All Posts (6213)
ABUJA — Eleven communities in the riverine areas of Delta State have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare the directive issued by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido, to all financial institutions in Nigeria, limiting cash withdrawal by individuals and corporate bodies to N150,000.00 and N1,000,000.00 respectively, as null and void.
The plaintiffs are specifically praying the High Court for an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the CBN and its governor, from implementing such policy, pending the hearing and determination of their substantive suit.
The communities behind the suit are Akpakpa, Ogidigben, Madagho, Ijalla, Kantu, Omadino, Ogheye, Dheghe, Ajudaibo, Obaghoro and Okrigho.
The plaintiffs who contended that going ahead with such plan would amount to an infringement on their fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended, equally joined the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation as a defendant in the suit.
Among other reliefs they are seeking from the court includes, “a declaration that the policy/directive issued by the 1st and 2nd respondents to all financial institutions in Nigeria to charge a punitive fine of N100.00 for every N1,000.00 withdrawn from such financial institution, is excessive, punitive, derogatory and a breach of the fundamental rights of the applicant under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended 1999 and is null and void.
As well as, “an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the respondents whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or other representatives, howsoever called, from implementing the policy/directive limiting cash withdrawal by individuals and corporate bodies to N150,000.00 and N1,000,000.00 respectively.”
Canvassing their arguments through an affidavit deposed to by a leader of one of the communities, Mr. Ayiri Emami, the plaintiffs maintained that implementing the directive would cause them severe economic hardship.
Emami averred that more than 50 per cent of workers under his employ in the community earn their wages on daily basis whilst the rest earn monthly salary, adding that he pays over N1,500,000.00 to workers on daily basis, except on Sundays.
He argued that the proceeds from all his businesses, which he deposited with various financial institutions within the state, are his property, insisting that he should statutorily have the exclusive right to determine the volume of withdrawal to make at any point in time.
Today, and more than ever, most people are responsible for building their own careers.
Whether you are just starting, or you have several years of experience, these paragraphs might help you advance your career.
The 9 most important career planning tips is listed below:
1. Never Stop Learning
Life-long learning is your keyword.
The world is constantly changing, and everybody is looking for new ways of doing business.
If you have decided that your current skills are good enough, you have also decided that your current job is good enough.
But if you want a career in the future, you should add regular updates to your skills and knowledge.
2. Ask, Listen And Learn
A good listener can learn a lot.
Listen to your co-workers, your boss, and your superiors. You can learn a lot from their experience.
Ask about issues that interest you, and listen to what they say. Let them tell you about how things work, and what you could have done better.
Most people will love to be your free tutor.
3. Fulfill Your Current Job
Your current job might be best place to start your career.
It is often very little that separates successful people from the average. But nothing comes free.
If you do your job well and fulfill your responsibilities, this is often the best way to start a new career.
Talk to your supervisor about things you can do. Suggest improvements. Offer your help when help is needed. In return ask for help to build a better career. It is often possible - right inside your own organization - especially if you have proved to be a valued employee.
4. Build Your Network
Your next career step might arise from your contact network.
Did you know that more than 50% of all jobs are obtained from contact networks?
If you have a good contact network, it is also a good place to discover future careers, to explore new trends, and to learn about new opportunities.
Spend some time building new contacts, and don't forget to maintain the ones you already have.
One of the best ways to get serious information from your network is to regularly ask your contacts how they are, what they do, and what is new about their careers.
5. Identify Your Current Job
Your current job should be identified, not assumed.
Make sure you don't work with tasks you assume are important. This is waste of time and talent.
When you start in a new job, talk to your superior about your priorities. If you're not sure about what is most important, then ask him. And ask him again. Often you will be surprised about the differences between what you assume, and what is really important.
6. Identify Your Next Job
Your dream job must be identified.
Before you start planning your future career, be sure you have identified your dream job.
In your dream job, you will be doing all the things you enjoy, and none of the things you don't enjoy. What kind of job would that be?
Do you like or dislike having responsibility for other employees. Do you like to work with technology or with people? Do you want to run your own business? Do you want to be an artist, a designer or a skilled engineer? A manager?
Before building your future career your goal must be identified.
7. Prepare Yourself
Your dream might show up tomorrow. Be prepared.
Don't wait a second. Update your CV now, and continue to update it regularly.
Tomorrow your dream job may show up right before your nose. Prepare for it with a professional CV and be ready to describe yourself as a valuable object to anyone that will try to recruit you.
If you don't know how to write a CV, or how to describe yourself, start learning it now.
8. Pick The Right Tools
Pick the tools you can handle.
