Buhari needs economic advisers. By Lekan Sote

An interesting narrative from Greek mythology says that before the heavens, skies, and earth were made, chaos, a confused shapeless mass of dead weight prevailed. The air was not transparent, the earth was not solid, and the sea was not fluid. Yet, in the belly of the chaos were the seeds of all things that were to be.

When God and Nature intervened to put an end to all the discord, the fire part, being the lightest, formed the sky, the air, not as light as fire, rose just below the sky, the earth, being the heaviest, sank, and water that always finds its level was buried below the earth.

An unidentified lesser god arranged and disposed the earth: He appointed the bays, raised hills and mountains, scooped out valleys, and distributed the fertile grounds, the woods, and the stony places. After chaos had been shoved aside, stars appeared in the sky, birds took possession of the air, beasts took over the land, and fishes occupied the rivers.

Finally, Man, the noblest of all creation, was kneaded into being with earth and water. Other creatures were on all fours and looked downward to the earth. But Man stood upright, raised his face to the heavens, and gazed at the stars. That probably explains Man’s ability for imagination and farsightedness.

Unfortunately lesser god Epimetheus who allots abilities and talents exhausted all the courage, strength, swiftness, sagacity, wings and claws for birds, paws for cats, shells for the tortoise, and other gifts to the lower animals, but left none for Man.

So, Minerva, god of wisdom, came from heaven with the gift of fire to quicken the intellect of Man. Thus, Man could subdue other creatures, and make his dwelling place comparatively independent of the climates. He also invented the art to coin money for his trade and commerce.

When the folly of Phaeton, the son of Apollo, caused intense heat to scorch the earth that supplied fertility, herbage for cattle, fruits for men, and the olive oil for holy occasions, the earth cried in despair, and with fear that all may return to the forsaken chaos.

The shambles that has become of the Nigerian economy is like the chaos before creation. The National Bureau of Statistics that announced that more than 4.58 million Nigerians lost their jobs in the last one year, also declared Nigeria’s economy, after a negative growth or deceleration for two consecutive quarters, is in recession.

There is a need for an exit plan for Nigeria from these dire straits. In the words of Niran Malaolu, a former Ogun State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, “The earlier we start (re)building this nation, the better for us.” President Muhammadu Buhari’s comfort pitch, “I can assure you that Nigeria will be great again,” is like a dry humour. The respective fiscal and monetarist policies of Finance Minister Kemi Adesoun and Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele don’t quite cut the economic ice.

One is even at a loss as to how the insensitive Ministry of Communications and Technology seeks to impose a nine per cent tax on phone calls, text messages, internet access, and (albeit luxury) pay TV, when consumers on Main Street are losing their purchasing power to a depreciating naira, increase in lending rate, and debilitating inflation.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who wonders, “Who is advising the government?” also declares that “You can’t be in recession because a sector that is 15 per cent of the GDP has declined. What happened to agriculture, trade, service, and health?”

This is another way of saying that President Buhari urgently needs a Committee of Economic Advisers to provide him with objective economic analysis and advice. They will interrogate the macro and micro aspects of the economy, and think up plans to rejig the comatose real sector that is understandably in default of supplying essential commodities, providing jobs, and paying tax.

Mr. President’s circle of personal acquaintances may not provide all the competencies that Nigeria needs at this time. He should search for men with the ability to cast a detached and holistic outlook at the economy, tell if the emperor is wearing no clothes, and construct an appropriate economic conceptual framework.

To be sure, Section 18 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution provides for a National Economic Council of Governors of the CBN and each of the 36 states, with the Vice President as Chairman. The NEC has “power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs, and in particular on measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.”

This unwieldy organ composed of widely dispersed chief executives who are extremely busy with their daily grinds cannot meet and plan on a daily basis. And apart from the CBN Governor, the other members are politicians, whose nature it is to squabble over turf and interest. At best, NEC will issue only bland communiqués, and serve as a clearing house for the coordination of national economic policies.

Those who argue that despite its lack or dearth of requisite personnel, NEC retains the responsibility to “advise the President concerning the economic affairs” just successfully admitted the obvious flaw of this constitutional contraption.

They may be correct to argue that attempt to expand membership of NEC to include experts and professionals may lead to a constitutional logjam. However, the President should not invite any constitutional ire if he administratively sets up an independent team of economic advisers, even if the Vice President is the Chairman.

