In apparent response to the statement made by the out-going minister of power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, on the need for the in-coming administration not to tamper with the privatization of the power sector, electricity workers in the country have demanded a thorough review of the privatization of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, alle-ging that the privatization project was fraught with irregularities.
The workers further alleged that the privatisation exercise had made electricity generation and consumption in the country ineffective.
The workers, under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Emplo-yees, NUEE, insisted that the payment of over N200 billion to the private sector by the government after the privatization exercise leaves much to be desired, and urged the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, to revisit the exercise.
The executive members of the union, led by the General Secretary and factional President of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said this in Abuja, while conducting select journalists round the site of abandoned 60 containers of 52KVA electricity transformers, at Kubwa, in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the NUEE executive members, Ajaero argued that if after many months, privatization of electricity in the country had failed to bring positive impact to electricity consumers, then, there was the need for the Buhari-led presidency to revisit the programme.
Comrade Ajaero said: “We want to say, as a union that the sham called privatization should be revisited. If privatization, as we were told, was to bring us heaven-on-earth elderado, and it has not done that, why should we insist on it?.
“Of course, our position as NUEE, has been no to privatization, especially given that we are an underdeveloped economy. It is the function of the state to provide power.
“Even the so called privatization, you can see that even this year alone, between January and now, they have even given the so called private sector over N200 billion. So, why fund them if you say the electricity is in the hands of the private sector? That brings you to the point of the fraud on who owns them.
“Why would you sell your house to somebody and you still give him money to maintain it? So, it’s a fraud.”
Emphasizing on the minister’s comment that privatization of PHCN must stay, Ajaero added: “We want Buhari to ask questions first and foremost because it is wrong for a an out-going minister to be setting agenda for Buhari to reverse or not to reverse the privatization of PHCN.
“A minister who inherited about 4000 megawatts and is today, battling with just 2000 and something megawatts, doesn’t have the moral courage to advise incoming government on what to do.
Ajaero stressed: “If he Buhari asks questions for some months, he will now know the direction to move.”
On the abandoned containers, Ajaero said he was alerted on the abandoned equipments by concerned citizens who got wind of the development.
“With these transformers hidden here, you can now understand that while they were privatizing, certain properties were being hidden, “he alleged.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Privatisation of PHCN a fraud,electricity workers tell Buhari
Kim Kardashian Shows Cleavage, Hint of Nipple in Sheer Outfit, Flies to Brazil Before Mother's Day--See Pics!
Kim Kardashian gave people a bit of an eyeful at LAX on Saturday, before she boarded a plane to Brazil for a business trip.
The 34-year-old Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was photographed at the Los Angeles airport wearing a cleavage-baring, white, sheer crop top that showed a hint of nipple, paired with a matching high-waist pencil maxi skirt, a jacket and nude strappy sandals.
Kardashian is heading to Brazil to promote her K Kardashian Collection at shopping malls, Forbes reported last month, adding that she has partnered with clothing store C&A.
She shared a selfie of herself and her friends, including her hair stylist Jen Atkin, from inside the plane.
"Brazil...here we come!!!!!!!" Kardashian wrote.
The reality star will be in the country during Mother's Day, which will mark the first time she will be away from her and Kanye West's 1-year-old daughter North West for the annual holiday. On Mother's Day 2014, she shared a special mommy-daughter moment on Instagram, while her husband gave her a massive flower gift.
"I am actually so sad that I am going be in Brazil for Mother's Day, so we're doing something the day before," Kardashian told Extra. "You know, Mother's Day is kind of low-key. I saw my daughter doing a whole arts and crafts thing, her and Penelope were, so I'm sure that she made me something really special."
"I just sent out my grandmother's gift, i wrapped my mom's gift, a gift for Kourtney and I know the family's going to get together," she said. "I'm going for literally one day and so I had North prepared this thing for my mom and Kourtney, so North will take over for the day."
Check out new episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Sundays at 9/8c on E!
PHOTOS: North West and Kim Kardashian's cutest pics
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Brittney Griner & Glory Johnson Are Married! Get Details About the WNBA Stars' Wedding
Congrats to Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson!
The 24-year-old WNBA stars wed on Friday at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix. Johnston posted a wedding photo of herself and her partner on Saturday on her Instagram page.
She wore a strapless champagne wedding gown with crystal detailing, a sweetheart neckline and long train, paired with what appeared to be a cathedral-length veil, crystal headband and large necklace while Griner sported a tan suit, light button-down dress shirt and white tennis shoes.
The bride had picked out her dress at Bridals by Lori's in Atlanta, as seen on an episode of TLC's Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta.
The wedding took place on Friday in front of some 75 guests and the newlyweds' first dance was Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud," People magazine reported.
Griner proposed to Johnson in August 2014 (see a pic of the engagement ring!)
