Inability of state's to pay salaries despite bail-out is a matter of great concern- Buhari

President Buhari says it is a matter of great concern to him that nearly two-thirds of states of the federation are still having difficulties with salary payments despite the bail-out funds provided to them by the Federal Government. Speaking at a meeting with members of the Nigeria Governor Forum at the Presidential Villa yesterday April 28th, President Buhari said that he was very disturbed by the hardship which state government workers across the country and their families were facing due to the non-payment of salaries.

To ameliorate the hardship being faced by affected workers, the President said that the Federal Government will strive to make more funds available to the states by expediting action on refunds due to them for the maintenance of federal roads and other expenses incurred on behalf of the Federal Government. He added that he will establish an inter-ministerial committee to study a Fiscal Restructuring Plan for the Federation which was presented to him by the governors.

Buhari said that the committee will review the plan to improve the finances of state governments and make recommendations on how proposals in the plan should be dealt with by the Presidency, the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly through legislation. He urged the governors, however, to understand that while he was ready to do all within his powers to help the states overcome their current financial challenges, the Federal Government also has funding problems of its own to contend with.

"You all know the problems we have found ourselves in. You have to bear with us," he told them.

The Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and the Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, who chaired the committee that worked on the Fiscal Restructuring Plan, asked the Federal Government to do more to help the states financially.

The governors told the President that while they had resolved to take other measures to boost their internally-generated revenue, the implementation of the Fiscal Restructuring Plan will help them to deal with their funding problems on short, medium and long-term bases.

They said that if the plan was adopted and implemented by the Federal Government, states of the federation will become more financially empowered to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities.

14 year old girl commits suicide after classmates release fake nude photos online and kept bullying her

14 year old Destiny and her parents moved to a new city and she started a new school. She was ready to make new friends and have her classmates like her but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Her friends didn't like that she was pretty so they got jealous and she became the target of a group of about half a dozen girls, and endless bullying ensued.

It escalated to online bullying where they would grab nude photos of random girls and spread it amongst their friends and claim the nudes were of Destiny's. They bullied her so bad that she couldn't take it anymore and she hung herself in her room where her father found her.
Read what her friend Natasha Fisher wrote about her:

On Wednesday morning was just like any other morning I went on about my day until my phone rang. I can't explain the excitement that I felt seeing my friend's name pop up on the screen. What was she doing today I wondered.... What were we going to do that night? No kids sounds exciting to me. Little did I know when I answer that phone call my best friends life had already been changed forever. Stephanie (my best friend) and Kurtis Clark are the parents to the most beautiful little girl, Destiny Gelsson, that had just turned 14 in February 2nd. 

She was beautiful and talented let me tell you that girl was sassy in the best possible way. The Clarks had moved 2 Warrenton from Wentzville just this school year. They had just bought their first dream house. Destiny has always been a lovable child but with time unfortunately her beauty and compassion was her curse. With good comes evil found in ever situation. 

There of course were a group of girls at the new school, Black Hawk Middle School, that were jealous of her. 

So instead of being accepting of how blessed they were to know someone like her... their hatred and jealously caused them to shun her and do everything they could to make her life unbearable. From name calling to downloading some random persons private parts, printing them off and writing Destiny's name above the picture. 

I know first hand how ruthless they were I witnessed her tears due to her bullies. As well as my friends struggle to try and better the situation. The months went by and away went her smile and her carefree self. I remember the day I first found out about Destiny being bullied some little girls with nothing else better to do had been sending notes around school that day calling her names and making up stories. It had carried over to social media that night. 

And until April Destiny was not allowed to have a Facebook account. She however had a Instagram account that her parents had the password and login to, which was monitored daily by her parents. I don't know how many times that she cried I don't know how many times that she wish things were different. 

All she wanted was to be liked. I do know whenever I answered that phone and got that call I couldn't believe the words that I was hearing. I couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. 

I wanted to wrap my arms around Stephanie and Kurtis and grab that little girl up and tell her everything was going to be ok. Destiny attempted suicide Wednesday morning by hanging herself she was found my her father who had to yell for her mother because he was unable to get her down alone. 

Destiny was without oxygen for 20-30 minutes before she was brought back to life upon arriving at St. Joseph West Hospital in Lake St. Louis. She was then air vaced to Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis. Destiny's first day at Cardinal Glennon she was breathing 60% on her own and had good brain activity ...the family was so excited. We thought she was going to pull through. Destiny's situation looked so promising. We were sure that it would be a long road home, but she would pull through and everything was going to be fine. 

Then later that night Destiny's temperature spiked and she took a turn for the worst. She started having seizures back-to-back and her brain started to swell. Her legal cause of death was from swelling of her brain. It was not ruled a suicide due to the fact that they resuscitated her. 

Destiny took the last breathe on her own Friday 4/22/16 around 4:30pm but was not officially pronounced deceased in the eyes of the law until 1:11 Saturday 4/23/2016. We are donating her organs as Destiny would have wanted. She was such a kind, caring, compassionate, loving person who would do anything to help others. 

Destiny was a victim of one of the worst crimes that I know. Growing up everyone said sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me well, I most definitely beg to differ words do hurt sometimes so much more than physical harm.