The half-way house economic committee of Ministers Udoma Udo-Udoma, Kemi Adeosun, Okechukwu Enelemah, Audu Ogbeh, Lai Mohammed and the CBN Governor that has the Vice President as Chairman, misses the point. These highly intelligent individuals, as line managers, are too busy running their agencies and can hardly afford the time needed to reflect as members of an Economic Team that normally function as staff managers.

By the way, government cannot take the fullest advantage of the capacities of Bismack Rewane, Bode Agusto, Dr. Ayo Teriba, and Profs Akpan Ekpo and Badayi Sani in just four hours of a snap review of the effects of the new foreign exchange regime on the economy, and preview of the Medium Term Economic Framework for 2017-2019. If they didn’t tell the Vice President that much, they were just being polite.

This Council of Economic Advisers should include economists, investment experts, scientists and technologists, sociologists, historians, philosophers, sundry other professionals, and industry players, who are conversant with best practices in their fields.

Those who are scared stiff should rest assured that whereas the economic “think tank” may be domiciled within the Presidency, its members will not usurp the job of the Federal Executive Council or any other agency with constitutional responsibility to manage the economy. But their up-to-date data, insight, and counsel should be an essential input to government decision making.

What seems to be wrong with the idea of getting an economic think tank for Nigeria is in the claim by someone that “We have to understand that the attitude of the Presidency (read the cabal around the President) is to consider the management of the economy as a government responsibility. “ As the French would say, Je m’excuse!

@lekansote1

American, 57, hangs self in Lagos hotel

The police in Lagos State have begun investigation into the death of a 57-year-old American, who was found hanged with a rope in a hotel room in the Lekki area of the state.

 Our correspondent learnt that the American, Charles Carlson, had checked into Ellyx Vile Hotel on African Line, Lekki Phase 1, on Monday before the incident happened.

Our correspondent gathered that the hotel workers discovered Carlson had hanged himself when it was time for breakfast on Tuesday and he failed to show up or pick his calls.

The hotel room was thereafter forced open and his corpse was found hanged with a rope.

The incident was thereafter reported at the Maroko Police Division which came to evacuate the corpse.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed the death, said the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, had directed operatives to unravel the mysteries around his death.

She said, “The matter was reported to the police by the manager of the hotel, identified as Vincent Owunke. The guest, Carlson, an American, it was observed did not pick calls to the intercom in his room and he did not come out for breakfast.

“The police are investigating a case of sudden and unnatural death. The American was found motionless and hanged himself with a rope close to the door. The CP, Owoseni, has directed the case to be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for further investigation.”

(PUNCH)

Zika virus can live in eyes, spread through tears – Study

The Zika virus can live in eyes, researchers said Tuesday, after conducting experiments on mice that may explain why some patients develop ocular disease and in some cases become blind.

The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, studied the effects of Zika virus infection in the eyes of fetal, newborn and adult mice.

“Our study suggests that the eye could be a reservoir for Zika virus,” said Michael Diamond, a professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who is one of the study’s senior authors.

“We need to consider whether people with Zika have infectious virus in their eyes and how long it actually persists,” he added, noting that patients could spread the infection through their tears.

The researchers are planning to expand their study to include humans infected with Zika virus.

Zika causes only mild symptoms such as fever and a rash for most people but pregnant women who catch it can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads.

One third of babies infected with Zika in utero have eye disease such as inflammation of the optic nerve, retinal damage or blindness, the researchers said.

In adults, Zika can cause conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, and in some rare cases uveitis, a condition in which part of the eye wall becomes inflamed. It can lead to permanent vision loss.

In conducting the study, researchers infected mice under the skin, similar to the way a human would be infected by a mosquito.

They found live Zika virus in the rodents’ eyes seven days later.

Infection in the eyes means it’s possible people can become infected with Zika simply through touching contaminated tears.

It’s still not clear how the Zika virus makes its way to the eyes. One possibility is that it crosses “the blood-retina barrier that separates the eye from the bloodstream, traveling along the optic nerve that connects the brain and the eye,” researchers said in a statement.

Researchers found genetic material from Zika in the tears of infected mice 28 days after infection — though not the virus itself.

“Even though we didn’t find live virus in mouse tears, that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be infectious in humans,” said lead author Jonathan Miner, who teaches medicine at Washington University.

“There could be a window of time when tears are highly infectious and people are coming in contact with it and able to spread it.”

AFP

Christian Eriksen signs new long-term Tottenham Hotspur contract

Christian Eriksen has signed a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur that will keep him at the club until 2020.

