The truth about Govt's position on ASUU strike - Finance Ministry

This is a press statement from the Federal Ministry of Finance about the ongoing ASUU strike. It's been four long months (Quite shameful I must add) with no apparent resolution to the conflict in sight...and some people are blaming the Minister of finance Dr Okonjo Iweala for what's going on.

Some people in ASUU have been distributing flyers with abusive messages against Dr Okonjo-Iweala and now the ministry is issuing a statement about it, saying the minister is not the problem. I'd rather read about when ASUU is calling off this strike to be honest. Find the press statement below

Contrary to some recent media reports, the Federal government has not adopted a take-it-or-leave-it approach in its negotiations with ASUU. Rather, the approach is focused on positive engagement and achieving sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in the country. That is why President Goodluck Jonathan recently appealed to ASUU to respond to government’s positive steps by calling off its strike in the interest of suffering students and parents.

Despite this, for several days now, some elements in ASUU have been distributing pamphlets and flyers with abusive and inflammatory messages against the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in mosques and other places. This is taking academic unionism to a new low and infusing it with unnecessary politics. I am sure majority of ASUU members are not in support of this.

These messages are directed at using falsehood to demonize the Minister as callous and unsympathetic to the plight of students and parents. The major lie being peddled in the pamphlets and flyers is that Dr Okonjo-Iweala has insisted on a “take-it-or-leave-it approach” in the negotiations with ASUU. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the daughter of two retired professors and her father is presently a member of ASUU’s Board of Trustees and has been one for a long time. She speaks with her father everyday on the issue so how can be insensitive to issues concerning the sad state of tertiary education in the country? She understands and sympathizes with the plight of both students and lecturers. She wants our children back in school as soon as possible. Remember she is a mother and two of her young relatives are sitting at home due to the strike.

This is why government is working hard, under the leadership of the President, to seek practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in Nigeria. The President has made available N100 billion a year in the first instance to repair hostels, laboratories and classrooms and other facilities. An offer has also been made to ASUU of N30 billion towards their earned allowances. In fact, negotiations have even gone further than this. This is the first time, in years of negotiating with government, that significant sums of money have been put on the table for ASUU and universities on this particular set of issues. The Coordinating Minister is fully part of this.

Against this background, ASUU elements who want the strike to continue should have a heart and rethink their current take-it-or-leave-it approach to negotiation. Government has demonstrated its commitment to improving the university system. And it is even ready to do much more going forward. ASUU should listen to the voice of reason and the yearnings of Nigerians on this issue.

Paul C Nwabuikwu

Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister and Minister of Finance

Sorry Candice, Angelo says he can't be in a relationship right now

BBA Angelo Collins just took to his Twitter and FB pages to say he does not think he should be in a relationship right now, days after his former girlfriend SA model Candice Arends flaunted their rekindled romance on Twitter by posting photos of the two of them hanging out and being flirty.

I heard he'd been trying to get her back...and recently succeeded...so does it mean he has changed his mind, or he's just trying to get her to stop putting their business online?

Photos: D'banj checks out Beverly Osu's butt on stage

Beverly Osu was one of the special guests at the Hennessy Artistry finale on Saturday, October 19th, and joined Dbanj on stage during his performance surprising the audience while dancing and singing along enthusiastically with the popular entertainer. At one point, the Kokomaster was photographed checking out Beverly's butt on stage...lol. See more photos after the cut...

 

Dakore Akande glows as she shows off growing baby bump...

The actress is expecting her second child with hubby with, Olu Akande.

Kim & Kanye engaged. See Kim's 15-carat engagement diamond ring

 

It's official. Kim and Kanye are engaged! Kanye West proposed to his babymama Kim K on her 33rd birthday last night October 21 at San Francisco's AT&T Park where the family was celebrating her day. Kanye, who had first asked Kris Jenner for permission to marry her daughter and gotten her approval, surprised the birthday girl by getting down on one knee in front of her family and friends and proposed with a flawless 15-carat diamond ring designed by jeweler, Lorraine Schwartz.

