Warring world yet to heed message of Jesus

When the baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the old story goes, he was born into danger. The three wise men from the east had come to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this, he was troubled. Herod, an early historian wrote, was “the most cruel tyrant that ever ascended to a throne.” When Herod heard of this “King of the Jews,” this potential rival, he summoned the priests and scribes and demanded that they tell him where the baby would be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they replied, “for thus it is written by the prophet.” So the canny Herod told the wise men, “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him.”
The three wise men followed the star until it stood over the place where the baby lay. When they saw the infant with his mother, Mary, they fell to their knees and worshiped him, and gave him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they did not take word back to the king. God had warned them in a dream not to follow Herod’s command, so they returned to their own country another way.
Then, the story goes, an angel appeared to Mary’s husband, Joseph, and said, “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.” Joseph heeded the warning. Herod’s plan was foiled. He was angry. He sent men to kill all the children aged 2 years and younger that could be found in and around Bethlehem. But the baby Jesus was safe.
*
On this Christmas day, even as the Cold War ends and the threat of nuclear horror recedes, the rumble of war machines almost drowns out the pealing of the bells. A military force that will soon exceed 400,000 Americans is amassing in the region of Jesus’ birth, awaiting word from President Bush on when to go to war.
War and rumors of war. It has always been so. Jesus lived and died in a world of senseless slaughter. The news of his birth brought a massacre of innocent children. He was executed by civil authorities on a false charge soon after his 30th birthday. The message he brought to the children of God was to work to change this warring world, to be radical seekers of peace. Love your enemy. Bless those who curse you. When you are slapped on one cheek, turn the other. Do good to those who hate you. Remember, the peacemakers shall be called the children of God.
Today America, draped in the trappings of Christianity, commemorates the birth of Jesus. Americans praise Him, honor Him. Our leaders invoke His name. But few Americans follow Him to the extent of practicing the most radical of His teachings. Turn the other cheek? Bless those who curse you? Be realistic. That may be good theology, but it’s bad politics. No nation could survive that way. Bullies respect power. The way to keep the peace is to be ready to fight.
So this Christmas season, while choirs sing of peace on Earth, our president talks of kicking ass. America prepares for war, praising Jesus but practicing realism.
*
Jesus’ ministry lasted only three years. His followers were mostly humble, unlearned folk of the region of his birth. Many of his apostles, his message-bearers, died horrible deaths – Paul beheaded, Barnabas flayed alive, Peter and James crucified.
Yet within 15 years after the crucifixion there was a noticeable Christian presence in Rome. Within 300 years Rome would be ruled by a Christian emperor. Within 2,000 years Christianity would be the most powerful religious force on Earth. It would seem to require a miracle to, as an ancient prophet said, “guide our feet into the way of peace.” But if you believe the old story, you know today is, after all, the celebration of a miracle.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/23/4565959/warring-world-yet-to-heed-message.html#storylink=cpy

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Navy hands over 1,646 suspected oil thieves for prosecution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As part of the campaign against the theft of the nation oil resources, the authorities of the Nigerian Navy have handed over 1,646 suspected oil thieves to the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, who disclosed this at the inauguration of the Chief of Naval Staff Strategic Guidance ‘02’ in Abuja said the suspects were arrested between October 12 and September 13, 2013.

Ezeoba also said operatives of the Navy also destroyed 1,556 illegal refineries, 1443 wooden boats and 69, 606 auxiliary equipment during the period.

The Navy Chief added that the service rescued two vessels -MV Crow and MT Norte- which were carrying 17,000 metric tonnes of gasoline as of the time they were hijacked by the pirates.

He said the efforts of the Navy had resulted in a drastic reduction of the incidents of piracy and oil theft in the nation’s maritime domain.

He added that the Navy responded effectively to most of the alerts it received on piracy and sea robbery and was investigating others.

