Mozambique has become one of the most gay countries in Africa – here’s why.
After getting rid of the last remnants of the colonial past Mozambique has become one of the most gay-friendly countries in Africa overnight. Mozambican government has decided to abolish Portuguese colonial penal code, dating back to 1886, thus decriminalising homosexuality, as the new laws come into force.
READ ALSO: USA Legalises Same Sex Marriage Nationwide
Old laws punished anyone “who habitually engages in vices against nature” by up to three years of hard labour. Nevertheless, since gaining independence in 1975, not a single person has been prosecuted according to that law.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Anti-Gay Law Sparks International Outrage!
Along with homosexuality the new penal code also decriminalises abortion. Now women in Mozambique can decide to end a pregnancy until the 12th week, and in case of rape or threats to the mother’s life the new laws allow it until the 16th week.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Gay Rights Activist Bisi Alimi Named As The Most Influential Gay Person In The World
Thus, Mozambique joined the family of gay-friendly African nations, now consisting of Burkina-Faso, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo and The Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Madagaskar, Mali, Niger and Rwanda where homosexual contacts have never been criminalised. Nevertheless, the only country in Africa where same-sex marriages are legal is South Africa.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Gay Pastor Jide Macaulay Shares His Story
At the same time, Mauritania, Sudan, Somalia and twelve northern states in Nigeria punish homosexuals with death.
Much praised US Supreme Court decision to make gay marrriage legal in the United States of America has triggered wild jubilation and tears of joy across the country.
In the wake of the legalized gay marriage in the USA, Zimbabwe’s 90-year-old president, Robert Mugabe, has publicly proposed marriage to President Barrack Obama.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier told Nigerians that he inherited an empty treasury from the past administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan, and vowed to go after those that have looted the nation’s finances.
Daily Sun; Buhari probes military, Vanguard; FG probes N3.8trn missing oil funds, The Punch; Okonjo-Iweala spent $2.1bn without approval- says FG, The Nation; Four-man panel to probe how NNPC blew N3.8trn, as well as The Guardian; FG begins probe of NNPC, makes the front pages of the national dailies for Tuesday, June 30, 2015.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was a former General in the Nigerian army, he has declined to attach sentiment in his fight against corruption as he ordered the probe of the military institution. DAILY SUN reports that President Buhari, on Monday, June 29, ordered the military hierarchy to account for the number of weapons purchased to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. He also ordered the Military High Command to make available records of the total amount of money it received from the Federal Government to fight insurgency.
Daily Sun gathered from a top military source that the decision was taken after Mr. President met with the service chiefs comprising the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-General Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase. The source said the President’s decision might not be unconnected with the grumbling in the military by some personnel, who felt that their bosses and their colleagues occupying strategic position had taken advantage of the counter-terrorism operations to enrich themselves.
The source, who agreed there was corruption in the military, further disclosed that most senior officers see the war against insurgency as an avenue to make money, hence, lobby to get posted to the North-East. He said unlike in the past when soldiers lobbied to go for international peace-keeping operations, because of the foreign currency they will make. He said soldiers now lobby for counter-terrorist war in the North-East because the profit is very huge.

Advertisement

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation which is the country’s major income generating sector and also the most corrupt government organisation has been dragged to a hot chair as President Muhammadu Buhari ordered an investigation into its activities for the past years. VANGUARD reports that governors comprising (Edo) Adams Oshiomhole, (Kaduna) Nasir el-Rufai; (Akwa Ibom) Udom Emmanuel; and (Gombe) Ibrahim Dankwambo were, on Monday, June 29, constituted into a four-man panel to probe the NNPC. The order was given after revelations emerged that the corporation withheld N3.8 trillion of the N8.1 trillion generated from oil sales. The panel was also saddled with the responsibility of looking into the disappearance of another $2.1 billion that was allegedly unilaterally withdrawn by the Jonathan administration in the last six months of its government. The revelations were made at the end of the inaugural meeting of the new National Economic Council, in Abuja.