Kanye also used the field's jumbo screen to flash a "Pleease Marry Meee!!!" sign. It was a romantic evening as an orchestra played afterwards, with fireworks and roman candles exploding into the night sky. The stadium, which is home to the San Francisco Giants, was completely empty except for Kardashian close friends and family members (Hopefully it was captured for Keeping Up With The Kardashian show so we can watch) See the 'Please Marry Meee' sign after the cut...

How my housemaid robbed me – Victim

The suspects

A Lagos-based teacher, Julia Fagbuaro, has narrated in detail how she fell victim to a robbery gang that specialises in posing as domestic servants only to rob their new employers 24 hours after being hired.

PUNCH Metro had reported on September 25, 2013, that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad had arrested the gang members, John Christian, Angela Ekere, Amos Daniel and Gift Christian, shortly after robbing one Mrs. Obasi of money and jewellery worth millions of naira.

The suspects had told PUNCH Metro that they had committed the crime only once. However, after PUNCH Metro publication, two other victims showed up at SARS to narrate their ordeals in the hands of the gang.

Fagbuaro told our correspondent that John, under the guise of an agent, had brought one Grace to her (Fagbauro’s) house located in the Ejigbo area of the state. Grace was employed on August 22 2013, only to rob Fagbuaro of all her valuables, the following day.

 Fagbuaro said, “I had an agent got me a housemaid (Gift) but advised against hiring her as he had not yet ascertained all her details. I asked the girl who she was staying with and she said her brother-in-law who turned out later to be John. After the first meeting, Gift never came back.

“John introduced himself to me as Francis, claiming to be a relative of Gift, whom my agent had brought. Already, I had decided against hiring the girl but John was persistent.  He told me he could get me another housemaid and called everyday, offering his services.

“On August 19, he brought Grace to my house. After all the necessary things had been done, I hired her three days later.

“The following day, I wanted to go out but I did not want Grace to stay alone in the house. When she told me she was on her menstrual cycle, I gave her some money and told her to buy sanitary towels. I waited for a while and when Grace did not return, I locked the main door to the building but left the gate open because the cleaner was sweeping the compound.”

The victim said when she returned home around 7pm, she observed that her entire house was scattered.

She said her wardrobe as well as her husband’s had been broken into.

She said, “When I returned, I noticed the main gate was wide open. The living room was scattered, the television stand was broken. We looked up and noticed that the ceiling was broken which meant they had broken into the house through the roof.

“The door to my room was broken as well. All my jewellery was gone, including my husband’s wristwatches, two laptops, camera and other items. They even tore leaflets from our cheque books.”

Fagbuaro said she reported the matter at the Ejigbo Police Division and also informed John about the incident but he never turned up.

“It was not until I read the story in PUNCH METRO that everything was revealed,” she said.

Photos: Burna Boy performs in his underpants + Is that an erection?

Burna Boy played at the New Afrika Shrine Felabration final last night Sunday Oct 20th and decided to imitate the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti by performing in his underpants.

And is that an erection? #ojigbijigbijigbi in Papa Ajasco's voice. More photos after the cut...

Photo credit: AP and HIPHOP World

What baby weight? Kim K sizzles in first shoot since giving birth

Kim K yesterday released her first fashion shoot since giving birth as she posed with sisters Khloe and Kourtney for their London clothing line, Kardashian Kollection' for Lipsy. See another pic after the cut...

Peter Okoye and Lola Omotayo to wed November 17th in Lagos

This is confirmed gist. After several years and two children together, Peter Okoye and Lola Omotayo are getting ready to say I do. Their traditional wedding will hold on Sunday November 17th at the Arc Events Centre in Lekki. Gbenga Adeyinka and Helen Paul will MC the wedding.

Their white wedding will hold sometime next year. Congrats to Lola and Peter!

Onyeka Onwenu covers new issue of Genevieve Magazine

Elegant stallion! Beautiful cover

Kanye West wears Kim K out

Kanye West was spotted in Seattle on Saturday night wearing a shirt with Kim's face on it...this was shortly before kicking off his Yeezus tour in the state. I see he's obsessed with his baby mums.