Eriksen, 24, has been in negotiations with the club since March over a new deal and his new contract is worth around £75,000-per week, making him one of Spurs' top earners alongside Harry Kane, Mousa Dembele, Hugo Lloris and Erik Lamela.

The Denmark international joined Spurs from Ajax in 2013 and has become one of their most influential players. In 33 Premier League appearances last season he scored six goals and set up 13 as the club finished third.

"It's gone really quickly," Eriksen told the club's official website. "It's my fourth season now and yet it doesn't feel like that, it feels more like a second season and it's more and more exciting.

"There is a great future at this place and I wouldn't have signed if I didn't see that. It's a very good group of people, players who connect with each other, staff who connect with the players and we all have an idea of where we want to go, and hopefully we'll achieve it."

It was reported last week that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino personally intervened in the contract talks amid fears they would affect the player's form.

Negotiations remained cordial, according to PA Sport throughout the summer but they had reached a stalemate last month, before Pochettino persuaded both sides they needed to come to a resolution.

Paris auction house porters jailed for stealing objects worth millions

Porters who operated a lucrative crime ring at Paris’s most prestigious auction house have been jailed for the theft of objects worth millions.

A judge sentenced 30 people to between 18 months and three years in prison. They were members of a traditional 110-strong union known as the cols rouges because of the red collars on their black uniforms.

Their scam was rumbled following an anonymous tipoff, which led to a police operation that recovered thousands of paintings, sculptures and other objects stolen from auctioneers Hôtel Drouot.

The Union des commissionaires de l’hôtel des ventes (UCHV) – also known as the Savoyards – worked like a secret society whose members made so much money from their systematic pilfering that many drove luxury cars and one evn bought a Parisian bar.

Three auctioneers accused of involvement in the racket were given 18-month suspended sentences and fined €25,000 (£21,000).

The public prosecutor had demanded sentences of up to five years, but the court imposed a maximum of three years – with half the sentences suspended – along with fines of up to €60,000.

Among the 275 tonnes of objects stolen from the auction house were antique furniture, works by Courbet, Chagall and Matisse as well as jewellery. Items from the estate of the Irish furniture designer Eileen Gray worth an estimated €1m, a Ming dynasty Chinese plate worth €325,000 and rare costumes belonging to French mime artist Marcel Marceau also disappeared.

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In March, 49 people were put on trial charged with organised theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and handling stolen goods. Le Monde reported that one of the cols rouges told police: “I cannot give you a single name of a commissioner who didn’t at one time or another steal in the exercise of his job … in fact, at the UCHV, theft was an institution. Everyone had a bite.”

The cols rouges, who could earn up to €60,000 a year, were traditionally exclusively recruited from Alpine villages in eastern France and enjoyed a monopoly and independence granted to them by Napoleon III in 1860. They did not wear name badges but had identification numbers embroidered in gold thread on their collars and chose nicknames, like Chocolat, Corbeau (crow), Beaujolais or Gitan (Gypsy). They could pass on or sell their number to their successor.

The court heard the organisation operated as a kind of secret criminal cooperative for decades, with all revenue collected and distributed equally among members. New recruits were initiated into la yape – pilfering in Savoyard slang – but those who refused to take part were excluded.

During the three-week trial, the prosecution alleged objects were stolen either during valuations of the estates of recently deceased collectors or wealthy individuals, or while the items were being shipped to Hôtel Drouot or held in storage awaiting auction. The auction house handles up to a million items a year. 

Le Parisien reported that as well as stealing whole items, the accused would take part of an object, which would then be sold cheaply at auction as it was incomplete. Having bought the item, the missing piece would be replaced and it would be resold at a far higher price.

If an auctioneer became suspicious, the cols rouges would cause havoc. “He would find objects were broken, that they weren’t in the right auction room or were late, which held things up. For us, it was a way of exerting pressure [on them],” one told police.

The scam was discovered when an anonymous caller tipped off police in 2009 that one of the cols rouges had removed an oil-painting by Courbet called Seascape with Orange Sky six years previously. The painting had been stored at Drouot and went missing in 2003.

Police tapped a porter’s phone and subsequently launched an investigation into the UCHV. Detectives carried out 147 separate searches and found about 6,000 paintings, sculptures, jewellery, furniture and other stolen objects. The union, described by police as concealing a “generalised system of theft … with the complicity of certain auctioneers”, was shut down.

Hôtel Drouot, which was a civil party in the legal action, insisted the cols rouges were independent of them and pointed out they were self-employed, but not everyone is glad to see the back of the Savoyards.

One auctioneer told Le Monde: “They were efficient. With the new transporters, it’s total amateurism.”

