Feb 14 2010

US embassy denies Ondo lawmakers visas

MAJORITY of the lawmakers in Ondo State billed to travel to the United States of America for a seminar have been denied visa by the Country’s embassy in Nigeria.

Out of the 26 members of the state House of Assembly, investigation revealed that only the Speaker Hon Taofiq Abdusaalam and three other Principal Officers of the Assembly who applied for visa before the attempted suicide bombing of an American plane on 25 December last year by a Nigerian, Abdulmutalab Farouk,  were granted.

The denial of their visa might not be unconnected with the Abdulmutalab attempted bombing saga.

The members were scheduled to travel to the US for a two_week Seminar on the act of lawmaking from the middle of February this year after their recess last week.

Their last legislative assignment was the passage of the 2010 appropriation bill forwarded to them in December last year by the governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko. It was also learnt that the action of the US embassy to stop the lawmakers might not unconnected with the attempted suicide bombing of an American plane on 25 December last year by a Nigerian, Abdulmutalab Farouk.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that aside the four members that applied before December the other 22 legislators who applied after the December 25th 2009 were turned down”.

Speaking on the development, the member representing Ilaje 11 Hon Thompson Otito Atikase described “the US government’s action against them was unpleasant, callous and a slap on Nigeria as a nation.”

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Feb 14 2010

Jonathan pledges to resolve power crises

ACTING President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday has said the Federal Government was determined to make electricity available for all Nigerians.

He stated this when he received Mr. Samuel Jonah, Director of Jonah Capital Companies; a pan-African mining investment group, in State House, Abuja.

Dr. Jonathan affirmed that improved power supply will fast-track wealth creation for the citizenry and assured that Government is working round the clock to address the sector.

He noted that Government is aware of the yearnings of Nigerians for improved power supply and expressed Government’s resolve to alleviate the strains being experienced by small and medium scale enterprises with regards to adequate power supply. “The power sector will be addressed and Government is totally committed on this,” he stated.

The Acting President welcomed initiatives towards exploring alternative sources of electricity generation, saying “we will encourage what is best for the country”.

Earlier, Jonah, who is also a distinguished member of the Honourary International Investors Council (HIIC), congratulated the Acting President on his assumption of office. He said his company is ready to partner with Government.

The Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has said the Federal Government is determined to make electricity available for all Nigerians.

He stated this today when he received in audience Mr. Samuel Jonah, Director of Jonah Capital Companies, a pan_African mining investment group, in State House, Abuja .

Dr. Jonathan affirmed that improved power supply will fast_track wealth creation for the citizenry and assured that Government is working round the clock to address the sector.

He noted that Government is aware of the yearnings of Nigerians for improved power supply and expressed Government’s resolve to alleviate the strains being experienced by small and medium scale enterprises with regards to adequate power supply. “The power sector will be addressed and Government is totally committed on this,” he stated.

The Acting President welcomed initiatives towards exploring alternative sources of electricity generation, saying “we will encourage what is best for the country”.

Earlier, Jonah, who is also a distinguished member of the Honourary International Investors Council (HIIC), congratulated the Acting President on his assumption of office.

He said his company is ready to partner with Government on coal exploration as an alternative energy source to boost electricity generation in the country. He said discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development on the best way forward in this regard.

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Feb 14 2010

Tragedy as Powerline Cut, Kill 40 in Port Harcourt

There were conflicting reports over the casualty figures of the Port Harcourt residents, who were electrocuted during a heavy downpour in the city yesterday.

Eyewitness account had put the figure of those who lost their lives when a 33KVA high tension line cut between Oginigba and Slaughter, Port Harcourt at 40 persons while no fewer than 30 were injured and hospitalised at various health institutions in the State.

However, the Rivers State Government, which has taken over the treatment of those injured, put the casualty figure at 10.
Meanwhile it asked Power Holding Company of Nigeria to produce a clean technical report on what happened as it insisted that any faulty line ought to have automatically shut off and wondered why the line cut and still had current in it.

Acting Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Mr. Blessing Wikina who explained the government position said that only eight people died on the spot while another two died in the hospital to bring the total casualty to 10.
Although the number of people that died is still a subject of controversy due to the method of evacuation of the dead and wounded, eye witness accounts said it would not be less than 40 dead as the line reportedly fell on two buses and some smaller cars roasting all occupants.

Hundreds of residents who witnessed the evacuation of the charred remains of the victims to the morgue at Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, wailed openly some of the victims were burnt beyond recognition.
Initial acknowledgment of the deaths came from the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Mrs. Rita Abbey who put the number of deaths at 10. When THISDAY visited the site, people who claimed to have been around when the incident happened disputed the number, pointing out that at least 11 bodies were removed from two buses which the line fell on before the effect of the live line with current killed many of those standing in waterlogged areas.

Rita had said in a text message to THISDAY that, “At about 0930hours, there was a report of a high tension wire falling due to the rain and electrocuting an unspecified number of persons around Slaughter Bridge, Port Harcourt. The number of death now is 10, while 12 are unconscious. All of them are now at BMH. But we are going to spread our tentacles to ensure that we give security to such persons and advise them on the danger of loading under high-tension wire.”

The area was immediately barricaded by the police who refused people taking photographs though the PPRO said the essence of barricading the area was to ensure that no one strayed into the death zone till PHCN assures that the place was safe again.
Contacted, Spokesman for PHCN in the Port Harcourt zone, Mr. John Onye attributed the tragedy to “line cut” but said they were still investigating what led to the unfortunate incident.

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