Oduah’s N255m Cars Costlier Than 5 Obama Limousines

•Eclipse 500 Jet worth $1.5m

Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, could have easily bought an Eclipse 500 private jet with the whopping $1.6 million (about N255 million) used to buy her two BMW bullet-proof cars, investigations have revealed.
Although most private jets cost between $3.5 million and $25 million, with the larger ones like the Boeing Business Jet gulping as much as $100 million, an Eclipse 500 private jet goes for between $1.5 million and $2 million, according to Controller, a general aviation trade publication in America.
With the two outrageously over priced cars, Oduah could have also bought at least five presidential limousines used by United States President, Barack Obama, at the cost of $300,000 each.
Each of the two bullet-proof BMW 760 Li cars bought for Oduah by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is also more expensive than the car used by British Prime Minister, David Cameron.
While Oduah’s cars go for $800,000 (about N127.5m) each, Cameron’s armoured Jaguar XJ X351 car costs £200,000 (about N52m).
Oduah could have also bought as many as 1231 cars, the type used by Uruguayan President, Jose Mujica, who drives a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle worth $1,300.
With a monthly salary of about $13,000, Oduah would have been able to pay Mujica’s salaries for 127 months or approximately 10 years.
The world’s poorest president would have certainly found the gift preposterous and would have certainly given out most of it to others as he does with his monthly salary.
He has refused to move to the official presidential residence, opting to stay in the simple home of his senator wife on the outskirts of the capital, Montevideo.
At an exchange rate of N155 to $1, the N255 million Odua used to buy the  two cars would have conveniently establsihed eight cottage clinics of N30 million each, or fund sinking of 50 boreholes in a country where only 17 percent of its over 160 million people have access to pipe-borne water, according to a UNDP report.
And with a minimum wage in Nigeria at N18,000 or about $118, Oduah could have paid the monthly salaries of 13559 people.
Besides, had the prices of the cars not been inflated, Oduah would be able to save about N195 million of taxpayers’ money.
Since the revelations last Tuesday of the purchase of the expensive cars in August, Nigerians have expressed outrage and calls for Oduah’s sack have become strident.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Femi Falana, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for an investigation to be opened. Falana threatened to go to court if nothing is done.
Many anti-corruption crusaders have called for the arrest and prosecution of Oduah.
Debo Adeniran, Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, said the recent plane crash and serious incidents could be attributed to incompetence and gargantuan corruption.
However, instead of addressing issues of corruption, mismanagement and breach of public trust, Oduah was said to have declared war on Nicholas Edwards, the alleged whistle-blower who allegedly leaked information to the media.
The minister set up a panel on Friday, headed by the Director of Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Adamu Abdullahi to probe the leaked information.
Analysts have said the panel is an exercise in futility since the information leaked is true. They asked Oduah to do the right thing and step down.
SaharaReporters, an online news medium, had on 15 October published documents that exposed how the cash-strapped NCAA had in August this year bought two bullet-proof BMW cars for Stella Oduah at the whopping sum of $1.6 million or N255 million.
Shortly after the article was published, Yakubu Dati, spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, who often speaks for Stella Oduah, rejected the allegations, claiming that the minister was too rich to request or accept car gifts from the NCAA.
By Wednesday, Oduah had instructed Joe Obi, her media aide, to own up to the purchase of the cars. Obi claimed the cars were purchased because Oduah faced imminent threats from some people who did not like her so-called transformation agenda in the aviation sector.
The explanation triggered more condemnation and outrage and calls for her sack multiplied.
By last Friday, Fola Akinkuotu, NCAA Director General, explained at a hurriedly arranged press conference that the cars were not bought for the minister of aviation but rather were purchased to move around foreign dignitaries when they visit the agency.
Akinkuotu told journalists he would show them where the cars were parked at the end of the press conference. But when the event ended, the NCAA boss did not show proof of any car. Reports have said the transaction was only on paper as no car was actually delivered.
With more negative reports being published on daily basis, especially on the social media, reports have said that Oduah has approached Reno Omokri, Jonathan’s aide on social media, for help and counter any negative publication.
It was also reported that the embattled minister has commenced a last ditch effort to save her job. It was learnt that she had used the last few days seeking private audience with President Jonathan.
On Friday, Oduah was sighted at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, as calls for her sack persisted.