 Source: The Guardian UK

England U21s 6-1 Norway U21s: Marcus Rashford nets hat-trick on debut

Marcus Rashford scored a hat-trick on his England Under-21 debut as Gareth Southgate's side saw off Norway Under-21s 6-1 in their Euro 2017 Qualifier in Colchester.

Manchester United star, Rashford, scored against the run of play with a neat finish inside the area in the first half, meaning he has now scored on both his senior debut and Under-21 debut for England.

Chelsea's Nathaniel Chalobah added a second moments later with a volley from six yards, before his club team-mate Ruben Loftus-Cheek swept home a fine third.

Rashford's deflected effort then looped into the top corner on 66 minutes, and though Ghayas Zahid grabbed a headed consolation, the 18-year-old completed his hat-trick with a penalty moments later.

Lewis Baker, on loan at Vitesse from Chelsea, hooked home a sixth late on, and the result means England go back to top spot in Group 9 with two games remaining, two points ahead of second-place Switzerland.

Rashford, 18, was making his first start for England Under-21s, while Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard started for the opposition at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Norway started the brightest, forcing Angus Gunn into a string of early saves. First, Mohamed Elyounoussi was denied at the near post as Gunn beat away his fierce effort, before the Manchester City stopper was at it again, denying the same player with a fine save to his right from an effort inside the area.

Moments later Gunn was at his best to deny Iver Fossum, whose near post header from Odegaard's cross was parried away at point-blank range.

Despite their early dominance, Norway were behind just before the half-hour mark. Rashford, racing on to a deflected through ball from Chalobah, poked the ball past Sondre Rossbach into the bottom right corner from inside the area.

It was 2-0 eight minutes before the break, Chalobah volleying home from close range for his first Under-21 goal after James Ward-Prowse's sumptuous free-kick from the right.

Rashford was denied at close range by Rossbach after the break, before Loftus-Cheek got the goal his performance deserved on 64 minutes, curling home into the bottom corner from Nathan Redmond's square ball to start a period of four goals in eight minutes.

Rashford got his second and England's fourth two minutes later, seeing his effort from inside the area deflect and curl into the top corner, before Norway substitute Zahid headed in a neat consolation at the near post.

England were awarded a penalty on 72 minutes as Rashford's cross was handled by Thomas Grogaard, and usual penalty taker Ward-Prowse stepped aside to allow him to convert for his third goal of the game.

Redmond hit the post later in the half with a left-footed drive from 30 yards, and Baker completed the rout with four minutes remaining, directing Ward-Prowse's corner into the bottom right corner with a fine finish.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan unsure of fitness ahead of Manchester derby

Henrikh Mkhitaryan says he is "not sure yet" if he will be fit for the Manchester derby this weekend.

The midfielder, who made a £26m move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United in July, missed Armenia's World Cup qualifier against Denmark on Sunday night with a thigh injury.

Mkhitaryan underwent a scan on the problem, which was sustained in an off-the-ball collision with Marek Suchy during the first half of Armenia's friendly with the Czech Republic last Wednesday, and was expected to be out for around 10 days.

In a post on Instagram, he confirmed he is a major doubt for Saturday's game against Manchester City.

"I continue extensively my rehabilitation, but I'm not sure yet if I will be fit for the derby this weekend," he said. 

"I'm motivated as ever and plan to put all my energy to be in great shape as soon as possible... A simple devotion to what I love most - football!

"Thanks for sending me your love and support."

Mkhitaryan has featured in all four of Manchester United's games so far this season, all of which have resulted in victories.

Woman who received the world's first partial face transplant dies

A French woman who underwent the world’s first partial face transplant has died in hospital aged 49 after a long illness.

Isabelle Dinoire, who lost her mouth and nose after a dog bite, made medical history in 2005 when she was given a partial face transplant using tissue from a brain-dead woman in a 15-hour operation at Amiens Picardie hospital.

Dinoire died in April, Le Figaro revealed, which was confirmed by doctors in Amiens who said they had not previously announced her death to protect her family’s privacy.

Doctors did not reveal the exact cause of death. Le Figaro reported that Dinoire’s body had rejected the transplant last year “and she had lost part of the use of her lips”.

The drugs that she had to take to prevent her body from rejecting the transplant left her vulnerable to cancer and two cancers had developed, the paper said.

At the age of 38, Dinoire received a triangular-shaped graft, comprising the nose, lips and chin from a brain-dead donor, to replace parts of her face that had been mauled by her pet cross-labrador.

