..IStandWithBuhari people spotted buying black market (photo)

Double- faced Nigerians lol...abeg no be pretender they dey call this kain people...!

The staunch Buhari supporters were seen buying black market in their marked car in Abuja recently. This is what they call suffering and smiling. 

One year of Buharinomics: Businesses count losses

One year of Buharinomics: Businesses count losses

May 29, 2016 would mark a year after the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration took over the reins of power, but with no clear direction of where the economy is headed, businesses have continued to pine under the yoke of stifling regulatory headwinds.

Many businesses are literally fighting the battle of their lives as their corporate existence is being threatened, no thanks to the rather hostile operating business environment.

Although most of the businesses had anticipated the new government would take a while for it to gather steam, they had hoped that life would be back on an even keel in no time at all. But after almost one year, that hope has remained forlorn.

 

Crux of the matter

A number of policies have had rippled effects on businesses across the board, chief among which is the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy restricting the use of Naira cards abroad.

This is the second time the CBN is putting restrictions on the use of naira cards outside the country — one of many other policies put in place by the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Speculators had warned at the time that if the authorities in charge are not careful, there may be another devaluation of the national currency very soon. Thus many entrepreneurs have been forced to wait for the economy to stabilise before they can continue carrying out their business.

Last month, the CBN Governor said that the bank will not devalue the Naira again despite calls for the devaluation of the currency in times of economic turmoil. According to Mr Emefiele, the Naira is ‘appropriately priced’.

Growing concerns from stakeholders

Speaking at separate fora recently, President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria MAN, Mr. Frank Jacobs and Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, described as stifling the prevailing operating business environment.

The MAN President noted that many operators in the nation’s real sector closed shop in 2015 due to harsh operating environment characterised by poor infrastructure, low consumer demand and unfair competition from low quality products smuggled into the country, warning that many more firms would close down due to the foreign exchange policy.

While calling on the Federal Government to have a rethink on the policy by making foreign exchange available for real sector operators that need to import raw materials, he warned that if not reversed, the policy will lead to the closure of more companies.

According to Yusuf, the forex restriction policy has had great danger for the Nigerian economy, especially in the first quarter of 2016.

Expatiating, he said: “We believe that lifting the restriction on foreign exchange and adjusting the exchange rate of the naira will make substantial impact on the nation’s economic recovery.”

Read also: Nigeria’s Promise Turns to Peril as Investors Head for the Exits

Millions of jobs threatened

The lull in business activities occasioned by the stifling operating environment is already taking its toll on businesses with millions of jobs threatened across the sectors.

Leaders of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, FOBTOB, have raised the alarm that the nation may lose three million jobs in the sector if government does not urgently review its foreign exchange (forex) policy.

According to the union, leading companies in the sector have invited labour for discussion on retrenchment of workers.

These companies, FOBTOB said include Nigerian Flour Mills, Nigerian Breweries Limited, Guinness Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company, 7-UP Bottling Company Plc, Friesland Campina Wamco Plc.

While calling on government to intervene to save the industry and millions of jobs, FOBTOB alleged that not less than 1,500 workers had been sacked in the last three months over the forex crisis.

 

Need for action plan at the ministry

The President, National Association of Nigeria Traders, NANTS, Ken Ukoaha has lamented that there does not seem to be any policy direction for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Ukoaha who made this observation during a media capacity building workshop in Abuja at the weekend, said inasmuch as he supports the present government, the previous government did a good work in giving Nigerians beautiful policies, though marred by corruption.

He however, impressed on the present government, the need to borrow a leaf from the past policies as they can serve useful purpose.

“We are calling on the new administration to give us a template to work with, an economic blueprint, so that after four years we can come to say this is the criteria for the benchmark given, this is where you passed and failed.”

While noting that the transition agenda has elapsed in 2015, it will be one year in May 29th 2016, with nothing to show for it, he urged the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelama to be alive to his responsibilities.

