Construction of Second Niger Bridge Flagged Off Today

Today, President Goodluck Jonathan conducted the Ground-breaking Ceremony of the "Second Niger Bridge" Project. This has indeed been a long awaited dream come true especially for the Ndigbo Community of this country.
When this bridge is completed it would certainly advance robust economic activity in that region as the bridge will certainly enhance easy access there.
In his words of appreciation, the President of the Ndigbo Cultural Society of Nigeria (NCSN), Chief Udo Udeoganranya, stated that President Goodluck Jonathan has indeed redefined himself as a man with "exceptional integrity, striding on golden characters of dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty and total commitment to public service." He said that by this the President has proven himself true his words that, "a promise made, is a promise that must be delivered".
This regime will be remembered also for giving the Enugu Airport, International status, giving Anambra State an Oil-Producing State Status, and the Rehabilitation of the Lagos-Onitsha Highway, among other projects.
These strides are highly commendable. We heartily congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan and his team on these great strides! We also congratulate the Igboland!
God bless President Goodluck Jonathan! God bless the Ndigbo Community of Nigeria! God bless Nigeria! DOUBLE JUBILEE!!!

The President's Centennial Speech

In my opinion the speech of our president was very apt and inspiring. Kindly find below the speech culled from the Daily Post of yesterday:

The President’s speech reads: “I extend warm greetings and felicitations to all Nigerians as we celebrate our nation’s centenary; a significant milestone in our journey to nationhood.
“One hundred years ago, on the 1st of January 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated the Southern and Northern Protectorates, giving birth to the single geo-political entity called Nigeria which has become our home, our hope, and our heritage.
“I have often expressed the conviction that our amalgamation was not a mistake. While our union may have been inspired by considerations external to our people; I have no doubt that we are destined by God Almighty to live together as one big nation, united in diversity.
“I consider myself specially privileged to lead our country into its second century of existence. And as I speak with you today, I feel the full weight of our hundred-year history. But what I feel most is not frustration, it is not disillusionment. What I feel is great pride and great hope for a country that is bound to overcome the transient pains of the moment and eventually take its rightful place among the greatest nations on earth.
“Like every country of the world, we have had our troubles. And we still do. We have fought a civil war. We have seen civil authorities overthrown by the military. We have suffered sectarian violence. And as I speak, a part of our country is still suffering from the brutal assault of terrorists and insurgents.
“While the occasion of our centenary undoubtedly calls for celebration, it is also a moment to pause and reflect on our journey of the past one hundred years, to take stock of our past and consider the best way forward for our nation.
“Even as we celebrate our centenary, we must realise that in the context of history, our nation is still in its infancy.
“We are a nation of the future, not of the past and while we may have travelled for a century, we are not yet at our destination of greatness.
“The amalgamation of 1914 was only the first step in our national journey. Unification was followed by independence and democracy which have unleashed the enormous potential of our people and laid the foundation for our nation’s greatness.
“In challenging times, it is easy to become pessimistic and cynical. But hope, when grounded in realism, enables and inspires progress. Therefore, as we celebrate our first century of nationhood and enter a second, we must not lose sight of all that we have achieved since 1914 in terms of nation-building, development and progress.
“Today, we salute once again the great heroes of our nation – Herbert Macaulay, Ernest Ikoli, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alvan Ikoku, Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye, Dr. Michael Okpara, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Malam Aminu Kano, Mokwugo Okoye and Chief Michael Imoudu, among others.
“We must be inspired by our past to overcome the obstacles we face in the present and honour our forebears by realising the promise of a Nigeria that is not only independent but also truly unified, prosperous and admired the world over.
“The history of Nigeria since independence is the story of a struggle to fulfill our great promise. The discovery of oil in our country in the late 1950s offered new hope of prosperity but we have not always been able to reap the benefits in a fair and equitable way.
“The situation was not helped by political instability and the frequent suspension of democracy by military coups. During the civil war, the very existence of our country was cast into doubt but through it all, the promise of a Nigeria that is united, free and strong remained in our people’s hearts.
“Thanks to the efforts of our statesmen and women, and millions of ordinary Nigerians, the union endured and flourished. I would like to specifically commend members of the Armed Forces for their contributions and sacrifices to keep Nigeria one.
“Gen. Yakubu Gowon had the wisdom and grace to declare that the civil war had seen “no victor, no vanquished” and welcomed “the dawn of national reconciliation.”
“It was in this spirit that Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo collected the instruments of surrender at the end of the war and later became the first military ruler in our country to hand over power voluntarily to a democratic government.
“While the Second Republic did not last, his fine example was later followed by Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar who paved the way for our current democratic dispensation which has lasted longer than the previous three put together.
“As we celebrate our centenary, I believe that it is vital that we focus our thoughts on the vast potential of a unified and progressive Nigeria; and build on the relative stability of the Fourth Republic to achieve accelerated national socio-economic development.
“I also believe that the future greatness of our country is assured by the favourable tail winds of a resilient population, ecological diversity, rich natural resources and a national consciousness that rises above our differences.
“We are a unique country. We have been brought together in a union like no other by providence. Our nation has evolved from three regions to thirty six states and a Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“We have transited from the parliamentary to a presidential system of government. We have moved our capital from the coastal city of Lagos to Abuja, at the centre of our country.