Dinoire, a divorced mother of two, later explained the circumstances that led to her losing half her face. After a bad week, Dinoire, who was a seamstress, had taken a large dose of sleeping pills “to forget” her troubles. She woke on her sofa and tried to light a cigarette, and then noticed blood and the presence of her dog beside her. Looking in the mirror, she discovered her terrible injuries.

For months before the transplant, she had “the face of a monster”, she said. She had no mouth and her teeth and gums were exposed, skull-like, in a “reminder of death”. Most of her nose was missing. But she said she had no hatred for her dog Tanya, who she felt had been trying to save her.

It was through British press reports that she discovered her donor had killed herself. She said she felt a bond to her “twin sister” through their suicidal urges. “That it was someone who wanted to die, like me … It’s odd to know that she saved me,” she said.

After the transplant she said she was determined to make a success of her life, learning to eat and speak and also wanting to be able to kiss.

Two years after the transplant she described in a book that the hardest thing was accepting the inside of “someone else’s” mouth. “It was odd to touch it with my tongue. It was soft. It was horrible.”

She said of the discovery of a hair on her chin: “It was odd. I’d never had one. I thought, ‘It’s me that has given it life, but the hair is hers.’Sometimes I put my hand to my face to check that it’s still there.”

Since Dinoire’s partial face transplant, more than 30 people worldwide have had similar treatment.

Bill Cosby sex abuse trial scheduled for 2017

After years of accusations and denials, Bill Cosby will finally go on trial next year, CNN reports.

On Tuesday, a judge in Pennsylvania scheduled a June 5, 2017, court date for the 79-year-old entertainer.

He is charged with three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault related to a 2004 case involving Andrea Constand, an employee at his alma mater, Temple University

She said she went to his home in a Philadelphia suburb for a career consultation and he gave her a mix of pills and wine that left her incapacitated and unable to consent to sex.

Cosby has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He arrived at the hearing wearing a light gray sports coat with dark stripes and holding a man's arm and carrying a cane.

This is the first time Cosby has faced criminal charges, though more than 50 women have come forward in recent years to say Cosby sexually abused them over the last four decades. Most of the other alleged incidents occurred outside the statute of limitations.

But some of those other women may testify at Cosby's trial.

Judge Steven O'Neill, speaking at a preliminary hearing in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown, said the district attorney has filed a motion intending to present witnesses to 13 alleged prior instances.

Rule 404(b) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence allows prosecutors to call witnesses about a defendant's previous conduct if it relates to the trial at hand. They could help prosecutors buttress Constand's allegations.

The women who might testify are not named in the motion and O'Neill did not rule on it Tuesday.

Nor did he rule on motions to throw out two key pieces of evidence: a deposition Cosby gave in a 2005 lawsuit by Constand and a recording of a phone call between Cosby and Constand's mother.

Defense lawyers said they planned to file motions for a change of venue and the judge gave them 60 days to file.

The criminal case is based partly on the deposition Cosby gave in Constand's 2005 civil lawsuit, in which he talked about having extramarital affairs and giving other women drugs with their consent so they'd have sex with him. He also described the sexual encounter with Constand, saying it was consensual.

This motion was not argued on Tuesday and the judge didn't say when he would rule on it.

In motions they've filed, the lawyers say Cosby only answered the deposition questions because Bruce Castor, the district attorney in 2005, promised to never bring a criminal case based on Constand's allegations. To use the deposition now violates Cosby's right against self-incrimination, they say.

Castor said he made that promise so the entertainer would not be able to use the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions in a deposition, according to an email from Castor to his successor, Risa Vetri Ferman. The civil suit was the best chance Constand had for finding justice, the Castor email said.

Kevin Steele, the current district attorney, has not responded to the defense motion.

Constand filed her lawsuit after Castor decided not to prosecute.

The deposition was sealed when the parties reached a settlement in 2006. The criminal case was reopened after The Associated Press went to court to compel the unsealing of the deposition.

In the years before that, more than 50 women had come forward to say Cosby sexually assaulted them, often by slipping them drugs. Cosby has denied all those accusations.

The defense and prosecution did argue Tuesday about a recording of a January 17, 2005, phone call between Cosby and Gianna Constand, the mother of Andrea Constand. The judge said he will rule on the defense's motion to suppress the recording within the week.

Cosby's lawyers cited wiretapping and electronic surveillance laws. They say he didn't know Gianna Constand was recording when he called her in Pickering, Ontario, from his home in California.

