President Jonathan says every Nigerian must have a National ID card by 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that he wants every Nigerian to have his/her national identity card by 2015.

The president made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, while speaking at the inauguration of the new board of the National Population Commission (NPC).

The new NPC team is headed by former Managing Director of the Nigerian Breweries Limited, Eze Festus Odimegwu.

The president charged the NPC teamm on what he called two sensitive population issues, first is that they must ensure that every Nigerian gets his national identity card by 2015 and that they should set up a committee to advocate the need to manage the population.

He also expressed his desire to see the nation’s vast population and human resources, utilised as an asset for national development, “if properly managed”, he added.

President Jonathan told the new leadership of the NPC to find out how countries that have similar population as Nigeria are able to manage it in the same manner countries with small population have.

He urged the new commission to go beyond just census and come up with advocacy programmes that to encourage Nigerians to have the number of children they can manage.

Recalling that the last census was carried out with cutting edge technology, the president called on the NPC to do better by raising the ante.

The new chairman of the NPC and his commissioners later filed out in batches for the oath and signed the dotted lines as well as received the presidential handshake.

The new chairman in his address dispelled anticipated worries on how a former brewer will manage the affairs of the population commission.

The United Nation Population Fund (UNFP) claims Nigeria is the sixth most populous nation in the world with an estimated population of 167 million people. It is estimated that the population will increase to 200 million in the next four decades.

Experts have called for a proper knowledge of all the data that goes with such huge population, to enhance government budget and plan properly, as well as effectively provide services for the people.

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Mysterious fire guts Zenith Bank branch

A mysterious fire, on Tuesday evening, gutted the Anthony Village branch of Zenith Bank, causing fear and panic among staff.

According to sources at the bank, the fire started around 5.00p.m., shortly after business hours.

The explosion followed a bang that reportedly jolted the bank staff and some late customers still tidying up transactions.

Some of the members of staff reportedly used fire extinguishers to stop the fire from raging beyond control. The intervention of firefighters was said to have prevented the building from being totally damaged.

Police officers from Onipanu, Pedro and Alade stations were also promptly drafted to the bank to render support.

It was however gathered that the fire destroyed some valuables and equipment like desktops, chairs, tables and office documents, while the window frames and louvres were also shattered.

In spite of the commotion that ensued following the incident, there was no report of injury to anyone.

A bank staff, who requested anonymity, said the general suspicion was that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction.

“Nobody died but with the level of insecurity in the country, some of the customers thought it was a bomb blast and they ran in confusion, but nobody was injured," the source added.

"Until the police conduct an investigation, we will then know the details of what happened.”

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, were not successful and she also failed to reply the text message sent to her phone.

This incident is coming barely a day after over one thousand members of staff of the bank were abruptly relieved of their jobs, following recent mass retrenchment hitting the country's banking sector.

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President Goodluck Jonathan Sacks NNPC Management and Board

The president’s new appointment is expected to overhaul the oil and gas sector

President Goodluck Jonathan has fired the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Austen Oniwon, and other top officials of the corporations.

Andrew Yakubu, an engineer has been appointed Mr. Oniwon’s replacement.

See full press release from the presidency on the new appointments below.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN APPROVES RE-COMPOSITION OF NNPC MANAGEMENT TEAM

To further strengthen the ongoing reforms and transformation of Nigeria’s Petroleum sector, and in furtherance of efforts to achieve greater transparency and accountability in government, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the re-composition of the executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as follows: 1. Engr. Andrew Yakubu – Group Managing Director
2. Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti – Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts)
3. Engr. Abiye Membere – Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production)
4. Dr. Peter S. Nmadu – Group Executive Director (Corporate Services)
5. Engr. Anthony Ogbuigwe – Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals)
6. Dr. Attahir B. Yusuf – Group Executive Director (Commercial & Investments)
7. Dr. David Ige – Group Executive Director (Gas & Power)
The incoming Group Managing Director, Engr. Andrew Yakubu graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He joined the NNPC in 1980. Positions he has held in the corporation include Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company and Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production). Engr. Yakubu is an indigene of Kaduna State and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
President Jonathan has also approved the appointment of Engr. Victor Briggs as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
The incumbent Group Managing Director, Engr. Austen Oniwon, and Mr. Michael Arokodare (outgoing Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts), Mr. Philip Chukwu, outgoing Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals), and Engr. Billy Agha, outgoing Group Executive Director (Engineering & Technology) are to proceed on retirement.
President Jonathan commends the outgoing directors for their service to the nation and urges the new management team to be fully committed to rapidly implementing the critical interventions needed to positively transform Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
June 26, 2012

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Nigerian breaks academic record at John Hopkins University

 

A 22 year old Nigerian has emerged the best graduating student of John Hopkins University in the US. Emmanuel Ohuabunwa from Arochukwu, Abia State obtained a Grade Point Average of 3.98 out of a possible 4.0 to earn a degree in Neurosciences. Emmanuel is the first black man to make this Grade in the university.

For his efforts, he has won a scholarship to Yale University to pursue a degree in medicine. He has also been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Society, a prestigious honour group that features membership of 17 US Presidents, 37 US Supreme Court Justices, and 136 Nobel Prize winners. (Punch)

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Cargo plane hits bus in Ghana airport crash

The plane had been coming in to land when it overshot the runway, officials say

A cargo plane has crash landed in Ghana's capital Accra, hitting a bus full of passengers, officials say.

Ten passengers on board the bus were reported to have been killed while all four crew members survived.

Local TV showed the heavily damaged Boeing 727 Allied Air plane lying across a road close to Kotoka International Airport.

Ghana's airport operator said the plane, which had flown from Lagos, Nigeria, overshot the runway.

It said in a statement that the four crew members were receiving treatment at an airport clinic.

"The aircraft collided with a minivan, resulting in 10 confirmed fatalities," the statement added.

Police and troops cordoned off the scene following the incident just after 19:00 GMT on Saturday.

Ghana's Vice President John Dramani Mahama told reporters at the airport that a thorough investigation would be carried out.

"No early conclusions should be drawn. We should allow investigations to arrive at the actual cause. But I can assure Ghanaians that the situation is under control," he said.

Ghana Airport Company said flights were continuing as normal at the airport.

Kofi Kportufe, head of Ghana's national disaster management agency, praised the emergency services for their quick response, which he said had "averted further disaster".

"This is a sad day for Ghana," he said.

Source: The BBC's 

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