The President while inaugurating the NEC promised that the FG will abide by the provisions of Sections 80 and 162 of the Constitution and ensure more accountability, transparency and integrity in the Distribution of the Federation Account. He said all revenue generating agencies such as NNPC, Nigeria Customs Services, Federal Inland Revenue Services, Nigeria Ports Authority, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and Liquefied Natural Gas amongst others shall comply with stipulated Financial Regulations and Administrative Instructions in their remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Meanwhile, prior to the start of the NEC meeting, Prof. Sylvester Monye, who served as special adviser on monitoring and evaluation to ex-president Jonathan, in a live Channels Television programme monitored in Lagos, cautioned the new administration against sustaining the language of opposition while in office. He said their continued propaganda could negatively impact on the sound economic indicators transferred by Dr. Jonathan. He said the Jonathan administration left behind $1.5 billion in the Sovereign Wealth Fund and another $2.09 billion in the Excess Crude Account.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, may have landed herself in trouble as THE PUNCH reports that the ex-minister has been accused of spending $2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account without authorisation. The accusation was made on Monday, June 29, by the National Economic Council, chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. The council said it looked at the numbers for the ECA, the last time the former minister reported to the council, adding that in the minutes taken in November 2014, she reported there was $4.1 billion.
The Federal Government in a reaction inaugurated a panel to probe the NNPC and the ECA between 2012 and May, 2015. The members of the panel are Adams Oshiomhole, Nasir el-Rufai; Udom Emmanuel; and Ibrahim Dankwambo.
Oshiomhole, el-Rufai, Emmanuel and the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari, jointly briefed State House correspondents after the NEC’s 58th meeting in Abuja. Oshiomhole said: “Today, the Accountant-General Office reported we have $2.0bn. Which means the honourable minister spent $2.1bn without authority of the NEC and that money was not distributed to states, it was not paid to the three tiers of government.” He added that the unauthorised spending, according to the economic council, is among the several anomalies discovered in the management of the nation’s economy between 2012 and May 2015. He said within this period, the NNPC was said to have received a total of N8.1 trillion but remitted only N4.3trillion.
Yari through the Director of Funds, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. M.K. Dikwa, confirmed that the council members received the report of the ECA and unremitted funds by the NNPC. He said: “On that line, a four-man committee consisting of the governors of Edo, Gombe, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom states was constituted to go through the books of the NNPC and Excess Crude as well as the Federation Account. The four-man committee is to check the books of the NNPC, especially the issue of excess crude and what is not remitted into the federation’s account.”

Meanwhile, the Buhari-led administration in its continued efforts to ensure all stolen monies are returned to the nation’s coffers, THE NATION reports that a four-man panel comprising Governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) was on Monday, June 29, constituted by the federal government to investigate how the NNPC blew the sum of N3.8 trillion. This was disclosed to newsmen yesterday, by Oshiomhole after the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Edo governor, who was accompanied by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, said the figure was contained in the reports presented to NEC by the NNPC and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation. He said the reports showed that N8.1 trillion generated from oil sales during the period was not remitted to the Federation account, adding that only N4.3 trillion was deposited by the NNPC.

THE GUARDIAN reports that governor Oshiomhole, revealed that this is the first time they are having a National Economic Council meeting in which under the instructions of the President, NNPC and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation were compelled to provide information in black and white on issues regarding the total sales of Nigeria’s crude from 2012 to May 2015.
The governor said it was also discovered in the reports that former Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala spent $2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account without approval between November last year and May 2015. Oshiomhole faulted the NNPC for spending without appropriation, noting that if the federal government cannot spend without appropriation, why should any agency do so?

Following the Inaugural meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held at the State House on Monday, members of the council have revealed how they will divide themselves in collaborations with different bodies to recover stolen funds.
The NEC had indicted the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) of failing to remit the sum of N3.8 trillion to country’s treasure claiming it was to be used to run its operations.
Vice President Yemi Osibanjo chaired the meeting.
Gov Abdulaziz Yari Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting said the federal government use different means to probe and seek the missing funds.