You can build your future career using a lot of different tools. Studying at W3Schools is easy. Taking a full master degree is more complicated.
You can add a lot to your career by studying books and tutorials (like the one you find at W3Schools). Doing short time courses with certification tests might add valuable weight to your CV. And don't forget: Your current job is often the most valuable source of building new skills.
Don't pick a tool that is too heavy for you to handle!
9. Realize Your Dreams
Put your dreams into action.
Don't let a busy job kill your dreams. If you have higher goals, put them into action now.
If you have plans about taking more education, getting a better job, starting your own company or something else, you should not use your daily job as a "waiting station". Your daily job will get more and more busy, you will be caught up in the rat race, and you will burn up your energy.
If you have this energy, you should use it now, to realize your dreams.
“Lord, show me a Sign”!
6.10.11
“I need a sign”! “I need a sign”! That seems to be the Christian Anthem of our day; we need conformation from God, we need to be sure that God is showing us what to do and which direction we should go. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be sure of God's perfect will for your life, but it seems as though we spend more time looking for signs, than we do in just being obedient!
If you really need a sign, if you really want to see a sign...go to any street corner in your Neighborhood, and there you will most likely see a sign that says...STOP! Stop asking the God of all creation to give you a sign about something that He has already shown and told you to do! Stop needing conformation from the God that cannot lie..! Jesus said that “This people seek after a sign, and none shall be given them except the sign of Jonas the prophet” (Luke 11:29). Our walk with God is a walk of Faith, not a walk of needing to have a sign for this, or for that...Romans 8:14; For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Are you a son of God...or, a sign seeker?
Let me give you an example from scripture. When the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to Zacharias and Mary, there were two different responses. One that was filled with doubt and needing proof...or a sign if our will, and the other filled with faith and curiosity as to how it would happen...not doubting nor needing any proof. In Luke chapter 1 verses 18-20; And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
Zacharias' words: “Whereby shall I know this”...implies, “how can I be for sure...I need proof...give me a sign”! And yes, he did receive a sign. Gabriel begin to give Zacharias his credentials and said: I am Gabriel...I stand in the very Presence of a Holy, Righteous and True God...a God that cannot lie. It impossible for Him to lie, and you dare question my words, which are actually, His God's) words!? So, because Zacharias did not believe, his sign was that he was mute until after the birth of John the Baptist.
Now in the case of Mary we read in verses 28-35; And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women.
29 And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
At a glance, one might assume that Mary was in doubt and asking for a sign as did Zacharias; but Mary asked “How shall...”! “Tell me how shall it happen”! In other words, she was in total agreement with what the Angel Gabriel had spoken to her. She knew, I believe; that this birth would not be brought about with the assistance of a man, she somehow knew that this would be a miraculous event orchestrated by the Living God to usher in the Savior of the World! And she wanted to know...”how will God do it”?!
Jesus said that “My sheep know my voice”! Are we spending quality time along with the Lord to really know Him? Or, are we Sunday Saints only? Believe me, I am not speaking as if I am “Holier than thou”...this applies to me as well. How much time do we sacrifice for the Lord, to be alone with Him, Praising Him, Thanking Him...just as Mary, the sister of Martha, who thought it more important to be at Jesus' feet, hearing His words, becoming intimate with him, rather than being busy about much service. You see, sometimes we can mistake busyness with Church stuff (Revivals, Conferences, Meetings), as doing God's work or service. We tend to misplace the importance of what is most important in our Christian walk..and that is spending precious and quality time alone in the presence of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!
If there is ever a time when we need to know the voice of the Lord and hear it...it is now! Things and events are happening at record speed, and we as believers need to know the will of God and His divine purposes, and direction for our lives. When Jesus prayed that God's will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven, it is done in Heaven! Think about it...the Angels don't question, nor ask for conformation or a sign! No, they carry out the will of the Father!
There are many voices out there...the voices of our acquaintances, the voices of our own desires and of course, the voices of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We must strip ourselves of this world, and let go of everything that is a hindrance to our spiritual growth. As Paul warned to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind...so that we my prove (know or discern ), what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is! (Romans 12:2).
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be certain about what decisions to make regarding an issue that you may be experiencing, and wanting to know the right path to take, or if this job is the right one that God has ordained for you. Or even wanting to be sure as it relates to a future husband or wife; those things are important. But let's not always require a sign or conformation from God when we know that He has spoken a thing to us....how insulting that is to the Spirit of Grace! Let's be a people of Faith, who as Abraham was, believed God...not knowing where he was going, but walked on by faith and it was accounted to him as righteousness.