“Today, Abuja stands as a monument to our national aspiration for greater unity; it symbolises our dream of a modern nation unhinged from primordial cleavages and designed as a melting pot of our diversity.
“If, in our first century, we could build a new capital city, we can surely build a newer, stronger, more united and prosperous Nigeria in the next century that will be an authentic African success story.
“The whole world awaits this African success story. With our sheer size, population, history, resilience, human and natural resources and economic potential, Nigeria is divinely ordained to lead the African Renaissance.
“That is why I am confident that in the next 100 years, those who will celebrate Nigeria’s second centenary will do so as a united, prosperous and politically stable nation which is truly the pride and glory of Africa and the entire black race.
“The key to the fulfilment of that vision is our continued unity as a nation. Perhaps one of the most amazing stories of our political evolution in the last hundred years is that an ordinary child of ordinary parentage from a minority group has risen to occupy the highest office in our country.
“As we march into the next hundred years, it is my hope that mine will no longer be an extra-ordinary story but an accepted reality of our democracy that every Nigerian child can pursue his or her dreams no matter how tall; that every Nigerian child can aspire to any position in our country and will not be judged by the language that he speaks or by how he worships God; not by gender nor by class; but by his abilities and the power of his dreams.
“I am proud and privileged to have been elected leader of Nigeria and I consider it my solemn responsibility to act in the best interest of the nation at all times.
“Dear compatriots, in line with the thoughts of that great son of our continent, Nelson Mandela, let us not judge ourselves, and let not the world judge us by how many times we have stumbled, but by how strongly we have risen every single time that we have faltered.
“Even as we remain resolute in our conviction that our union is non-negotiable, we must never be afraid to embrace dialogue and strengthen the basis of this most cherished union. A strong nation is not that which shies away from those difficult questions of its existence, but that which confronts such questions, and together provides answers to them in a way that guarantees fairness, justice and equity for all stakeholders.
“My call for the national conference in this first year of our second century is to provide the platform to confront our challenges. I am confident that we shall rise from this conference with renewed courage and confidence to march through the next century and beyond, to overcome all obstacles on the path to the fulfilment of our globally acknowledged potential for greatness.
“I have referred to national leaders who did so much to build our nation in the past hundred years but nation-building is not just a matter for great leaders and elite alone.
“All Nigerians must be involved in this national endeavour. From the threads of our regional, ethnic and religious diversities we must continuously weave a vibrant collage of values that strengthen the Nigerian spirit.
“The coming national conference should not be about a few, privileged persons dictating the terms of debate but an opportunity for all Nigerians to take part in a comprehensive dialogue to further strengthen our union.
“I am hopeful that the conference will not result in parochial bargaining between competing regions, ethnic, religious and other interest groups but in an objective dialogue about the way forward for our nation and how to ensure a more harmonious balance among our three tiers of government.
“My dear compatriots, as we celebrate our centenary, the security situation in some of our North-Eastern States, sadly remains a major concern for us. Just yesterday, young students, full of hopes and dreams for a great future were callously murdered as they slept in their college dormitories in Yobe State. I am deeply saddened by their deaths and that of other Nigerians at the hands of terrorists. Our hearts go out to their parents and relatives, colleagues and school authorities.
“We will continue to do everything possible to permanently eradicate the scourge of terrorism and insurgency from our country. We recognise that the root cause of militancy, terrorism and insurgency is not the strength of extremist ideas but corrupted values and ignorance.
“That is why our counter-terrorism strategy is not just about enforcing law and order as we have equipped our security forces to do. It also involves expanding economic opportunities, social inclusion, education and other measures that will help restore normalcy not just in the short term, but permanently.
“I want to reassure Nigerians that terrorism, strife and insecurity in any part of Nigeria are abhorrent and unacceptable to us. I urge leaders throughout Nigeria to ensure that ethnicity and religion are not allowed to become political issues.
“I hope and pray that one hundred years from now, Nigerians will look back on another century of achievements during which our union was strengthened, our independence was enhanced, our democracy was entrenched and our example was followed by leaders of other nations whose ambition is to emulate the success of Nigeria; a country that met its difficulties head-on and fulfilled its promise.
“Finally, Dear Compatriots, as we enter a second century in the life of our nation, let us rededicate ourselves to doing more to empower the youths of our country. Our common heritage and future prosperity are best protected and guaranteed by them. We must commit our full energies and resources to empowering them to achieve our collective vision of greatness in this second century of our nationhood.
“That is the task before our country; that is the cause I have chosen to champion and I believe we will triumph.
“I wish all Nigerians happy Centenary celebrations.
“Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I thank you.”

