Na Wa for Naija!!!

No need to say much. This was taken fom the website of Thisday newspapers. (http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=138244)

Members of the Senate Adhoc Committee on Food Crisis probing increase in prices of food stuff, on Saturday searched in vain for Ezillo Silo site in Port Harcourt, River State. Ezillo Silo contract was awarded in 1990 to Messrs Persianas Nig. Ltd for 1.9 million pounds offshore and N12 million onshore with 25,000 metric tonnes storage capacity.

The offshore and onshore components of the project had been paid in full to the contractor. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the committee on a fact- finding tour of agriculture projects in the South-south zone, wandered the whole day in search of the silo. The committee could not locate the silo site or the contractor.

NAN learnt that when the contractor earlier appeared before the committee during its public hearing in Abuja, he alleged that the silo had been stolen. The committee also uncovered a N1.8 billion dam abandoned in Nkari, Akwa-Ibom. The dam, meant to supply irrigation water to the community was initially awarded for N667 million and later reviewed to N1.8 billion. Nkari dam was awarded in 2004 to Messes Hydroworks Ltd and Federal Government had so far paid N900 million mobilisation to the contractor. The Consultant to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr Udeme Akpan of Omodem Ltd, said he had written to the ministry for determination of the job.

''The major problem is the contractor because he has failed to perform and we have communicated our observation to the ministry for further action,'' he said. Briefing newsmen, Chairman of the committee, Sen. Idris Umar, said the committee would make appropriate recommendations to the Senate to ensure that the money for Ezillo Silo was recovered.Idris said

''Today, we arrived and we were taken round Port Harcourt but the Ezillo Silo is nowhere to be found. ''Monies have been taken and the silo site have been taken over by private buildings and the contractor is nowhere to be found. ''I can assure that necessary steps will be taken to recover the monies involved.

''We will not only recover the monies but steps will also be taking to ensure that the contractor is prosecuted for criminal offence.''On the abandoned dam, Idris said ''this is a clear manifestation that the contractor is unable to continue with the project and we will recommend for the determination of the dam.''

''We are not satisfied with this performance and there is no indication that the contractor will ever improve.''

mma2 - world class airport?

There has been so much hype about the Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal 2 (mma2) in Lagos. Well, not until today, the last time I saw the terminal was in the early stages of the construction work when there were controversies surrounding which contractor would handle the construction of the terminal. If I can remember, this occurred when Kema Chikwe was the Minister of Aviation, during the Obasanjo led government. The job was originally supposed to have been given to a Canadian company, but somewhere along the line the Nigerian magic came into play and the contract was awarded to Bi-Courtney which is owned by Wale Babalakin.

From the point when my flight taxied into the parking area, I could already see the poor quality of work that was done. As soon as I got off the plane all I could was the typical Nigerian way of finishing a building...rough and dirty walls, broken tiles, falling ceiling boards, everything was just not done well. I was not impressed with the men’s room either.

It is really a shame, when would anything ever be done properly and with quality. From all the noise that was made, (Babalakin himself said the airport would be better that that in Miama) one would expect some world class construction work. This looked more like ‘direct labour’ and nothing like Miami. Julius Berger Nigeria would obviously have done a much wonderful job.

Whatever happened to standards (I guess we have none) FAAN, NCAA,..... I wonder why NCAA is not saying anything about all the squabbles going on between the Federal Government and Arik and Virgin with regards the MMU.
I really don’t want to go into any details but the bottom line is that the airport is crap. End of story. No one can stand up and tell me that any form of quality control and care was put into the construction work. Babalakin also recently bagged a national award...for a very poor job...this tells you all you need to do in Nigeria to get such. With the way these awards are being dashed out, personally I have no respect for them anymore.

I could go on and on, but I would take a break here, maybe when I'm returning (unfortunately I still have to use the terminal) I would be find some more interesting things to write about.

Re-designed Naira Notes!!

On the 28th of February 2007, the President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasonjo launched the redesigned Naira Notes and new coins.

The notes are the 5 Naira, 10 Naira, 20 Naira and 50 Naira denominations. This is the first phase of the launch, as the second phase would involve the higher denominations (100, 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira Notes).

One of the first things you would notice is the Map of Nigeria in the colours of the Nigerian flag on the notes, and most noticeably, the removal of the Arabic inscription on the notes.

In place of the Arabic inscriptions, we now have the three major Nigerian languages. On the fifty Naira note shown you have Hausa (Naira Hamsin), Yoruba (Àádợta Náírà) and Ibo (Naịra Iri ise).

Even though I do not see the value in this (we have well over a hundred languages in Nigeria), it can be said we have taken away the religious undertone and brought in the tribal/political one.

The president also said he hopes the law would in future allow the use of more languages. I wonder if our notes are supposed to be literature or language textbooks. Imagine if you had to print 10 or more languages on every note. I want to believe that was just a political statement as is everything else our government tells us.

I must commend the CBN Govenor, Mr. Charles Soludo for reducing the cost of printing the notes by 50% and also ensuring that 50% of the notes were printed in Nigeria.


To learn about the history of money visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money

Related: Nigeria Notes and The Arabic Inscription!

Nigeria's Notes and The Arabic Inscriptions!

I had always wonderd why the Curency notes used in Nigeria carry Arabic inscriptions. For a very long time this question has been on my mind. I did ask around and never found anyone who had an answer. Well the Inscriptions are said to diaplay the value of the currency in Arabic.

The only time Arabic is used in Nigeria is with the Islamic religion. Islam as we know uses Arabic as it's language, just as the early Church used Latin.

I finaly got an answer from the Central Bank of Nigeria on why this was done.

''Originally when the Arabic inscriptions were used is was meant for the Commercial Market in the North where those who could read could only read in Arabic. But on the newly redesigned notes that will be released on the 28th of February, 2007 the Arabic inscriptions won't be there , in its place will be the three major Nigerian Languages."

While this sounds like a reasonable answer, it still doesn't explain why it took so long for anyone to realise that we don't speak Arabic in Nigeria. I also don't understand why we should have the three major Nigerian langusges on the notes. I'm sure we'll use the notes the way they are. From my own perspective, it would be okay to remove the Arabic inscription and leave it at that.

Well at least I finallay have an answer as well as so many Nigerians. My next question will be to the Nigerian Army and why the only inscription on it's Coat of Arms is also in Arabic!