Canadian law allows calls to be legally recorded with only one party consenting, the motion says.

But the defense lawyers say Pennsylvania law, which requires two-party consent, should be applied in this case.

In his response, prosecutor Steele says Cosby knew or suspected the calls were being recorded.

 More than 50 women have spoken out to various media outlets about allegations of sexual misconduct by Bill Cosby. Here are 25, in chronological order, who have spoken with CNN, spoken on camera about their allegations or been the subject of responses from Cosby's attorneys. Read more on the allegations and Cosby's denials. 

 

Fake Zlatan Ibrahimovic got Man Utd fans fooled

Ahead of the Manchester derby this weekend, Sky Sports employed a Zlatan Ibrahimovic lookalike to roam the streets of Manchester in a replica United jersey, and several members of the public were coned into believing the guy was the Swedish superstar. Manchester United fans then stopped to take pictures with the fake Ibrahimovich, before they found out the man was just a body double.

Again, APC blames PDP for Nigeria’s economic woes

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, has again blamed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for the country’s current economic crisis.

The APC, whose other officials including Chairman John Oyegun had stated similar stance, on Monday asked the opposition party to apologize to Nigerians. It, however, assured that President Muhammadu Buhari would undertake the “urgent task” of reviving the “battered” economy.

Nigeria’s economy is officially in recession, the National Bureau of Statistics confirmed on Wednesday, saying the country’s Gross Domestic Product contracted by 2.06 per cent in the second quarter of 2016, the second time of recording negative growth rate consecutively.

Nigeria’s economic crisis – marked by growing inflation, falling naira value, low oil revenue, increased incapacity of most states to carry out basic responsibilities and general hardship among citizens – was a result of President Muhamadu Buhari’s “ineptitude and incompetent” approach to the management of the economy, PDP said in a statement hours after the NBS release.

“We join all well-meaning Nigerians to call on Mr. Buhari to resign if he is unable to reverse the disastrous economic decline he has brought on Nigerians,” PDP said.

But APC, in a statement by its National Secretary, Mai Buni, insisted the manners in which the economy was managed as well as “unprecedented” high scale corruption under the PDP government of former President Goodluck Jonathan were the circumstances that plunged Nigeria into the current economic quagmire.

The situation has seen many Nigerians struggle to eke out living, and various companies close shops or retrench workers.

Since Mr. Buhari came to power in May last year, a total of 4.58 million Nigerians have become unemployed over a period that stretches through 2015 Q3, Q4 and 2016 Q1, Q2, NBS revealed on Wednesday. 

However, Mr. Buhari, who rode to power on the promise he was going to revive the economy, fight corruption and ensure security, should not blamed for the crisis, the ruling party said.

“In spite of the PDP’s orchestrated and feeble attempts to blackmail the current administration and twist facts, the reality remains that the prevailing socio-economic hardship being faced by Nigerians is a direct consequence of the mismanagement of the economy and unprecedented looting of the country’s commonwealth perpetrated under its watch,” APC said.

It said the PDP’s “attempt to turn truth on its head is fraudulent, insensitive and an insult to Nigerians,” adding that, “For the umpteenth time, the PDP must own up to its transgressions and apologize to Nigerians.”

“Going forward, the urgent task before the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration is to restore the country’s battered economy back to health and all legitimate and innovative means are being employed to achieve this in the quickest possible time.

“The APC assures Nigerians of the strong political will and commitment of the President Buhari administration to revive the economy and tackle the nation’s current challenges through suitable and well-thought economic policies, fiscal discipline and socio-political reforms,” the scribe said.

He added that economic diversification topped the government’s strategic agenda. He also sought public cooperation for Nigeria to reach its deserved place.

“Among other strategic economic agendas, diversification of the country’s economy is a priority for the administration. To this end, President Buhari is aggressively formulating and implementing policies aimed at diversifying Nigeria’s economy from oil to other sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

“The APC assures Nigerians that the administration will pull the country out of the present hardships. With the support, cooperation, patience and prayers of Nigerians, the country will reach its deserved potential under our leadership.”

While the government has repeatedly promised better days ahead and encouraged citizens to bear “today’s pains for tomorrow’s gains”, Nigerians appear impatient, demanding short term approaches to address growing hardship.

This was amplified, during the weekend, by Shehu Sani (APC Senator representing Kaduna Central) who warned that Nigerians “may die before President completes reforms”. Similarly, Dino Melaye, another APC Senator, Kogi West, sought “drastic” measures, lamenting that “The hunger in the land is real, pervasive, widespread and debilitating for the poor masses.”