FG to Invest N3.6 Billion on Agricultural Mechanization

‘The Nigerian Government has disbursed the sum of N3.6 billion to the National Agricultural Mechanisation Transformation Agenda, a public private partnership scheme towards addressing the low level of penetration of mechanised agricultural practise in the country,” the  Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwunmi Adesina revealed this recently in Abuja.

According to him, to commence the ongoing mechanisation intervention programme, the Federal Government has approved the release of an intervention fund to the sum of N3.6 billion which is domiciled in the Bank of Agriculture towards the establishment of an Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise (AEHE). He also explained that in the first phase, the Federal Government will make available 400 units of tractors, 500 power tillers as well as harvest and post-harvest equipment towards setting up a minimum of 80 centres and will be replicated in the second phase. ‘In the third phase, he noted, 250 tractors will be made available.’
The Minister disclosed that the Federal Government has earmarked to bring in 1,050 units of tractors, 1,500 power tillers and 2,400 units of harvest and post-harvest equipment such as reapers, grain threshers, and cassava peelers at the end of the intervention scheme to set up 210 AEHE in demand-driven locations nationwide. “The intervention will create 6, 090 direct jobs for unemployed youths, mechanise a minimum of 488, 250 hectares of land, while 2, 441, 250 metric tons of food will be added to the national food output. Taking cognisance of the difficulties encountered by rural farmers, Government for a start will clear 6, 400 hectares of land nationwide for cassava production,” the Minister attested.
While noting that Nigeria needs to vigorously pursue the commercialisation of agricultural providers, he observed that in the short term, Government will provide 6,000 units of tractors and power tillers and about 13,000 units of harvest and post-harvest equipment as well as set up 1,200 AEHEs to render agricultural support services to farmers through the scheme.
This is another step addressing the clogs in the wheel of progress in the Agricultural sector. It is indeed an applaudable step too!
God bless the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina and his team! God bless Nigeria! Our future is bright!

