Culture Minister’s visit, demands and promises
Last week’s visit to the parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation by the newly appointed Minister of the Ministry, Alhaji Abubakir Sadiq Mohammade did not only provide an opportunity to understanding the myriads of problems that clog the wheel of developmental progress in the culture and tourism sector; but also provided the needed critical platform to x- raying the preparedness of the quiet looking and seemingly , cerebrally equipped culture minister, who is saddled with the responsibility of turning around the declining fortunes of the Ministry.
Personalities to watch and why
*President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan – his actions and inactions are going to largely determine the future of Nigeria in the coming months
*Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo – Nigerians would be watching his moves and attempt to compare his role as vice president with the likes of Atiku Abubakar and Jonathan
Probe Obasanjo too
Mr. Bello Adoke had challenged a pressure group of transparency and anti-corruption advocates who are pushing for the prosecution of former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida over allegations of corrupt handling of the said $12.4 oil windfall. Last week, the Attorney-General pledged, in a letter to the group that he would set up a committee to ascertain the veracity of the report, review the allegation, and if there’s any meat in it possibly commence a criminal charge of the former military dictator.
Of mines, miners and minefields
Believe me when I tell you that I did not think of mines when I set out to comment on the increasing unacceptable targeting of journalists outside due process, and the new dimension it took at a venue where justice is to be accessed by those who complain about the absence of due process.
Hard times are here in 2010. How do you plan to cope?
2010 is probably a year that many innocent Nigerians will be made to pay for the lack of policy direction and recklessness of their leaders. When Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iewala became minister of Finance and the chairperson of Obasanjo Economic management team, she introduced the excess crude revenue account to which monies realised from the sale of crude oil above the budget bench mark was saved. The account, in no time, blossomed following favourable oil price. It rose to as much as $20 billion. States, local government started the agitation for its sharing.
On Busa-Buji Bridge; Jos (1)
This column could easily have been entitled HOPE RENEWED IN JOS and it would have been just as apt. For three days last week, I was back again in Jos because it is an enduring story and it represents one of the many puzzles we must solve as a nation for unity and peace to prevail.
