CONFUSION, as Law School Postpones release of Bar Final results

The Nigerian Law school is at it again as uncertainty has come upon the faith of the 'will be lawyers',the release of the results have been postponed a record 4 times, the highest in Nigerian history, this is partly due to the dissolution of the council of legal education by the president, the approval and ratification of the said Bar final results for both the April batch and that of May, has been a serious issue as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice lacks the power to do so, as he will require the approval of the president or the president can inaugurate a new council as soon as possible.

SPECIAL Report on illuminati

 

Everyone knows that there is a secret society as old as mankind itself that runs the world and pulls the strings behind the scenes. Many people believe that the Illuminati is still operating and managing the main actions of the governments of the world. It is believed that they wish to create a One World Government based on humanist and atheist principles. It's a shadowy conspiracy that has existed since the dawn of time, secretly pulling the strings of every major organisation in the world. It manipulates finances and dictates policy so as to usher in a terrifying new world order. Illuminati is a Latin word meaning “enlightened ones.” The Illuminati is a group of individuals who believe that they are more enlightened than everybody else. There are many Illuminated groups, with different kinds of secret knowledge.

The illuminati is a secret cult formed in 1776, the same year America got independence by a German, Adam Weishaupt, in the German city of Bavaria. The group started with 5 elite foundation members. the aim was to rule the world through taking control of every influential and powerful position posibleand thruogh luring influential personalities into its fold. the group has been regarded as devilish as it has adopted many different signs such as the "udjat", which features the human eye incorporated in a triangle.

Profile; Ruth Obih

OBIH RUTH Job Title:CEO
Company Name:3INVEST
Ruth is a Lawyer, an Entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer at 3Invest. In 2007, She founded 3INVEST a Real Estate Company serving real estate owners, investors, developers and occupiers globally. Ruth is fast becoming the face of Real Estate in Nigeria as her Company 3Invest has been credited for leading the drive to digitize the real estate sector in Sub Saharan Africa through its advocacy platform 3invest Intelligence. About 3INVEST 3INVEST is a Commercial Real Estate Company serving retail and industrial real estate investors, developers and occupiers globally through e-commerce and technology driven solutions. Website : 3investonline.com

7000 Nigerians may lose their Jobs...if

The Buhari administration may be considering merging some of the biggest debtor airlines in Nigeria including Arik Air, Aero Contractors, Chanchangi Airlines, among others to form one national carrier that provides service to Central and West Africa. The Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee submitted a report two weeks ago briefing the Presidency on the condition of six of Nigeria’s leading airlines, recommending the bold action. Nigeria’s six leading domestic airlines are faced with huge debts totaling approximately N130 billion. All of the airlines were required a financial bailout from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The Federal Ministry of Aviation submitted a debt portfolio of five of the airlines with AMCON totaling over N190 billion. Details of the Aviation Ministry audit findings showed Aero Contractors’ debt stood at over $200 million (N308 billion), with 60% of its equity already taken over by AMCON, while Arik Air has been $600 million (N924 billion) in debt; IRS Airlines, $55 million (N84 billion); Chanchangi Airlines, $55 million (N84 billion), and bankrupt Air Nigeria owing about $225.8 mn (N347.7 billion). There are reports that the struggling airlines recently approached AMCON once again for a multi-billion Naira bailout to handle their outstanding debts to aviation agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), suppliers, and other institutions. The Joda Committee advised the Buhari administration to establish a public-private partnership (PPP) with all the airlines affiliated with AMCON in order to subsidize a national carrier. The Committee said that the action should be carried out in six months. The Committee believes that the PPP would increase government revenue from the sector, reduce capital flight, grow the local aviation industry, and create more jobs for Nigerians. It was prescribed that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), works with the Ministries of Aviation, Finance, Industry, Trade and Investment in order to establish the PPP. The report also highlighted inefficiency as one of the key obstacles that the aviation industry has to deal with. It said about 75 percent of passenger traffic was generated from three airports; Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, while over 90 percent of the revenue earned came from Lagos and Abuja. The Committee also recommended that the National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reviews the N7 billion capital expenditure required to improve the infrastructure of both domestic and international airlines.