President Goodluck Jonathan Launches Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan

Yesterday, Tuesday 11th February, 2014 will certainly mark a memorable day in the history of Nigeria, as President Goodluck Jonathan, launched the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), and the National Enterprise Development Programme.
The Plan is aimed at boosting the annual revenue earned by Nigerian manufacturers to N5 trillion, and to set the stage for a new era of industrial, micro, small and medium enterprise development in the nation.
The President described the NIRP as the most ambitious and comprehensive roadmap that would transform Nigeria's industrial landscape, boost skill acquisition, enhance job creation, and conserve foreign exchange.
In his words, ""As we celebrate our centenary, it is clear to us that the measures of the nation cannot be detached from the dependability of its economy and a great economy must based on a solid industrial sector with well diversified minds and sources of revenue and a vibrate micro and small medium enterprises sector to create jobs and provide leverages.

"The Nigeria Industrial revolution Plan and the National Enterprise Development Programme will help to fast track the attainment of these goals. They are targeted at transforming Nigerian businesses and changing the lives of the ordinary people. It will accelerate inclusive growth and job creation and save the drain on our reserve cause by importing what we can produce locally.

“The NIRP is the flagship industrialisation programme ever embarked upon by this country. It will fast-track industrialisation, accelerate inclusive economic growth, job creation, transform Nigeria’s business environment and stop the drain on our foreign reserves caused by importing what we can produce in locally.

This move by the President is move in the right direction. The future of the nation is indeed very bright!

God bless President Goodluck Jonathan! God bless Nigeria!

Individuals get 92 Percent of N9.4 Billion Agric Loans in 2013-CBN

Out of N9.4 billion loans disbursed by banks in the Nigerian agricultural credit guarantee scheme in 2013, individual borrowers got the largest share of N8.67billion, or 92 percent of the total facility.

A report of activities under the scheme from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that about 54,381 people across the 36 states got the sum of N8.67 billion agric loans from banks.

Other sectors that received the loans include 1201 co-operative groups which received the sum of N373 million; 629 informal sector groups with N182 million; and 66 companies that collected N197million in 2013, according to data published by the CBN last week.

The figure shows that a total of 56,277 loans were approved in the period under review.

Three states that got the highest amounts of the loans are Edo N854 million, Delta N758 million and Katsina N739 million.

The states with the lowest amounts include Borno N33 million, Nasarawa N42 million and Bayelsa with N58 million.

Based on loan size category, the banks disbursed N7.2 billion for those that required N100 million loans and above; N1.5billion for N50 to N100 million; N696 million for N20 to N50 million; N15.5 million for N5 million to N20 million and N500,000 for those below N5 million.

God bless CBN! God bless Nigeria!

(Culled from Daily Trust of 10/2/2014, reported by Hamisu Muhammed)

Abuja Methodist Church to Build School of Nursing and Hospital

The newly ordained Archbishop of the Abuja Archdiocese of the the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Joseph Oche Job made public the plan of the church to build a School of Nursing and Hospital in Abuja.
He said the vision of the church is that the medical centre will compete with any standard school of nursing, school of health technologies or hospital in Nigeria. He said the Certificate of Occupancy of the landed property has been acquired already, and work will soon commence in earnest.
The Archbishop stated that the Methodist Church is committed to being actively involved in providing health and educational facilities for Nigerians, along with its pursuit of its evangelical mission.
This move by the Methodist Church is a laudable one. Time has come in my opinion that churches should engage in developmental projects to impact their communities. This I believe is a way of expressing and translating the evangelical mission we are called to fulfill in the language the common man can understand.
God bless the Methodist Church of Nigeria! God bless Nigeria!

Strides in the Aviation Industry

Over the weekend once Minister of Aviation and Women Leader of the PDP, Mrs Kema Chikwe, applauded the efforts of the government in the remodeling of 22 airports in the country.
Princess Stella Oduah the Minister of Aviation stated that work is on full swing to see to it that the projects are commissioned before the end of the first quarter this year. She said that the focus of the Federal Government is to reposition the Nigerian Aviation Industry, and to see to it that Nigerians get a well deserved aviation system. The Minister revealed that there is still more to come in the pipeline to bring transformation to the industry, and Nigeria at large. She said, the Ministry of Aviation is very conscious of the role it has to play in the social and economic growth of the nation.
Those who frequent air travels through our domestic terminals across the nation can truly bear witness to the significant transformation in the industry. We commend the efforts of the Minister of Aviation and her team.
God bless the Ministry of Aviation! God bless Nigeria!