He said: “The 58th NEC‎ received the briefing from the director of funds where the state of the economy has been discussed thoroughly. We have gotten the report from the exceed crude, what is there and what is not there. And also the Council got the briefing ‎on the unremitted funds by NNPC.
“On that line, a four man committee – Edo, Gombe, Kaduna Akwa Ibom – was constituted to go through the books of ‎NNPC and excess crude as well as the federation account.
“The four man committee will check the books of NNPC, most specially the issue of excess crude and what is not remitted into the federation account.
READ ALSO: Leadership Errors Of President Muhammadu Buhari That May Cost Him Trust Of Nigerians
“The federal government in conjunction with the CBN will look inwards to see how to support how much they will give to state, how much they will give to state especially in the issue of outstanding salaries owed by the states and even the federal government,” he added.
Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo State claimed that for the first time ever the NNPC and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation were being ordered by a Presidential order to open the books in a transparent manner.
He said: We are talking about transparency, we are talking about change. And what we saw from those numbers ‎I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know, is that whereas the NNPC claimed to have earned N8.1 trillion, what NNPC paid into the federation acount from 2012 to May 2015 was N4.3 trillion. What it means is that NNPC withheld and spent N3.8 trillion.”
Oshiomole added that former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala on her last briefing with NEC last November claimed that the excess crube account contained 4.1 billion dollars but the money has now suddenly gone down to 2 billion dollars.
Thirty six state governors, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Permanent Secretaries for the key ministries that have something to do with the economy were inaugurated as members of NEC.
President Buhari however, directed that all revenues from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety and the Liquefied Natural Gas, among others should be remitted into the Consolidated Revenue fund.

The Lagos based Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) has awarded Governor Nasiru El-Rufai the monthly best governor award
El-Rufai was recognized for his achievements despite just spending one month in office. Meanwhile, governors of Kano and Sokoto States, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, occupied the second position and third positions respectively.
The CGPI is a monthly performance review of governors performance across the country, conducted by the Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies.
The official name of the award is “CIAPS Governors Performance Index (CGPI) award.”
READ ALSO: Ex-Governor Shema On N42bn Debt He Left Behind
The CGPI coordinator, Mr Olumuyiwa Ayoola, speaking yesterday said the variables used to calculate the award are mathematically calculated
He named some of them as “Readiness for Office, Innovation in Office, Ability to be in tune with mood of the nation and Security and Leadership by example”.
Just yesterday, El Rufai has appointed Hadiza Bala Usman, the daughter of a former secretary to the state government as his new chief of staff.
Ms Usman was the All Progressives Congress (APC) administrative secretary of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organization, Member Secretary APC elections planning committee, member APC strategy committee, director of finance in the Nasir El-Rufai campaign organization and later the Kaduna State APC campaign council.

Meet a boy who was born with a rare deformity known as pigeon chest or pectus carinatum, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, UK.
Scroll down for photos!
James Jack Stark had suffered from a pigeon chest characterized by a protrusion of the sternum and ribs for 14 years. The boy hated the way he looked like so much he even wanted to smash his own chest with a hammer.
READ ALSO: Meet Man Who Had World’s First Successful Skull Transplant
People with pectus carinatum the deformity usually develop normal hearts and lungs, but it may prevent these from functioning optimally. Besides, it may cause pain,  harmful psychological effects such as low self-esteem and depression.
READ ALSO: Father Plans To Sell His Kidney To Save Three Morbidly-Obese Children
The condition is rather common about 1 in 400 people have a pectus disorder. Usually such deformities are corrected through surgery, in which doctors break and realign the chest and rib bones. But James was offered to use a customized chest-wall brace that applies direct pressure on the protruding area of the chest.
READ ALSO: Meet 19-Year-Old Woman Who looks Like 2-Year-Old Girl And Will Never Grow Up
After just four months of wearing the brace, his chest has completely flattened, his posture improved. Now he is full of life and hopes to join the armed forces one day.

Surgeons have performed the world’s first complete skull and scalp transplant on a cancer patient in Texas, USA.
Scroll down for photos!
