Friday, July 4, 2014

IBB, Peter Obi, Flavour and other Dignitaries at the Requiem Mass for Lady Uche Ikebuilo

Retired General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) commiserating with the husband of the deceased Chief G.M. Ikebuilo, Ichie Okenyi.

Lady Uche Vero Ikebuilo, JP (Oduludinma) was laid to rest on Thursday 26th June at her husband’s country home in Ichi town, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state. The requiem mass was officiated by The Rt .Rev.Prof G.I.N Okpala (JP.ON) Anglican Bishop of Nnewi Diocese and The RT Rev.Dr Samuel Ezeofor, Bishop of Ogbaru. Late lady Vero Ikebuilo is the mother in law of Chief (Sir) Bishop Okonkwo, OFR, Chairman, Ekulo Group of companies.

Lady Ngozi Okonkwo with her friend Mrs. Ngozi Udokoro.
 
Igwe Ka Igwe, Igwe Peter Anugwu of Mbaukwu exchanging pleasantries with Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra state.
 
Chief (Sir) Emma Bishop Okonkwo and Chief Vincent Obianodo, Chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors.
 
Tears for Late Lady Uche Vero Ikebuilo.
 
Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo and his boys.
 
Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo and Chief Vincent Obianodo, Chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors.
 
Senator Andy Uba condoling with the Ikebuilos.
 
Retired Comptroller of Customs and Member of the Federal House of Representatives, Chief Jerry Alagbaoso, Asiwaju and Chief Dennis Okafor, Chairman of Denca Services Limited.
 
Mrs. Uche Ubachukwu and Lady Ngozi Okonkwo.
 
Lady Ngozi Okonkwo with her friends.
 
Mr. Sunil Ram and Jenny Chang.
 
Igwe Ezeugo Ato II of Ezenifite Aguata, Igwe Bob Orji and Igwe Arch. J.O. Okpalaezecha.
 
Husband of the deceased, Chief G.M. Ikebuilo, Ichie Okenyi.
 
Eselu Uga, Chief Chris Uba with Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo.
 
Friends of Lady Ngozi Okonkwo.
 
Condolence Entourage of Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo.
 
Chief Cletus Ibeto, Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo, Lady Ngozi Okonkwo and retired General Ibrahim Babangida.
 
Chief Charles Odunukwe and Chief Jonathan Uzo Okafor.
 
Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo, OFR with Jenny Chang.
 
Popular singer Flavour performing at the event.
 
Chief Arthur Eze, Chairman of Atlas Petroleum. 
 
Chairman of Ibeto Group, Sir Cletus Ibeto (Omekannaya) and Chief and Mrs. Oscar Okeke.
 
Chairman of Chrome Group, Sir Emeka Offor and Chief Ifeanyi Uba.
 
Chairman of Orange Group, Sir Tony Ezenna, OFR and his wife Lady Lizzy Ezenna.
 
Chairman of Mega Chem Nigeria Limited, Mkpu Ogiliga, Pharmacist Sam Ubachukwu and Barrister (Mrs). Tessy Okeke.
 
Chairman of Capital Oil Limited, Chief Ifeanyi Uba exchanging handshake with Sir Emma Bishop Okonkwo.
 
APGA National Chairman, Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh and wife Lady Prisca Umeh.
 
Adaeze Obiaga, Nnenna and Nkechi Okonkwo.
 
Ace comedian Julius Agwu, Lady Ngozi Okonkwo and Chief Ifeanyi Nwankwo (Orange).
 


Photographs by Oparaji Chukwunonso.


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Thursday, July 3, 2014

It is Only An Incompetent Government that Allows Medical Doctors To Go On Strike

Patients are abandoned to suffer and die whenever medical doctors go on strike in Nigeria.

A stitch in time saves nine.

This is not the first time that the innocent lives of patients will be sacrificed in all federal and state-owned hospitals across the country as services have been shut down, because medical doctors are on strike again. But these same doctors will be very busy in their private clinics and hospitals where only privileged people and the rich can afford their high medical charges.