The wedding comes two weeks after both women were arrested on suspicion of assault and disorderly conduct after police responded to a domestic dispute at their new home outside of Phoenix. The two suffered minor injuries. The WNBA launched an investigation.
Griner pleaded pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct under a plea deal and is set to attend 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling and upon completion all charges will be dismissed, USA Today reported on April 28, adding that she voluntarily began counseling the day after her arrest and is cooperating with the WNBA's investigation.
"It is never OK for an argument to turn physical," the newspaper quoted Griner as saying in a statement released through her attorney. "This will never happen again, and I take my relationship and my responsibility as a role model seriously. I am committed to making positive changes and I plan to use what I have learned to set a good example and help make a difference in the world around me."
Professor X Is Bald in X-Men: Apocalypse! See the First Photo of James McAvoy as "Reborn" Charles Xavier
X-Men: Apocalypse director Bryan Singer posted on his Instagram page on Friday a photo of cast member James McAvoy, who plays the mutant leader, sporting a shaved head.
"#Xavier reborn (in process ) #jamesmcavoy #XMEN #XMenApocalypse @xmenmovies," Singer wrote.
The telepathic and telekinetic character is bald and uses a wheelchair in the Marvel comics and in a previous movie trilogy, in which he was played by Patrick Stewart. Singer's X-Men films serve as a prequel series and focus on the characters when they were younger.
Until now, McAvoy had sported a full head of hair in both movies that have been released so far--X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past, the latter of which involved time travel and saw Stewart and other cast members from the first trilogy reprising their roles.
X-Men: Apocalypse also stars returning stars such as Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast and Michael Fassbender as the villain Magneto as well as newcomers Olivia Munn as Psylocke, Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Lana Condor as Jubilee and Star Wars: The Force Awakens star Oscar Isaac as the supervillain Apocalypse.
The movie is set for release on May 27, 2016.
Four Nigerian won Posts in the UK general election
Against all odds, David Cameron has won his re-election bid in one of the fiercest polls in British history.
Cameron, Prime Minister of Britain, led the Conservatives to almost a landslide victory against the Labour Party – a development that forced arch-rival – Ed Miliband to step down as head of the opposition.
With the victory, Cameron returns to the iconic Number 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Ministers to continue with his work of massive reforms and making Britain greater.
But it is not only Cameron that has been left smiling following the announcement of winners – four politicians of Nigerian descent also tasted victory during the general elections in the Queen’s land.
Before Thursday’s keenly contested polls in Britain, not many within and outside it were familiar with Chuka Umunna, Helen Grant, Chi Onwurah and Kate Osamor. But by mid-day Friday, the four have almost become celebrities of sort after an elaborate media focus on them.
The four Nigerians won seats into the British parliament, making it the first time such would be happening in the highly conservative United Kingdom. While Umunna, a Labour Party politician who has served Streatham as Member of Parliament since 2010 and has enjoyed a meteoric political rise in recent years is a relatively known face outside Britain, the profile of the other three was largely unknown until Friday, a day after the keenly contested elections, even though Grant and Onwurah had been Members of Parliament over the last five years.
Umunna
Born on October 17, 1978 to a Nigerian father – Bennett and British mother – Patricia, Umunna began his education at Hitherfield Primary School in Streatham, South London, and the Christ Church Primary School in Brixton Hill. He later moved to St. Dunstan’s College, Catford, Southeast London where he played the cello and became a respected prefect in the school.
Pursuing higher education, the eloquent Umunna bagged an upper second class in English and French Law from the University of Manchester before going to study for one term at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. He would later pick up an MA at the Nottingham Law School.
Umunna did not just get to the top all of a sudden – he slowly but vigorously climbed his way to the centerpiece of British politics. In 2002, after graduating from the university, the 37-year-old began working as a solicitor for Herbert Smith, a law firm based in the heart of London. Four years later he joined Rochman Landau, specialising in Employment Law.
However, he soon began writing and providing commentary on the Labour Party, as well as broader social and economic issues, usually in his capacity as a member of the Management Committee of the Labour-aligned Compass pressure group. He also wrote articles for the Financial Times, Tribune, The Voice, The Guardian and the New Statesman, and began to appear on various radio and television programmes as a commentator. Umunna would later go on to establish and edited an online political magazine, The Multicultural Politic.
In early April 2013, his law firm was linked to favourable updates made on his Wikipedia page in 2007, which included a reference to him being tipped as the “British Barack Obama”. Earlier in June 2010, he was elected a member of the Treasury Select Committee while in October of that year, he was appointed to serve as a Parliamentary Private Secretary and, in May 2011 rose to the position of Shadow Minister for Small Business and Enterprise until his promotion to the Shadow Cabinet.
Grant
Grant, born on September 28, 1961, is a Conservative Party politician and solicitor who was first elected into the British parliament in 2010. By that feat, she became the first black woman to be selected to defend a Tory seat and the Conservativ
