Man convicted for manufacturing fake alcoholic beverages

William Bortey, a 45-year-old self-styled distiller and trader, was on Tuesday convicted to a fine of GH¢1,200 by an Accra Circuit Court  for manufacturing fake alcoholic beverages in his house at Nungua in Accra.

Bortey was said to have manufactured Mandingo Bitters, Herb Afrik and Castle Bridge which looked like the products of GIHOC Distilleries Company.

He was being held for the offence of forging the said trade mark of the Company without their consent, and in default would go to jail for six months.

Bortey had earlier on pleaded guilty to the offence of sale of drink with forged trade mark and forgery of trade mark at the court presided over by Francis Obiri.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abraham A. Annor, said the complainants in this case is the

Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Limited,  while the accused person is a trader resident at Nungua in Accra.

DSP Annor said on February 27, the complainant reported to the Police that some people were faking their products and offering them for sale,  adding that on March 12, following intelligence leads, a team of detectives went to Nungua and arrested Bortey.

The prosecutor said, during a search conducted in the house of Bortey, Corks, labels of Herb Afrik, Mandingo Bitters, Castle Bridge and alcohol beverage suspected to be Mandingo, gallons of alcohol and equipment used to manufacture alcohol, were found.

DSP Annor said,  Bortey in his caution statement admitted the offence.

Prosecution said on March 17, this year samples of the alcoholic products were sent to the Ghana Standards Authority for examination,  but on April 14, the  result received from the Authority after the examination indicated that the products retrieved from Bortey are not of the same standard as that of GIHOC.

(GNA)

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President Mahama hosts emergency ECOWAS meeting Tomorrow

President John Dramani Mahama, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States( ECOWAS ), would on Friday, May 30,  host an emergency meeting for leaders of member- states in Accra.

Although details of the meeting were not fully disclosed, it is believed to revolve around the activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria where over 200 school children are currently being held hostage by the group.

Mr Ben Dotsei Malor, Head of Communications and Presidential Spokesperson who announced this at a media briefing at the Flagstaff House on Wednesday, said the meeting was also in fulfillment of President Mahama's promise to improve on existing structures to enhance Regional co-operation.

He said President Mahama who would be opening the first session before the closed- door deliberations,  believed in African unity and would therefore use his position as chair of the ECOWAS to set the pace for continental integration in the coming years.

Mr Malor said, President Mahama during his election in Côte d'Ivoire,  said he would ensure peace and security, integration and development of West Africa and the development, expansion and rehabilitation of infrastructure,  and hoped that could only be achieved through unity of purpose.

The Head of Communications said President Mahama had the ambition of ensuring that the West African Gas Pipeline and Abidjan-Lagos road was executed for ease evacuation of goods and services.

This is the first meeting President Mahama is organising for member- states in Ghana since assuming the chair of the regional community.

(GNA)

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Stop playing games with Ogoni people, activists tell Shell

“Shell has the power to do anything it wants in Nigeria, including having our people killed as it has done in the past.”
Environmental activists have warned Shell Petroleum Development Company to stop playing games with the pains and misery of Ogoni people who are suffering due to the non-implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, report on Ogoniland.
The warning came following last week’s surprise announcement by Shell’s new Chief Executive Officer, Ben Van Beurden, that the $1billion dollar take off fund for Ogoni cleanup was waiting in a dedicated account,
Mr. Van Beurden, while responding to a question on UNEP Report from James Marriott of PLATFORM during Shell’s UK Shareholder Meeting in London on 22 May, 2014, claimed that the money to implement the cleanup recommended by the UNEP’S Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland had been set aside in a “verifiable” account.
The Shell boss, however, added that the company had been unable to disburse the funds due to the “lack of structures” ready to receive the money and coordinate the cleanup, stating that: “many people in the Niger Delta would be interested in $1 billion.”
On August 4, 2011, the UNEP released a damning report, which the Ogoni prefer to call “a death sentence,” on the environmental devastation caused by oil exploration activities in Ogoniland.
The report confirmed that the integrity of the Ogoni environment has been heavily damaged and compromised by the oil industry; and that rather than support lives and livelihoods, it was killing the Ogoni people.
UNEP further made several recommendations to the Federal Government of Nigeria, its agencies, and Shell on ways for remedying the environmental situation.
Apart from the federal government setting up a largely dormant Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, HYPREP, nothing has been done.
“Shell has the power to do anything it wants in Nigeria, including having our people killed as it has done in the past,” said Celestine Akpobari, Executive Director of Social Action, a Niger Delta rights advocacy group.
“But are we expected to believe that it does not have the power to arrange for the clean-up of its own mess? This is double standards and lies. How many more years will the Ogoni people have to wait for something to be done about their toxic environment?” Mr. Akpobari added.
Social Action, which had launched both local and international campaign for the clean-up of Ogoni environment, while calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to “urgently” scrap HYPREP, called on Shell to immediately release the money rather than trading blames.
In her reaction, Sarah Shoraka of the London Platform said that although Shell claims it needs to wait for the Nigerian Government to act, everyone knows they are in the driving seat.
“The Petroleum Minister was the former Director of Shell Nigeria for 15 years. Ben Van Beurden says he is travelling to Nigeria in the next 2 weeks. He needs (to) get his head together with the Nigerian Government to set up a Ogoni Environment Restoration Authority if he is serious about delivering the clean-up,” Ms. Shoraka said.
Patrick Kane of War on Want, London, described Shell’s claim on the funds as “frankly offensive.”
“Shell is guilty of over half a century of destruction of the Ogoni environment. They have a duty to make this clean up happen as soon as possible,” he added.
On his part, Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, expressed disappointment over the announcement from the Shell CEO.
“We are surprised that it took Shell so long to indicate readiness to provide first installment towards the cleanup of Ogoni,” said Mr. Bassey, an avid advocate for the scrapping of HYPREP.
“As the polluter, Shell has no right to dictate what sort of account should be created for the cleanup of their massive ecological destruction of Ogoni land. The survivors of the ecological war against the Ogonis must be directly involved in the planning of the cleanup and in the management of the funds assigned for the purpose,” Mr. Bassey added.
Meanwhile, Social Action has extended an invitation to Mr. van Beurden to visit polluted sites in Ogoni during his planned visit to Nigeria in two weeks.
According to the organisation, visiting spill sites will give the new CEO an opportunity to get a first hand information on the actual state of things rather than the “half baked truths” Shell Nigeria constantly sends out to the international community.
The organization also called on the National Assembly to take advantage of their oversight function to compel the Federal Government and Shell to commence Ogoni cleanup.

