zimsglobal.blogspot.com: 2015-08-23

Saturday 29 August 2015

Blessing Okagbare responds to critics after her poor performance at IAAF World Championships

After her disappointing outing for the 100m race at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing on Monday where she finished last in a time of 11.02 seconds and failed to show up for the 200m event, the third fastest woman in the world took to her Facebook page to acknowledge the love and support from her friends, family and 'true fans'. She also used the opportunity to leave a few choice words for haters and critics. She especially came for journalists...lol. See what she wrote after the cut

Photo: Uche Jombo, her husband and son hang out

The lovely Rodriquez family!

LAWMA official killed by a speeding vehicle in Lagos this morning (photos)

A Lagos Waste Managment Authority, LAWMA official was knocked down this morning during the Environmental sanitation exercise by a speeding green SUV along Apongbon, Lagos Island. The individual that hit her didn't wait and the LIB reader who witnessed the incident and sent the photos in said the woman died right in front of him. So sad! Killed while diligently doing her work. See the photos after the cut...

Lol... Check out this pot of Indomie cake (photo)

Now, tell me this is not one of the most creative cakes you have ever seen!

Nigeria Economy worse In 90 days of APC – PDP

Below is a press statement from the PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) decries as alarming, the damage so far done on the nation’s economy by the President Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) since it took office at the center, three months ago. The party said the shambolic state of the nation’s economy within the period, which represents the worst in the nation’s contemporary history, is a direct fallout of uncertainty created by the inability of the Buhari-led government to chart a clear-cut economic policy, worsened by abuse of regulations, and flagrant violation of constitutional provisions.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Saturday said instead of gains, official reports show that the last three months under the APC-led government have brought a sudden decline in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with attendant losses and hardship to the citizens, while the government embarks on propaganda of imaginary achievements, in addition to attempts to foist harsh economic regime to cover its ineptitude.

“If not for crass incompetence or a possible ulterior motive to subjugate Nigerians for selfish reasons, what else explains the adamant stance of this administration in running a government without the statutory components of a full cabinet and precise fiscal policy direction, even when the negative consequences of this strange totalitarian approach are taking serious toll on the economy and the polity in general?

“Whereas the APC led government is busy with its propaganda of imaginary achievements, official reports from the National Bureau of Statistics show that that the economy is being grounded with Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) plunging with about 2.35%, while job creation has dropped by 69 percent.

“In the last three months under an inept and poorly coordinated APC-led government, our nation’s economy, which before now, held the record as the largest in Africa and one of the fastest growing in the world, suddenly plummeted as officially evidenced in the lull in the capital and money market sectors which have lost billions of naira; spiral rate of inflation, and stagnation in domestic and foreign direct investments, with investors scared away due to the uncertainty arising from lack of economic direction and apparent confusion in the polity.

“This is in addition to the halt in infrastructure development projects in most parts of the country with associated massive job loss, closure of auxiliary small scale businesses, low purchasing power of citizens, among other negatives that have bedeviled the economy since the coming of this government, despite the much APC celebrated promissory notes from the President’s diplomatic shuttles, especially his recent visit to the United States.

“Nigerians would recall that we recently raised alarm on the negative consequences of the recent foreign exchange transaction restrictions, wherein this government is making it impossible for honest Nigerians to engage in free trade and regulate their personal activities as guaranteed by the constitution.

“We also warned about the consequences of foisting a communist economic regime with bans and clampdowns on free trade and the freedom of Nigerians to freely open and operate domiciliary accounts as provided by the Foreign Exchange Monitoring And Miscellaneous Provisions Act, otherwise known as Decree No. 17 of 1995 and wondered whether the nation was not heading back to the era of import duty licenses and regulation of commodity prices.“Only recently, Fitch Rating, which, under the previous administration, affirmed Nigeria's long-term foreign and local currency IDRs as well as senior unsecured bond and Short-term foreign currency IDR ratings respectively at 'BB”s, had now alerted that Nigerian banks and other businesses in the sector would be adversely affected by the economic slowdown occasioned by the incompetence of the President Buhari-led APC government.

“This is more so as the absence of ministers have left the coordination of important government policies in ministries, departments and agencies in tatters, while creating loopholes for overzealous persons claiming closeness to the President to invade the system for inflated concessions, allocations, jobs and other financial sleazes, including misleading the President for approvals outside his limits.

“We invite Nigerians to note that whereas the Presidency has gone ahead to unilaterally deplete the funds inherited in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and other government savings, as well as reports of engaging in discussions with the World Bank for loans without recourse to appropriate statutory arms of government, no corresponding improvement has been witnessed in the economy. Indeed, we are worried that the damage already done in the last 90 days may linger with us for years to come.

“Nigerians are no longer in doubt that they have been scammed with long list of empty promises which the APC government has no intentions or capacity to fulfill. The free meals for school children, allowances for discharged Corps Members, N5,000 monthly allowance for indigent Nigerians, free houses, bringing the dollar to the same value as the naira and other bogus promises for which they were voted into power, have become streams of mirage.

Instead, what we continue to witness is the outworn excuse of clearing the so-called Augean Stable, loud propaganda and artful move to appropriate the achievements made by the PDP-led administration; such as the effort in ending polio, the improvement in power supply, the reopening of the refineries, among others which are a dividend from numerous investments by the previous administrations.

“Finally, we state categorically that Nigerians are becoming tired and weary of the diversions and propaganda of creating imaginary achievements, dramatization of routine appointments, offering mundane excuses for crass incompetence and orchestrating a selective and witch-hunt of anti-corruption crusade.

Signed:

Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary

Photos of one of the Airforce pilots that died in the crash today

Squadron leader Kunle Suara died this morning after the air-force helicopter he was flying crashed just 10mins after take off at the Nigerian Defense Academy old site in Kaduna. Six other people lost their lives. May their souls rest in peace, amen.

3 Aljazeera journalists sentenced to 3yrs in prison by Egyptian court

Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste were today Saturday August 29th sentenced to three years in prison for ;operating without a press license & broadcasting material harmful to Egypt.'

The verdict in a retrial was issued against Mohamed Fahmy, a naturalized Canadian who has given up his Egyptian citizenship, Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian, and Australian Peter Greste, who was deported in February and sentenced in absentia.

Egyptian judge Hassan Farid said he issued his ruling because the three weren't registered with the country's journalist syndicate. He also added that the journalists brought equipment without the approval of security officials into Egypt, as well as spread 'false news' and used a hotel as a broadcasting point without permission.

Reacting to the verdict which sparked international outcry, the acting director general of the Qatar-based news network, Mostefa Souag said in a statement:

"Today's verdict defies logic and common sense. Our colleagues Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy will now have to return to prison, and Peter Greste is sentenced in absentia. Today's verdict is yet another deliberate attack on press freedom. It is a dark day for the Egyptian judiciary; rather than defend liberties and a free and fair media they have compromised their independence for political reasons.”

Photos from the Airforce helicopter crash in Kaduna today, 7 killed

These are some photos from the crash site of the Dornier 228 aircraft belonging to Nigerian air-force that crashed at the Nigerian Defense Academy old site in Kaduna at about 6:45 this morning. The helicopter was said to be on a routine training flight and was heading to Abuja from the Nigerian Airforce base in Kaduna, when the incident occurred. All 7 people on-board, including the pilot, co-pilot, two engineers and three passengers all died. See more photos from the crash site after the cut

Pregnant Mercy Johnson celebrates birthday with her family

The actress who turned 31 yesterday August 28th celebrated with her husband and their two children at their Lagos home. Like I told y'all, Mercy is expecting baby number and is due to deliver before the end of the year. More photo after the cut...