Bishop urges action against negative use of social media among youths

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged relevant authorities to re-orientate youths against corrupt morals through the use of social media. The archbishop made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos. Cue in audio “ I believe that a lot of good things can be done through the social media; lots of great messages can be passed through the social media. “I believe that people are making their living through the use of the social media, so it’s a good thing in itself. “Its only that we find out that sometimes people also use it for not so good things. “People use it for pornographic purposes, which is a corruption of the morals of people particularly the young. “People also use it for fraudulent purposes. “Well, the government obviously has a responsibility, first of all, trying to re-orientate peoples values, and then they will be able to, even when you are not watching do the right thing. “Of course, not only government, but also the family, we have the responsibility of doing that, and of course, the religious institutions.’’ Cue out audio He therefore, appealed to youths in the country to avoid the use of mobile phones in places of worship, describing the action as a distraction from focusing on God.

Four Soldiers Feared Dead in Bayelsa Boat Accident

Four soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force, JTF, Operation Delta Safe,ODS, who are currently carrying out an operation codenamed ‘Crocodile Smile’, to rid the Niger Delta of criminalities, were on Monday feared dead in the creeks of Bayelsa State.

The loss of the security personnel, it was learnt, followed a boat mishap along the Brass Water Front in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, which led to the troops drowning in the water which was said to have risen to a high level at the time.
All the weapons in the possession of the troops at the time of the accident, including service rifles, were also said to be missing.

It wasn’t clear why the boat capsized, but it was gathered that during the accident, which occurred about 10am on Monday, many other soldiers were able to swim to safety, though their weapons could not be recovered at the time of this report.

No military officer was willing to comment on the matter, but it was learnt that the troops, comprising mainly the newly deployed officers, were among the missing or those feared dead.

The government recently commenced the mass deployment of military personnel in the creeks of the Niger Delta consequent upon the prolonged destruction of oil and gas infrastructure belonging to the Federal Government and multinationals.

The security operations against renewed militancy, sea piracy and search for those threatening to hoist the Niger Delta Republic flag on October 1, has continued despite indications that the militants had signified their intention to begin peace talks with the government.

An indigene of the Brass Community identified as Etta, who said he witnessed the boat mishap, noted that attempts by community youths and other soldiers to assist in a rescue operation failed. Many of the affected soldiers could not be found, he added.

PDP shuts official twitter account, launches new one

The Peoples Democratic Party announced the closure of its offiicial Twitter Handle @pdpnigeria and the launch of a new handle @officialpdpnig. The party also disowned its “Director of New Media”, Mr Deji Adeyanju.

The party said the position of director of new media is alien to its organisation.

In a statement issued Monday night by  Chinwe I. Nnorom, Head, Publicity Division, the party said the decision became imperative as as a result of frequent unauthorized tweets from the handle.

The party frowned at unauthorized party members speaking on its behalf. However, the PDP said party members and supporters are to speak in their official or individual capacities, but it must be in tune with party’s interest on the subject matter.

“This decision has once again become necessary due to the frequent unauthorized, and most times embarrassing tweets that emanate from the Handle tweeted by the Handlers claiming to represent the PDP. You will recall that the Party had in the past, announced the shutdown of the Handle on two occasions when hackers manipulated it to embarrass the party.

“Following these developments, the Party hereby informs all its members, supporters, friends, the Media and general public to ignore and disregard any tweet from the handle @pdpnigeria forthwith.”

Guard who killed employer in Lagos arrested in Taraba – Police

The Lagos State Police Command said it arrested a guard who allegedly killed his employer in Ajah, Lagos, and fled to Bali, Taraba State.

Tanko Abdulateef, 22, allegedly stabbed Mabel Okafor in the stomach, ripping it open, and made away with her valuables, including three phones, trinkets and clothes, the police said in a statement on Monday.

The incident happened on August 17.

Dolapo Badmos, the state police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest and said he would be charged to court after conclusion of investigation.

“On August 17, 2016, there was a murder of one Mrs. Mabel Mba Okafor aged 50 of No J68B, Close 9, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Ajah,” said Ms. Badmos, a Superintendent of Police.

“She was killed and the policemen went there and discovered that the house had been ransacked and a lot of properties carted away.

“The woman had a House guard but the guard was nowhere to be found.”

Ms. Badmos said police officers examined the body of the victim and it was noticed that she was stabbed in the stomach; her body was then moved to a mortuary.