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Aides to Confab delegates insist on protest over allowances

The aides want to be paid by the federal government.
Some aides and drivers of the delegates to the National Conference have vowed to go ahead with their planned protest on Monday despite explanation by the conference secretariat that there was no budgetary provision for their allowances.
They explained in a statement in Abuja that the allegation that they would disrupt the Confab’s proceeding during the protest was not true and that their request to government for allowances to assuage their sufferings and the planned protest were “legitimate and unequivocal.”
“We have therefore issued this statement to clarify these issues,” they said in the letter by their chairman, who did not disclose his name.
“We have attached herewith scanned copies of our correspondences with the Conference management, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Police authorities and the Presidency on the subject for your evaluation.
“These letters are attached to enable you draw reasonable conclusions to absolve the Forum of any wrong doing concerning the issue of plans to disrupt the Conference and to appropriately evaluate the moral questions raised by the refusal to pay allowances to aides and drivers of delegates at the National Conference.”
The delegates’ aides under the aegis of Forum of Aides and Drivers of National Conference 2014 Delegates had on April 8 written the Confab leadership requesting it to consult the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation “to approve allowances for duty tour, feeding and logistics expenses reimbursement to cushion the consequential effects of changes in our usual location and work schedules and to appropriately provide a conducive environment for us to continue to dutifully serve in the course of this onerous national assignment.”
The letter was signed by six of the members of the Forum, representing the six geo-political zones in the country. They are Hyginus Oshioke, Ephraim Mathias, Hindi Daniel, Out Effiong, Adeniyi Adeola and Jacob Paul.
In another letter dated April 28, which was also sent to the President Goodluck Jonathan and the SGF, Pius Anyim, the forum said “neglecting to approve and pay allowances to us will appear as an attempt to use us and dump us, a practice which is not in line with the character of the present administration which seeks to ensure that the youth of this nation have the opportunity to participate in national development.”
But in its reply dated May 12, the Confab leadership said it could not accede to their request because no provision was made for such expenses in the Conference’s budget.
“I am constrained to inform your Forum that the Secretariat of the National Conference will not be able to assist in this regard as there is no budgetary provision to accommodate such expenses,” the letter signed by the Secretary, Valerie Azinge, said.
“While thanking you in anticipation of your understanding, please accept the assurances of the warm regards of the Chairman of the National Conference.”
On May 16, the forum dispatched another letter to the Conference leadership and Mr. Anyim. In the letter, it asked them to consider the plight of its members, which it put at 900 drawn from all the zones.
Worried about the development, the forum sent a letter to the FCT Commissioner of Police, saying it had resolved to hold a peaceful protest march on June 2 “to draw the attention to the lack of provision for our welfare and call on government to assuage our plight, hence this notification.”
The forum said in the letter dated May 19 that it had had correspondences with the management of the conference as well as the office of the SGF to pay them allowances to assuage their sufferings to no avail.
However, it sent another letter dated May 22 to the SGF reminding him of their request.
The Conference, which began on March 17, was billed to end in June. However, the Conference Chairman, Idris Kutigi, announced last week that the Federal Government had approved its extension by four weeks. This means the Conference will now end on July 17.
Each of the 492 delegates earns N2.92 million monthly.

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‘Missing $20 billion’: Senate clears Alison-Madueke, says no money missing

The Senate committee says suspended CBN Governor Sanusi lied
The Nigerian Senate has rejected claims by the suspended governor of the Central Bank, Lamido Sanusi, that at least $20 billion (N3.2 trillion) in oil receipts were not paid into the government treasury by state oil company, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
The Senate’s finance committee, which probed the allegation, said Wednesday it found no evidence indicating that the huge sum was diverted or stolen, and described Mr. Sanusi’s claim as “incorrect” and “misleading”.
“There was never any unremitted $49.8 billion,” the committee headed by Ahmed Makarfi, said. The report will be discussed on a later date by the entire Senate.
In a leaked memo to President Goodluck Jonathan September 2013, Mr. Sanusi said the Central Bank had found out that as much as $49.8 billion oil receipts had been cornered by state officials.
He later admitted the figure was less, but said it would not be less than $20 billion. The federal government denied funds were missing.
But the government admitted it could not account for $10.8 billion. A meeting between the CBN, finance ministry, petroleum ministry and other officials, failed to reconcile that figure.
Mr. Sanusi was later removed from office by President Jonathan in February, accused of “financial recklessness”, in a move many saw as the government’s victimization of a daring whistle-blower.
Under intense pressure, the government announced it was commissioning an independent forensic audit of the NNPC, a government agency that constantly comes under allegations of graft- many of them investigated.
Despite ordering audit firm, PriceWatersCooper, to carry out the probe, the government has insisted no funds were missing.
In a recent televised interview, Mr. Jonathan said if such an amount, nearly the size of Nigeria’s entire budget, was missing, the United States of America, would have known.
The Senate conducted a series on hearings between January and March, to trace the funds.
While the government failed to account for the outstanding $10.8 billion for days, leading to repeated reschedule of the Senate hearing, the NNPC and the petroleum ministry later claimed the money formed part of subsidy payment for petrol and kerosene, and cost for oil pipeline maintenance.
Documents backing those claims took weeks to surface, prompting the finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who could not vouch for them, to call for a forensic audit.
The outcome of the audit is expected in two months, the minister said recently.
But the Senate committee said Wednesday its own findings proved that Mr. Sanusi’s claims were misleading.
The committee accepted altogether the explanations of the NNPC and the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, saying it could not establish how the figure of US$49.8 billion was arrived at in the first instance.
The lawmakers criticised Mr. Sanusi’s varying figures as showing that his claim was “misleading” and “incorrect”.
The committee also called for the scrapping of fuel subsidy.

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UPDATE: Abuja explosion is “controlled blast” – Army spokesperson

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Olajide Olaleye, has explained to PREMIUM TIMES that the explosion that occurred in the Kurudu area of the Nigerian capital is a “controlled blast.”
Mr. Olaleye, a Brigadier General, said a rock had been blocking a new road being constructed from Karishi to Apo, in the Abuja city centre.
He said the rock was blasted, with dynamites, to free the road and allow construction to continue.
“The situation is under control,” the spokesperson said, advising residents to be calm.
The blast had caused panic among residents of Kurudu, Jikoyi and other adjoining areas on Thursday morning.
Some of the residents were still held up in their homes at 9:50 a.m. amidst fear that the explosion was caused by a bomb.
Kurudu is a few kilometres from Nyanya, where bomb explosions about a month ago killed about 100 people.
(PREMIUM TIMES).

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Boko Haram releases four Chibok schoolgirls – official

The missing Chibok schoolgirls held captive by Boko Haram

The Boko Haram insurgent group has released four of the over 250 schoolgirls kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, an official has said.
The Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area, Bana Lawan, said on Wednesday that the four girls were released by their captors on Tuesday after they fell ill; thus bringing to 57 the number of girls accounted for.
Mr. Lawan spoke in Abuja at a one-day stakeholders meeting for validation of draft humanitarian response plan for the abducted girls.
The meeting was organised by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.
Represented by the council’s Director of Personnel and Management, Musa Kolo, the chairman commended Nigerians for showing concern and support for Chibok people, saying the support restored the hope and aspiration of the people for the return of peace to the community.
He commended the Federal Government’s prompt intervention through the provision of relief items for the people.
He urged the Federal Government to resuscitate the facilities destroyed by the insurgents and improve security in the affected school to boost the morale of the students.
Mr. Lawan explained that boys were encouraged to attend the school in Chibok because of the lack of education facilities in the area and appealed for the construction of boys’ hostels in the school.
He said the construction of the hostels would reduce the hardship faced by the students, who attended school from afar.
Mr. Lawan, who also decried the poor health facilities in the area, appealed for the deployment of medical personnel and teachers to the area.
He said the deployment of National Youth Service Corps members to the area would boost the educational and health needs of the people of Chibok.
Earlier, the NEMA Director-General, Mohammad Sani-Sidi, said the meeting was aimed at strengthening the coordination mechanism for humanitarian response in Chibok.
“While the Federal Government is working towards the safe release of the abducted girls, it is important that a sectoral response plan is prepared for their rehabilitation and reintegration back to normal life.
“The objective of the meeting is to integrate all sectoral response plans into one holistic multi-sectoral response plan to avoid duplication of efforts,’’ Mr. Sani-Sidi said.
He said NEMA and other actors had intervened in crisis occasioned by insurgency in Chibok by providing food and other items, water and medicaments for the affected people.
Also the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Dauda Toure, said the organisation had mapped out a 75 million-dollar intervention plan for states affected by the state of emergency in the north-east.
He said the UN system in Nigeria has developed an integrated response package to address the humanitarian needs in Chibok.
He said the UN system would intervene in the areas of health, peace and conflict resolution, water and sanitation, among others.
April 14 marks a watershed in the attacks carried out by members of Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, as they kidnapped over 250 girls from their secondary school in Borno State, and threatened to sell them if the federal government refuses to exchange them for terrorists in prisons.
(NAN)

