WE NIGERIANS

It is time we Nigerians, begin to look into ourselves deeply, and ponder why do we have the country we have. Why do we have the the shabby political system we have; the poor health services, the decaying education system, the feeble principles we possess and poor moral standards we adhere to. And the list can go on and on.

When something goes terribly wrong, and in a huge country, with the highest African population world wide, we point to Abuja, and to our frail governing system.

But are we not the ones who many times voted for those who we are quick to blame? Why don't we blame ourselves too, for having voted in one "supposed" leader or the other.

It is time we begin to look seriously into ourselves, into our character as a people, who being a part of the society, to be very honest we have our fair share of blame, for the present status quo we are faced in our country today, tomorrow, and only God really knows for how long.

To avoid doing so, is to keep giving a colective green light, to the decaying ills, we face every day, in the spectrum of society as a whole.

NIGERIA HARDLY ANYTHING TO CELEBRATE

Nigeria today celebrates 52 years of colonial independence. Yet go and speak in the streets to the majority of it's citizens, the so called masses, and they will tell you they are not in the mood to celebrate anything. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, with roughly 130 million citizens, as projected by the United Nations. It is also the richest African country in terms of natural mineral resources. Yet most of it's citizens live below the poverty line. Most live without regular power supply and water piped to their shacks a makeshift home where large families find a roof.

Yet the massive pilfering of the oil resources continues year after year. 90% of Nigeria's economy is based on oil exports. Yet it is abundant in Iron, Ore, Gold, Gems, of all sorts, rubber, and many other yet to be explored natural resources.


The country's infrastructures are still very poor, a large but very badly maintained road network, is filled with pot holes quilometres never ending, and in many states out of control erosion have actually destroyed a few built roads. Lack of regular power supply makes large cities be in total darkness, encouraging the increasing crime trend, not to talk about massive disconfort especially during the hot weather, or the dry season, when temperatures at night in many places can be 32 Celcius, with 90% humidity level. It is then, absolutely no wander that Nigeria is the biggest market in the world for generator sales. And even though it exports closely to 2.3 million barrels a day, it has to import most of it's fuel, because out of all it's four refineries, only one is operational.

And from government to government, president to president, this has been pretty much the modi operandi for the last 25 years or so.

No wander, those who are still struggling to eat at least one meal a day, will not celebrate independence day today, 1st of October 2012, The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, at 52 years of existence!

AU REVOIR PORTUGAL OF THE PORTUGUESE

I am spending two and a half weeks in Portugal. Since I have been here, in a space of one week, the government headed by prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho, has announced three different austere measures, raising taxes, raising Vat to 23% from an already high 21% and massive cuts in the public sector.

Most workers, with the rise of the Irs tax, will loose up to 7% of their annual income, in a country, that even to breathe may soon become taxable too. There is talk that in the long term, the portuguese people might have to yield a loss of up to 25% of their toatal annual revenue in the near future.

Austerity, unfortunately in capitalist societies, is a disease of collosal force, that can not be avoided, when lack of liquidity or near bankruptcy of a state, occurs.

What I do not subscribe to as a human being, is that it must take place, as fast as Tgv train unleashed on the direction of millions of people, within, a fairly short period of time. In Portugal it's been a question of about 8 months. Cuts, after cuts, tax increases, after tax increase.

And the future is looking grimmer and grimmer......

INSANE IN THE MEMBRAIN....

"Nigeria is developing a number of new golf courses. The Cross River State government is investing over $200 million in constructing a new golf course, with the aim of growing its popularity and giving tourists something to do!   Golf is a sport/hobby that requires expensive equipment to play".

When I started reading this article in a local newspaper, I could not even bother passing the above paragraph. In a country where general life expectancy is 62 years of age, where it's citizens are dying of hunger, lack of access to medical care, terroristic insurgency, and the list goes on and on; I can only conclude, that this country, is run by a bundle of insane heartless  fools. Fools who are too high on Cristal champagne, and Hennesy cognac a lot of the time, to even begin to wonder what is happening outside their door step not to talk, arounnd the vast territory, that makes up the country Nigeria, with an estimated population of 140 million, from about 200 ethnic groups.

Radar Africa: WHAT REALLY IS EFCC

Radar Africa: WHAT REALLY IS EFCC: In Nigeria sometime in the beginning of the last decade, the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olesegun Obasanjo, created yet another gove...