ABUJA the quest for a minister

Abuja the capital of Nigeria is nothing but a beautiful city owing to huge infrastructural investment made by previous government in the city. It is now right for a government to think with focus on appointing a visionary minister who will actualise the vision of the Abuja master plan, I strongly suggest that a former governor who is sound, focused and innovative in the area of infrastructural development should be appointed Minister

Gambia Expensive Election

Gambia: presidential candidates face US$25,000 electoral registration fee Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh wants to increase the fee for would-be electoral opponents by a factor of about 10,000 times Agence France-Presse Friday 26 June 201502.56 BSTLast modified on Friday 26 June 201503.48 BST Pro-democracy activists have accused Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh of trying to price potential opponents out of the market through astronomical rises in registration fees for presidential elections. The government has announced plans to charge candidates one million dalasi (US$25,000) to run in any future campaigns – 10,000 times the current cost. The sum would differ from a conventional election deposit in that it would be non-refundable, even upon victory, under a bill being put before parliament. The government is proposing the same charge for political parties, as well as smaller, but still significant, increases for candidates for parliamentary and mayoral elections. “The proposed amendments are retrogressive and are designed to scuttle the growth of multiparty democracy in the Gambia,” said Ousainou Darboe, secretary general of the main opposition United Democratic Party. About two-thirds of the population of the west African nation live on less than US$1.25 a day and would have to spend nothing for more than half a century to be able to afford to run for president. The Gambia, mainland Africa’s smallest country with a population of about 1.7 million, has been ruled with an iron fist by Jammeh since he came to power in a bloodless coup in 1994. One of the poorest countries in the world, it survives mostly on agriculture and tourism, luring sun-worshipping Europeans to its sweeping, palm-fringed coastline. Jammeh has woven an aura of mysticism around himself, dressing in billowing white robes, never letting go of his Qur’an and brooking no dissent. The former wrestler, who claims he can cure AIDS, is often pilloried for rights abuses and the muzzling of journalists. He has threatened to cut off the heads of homosexuals and heaps derision on any criticism from the west. He won a landslide re-election to serve a fourth term in 2011 presidential polls slammed by the opposition as bogus and fraudulent. The next vote is expected in 2016. Due to high levels of illiteracy, voting is through a unique system using glass marbles instead of ballot papers. The marbles are dropped into drums, which are coloured to represent each candidate. As the marbles fall they hit a bell that sounds loudly, preventing multiple voting.

Gambia and Death penalty

"It's very perplexing," said Amadou Scattred Janneh, an exiled former information minister who is now with the opposition Coalition for Change. "We don't know why [President Yahya Jammeh] is broadening the death penalty except to find the means to punish his political rivals and to sow greater fear in the population." Janneh, who was in 2012 sentenced to life in prison for treason after distributing t-shirts with the slogan "End Dictatorship Now", fears that he would have been executed had the new law been in place. "[The judge] cited the fact that his hands were tied, that he could not give me a death sentence because there was no violence in my activity," Janneh remembered. "So this type of change would give President Jammeh and his judges leeway to pass death sentences on people who are involved in purely political matters." Some observers believe President Jammeh is cracking down on civil liberties and on the opposition to assert his authority in light of a failed coup that exposed weaknesses in the presidential retinue last year. In Banjul, the Gambian capital, opposition leader Halifa Salla believes a victory for the "yes" side - 75 per cent on a turnout of at least 50 per cent is required to carry the motion - would give the regime immense latitude. "It means the government would be able to [impose] the death penalty for any crime it deems fit, by just passing a bill at the national assembly," Salla told AFP. Sallah said his People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism would "leave no stone unturned" in organising people to vote "no" in the referendum, for which a date has yet to be set. Although the government has cast the extension of the death penalty as a law-and-order issue, capital punishment is unpopular in The Gambia, according to the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). The UDP is not only convinced that the "no" side will win but that voters may use the referendum as an opportunity to register their discontent with the government. "The death penalty as an instrument of justice is not something that enjoys popular support," said an exiled UDP spokesperson Karamba Touray. "It's a deeply unpopular regime because of its record of abuse and violence and terror." There are doubts that the referendum will allow citizens - all Gambians aged over 18 are entitled to take part - to express themselves freely. "For the last 20 years no vote conducted in that country has been nor free nor fair," remarked Touray. There are also fears that the constitutional change could also affect business. Opposition activist Janneh noted: "With this change the Jammeh regime would have the final say in terms of who's eligible to be executed - even people convicted of economic crimes." In 2012 the execution of nine convicts by firing squad triggered international outrage, especially in neighbouring Senegal, which had two citizens among those put to death. Lawyers lamented that the men were shot before they were able to appeal against their sentences. Rights groups estimate that about 30 people are on death row in Gambia but no executions have been announced since 2012. Jammeh, an outspoken military officer and former wrestler, has ruled Gambia with an iron fist since seizing power in a coup in 1994. According to the Gambian State House website, he must now be formally addressed as "His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh Babili Mansa".