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Again, Boko Haram Attacks Borno Villages, Kills 48

“These insurgents are gradually taking over most of the villages in that neighbourhood.”
Gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram yesterday morning attacked the town of Ngurmuji in Marte Local Government Area killing 40 people, a local security official has said.
Attacks on villages outside of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, have increased in the past few months leading to death of hundreds of people and destruction of property.
Apart from the Wednesday attack on Ngurmuji, gunmen also opened fire on travelers at Awulari, along the Maiduguri-Bama road, killing eight of them.
A spokesperson of the local vigilante, Muhammed Gava, who confirmed the incident on behalf of the state commander of Nigeria Vigilante Group, Adamsi Tar, told journalists that “the attackers of Ngurmuji went to the village in the morning, shortly after the morning prayers and began to open fire on the villagers.”
“More than 40 were killed, and several others who escaped made it to Kirenowa Village with serious injuries. Unfortunately two amongst the injured victims later died in Kirenowa as a result of excessive loss of blood and they were buried in Kirenowa today (Wednesday)”.
The official said the attack at Awulari in which 8 persons were killed took place around 8:30 a.m. when “the gunmen laid ambush and opened fire on the approaching vehicle.”
“The road to Gwoza from Maiduguri is now more than a dead trap,” he said. “You can almost predict that an attack would happen there every day.”
The vigilante spokesperson expressed concern that the Boko Haram was gradually taking over villages outside the state capital.
“These insurgents are gradually taking over most of the villages in that neighbourhood”, said the vigilante operative. “The road to Damboa too, from Maiduguri, is another no-go area, even for the military.
“Places like Talasla, Ajigin, Mangozam, Abima, Abulam, Keloruwa; all within Damboa Local Government Area have now been taken over by the Boko Haram gunmen”.
The Nigerian military is yet to comment on the Wednesday attacks and has virtually stopped responding to the daily attacks by the Boko Haram.
The group has killed over 12,000 people since its insurgency began in 2009 and despite a state of emergency imposed on Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa in May 2013, has continued to attack communities at will.

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Explosion in Kurudu Outskirts Of Abuja As residents panic

A loud explosion occurred on Thursday morning in Kurudu, a community on the outskirts of Abuja.
The cause of the explosion is still unclear as a resident said it could have been caused by a bomb or dynamites used in blasting rocks in the area.
The explosion has caused panic in Kurudu, Jikoyi and other adjoining areas as residents scampered for safety.
A resident of an Army Estate in Kurudu, told PREMIUM TIMES that soldiers simply locked the gate and prevented anyone from going out upon hearing the loud explosion.
Details later…
(PREMIUM TIMES)

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Pro-govt. Crowd Attacks #BringBackOurGirls Campaigners in Abuja

Govt hired violent thugs attacking and disrupting #BringBackOurGirls protests! Photo Credit: Zainab Usman

Bottle-wielding thugs said to have arrived in buses owned by supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan attacked the #BringBackOurGirls protesters at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on Wednesday, breaking their seats and forcibly confiscating their phones and cameras while a group of policemen ostensibly deployed to maintain order looked on, witnesses have said.
The daily sit-in is part of a worldwide campaign to force the lethargic Nigerian government into action that will expedite the release of the more than 250 girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok 45 days ago by Boko Haram terrorists.

Aftermath of destruction of peaceful #BringBackOurGirls protest by vicious govt-sponsored thugs in #Abuja …. Photo Credit: Zainab Usman

According to #bringBackOurGirls protesters, having lost their usual place of gathering to the thugs and women that came in over “30 Federal Government SURE P Buses” on Monday, they moved to a new spot in the park.
However, disturbed by the increasingly aggressive and provocative posture of the opposing crowd who branded messages in solidarity with the government, leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls protesters wrote a letter of complaint to the police authority asking them to be available to prevent the “government crowd” from acting provocatively.
“Unfortunately, what we feared would happen unfolded, and tragically with officers of the Nigerian Police Force looking on, thugs, hooligans, miscreants dressed in the red, yellow, and white t-shirts with the inscription: #ReleaseOurGirls Boko Haram” burst upon our group breaking chairs, and bottles on the heads of members of #BringBackOurGirls, Abuja, many of the women broke down,” reads a statement released by the leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls protesters.

The opposing group smashed chairs as they attacked #BringBackOurGirls campaigners

A statement jointly signed by a former Vice President of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, and another leader of the #BringBackOurGirls group, Hadiza Usman said the opposing protesters “snatched phones and handbags of ladies in our group and also attacked the local and international media correspondents, confiscating and breaking their cameras”.
“The police, at a point, arrested two of the ringleaders, but before our very eyes, released them barely 10 minutes after,” the statement added.
The group’s account of what happened was corroborated by the account of a witnessed who sent a message to PREMIUM TIMES.
She said, “Just leaving our usual sit in for the Chibok girls. The ‘release’ women had taken over our usual grounds so we found another spot and spread our mats and our chairs. The women then surrounded us singing and dancing ‘holy ghost fire, pursue Boko Haram.’ They attempted to drown our voices but we had a microphone and so we ignored them and continued our discussions. Suddenly, a group of thugs, reeking of alcohol, ran into us, snatching bags and phones. As the men amongst us attempted to retrieve our belongings, some of the thugs, holding sticks and broken bottles, began smashing our chairs. The police watched from afar. I approached them and asked why they were there. A few of them came over and arrested a few guys and then released them. The policemen withdrew again. We continued our meeting.”
The #BringBackOurGirls protesters say the physical attack they were subjected to was a violation of their constitutional guaranteed rights to protest peacefully without fear.

Those who attacked the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners allegedly came in these buses

Those who attacked the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners allegedly came in these buses

“We know that this is a violation of our fundamental right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association, but we remain resolute in standing with the Chibok girls. We invite every Nigerian with goodwill towards the abducted girls to our daily events.
“By this statement, we are calling the attention of the President, the Federal Government and the international community to the descent to anarchy against our group, which simply emerged as a women-led civil society group driven by a response to the plight of the abducted Chibok girls and their families.”
They say they remain resolute in their resolve to continue to demand action from the government over the abducted girls and Wednesday’s attack will not dampen that resolve.
They are therefore calling on Nigerians to attend a symposium organized as part of the campaign at the Thisday Dome in Abuja on Thursday.
According to them, the event would be televised live on Channels TV. The group says it will reconvene at the Unity Fountain of Friday in continuation of its daily peaceful sit-in until the girls are released.
Several Nigerians have reacted with shock over the news of the attack especially on social media. Former Governor of Kwara State and a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Bukola Saraki, described the attack as an act of cowardice and a new low for the government.
“Sending thugs to attack peaceful protesters acting within confines of our constitution is a new low even for this government. We should always put people over politics.  Getting thugs to attack those protesting to #BringBackOurGirls  is an act of cowardice,” he says via his Twitter account.
Mrs. Ezekwesili also took to Twitter to further denounce the attack.
“The descent to physical attacks of #BringBackOurGirls by Federal Government in responding to genuine Citizens’ led advocacy for #ChibokGirls reveals deep rot.”
The leadership and members of the opposing pro-government group could not be reached for comments.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Abuja command of the Nigeria Police, Altine Daniel, for comments were also unsuccessful Wednesday night. Multiple calls to her telephones failed to connect.
(PREMIUM TIMES)

