong attitude toward patriotic compatriotism. They talk about their nation with a sense of dignity and pride. They defend it with integrity from any form of external invasion as much as necessary. They use nationalistic ideologies, the military, economic strengths, educational strategies, and cultural techniques, techno-scientific and political prowess. On the other hand, the rising Chinese nation also had inculcated a very strong sense of compatriot nationalism on the People Republic of China . There is a sense of dedication and service in the people. And this is very obvious in the gradual military rise of China in the world. The youths were willing to pay the highest sacrifice for their nations to grow. However, this is not to compare Nigeria with other nations. It is rather to see the spirit of compatriotism in action.
In the line of this, I would like to recount the pathetic story of Chizoba C. Chukwura published in www.codewit.com under the title of Why I served In the Nigerian Army And Why I Left (Friday, August, 01, 2008) I was particularly touched by his narrative account of tribal bigotry existing in the Nigerian military recruitment. This form of bigotry in every strata of the Nigerian national life no doubt destroys the people’s commitment toward working for a progressive Nigerian nation. It kills the good spirit of good people. If tribal schism exists in the Nigerian army, (who in the right sense of the word ought to defend the sovereignty of the nation’s geographical enclave) then the flames of compatriotism is being extinguished. How then can we build the nation?
Attitudinal change is seriously needed in Nigeria . Instead of tribalism, why not talk of nationalism? The first line of the anthem reads Arise, O Compatriots, Nigerian Call Obey. The mansion of Nigeria here is significant. Not individualism or tribalism or nepotism. These only serve as divisive catalysts and thus ruin everyone in the end. Where tribalism is maintained, it is practically impossible to uphold any form of collective mobility.
Today, just as in the past, the Nigerian nation still reminds her citizens of the clarion call for an urgent compatriotism. When we carefully reflect on the words: Arise, O compatriot it posses an immediate challenge for every patriotic Nigerian fellow and men and women of conscience to rise up against the structures and establishments of corrupt practices in both the low and the higher places. We all should be soldiers of ethical standards. For without an ethical culture, no nation can ever achieve anything.
Every compatriot Nigeria should be ready to confront lies, deceits, injustice, oppression and indiscipline. They should work hard and not give in to short-cuts. By so doing, we all should be creating a society of honest people who have national and international integrities where politico-economic ills are eschewed.
Already, Nigerians are people of pride and integrity. So when next we sing the national anthem, we should bear in mind that we are being called upon for a drastic action of changing our beloved country to be the black race and the world.
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.
Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC has described
the unprecedented and monumental gathering of the Traditional Rulers,
Political leaders, sons and daughters of Ikwerre extraction in Rivers
State on 13th January 2018 at Isiokpo, the Traditional Headquarters of
the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality to honour one of their most illustrious
sons, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi the erstwhile Governor of
Rivers State and the incumbent Minister of Transportation as
historical, epochal and monumental.
This great event organised by the Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM) the
foremost socio-cultural organisation in Ikwerre land was to solemnize
the Chieftaincy title earlier conferred on Chief Amaechi by the
Ikwerre Traditional Rulers abiding by all the traditional rites of the
ancient Ikwerre heritage as “EZE OCHI ALIRI 1 of IKWERRE Land” which
means the person who stands tall to take on and ward off any challenge
in a family or Community. Briefly, he is the “Redeemer of His people”
(Ikwerre) or “The wise Defender of the Ikwerre kingdom”
The event unprecedented in recent time in the annals of social and
political gathering in Rivers State commenced with 21 traditional gun
shots to welcome Amaechi and over a million of persons from Ikwerre
the largest ethnic group in Rivers State with friends and supporters
to accord honour to this great son of Nigeria and to thank President
Muhammadu Buhari for the honour done to their son and Leader of Rivers
State politics.
The Organisers through the President General of Ikwerre Youths
Movement (IYM) and one of the greatest grass-root Mobilisers from
Rivers State, Hon. Azubuike Chikere Wanjoku expressed their profound
gratitude to President Buhari for assisting their son to demonstrate
to the entire world the stuff he is made up with as a great leader in
the mould of Zik Awo, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Sir Ahmadu Bello.
in short Amaechi is our own Zik, Awo, Balawa and Saraduna combined
the party highlighted.
The party in a press statement circulated on Monday by Chief Eze
Chukwuemeka Eze the SSA Media and Public Affairs Consultant to the APC
Rivers State Chairman, Dr Ibiamu Davies Ikanya further described Chief
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi the Eze Ochi Aliri 1 of Ikwerre land as a
breaker of records stating that the Holy Bible as reflected in the
gospel of Mark 6:4, “A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his
own hometown and among his relatives and his own family” (New Living
Translation) but Amaechi with the event of today have dusted this
truism with the millions of Ikwerre sons and daughters his brethren
agreeing as one people to honour him for his sterling and outstanding
inputs towards the emancipation of the Ikwerre people and for becoming
a great Iroko and one of the pillars through which the politics of
Nigeria currently rotates.