The medical doctors in Africa's most populous nation have genuine reasons for going on strike and sincerely from the facts presented only an incompetent government will allow Nigerian medical practitioners to go on strike every now and then when we don't even have enough medical doctors in Nigeria.
2,701 doctors trained in Nigeria have left the country to other countries to work in the last four years, Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi C.O. Chukwu, has said.
Nigeria currently posts a poor doctor-patient ratio of 1:3500 against the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of 1:600.
The latest report says there is one doctor to 6400 patients in Nigeria and that is terrifying.

I have said that the solution to the shortage of medical doctors in Nigeria is for the government to give full scholarships to all medical students in Nigeria and each one must spend at least one year in a world class medical school in the United States of America, the UK or Japan to be able to complete medical training in accordance with current international standards.
And all the medical clinics and hospitals must be well equipped and funded to stop senior government officials and the rich from spending millions of dollars on foreign medical trips.
The fact that the head of state and his wife, the First Lady cannot receive medical treatment in Nigeria is enough proof that the government has failed woefully to provide good medical services and health care in Nigeria.


The billions of dollars misappropriated by corrupt government officials are enough to give full scholarships to all medical students in Nigeria and equip all the teaching hospitals with modern medical facilities to ensure word class medicare.

When you visit some of the public health centers and hospitals in Nigeria, you will faint in fear of the outdated medical equipment and lack of basic medical services.

Whenever medical doctors go on strike in Nigeria, my heart breaks for the poor and powerless patients who will suffer the terrible consequences and condemning the aggrieved doctors for disregarding their sacred Hippocratic Oath is not realistic when you know the facts of what they are going through to do their best to save lives in the neglected clinics and hospitals in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has a long list of reasons for going on strike.

Listed: The 24 Reasons Nigerian Medical Doctors Are On Strike

1. The post of Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC) has been circularised and operational. Rather than abolish it, the NMA hereby demands that four (4) DCMACs for teaching hospitals and three (3) for the Federal Medical Centres be appointed forthwith to assist the CMACs whose statutory responsibilities are too heavy for any single individual to handle. Directors in other government agencies are supported by several Deputy Directors, why not the CMAC who is also a Director? Such a DCMAC must have same qualifications as the CMAC.

2. The NMA is opposed to the appointment of Directors in the Hospitals. This position distorts the chain of command in the hospital, induces anarchy and exposes the patient to conflicting treatment and management directives with attendant negative consequences.

3. The NMA demands that grade level 12 (CONMESS 2) in the health sector MUST be SKIPPED for medical doctors. Consequently no medical/dental practitioners should be on that grade level anymore.

4. The title “CONSULTANT” in a hospital setting describes the relationship between the Specialist Medical Doctor and his patient. It will be a source of confusion if the title is applied to any other health worker who statutorily does not own patient. NMA, therefore, declares with unmitigated emphasis that if “non-doctor consultants” are appointed, it will lead to chaos and anarchy in the health sector. This should not happen.

5. Relativity in health sector is sacrosanct. The NMA hereby demands for immediate implementation of the January 3rd, 2014 circular. The NMA also demands the immediate payment of the arrears of the corrected relativity for 22 years during which her members were short changed.

Much as we are not against salary increase for any category of workers, either in health or elsewhere, the NMA demands for immediate adjustment of the doctors’ salary to maintain the relativity as agreed and documented once CONHESS is adjusted.

6. That Government should expedite the passage of the National Health Bill (NHB), and extend Universal Health Coverage to cover 100% of Nigerians and not 30% as currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

7. Surgeon General of the Federation MUST be appointed with immediate effect.

8. The entry point of the House Officer should be corrected to CONMESS 1 step 4 as originally contained in MSS/MSSS while the Registrar/Medical Officer is moved to CONMESS 3 step 3.

9. Clinical duty allowance for Honorary Consultants should be increased by 90% of CONMESS

10. Adjust the specialist allowance as contained in the 2009 collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, ALL doctors on CONMESS 3 and above MUST be paid specialist allowance or its equivalent that is not less than 50% higher than what is paid to other health workers.

11. Hazard allowance MUST be at least N100, 000 per month for Medical Doctors.

12. Immediate release of the circular on rural posting, teaching and other allowances which MUST include house officers.

13. Immediate withdrawal of the CBN circular authorizing the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to approve licenses for the importation of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs).

