Why I Handle 3 Ministries – Fashola

While answering a question at a town hall meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Babatunde Fashola, minister of works, power, and housing, told anyone not happy about his supervision of three ministries to send their complaints to President Muhammadu Buhari. INFORMATION NIGERIA brings you 3 things he said, you should know,

To merge cost

“Whether I can cope with three ministries or not, let us be clear on this. On the one hand, we have spoken about the cost of running government. And in trying to mitigate or reduce that cost, Mr. President, in his own wisdom, decided to merge three ministries together,” he said.

His duty is supervisory

So, my work really there is supervisory and directional. Today in the ministry of works, and in the ministry of housing, where there are over 4000 personnel, the number is reducing. The ministry of power has barely 800 staff today and the number is reducing as we are gaining traction.

Result so far

“So, it is no longer a government-driven sector, it is now a government-regulated sector driven by private sector. And if you have issues about that, I think you should complain to Mr. President. For me, the privilege is to serve my country in whatever capacity I am designated to.
Two of those ministries have had a natural relationship over years, they were either works and housing, or lands, works and something. In adding power to it, let us remember that essentially the work that is left in power is just to complete the privitisation and complete the transmission grid.
The distribution is now in the hands of companies. All of the work that NEPA (National Electric Power Authority) used to do is now in terms of distributing power is now in the hands of 11 companies. What they used to do in terms of generating power is now in the hands of six companies.
The agency called NERC (National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) is the regulator of the power sector, in getting licenses issued and so on and so forth. And a statutory company called MBET. All of these institutions are taking positions and evolving.”

APC To Jibrin; Keep Quiet And Stop The Public Show Of Shame

Although the All Progressives Congress, APC has warned the sacked chairman of the appropriation committee in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumuni Jibrin, to stop talking about the budget padding issue, Jibrin in his latest tweets accused the speaker, Yakubu Dogara of conniving with two serving governors and four ex-lawmakers to block his access to President Muhammadu Buhari in order to explain his side of the story.

The APC via its acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja accused Jibrin of lacking respect for the Sen. Shuaibu Lawal-led committee which has been charged by the party to look into the issue.

“It is now obvious how disrespectful, mannerless and desperate Hon. Jibrin could be even to the leaders of our party which include the deputy national chairman (north), national secretary, national treasurer and others who have been sleeplessly working to ensure that peace returns to the House.

But if Hon. Jibrin does not have respect for Speaker Dogara as a person, it is expected of him to respect the office of the speaker, the number four citizen of our party and the country.

Jibrin should also be told that he has clearly shown disrespect for President Muhammadu Buhari who is the leader of our party by this singular act. “It is high time Hon. Jibrin kept quite and stopped this public show of shame before his excesses will be made known to Nigerians and the whole world.”

Minister Orders Immediate Shutdown Of Apapa-Ijora Bridge

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday ordered the immediate closure of the damaged Apapa bridge for emergency maintenance work to begin.

This is sequel to an assessment of the integrity of the bridge. The Minister made the announcement at a meeting with stakeholders in Lagos.
According to Fashola, shutting down the bridge was a difficult choice but saving lives was a better choice than the inconvenience the closure of the bridge would bring.
In his words: “It is a sobering experience that the Federal Government is now dealing with many years of neglect and abuse of the bridge by traders. There are many other bridges across the country that are begging for attention, maintenance and repairs.”
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Dayo Mobereola, said that alternative access routes from Apapa would be cleared of all encumbrances.

He said that truck owners had agreed to move their vehicles from the alternative access routes as Julius Berger begins the palliative works.

Some of the stakeholders at the meeting were members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the representatives of the unions in the agencies in the maritime sub-sector

Source: NTAnews

I’ll Fight Nigeria, Whole World, Boko Haram’s Shekau Boasts In New Video

Boko Haram’s shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau has appeared in a new video vowing to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split in the hardline jihadist group blamed for thousands of deaths since 2009.

This screengrab taken on August 8, 2016 from a Boko Haram video released by the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram and obtained by AFP. Vanguard File