James Boysen, 55, was missing the whole of the crown of his head after treatment for a rare type of cancer. He was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma on his scalp in 2006, years of intensive radiation therapy had destroyed part of the skull, leaving him with a large head wound.
READ ALSO: Man’s Head Was Ripped Off In Car Crash But He Survives
But thanks to the first skull-scalp transplant from a human donor the operation, which is believed to be the first of its kind, was performed. More than 50 medical professionals were involved in the surgery that lasted for 15 hours. After years of suffering Mr Boysen was given a new skull, scalp, new kidney and pancreas.
READ ALSO: Man Volunteers For World’s First Head Transplant Operation
Michael Klebuc, lead surgeon from plastic surgery team said: “This was a very complex surgery because we had to transplant the tissues utilizing microsurgery. Imagine connecting blood vessels 1.5mm under a microscope with tiny stitches about half the diameter of a human hair being done with tools that one would use to make a fine Swiss watch.”
READ ALSO: Meet Boy Whose Head Hangs Upside Down Due To Mysterious Condition
Mr Boysen, who was discharged from the hospital less than two weeks after the surgery, said: “It’s kind of shocking, really, how good they got it. I will have way more hair than when I was 21. This has been a long journey, and I am so grateful to all the doctors who performed my transplants. I’m amazed at how great I feel and am forever grateful that I have another chance to get back to doing the things I love and be with the people I love.”

Meet a man, who was almost decapitated in a horrific car crash, but miraculously survived and is ready to go home, County Durham, England, UK.
Tony Cowan was riding his car when suddenly it spun out of control and crashed into a telephone pole. The 29-year-old was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors were fighting for his life after a scan showed his neck had fractured and his head had literally ripped off from his body. Besides, the young man suffered a complete spinal cord injury and was in a coma.
READ ALSO: Meet Boy Whose Head Hangs Upside Down Due To Mysterious Condition
After months of waiting for any progress, Cowan’s family and girlfriend, Karen Dawson, were preparing to say their last goodbyes and turn his life support machine off at that very instant the man regained consciousness. Much to the doctors’ surprise, Mr Cowan was not brain damaged despite his head was unattached to his spine.
READ ALSO: Man Volunteers For World’s First Head Transplant Operation
The medics managed to reattach his skull to his spine with a metal plate and bolts in an extremely rare operation but could not do anything with his paralysis. Despite his miraculous recovery it is highly unlikely he will ever be able to talk or walk again. Tony – who communicates him through an electric board – said: “I love Karen with all my heart and I can’t wait to go home to get back to the life I had.”
READ ALSO: Woman Becomes World’s First Adult With Robotic Spine
Speaking to reporters Ms Dawson said: “I love him so much and it would mean the world to me to get him home. We were like two peas in a pod and spent all our time together. We are in the process of trying to get Tony home, even though he needs 24/7 care and will have a care team move in with him.We are going to give Tony as much a normal life as possible, we have assured him we will be there for him ever day, and he will never be alone.”
READ ALSO: 100cm Teenage Girl Is Looking For Love, Wants Family

Editor’s note: “Water is a basic necessity of life, as its provision should form part of the basic program of any right-thinking government at different levels of administration. We all need it for many activities and purposes, particularly at the domestic level, towards encouraging hygiene and healthy living,” the Naij.com author Hussain Obaro writes and draws our attention to the water supply troubles in Kogi state.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Naij.com.
Regular provision of pipe-borne water remains a chief challenge that is mostly evident in urban and semi-urban centers throughout Nigeria. Due to present economic hardship, many residents and house-owners are unable to pay the huge amounts that borehole outfits and water tanker operators usually charge. The borehole business and water tanker dispensary has become a huge venture across the country because of the irresponsibility and inability of government to prioritize provision of regular water supply to the populace.