With this title and recognition Amaechi becomes the most influential
Ikwerre man on planet earth.
The party further stated that Chief Amaechi stands out as the only
Nigerian that was a Speaker of a State House of Assembly for eight
years, Chairman of the Speakers’ Forum of Nigeria, Governor of Rivers
State for eight years and two term Chairman of the Nigeria Governors
Forum and most historically led an opposition political party to
unseat a sitting President in Nigeria.
The party explained that, today, Chief Amaechi is not only changing
the face of Transportation in Nigeria as the Minister of
Transportation but stands out as one of the key and influential member
of President Buhari’ s political Team.
Refers in some quarters as the Lion of Niger Delta Politics, this
great son of Rivers State has being reappointed to lead APC to victory
come 2019 as the Director General of the Presidential Campaign
Council. No son of Rivers State has achieved such feats to warrant his
ethnic tribe to have so honoured him in this manner.
Not minding that the incumbent Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom
Ezebunwo Wike is of the Ikwerre extraction but the Ikwerre people in
the event pleaded with the Eze Ochi Aliri 1 of Ikwerre to “please,
introduce the APC candidate for the 2019 gubernatorial election and
2019 shall be a walk over as Wike has proved what it means not to be a
Governor”.
Overwhelmed with the mammoth crowd that attended the event coupled
with the resolution by the Ikwerre people to honour Amaechi and to
elect an APC candidate by 2019, Governor Wike was so irked to a
boiling point that he immediately ordered the sack of three of the
caretaker Committee Chairmen of Ikwerre extraction for not scuttling
the reception. The unfortunate sacked Chairmen that earned the wrath
of Gov. Wike were that of Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt and Ikwerre. The
Emouha Chairman was spared the sack hammer as he made attempt to
scuttle the event but his attempt could not make any impact as the
reception was held without any hitch. It is based on this development
that the party blasted Gov Wike for this childish move of sacking
these men forgotten that 75% of those in his cabinet were all
Amaechi’s product including himself as sacking them will not save him
from the woes that await him come 2019.
Without mincing words, the party highlighted that Ikwerre ethnic group
comprising of Port Harcourt and three other Local Government Areas of
the State is the largest ethnic group in Rivers State and most
importantly one of the major deciding factors on who becomes the River
State Governor come 2019.
To the Ikwerre Youth Movement, “Amaechi is our liberator. He is the
man who broke the shackles of political timidity and wrenched the
chains of economic naivety in our domain. This colossus of a man
brought political freedom to our very doorsteps and we will henceforth
stand by him in all his political calculations.
The elated and excited Amaechi who expressed his appreciation
reiterated, “If anybody on earth says I have sat with him at any
meeting to plan how to kill someone, that person should step forward.
I swear before God and those of you here, 90% of those who benefitted
from Scholarships under me, I never knew them. President Muhammadu
Buhari will ensure that the 2019 elections will be free and fair. I
urge all our people to register and obtain their Voters’ Cards to
enable them to exercise their franchise as the 2019 elections,
especially the governorship, are our last battle. If we win, we will
take over Rivers State. If we lose in the election, we will go home
and rest. We will not impose any candidate. Anybody who will go for
any position, like chairmanship, should go for primaries. Anybody who
wins will be the party’s candidate. The President said that there
would be no rigging during the 2019 elections. It is to our advantage.
As Ikwerre people, we must give out the power to other ethnic
nationalities. But we will be in a position to take it back at any
time. Your future is in your hands.”
The party expressed their unflinching gratitude to all Rivers State
people that attended the event including the amiable State Chairman,
Chief Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Dr Dakuku
Peterside the Director General of NIMASA and gubernatorial candidate
of the party in 2015 with his running mate, Hon. Honourable Asita.
Chief Victor Giadom, Engr. Ngerebara Sampson, Lauretta Onochie, SA to
President Muhammadu Buhari, Hon Leyii Kwanee former Deputy Speaker of
Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Fred Mbombo Igwe, Hon. Tolofari
George former Commissioner for Transport in Rivers State, the hard
working Party Secretary , Chief Emeka Bekee, AkpoBari Celestine one
of the best brains from Ogoni, Chief Oby Ndukwe and countless other
leaders that witnessed the event.
ENDS
Source: Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
SSA on Media and Public Affairs Consultant to the State Chairman, APC
Rivers State
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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