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Nigerian Military Announces Arrest of Suspect in Jos Bombings

File Photo: Jos May 20 bomb explosion

The Nigerian military has announced the arrest of one suspect in connection with the May 20 bombing in Jos Central Market that killed over 200 people.
The Director of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, announced the arrest in Abuja Wednesday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
“In respect of this incident, the police has reported that a suspect has been taken into custody while all leads are being pursued to resolve and apprehend the culprits,” Mr. Olukolade said.
Details of the identity of the suspected bomber was however not provided.
Two explosions had gone off around the ever-busy Jos Main Market, between Railway Terminus and the temporary site of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, killing hundreds and injuring several others.
The Plateau state Governor, Jonah Jang, later visited the blast scene during he blamed traders, the opposition and critics of the government for the explosion.

The governor said the state government had asked traders to vacate the market; and that if they had obeyed, the explosion would not have occurred or the casualty would not have been that high.

“This place is not a market in the first place,” he said. “They were trading here illegally; we had made several attempts to relocate them to a better place, but they resisted.”

He vowed that his administration would demolish the market and chase the traders from the place.

“This time, we are going to clear this place, I will hold a security meeting and ensure that nobody comes back here to trade again. This decision is in the interest of safeguarding lives and property,” he said.

Mr. Jang also blamed the traders at the market for their inability to detect that bomb-laden vehicles were parked within their midst for hours.

“How come a car will be parked in a place for hours, and almost on the road; yet nobody raised alarm,” he said. “We must learn to be security conscious.”

The governor did not stop at blaming the traders for the blast, he also blamed opposition leaders and critics of the government for the worsening Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria.

Mr. Jang said some critics, some of whom had held leadership positions in Nigeria in the past, had threatened to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan and were sponsoring the insurgents.

He asked the president to go tough on such people.

“There is nobody that is above the law of his country,” he said. “Let Nigerians challenge those making inflammatory comments over insecurity.”

“Mubarak (ex-Egyptian leader) has just been jailed, former Prime Minister of Israel was also jailed recently. Therefore, whichever leadership position anyone has held in Nigeria does not make such a person untouchable.

“I am calling Mr. President to take decisive actions against all those making such comments,” he added.

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Boko Haram takes over Borno villages, kills 9, hoists flag

Boko Haram has become Nigeria’s biggest security challenge

The insurgents hoisted their flag in one of local government wards.
Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram terror group on Monday attacked various communities around the rocky mountains of Gwoza town of Borno State killing nine villagers and setting ablaze houses and churches in the area, residents and a public official said.
The insurgents also hoisted their flags in Ashigashiya ward of Gwoza Local Government Area and are currently celebrating in the area which they have now declared their headquarters.
Sources from Gwoza hills said apart from the nine people killed, several others were left with serious bullet injuries as fleeing residents now take refuge on tall rocky hills.
A local government official, Nglamuda Ibrahim, who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said his displaced people have since Monday night been calling for help.
He said residents, from their hideout on the hills, have spotted the gunmen who are preparing to launch another attack on them.
“As we speak now, I am still receiving distress calls from them, they were all crying and calling for help; no soldier or police official had gone there yet.
“The Boko Haram gunmen mounted their flags in Ashigashiya which is now like their headquarters,” he said.
“In last night’s attack, six churches were burnt, eight persons were killed and several others seriously injured. We cannot count the number of houses that were burnt in Chinene village of Chikide-Joghode-Kaghum ward,” said Mr. Ibrahim. “They also attacked Amuda village where one person was killed and several others injured”.
Villagers still in danger
The official expressed worries that the villagers, who are held up in the rocky mountains, may be in danger because as soon as the gunmen find a way, they would attack them.
He added that “currently, as I am talking to you now, the insurgents have mobilised at Izhaghathagwa mountain, planning on how to finish (kill) our people; that is why they have been calling for help before the gunmen climb up to them.”
He listed the names of some of those killed in Chinene village as Bulama Dajiba, Bulama John, Haruna Wadda, Bitrus Kurma, Haruna Kwatha, Haruna Waruda, and Shaibu Galva.
“We are calling on the military authorities in the state to quickly go up there and help us rescue those poor villagers, their wives and children before the imminent danger of the gunmen attack caught them up in the mountains,” he said. “We have a detachment of soldiers that were deployed to Gwoza but none of them cares to go behind the mountains, even though everyone hears the sound of the shootings there”.
A top security personnel confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES and other journalists in Maiduguri.
The source who did not want to be named in this report as he is not authorised to speak with journalists said “we all have received the report from Chinene village. It was really another sad episode there”.
He added that the hoisting of flag in Ashigashiya happened since three weeks ago, and said he was surprised that security forces have not moved to the area.
The Boko Haram has killed over 12,000 people in Northern Nigeria since an insurgency that began in 2009.
The group is also responsible for the kidnap of over 250 teenage female students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
(PREMIUM TIMES)

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Akwa Ibom Assembly Passes Gov. Akpabio’s N200m Scandalous Pension Law