Mente de Moda fashion and art exhibition to hold November 3rd

Mente de Moda was created to give new brands a rare opportunity to get their products onto the fashion High Street.

Back for the 3rd edition in 2013, Bang and Kosher are proud to present to you “Mente de Moda” ,  a fashion and art exhibition/mini market event to be held on the 3rd of November at Ntyce Victoria Island Lagos.

Our main goal is to expose young designers , fashion entrepreneurs , digital/traditional artist and fashion/art lovers alike using live retail as an effective tool. Continue...


This edition will feature the usual mouth watering bites for our shoppers who enjoy snacking and picking out fresh African pieces and spoken word sets from the finest poets in the city.

To be part of this event as a vendor please call 08188537906 or 08090631449

Expect an environment not just for buying and selling, but for networking among the best fashion and art minds lagos has to offer, time is 2pm for more information please email us at bangnkosher@gmail.com also feel free to follow us on twitter @bangkosher our tumblr page www.bang-kosher.tumblr.com and our facebook page www.facebook.com/mentedemoda

Obafemi Martins and Balotelli's sister welcome son

Ace footballer Obafemi Martins has welcomed his third child from his third baby mama. Abigail Barwuah, the older sister of Italian footballer Mario Balotelli gave birth to a baby boy on Wednesday October 16th in Italy.

25 year old Abigail, who has been dating Obafemi since 2012, lost the first pregnancy we all reported last year. She was about four months pregnant when she was in Nigeria with Obafemi in December 2012 but lost the baby and got pregnant again almost immediately.

The never-before-married Obafemi has a son with an African chick he dated in Italy many years ago, he also has a 3 and a half year old son with a white chick he dated while playing in the UK and now a son with Abigail. Father of all nation. Hehe. Congrats to Abigail and Obafemi!

Two remanded for murder of customs officer

Motojehi Ige

An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court has ordered the remand of two men, Afeez Agate, 22 and Toheeb Salami, 26, for the death of a customs officer, Motojehi Ige.

The police told the court that the two defendants were part of a mob that killed Ige by giving him machete wound on August 29, 2013.

PUNCH Metro had reported on August 30, 2013 that the late Superintendent of Customs was killed in retaliation for the death of a 35-year-old man, Saturday Joel, who was allegedly shot by officials of the Nigerian Customs Service.

It was reported that Joel was hit by a stray bullet while some customs officers were trying to apprehend a motorist who was smuggling a red Volkswagen bus from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

Some residents had taken to the streets to protest the death.

However, Ige, was said to have been driving by at the time when the angry mob dragged him out of his Toyota Corolla car marked ABJ 663 DW, and killed him.

The irate mob was also said to have allegedly set Ige’s vehicle ablaze.

The police told the court that Agate and Salami were part of the mob that killed Ige and burnt his office.

The accused allegedly made away with 25 bags of rice, a generator, and other valuable property belonging to the Nigeria Customs Service.

The police added that the duo set ablaze a Hilux van with Reg. No. CS 152A, while the Toyota Corolla car worth N2m was also destroyed.

The two vehicles were said to be owned by the deceased customs officer.

The defendants were arraigned on eleven counts of murder, arson, stealing, malicious damage, rioting, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and intimidation.

The charge read in part, “That you, Afeez Agate, and Toheeb Salami, and other at large on the 29th day of August, 2013 around 9am, at Seme Town, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit murder.

“That you, Afeez Agate, and Toheeb Salami, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial District did unlawfully kill a customs officer, SC Motojehi Jethro Ige, by giving him several machete cuts.

“That you, Afeez Agate, and Toheeb Salami, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial District did steal the following items: 25 bags of rice, one generator and other assorted items, value yet to be ascertained, property of the Nigeria Customs Service.”

The prosecutor, Inspector Asup Feddy, said the offences were punishable under Sections 231, 221, 409, 339(a)(c), 285, 348, 45, 410, 44(1), 166(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

No plea was taken for the murder charges.

Feddy applied that the defendants be remanded in prison custody due to the nature of the offences.

The magistrate, Mr. E.O Ogunkanmi ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi prison custody pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

The matter was adjourned till November for DPP’s advice.