Breaking News: Buhari dissolves NNPC board

President Buhari has dissolved the board of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The directive to dissolve the board was conveyed in a letter signed by the Head of Civil Service, Danladi Kifasi dated today June 26th. Though this is not supposed to come as a surprise to many who have carefully followed the Buhari administration and management team of the NNPC is also presently under scrutiny. Remember change is a gradual process it don't happen over night even if it dose not in a country like Nigeria

CNG: Nigerians must wake up

The quest for change has just begun though a gradual process, but we must not sit and wait for government to do every thing. The potentials in the Nigerian economy are very much and we must harness them to our benefit, as you all know Nigeria is the largest black nation in the world with a population of more than 150 million people which makes Nigeria a global market place. Many people say that the oil will soon finish but I tell you with all sincerity we are blessed with not only oil but oil and gas. About 80% gas in Nigeria is been flared thereby causing environmental issues, the consumption of gas in Nigeria is still low but can be activated by government through adequate policies The gas market is sleeping in Nigeria because of lack of awareness of its advantages over other types of fuel, but those who are aware have keyed into it and regard it as the best because its cheaper and cleaner, The investment opportunity in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)is very wide which includes 1. Gas Conversion only with the use of Oxygen 2. Engine Conversion which can be done on any type of engine ranging from small cars to trucks and small generators to large industrial generators and will be the largest employer of labour both skilled and unskilled 3. Gas Distribution and Marketing, this can be done through the use of gas distribution tankers or special gas pipelines Nigerians should consider investing in CNG so as to create more jobs and grow our economy

The Queen to visit the site of the greatest Jewish masacre in Germany

The Queen will visit the site of the World War Two concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen, in Germany, later. The camp, where teenage diarist Anne Frank was among thousands to die, was liberated by British soldiers in 1945. The UK monarch, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will lay a wreath there on the final day of her four-day state visit to Germany. The Queen will also view Berlin's Brandenburg Gate before travelling to the site of the camp near Hanover. Tens of thousands of prisoners from all over Europe were killed at Bergen-Belsen or died later as a result of their treatment in the camp. The Queen and Prince Philip will visit a memorial to Anne Frank and her sister Margot, and meet a small group of survivors and liberators, as well as representatives of Jewish and Christian communities. Millions of copies of Anne Frank's Diary, written during the two years the teenager and her family hid from the Nazis in occupied Amsterdam, have been sold across the world. On Thursday, the Queen and Prince Philip enjoyed a traditional British garden party at the official residence of Britain's ambassador to Germany, Sir Simon McDonald, in Berlin. The royal couple have already attended a state banquet with UK and German leaders, held a private meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and visited Berlin and Frankfurt. After their visit to the former concentration camp, they will return to the UK.

How many countries are in Africa

Africa is the second biggest and most populous continent of the world. It is also one of the very popular and rich continents of the world. With about 30.2 million sq km, Africa covers about 20.4% of the earths land area and 6% of the earth’s total surface. There are many countries that are claiming to be independent and full fledged African states but the fact is that not all met the criteria that qualifies them to be recognized as an African country. Africa is made up of 54 fully recognized sovereign states (countries), ten (10) territories and two (2) de facto independent states with limited or no recognition. The 54 are referred to as “recognized states” because they are member states of the African Union (AU). The next 2 are called “de facto states” because by structure and government, they can be called a country but they are not recognized as they do not belong to the AU. The remaining 10 are just territories or regions that are either owned or governed by other non-African countries. Names of the 54 Independent African Countries in Alphabetical Order:
1. Algeria
2. Angola
3. Benin
4. Botswana
5. Burkina Faso
6. Burundi
7. Cameroon
8. Cape Verde
9. Central African Republic
10. Chad
11. Comoros
12. Democratic Republic of the Congo
13. Republic of the Congo
14. Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
15. Djibouti
16. Egypt
17. Equatorial Guinea
18. Eritrea
19. Ethiopia
20. Gabon
21. Gambia
22. Ghana
23. Guinea
24. Guinea-Bissau
25. Kenya
26. Lesotho
27. Liberia
28. Libya
29. Madagascar
30. Malawi
31. Mali
32. Mauritania
33. Mauritius
34. Morocco
35. Mozambique
36. Namibia
37. Niger
38. Nigeria
39. Rwanda
40. São Tomé and Principe
41. Senegal
42. Seychelles
43. Sierra Leone
44. Somalia
45. South Africa
46. Sudan (North)
47. South Sudan (Rep.)
48. Swaziland
49. Tanzania
50. Togo
51. Tunisia
52. Uganda
53. Zambia
54. Zimbabwe
The Sahwari Arab Democratic Republic and the Republic of Somaliland claim to be and are recognized in a few neighboring countries as sovereign states but they are actually de facto states. Territories politically administered as external dependencies or as incorporated parts of a primarily non-African state:
1. French Southern Antartica Land.
2. Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cuhna, (governed by the UK).
3. Canary Islands.
4. Melila.
5. Autonomous city of Ceuta, (nos 3-5 owned by Spain).
6. Autonomous Region of Madeira, (owned by the Portuguese).
7. The Islands of Mayotte. 8. Réunion, (7&8 owned by the French).
9. Plaza de Soberanía.
10. Lampedusa and Lampione.
if you go by the criterion of being member states of the AU, Africa has 54 countries. If the De Facto states are included, our figure becomes 56, then if we are to include all the territories, we’ll say that the African continent is made up of 66 countries.

I have supported Arsenal for 30 years -Dangote

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has insisted his interest in buying Arsenal is not ‘overnight stuff’ and revealed he has been a fan of the club for more than 30 years thanks to former vice-chairman David Dein. Dangote, who is the 67th wealthiest person in the world with a fortune of £12billion, has explained his interest in The Gunners by explaining he was first taken to the club’s former Highbury ground by Dein, a close friend and associate. Dein, a former sugar trader, helped Dangote start his business in 1980. Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc now accounts for 90 per cent of the product sold in Nigeria.

 

‘I have been a supporter of the team since the Eighties,’ confirmed Dangote after publicly declaring his wish to be the club’s next owner.
‘My love for Arsenal dates back to when I went to watch them play with the-then largest shareholder David Dein. I developed a likeness for the team and I have been a supporter of the team since then. So it is not overnight stuff.’
Using Dein’s name leaves the fascinating prospect of whether the former vice-chairman will return to Arsenal if Dangote becomes the club’s new owner.
Dein was regarded as Mr Arsenal and key to the appointment of Arsene Wenger as manager until he left in 2007 when the board chose to sell to American Stan Kroenke rather than his ally Alisher Usmanov. Kroenke, 67, is now the majority stakeholder at the club with a 67 per cent share.
Dangote believes his background won’t be an obstacle to buying Arsenal.
‘What I always say is that money doesn’t have colour. It doesn’t matter whether you are from Africa or anywhere in the world. The colour of money is the same. Once I put money on the table, they will not think if I am an African.
‘It might be a policy that they don’t want an African to own it, that is another matter altogether, which I don’t really believe.’
Dangote tried to buy a 15 per cent stake in Arsenal in 2010 but claims the price was too high. ‘The people who were interested in were actually trying to go for the kill,’ he said.
‘Obviously I am not going to lose money. Arsenal are doing well but they need another strategic direction. They need more direction than the current ownership who just develop players and sell them.’
Dangote caused international headlines last week when he said in an interview with BBC Hausa that he would be in a position to buy Arsenal because of revenues from a private oil refinery he was building in Nigeria.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

IMF grants $918M loan to resolve Ghana economic crisis

 

The IMF Executive Board has approved a USD$918 million loan to resolve the Ghana economic crisis with a reform programme aimed at faster growth and job creation while protecting social spending.

The financing package extends over three years under the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility.
The reform programme seeks to boost growth and help cut poverty by restoring macroeconomic stability through tighter fiscal discipline, strengthened public finances, and slowing inflation. The reform measures are expected to dampen non-oil growth initially in 2015 ahead of a projected growth rebound in subsequent years.
The government’s programme projects an economic growth pick-up to start in 2016, driven by expected large increases in Ghana’s hydrocarbon production. The West African country started oil production from offshore wells in 2010.
Lower inflation and interest rates, combined with a more stable exchange rate, would help support private sector activity. Increased oil exports and lower oil imports on the back of domestic gas production would help improve the current account and support reserves over the medium term.
Ghana is one of Africa’s frontier emerging markets, having entered the global capital market for the first time in September 2007. Its past wealth lay in gold and cocoa―commodities that have remained in high demand, and which have helped the country weather the recent global recession.
Imbalances, power shortages
Ghana’s economic growth rate topped 9 % in 2011, but three difficult years followed that were characterised by slowing activity, accelerating inflation, and rising debt levels and financial vulnerabilities. The country’s economic prospects were put at risk by the emergence of large fiscal and external imbalances, as well as by electricity shortages
Growth decelerated markedly in 2014, to an estimated 4.2 %, driven by a sharp contraction in the industrial and service sectors. This was due to the negative impact of the currency depreciation on input costs, declining domestic demand, and increasing power outages.
Inflationary pressures rose on the back of a large depreciation of the cedi and the financing of the fiscal deficit by the Bank of Ghana. Despite several hikes in policy interest rates in 2014, which brought them to 21 %, headline inflation reached 17 % at end-2014.
The main pillars of the reform programme are:

• A sizeable and frontloaded fiscal adjustment to restore debt sustainability, focusing on containing expenditures through wage restraint and limited net hiring, as well as on measures to mobilize additional revenues;
• Structural reforms to strengthen public finances and fiscal discipline by improving budget transparency, cleaning up and controlling the payroll, right-sizing the civil service, and improving revenue collection;
• Restoring the effectiveness of the inflation targeting framework to help bring inflation back into single digit territory; and
• Preserving financial sector stability