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Experts evaluate HIV/AIDS management in Nigeria

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Healthcare Centre, Ebutte Metta, Dr. Munurat Jinadu said that commitment is the basic tool to getting the three zero tolerance such as the zero deaths related to HIV/AIDS, zero new infections and zero discrimination, if the prevalence needs to be brought to the minimal in Nigeria.
   She said that despite concerted efforts put in place globally, the most deadly part of the scourge is the discrimination and stigmatization, adding that the only way to reduce this killer disease is to continuously engage in creative research and at the same having save and protected sex.
   The CMD said this on Monday during a seminar organized by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Yaba, Lagos to commemorated the World AIDS day and to reflect on the impact of HIV/AIDS on all the regions of the world and every segment of society including women, youth and children and for stakeholders to come together to review the progress achieved so far and reflect on the collective efforts to mobilize resources for the response in Nigeria.
    According to Jinadu, who is also the chair person of the seminar, despite the many challenges, trends are improving and areas in need of sustained efforts are testing, treatment and prevention. The target is what has been identified as the three zeros; zero deaths related to HIV/AIDS, zero new infections and zero discrimination.
“One of the key areas the government has continued to beam it searchlight on is the area creative research to come out with more ways to depress and manage HIV/AIDS in the country. Nigeria has made steady progress in combating HIV/AIDS since the Abuja Declaration in 2001. HIV prevalence has declined by about 25 per cent in the last 10 years to 4.1 per cent. The number of persons living with HIV who now access lifesaving treatment has risen by about 97 per cent in the last 10 years – with 500,000 persons now on antiretroviral drugs mostly through the assistance of our development partners.”
   Also, the Head of Department, Heamatology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Dr. Sulaiman Akanmu, while speaking on the future of HIV/AIDS during his lecture noted that Nigeria as over the years tried to bring the transmission of HIV/AIDS down, and has been recorded to have singlehandedly managed the scourge in the country through series of test and medical researches.
  He noted that as at 1991, the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS was less than one percent, and in 2003, it was 5.8 percent, while today, it has dropped from that to 4.1 percent.
   On the progress of the antiviral treatment program in the country, he was of the view that the anti viral treatment program in Nigeria is indeed on course in the country and the government, during the Olusegun Obasanjo regime, has been proactive in it’s ways to treat 10,000 adults and 5,000 children living with HIV/AIDS in the country with just nine treatment centers then, but the achievement has increased from nine to 300 all over the country, that is an achievement.
“When you have a successful treatment program, you will largely reduce the transmission of the disease in the general public, and it has been calculated that for one person treated, there is the tendency that it will reduce further transmission to others”
   While Nigeria continued to record success in it campaign against HIV/AIDS, more than two million Nigerians have access to HIV counselling and testing annually. HIV prevalence among young people in Nigeria is also gradually declining.
“I am aware that HIV services are now available to more Nigerians than it was in 2001 and that services are currently being taken to rural communities through the Primary Health Care system,” he noted.
  Meanwhile, Dr. Oni Idigbe, who represented the Director General of the NIMR, Dr. Innocent Ujah, was of the view that NIMR has quickly became one of the prime sites for comprehensive HIV care, treatment and support as a result of dedication and commitment of staff. 
   Idigbe said that a level progress has been achieved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but the global economic downturn and consequent donor fatigue was impacting negatively on ongoing efforts.
  He stressed the need for to scale up services to ensure that all infected persons are identified and enrolled into care and that all who are eligible for ARVs are getting them regularly and consistently.

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Abia Distributes 202 Cars To Youths

 
In continuation of its Youth Empowerment
Programme, the Abia State Government has
given out 202 different brands of vehicles to
Abia youths for the fourth phase of the
programme.
This brings to 700, the total number of vehicles
so far given out by the government to the
youths since the inception of the programme
about a year ago.
Speaking while handing over the vehicles to
beneficiaries at the Michael Okpara Auditorium,
Umuahia, the Commissioner for Local
Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief
Emma Nwabuko explained that the programme
was designed to better the lots of youths in the
state.
Nwabuko also explained that the vehicles
which were branded and registered by the
government were always given free of charge.
According to him, the gesture was not only to
make Abia youths gainfully employed but to be
useful to themselves and the society.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the
Governor on Youth Affairs and Development,
Prince Maduka Uwadi asked the beneficiaries
not to use the vehicles for commercial
purposes, resell or deface them, warning that
any person caught going against the guidelines
would have his vehicle withdrawn.
Uwadi announced that the fifth batch of the
exercise would hold before the end of
December.
Meanwhile, two prominent Abia indigenes have
donated 20 vehicles to the scheme. in support
of Abia State Government’s-owned Ochendo
Youths Empowerment Programme headed Mr
Chinedu Orji.
The vehicles were donated by Friday Nwosu,
who gave five Sienna vehicles and Chief Uche
Ogah of Masters Energy, who gave 15 Passat
cars.