General Electric to Invest $350 million in Power Sector

The minister for Trade and Investment, Chief Olusegun Aganga revealed today that General Electric has signed a deal with Stanbic IBTC  Bank to invest $350 million in the nation' sailing power sector.
The area of concentration of this their investment would be in the building of mini-power projects. This is aimed at generating an extra 20 megawatts of electricity.

The Minister also added that General Electric will also be bringing 10 of its suppliers to partner with Nigerian companies, to help develop the power capacity and transfer of technology.

 It is hoped that taking distribution, generation and transmission into the private sector will lead to steady supplies and reduce the reliance of homes and businesses on polluting diesel or petrol generators.
God bless General Electric! God bless the Minister of Trade and Investment! God bless Nigeria!

$11 Billion Invested in the Agricultural Sector Since 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan today disclosed that about $11 billion has been invested in the Agricultural Sector by private investors and developmental partners since the Agricultural Transformation Agenda was launched in 2011.
The president made this known at the ongoing 22nd Summit of African Union Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!
This massive investment in the sector has started yielding some tangible results. This has provided employment for the teeming population who are unemployed. Exports have also improved in this sector.
We commend the government for creating the enabling environment to attract such mammoth investment in the country. Leveraging on this will attract more investors not only in the Agricultural Sector, but also in other areas of need, further actualizing the Transformation Agenda!
God bless President Goodluck Jonathan! God bless Nigeria!

Oyakhilome Donates 650-Capacity Hall to Ambrose Alli University

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the President and Founder of Believers' Love World, also known as Christ Embassy, yesterday handed over the keys of a duly completed 650 Capacity Auditorium to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the Visitor of Ambrose Alli Univeristy, Ekpoma in Edo State. He also donated a sound proof 100KVA Generator along with the auditorium.
In his words, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, an alumnus of the institution said, “It is to use this as the first phase and to serve as a catalyst for others to join hands in developing the country. The problem is not the management of our natural resources but managing the potentials locked up in the minds of our teaming youths whose education cannot be separated from the aspiration of the country.”
He further sought for the permission of the governor to provide solar-powered lanterns for each student resident on the campus and solar-powered street lights.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole in his response commended Pastor Oyakhilome for his vision and commitment, and described him as a global icon. 
Truly this is an act that other churches and religious organizations should emulate. Apart from praying for the peace and prosperity of our communities, cities and countries (which is very vital), we should also be seen to contribute to the peace and prosperity of our communities, cities and countries too!
God bless Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Christ Embassy! God bless Nigeria!

FG to Complete Rehabilitation of Plateau-Bauchi Railway Line in February

Another stride again is about to be achieved in the Transport Sector of our nation. The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar during his inspection of the rehabilitation works going on in the Kafachan District of the Nigerian Railway Line made known that, the railway line running from Kuru Station in Plateau State to Bauchi Station in Bauchi State will be duly completed by the end of February.
According to the minister, the FG is working assiduously to ensure that the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway line be fully operational by the end of the year. He said the desire of government is to see the railway system of the nation back and better than what it was before in the good old days.
The Apapa Port in Lagos railway line running to Kaduna and Kano is already operational. Conveying both people and freight on a daily basis.
This is another feather in the cap of the Transformation Agenda of the present administration. Nigeria is working! Things will certainly get better!
We commend the Ministry of Transport, all agencies and parastatals, consultants and contractors working tirelessly to see this dream become a reality!
God bless the Ministry of Transport and it's team of Agencies, Consultants and Contractors! God bless Nigeria!