Kogi state, geographically located in the heart of Nigeria, or what is historically referred to as the ‘middle belt,’ is one of the states created in August 1991 by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) alongside Delta, Yobe, Jigawa, Taraba, Osun, Kebbi and Abia states. Like many other cities in Nigeria, Lokoja, the state capital, occupies a nerve position in Nigeria’s history. It is an ancient town that is well-blessed with water resource, being the host of the confluence, the meeting point of two great rivers Benue and Niger. Despite this natural advantage, the lack of potable drinking water supply accurately rhymes with an anonymous sailor’s distress statement: “Water, water everywhere, but not a single drop to drink”. This perfectly describes the portable water supply crisis in Kogi state and Nigeria in general.
The obsolete and low-capacity water infrastructure and neglect on the part of the government to fully harness the water resource have contributed to worsening the crisis in the Lokoja metropolis and its environs. Successive governments, from the first military administrator, Colonel Danladi Zakari, to the incumbent Alhaji Idris Wada, have failed to put any meaningful and deliberate measure in place at addressing the water needs of the people. For the purpose of emphasis, it was only during the administration of the immediate past governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, that a decisive attempt aimed at addressing the acute water shortage in the state capital and environs was made, which led to a revisit of the report of the technical committee on the “Greater Lokoja Water Project,” originally initiated in 1995 by the military administration of Colonel Paul Omeruoh.
The project mentioned above was contracted to the Chinese GeoConstruction Company (CGCC) at a cost of about N10 billion and expected to supply about 10 million gallons per day. As laudable as this project may seem, it wasn’t enough to quell and adequately put an end to the water challenge of the inhabitants of Lokoja and environs, probably because of the long neglect of this basic amenity.
The challenge of providing potable water to Lokoja, and Kogi state in general, is growing by the day. Residents from various parts of the state, notably the urban areas, always move about with kegs and other containers in search of water for their daily use, all the more during the dry season. As early as five o’clock in the morning, women and children carrying bowls of various shapes and sizes start trekking long distances in search of this very scarce commodity. The problem is further compounded by the fact that the state’s population keeps growing: due to the spate of insecurity occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, many people from the northeast and other volatile northern states flee to find peaceful abode in the confluence state.
The central senatorial district of the state is blessed with big dams, like the Ekuku and Osara, that could effectively supply more than tens of millions gallons per day to the inhabitants of that part of the state and even the entire state. Still, the animosity and acrimony on the part of the ‘born-to-rule’ ethnic group of the state has been a major impediment against these water projects. They believe that resources not located in their own part of the state are not worth harnessing, even if doing so could benefit the entire state.
The IREHU waterworks which used to supply potable drinking water to the people of Okene has been reduced to a mere campaign tool for winning the votes for politicians. No efforts are being made to make good on their campaign promise to rehabilitate and resuscitate the ancient waterworks outfit as soon as the elections are over.
If urgent measures are not taken by both the federal and state governments to deliberately addressing the age-long water crisis in Lokoja and Kogi state in general, the probability of an outbreak of disease in the coming days cannot be overruled. This would drastically affect the entire nation, both socially and economically, due to the strategic location of the state as the ‘gateway’ via which all geopolitical zones in Nigeria are made accessible.
Hussain Obaro is a writer, motivational speaker and public affairs commentator from Ilorin, Kwara state.

Governor Muhammadu Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state on Friday, June 26, said he received a report that recommended to reduce ministries from 17 to 13.
Ibrahim Hassan Hadeijia, the state’s deputy governor, briefed the press after submitting the report, saying the need for efficiency and maximisation of resources informed the decision to streamline the ministries, departments and agencies.
He said: “Before now, Jigawa had 100 ministries, departments and agencies. After studying the situation in the last three weeks and in line with current financial realities, we have decided to merge some ministries and departments.
“So, from 17 ministries we now have 13. From 88 agencies and departments, we now have 66.” 
“We are not going to retrench anybody but we will deploy some staff to areas where their services are most needed,” he added.
According to the deputy governor, they discovered that some ministries and agencies duplicated their functions while bloating the overhead of the state. He added that their overall objective was to make the civil service cost effective and efficient in the discharge of their activities.

Barely a month after President Muhammadu Buhari became Nigeria’s President, many Nigerians are already reminding him of his campaign promises.