“The policemen from the division did necessary scene of crime investigations they were supposed to do, while the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

“The Commissioner of Police also called on the Decoy Team of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in charge of Tracking and tasked them to deal with the matter as well.”

Ms. Badmos said the Decoy Team swung into action immediately, and after seven days, they were able to track Mr. Abdulateef to Taraba State.

“After about three days in Bali, they were able to recover some of the phones stolen from the victim before eventually arresting the suspect where he was hiding,” she said.

Ms. Badmos also confirmed that the three phones, trinkets and the victim’s clothes had been recovered from the suspect, adding that he has been brought back to Lagos.

“There is no escape route for criminals in Lagos State,” said the police spokesperson.

“Any crime committed in Lagos will be unravelled. If you commit a crime in Lagos and run to anywhere in Nigeria, the Police in Lagos will come after you.”

The police said the suspect has been handed over to the State CID for further investigation, while he will be charged to court at the end of investigation.

WHO confirms Nigeria’s third polio case

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a third case of polio in Nigeria, Rotary Club said Monday.

According to a Rotary report, a crippled toddler found in an area newly liberated from Boko Haram militants was confirmed as the latest case.

Nigeria had gone two years without recording any case of polio and was to be certified polio free next year before the recent development.

WHO warned that more cases are expected to be discovered in these areas, stressing that “it is an indicator that Nigeria’s war on polio cannot be won until it overcomes the insurgency by extremists who are violently opposed to western medicine.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund has warned that about one million children are in areas too dangerous to access.

Rotary is part of a new emergency immunization drive that vaccinated more than 1.5 million children last week in Borno, where WHO has said the virus has been circulating undetected for five years and where Boko Haram began its uprising in 2009.

The campaign is expected to spread across the country, with a plan to reach 25 million children before the end of the year.

Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna Split

Following ‘Explosive Row’, things are reportedly ‘so over’ between Rob Kardashian and his pregnant fiancée Blac Chyna.

The father-to-be added: “I’m not doing nothing wrong. I’m doing exactly what she wants. So I don’t know what I need to do. It’s just a lot of this s**t. I don’t know…I just don’t.”

Later in the show, Kris Jenner confessed that she had been in contact with Blac who she says was concerned that Rob was no longer speaking to her.

“I talked to Chyna and it scared me because it was everything that we had experienced with him, she was experiencing the same thing,” Kris said.

“So she wrote me last night and she said, ‘Can I see you tomorrow? I just really need to talk to you, Rob won’t talk to me.'”

Last week Rob criticized his famous family for being ‘unwelcoming’ claiming that they had never made any effort when it came to Blac.

P Diddy says Barack Obama 'short-changed' the black community

P Diddy isn’t necessarily known for his political commentary, but that hasn’t stopped him offering up his thoughts on Barack Obama’s seven years as president.

Appearing on Reverend Al Sharpton’s MSNBC talk show, the mogul shared what he believes Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton need to do for the next generation.

But he also took time to look back, and said: “My number-one thing, though, to be honest, is black people. I feel like we put President Obama in the White House and, when I look back, I just wanted more done for my people.”

Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, also had some pretty strong thoughts on the presidency of Obama. He said: “This is politics. You put somebody in office, you get in return the things that you care about for your communities. I think we got a little bit short-changed.

“That’s not knocking the president… He’s done an excellent job, you know, but I think it’s time to turn up the heat because the black vote is going to decide who is the next president of the United States.”

The Bad Boy founder has just opened a publicly funded independent school in his home neighbourhood of Harlem, but he doesn’t feel either of the presidential candidates have persuaded him that voting for them would be a positive move for the black community.

He added: “The heat has to be turned up so much that as a community we got to hold our vote. Don’t pacify yourself, really revolutionise the game. Make them come for our vote.

“It’s a whole different strategy but I think we need to hold our vote because I don’t believe any of them.”

PHOTO: Leicester City Forward Ahmed Musa Spotted Wearing Manchester United Jersey in Nigeria

Leicester City new boy Ahmed Musa has been up to no good during this international break. Well if you completely disregard his charitable actions.

Musa signed a four-year deal with the Premier League champions this summer, but judging from a recent picture, he probably wishes it had been Manchester United.

Having played for Nigeria in their  AFCON 2017 qualifiers tie against Tanzania on the weekend, Musa was spotted the following day wearing a United jersey whilst delivering food to needy people in his hometown.

He is said to be a big fan of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, and wears the No.7 at Leicester because it was Ronaldo's number when he played for the Red Devils. Close friends can also confirm that Musa is a big United fan as well.