14. Immediate Release of Circular on retirement age for Medical Doctors as agreed with the Federal Government (FG)

15. The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health should formalise and implement the report of the interagency committee on residency training as well as release the uniform template on appointment of Resident Doctors in line with earlier agreements. Moreover, a concrete Funding framework for residency training must be established. The Overseas clinical attachment must be fully restored and properly funded in the interest of the nation.

16. That in the interest of harmony in Federal Medical Centre, Owerri the government should pay the salaries of our members in the centre as agreed on 21st October, 2013.

17. Immediate concrete steps must be put in place for the reintegration of our members back into the IPPIS platform.

18. All attempts to coerce house officers not to join NARD must stop.

19. The orchestrated intimidation, harassment and physical assault of our members in departments of Pathology (Laboratory Medicine) by Laboratory Scientists which is being tolerated by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) must stop.

20. The Endless circle of incomplete salary payment to our members in many hospitals in the name of shortfalls in personnel cost must stop.

21. Universal applicability of all establishment circulars on the remuneration and conditions of service for doctors at all levels of Government must be guaranteed.

22. Government should as a matter of urgency set up a health trust fund that will enhance the upgrading of all hospitals in Nigeria.

23. The position of Chief Medical Director/Medical Director must continue to be occupied by a Medical Doctor as contained in the Act establishing the tertiary Hospitals. This position remains sacrosanct and untouchable.

24. The NMA henceforth shall not accept the continued violation of any of the terms of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is exemplified by the payment of Medical Physicists and Optometrists with OD (who are on CONHESS) call duty allowance using the CONMESS Circular. Similarly, the phrase “Ministries, Departments and Agencies” (MDA) in the said agreement should replace “Federal Ministry of Health and other Federal Health Institutions” as contained in the 2009 CONMESS Circular.


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EbonyLife TV Celebrates First Year Anniversary


Nigeria's leading lady of TV entertainment and one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Global TV, Mo Abudu will celebrate the First Anniversary of EbonyLife TV, Africa's first Black Global Entertainment Network on 20th July 2014, at Tinapa Studio Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
 
Africa’s first global black entertainment & lifestyle network, EbonyLife TV turns one this July, and in celebration of the first anniversary, the channel introduces ’The EbonyLife TV Interactive Studio Experience!


Introducing a whole day of excitement and a brand new experience for all lovers of genuine, homegrown African entertainment as they get the chance to experience first-hand an exclusive live recording of all our flagship shows and meet all their favourite EbonyLife TV presenters plus the opportunity to physically interact with them on their individual shows at the ultra modern Tinapa Film Studios in the golden city of Calabar, Nigeria. The shows include pan-Africa’s first daily syndicated talk show – Moments with Mo; the most laid-back show ever on TV where talk meets sitcom in the coolest hangout style – The Spot. It gets more thrilling with the inclusion of a very special performance to jazz up the event . Guests will also get the unique chance of mingling with the crew & cast of EL Now, EL Reports, The Fattening Room, Love Lounge and EL R8D, creating a fresh and fun experience for everybody to enjoy! Join us for our open studio tour at the Tinapa Film Studios in the golden city of Calabar, Nigeria on Sunday, July 20 from 5pm to 8pm and be a part of the real EbonyLife TV Experience!


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Mr. President, What Happened To Your Road Map For Power Reform?


 Your Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON,
May I know what happened to your much publicized Roadmap for Power Reform which you launched with fanfare on August 2, 2010 and well detailed in your 28-page “Goodluck Transform Nigeria”.
You promised to provide more power to Nigerians and set a minimum target of 16,000 MW by 2013. And then your honourable Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo said Nigeria was capable of generating 160,000 megawatts before the end of 2014. But as we can now see clearly that you have failed woefully to fulfill your promise and in fact power supply is now worse and many areas don't even have electricity power supply for days and others for weeks and still paying inflated electricity bills.
It is now a case of the more we look, the less we see.
Have you lost your map?
Or you need help with map reading?
Or do you need to come up with a new map?
We are waiting.
Millions are still fasting and praying for divine intervention, because power must change hands for the salvation of Nigeria before it is too late.

