Innocent Ojefia Blog

  A DDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR DR IFEANYI OKOWA, GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE, TO MARK THE FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION ON MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016, AT THE PRESS CENTRE, OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ASABA. Gentlemen of the Press When I addressed the State immediately after my swearing-in as Governor on May 29, 2015, we were in the middle of a serious economic crisis. Our monthly revenue both from the Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue had dipped significantly. The non-oil sector of the economy remained largely untapped. The level of youth unemployment was troubling, posing a clear and present danger to the socio-political stability of the State. Our credit was in bad shape, and the financial system was at best, shaky and at worst, perilous. Indeed, our promise of prosperity for all Deltans seemed illusory.  2.     Upon assumption of office, we moved swiftly and decisively to restructure our liabilities and instituted processes and pro...

Police deputy commissioner general and close relative of president Robert Mugabe Innocent Matibiri is being blamed for failing to protect the dictator as details emerge of the embarrassing altercation in which the president was beaten up by his wife Grace Mugabe.  Footage of the incident shows Grace Mugabe slapping her husband in a fit of rage. Matibiri, Mugabe’s chief police guard, rushes in and tries to calm the situation, telling Grace Mugabe that if she wants to fight her husband she must do it in their bedroom, not in public. Grace Mugabe slaps Matibiri hard in the face and he withdraws in shame, leaving Mugabe to face further abuse from his wife, who is 40 years younger than the 92 year-old despot now afflicted with poor health. The beating left Mugabe and his aides shell-shocked. Mugabe has previously complained of abuse from his wife, who harbours presidential ambitions and has declared: “Who has more right than me to be president?” The failure by Mugabe’s guards...

Acting National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has been cleared by the party’s screening committee to contest for the seat of National Chairman in today’s convention.  Also cleared were the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus alongside other contestants for various national office of the party. They were screened yesterday by a committee of the party headed by Mr Emmanuel Aguma, SAN and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers state. Sheriff who spoke to newsmen after the screening at the Rivers state secretariat of the party on Aba road said the party will unite to achieve its vision for 2019. His words, “PDP is the only party that belongs to Nigerians and owned by Nigerians. There is no sole owner of PDP. PDP is for you, PDP is for our brothers in the village, PDP is for the elder in Abuja, PDP is for everybody. Therefore, we will carry everyone along. “The way forward is for everybody to be united. Anyb...

The Federal Reserve has debuted the new U.S. 100 dollar bill that comes withe new security measures. (Photo: Mark Wilson, Getty Images) The United States through the Federal Reserve has debuted the new U.S. 100-dollar bill.  The new hundred dollar bills comes with e-new security measures.

All over the world, local or city governments are structured in certain ways and perform certain known tasks. In a functioning local government system. The Council is the legislative arm headed by the Leader. The Chairman is the chief executive officer that implements the edicts or ordinances passed by the Council.   Generally, local governments perform certain identified functions; among other functions, they are responsible for maintaining city roads, removing garbage (often through contracted private refuse removers), sewage, and utilities such as water, fire services. They may also have public health departments where they provide all citizens with certain medical services (such as immunizations). Local governments generally have dump sites where garbage is dumped and from which some garbage is recycled. I bet you that many Nigerian local governments do not have dump sites for garbage and sewage! To meet their responsibilities Councils, have annual or biannual bu...

After almost a year in office, it has become very clear that the All Progressive Congress APC is merely a party woven together by the mastery of political communications with a delight for propaganda and a total disregard for facts and reality. The party thrives very well on mischief and falsehood. Unfortunately for Nigerians, the party has won an election through propaganda but you cannot govern by propaganda. Performance is key, but unfortunately, the party doesn’t seem able or capable of moving away from the core of its make-up. Its demons are eating it up from the inside. It is interesting now that the cold hard facts of yesterday are coming to haunt the party today. We owe it a duty to ensure history doesn’t spare them the ignominy of having paved the way for the economic crisis in the land today, lest they once again steal the moment and parade themselves as heroes. Four years after, the current APC leaders frustrated the removal of subsidy and several trillions of naira...

  Highlight of 67th NEC meeting – Thursday, 19th  May, 2016   The National Economic Council, NEC held its monthly meeting, presided over by the Chairman of the Council, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.  Besides other key highlights, the Council approved a Fiscal Sustainability Plan which is aimed at helping the states of the federation navigate the current economic conditions including a massive drop in Federation Account allocation funds.   NEC which is composed of all 36 State Governors and the CBN Governor, meets monthly.   Highlights A. Report on excess crude proceeds ·                      Honourable      Minister of Finance (HMF) reported to the Council that the balance in the      ECA stood at (USD 2,259,688,878.06 billion) as at 30th April,      20...