“I… Abubakar Ash-Shakawy (Shekau), the leader of Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, made it a duty for myself (to fight) Nigeria and the whole world,” Shekau said in the video released on Sunday, using the group’s name since it declared allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.
Last week, Shekau said in an audio message he was still head of the group despite his purported replacement by Sheikh Abu Musab al-Barnawi, a former Boko Haram spokesman.
“We have no desire to fight our Muslim brethren,” Shekau, who last appeared in March, said in the 24-minute video.
Shekau ridiculed suggestions that he was dead, and looked more composed and energetic than in previous appearances.
“I’m alive by the permission of Allah,” he said in his speech in Arabic and Hausa, adding that he would only die when his time came.
In the video he is wearing camouflage gear and holding a machine gun, standing between two Islamist fighters in balaclavas armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
He taunted President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and condemned Western countries including the United States, France, Germany and “the tyrants of the United Nonsense (UN)”.
At the end of his speech — apparently filmed in Boko Haram’s stronghold in the Sambisa forest of northeastern Nigeria — he fired off rounds of ammunition into the air.
His absence in recent months had sparked speculation about his fate and whether he had been deposed as Boko Haram’s chief.
Barnawi’s appointment was contained in a magazine issued by the Islamic State group, to which Boko Haram pledged allegiance in March last year.
Shekau dismissed Barnawi as an infidel who condoned living in an un-Islamic society without waging jihad.
Shekau became leader after Nigerian security forces killed the group’s founding chief Mohammed Yusuf in 2009.
Omar Mahmood, a security analyst with US-based Foreign Policy Research Institute who has spent the past five years researching Boko Haram, said Shekau was removed because of his highhandness and ruthlessness.
“One thing that has remained constant, however, is the focus on attacks against regional security forces, with Muslim civilian deaths still ignored. This aspect seems to be a key concern for IS propagandists,” Mahmood said.
“By contrast, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the man announced as the new leader, clearly stated in his al-Naba interview that attacks against Muslim civilians, mosques and markets will not be a staple of his leadership.”
Sources close to Boko Haram said Barnawi, aged in his early twenties, is none other than Habib Yusuf, the eldest son of group founder Yusuf.
They said he was put under Shekau’s care following the death of his father, but the pair fell out over ideological and operational differences.
Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since it launched a brutal insurgency in Nigeria in 2009.
Nigerian forces, with the support of regional troops, have recaptured swathes of territory lost to the jihadists since they launched a military campaign in February 2014.
Source: Vanguard

What We Know About Runtown and former Miss Universe’s Party Moments in Barbados

Runtown and former Miss Universe, Monifa Jansen Hang were spotted hanging out at the 2016 Crop-Over Festival in Barbados over the weekend.

The Nigerian pop star was among the headliners of the annual Barbadian festival which also featured Wizkid and Machel Montano.

During his stay in the Caribbean Island, the Eric Manny signed act was spotted with the sexy ex-beauty queen at different times sharing a couple of suspicious PDA moments.

So what exactly does this mean? Probably nothing, except for Runtown, who shared a photo with the beauty queen, he captioned; “Shout My G for coming through @Monifajansen”.
The ‘G’ could actually mean anything you know. But what readily comes to mind first is ‘Girlfriend’, which we all assume he meant.
The “pals” may have a history — even though they never confirmed or denied whether or not they ever got together — but we can safely assume their hang out was strictly platonic.

For those who don’t know, Monifa Jensen is a beauty queen who was crowned Miss Curaçao Universe 2011 and represented her country in the Miss World 2011 and Miss Universe 2012 pageants.
See more photos of the stunning Queen below.

Daredevil Robbers Attack Delta Govt. House, Kill One

Daredevil armed robbers on Thursday stormed Delta State Government House Annexe in Warri, killing one person.
The incident was confirmed by Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Charles Aniagwu.

“It was actually a group of armed robbers who were chasing a driver from the Government House Annex that went to the bank.
“They pursued him as he was driving back. He rammed into the Government House gates and ran out of the car.
“They started shooting at the vehicle. Unfortunately, we lost him and I heard they have apprehended three of the suspects”, Mr. Aniagwu said.
The Delta Police Command spokesperson, Celestina Kalu, confirmed the incident, but added that she was yet to get enough details.
The Divisional Police Officer, B Division, Warri, Anietie Eyoh, said his men were on the trail of the fleeing robbers.

CBN Blocks Some Money Transfer Operators From Transfering Money To Nigeria

In curious circumstances, Nigeria’s Central Bank of Nigeria has blocked money transfer operators from making transfers to Nigeria. The CBN through a new policy has excluded a number of operators by insisting that a handful of agents from transferring money to Nigeria by setting minimum requirements for companies offering international Mobile Money transfer services to Nigeria.
The guidelines specify that any company offering Mobile Money transfers must have minimum net assets of $1bn and must have been operating for more than 10 years.

The biggest Money transfer operator it has chosen to block is WorldRemit, a leading operator in Mobile money transfers.
The Central Bank had earlier said in a statement warning the public against unlicensed money operators; “All financial services providers in Nigeria, just as in other jurisdictions, are required to be duly licensed in order to protect both customers and the financial system as well as to ensure the credibility of financial transactions. “For the avoidance of doubt, all licensed International Money Transfer Operators, are required to remit foreign currency to their respective agent banks in Nigeria for disbursement in naira to the beneficiaries. “The foreign currency proceeds are to be sold to Bureaux De Change operators, for onward retail to end users. “The Central Bank of Nigeria will therefore not condone any attempt aimed at undermining the country’s foreign exchange regime.”

New Revelation About FCMB Manager Who Committed Suicide

As speculations trail the death of Olisa Nwakoby, the manager of First City Monument Bank, FCMB Plc branch in Lekki, Lagos state, family members have reacted, saying the deceased could not have killed himself simply because he was indebted to the bank.