Your Excellency, Nigerians are not smiling even though you are still grinning from ear to ear and even dancing to "Azonto" and "Limpopo" instead of declaring national mourning for the thousands of precious innocent Nigerians attacked and murdered by the Boko Haram terrorists and their Hausa Fulani foot soldiers using their herds to trespass the farmlands of others in the Middle Belt and other parts of Nigeria. And even your wife, the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan lamented that she is crying to the Almighty God for the innocent blood they are sharing in the north eastern states. But may God never allow us to continue to share such horrible tragedies, because as we can see that while the poor and powerless are shedding their innocent blood, you and your family and other political leaders and their families are not sharing in the bloodshed, because you and your clans are far away in your safe havens whereas the rest of us are left at the mercy of the fanatics and lunatics of Boko Haram terrorists and their false prophets and deranged clerics who have sworn to destroy Nigeria. And in fact, we wonder how and where the Boko Haram terrorists continue to get their fuel to run their motorcycles, SUVs and armoured vehicles used in their attacks and return to their camps to celebrate with shouts of "Allahu Akbar" and drinking potions made from the Islamic quotations written on their slates. Then after shouting "Allahu Akbar", they take turns To Molest the helpless underage girls and women they have kidnapped from Chibok and other parts of northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt and on Fridays they join their fellow so called moderate or peace loving Muslims for the Jumat in their various mosques where their clerics recruit more hypnotized boys and men for the Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad (Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad).
They seem to be following their own road map to anarchy more than you following your road map for power reform.
So, who is fooling whom?

Power outages cost Nigeria billions of dollars on imported diesel for generators and in lost output.
But, since you privatized the power distribution companies, DISCOs, things have become worse and in fact more generators are being imported and more fuel imported to run them. So, the vicious circle continues with the mafia of the ruling oligarchy still in control of the importation of generators and petrol.
The National Extractive Industry and Transparency Initiative, NEITI, in annual audit reports indicted the petroleum ministry headed by your beloved Ms. Alison-Madueke, and many agencies under it of large scale fraud. And you have preferred to sweep the fraudulent reports under your carpet.

As we can see now that for the nation building of a New Nigeria, power must change hands and the earlier the better for Nigerians, otherwise majority of Nigerians will continue to grope in darkness of underdevelopment under the maladministration of a corrupt and incompetent government.

Your Excellency, I don't want to call you "Mr. Promise and Fail", but you have to prove me wrong or the label will suit you well.

May God save Nigeria before it is too late.



 
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Wednesday, July 2, 2014

World Business Leaders Gather in Nigeria for Bayelsa Investment and Business Forum



PRESS RELEASE 


World Business Leaders Gather in Nigeria for Bayelsa Investment and Business Forum 

Making Bayelsa state the Dubai of Africa 


LAGOS, Nigeria, July 2, 2014/ -- The Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria (http://www.bayelsa.gov.ng) says it has concluded arrangements to host global business leaders between 16th and 18th July, 2014, at its maiden investment and economic forum with the theme ‘Unlocking Bayelsa State’s Economic Potentials’.

Official opening ceremony of Bayelsa Development Investment Corporation in London by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Henry Seriake Dickson; from left to Right; Tam Alazigha (Deputy Managing Director, BDIC), Dr. Dalhatu Tafida The Nigerian High Commissioner to UK), Governor Seriake Dickson, King Alfred Diete-Spiff (the First Military Governor of the old Rivers State and Amayanabo of Twon Brass), Mr. Lawrence Robertson, British MP and Chairman Westminster African Business Council and Lord Marland of Odstock and Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council.

Barrister Kemela Okara, Hon Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Bayelsa State.


Disclosing this at a press briefing in Lagos, the State Commissioner of Trade, Industry and Investment, Barrister Kemela Okara said the Forum was in line with the present administration’s economic blueprint of a private sector driven economy which he said some foreign investors were already tapping into.


 “Our expectation”, he said, “is that potential investors from different parts of the world, within Nigeria and Bayelsans in the Diaspora will come and take advantage of the various opportunities that exist in Agriculture, Aquaculture, Oil and Gas, ICT, Tourism and Hospitality, and Power”.


He further said that in line with the administration’s vision of making the state the Dubai of Africa the government was creating an enabling environment complete with adequate security, infrastructure and an investor-friendly legal framework.