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom

Despite public outcry and barrage of criticism across the country, the rubber stamp Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Monday passed a bill, approving a whooping N200 million annual pay for Godswill Akpabio; among other perks.
The assembly also approved the construction of a mansion which would serve as Mr. Akpabio’s retirement home; in addition to brand new cars, befitting furniture and other luxuries, for the rest of his life.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported on the controversial bill on Thursday just as it was presented for first reading in the rubber stamp Assembly, which has a history of never holding the state’s profligate governor to account.
Mr. Akpabio had forwarded the bill known as Akwa Ibom State Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Bill, 2014, to the assembly through a letter dated May 15.
To underscore the urgency of the proposed law, the Governor had indicated that he wanted it passed hurriedly so it could come into force on June 1.
However, the bill was received by the Acting Clerk of the assembly, Mandu Umoren, on May 19, but PREMIUM TIMES learnt it was locked in a safe on the instruction of the Speaker, Samuel Ikon.
After a prolonged executive session on Thursday, the lawmakers came out and put the bill through first and second reading just as Mr. Akpabio  directed.
While labour and civil society groups mobilised their members for a showdown with both the governor and the state lawmakers, the assembly on Monday sat in its so-called Committee of the Whole and considered the bill, clause by clause.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that immediately the proposed law scaled through the Committee of the whole, the assembly reverted to plenary and adopted the report of the Committee.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reported that the motion for the bill to be read the third time was moved and seconded by Deputy House Leader, Ekaete Okon and Aniekan Akpan, a member from Ukanafun state constituency respectively.
NAN also reported that immediately after passage, the leadership of the House directed the clerk of the assembly to forward a clean copy of the bill to Mr. Akpabio for assent.
Under the new law, Mr. Akpabio and former democratically elected governors of the state and their deputies as well as indigenes of the state who served in similar positions in Cross River State, will pocket several millions in monthly retirement perks.
Based on Section 1(1) of the law, “An indigene of the state who has held office as a democratically elected governor or deputy governor of former Cross River State and a person who has held office as a democratically elected governor or deputy governor of the state shall when he ceases to hold office be entitled,” to the new perks.
Although similar laws have been passed by many Nigerian governors including those of Lagos, Rivers, Bauchi and Benue states, among others, Mr. Akpabio’s version is clearly the most ludicrous.
Under it, Mr. Akpabio and others listed in Section 1(1) are entitled to a monthly pension for life at the rate equivalent to his current salary.
Similarly, the serving deputy governor, Valerie Ebe, is entitled to a monthly pension for life at the rate of her current salary.
Mr. Akpabio and his deputy; Mrs. Ebe will therefore pocket a total of N2, 223, 705. 00; and N2, 112, 215, 00 respectively as monthly and a total of N26, 684, 460,00  and N25, 346, 580 respectively as pension, per annum.
This is based on approved remuneration package for state executive and local government executives by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.
The governor is also entitled to a new official car and a utility vehicle once every four years, one personal aide and the provision of adequate security for his person during his lifetime at the expense of the state government.
Akwa Ibom taxpayers are also expected to provide an amount not exceeding N5 million or an equivalent of $50,000.00 monthly for Mr. Akpabio to engage the services of a cook, chauffeurs and security guards.
This provision is in contrast with Section 1(b) of the bill, which indicates that security shall be provided to former governors during their lifetime at the expense of the government.
However, the deputy governor is entitled to N2million naira or an equivalent of $20,000.00 monthly allowance to hire cooks, chauffeurs and security guards.
Mr. Akpabio and his spouse are to also access free medical services at a sum not exceeding N100 million or an equivalent of $600,000.00, while the deputy and her spouse will pocket N30 million or an equivalent of $200,000.00, annually.
Based on budget figures from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHDA, and the Millennium Development Goal(s), MDG, the amounts set aside for the two government functionaries to access medical services could build and equip two state-of-the-art health centres and two blocks of classrooms in the state.
Section 1(e, f, g, h, I j) of the bill wants Mr. Akpabio and other past governors entitled to a “Provision of a befitting house not below a 5-bedroom maisonette in either the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or Akwa Ibom State for the Governor and a yearly accommodation allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary for the deputy governor; (300 percent of the deputy governor’s basic salary is N6, 336,645).
“Provision of furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary once in every four years; (A total of N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)
“Provision of yearly maintenance and fueling of vehicle allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary; (A total of N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)
“Provision of severance gratuity allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary as at the time the officer leaves office; (Another N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)
“Provision of yearly utility allowance of 100 percent of annual salary; (with the governor taking N2, 223,705 while his deputy takes N2, 112, 215)
“And provision of entertainment allowance of 100 percent of annual basic salary; (Another N2, 223,705 for the governor and N2, 112, 215 for the deputy).”
According to Section 2 of the proposed law, a former governor or deputy who received severance gratuity under Akwa Ibom State Public and Political Office Holders (Remuneration) Law, 2000 is not eligible for any other severance pay.
This means that former Governor Attah will enjoy the sumptuous retirement perks but will not be entitled to severance pay since they had been paid based on the provisions of the 2000 law.
Where a former governor or deputy governor dies, the law provides that the state government makes adequate arrangement and bear the financial responsibility for the burial.
The government is also expected to pay a condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of an incumbent to the next of kin.
One surviving spouse of the governor is entitled to a medical allowance not exceeding N12 million per annum provided such spouse was married to the governor at the time he or she was in office or if a wife; had served as First Lady.
Unless on health grounds, a former governor or deputy who resigned his office, or impeached or who had not held office for a period of three years or more, is not entitled to benefit from the provision of the new law.
With this provision, Mr. Akpabio’s estranged friend and the former Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere, will not be eligible to enjoy the lavish perks.
(PREMIUM TIMES)

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Jonathan Begs Media Owners to Support Him “Write” New Constitution for Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has asked a “special favour” from   Nigeria’s media owners. He wants them to generously deploy their newspapers, magazines, radio and television to back his new project of “writing” a brand new constitution for Nigeria, reliable presidency sources and associates of some of the media proprietors have told PREMIUM TIMES.
At the April 10 discreet meeting, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, President Jonathan, our sources said, laid bare his strong desire to “write” a constitution for the country and begged his media owners guests to help him bring the project to fruition.
“From the way he spoke, you could see that he is desperate to produce a new constitution for this country,” a source with deep knowledge of the meeting said. “He knows the media can shoot the project down. So he tried to get the media owners to his side so they can help censor reporting critical of the project while also helping to mount aggressive campaigns in their various platform in support of the project.”
The meeting had in attendance owners of leading newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations all over the country. Those based outside Abuja were flown into the nation’s capital by the presidency.
Mr. Jonathan, our sources said, did not disguise his reason for calling the meeting.
After a brief preliminaries by him and his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati – who referred to the media owners as the pipers dictating the tunes in the country – Mr. Jonathan went straight to the point, telling his guests why the current Nigerian constitution is at the root of the nation’s problems and why he should be supported to bequeath a new constitution to the country.
Mr. Jonathan however failed to disclose the specific changes he wants to introduce in the constitution and why he is not comfortable with the ongoing constitutional amendment being undertaken by the National Assembly.
When one of the media owners pressed him to explain the kind of constitution he envisaged for the country, the president simply recalled his governorship days in Bayelsa state, saying he was shocked when he was told at the time that under the prevailing constitution he could not create additional local governments.
One unidentified media owner asked the president to explain how he wants to write the constitution. Mr. Jonathan was reportedly evasive in his response, merely saying he would not enter his library to emerge with a new constitution.
It is not clear why Mr. Jonathan is bent on “writing” a new constitution for the country in spite of the ongoing constitution amendment by the National Assembly.
Mr. Jonathan had tried in March to get the nod of the Senate to empower him to come up with a new constitution.
That bid, introduced through a bill from the Senate’s Constitution Review Committee, failed as the chairman of the committee, Ike Ekeremadu, hurriedly withdrew it after it failed to garner support.
At the meeting with the media owners, Senator Chris Anyanwu, who owns the Abuja-based Hot FM, told the President that his first bid to introduce a constitution bill failed because he failed to do his homework.
“This time, you should meet all relevant stakeholders in small groups just as you are meeting with us today,” Ms. Anyanwu said.
The president’s real agenda is unclear. There are suggestions he wants to introduce the report of the ongoing National Conference as a bill for a new constitution for the country. But he is yet to make that clear.
There is also widespread suspicion that the president is working discreetly to get a two-year extension of his tenure, which ends on May 29, 2015.
Last week, a delegate to the National Conference, Okon Osung, called for the elongation of the tenure of Mr. Jonathan and others by 18 months.
The delegate, who addressed journalists in Abuja, had said, “At this crucial juncture in our national history, a Presidential or National Assembly declaration of a politico-administrative moratorium or cooling-off period before the conduct of the third Transitional Elections scheduled for February 2015 has become an imperative necessity.
“This calls for a postponement of the or deferment of the scheduled 2015 Elections by at least 18 months while retaining all the democratic institutions at all levels of governance and across the entire spectrum of the country’s political divide, without any bias to the statutory termination dates of such democratic institutions.”
But the leadership of the Conference quickly issued a statement, saying the views expressed by Mr. Osung were entirely personal and should not be interpreted as the position of the National Conference or any of its Committees.
(PremiumTimes)

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Coalition Against Boko Haram - Great Britain Prepares Follow-Up Summit

Photo: Vanguard Terrorism in Nigeria.