Photos: Cat caught with dozens of men's underwears and socks by its owner 

A kleptomaniac cat known as Brigit, has been caught stealing men's underpants and socks by her owner, Sarah Nathan. The 6-year-old Tonkinese cat has stolen 11 pairs of boxers and more than 50 pairs of socks since January. It even prefers matching socks.

Nathan has been attempting to return her neighbors' clothing by placing notes in mailboxes, to no avail. Due to her cat's increasing burglary behavior, she has taken to Reddit to notify owners so they can collect their underwears.

Nathan says that in a previous home, the cat wouldn't be particular in what she stole. Most Tonkinese cats are nocturnal hunters — but she has developed a curious taste of late.

"She was much less discerning, now she’s decided menswear is the thing, and it’s a very specific kind of underpants that she likes," Nathan said. 

"One will be at the front door and one will be at the back door - so she's obviously gone back to get the matching sock,"

Source: Mashable

Christians prepare for Palm Sunday

Christians all over the world will on Sunday, March 20, mark the feast of the Palm Sunday to celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week and commemorates the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem days before he was crucified.

Jesus had sat on an unbroken young donkey and slowly made his humble entrance into Jerusalem.


The people greeted him enthusiastically, waving palm branches and covering his path with palm branches.

Palm branches are widely recognised as symbol of peace and victory; the use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic as it represented the humble arrival of someone in peace.

Osu said, “Palm Sunday is one of the major feasts of our Lord and it is the day Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as a King, riding on a foal.

“A large crowd of people in the city spread out palm and olive branches on the ground before him as a sign of his kingship; they joyfully chanted `Hosanna, Son of David.’

“On this day also, in commemoration, we will receive and worship Christ in this same manner acknowledging him as our King and Lord.”

Osu said that as the beginning of Holy Week, Palm Sunday heralds the week in which Christians celebrated the mystery of their salvation through Christ’s death and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

“The Holy Week starts from Sunday and will run till Good Friday, March 25, 2016.

“A major hallmark of the feast is the celebration of the Holy Mass followed by a procession of the faithful carrying palm branches, representing the Jews who celebrated Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem.

“Here in the Archdiocese of Lagos, the Archbishop, His Grace Alfred Adewale Martins is expected to lead the faithful in a Palm Sunday procession through the streets of Lagos Island and environs’’, he said.

Source: punchng.com

FG offers automatic employment, scholarship to late Ocholi’s children

By Isidi Monica

Federal Government yesterday announced it would offer automatic employment at the Federal Ministry of Justice to the eldest son of the late Minister of State for Labour, Mr. James Ocholi (SAN), Aaron. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who made the revelation yesterday while addressing Ocholi’s family when he paid a sympathy visit to his Kado Estate residence to convey President Muhammadu Buhari’s condolence message to the family, also said the late minister’s other children would get automatic scholarship.

“I am here to convey Mr President’s condolence message and he has asked me to personally inform you that you have been given automatic employment in the Federal Ministry of Justice. The employment letter is in process and you can resume work after now. Your father was a very hardworking and conscientious member of the Federal Executive Council who was very passionate and worked hard for the realisation of the change agenda of this government. Indeed, it is a sad moment for all of us and the vacuum which his death has created is not only for the family, but the leadership as well. He was a great pillar in the struggle which brought this administration to power. He played a major role in the merger process,”.

Source: nationalmirroronline.net

Catholic Priest still not found after Yemen attack that killed 4 Nuns

Despite a lack of news and the prospect of difficult negotiations ahead, the Salesians remain hopeful that their priest kidnapped in Yemen last week will be freed.
Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil was kidnapped March 4 during an attack on a convent and nursing home run by the Missionaries of Charity in Yemen.
The attack resulted in the deaths of four Missionaries of Charity, two staff members, eight nursing home residents and a guard, according to reports.
Fr. Tom – a Salesian from Kerala, India – was praying in the chapel of the convent at the time of the attack, and was then kidnapped by the attackers.