40,000 Farmers Benefit from the FADAMA Project in Anambra State

Mr Emmanuel Muofunanya, the Project Coordinator for FADAMA 111 in Anambra stated that the project had assisted about 40,000 farmers between 2009 to 2013 in the state. He said that N600 million was disbursed to 870 groups. He revealed that the farmers within this period have witnessed an increase in average income of N45,000 to N80,000.
A research by the International Food Policy Research Institute in the state highlighted a 70% improvement in the savings and income of farmers.
The project development objective of FADAMA is to increase the income and livelihood of beneficiaries, and this the project has achieved in this phase.
We commend the Federal Government for this initiative. A pat on the back also to the Project Coordinator FADAMA 111 Anambra State, for a job well done!
God bless the FADAMA Project! God bless Nigeria!

FG Launches the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company

The Transformation Agenda achieved another remarkable milestone as the Federal Government just launched the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company.
It is believed that this initiative would facilitate 200,000 mortgages over the next 5 years at affordable interest rates.
According to the Ministry of Finance which is to midwife the Programme, it will begin in 14 pilot states where the state governors had agreed to provide fast-track land titles, foreclosure arrangements, and serviced plots.
This is indeed a laudable project of the present government!
May God bless the project! May God keep blessing the Transformation Agenda!
God bless the Ministry of Finance and all related agencies!
God bless Nigeria!

SURE-P Spent 5 Billion in Niger State in 2013

The Director-General of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P), Alhaji Hassan Nuhu, yesterday in Minna said that N5 billion was spent in Niger State in 2013.
He said the money was used to purchase buses, cars and tricycles to boost the transport sector of Niger State, thereby also engaging about 4000 youths with some meaningful employment. Also the Schools of Agriculture at Tegina, Kuta and Makowa were renovated so as to facilitate the training of more youths on farming.
He added that another N5 billion will be spent this year too, so as to consolidate and pursue the goals of SURE-P in Niger State.
This is a good development. We pray that the funds will keep being judiciously used for the project!
God bless the SURE-P! God bless Nigeria!

FG to Employ 1000 Teachers for Unity Schools

At a meeting held in Abuja between the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief  Nyesom Wike and Principals of Federal Government Colleges yesterday, it was made known of the Federal Government's intention to employ about 1000 teachers. This is to address the deficit of teachers, and to improve learning and teaching in the schools.
In the meeting, the Minister stated that the government was making efforts to upgrade technical and vocational education in our Federal Technical Colleges. According to the minister, there can be no technological and economic advancement without adequate technical and vocational education. In his words, 'this is a serious drive to revive the sector'. He further directed the principals of the technical colleges to supply the ministry with their lists of their prevalent needs.
Later, the Minister presented six technical colleges from the geo-political zones with science equipment.
We give kudos to the Supervising Minister of Education and his team. We pray that the drive to revive the sector will be taken seriously. This stride by the Minister will indeed bring about significant changes to our education sector, and also contribute in facilitating the Transformation Agenda!
God bless the Supervising Minister of Education and his team! God bless Nigeria!

Nigeria-China Trade Volume Hits 13 Billion USD in 2013

Mr Deng Boqing the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria revealed on Friday at a farewell reception held in his honor, that the trade volume between Nigeria and China has risen to about 13 billion USD in 2013. This is double what it was four years ago.
He added that Chinese companies have been encouraged to come and establish companies in Nigeria in order to increase job opportunities for Nigerians, ands also industrialize Nigerian products. It has been discovered that China spearheads about 70% of the development of Nigeria today.
The outgoing envoy also commended the Central Bank of Nigeria for being the first in Africa to include the Chinese currency (Renminbi) in its Foreign Exchange Reserves.
All this is quite notable as China is obviously now an economic world super power. If this development is properly harnessed by all those in charge, it will definitely lead to the realization of the transformation agenda of the nation.
God bless Nigeria!

