Osaze: I'm in the form of my Life

Hero Osaze Odenwingie praised the team’s work ethic in their hard-fought 1-0 Premier League victory over Hull City.. He added that he was happy to be in the form of his life going into the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “Today was one of those difficult days,” Peter admitted to Stoke City Player following the match. “I honestly don’t know how I found enough energy to finish the game today!” he added. “I lacked a bit of energy throughout because of the way they play with wingbacks meaning as wingers we had to go really deep to help stop them attacking. “But after the break we allowed the full backs to pick them up a bit more and then myself and Marko [Arnautovic] had a few more chances so we’re very pleased with that Then I got in the position for the goal, took the shot and was very pleased that it went in. “When I scored I knew that would be a turning point for the game.” The 32-year-old also responded to recent media reports of a possible return to the international scene ahead of Nigeria’s appearance in this summer’s World Cup in Brazil. “I’ve been in touch with the manager and the Federation as well,” he stated. “It’s looking positive now and we’re mending bridges. I’m happy that I am doing well and feel that I am in the form of my life. “If I can help the team it’s never a question of me not being there; I’m always available so we’ll see what happens.”

Okonjo-Iweala disappointed me

DR. (Mrs) Okonjo Iweala is a world acclaimed personality in the professional fields of economics, banking and finance. She has been listed as one of the 100 most influential persons on earth and had risen to the heights of the World Bank presidency. If not for the intervention of the United States of America, she will be there today as the number one World Bank personnel, as she was perceived as the better candidate for the position, by those who are in position to know, including the influential Economist magazine. She was in Obasanjo’s government as Finance Minister and hugely credited with the successful negotiation of the Paris Club debt that put to an end the debt albatross that was, for a long time, threatening the nation’s economy. It was rumoured that she left the Obasanjo government because of her uncompromising stand against the financial recklessness exhibited by the regime of that time and not a few people were disappointed at the manner she exited. President Goodluck Jonathan, while explaining the reason for re-inviting Iweala into his government, revealed to the press that anywhere he visited, all over the world, people were singing her praise and the country would be lucky to have her for the needed rapid transformation, especially in using her international clout to engender sound financial management and control of the Nigerian economy. It was also rumoured that before Okonjo Iweala agreed to take up the position, she gave conditions that will guarantee her an oversight supervision of other departments of government as co-ordinating minister. Her request was granted and there was joy in our hearts as she assumed duty for the second time as Finance Minister, with the additional port-folio of Co-ordinating Minister. But few refuse to get carried away by the euphoria that accompanied her return; they pointed to the not-so-smooth manner, the debt settlement was arrived at, especially as it concerns percentage commission for those involved in the negotiations, and also her inability to do anything amidst scandals besetting the government – PDTF, Halliburton, Siemens and others. Nevertheless, we happily welcomed her back and with the additional job of co-ordinating, it was expected that all the financial recklessness associated with various government ministries and parastatals will be a thing of the past. Alas, four years into this government, those of us who rooted for Okonjo-Iweala are heart broken. Pessimists are now gloating and saying: ” we told you so “. The question we are asking now is: If Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the Co-ordinating Minister of this government, what has she been co-ordinating? Can she, in all good conscience and performance standard, absolve herself from blame for all the rots and variegated scandals assailing this regime? Or, is she just a figure head who approves and endorses what people bring to her? From her antecedents and credentials, Dr Okonjo-Iweala can never accept to be a figure head. If this is so, why has she decided to risk all these lofty credentials in the sordid Nigerian political waters? Our recurrent expenditures has reached the 80 per cent level and she has done nothing about it. She is the Co-ordinating Minister for all organs of government, including the other arms like the National Assembly and the judiciary. Reverend Peter Adebiyi, writing under the title ” Who says Nigeria unity is not negotiable” in the Vanguard of March 19, 2014, claimed that in 1999, the overall budget for the National Assembly was N7 billion, today it is above N155 billion. With no additional constituencies, it is mind-boggling. Under Okonjo- Iweala this is happening and she has done nothing about it. The Finance Ministry is the supervisory ministry to the Central Bank of Nigeria. In recent times, the Central Bank governor was placed under suspension for gross misuse or abuse of resources placed under his care. Sanusi has been there for over four years; in fact, his tenure is already completed; he claimed that all through this period, the Central Bank has been sending its audited reports to the Presidency. Why are we just discovering Sanusi Lamido’s excesses? What is supposed to be the responsibility of Okonjo-Iweala in this matter? We are blaming the opposition for trying to bring down the government, whereas those in government provided the perfect tools for the opposition to use against them. We expect Dr Okonjo-Iweala to institute a culture of transparency in the running of our finances. Four years into the regime, we are still grappling with this simple procedure- true transparency that the World Bank has been preaching since Okonjo-Iweala’s time at the institution. It was embarrassing watching Okonjo-Iweala during the NNPC and Sanusi’s shadow boxing over the now $20 billion unaccounted for oil revenue. She could not offer any clue. Is the Finance Ministry not supposed to have records of the country’s incomes and expenditures, independent of the Central Bank? If they do not have, then we have in position, a sleeping Finance Ministry. Whose responsibility is it to ensure proper accounting standard for the country? We expected the ministry to demand for clean financial statements, free from ambiguities. Now, in the midst of these conflicting statements, the Finance Ministry seems not to be anywhere. Why are they just requesting for a forensic audit of the NNPC account? Has NEITI not done enough in the past to call for action? If Sanusi did not raise the missing fund alarm, would the Minister had requested for a forensic audit? The Accountant General, Auditor General and the Governor of the Central Bank are all under the direct supervision of the Finance Ministry, yet all of them could not agree on the true position of the nation’s finances, too bad. Dr Okonjo-Iweala disappointed me on account of the wastefulness in fuel subsidy, the NNPC, pension fund, SEC, National Assembly, aviation, immigration, and many other government ministries and agencies. Unemployment rate presently hovers between 23 and 27 per cent, and our foreign reserve is steadily depleting; we have gone back into borrowing. It is a shame. For Okonjo-Iweala, we demand a better performance, please. It is not too late. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

