Welcome to Geophilworld's blog: 09/24/16

Saturday, 24 September 2016

CBN Rates Anambra High On Food Production

The Central Bank of Nigeria has showered praises on the local economy of Anambra State, South-eastern part of Nigeria with accolades given to the Governor, Willie Obiano of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

The apex bank stated that Anambra State has the potentials of becoming not only Nigeria’s food basket, but also providing food for the African Continental and beyond, Sun reports.

Consequently, the apex bank charged the state to bring to bear its excellent performance in commerce to agriculture to make the dream become a reality. Stating this in a speech he delivered on behalf of the Director, Development Finance Department of the CBN, during the flag-off of Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) in AnamB.ra State, the bank’s B.ranch Controller, Awka B.ranch, Mr. C.M. Sokari, assured the state that the ABP would contribute in no small measure to realizing the goal of the state becoming a food basket.

He noted that several intervention programmes have been floated by the CBN in collaboration with the Federal Government to diversify the nation’s economic base away from crude oil, adding that ABP was launched by the apex bank to reposition agriculture in the scheme of things in the country.

“To fund the programme, the CBN had set aside N40 billion from the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund for farmers at a single-digit rate of nine per cent.

“…Nigeria, as we may all know, is a mjor rice producer with over 20 key rice producing states in the country most of which cultivate during both wet and dry seasons. Rice is one crop in which the country has comparative advantage to easily become self-sufficient, given the huge potentials that exist. “The Central Bank of Nigeria has set the ball rolling and shown commitment to this programme and, therefore, expects that farmers and all relevant stakeholders in AnamB.ra State would reciprocate by contributing their very best towards ensuring the successful implementation of this laudable programme,” he said.

Sokari commended Governor Willie Obiano and his team for the laudable achievements the state has made and his support for agriculture and agricultural developmental programmes, including taking a bold lead in the export of vegetable to Europe and other Western countries.

WAEC Reveals How Some Candidates Forget Their 'Expo' In Answer Booklets

The reason why many candidates forget their materials used for examination malpractice popularly know as ‘Expo’ in the booklets during WAEC exams, has been revealed.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Punch newspaper, Demianus Ojijeogu, the Public Relations Officer of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), revealed that some exam candidates who are in a hurry to submit their answer booklets to invigilators, forget their expo (materials used for examination malpractice) in their answer booklets.

While noting that some other candidates use different answer booklets from its authorised copies, he added that the council had reduced the incidence of impersonation in its examinations through its biometric registration process

“We encounter malpractice during the examination and during marking. Some leave the expo in the answer booklets. We see that all the time. Others use other answer booklets different from the council’s own. But, we discover these things during marking because the booklets do not have our serial numbers and they are not usually signed by the supervisors. Supervisors usually sign the booklets before they are given to the candidates.

“We have been able to handle impersonation through our biometric process but there is still collusion where candidates will copy exactly the same answers usually dictated by a teacher. We have our invigilators but the number is limited. When you leave the centre or before we get there, they will do what they want,” he said.

He added that the council was still dealing with challenges of collusion, which involved teachers aiding candidates during examination.

Speaking further in the interview, Ojijeogu, disclosed that some candidates harassed supervisors, adding that the development had forced the council to adopt a more discreet approach in making announcements regarding examination malpractice.

“We no longer make noise about examination malpractice because examination supervision is a hazardous job. When candidates engage in malpractice, we just take their number and they fill a form. Some of our workers have been held hostage, female supervisors have been harassed. It is a hazardous job,” he added.

Meet The Winner Of MTV Base VJ Search 2016

After a month of intense auditions which kicked off in August, a new VJ has finally emerged from the MTV Base VJ search. Welcome Olayinka Oladiran a.k.a K’Ola to our TV screens!

The 23-year-old graduate of Broadcast Journalism & Psychology from Towson University,
Baltimore, USA, made it through the rigorous screening from of thousands of hopefuls across major cities in Nigeria and slugged it out with the other 4 finalists- 21 year old Tochukwu Onwubiko, 19 year-old twins, Grace and Glory Danbaki and 23-year old Tomiwa Olorunfemi to win a 2-year contract worth N20 million, other freebies and of course become the hottest face in entertainment.

K’Ola was announced the winner in the finale which aired live today on the music channel at 6:30pm and could barely contain her excitement.