It would be recalled that the former Head of State was sworn in as Nigeria’s President on May 29, 2015, after he defeated former president Goodluck Jonathan.
In this regards, a famous social commentator, Ike Chidolue, on Saturday,  went on his Facebook account to post 81 campaign promises made by Buhari.
Below are the campaign promises as posted by Chidolue:
1. Public declaration of assets and liabilities
2. State and community policing
3. Ban on all government officials from seeking medical care abroad
4. Implementation of the National Gender Policy, including 35% of appointive positions for women
5. Revival of Ajaokuta steel company
6. Generation, transmission and distribution of at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply within 10 years.
7. Empowerment scheme to employ 740,000 graduates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
8. Establishment of a free-tuition and scholarship scheme for pupils who have shown exceptional aptitude in science subjects at O/Levels to study ICT-related courses.
9. 720,000 jobs by the 36 states in the federation per annum (20,000 per state).
10. Three million Jobs per year
11. To embark on vocational training, entrepreneurial and skills acquisition schemes for graduates along with the creation of a Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 5 million new jobs by 2019.
12. Churches and Mosques would not pay taxes under national laws, but if they engage in businesses, the businesses would pay tax.
13. Provision of allowances to the discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members for Twelve (12) months while in the skills and entrepreneurial development programme
14. Making the economy one of the fastest-growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
15. Creation of a Social Welfare Programme of at least Five Thousand Naira (N5000) that will cater for the 25 million poorest and most vulnerable citizens upon the demonstration of children’s enrollment in school and evidence of immunisation to help promote family stability
16. Recruitment and training of at least 100,000 officers into the Nigerian police force and establish a Federal Anti-terrorism Agency.
17. One free meal (to include fruits) daily, for public primary school pupils
18. Building an airport in Ekiti State
19. Eradication of state of origin, replacing that with state of residence to ensure Nigerians are Nigerians first before anything else.
20. Establishment of Crime Squad to combat terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, militants, ethno-religious and communal clashes nationwide
21. Working with the National Assembly towards the immediate enactment of a Whistle Blower Act
22. Economic stability for the ECOWAS nations and maintaining a strong, close and frank relationship with West Africa, South Africa, UK, USA, Canada, and other African countries
23. Establishing a conflict resolution commission to help prevent, mitigate and resolve civil conflicts within the polity.
READ ALSO: Buhari Is Clueless On How To Solve Nigeria’s Problems – Balarabe Musa
24. All political office holders earn only the salaries and emoluments determined and approved by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission RMFAC.
25. Permanent peace in the Niger Delta and other conflict prone areas such as Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno and Abia.
26. No plans to Islamise Nigeria.
27. Nationwide sanitation plans to keep Nigeria clean
28. Preserving the independence of the Central Bank
29. Simplifying immigration process to foster faster visa processing at points of entry.
30. Special incentives to facilitate the education of the girl child
31. Full implementation of the National Identification Scheme to generate the relevant data.
32. Making Information Technology, Manufacturing, Agriculture and Entertainment key drivers of our economy
33. Balancing the economy across regions by the creation of six new Regional Economic Development Agencies (REDAs) to act as champions of sub-regional competitiveness
34. Putting in place a N300bn regional growth fund (average of N50bn in each geo-political region) to be managed by the REDAs.
35. Amending the Constitution and the Land Use Act to create freehold/leasehold interests in land along with matching grants for states to create a nationwide electronic land title register on a state by state basis.
36. Reviving and reactivating the minimally performing Refineries to optimum capacity.
37. Creating additional middle-class of at least two million new home owners in the first year in government and one million annually thereafter.
38. Creating an additional middle class of at least four million new home owners by 2019 by enacting national mortgage single digit interest rates for purchase of owner occupier houses as well as reviewing the collateral qualification to make funding for home ownership easier, with 15 to 30 year mortgage terms.
39. Enacting a national mortgage system that will lend at single digit interest rates for purchase of owner occupier houses.