A close member of the family dismissed reports making the rounds, insisting that the deceased may not have killed himself over money issues because he is from a very rich family and the money he was reported to be owing the bank is chicken feed to his family.
Speaking with Pulse, the family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Olisa was depressed all right but I can tell you that the N350 million loan debt that people are saying could have led him to commit suicide is far from the truth. “Something must have triggered the suicide and not the money because the family had been making plans to sell one or two houses to raise the money to pay back the loan. “In fact, one of his brothers could bring out the money without stress, so that could not have been the reason Olisa killed himself. There is more than meets the eyes,” the family member added. It would be recalled that Nwakoby last week committed suicide in front of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Lekki, area of the state.

Photos: Justin Bieber rents a huge $10k a night mansion in Hawaii for his two-week vacation

Justin Bieber has rented an impressive ocean-side mansion for a planned two-week summer getaway. The singer is paying $10,000 a night to stay at the stunning Water Falling Estate on Hawaii. The spacious residence is worth approximately $7 million and covers 10,942 sq ft over three floors.
The mansion which is perched above two waterfalls, has five bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, elevators, 2 whirlpools sauna, a wet bar, exterior grill and dining area, 9 hole golf pitch, roof-top night-lit tennis/basketball court with stadium style seating for 450 spectators and a rooftop helipad.
It also has an ‘aquatic centre’ which features a high dive, 2 story water slide and comes with an Olympic sized salt water infinity pool. Not to mention, 2 ATVs were provided for ground transportation. See more photos below…

Team USA’s millionaire basketballers to stay in luxury ship at Rio 2016 rather than share bedroom in athletes’ village

Athletes at the Rio 2016 will be cooped up in the athletes village where they will share rooms with other athletes, unless of course you’re millionaire NBA basketballer. Members of Team USA’s basketball contingent to Brazil have rented a luxury cruise ship and it comes complete with 7ft comfy beds.

The ship named Silver Cloud is moored in the Port of Rio and a bulletproof glass fence has been erected in the area to keep out intruders while 250 federal police officers are on alert keeping a watchful eye.
‘Nobody can get near the boat without invitation’ said one security official.

The special treatment doesn’t stop there, the players will have their own chefs, concierge services on hand and a fleet of cars to ferry them under armed guard around Rio and to training courts.
A team official said: ‘If they stayed in the athletes’ village, they might be troubled for autographs even from the athletes and media. That would not be fair to them. They are very accommodating to fans when they can, but these are the Olympics.’

Abubakar Shekau Reappears After ISIS Named His Successor, Claims He Was Deceived

The former leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau has released a recorded message a few hours after the news of his successor was made public by ISIS via its magazine.
Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the purported new leader according to a famous journalist, Ahmed Halkida who has been following book Haram since its emergence said al-Bernawi is the son of late Mohammed Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram who was extra-judicially murdered by the Nigerian police in 2009.
Shekau in the 10-minute 23-second audio message in Arabic and Hausa ,said he was deceived, but he will never stray from the ideology of the Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da’awati wal-Jihad which he said had a basis in the Quran.
Below is excerpts of Shekau’s words in Hausa as translated by Sahara reporters
“All blessings be to Almighty Allah, and his His Prophet SAW. I am Imam Abubakar Shekau
“This is the message to the world, to those who can understand Hausa and any other languages it can be translated for a clear understanding of the message, which is why we are sending this message to the world.

“The content of my message goes thus. We have heard news going round and attributed to people we had earlier pledge allegiance to. Even though we are not against them base on the message we heard in the world radio but we are still on our ideology.
“We know those we differ with, and I have written on this long ago. All we wrote have been documented with me, some eight pages and some nine pages stating their kind of ideology.
“Because I stated it clear that I am against the principle where someone will dwell in the society with the infidels without making public his opposition or anger against infidels publicly as it is stated in the Quran. Anyone doing such can’t be a real Muslim thick and thin. This is what our ideology proved. And that is where I am, to them, a Muslim can dwell in the society and do his marketing compromising core foundations.
“I want the world to know that we are still holding our ideology and tied with the Quran, we will not derail and will not revolt but will continue to remain in the cause of Allah. Following Prophet SAW is compulsory for us, and we will follow it to the end.
“This is our stand, and we are still in the cause of Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da’awati wal-Jihad and Allah will help us. May Allah strengthen us to remain in this cause.
“We are still members of Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da’awati wal-Jihad, no matter what they call us, we remain what we are. No matter what we have our basis in Quran. No matter what they call us, what we aspire is to justify our ideology in the Quran which is ultimate because we have not derailed. We are on and in the future, we will not accept any emissary except the one we can attest he is sincere and truthful for Allah and His cause.
“In the first place, we sat and I was deceived, they said I should write my ideology to be taken if there is a mistake they will point out and bring back. They now deceive me, and it is base on some authorities and today I found out that there is one who is following principles of infidel which they want me to follow, and Prophet has stopped us against such. We are still in the cause of Allah and will never depart in the struggle to establish an Islamic caliphate and standing by Islam. We will continue to work for the cause of Allah no going back.
“Anyone that caused this, no problem, if it’s possible may Allah show him the correct path and if it is not so may Allah protect us from his mischief.”https://youtu.be/AhYR37fvB-k