“Mtv is not ready for me, you’re not ready but you got K’Ola,” she said following her announcement.
The new face of MTV Base will be travelling all over the globe representing the MTV Base brand, while interviewing celebrities from around the world.

President Buhari says those who stole from Nigeria recruited militants in the Niger Delta to fight his government

President Buhri said those who stole from Nigeria's treasury are angry with his government and so have recruited the services of militants in the Niger Delta to fight his government. He said this while addressing a group of Nigerians professionals residing in the US.

His words:

"We got into trouble as a country, because we did not save for the rainy day. For example, between 1999 and 2015, when we produced an average of 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, and oil prices stood at an average of $100 per barrel, we did not save, neither did we develop infrastructure. Suddenly, when we came in 2015, oil prices fell to about 30 dollars per barrel. I asked; where are the savings? There were none.
Where are the railways? The roads? Power? None. I further asked; what did we do with billions of dollars that we made over the years? They said we bought food. Food with billions of dollars? I did not believe, and still do not believe. In most parts of Nigeria, we eat what we grow. People in the South eat tubers, those in the North eat grains, which they plant, and those constitute over 60 per cent of what we eat. So, where did the billions of dollars go? We did a lot of damage to ourselves by not developing infrastructure when we had the money. Talking of our military, they earned respect serving in places like Burma, Zaire, Sudan, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, and then, suddenly, that same military could no longer secure 14 out of 774 local governments in the country. Insurgents had seized them, calling them some sort of caliphate, and planting their flags there; till we came, and scattered them. We raised the morale of our military, changed the leadership, re-equipped and retrained them; USA, Britain, and some other countries helped us, and today, the pride of our military is restored"he said

On Boko Haram, he said

"They ran riot, killing innocent people in churches, mosques, markets, schools, motor parks, and so on. And they would then shout Allahu Akbar. But if they truly knew Allah, they would not do such evil. Neither Islam, nor any other religion I know of, advocates hurting the innocent. But they shed innocent blood, killed people in their thousands. Now, we have dealt with that insurgency, and subverted their recruitment base. Those who stole Nigeria dry are not happy. They recruited the militants against us in the Niger Delta, and began to sabotage oil infrastructure. We lose millions of barrels per day, at a time when every dollar we can earn, counts. It is a disgrace that a minimum of 27 states, out of 36 that we have in Nigeria, can't pay salaries. But I prayed so hard for God to make me President. I ran in 2003, 2007, 2011, and in 2015, He did. And see what I met on ground. But I can't complain, since I prayed for the job. In the military, I rose from 2nd Lieutenant to Major-General. I was military governor in 1975 over a state that is now six states. I was head of state, got detained for three years, and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which had N53 billion of that time in Nigerian banks. God has been very good to me, so I can't complain. If I feel hurt by anybody, I ask God to help me forgive. He has done so much for me. After 16 years of a different party in government, no party will come and have things easy. It's human. We need quality hands to run Nigeria, and we will utilize them. I will like to welcome you home when it's time. But I'll like you to be ready."he said

What do you think of this kind of government?

EFCC officer arrested for collecting N15m bribe from a lawmaker

The EFCC on Thursday, September 15, 2016, has arrested one of its officers, Uzodinma Kingsley Agbazue for offences bordering on criminal conspiracy and extortion.

He was a Deputy Detective Superintendent, DDS, and was arrested following a complaint by a lawmaker currently under investigation by the Commission, alleging that the operative collected N15million from him with a promise to give him soft landing by compromising the investigation.

According to the complainant, Agbazue allegedly approached him, claiming he had been mandated by the officer handling the case to discuss and reach an agreement on how to “kill the case”. Following the approach, a sum of N15million was given to Agbazue whose game plan collapsed after the Investigating officer, who was ignorant of his scheme, refused to do his bidding. With the investigation gathering increased momentum after parting with the hefty sum, the complainant became uncomfortable and demanded a refund.

The complainant stated that, when he requested for the refund of his money, Agbazue only returned N5million claiming that the balance of N10million had been given to someone “to kill the case from the top”.

The complainant also alleged that the operative collected N1million at a different time as assistance for settlement of his wife’s medical bill. Agbazue’s action is in contravention of the Commission’s mandate and ideals as the EFCC will not solicit or accept gratification from a suspect to compromise a case under investigation. The suspect will be subjected to administrative action as precursor to possible prosecution at the end of the investigation.

Source: EFCC