The British Minister for Africa in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hon. Mark Simmonds, who was in the country on the invitation of President Paul Biya, said the meeting scheduled for the second week of next month in London, will take place on the fringes of a summit on preventing sexual violence in conflicts, an initiative of the UK government.
He said in his discussions with Cameroon government officials earlier in the day, it was agreed that progress should be made on containing the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria before June's summit in order to take stock and decide what is to happen next. He expressed hope that participants at the May 17, 2014 Paris Summit on Boko Haram will be present.
Briefing the press at the Bastos, Yaounde residence of the British High Commissioner, Hon. Simmonds said he and Cameroonian officials talked at length about security challenges in northern Nigeria created by Boko Haram and their spillover effects in Cameroon. He disclosed that he came to facilitate improved cooperation between Cameroon and Nigeria on the security challenges, and how the international community - including Britain - can best support the cooperation.
"I think the May 17, 2014 summit in Paris, France at which the United Kingdom participated, was a success in trying to fuse up cooperation on the matter. I have been very impressed with the determination of Cameroonian government ministers I met to make a significant contribution in doing everything we can to remove the threat Boko Haram poses," the British minister noted.
The press conference was later followed by a dinner attended by the Minister of External Relations, Prof. Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, diplomats and senior Cameroonian officials.

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Angola: President Writes to Chadian Counterpart On CAR Situation

Pretoria — A message from the Angolan Head of State José Eduardo dos Santos to his Chadian counterpart, Idriss Déby, was delivered late Friday in Pretoria, South Africa.
The letter was handed over by the Angolan vice president, Manuel Vicente who is in Pretoria to attend on Saturday the inauguration of Jacob Zuma in representation of the head of State.
Manuel Vicente said the message is related to the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR).
According to the vice president, the working and friendship meeting is part of
resolution of the conflict still recorded in the country.
He added that the meeting also served to assess the good relations between
Angola and Chad, stressing that there is mutual interest to increase them.
Still on Friday, Manuel Vicente received in audience the Head of State of Republic of Congo, Dennis Sassou Nguesso.
He is also expected to meet with President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila.
The South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has been sworn into office for a second term, following his party's victory at the polls.

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Malawi: Electoral Commission to Recount Votes Today

Photo: European Union Election Observation Mission

Voters in a queue at Kanjedza School in Blantyre.

Malawi's electoral commission plans to begin a recount today of all votes cast in last week's presidential, legislative and local elections after discovering voter irregularities in some parts of the country.
Officials say the electoral body discovered there were more votes cast than the number of people officially registered.
However, outgoing President Joyce Banda stirred controversy after issuing an order to stop the vote count and called for fresh elections to be held in 90 days, citing voter irregularities.
"In exercise of the powers conferred in section 88 (2) of the constitution, I hereby call for the nullification of all ongoing processes in relation to the 2014 tripartite elections, including announcement and counting of the results to cease forthwith," Mrs. Banda said.
But a High Court blocked the Banda effort to annul the vote, after officials of the electoral commission and some political parties challenged her order in court.
Speaking as a human rights lawyer, Justin Dzonzi, who is chairman of the Malawi Human Rights Consultative Committee, says Mrs. Banda's order was unconstitutional.
Dzonzi says Malawians are displeased with the president's pronouncement, which he says created tension among the population.
"It sparked a lot of outrage. Outrage not only because it kind of exacerbated the anxiety that people have, but because it was also outright unconstitutional. The president does not have such powers to nullify elections. So it was met with a lot of outrage," said Dzonzi.
Some analysts have been critical of the electoral commission's conduct of the poll, which they said could undermine the credibility of the vote.
Dzonzi says the electoral commission did not meet expectations of the organization's promise to administer a vote that would meet international standards.
"A lot of people are disappointed by the way the elections have been conducted. The disappointment arises from the fact that this is the fifth time Malawi is holding democratic elections, and one would have thought we have established an institutional capacity to deliver elections without any glitches," said Dzonzi.
"So what has happened this time around is actually a strange development given that we have a lot of experience in holding elections," said Dzonzi. "Partly because of that the results themselves have also sparked a lot of suspicion in terms of their credibility, because some quarters begin to believe that the challenges we have experienced have been as a result of a deliberate action or series of actions aimed at rigging the elections."
Some presidential candidates called for a recount of the votes after they also cited voter irregularities, prompting analysts to predict electoral disputes that could only be resolved in court.
Dzonzi agreed, saying there could be a court challenge to the final outcome of the vote. But he said the electoral body was right in its decision to recount the vote as part of its bid to ensure the credibility of the general election.
"Definitely, there would be some legal challenge as with the entire process, and I think that would stem from a number of angles; obviously the decision to go back to recount does not favor everybody. So obviously, those who think they have won the election would generally have the right to challenge the entire process," said Dzonzi.

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High Court grants Mec stay order to continue electoral process

The High Court in Blantyre Saturday evening gave Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) the go ahead to continue counting votes and announcing results of the May 20 Tripartite Elections, effectively cancelling President Joyce Banda’s earlier decision to nullify the electoral process.
The development came after two sets of lawyers, one representing the Malawi Law Society and Mec and the other representing Democratic Progressive Party’s Presidential candidate Peter Mutharika, challenged the President’s decision at the High Court.
One of the lawyers representing Mutharika, Kalekeni Kaphale said that the decision means that the electoral body can go ahead with its mandate of administering the elections.
“Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda has granted us leave to apply for judicial review and also granted a stay order against the President’s decision to nullify the elections,” Kaphale told Journalists.
Asked whether the President has been served with the court order, Kaphale said they would serve the order on the President through Zodiak Broadcasting Station and MBC.
He also said they would publish the order in the print media namely Nation Publications and Blantyre Newspapers Limited.
Malawi Law Society team had lawyers John Gift Mwakhwawa and Noel Chalamanda among others.
President Banda, quoting Section 88(2) of the Malawi Constitution which stipulates that the President shall provide executive leadership in the interest of national unity in accordance with this Constitution and the laws of the Republic, said she had called for the nullification of the electoral process.
She said in light of this section, it is her duty to protect Malawians after noting that the electoral process had been marred by irregularities.
Banda called for nullification of the electoral process and postponement of the elections for a period of 90 days and further said that she would not contest in the fresh elections.
(BNLTimes)

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Malawi Trade Policy Under Review

Ministry of Industry and Trade is championing a review of the country’s trade policy as one way of helping the country improve competitiveness internationally.
The ministry is undertaking the exercise with financial and technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Ministry of Industry and Trade spokesperson Wiskes Nkombezi said the last time the policy was done was in 1998 and that since then, trade and economic landscape has tremendously changed.
He said government would like to bring the policy into tandem with the economic environment of today.
“This w ll help to reflect the aspirations of the Malawian economy in respect of trade’s contribution to economic growth and development, ” said Nkombezi.
“We cannot continue with a policy of 1998 in this era and still hope that we can adequately and efficiently respond to today’s t rade and economic issues,” he added.
Nkombezi said there is need to update the policy so as to make it relevant to modern issues as the country strives to support and facilitate private sector development.
“We want to make Malawi a competitive economy capable of creating and sustaining comparative advantage in domestic and international markets and to support the effective participation of Malawians in all economic sectors,” said Nkombezi.
He said, among other things, the government would like to detach the trade policy from industrial policy enhance its effectiveness.
“Were realise that industrial policies and trade policies, are not supposed to be one policy as was the case be for e when we had the Integrated Trade and Industry Policy. So we will have separate policies on trade and industry,” he said.
(BNLTimes)

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UN Secretary General Commends Malawians