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Senate probes alleged missing $49.8 billion

*Missing fund must not be swept under carpet–APC senators warn
*Insist “we ‘ll follow probe to the latter

he Nigerian Senate at plenary on Wednesday, directed its finance commitee to commence a full-scale probe into the alleged missing $49.8 billion from the nation’s treasury. Senate also mandated the committee to conclude its findings and report back to it in less than seven days.

Senate directive followed a Point Of Order 42 of the Senate standing rules raised under Matter of Urgent National Importance by Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi (APC Ekiti North), not only to draw the attention of the upper legislative chamber to the allegation but request that it carry out an indebt probe of the missing fund.

The alleged missing fund is said to be the value of crude oil export and proceeds from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, expected to be lodged in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Senator Adetunbi who is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Planning and Budgeting, at the plenary, said: “There has been a raging debate on the issue of missing money from the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Today, all papers carried the report on $49.8 billion that has not been remitted to the federation account.”

Adetumbi explained further that the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had written on the account from January 2012 to July 2013, urging the Senate to carry out a holistic investigation on the matter.

“Mr President, as a parliament, this is a very grave issue. The parliament owes a duty or responsibility to the public to ensure that we get to the bottom of this issue for purposes of public information and for purposes of integrity of this parliament, because appropriation and revenue is the major responsibility of this parliament,” he said.

Senate President, David Mark, who presided over the session where the issue came up, said the matter cannot be instantly treated because according to him, there was no detailed information before the Senate yet. Besides, he said the allegation which Senator Adetunbi was relying on was a newspaper report just as he said he had earlier in a meeting with the senator on the issue, promised that the Senate Committee on Finance would handle the matter.

“You have come under Order 42, you know what you showed to me was the newspaper report and I also told you that on the basis of that, since you don’t have all the details, that I will refer it to the committee and the committee will get all the details and bring their report here.

“You know that was my discussion with you. So, this new dimension of a letter coming from Central Bank was not discussed with me. But whatever it is, I think rather that because we don’t have the details at this point, we cannot go into any further detailed discussion.

“So, I will refer it to the committee on finance. I am just saying what you have discussed with me and that is what I am going to do, because the newspaper is what you brought to me, so you will lay the newspaper on the table and then I will refer the matter to the committee. I want the details, ”he said.

Mark’s position that the issue be handled by the committee on finance attracted resistance from some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who suggested that rather than the committee on finance, the issue be directed to the Senate Committee on Public Account. But Mark stood his ground, saying: “Please, there is no expenditure involved yet. This is money that we have not found, so there is no public account yet. The public account will come in when the money is spent. But whatever it is, please lay it on the table before we see who values it.”

Mark directed the Deputy Senate Committee on Finance, Joshua Dariye (LP Plateau Central) to ensure that the report gets back to Senate in less than seven days. “I will refer this to the finance committee and I want it back within seven days but I will want it in the earliest possible days because this is a matter that requires urgent attention,” he said.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC senators have warned that the probe must not be swept under the carpet even as they assured that they would follow the probe to logical end. The senators, led by Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, at a press Conference shortly after plenary, said there was no cause to doubt the authenticity of the alleged missing fund, because according, the report came from a very authentic source.

“We have been told and we have every cause to believe that this money is missing. This document is coming from the Central Bank of Nigeria. It is an authentic source,” Senator Akume who read a prepared speech before newsmen said.

He added: “This matter cannot be swept under the carpet. We are determined to follow it to the fullest and we want you to join us in doing so. One of our responsibilities is to as much as possible identify with the people by ensuring that those of us who are charged with higher responsibility conform with very high standard expected of people in public office.

“We have invited you on an issue which is very grave and central to good governance in our country. You are already aware of the missing $49billion. Now this money is the value of crude oil export and proceeds from the NNPC. Section 162 is very clear on where federally collected revenue are supposed to be lodged. For clarity and emphasis I quote this section.

“We have every cause to believe that this money is missing. This document here is from the Central Bank of Nigeria. This is a very authentic source. It is a very authentic document. The issue is who actually authorized the lodging of this money elsewhere if at the money is not missing then who gave authorization for opening of this account where these monies are paid contrary to section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”.

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