WHAT REALLY IS EFCC

In Nigeria sometime in the beginning of the last decade, the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olesegun Obasanjo, created yet another government parastatal, entitled The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (E.F.C.C) Although I have not been able to access the operational mandate of this government "Agency," it has notoriously been used by powerful politicians in power or otherwise, to persecute their political foes, and sometimes personal enemies. This, today, is common knowledge, to most educated Nigerians, and citing specific instances could take me large months of research; something , quite frankly I am not willing to spend my time on, in such a inoble, institution. The primary reason it was created in the first place, as the name clearly indicates, was to fight economic and financial crimes in the country, or in a more simple, and direct term to fight corruption, being the country's national modi operandi. Needless to say the anti corruption graft agency over the years, had to succumb to all sorts of political pressures, illibating some of the world's most corrupt, and viciously greedy men and women, in the face of this planet, hiding under an illusional cloud that they are patriotic Nigerians as they rob and drown this country dry until it's imminent financial and social collapse. In the process it is alledged that the  "agency" E.F.C.C have become one of the most corrupt agencies in Nigeria themselves, well, obviously if this being true, just getting in tune with our national modi operandi.
From personal knowledge, they detain accused people, who are innocent, until proven guilty, as long as 9 months, without ever charging these people to court, basing their detentions many times, on petitions submitted to this "agency" by people looking for personal revenge. For the rich and corrupt who steal billions of Naira from this unfortunately very wealthy country, is not a problem, because sooner or later they buy their way to freedom. However, for the down under, the common man and woman, when innocent, and happens to have had the ill fate of making an enemy, that can petition to the E.F.C.C on a petition as feeble as he stole two motorcycles; in a country where many steal hundreds of millions of dollars and go home free. This is where the line of decency ends, and forments an inner hatred for a system that has already failed, and is merely trying to save face. The consequences years down the line,  of this massive out of control social injustice are already very visible, and very frightening with irreperable damaging consequences down the line, to say but the very least. But for some of us who still believe ardently that the truth allways prevails, and nothing negative lasts forever, or even better, for too long, hope of change is the last one to die. The same is true of this government graft "agency", as it is indeed of this current government itself, a disgrace to the intelligence, and common knowledge of most decent Nigerians, at a time when other African countries with less than 5% of our GDP, are forging ahead, and we... well...  just keep staying in  tune with the  BBC, CNN, Al JAZEERA,  and so on and so on.....And very soon with ANN.

GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY.......

It has been eight days now since  tragedy fell once again, as many times before from the Nigerian sky. An aircraft owned by Dana Airlines, an Md 83 roughly twenty nine years old, crashed on top of a building, in a busy residential area of  Lagos. From the government quarters, there is still silence, from the airline's management there is complete silence. Roughly 210 people died last week Sunday, on a perfect sunny afternoon. Roughly; because bodies are still being found, or at least what rests of bodies. An investigation, apparently is taking place. But we Nigerians, only know too well, that between 2005, and 2006 Nigeria's worst aviation period, no fewer than four aircraft had fatal accidents, from different airlines, and investigations also took place. Let's not forget that the state of the aircraft of "doom"  had been reported by anonymous Dana cabin crew, both on the radio, and on television, that the management was aware of the regular problems on this aircraft. According to a female cabin crew, who spoke anonimously over the radio,  a Dana Station manager had reported to the senior management the need to ground the aircraft, and have a D check done (the most comprehensive service an aircraft has to make from time to time).  Various international and national news mediums, traced the history of this aircraft of "doom", back to it's former owners Alaska airlines based in the US, whose history of this aircraft of "doom", had more negativity than an old senile cynic about to kick the bucket. I do not believe as a Nigerian that any accountability, or any responsibility for the massive loss of life is going to take place. Technical reports will be falsificated, officials bribed, a fine paid, and the Indian owners of thia negletful and shameful airline, will get their licence back. This time as allways, they change their fleet, rename the airline, float a Nigerian as sole owner, and are be back in the business, of making a lot of money recklessly and possibly killing more lives. But Nigerians, are getting very careful, and very wise with their lives these days, they have to; with terrorism, kidnapping, armed robber, and many other insecurity developments rampant in many parts of the country today. But however this one turns out, billions of people in this world believe in God, as I do, and if the blood of innocent nigerians and expatriatres who lost their dear lives; whole families parished on that aircraft of "Doom", their verdict will come some day, not from the skies they use to play with and perish people's lives, but from a higher sky; specially at that moment of truth, we must all face on our dying hour, and the judgement will not come, from an earthly judge....

Photo Source: Gulf News.

AIR TRAGEDY BACK TO NIGERIA.

On Saturday the 2nd of August a nigerian aircraft a Boeing 727 cargo aircraft, belonging to Allied Air, a nigerian based company, crashed landed in Accra over shooting the runway, going through a wall, and killing ten passengers inside a commercial taxi van. This happened according to local reports, at about 7pm. On Sunday the 3rd at about 4pm, a commercial airliner a Mcdonalds Douglas MD 83 aircraft, belonging to a Nigerian based airline Dana Airlines, four minutes to landing, with reported 153 passengers, and four crew members on board, lost control and crashed on top of three buildings, in a populated zone of Lagos, Nigeria.

Once again questions will be raised, once again, special investigations will be ordered, blaming a deffect on the aircraft, or the pilot.

Strikes to me, as an aviation enthusiast, and not an expert in any way, that somehow these two aircraft that crashed, in less than 24 hours apart,  are very old aircraft, that demand constant, and top quality maintenance to keep them flying safely at FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) minimum standards. In a country where money can hide the truth, Nigeria, maybe the real reasons will never come out. And here go hundreds of lives, in a matter of minutes, because of the madness, behind some operators flying all over Africa. 

AFRICA IS BEAUTIFUL 2

Images taken from different sites. Google. Most beautiful images in Africa.