UN Certifies Nigeria Guinea Worm Free

Two days ago the United Nations officially certified Nigeria free from Guinea Worm. Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) is a modular dematosis produced by a parasite called Dracunculus Medinensis. It has been a skin disease reported to be found in humans, dogs, cats, horses, cattle and other animals in parts of Asia and Africa.
The disease is caused by drinking water contaminated by water fleas known as Copepoda which host the Dracunculus larva. The larva then mature into long thin roundworms that begin to move to the lower leg of the body of its victim through the subcutaneous tissues. This leads to intense pain localized on its path of travel. The pain is like a burning sensation. That is why the Guinea Worm Disease is also known as "the fiery serpent". Symptoms of the disease include fever, nausea and vomiting.
There is no vaccine or medicine to treat or prevent Guinea worm disease. Once a Guinea worm begins emerging, the first step is to do a controlled submersion of the affected area in a bucket of water. This causes the worm to discharge many of its larva, making it less infectious.
 Therefore for the nation to succeed in getting a clean bill from the UN with respect to the Guinea Worm Disease, serves as another feather in the cap of the Transformation Agenda of the present government. It's shows that the populace of our great nation now access to water that is free from the GWD parasite.
For this we say well done to all the ministries, parastatals, government and non-governmental agencies that have worked to see this feat achieved.
God bless all that have worked to see this happen! God bless Nigeria!

Nigeria Passes Law Banning Homosexuality

President Goodluck Jonathan this week has signed a new legislation outlawing homosexuality and imposing a prison term of 14 years for people who are persecuted under this new act.
This new act is known as the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. Apart from forbidding same sex marriage, it also criminalizes homosexual clubs, associations and organizations.
This new law has attracted condemnation from countries like the US and UK, who consider themselves liberal societies.
I am of the opinion that every society and country at large have beliefs, ideals and cultures that makes them uniquely different from one another. It is the responsibility of every responsible government to put laws and policies in place to both uphold and preserve this.
Nigeria still is and will remain a highly religious and conservative society that considers homosexuality a deviation from the intrinsic human nature.
This bold step by the President and the legislative arm is commendable.
God bless President Goodluck Jonathan! God bless our Senators! God bless Members of the Federal House of Representatives! God bless Nigeria!

Significance of January 15 to Nigeria

January 15th of every year should be a day worthy of note for all true meaning Nigerians. Two major events took place on this day that should be kept fresh in our memories.
On January 15th, 1966, the first ever military coup in this nation took place. It was quite a bloody one , as Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, Ahmadu Bello, Premier of the Northern Province, and Festus Okotie-Eboh, Minister of Finance were assassinated. This coup lead to a major political crisis that eventually degenerated into a civil war.
Incidentally, on January 15th, 1970, the civil war that had ravaged our country badly, especially the south eastern part, and had led to the death of about 1 million Nigerians, officially came to an end when the Biafra Army surrendered.
We should on this day therefore thank God that the evil meant to derail our country from her glorious destiny was brought to an end the very date it was triggered, though four years later! The unseen hands of God is evident over our nation! We should use these days to learn from the mistakes of the past so that the adage that 'history repeats itself', will not become our plight in this nation.
We must not forget to commend the troops of the Biafra Army for the humility of heart to surrender, thereby allowing for the reintegration of Biafra into the Federal Republic of Nigeria where the truly belong.
We commend the Nigerian Army that fought to preserve the unity of the country of which we celebrate the 100th year of our creation as one indivisible country!
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria! May God preserve the unity of our nation!

Significant Strides in the Petroleum Industry

An overview of activities in our nation's petroleum sector last year shows that some meaningful and commendable strides are being made.
Firstly, the Joint Task Force setup by the government to tackle pipeline vandalism has drastically reduced pipeline vandalism in the country to its lowest in recent years. This the government achieved by ensuring tight security along all our petroleum pipeline networks across the country, leading to some massive savings to the Nation bearing. Once when a major pipeline was vandalized for about 6 weeks. It cost the Government a loss of about N3.6 billion Naira!
Secondly, for the whole of 2013, the government achieved 0% scarcity of petrol. This is commendable, especially as 2012, was a year that stressed petrol consumers.
Thirdly, the Minister of Petroleum Resources embarked on aggressive revamp of downstream facilities including PPMC Depots and product supply pipelines. 20 out the 23 PPMC inland storage depots across the country have been turned around.
In addition to this, the Federal Government has stepped up its fight to stop crude oil theft. The President on his last visit to the US implored the assistance of the US Government in helping us stop this menace. The Government has also warned the international community to stop buying stolen oil from Nigeria.
The above mentioned efforts by the government is a move in the right direction and indeed commendable! We are truly hope that this year the government will concentrate on consolidating on its efforts. We hope to see pipeline vandalism come to an end in our country. We look forward to that  day when, crude oil theft becomes a thing of the past in our country!
God bless the Minister of Petroleum Resources; Mrs Dienzani Alison-Madueke, and her team! God bless President  Goodluck Jonathan! God bless Nigeria!