40. Injecting extra N30bn into the Agricultural sector to create more agro-allied jobs by way of loans at nominal interest rates for capital investment on medium and commercial scale cash crops.
41. You farm, government buys, guaranteeing a minimum price for selected crops and facilitate storage of agricultural products as and when necessary.
42. Creating a national infrastructural development bank to provide loans at nominal interest rates exclusively for this sector.
43. Construction of 3,000km of Superhighway including service trunks.
44. Building of up to 4,800km of modern railway lines – one third to be completed by 2019.
45. At least one functioning airport is available in each of the 36 states.
46. Ending gas flaring and ensuring sales of at least half of gas produce, within Nigeria.
47. Speedily passing the much-delayed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and ensuring that local content issues are fully addressed.
48. Establishing at least six new universities of science and technology with satellite campuses in various states.
49. Establishing six centres of excellence to address the needs of special education.
50. Prioritising the reduction of the infant mortality rate by 2019 to 3%.
51. Reducing maternal mortality by more than 70%.
52. Reducing HIV/AIDs infection rate by 50% and other infectious diseases by 75%.
53. Improving life expectancy by additional 10 years on average.
54. Increasing the number of physicians from 19 per 1000 population to 50 per 1000
55. Increasing national health expenditure per person per annum to about N50,000 (from less than N10,000 currently).
56. Increasing the quality of all federal government-owned hospitals to world class standard within five years.
57. Ensuring timely payment of retirement benefits for all pensioned senior citizens and creating a poverty safety net for all aged citizens above the age of 65.
58. Amending the Constitution to require Local Governments to publish their meeting minutes, service performance data, and items of spending over N10M.
59. Requiring full disclosure in media outlets, of all government contracts over N100m prior to award and during implementation at regular interval.
60. Amending the Constitution to remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminal case.
61. Initiating action to amend the Nigerian Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties, and responsibilities to states in order to entrench true federalism and the federal spirit.
READ ALSO: NASS Crisis: APC Watchdog Calls For Immediate Resignation Of Oyegun
62. Reforming and Strengthening the Justice System for efficient administration and dispensation of justice with the creation of special courts for accelerated hearing of corruption, drug trafficking, terrorism and similar cases of national importance.
63. Establishing world-class sports academy and training institutes and ensure that Nigeria occupies a place of pride in global sports and athletics.
64. Reviving the Nigerian football league and putting incentives in place to make it as competitive as other national leagues.
65. Putting in place measures to identify talents early and ensuring their participation in local and international games to enable them become professionals.
66. Assisting Nollywood to fully develop into world class movie industry that can compete effectively with Hollywood and Bollywood in due course.
67. Ensuring that the rights of women are protected as enshrined in our Constitution.
68. Guaranteeing that women are adequately represented in government appointments and providing greater opportunities in education, job creation and economic empowerment.
69. Promoting the concept of reserving a minimum number of seats in the National Assembly for women.
70. Free maternal and children healthcare services.
71. Stabilising the naira.
72. Targeting up to 20% of our annual budget for this critical sector whilst making substantial investments in training quality teachers at all levels of the educational system (Some other APC policy documents had 15%).
73. Ensuring compliance with policies and measures to halt the pollution of rivers and waterways in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country.
74. Adopting a holistic approach to erosion and shoreline protection across the country.
75. ECOWAS currency by 2020 under Nigeria’s guidance and leadership.
76. Maintaining strong, close and frank relationships within the Gulf of Guinea, the Commonwealth, South Africa and the rest of the world.
77. Establishing a new special relationship with the leading emerging markets like Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) and other strategic partners around the world.
78. Government intends to commission a sociological study to determine Boko Haram’s origins, remote and immediate causes of the movement, its sponsors, the international connexions to ensure that measures are taken to prevent a recurrence of the evil.
79. Strengthening INEC to reduce, if possible, eliminate electoral malpractices in Nigerian’s political life
80. Improving operational and legal mechanisms so that disciplinary steps are taken against proven human rights violations by the Armed Forces.
81. Free education at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Education.
Which one of this campaign promises has been fulfilled and which one of them do you think is unrealistic?