Jerry Douglas' Blog

Insecurity and protracted labour dispute between the State government and staff of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), were reasons why Governor Rochas Okorocha was not taken to the hospital for treatments when he was involved in an auto crash recently. Okorocha’s vehicle had head-on collision with another vehicle belonging to one Osita Nnawuihe on Friday, April 19, 2013 at Umuoma, Orlu, while driving himself without the usual outriders and government house ambulance. It was learnt that the governor was rushed to St Mary’s Children and Community Hospital, Umuowa where he received first aid, while Nnawuihe was taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri for treatment. The state government and the teaching hospital staff had been at loggerheads over non-payment of 10 months salary arrears and other sundry allowances. According to a government source who pleaded anonymity, it would be a great risk to have taken the governor to the hospital for treatment...

The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new twist as the party on Monday, suspended 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The party’s leadership also announced that it has given the state Governor; Rotimi Amaechi, 48 hours to “explain to Rivers people why the jet bought with the state government money is bearing a bank’s name on the documents.” The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Sunday  grounded the plane of River State governor for the expiration of its operating license while the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) claimed that the plane belongs to the Bank of Salt Lake City USA and was brought into the country on chatter by Carverton Helicopters. The new chairman of the party in the state, Felix Obuah told journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that the suspension of the lawmakers was over their refusal to obey an order by the party to reinstate the suspended Chairman of ...

Action Congress of Nigeria on Monday described the grounding of the Rivers State Government’s private aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority as “a glaring case of political witch-hunt”. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the action was an abuse of national institutions and a pointer to what lies ahead for “all perceived enemies of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration”. According to the party, NCAA, which is supposed to carry out its duties without political interference, has become a tool in the hands of “vindictive politicians”. ACN said the reasons given for grounding the plane had exposed the action of some mischief-makers. The party said, “First, the plane was ostensibly grounded in Akure because the pilot did not declare the flight’s manifest to the appropriate authorities. Then it was said the plane’s clearance certificate had expired, hence it was banned from flying in the Nigerian airspace...

The Presidency has absolved President Goodluck Jonathan from the travails of the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, saying the governor is not above the law. Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak,  stated this at a briefing in Abuja on Monday  on the grounding of Amaechi’s aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. He added that Jonathan had no interest in who becomes chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. Gulak, who said the president had not authorised any minister to canvass votes for him for 2015 presidential election, submitted that there was no plan to probe former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. He said the grounding of Amaechi’s aircraft had  nothing to do any witch-hunting. The presidential aide added that it was about obedience to lay down rules. Gulak said, “If you are a governor and you are flying a private jet, you must do it within the extant laws. There are laws governing the ...

Prior to the Boston Marathon Bombings, President Obama spoke on NBC’s “Today” show about what he would do if his daughters ever wanted to get a tattoo. According to what Obama said, if his daughters Sasha and Malia are thinking of getting a tattoo, they best reconsider. “What we’ve said to the girls is, ‘If you guys ever decide you’re going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will get the exact same tattoo, in the same place, and we’ll go on YouTube and show it off as a family tattoo.’” Obama said. “Our thinking is that might dissuade them from thinking that somehow that’s a good way to rebel.” During the segment, the president also talked about how he understood his wife’s “slip of the tongue” when she called herself a “single mother” in early April, noting that they were often apart for weeks at a time when he was campaigning for the Senate and presidency. “I tend to cut my wife or anybody some slack when it comes to just slips of the tongue,” he said. “But there’s n...

In a bid to create a level playing field for telecoms  operators, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed MTN Nigeria Communication Limited to raise internal mobile tariffs. NCC in its recent industry review, phone calls between MTN customers cost three times lower than calls to other networks. The report stressed: “This is indicative of the likely establishment of a calling club for MTN subscribers.” MTN, which has about 44 per cent of the market, must cut the difference in price and face further scrutiny to ensure the competitive landscape is even for all operators, the NCC insisted. Nigeria, Africa’s fastest growing telecoms market with a population of 167 million people has a subscriber base that is slightly above 113 million at the end of 2012, according to the NCC. MTN Nigeria is the market leader with 47 million lines. Globacom had 24 million subscribers, Airtel-23 million customers while Etisalat had 14 million, according to data on the NC...

The controversial N4.5 billion Sunborn Yacht Hotel, brought from England and moored on the Lagos waters for over four years, has finally disappeared from the state after the controversies surrounding its ownership. It will be recalled that the custom built yacht, with 102 elegant suites, arrived the Lagos waters in November 2008  and instantly became a cynosure of all eyes. The yacht, expected to serve as a four_star hotel, was, however , bedeviled by controversies since its arrival which led to it abandonment and subsequent rusting away on the water-ways. When Vanguard visited the quay, by the Army Officers’ Mess at Marina, Lagos Island Local Government Area, there was no sign that such expensive and eye catching structure ever berthed there. Enquiries from the state government and even residents of the state yielded no result as no one could  say specifically what happened to the multi-purpose built yacht that moored on the state water for over four years.Com...