This is the worst moment in anyone's life but just know that she is going to live on in others. Her tragic death is going to give life to so many. She is going to make the most beautiful angel! Destiny's Memorial Service will be held Saturday April 30th, 2016.

Sophia Momodu shares adorable photo with her daughter, Imade

Sophia pictured with her smiling & happy daughter, Imade Adeleke, in a throwback photo posted on Instagram. She captioned it, "Positive Vibes Only  #TB". She's adorable!

Oshiomole accuses Jonathan of starving APC governors of funds during his administration

Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomole, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of starving APC governors of funds while he was president. Oshiomhole said this while speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting with Buhari and state governors. He said Jonathan prevented APC governors from utilizing the N2 billion ecological fund;

“We are very lucky to have President Buhari at this time. I have been here now for seven and a half years and I have had the opportunity to work with three presidents. Under the last president, it would have been impossible for us to approach Abuja to give us support because we have personal challenges. We were given lectures on fiscal responsibility and all those kind of talks, even though the wastage was more here than any other place at that time.‎ We now have a president who recognises that he is the president of the federation, of which the states are part. And regardless of our political affiliation, this is very important… everybody is able to ask this president to give him support and he is giving. Whereas, in the recent past, some PDP governors got N2 billion from ecology fund, we APC governors were not given. But we promised to be different and I am happy this president is showing that difference.”‎he said

New photos of Miss SaHHara

Ms Sahhara stepped out in this lovely African headgear ‎for an interview with BBC London where she talked about her transition from male to a female. She also spoke about her struggles as a gay man in Nigeria before she relocated to the UK. See more photos after the cut..

 

Colombia legalizes same-sex marriage

A top court in Colombia has officially legalized same-sex marriage in the country. Same sex couples who were already allowed to form civil partnerships, are now permitted to get married just like other heterosexual couples.
 This new law places Colombia as the fourth country in Latin America to legalize same sex marriages. Argentina was the first Latin American country to take the step in July 2010 before Brazil and Uruguay followed suit.

Nigerian Navy declares Charles Ekpemefumor wanted for alleged hijack of MT MAXIMUS

The Nigerian Navy has declared a man named Mr. Charles Ekpemefumor (pictured) - Wanted for the hijack of a Vessel named MT Maximus. In a statement released on their official website, Ekpemefumor was accused of being the mastermind of the pirate attack and hijacking of the vessel. After several unsuccessful attempts to invite him over for questioning on the allegations made, the Nigerian Navy officially declared him wanted. The statement reads,

“It was earlier reported that a vessel, MT MAXIMUS with 18 crew members and carrying 4,368.203MT of Gas Oil was hijacked on 11 February 2016 by a group of suspected pirates off Cote d’Ivoire waters. Consequently, the Nigerian Navy deployed for rescue operations. The vessel was eventually rescued on 19 February 2016 within Sao Tome waters 320 nautical miles (nm) off the Nigerian coast. During the rescue operation, 6 pirates were arrested, while one of them was killed. Some items were recovered from the pirates including weapons and mobile telephones.

However, in the course of investigations, it was revealed that one MR CHARLES EKPEMEFUMOR aka Charles Parker or Captain Charles Agaba is the mastermind of the hijack attack on the MT MAXIMUS.

Additionally, he was alleged to be responsible for the leasing of mother ship MT DEJIKUN used for the hijack from one Mr Mustapha Kenny Gani through a third party called Mr Steve Paul. In view of his involvement in the pirate attack and hijacking of MT MAXIMUS, a letter of invitation was sent to him on 15 April 2016 to enable him come for questioning on the allegation. Several attempts have been made to ensure his compliance but all efforts proved abortive.

Accordingly, Mr Charles Ekpemefumor alias Charles Parker is hereby declared wanted by the Naval Headquarters in order to unravel the circumstances of the hijack of MT MAXIMUS. Therefore, any person who sights him should report immediately to any naval formation, military or security agencies for prompt action.”

Report: Odion Ighalo is Watford's third highest earner with £30,000 per week salary

According to a report by the Daily Sports UK, Nigeria's Odion Ighalo is the third highest earning player in Watford FC of England. The highest paid player in Watford is Mario Suarez, who earns about £45,000, while team captain Deeney Troy pockets £35,000 a week. Ighalo is third in the club's salary rankings with earnings of £30,000 weekly. Ighalo has scored 14 league goals this season.

2face and his son Nino dapper in tuxedo (photo)

2face Idibia and his first son, Nino Idibia look so much alike. Another photo after the cut...

Benin Monarch announce the passing of the Oba of Benin

The Great Oba of Benin, Omo n'Oba n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I, has died. The monarch's death was announced by the Prime Minister and Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, in company of other traditional Chiefs today April 29th.

“Osorhue Bunrun. Oba Erediauwa of Benin Kingdom, the Prince if Peace, Ebo, Ayemwirhe, emini mini mini, has returned with his ancestors. May he find perfect peace with God.”the Iyase said

The late monarch ascended the throne in March 1979. May his soul rest in peace... Amen.