I have Forgiven Atiku and Co - Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, reacted to the request of Northern Youth Leaders Forum, NLYF, to forgive his estranged former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, saying; “I have forgiven him.” Obasanjo who stated this after a two-day meeting with the forum in Abeokuta said he had also forgiven other persons perceived to have offended him. The forum led by its Chairman, Elliot Afiyo had appealed to Obasanjo to forgive his former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of whatever political sin or offence he might have committed against him. Abubakar was Obasanjo’s vice, between 1999 and 2007, and was believed to have scuttled the third-term ambition of Obasanjo in 2006. But Obasanjo while reacting to the request by the NYLF said as a leader and father, he bore no grudge against anybody and if there was, he had forgiven. According to him: “On the request that you made yesterday, I do not have any grudge against anybody. And if there is any, I have forgiven all as a father.” Obasanjo who appreciated the group for coming to Abeokuta to make case for a way forward for the country, stressed that since 2003, the group had increased in membership. He said: “The effort of your group has been noteworthy. I am happy that you have also increased in number. Let me appreciate all your support since 2003 and urge you to continue by ensuring that credible leaders are elected in 2015.” The leader of the delegation , Afiyo had earlier said: “The leadership ïs in Abeokuta to visit our Baba to identify with his vision for our great country, Nigeria.” In a position paper submitted earlier on Saturday, he stated; “We have come to you (Obasanjo) as a father indeed. “With your positive attributes, Chief Obasanjo has no option or alternative than to chastise and later forgive and embrace both the good and bad characters. “In view of this, we humbly request that you forgive your former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of whatever political sin or offence he might have committed against you. We bow ourselves before you on his behalf and plead for mercy and understanding.” The National chairman added that the mission to come and plead for Atiku did not in any way stop him from charting any noble political course for the nation come 2015.

