NIGERIANS WILL REJECT ANY HIKE IN FUEL PRICES - NLC

Abdulwaheed Omar, the president of Nigeria Labour Congress, an umbrella union of organised labour in Nigeria has vowed to resist the planned attempts by the Federal Government of Nigeria to remove subsidy on petroleum products. In a recent press statement, he warned that Nigerians will resist the move and urged the government to cleanse the oil sector of endemic corruption. 

 

The full text of the statement is reproduced below:

Intrigues, hurdles before PIB as House begins debate

As the House of Representatives commences debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) today, PHILIP NYAM hazards the factors that may drive the consideration of the controversial proposal.

 

Preamble:

Last week, the House of Representatives finally resolved that it would commence full deliberation on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) this week. But signs that the bill may meet a bulwark on its way to becoming a law emerged as soon as it was submitted to the House on July 19, 2012 by President Goodluck Jonathan. The lawmakers decried the decision of the president to forward the bill on a day they were proceeding on annual vacation, saying it was a plot to blackmail them. Hence, it was resolved that consideration of the bill would start immediately after resumption in September. Before ruling on that, the Speaker, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal had also advised the executive to make available 500 copies of the bill to the House as he disclosed that his office got only three copies.

It will be recalled that after facing several hiccups at the sixth Assembly, the PIB passed first and second readings at the House but was thrown out at the Committee of the Whole. But the present administration resurrected it. However, since reconvening from the annual recess in September, the bill had been listed only twice without debate. The first day it was listed, the House adjourned before it got to the item. However, the second time, which was last week, the PIB was listed on the order paper for debate but when the speaker invited House leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola to lead debate, she instead requested for more time to enable her receive ‘briefing’ from the petroleum minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

"LIVING LARGE" IN GOD'S NAME

By Chris Nwokocha

Since the announcement last Sunday, of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor's aircraft gift, the internet has been buzzing with angry reactions from concerned Nigerians, mostly directed at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, but also at other men of God who are perceived by the public to be materialistic. As a trained minister of the gospel myself, I must say that although I appreciate the concerns of members of the public, I find some of the reactions quite appalling. In most cases, you find that several issues are jumbled together in a most confusing manner, and whenever emotions run high on a subject matter such as this, facts are ignored, and truth becomes the casualty. Let me however make it clear that I am not a pastor, nor do I aspire to be one. I write as a concerned Christian and as a practising journalist.

Now to the issues: 1) Are there fake men of God, that is, those who preach a gospel contrary to what Christ preached, or on the other hand, who preach one thing and practice another?

Going to Maiduguri 4: Its Time to Stop the Violence

By Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri

Spaces for Change’s latest report, Demolishing Foundations of Peace, found that North East Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a youth, especially a male teen. Among other findings, the study noted that young males were disproportionately targeted with violence in Borno, Kano, Yobe, Plateau and Bauchi states.  Last week’s reported killing of 40 youths by security forces in Maiduguri attest to the frighteningly alarming dimension the counter-insurgency operations has assumed.

Slum, rural neighbourhoods and other areas with very high concentration of youth populations are often criminalized, and on that basis, raided repeatedly during manhunt exercises for members of the Boko Haram sect. Trapped in the middle of persisting fierce confrontations between the Islamic sect and JTF soldiers, there’s hardly any family within communities like Budum, Kaleri, Abagaram, Zannari, Bulumkutu, that has not lost a male son, male relative, uncle or father in the cycle of violence that has enveloped the state for almost 3 years.

Barack Obama wins election for second term as president

Its official! Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States and the first African-American president in American history. Obama was re-elected for a second term on November 6, 2012.

 

President Barack Obama handily defeated Gov. Mitt Romney and won himself a second term on Tuesday after a bitter and historically expensive race that was primarily fought in just a handful of battleground states. Obama beat Romney after nabbing almost every one of the 12 crucial battleground states.

Fashola, Okadas Riders Need State Protection Too!

An unidentified okada man believed to have contravened the new Lagos State Traffic Law was today, shot dead by security operatives in the Ilupeju area of Lagos State. The law prescribes punishment for traffic offences, and does not give security forces license to kill offenders. Just a few days ago, an okada man was stripped naked by law enforcement agents. Is this what the new traffic law is about? Like other citizens, okada riders also deserve the protection of the state authorities from such needless attacks and killings.

Please keep sharing, tweeting this story until it gets to the attention of the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Nigerians have had enough of these senseless killings!!!

Lagos Set to Introduce Bicycles

By Olusola Osineye

At a cycling event, ‘Park and Ride’Lagos held recently in Lagos, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa announced the Lagos State government's plans to introduce bicycle lanes on major roads across the city. The event aimed to encourage Lagosians to ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle. The announcement coincides with the recent restriction of okadas on certain routes on Lagos roads. 

 

A London-based young Nigerian reacts to the news this way: