PDP: Ambushed by Sabotage - by Dr. Amanze Obi

WE are told that a steering committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is working on an agenda called “Restart PDP Project”. The com­mittee, we are also told, has identified a number of factors that led to the party’s loss of the control of the central government at the 2015 general elec­tions. Some of the identified challenges include imposition of candidates, lack of internal democ­racy, seizure and manipulation of party structures by state governors, and poor reward system, among others.

China Explosion: Death Toll Hits 44 (Watch Video)

At least 44 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 500 injured, following two major explosions in China's northern port city of Tianjin.

Twelve firefighters are among those who lost their lives; 36 are still missing.

3 Dead, 4 Injured in Helicopter Crash Near Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos

Helicopter belonging to Bristow Helicopters with 12 people on board crashed into the Lagoon near the Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos this aftrnoon.

According to an eyewitness,  the aircraft marked 5NBGD was said to be coming from one of the oil rigs in Escravos area of the Niger Delta and was said to be heading for Lagos Island when it went down around 3.p.m. Traffic stalled during the fire on Third Mainland Bridge. 

Mahamat Daoud is Boko Haram's New Leader - Chad's President

The Islamist militant group Boko Haram based in Nigeria has a new leader, Chad's President Idriss Deby confirms.

Idriss Deby did not say what had happened to Abubakar Shekau, but said he had been replaced by Mahamat Daoud - who has not been heard of before.

Nigerian International Debt Fund to Pay N20million Interim Coupon

Afrinvest Asset Management Limited, Manager of the Nigerian International Debt Fund (NIDF), is set to pay the sum of N20, 761,656.59 as interim coupon to be distributed amongst note holders on the register of the Fund as at June 30, 2015. This amounts to N38.21 per note.

Commercial Banks in Nigeria Reduce Withdrawal Limits on ATMs

The fight to further defend the Naira value has taken a new dimension as  domestic and foreign transactions have been restructured to limit Naira cash withdrawal at ATMs to N60,000 per day while foreign currency is $300 per day. Hitherto, the domestic withdrawal limit was N150,000 per day.

Port-Harcourt Refining Company Set for Production of Petrol...To Reduce Import by 40%

The New Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC 2, is set for the production of more premium motor spirit, PMS, popularly called petrol, and will reduce fuel import by 40 per cent when fully operational.

When the FCCUs are re-streamed, the refinery will be working at 95 per cent of its 150,000 barrels per day capacity, it is expected that petrol importation will reduce.

We will Investigate Purchase of Military Weapons under the past Government - Presidency

The presidency said President Muhammadu Buhari would launch a thorough investigation into the awards of contracts for the supply of military weapons in the recent past.

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Hints Plan to Increase VAT from 5% to 10%

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has unveiled its plan to increase the value added tax from the 5 per cent currently to 10 per cent.

According to the Acting chairman of the FIRS,  Mr. Sunday  Ogungbesan who disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos at the weekend aslo added that the agency may soon clamp down on recalcitrant companies.

WAEC Announces SSCE , Withholds 118,101 Results

The West African Examinations Council has released the May/June 2015 Senior School Certificate Examination results, withholding 118,101 candidates’ results out of the 1.5 million students that sat the examination.

WAEC Head of National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu, announced this in Lagos at a press conference on Monday.

Ghana Steps Ahead of Nigeria in Yam Exportation

Report has it that Ghana has overtaken Nigeria in yam exportation as the quality of the produce from Nigeria has dropped due to high dependent on traditional planting system.

This was made known by  the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture over the weekend.

President Muhammed Buhari to Head Ministry of Petroleum for 18 months

The present government is bent on ensuring that the petroleum sector would be managed by a reputable and an incorruptible individual. It is on this objective that  President Muhammadu Buhari is has decided  to head the Ministry of Petroleum for 18 months before appointing a substantive minister for the ministry.

The President said this while meeting with some members of his political party, the All Progressives Congress, in Abuja recently.

Massive Child Abuse Scandal Unveiled in Pakistan.......7 Men Arrested

The government of Punjab state on Sunday ordered a judicial investigation into the scandal that came to light last week after discovery of about 400 video recordings of more than 280 children being forced to have sex. The government referred to it as the largest -ever child abuse scandal in the South Asian country's history.

Buhari Directs MDA's to Open and Remit all Revenues in a Single Account

President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to open and start paying into a Treasury Single Account (TSA) for all government revenues, incomes and other receipts.

According to the directive, the measure is specifically to promote transparency and facilitate compliance with sections 80 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

Quote of the Week

We pick the quote for this week from Mr. Incredible...M.I. He dropped the lines below on his facebook wall to encourage people out there feeling dejected or neglected due to one shortcoming or the other surrounding them.....

Bangladeshi Blogger Niloy Neel, Hacked to Death by Armed Gang

A Bangladeshi blogger known for his atheist views has been hacked to death by a gang armed with machetes in the capital Dhaka, police say.

According to BBC World Sevice, Niloy Neel was attacked at his home in the city's Goran area. He is the fourth secularist blogger to have been killed this year by suspected Islamist militants in Bangladesh.

New Job Openings at British American Tobacco for August 2015

British Tobacco is hiring intrested individuals for their new Job openings for august 2015

Conspiracy Silence by Dr. Amanze Obi

IT will not be out of place to charge the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alexander Badeh, with conspiracy of silence. That is what his latter-day declaration on the state of the Nigerian military amounts. The other day, Badeh quibbled to no end over the Boko Haram insurgency. He said the Nigerian military under him did not have adequate arms and am­munition with which to confront Boko Haram, let alone defeat it. That was during the traditional pull-out ceremony organised in his honour by the military.

CBN Stops Acceptance of Foreign Cash Deposits from Commercial Banks

In a bid to prevent the incessant drop of the Naira and stop illicit financial flows in the Nigerian banking system, bank customers with US dollars or any foreign currency will no longer be able to pay cash into their domiciliary accounts. 

This is because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has proscribed the acceptance of foreign cash deposits by commercials banks operating in the country.

Naira Appreciates to N215 to a Dollar, Gains N16.

There is still hope for the naira as it appreciated yesterday, against the US dollar in the parallel market, closing at N215 to a dollar. This represents an appreciation of N16 from Tuesday when a dollar exchanged for N231 in Lagos and Kano, and N230 to a dollar in Abuja.

According to reliable sources, the development follows the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to interbuhari-Nairavene in the foreign exchange market.

Nigeria's President Buhari Appoints Exxon-Mobil Vice Chairman, Dr. Kachikwu as New NNPC Group Managing Director

Exxonmobil Team -L-R Mr. Nolan accompannied by Dr.  Kachikwu the new GMD, NNPC

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari today has  relieved Dr. Joseph Dawha of his appointment as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President has subsequently appointed Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu as the new Group Managing Director of the NNPC.

Kachikwu, until his new appointment, was the Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Exxon-Mobil (Africa). He hails from Onicha-Ugbo in Delta State.

2 Dead, 3 Seriously Injured at Drake's After Party in Toronto

A Man and a Woman have been killed and three others left with life-threatening injuries after shots were fired near Muzik, a Toronto nightclub where Drake was hosting an afterparty following his Ovo Fest music festival.

Marketers Dare DPR, Sell Petrol Above Official Prices

Despite last Wednesday’s announcement by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) that it had set up a task force to supervise and monitor the sale of petrol in some depots, some major and independent marketers have continued to sell above the official pump and ex-depot prices.

The regulatory agency had summoned a meeting of the stakeholders – Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC); Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Authority (PPPRA); Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN); Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), where the agency conveyed its displeasure at the illegal sale of petrol above the stipulated pump price.

Refineries Production on Petrol Still on the Low

Current reports on refineries production in Nigeria indicate that more heavy or fuel oils (low and high fuel oil/black oil) are being produced from the four refineries than other high demand products like premium motor spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol.  

This was revealed despite assurances by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which said last week that two of its refineries were working between 60 and 80 percent of their installed capacities.

Kanu Nwankwo's Hotel, 30 Facilities Shut and Sealed by Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) over Air & Noise Pollution

The Hardley Apartments on Victoria Island owned by ex-super Eagles player, Kanu Nwankwo has been sealed by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency.

The hotel was among other hotels, churches, mosques and 30 facilities shut and sealed across the state on Monday over alleged air and noise pollution.

We Have Identified Some Banks with Nigeria's Stolen Funds - Buhari

President, Muhammadu Buhari, revealed yesterday that  his administration has taken further efforts to recover Nigeria’s stolen funds, by identifying some banks and other financial institutions where the money has been deposited.

Buhari made this known on Monday in Abuja during an audience with visiting U.S. Congressmen, led by Representative Darrel Issa.

Naira to Appreciate More as Banks Deny Cash Deposits in Foreign Currencies

The dollar will further tumble against the naira at the parallel market this week as Deposit Money Banks continue to reject cash deposit of foreign currencies into customers’ domiciliary accounts.

The naira had appreciated against the dollar from 245 to 220 at the parallel market last week after banks started denying their customers opportunity to make cash deposits of dollar, pound and euro into their domiciliary accounts.

Naira Falls to 265 to a Dollar

Anxieties were heightened at the weekend that the economy may be heading for a major financial crash as the Naira fell to an all-time low of between N250 and N265 to a dollar at the black market.

The official market rate on the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was, however, N197 to the American currency.

Norway's Police Only Fired 2 Bullets Last Year and No one was Killed

It is interesting to know that Police in Norway fired their guns only twice last year – and no one was hurt.

According to independent.co.uk, new statistics made available recently reveals that  the country’s low level of gun use have shown.

The statistics also revealed that Norwegian officers drew their weapons just 42 times in 2014, the lowest number of times in the last 12 years. Only two people were killed in police shootings in the same period.

How to Check Your Tire Pressure with An iPhone ......View Video

Did you know that Driving with under inflated tire makes you spend more money on fuel, and put yourself in unnecessary at risk ?

We need to measure tire pressure with the air pressure measuring equipment. Only you don’t have to. What if you can measure your tire pressure with your Smart phone.

Melinda Gates Pictured Carrying a Bucket of Water on her Head in Malawi

The Wife of the richest man in the world, Melinda Gates, was pictured on Saturday carrying on her head a bucket of water fetched from a village in Malawi.

Net worth of the United States’ billionaire Bill Gates, according to Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s billionaires, stands at $81 billion.

Italian Police Seize Snoop Dogg's Cash

Super Rap star Snoop Dogg has been stopped by police in Italy while carrying $422,000 (£270,000) in cash, authorities say.

The singer was travelling through an airport in Calabria, southern Italy, where he had been performing.