New Delhi’s ministry of foreign affairs confirmed that Fr. Tom was taken to an unknown location, along with one of the Indian sisters in the community. Reports later indicated that the sister had been located and was safe.
Fr. Francesco Cereda, Vicar of the Rector Major for the Salesians, said that “it is difficult to see why they took Fr. Tom as prisoner” rather than killing him along with the others. 
He suggested that nationality could play a role in the kidnapping, as both Fr. Tom and the sister originally reported as kidnapped were both Indian.
Fr. Cereda stressed that “we trust there is every chance for the release” of Fr. Tom. He said that “the Central Government of India through its Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is involved in trying to ascertain the whereabouts” of the priest.
In addition, “the Chief Minister of the federal state of Kerala, the home state of Fr. Tom, has also taken personal interest in the matter and is in touch with the MEA in New Delhi.” Even “the Vatican, as well as the Catholic Bishops Conference of India are also involved” in tracing the priest’s location.
“Prayers are being offered throughout the Salesian world for his speedy release. We believe that these efforts will not be in vain,” Fr. Cereda said.

The Salesians have had a mission in Yemen since 1997. Initially, it was part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden, established by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.
Salesians are the only Catholic priests working in the country. They provide their services in four cities: the capital of Sana’a, Aden, Holeida and Taiz.
“Salesians were present there catering to the spiritual and sacramental requirements of the large number of Catholic migrants from India, the Philippines and everywhere else.” Fr. Cereda explained.
He added that “the presence of Salesians was also a great support to the Missionaries of Charity.”
Following the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, the already tenuous situation in Yemen became even worse. And the tension grew further when civil war broke out in 2015, with two factions both claiming to constitute the Yemeni government. The presence of terrorist groups including Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS only added to the chaos.
But despite the ever more fragile conditions in the country, the Salesians chose to remain in Yemen.
“The Salesians were fully aware that the situation was worsening day by day,” Fr. Cedera said. “The Government of India had asked its nationals to leave the country after it had shut its embassy in Yemen and had brought back thousands of Indian nationals in 2014.”
Fr. Cereda said that Archbishop Paul Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar to Saudi Arabia, spoke in January 2015 with the Salesian province of Bangalore, India, to which the Mission of Yemen is entrusted.
“It was felt that pulling out of the mission all together would deprive it of the sole organized Catholic presence in the country,” Fr. Cereda recounted.

However, “since it was felt that no one could compel anyone to remain in the given situation, the choice was left to the individual confreres in question.”  
“Out of five members, three returned to India and two stayed, with the hope of being of assistance especially to the Missionaries of Charity who had decided to stay on, as well as the few Catholics still working with them in their centers.”
Fr. Tom was one of those who chose to stay, recognizing that his work was particularly risky, as he had to move from one community to another.
Beyond all the ‘diplomatic’ efforts underway to free Fr. Tom, prayers are being offered throughout the Salesian world for his speedy release.


Source: catholicnewsagency.com

South African pastor performs 'miracle' by pouring boiling water on congregation

South African pastor has claimed he performed a miracle after allegedly pouring hot water on members of his church.
Pastor Thamsanqa Sambulo, who is just 23-years-old, is the founder and apostle at Thy Word Kingdom Harvest Ministries...Accoring to a post on the Church's facebook page,

The apostle then told someone to go boil water in a kettle at the kitchen. One young man went there and did so... He came back with boiling water. The Son of God took the kettle and put it on himself (on his chest, he hugged it). The congregation was in shock, as they shouted: "NO!"

Some couldn't even look. He then asked; "who has faith here?"One by one, people came and did what the apostle did, and were not hurt. He re-boiled the water... as he did; ...one young woman came to him and said; "Papa I have faith, pour it on my hand as hot as it is." The Son of God first poured on Himself, then poured unto this lady. The rest of the congregation, one by one followed, as they also wanted to test their faith.

See Pics...!

Source: misspetitenaijablog.com