Some on-going projects which the Commissioner said would delight potential investors include the Agge Deep Seaport, the Cargo Airport, the World class diagnostics centre, a multi-billion naira 5-star hotel as well as the free trade zone the state government is planning to establish where there will be non-application of local taxation.


In the same vein, the Director General of the Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency, Freda Murray-Bruce said that the choice of Bayelsa as host of many international events in the last two and half years evidently attests to the fact that it is the most peaceful state in the country.


Highlighting the achievements of Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the chief press secretary disclosed that the state was now generating N1billion as internally generated revenue (IGR) per month, representing about 1000 per cent increase; a figure projected to hit N6billion in the next few years. This, he noted, could only be achieved by inviting investors, both foreign and domestic, to invest.

Noting the relevance of the power sector to the economy, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Cyril Akika disclosed that the government, in addition to the present power supply is planning to generate 3000 megawatts to boost power supply in the state.



Daniel Iworiso-Markson 
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State.


Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria.  


Media contact:
Lucky Joseph Earl Glow Communications
+2347064678562
earlglowcomms@yahoo.com
Follow @BayelsaBusiness
Follow #BayelsaisGoodforBusiness

SOURCE Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria

Jul 02, 2014

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Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Rallies Across North America Call for International Action Against Boko Haram


Rallies across North America Call for International Action against Boko Haram 
 Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) to Host Coordinated Rallies on July 5 Calling for International Support to Bring Back Kidnapped Girls 

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, July 5, 2014, Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) in the Americas will host a series of simultaneous rallies, called #UnitedAgainstBokoHaram to #BringBackOurGirls. The rallies will show a united front against the terrorist organization Boko Haram and call for the citizens and governments of United States, Canada, and all NIDOA host countries to support Nigeria in the global war against terrorism.

"These rallies across the Americas are a statement from Nigerians, and the citizens of the world who stand beside them, that we will not forget the atrocious acts being perpetrated against Nigerian children," said Chief Gabe Okoye, the chairman of NIDO in the Americas. "Through these rallies, we will show Boko Haram that we, and the international community, will not stand quietly by while women and children are abducted from their homes. We are telling them to bring back our girls."

Dr. Sandra Dafiaghor, the acting chair and organizer of the rallies, added, "Nigeria needs help to combat the global menace of terrorism. We are appealing to the American people and government to assist the Nigerian people with stopping Boko Haram and bringing back our girls."

The rallies will be held on Saturday, July 5, 2014, at various times throughout the day. The events will be held in the United States in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Greenville, S.C. Abroad they will be held in Windsor, Ontario and Belmopan, Belize. The rallies will show solidarity, raise local support, and promote an international call to action to find and release the more than 200 captive Chibok girls.

The militant Islamist group Boko Haram abducted more than 200 girls in April 2014 and has since launched attacks across Nigeria, from a suicide bombing at a World Cup viewing site to terrorist bombings in northeastern Nigerian villages. The Nigerian government has actively pursued efforts, both at home and abroad, to release the girls and stop Boko Haram from terrorizing its citizens.

NIDO chapters across the Americas are banding together to call the international community to action. To learn more about the events, visit http://www.nigeriansunited.com/. Information will also be posted on Twitter at @NigeriansUnited and on Facebook at Nidos Americas. To follow along with the rallies on social media and to promote posts from the rally, use the hashtags: #UnitedAgainstBokoHaram and #BringBackOurGirls.

About NIDO
Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) in the Americas instills ethical consciousness and civic responsibility to enhance the socio-economic advancement of Nigerians and humanity. Established in 2000, the D.C.-based, non-profit promotes social advocacy, education, healthcare, technological and economic empowerment, as well as skills and cultural exchange projects. NIDO is recognized by the Nigerian government as the umbrella organization for all Nigerians in the Americas and Caribbean. To learn more, visit http://www.nidoamerica.org/.

SOURCE Nigerians in Diaspora Organization
CONTACT: Dr. Sandra Dafiaghor, Ag Chair, NIDOA, (219) 712-9567 or jeremi@prodigy.net; or Dr. Sam Afolayan, General Secretary, NIDOA, (403) 835-1752 or safolayan@nidoamerica.org

 Jul 01, 2014


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