Cheat Sheet Week 51 2008
Monday 15 December 2008
Scottish hostage freed;
A Scottish man kidnapped 27 November in Port Harcourt was released 12 December.
Supreme Court decision averts constitutional crisis;
As Nigeria has no constitutional provisions in case of courts removing the president, a crisis was advertered. President YRD pledged to speed up reforms to ensure fairness in the electoral process.
Related: War on corruption;
The new anti-corruption campaign launched by YRD, including lifting immunity from top government officials, could give a strong signal to the public, after this court ruling.
Naira hits all-time low against the $;
The Naira, for the first time in five years, collapsed to an all-time low of N140 to the US dollar at the official market, last week.
N177 billion drop in national revenue;
Declining world oil prices have lead to a drop of N177.52 billion in accruals into the Federation Account last month.
Nigeria: A ‘safe economy’?;
Against Merrill Lynch’s declaration that Nigeria’s economy is the least vulnerable in the world, a Business Monitor report said Nigeria slipped from position 114 in 2008 to 118 for 2009 out of 181 countries on the World Bank report on the ease of doing business.
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Opposition slams PDP over victory statement;
The political opposition party, the Action Congress, described the PDP question to Abubakar and Buhari to defect to the PDP after the victory of YRD by the Surpreme Court ruling as ‘typically ungracious and demeaning’
Legal battle over gas flaring;
Communities in the Niger Delta are bracing up for a sustained legal battle in 2009 with oil majors as the deadline for the stoppage of gas flaring expires this month.
JTF warns it won’t tolerate trouble in Delta;
The Joint Task Force strengthened security around communities and oil facilities in Escravos, Delta State, following growing tension between the Ijaw and
the Itsekiri over the ownership of a tiny Ijalagha community in Warri South West Local Government Area.
Officials to brief on naira fall;
The Central Bank Governor and the Finance Minister were expected to brief the Senate Finance Committee on government’s response to the naira’s 16% fall against the dollar.
NNPC blamed for losing millions;
The drop in revenue of N177 billion following the international crash in oil prices, is said to have been caused by the NNPC withholding its revenue from the Federation Account.
Inflation rises to 14.8% on food;
The inflation rate has risen to 14.8% in November, from 14.7% in October, as food prices increased, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics said in a statement on its Web site.
And then there’s this…MEND want Julius Berger back in Niger Delta;
Politicians, Youth leaders and MEND indicated their resolve to write to the FG on the refusal Julius Berger to return to project sites along the Bayelsa-Rivers State axis of the ailing East-West road after months of assurances and plea.
Wednesday 17 December 2008
Breaking News: 3 hostages freed;
the Russian, Mexican and Nigerian taken from the Oceanic Orion 4 December have been freed unknown gunmen have been freed.
Jomo give conditions for talks;
MEND, in an e-mail to journalists, said it will begin talks with the FG on disarmament only when Henry Okah, is released to lead the negotiations.
Mobil, Shell threaten shut down over security;
International oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region have threatened to pull out of the country if their security is not guaranteed.
Nigeria holds foreign ‘Islamists’;
Nigerian police arrested eight foreigners at a mosque near Abuja for being Islamist fundamentalists, trying to incite violence through their sermons.
CBN to let Naira fall;
The Central Bank Governor Chukwuma Soludo said Nigeria will allow the naira to depreciate against the dollar to protect the country’s foreign reserves.
OPEC output should remain steady – Nigeria;
Minister of State for Oil Odein Ajumogobia said OPEC should not cut its oil output more.
And then there’s this…Benue to close ‘illegal’ schools;
Benue State government promised to close down all schools operating illegally and contrary to government specifications, even as it reaffirmed its determination to partner with private bodies to support literacy development through delivery of basic and secondary education in the state.
Thursday 18 December2008
A new cabinet – at last!;
Finally President YRD reconstituted his cabinet, 13 ministers were sworn; 3 more have just been cleared by the Senate and at least 4 more would-be ministers are yet to be nominated.
Julius Berger won’t return to Niger Delta;
Julius Berger said it will not return to the site of the dualization of East- West High Way in Rivers and Bayelsa states due to the high level of insecurity in the region.
Oil majors worried by funding and Niger Delta crisis;
Senior executives of major oil exploration and production companies have told journalists that they are worried by the attitude and approach of the
government, particularly towards handling the problems of funding and the Niger Delta crises.
Oil thrown on to uncharted waters;
US Light crude fell to a four-year low of $40 per barrel it being disastrous for Opec and its members which need much higher prices.
Friday 19 December 2008
No Chief’s Briefs due to no NEPA
Hostage watch:
Today – 21.12.05 – marks Day 104 in captivity for the following men….
The main militant group in the region are currently holding two British citizens and are refusing to release them until the Federal Government frees Henry Okah, who is on trial facing charges which include treason and gun running. MEND, ‘rescued’ the men after they were taken from a vessel, the HD Ocean Blue by gunmen on 9 September.
READ THIS:
This is not a record that we ever wanted to see broken but………. this milestone of days as a hostage now beats the longest period of detainment of expatriates we have recorded since we started tracking incidents and abductions on OOL.
Now read this:
Flashback: The previous ‘record holders’ were two Italian nationals employed by Agip who were held for 98 days in an ordeal for them that started in 2006 but saw their release in 2007. MEND were responsible for their initial capture and for their detainment. The men were released in January 2007.
Related:
Also – a man was taken from his vehicle on 1 December in the border region of Rivers and Bayelsa States. A ransom has been demanded. His employers are being very tight lipped about this incident and are releasing no information at all – not even his nationality. Chief’s Briefs 02.12.08 We have been unable to confirm if the man is still being detained at this time.
This Chief’s Briefs Cheat Sheet was compiled for your review by OOL Member: homealonemum
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