Lukoil begins output from giant Iraq oilfield

BASRA: Russia's Lukoil began commercial production from one of the world's largest untapped oilfields in Iraq yesterday, as the country raises output to record levels. Production from the giant West Qurna-2 is eventually expected to reach 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd), from an initial 120,000 bpd. The field is one of several that form the backbone of Iraq's plans to revive its oil sector and lift the economy after decades of sanctions and war. At a ceremony to inaugurate the field, Iraqi Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi said output of 400,000 bpd from West Qurna-2 by the end of the year would help Iraq reach a production target of 4m bpd for 2014. Output from Iraq, already the second-largest producer in Opec, averaged 3.5m bpd in February. The launch of West Qurna-2, with recoverable reserves estimated at around 14 billion barrels, will allow Lukoil, which holds a 75 per cent stake in the field, to more than double its overseas output. "The start of production at West Qurna-2 is strategically important for Lukoil," said chief executive Vagit Alekperov in a statement. Russia's second largest oil producer saw its production rise 1.1pc last year and is aiming for a 1.5pc rise this year with the boost from West Qurna-2. The world's leading oil companies have been expanding other giant fields in Iraq's south - Rumaila led by BP, West Qurna-1 run by Exxon and Zubair operated by Eni since 2010 when they signed a series of service contracts with Baghdad. Iraq has set an export target of 3.4m bpd for 2014, including 400,000 bpd from the Kurdistan region, implying output of 4m bpd, including oil used domestically. Oil experts still see that as optimistic, but growth is returning thanks to the expanded capacity at southern export terminals and further rises from the fields of Majnoon, led by Shell and Halfaya, where PetroChina is the operator. Iraqi exports are also due to get an additional boost next month from Kurdistan, which recently agreed to resume pumping 100,000 bpd as a "gesture of goodwill" aimed at easing a dispute with the federal government in Baghdad. Kurdistan stopped exporting via the national network more than one year ago due to a row over payments for oil companies operating in the region, and has since finished building an independent pipeline to Turkey. Baghdad claims sole authority to manage all the country's crude and refuses to cover the costs of companies that have signed contracts with the Kurds, rejecting those deals as illegal. "We hope the differences will be solved and exportation of the oil produced in Kurdistan will begin next month," Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussain Al Shahristani said at the inauguration.

Security Forces Foil Attempted Jail Break at SSS Hqtrs

Sporadic gunshots erupted in the early hours of Sunday at the Headquarters of Department of Security Service when detainees attempted to break free from their facility. The Deputy Director, Public Relations, DSS Ms Marilyn Ogar who confirmed the development, said the incident happened around 7.15am when one of the terrorist suspects tried to disarm DDS officer in charge. Ogar said: "Attempted jail break 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects. " One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff". She added that the suspect's attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others. According to her, "the gun shots attracted the attention of the military with whom we have an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat". The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators.

Pope Francis Confesses His Sins in Public

Pope Francis continued his rock star turn yesterday by breaking with tradition and publicly confessing his sins while leading a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica. ''The pope, dressed in a simple white alb and purple stole, spent about three minutes kneeling before the priest's open confessional and received absolution. The priest also clasped the pope's hands and kissed his simple silver ring''. The Video is below, As we noted, just days ago, Pope Francis, who had made the cover of Rolling Stone, promised Jersey Vargas, a ten-year-old girl, that he would mention immigration reform in his meeting this week with President Obama. Specifically, Vargas was appealing to Francis on behalf of her father, Mario Vargas, who is in the process of being deported. The plea, at least in the short-term, worked. Around the same time that the Pope was confessing his sins, Vargas walked free. ''Mario Vargas was freed from a detention facility in Louisiana after he posted $5,000 bond. A relative who saw the girl on television pleading with the pope during a public audience helped with the funding, said his wife, Lola Vargas''. Vargas will reunite with his family for the first time in two years while they await the ruling of an immigration judge in the outcome of his deportation case.

Chelsea boss Mourinho: PSG can have Oscar and Hazard...

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has slapped a £300 million price-tag on midfielders Oscar and Eden Hazard. Mourinho insists Chelsea’s Champions League opponents Paris Saint-Germain would have to stump up an astonishing £300million if they really want to prise Hazard and Oscar from Stamford Bridge. The mega-rich French club have been linked with the duo but Mourinho said: "No problem. If there is Financial Fair Play, they don’t have money to buy them. If there is no Financial Fair Play and it’s £300m for both, Chelsea have to think about it."