Arm Forces Remembrance Week ends

The Armed Forces and Remembrance Week celebration is an annual event organized to honour members of the Nigerian Armed Forces who fought in the first and second World Wars, and those who served or are still serving in various peace support operations worldwide as well as those who fought in the Nigerian civil war. The Day is to celebrate both the dead and the living heroes including all those who suffered various deprivations as a result of wars.

Let us use today to appreciate God for their lives. Let us pray that the legacies they fought for and are fighting for be preserved. Let us also remember especially the families of our heroes that laid down their lives, that God will adequately comfort them and fill the vacuum they left behind.

May God bless the memory of all our fallen heroes! God bless our living heroes! God bless the Arm Forces of our great nation! God bless Nigeria!

Lagos State to Rehabilitate 1400 Roads in 2014

The decision of the Governor Babatunde Fashola led government of Lagos State to rehabilitate 1,400 of its roads is quite commendable. By the end of this year hopefully, driving in Lagos State would be a pleasure. This is also coming at a time when the face of our Federal roads are changing for the better. It would be nice if other Governors could take cue. Especially as road transportation still remains the main source of transportation of people, goods and services in our nation.
I am already dreaming of a Nigeria where potholes will become extinct on our roads! Where our roads would be wide enough, well drained, excellent shoulder works, and smoothly paved!
God bless Governor Babatunde Fashola and his team! God bless Lagos State! God bless Nigeria!

100 Jobs for Fresh Graduates in Borno State

Some respite will at least come to the people of Borno State. Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State announced that at least 100 fresh graduates will be absorbed into the State Civil Service within the first quarter of this year.
This is a step in the right direction knowing the prevalent situation in Borno State. We commend the Governor Kashim Shettima lead administration for this move!
God bless Governor Kashim Shettima! God bless the people of Borno State! God bless Nigeria!

Another Impending Strike Action Cancelled

Late yesterday evening at a meeting held by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Minister of Petroleum Resources,  President of NUPENG, President of PENGASSAN, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Petroluem Resources, and the executives of the two unions, the impending nationwide strike actions of the two unions we cancelled.
This was based on a signed agreement that the two unions, NUPENG and PENGASSAN have agreed to work along with the Federal Government to engage in social dialogue in developing viable and workable business models for our nation's refineries.
A big thank you to all the parties involved. We sincerely pray for a commitment to this agreement by all the parties, as this will indeed bring a turnaround as regards to our nation's refineries. All Nigerians I believe are eagerly looking forward to the day when all our refineries will be truly working and viable! God bless the Ministers and Ministries of Labour and Productivity, and Petroleum Resources! God bless NUPENG and PENGASSAN! God bless Nigeria!

Transformation Agenda is working!

I drove by road to and fro Abuja to Calabar with my family during the festive season. It was a thrill and pleasure to drive on smooth asphalt, not ONE single pothole, from around Okunde junction on the highway all through Ikom LGA axis till outskirts of Obubra LGA. What used to take us about 3 hours took us little above an hour! Awesome!
Special thanks to President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Liyel Imoke and Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba for giving us the benefits of good governance.
Thanks also to the team of consultants and contractors that executed a job well done! God bless you all! God bless Nigeria!!

DoubleJubileeNigeria Blog is Up

Welcome!! We are committed in Celebrating all the good things that have happened and are happening in Nigeria! Our Nation is 100 this year!

Kudos to the leadership of NMA for suspending their intended nationwide strike action today! This was based on two major factors. The impact the strike could have on the lives of innocent citizens of the nation, and on the committed strides of the President in resolving the issues at hand! God bless the leadership of NMA!!! Hope other organizations would learn from them!