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has commended the people of Malawi for turning out in large numbers for the country’s first tripartite elections on 20 May.
He noted the preliminary observer statements indicated that the polling process was generally consistent with regional and international standards, notwithstanding the technical problems encountered in the process.
He called on all candidates, political parties, and state institutions to remain calm and to support fully the Malawi Electoral Commission in completing its work.
“I urge all political leaders to call on their supporters to refrain from any violence or disruption of the electoral process, whose successful completion is essential for the consolidation of democracy in the country,” he said
Nonetheless the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) announced that it will manually recount the votes following discrepancies in the voting process. Mec said there will be opening up of ballot boxes and physical audit, to verify and authenticate the tallying process.
“Mec and all stakeholders including political parties and CSO’s will oversee the process to ensure its transparency and efficiency. We will ensure good quality of monitors among other measures,” said Maxon Mbendera Chairperson of Mec
This development also came after a high court injunction stopping President Joyce Banda from nullifying the elections due to irregularities.
Two sets of lawyers representing the Malawi Law Society (MLS) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) President Peter Mutharika challenged her decision in court citing that the constitution does not give the president mandate to nullify the elections.
Joyce Banda had quoted section 88(2) of the constitution which stipulates that the President shall provide executive leadership in the interest of national unity in accordance with this Constitution and the laws of the Republic.
She said in accordance to this section it was her duty to protect the interest of the Malawian people.
“I will do not wish to stand again, I am just giving the people of Malawi the opportunity to fairly elect a president their choice,” she said before the high court granted her an order restraining her from nullifying the elections.
In the meantime Mec has proceeded with the vote counting process and re-counting will be done after completion of this process. Mec is expected to release its official results in a month’s time.
(BNLTimes)

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High court stops President Joyce Banda

The High Court in Blantyre has gaven the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) the go ahead to administer the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections after granting an order restraining President Joyce Banda from nullifying the elections.
The President nullified the elections in a statement she released yesterday, citing electoral irregularities.
The development came after two sets of lawyers, one representing the Malawi Law Society (MLS) and Mec and the other representing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate, Peter Mutharika, challenged the President’s decision at the High Court in Blantyre yesterday evening.
One of Mutharika’s lawyers Kalekeni Kaphale said in an interview that the decision means that the electoral body can go ahead with vote counting and announcement of results.
“Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda has granted us leave to apply for judicial review, and has also granted a stay order against the President’s decision to nullify the elections,” Kaphale said.
He said this means the responsibility to interpret the Constitutional provision cited by the President lies with the courts, and that the order has no time limit attached to it.
Kaphale, however, said the President can appeal the stay order by applying for an inter partes hearing.
He said the court ordered that, considering that it would be difficult to directly serve the notice on the President, the parties have to communicate to the President through Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, as well as placing adverts in The Nation and The Daily Times.
The Mec and MLS team had three lawyers, including John Gift Mwakhwawa and Noel Chalamanda while Mutharika was represented by Kaphale and Frank Mbeta.
Earlier yesterday, Chancellor College constitutional lawyer Edge Kanyongolo expressed surprise at President Banda’s directive which he said was not in tandem with constitutional provisions.
Said Kanyongolo: “Section 88 (2) says the President shall provide executive leadership in the interest of national unity in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the republic.
“I am really struggling to find how one can interpret this to say it gives the President specific powers to call off an election and call for fresh elections in 90 days. If that is there in the Constitution, then it is certainly not in the section that is being cited. In any case, this is a section that is giving general powers to the President.”
The law expert said there are more specific powers that relate to elections in the Constitution.
“I think generally, the approach to legal interpretation is that when you have two sections; one very general and one very specific, it is the specific one that prevails,” he said.
“I do not see how this grants the power that is being asserted,” insisted Kanyongolo.
He said the Constitution gives specific powers over elections to the Mec and, therefore, any questions on how, when, why of these elections are supposed to be addressed by the commission.
“And don’t forget that it [Constitution] says Mec should operate independently,” he said.
In an exclusive interview at his office at Capital Hill soon after President Banda had conducted two press briefings at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, Attorney General Anthony Kamanga admitted that Section 88 (2) of the Constitution is broad.
“The truth of the matter is that there will be different interpretations,” he said.
Kamanga, however, was at pains to explain where the President got powers to come up with the decision to hold the polls after 90 days.
“It would have been illogical to say that the elections have failed and we are done with it because then people would have been saying ‘then what happens now’?
So, that 90 days is consequential; it is based on what she has decided; she has decided that within the next 90 days this process should start. He added: “The 90 days is not a legal issue because you are actually saying why did she not say 30 days? Why did she not say within 12 months?”
Kamanga further said the President considered other issues as this relates to filling a position of the President who is going to run the country.
“She can’t say within one year because this is an urgent matter. You can’t have the position of the President faced with a suspended mandate but you also have to be realistic. There are logistics that will need to put in place. It is going to cost money so she could not have said within five days. I think the 90 days is a reasonable estimate,” he said.
Asked to comment on views expressed by Kanyongolo, the Attorney General responded:
“I respect the views of Professor Kanyongolo. Here are other people who have a different view. The only way we are going to proceed on the interpretations of that section is to get an independent arbiter,” said Kamanga before declaring:
“I have got no illusions; I expect that this matter will go to court. And perhaps that is the way to go. May be that is where the court will judge whether they agree with this decision or not. It is not as if all is lost,” he said.
(BNLTimes)

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P.V Obeng's family in the US hold one week celebration

On Saturday, exactly one week after the death of the late P.V Obeng, Some of the family members, friends and sympathizers of the Ghanaian Statesman gathered at the residence of his cousin in Alexandria, Virginia to celebrate one week of his passing to Glory. Family members travelled from all over the United States to meet and pay tribute to their cousin, uncle, father and brother.

Mr. Joe Agyei -Mensah, his nephew told the Afrikan Post “ He called me a few weeks ago to check on me .Little did I know that it was his farewell message to me.” Frank Agyei-Mensah , another nephew on the other hand said “ He was such an inspiration to the family. The last time he visited me in Cincinnati, Ohio we had such a great time. He will forever be remembered”.

Children of P.V Obeng’s uncle , the late C.K Toku , who hosted the event could not hold back their tears as they could not come to terms with the sudden death of their cousin.

The late Paul Victor Obeng, is from the Bretuo clan of Adansi Akrokerri in the Ashanti region of Ghana . His late uncles the late R.O Amoako Atta and C.K Toku served as regional Commissioner for Ashanti Region and district commissioner for Juaso respectively in the Nkrumah regime. He followed his uncles trail in politics by becoming a member of the ruling Government from 1982 to 1996. Until his death he was the chairman of the National Development Planning Commission.

The Senior Presidential Adviser died Saturday at a hospital after he reportedly collapsed behind the steering wheel by the Agape Filling Station at Spintex Road in Accra, Ghana.

It is not clear the cause of death, even though sources suspect he died of asthma attack. He was rushed to the Lekma Hospital where he was pronounced dead. May his soul rest in Peace.
(GhanaWeb)

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Three arrested at Biriwa with 25 bags of Indian hemp

The Mfantsiman District Police,  have  arrested three men at Biriwa in the Central Region for possessing  25 compressed  maxi bags,  suspected to be Indian hemp valued at two million Ghana Cedis.

They are Kodwo Acquah 42, his nephew, Kweku Acquah 26,  and Kwame Emmanuel 29.

The Mfantsiman District Police Commander, DSP David Ashong who made this known to the media on Sunday said he gathered intelligence on Friday, May 23 at about 14:00hrs that three men at Biriwa were planning to transport the bags of Indian hemp to Cote DIvoire via boat.