AFRICA IS BEAUTIFUL.

Images sourced from following website:    www.golberz.com/2010/05/most-beautiful-photos-of-africa.html

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS 2.

2. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.^Source1
3. More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.^Source2
4. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.^Source3
5. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”^Source4
6. Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
   If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.^Source5
7. Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were girls. And these are regarded as optimistic numbers.^Source6
8. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.^Source7
9. Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.^Source8
10. Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world. An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 3 million deaths in 2004. Every year there are 350–500 million cases of malaria, with 1 million fatalities: Africa accounts for 90 percent of malarial deaths and African children account for over 80 percent of malaria victims worldwide.^Source9
11. Water problems affect half of humanity:
    • Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.
    • Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.
    • More than 660 million people without sanitation live on less than $2 a day, and more than 385 million on less than $1 a day.
    • Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%.
    • 1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometre, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 litres per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 litres of water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.)
    • Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhoea
    • The loss of 443 million school days each year from water-related illness.
    • Close to half of all people in developing countries suffering at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.
    • Millions of women spending several hours a day collecting water.
    • To these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit.… The costs associated with health spending, productivity losses and labour diversions … are greatest in some of the poorest countries. Sub-Saharan Africa loses about 5% of GDP, or some $28.4 billion annually, a figure that exceeds total aid flows and debt relief to the region in 2003.^Source10

12. Number of children in the world

    2.2 billion

    Number in poverty

    1 billion (every second child)

    Shelter, safe water and health

    For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

    • 640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
    • 400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
    • 270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

    Children out of education worldwide

    121 million

    Survival for children

    Worldwide,

    • 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (same as children population in France, Germany, Greece and Italy)
    • 1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation

    Health of children

    Worldwide,

    • 2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized
    • 15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS (similar to the total children population in Germany or United Kingdom)

    ^Source11
13. Rural areas account for three in every four people living on less than US$1 a day and a similar share of the world population suffering from malnutrition. However, urbanization is not synonymous with human progress. Urban slum growth is outpacing urban growth by a wide margin.^Source12
14. Approximately half the world’s population now live in cities and towns. In 2005, one out of three urban dwellers (approximately 1 billion people) was living in slum conditions.^Source13
15. In developing countries some 2.5 billion people are forced to rely on biomass—fuelwood, charcoal and animal dung—to meet their energy needs for cooking. In sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 percent of the population depends on traditional biomass for cooking, as do over half of the populations of India and China.^Source14
16. Indoor air pollution resulting from the use of solid fuels [by poorer segments of society] is a major killer. It claims the lives of 1.5 million people each year, more than half of them below the age of five: that is 4000 deaths a day. To put this number in context, it exceeds total deaths from malaria and rivals the number of deaths from tuberculosis.^Source15
17. In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world accounted for 76.6% of total private consumption. The poorest fifth just 1.5%:
    
    SOURCE:    http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

NIGERIA'S SUBSIDY FUEL SCAM!

Nigeria fuel subsidy report 'reveals $6bn fraud'

Nigerians see cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from their country's oil wealth

Continue reading the main story

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Nigeria's parliament has discussed a report said to reveal that $6bn (£4bn) has been defrauded from the fuel subsidy fund in the past two years.

The debate, which was televised live, made official findings that have been widely leaked in recent days.

The fuel sector probe was set up in the wake of angry nationwide protests in January after the government tried to remove a fuel subsidy.

Nigeria is a major oil producer but has to import most of its fuel.

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"We are fighting against entrenched interests whose infectious greed has [hurt] our people," House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said as he opened the two-day debate, reports the AP news agency.

"Therefore, be mindful they will fight back and they normally do fight dirty."

The 205-page parliamentary report uncovers a long list of alleged wrongdoings involving oil retailers, Nigeria's Oil Management Company and the state Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.

According to the leaks, a total of 15 fuel importers collected more than $300m two years ago without importing any fuel, while more than 100 oil marketers collected the same amount of money on several occasions.

The leaked report also says that officials in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan were among those who benefited from the subsidy fund.

Many of the people named in the document have denied any involvement in fraud, with some taking out full-page adverts proclaiming their innocence in local newspapers.

The BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi in Abuja says at least some of the findings are likely to be adopted by Nigeria's lawmakers because of the huge public anger over the attempt to withdraw the subsidy.

Many Nigerians were livid when they were told by their government that the fuel subsidy was economically unsustainable - only to now find out the scale of fraud in the operation of the fund, our correspondent says.

Despite being a major oil producer, Nigeria has not invested in the infrastructure needed to produce refined fuel, so has to import much of its petrol.

The annual $8bn subsidy means prices are lower than in neighbouring countries - and correspondents say many Nigerians see cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from their country's oil wealth, much of which is pocketed by corrupt officials.

After a week of street protests and a general strike, the government agreed to restore some of the subsidy - and reduce the pump price of petrol to 97 naira (about $0.60) per litre after it had doubled to 140 naira when the subsidy was removed without warning on 1 January.

But President Jonathan defended the subsidy cut, saying Nigeria must either "deregulate and survive economically, or we continue with a subsidy regime that will continue to undermine our economy."

SOURCE BBC.