B-blessed Saints;
Michael
A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole , who is charged with alleged contract inflation may regain his freedom on Monday, June 13th, 2011.
This is based on the decision of the Federal High Court judge, Justice Donatus Okorowo , Friday to deliver ruling on his bail application on Monday.
Bankole will ,however, remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) till Monday
.Justice Okorowo ordered that Bankole be remanded at the EFCC’s custody after listening to arguments on the bail application by his lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN and the prosecution counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo who vehemently opposed the bail application.
The judge said he would have delivered his ruling on the application Friday but said he could not do so because of time constraint and the volume of authorities cited by both counsel.
Arguing the bail application, Awomolo urged the court to admit Bankole to bail on self-recognition as the prosecution had not placed sufficient materials to convince the court to refuse the bail application.
He described as hearsay and speculative the prosecutor’s claim that Bankole was planning to run to the United Kingdom before he was arrested.
Besides, Awomolo said the fear that an accused person will run away or jump bail is not a reason in law for denying bail because to jump bail has its own criminal consequences.
In addition, it was his submission that the world is a global village where criminals have no hiding place.
He supported his argument with a Court of Appeal decision in James Ibori Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Awomolo added that the court could only act on legally admissible evidence either orally or documentary in deciding applications before it.
He cited sections 76, 86, 87 and 89 of the Evidence Act to the effect that ‘all facts except the content of document may be proved by oral evidence.’
Accordingly, he urged the court to expunge some paragraphs in the prosecutor’s counter affidavit which he described as the opinion of the deponent.Responding, the prosecution counsel, Keyamo urged the court to refuse the bail application on the grounds that the applicant did not place sufficient materials to warrant the court to exercise its discretion in his favour.He told the court that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused and that many of the paragraphs in the bail applications did not meet the requirement of law in considering bail application.Keyamo particularly drew the attention of the court to paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 of the application where the accused raised the issue of young children and aged parents as reasons for bail.Meanwhile, the embattled speaker has raised the alarm over plans by the EFCC to re-arrest him.In a letter to the Commission by his counsel, Bankole said he heard from competent sources that the EFCC had perfected plans to re-arrest him immediately he was admitted to bail by the court.Excerpts from the letter reads: “We were further informed that the Commission’s operatives will re-arrest our client immediately he is admitted to bail on the ground that the Commission requires him in respect of investigations of other allegations made against him not related to the charges before the court.“We wish to bring to your notice that the Commission as a public authority should not misuse the statutory power of arrest and detention. Our client has no intention to run away from this country or avoid justice.”Bankole last Wednesday filed the application for bail.In the application, Bankole said he should be given bail on self-recognition as the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives.He also stated that he had never been tried nor convicted for fraud either in Nigeria or any other country.He said as a holder of a national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) he was entitled to bail on self-recognition.Bankole also said he had aged parents who depended on him and that denying him bail would deprive him of the opportunity to cater for them.He also said he had aged parents who were emotionally attached to him.Bankole said the charges were baseless because he had never inflated the any contract.He had on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the 16 charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.Last Tuesday, the commission filed a 16-count charge of contract inflation amounting to N894 million against Bankole.Details of the charges show that Bankole was accused of colluding with some people who were said to be at large to increase the cost of purchasing Samsung television sets, HP computers, Digital Copiers, 2 units of Range Rover Bullet Proof vehicles and 3 units of Mercedes Benz S-600 Cars among others.The offences were said to have been contrary to section 58(4)(a) of the Public Procurement Act punishable under section 58(5) of the same law.Count 1 of the charges reads: “That you, Dimeji Bankole and others now at large on or about the 28th of May, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, being Body of Principal officers of the House of Representatives responsible for the approval of contracts in the House of Representatives, with intent to defraud, did conspire amongst yourselves to inflate the cost of 400 units of 40-inch Samsung (LNS.3410 Television sets by approval the purchase of the said item at the rate of N525, 000.00 per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of N295, 000.00 and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 58 (4) (a) of the public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act.”He was also accused of colluding with other people whose names were not disclosed and with intent to defraud, rigged the bid for the purchase of 100 units of Sharp Digital Copier 5316 by refusal to follow all the procedures prescribed for public procurements in Sections 17 to 56 of the Public Procurement Act N0.14 of 2007, leading to a loss of value to the national treasury.The commission further said Bankole and other principal officers of the House of Representatives responsible for the approval of contracts in the House of Representatives, with intent to defraud, did conspire among themselves to inflate the cost of 800 units of Desktop Computers (HP Compaq dc 5700) by approving the purchase of the said item at the rate of N330,000.00 per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of N160,000.00 per unit.