 He said he and his men upon searching the house in  which the suspects were hiding, found the 25 bags of   suspected Indian hemp and arrested them.

DSP Ashong said the suspects offered the police GH10, 000 bribe in exchange of their freedom, but the police rejected the offer and took them to the station together with the bags.

He said upon interrogation at the police station, the suspects admitted ownership of the bags, but declined to reveal the source of their supply, adding that investigations were on-going.

He urged the public to volunteer information to the police on drug peddling, armed robbery and other criminal activities.

(GNA)

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National Security Adviser Convenes Forum on Cybersecurity

National Seurity Adviser, Sambo Dasuki

Concerned with cybersecurity in Nigeria, critical stakeholders will gather at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island Lagos on June 18 and 19 to suggest input into the country’s policy framework on cybersecurity.
During the conference, being planned by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), participants will also build a national consensus on National Cybersecurity Roadmap and also facilitate a unified e-security foundation for Digital Nigeria through a coordinated effort.
ONSA is organising the conference in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, Federal Ministry of Justice, Central Bank of Nigeria, Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, Nigerian Communications Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigerian Communications Satellite and Galaxy Backbone.
Specifically, the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, will attempt to secure the cooperation, understanding and the support of other critical government agencies and stakeholders, which will help to prevent disjointed policy document, as well as achieving a coherent and all-inclusive Strategy in which all other similar cybersecurity undertaken in the country will be infused into the overall framework of the National Cybersecurity Policy.
It will also ensure a far reaching inclusion of stakeholder’s critical views, addressing areas of strategic concerns, and laying a foundation for trusted relationship between the public and organized private sector on cybersecurity.
With these, a national consensus would have been built towards the acceptance and the adoption of the policy and strategy documents, which aims to facilitate a trusted relationship required for effective implementation and partnership on cybersecurity in the country.
Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, will chair the forum, while the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, will lead other dignitaries to declare the Forum open.
The event will afford ONSA, which has been on the forefront of ensuring all-inclusive legislative discourse on cybercrime bill to bridge advocacy gap on cybersecurity while enhancing public-private partnership and multi-stakeholder engagement towards successful implementation of these strategic documents.
ONSA has already established a state-of–the-art National Digital Forensic Laboratory ready for commissioning, while the setting up process of the Nigerian National CERT (ngCERT) is at an advance stage. The ngCERT is expected to become operational by the third quarter of this year.
Expected at the forum are captains of Industry & Corporate decision makers, civil society organisations, press and media industry, academia, law makers, lawyers and state governments.
Others include Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, Federal Ministry of Information, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria Communication Satellite (NigComsat), Galaxy backbone, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Space Research & Development Agency, Nigeria Police Headquarters, Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Trade & Investment, Defence Headquarters, Federal Ministry of Education, National Orientation Agency, Economic & Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), State Security Service (SSS) and Ministry of Youth Development.

Adekunle Karounwi
Special Assistant Media and Publicity (ONSA)
May 25, 2014

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Insecurity Won’t Stop 2015 Election- Jonathan

The president says Boko Haram insurgency was designed to bring down his government.
President Goodluck Jonathan said Sunday that the current spate of insecurity in the country, spearheaded by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, will not stop the 2015 general elections.
President Jonathan said the bloody insurgency by Boko Haram was designed to overthrow his government.
Speaking at the 2014 Democracy Day interdenominational Church Service in Abuja, Mr. Jonathan thanked the congregation for its prayers, saying that without prayers Nigeria would have suffered more from its share of global terror.
“Without your prayers, it would have been worse. With your prayers, our girls will be seen by our security men,” he said.
“All these distractions were planned to bring this government down. Since they failed, terror will also fail. Forces of darkness will never prevail over light. I call on all Nigerians to continue to pray and with God on our side, we shall overcome.”
He said the next democracy day in 2015 will witness a new government.
“After today, the next democracy day will witness a new government. I remember when I was in my village this morning to collect my permanent voter’s card, and a pressman asked me whether there will be elections in Nigeria, I told him there would be elections in this country.
“This country will continue to move forward inspite of some of the setbacks we are witnessing.”
Mr. Jonathan said his administration’s policies were not just mere campaign promises, listing achievements in rail, roads, airports, agriculture, petroleum, power, industry and housing.
Delivering the message at the service, Pastor Goodheart Ekwueme took the congregation through Phillipians 2: 9, Esther 4: 13, 2 Chronicles 7:14.
He noted that the circumstances in which Nigeria presently finds herself are similar to those of the period of Mordecai recorded in Esther 4: 13.
“It is when the time is darkest that God chooses to reveal its glory. I believe Nigeria will arise. A new Nigeria is about to be born,” the preacher said.
Earlier, the Senate President, Senator David Mark took the Scriptural Reading II from the book of Luke Chapter 10, verses 25 to 37.
Intercessory prayers were said for the nation, security, peace and development, victims and families of recent bomb blasts.
Prayer were also said for the successful search and release of the Chibok school girls and for the President and the family and the three arms of government.
Among the dignitaries at the church service are the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, President’s mother, Eunice, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.
Others are Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of State FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, members of diplomatic corps, service chiefs and heads of government agencies.

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Check Out The Hottest eBooks on My Stable

My name is Osby Isibor, and I am the webmaster of Osbyisibor.blogspot.com, which I've been blogging on for close to 2 years now.  Along this wonderful journey of news management and online marketing I have acquired quite a bit of skills and knowledge which I plan on sharing with you.

A strategic approach is what turns casual article writing and occasional ebook publishing into a sustainable information product empire like am trying to build here!

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• The guide to getting started by choosing your niche.
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·         How to choose the right products to give you maximum results.

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·         The reason why one product might be a better bet than another, even though you might initially think it's the other way around...

·         Why you must build a list if you want to be a successful affiliate - and an outline of how you can do it.

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We will teach you everything you need to know so you can invest your money wisely and avoid pitfalls that have caused ruin for others.

With that in mind, we want you to understand that The Home Business Guru is not just a book discussing merely Web business basics.  It is much, much more, focusing on specific methods, tips and strategies that will compel you to success and allow you to stuff your pockets with cash.  You will also learn what mistakes to avoid. 

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Are you making any of these 20 Internet marketing mistakes? "Get all the support and guidance you need to be a success with your internet marketing experience.

Inside this ebook, you'll discover:

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The eBook, Facebook Strategies and Profits will teach you how to build and manage a professional facebook page for your business. It will provide you with everything you need to know from startup tips to effective implementation techniques. This eBook is packed full of all the data that is crucial to begin moving down the path to success in Facebook marketing.

You will learn exactly what you must do and the right way to go about it. It also focuses on specific tried and proven methods, tips and strategies to create the image you want and build brand awareness of your products and/or services.

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#Product 6: SEO Made Easy (Simple Effective SEO Secrets)

"Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the most crucial tool in effective internet marketing! Since the success of any business on the web today usually correlates to their ranking in popular search engine results, SEO is a necessary marketing tool for every savvy business professional!"

ISBN: 978-1-312-17282-1

The eBook ‘SEO Made Easy’ will show you exactly how you can attract a large amount of quality website visitors with what amounts to free advertising by getting highly ranked in the results of popular search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.

              Why SEO Made Easy is an Extremely Valuable Resource

Purchasing your copy of this priceless resource is a high-return on investment. Let me explain to you why.  First of all, we will show you how to implement SEO so that it generates real results. Second, the book will help you reduce your advertising costs as well as eliminate the need for hiring an SEO firm. And finally, we will tell you how to avoid making costly mistakes that can get you penalized or banned altogether from search engines.

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