Monday, 21 December 2015

5 Amazing Beach Resorts You Must Visit In Lagos

Lagos like every other major tourist attraction city, has got numerous resorts where one can relax and unwind.

Most of the resorts in Lagos are classy, but we have taken out time to select five of its most captivating and amazing for the Xmas.

If you are really looking out for a treat, then here is where the best can be obtained.
So much needs not be said about these resorts because they speak for themselves.
However, it is important to stress that Naij.com has listed these resorts in no particular order.
1. La Manga Luxury Beach Villa
If you are looking for something exclusive and unique, especially if you are on a romantic trip, then here it is. This classy resort is located in Ilashe, Lagos, see for yourself the unique patterns that have been woven into designing one of Lagos’s most captivating resorts.

La Manga makes the perfect setting for a romantic weekend
2. La-campagne Tropicana Beach Resort
The name of this resort centre was once used as a tongue-twister, and just like the tongue twister, it is quite a delight.
La-campagne offers a perfect blend of nature which includes a fresh water lake, an accessible mangrove forest, a savannah, an extensive sandy beach and a warm Atlantic sea.
A variety of world class accommodation is availed, with plenty activities to get you hooked.
3. Hermitage Garden Resort
Hermitage Garden Resort is a reserved resort on the Lekki/Ajah Penninsular area of Lagos
This top tourist and vacation destination boasts of an exclusively vast sandy beach front, an upscale swimming pool,and a very interesting nature trail.
It has recreational features for indoor and outdoor sports such as beach football, boating, fishing etc.
The environment at hermitage is soothingly expansive and soothing environment, with a luminous beach front and luxurious mini-villas. The wonderful ocean views from the balcony is a treat for the soul.
You can dine in the top rated restaurant which prides itself on its mouth watering local and international cuisine.
There’s always fun water sports and you can explore the interesting nature trail and romantic sunset to round off a perfect day in paradise.
4. Kamp Ikare Beach Resort
Kamp Ikare Beach resort is tucked away amongst luscious palm trees, clear blue water and warm sand, it is a whole new world of its own.
Kamp-Ikare

5. Inagbe Grand Resort
If you are looking to discover a rustic life in a lush island haven with resonating air of simple luxury and refined elegance, then go to Inagbe grand resort. It is a first of its kind resort in Lagos, set on the tranquil banks of the magnificent Lagos lagoon and the Atlantic ocean, this showpiece resort captures the essence of nature, culture and tradition.
inagbe8


Kemzyasuquo.blogspot.com encourages you to carefully plan a trip for you and your loved ones. Visit some of these resorts and get rejuvenated with life anew. Do let us know what you feel about these awesome resorts and if there are more you would like us to explore, then let us know.

Buhari Appoints New Head Of NDDC Board

PMB has announced the new head of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Monday, December 21.
Ibim Semenitari
Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who is the former aide of Minister for Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, received the post of the Managing Director of the commission.
Meanwhile, Semenitari is to work in acting capacity waiting the appointment of a functional MD.
Semenitari, an award-winner journalist and media manager, worked in the communications directorate of the Buhari presidential campaign organisation during the 2015 presidential poll.
Before then, the new boss of the NDDC had served as Commissioner of Information and Communications in Rivers state under the administration of Amaechi, who is former governor of the state.
President Buhari, who was sworn in as Nigerian leader on May 29, has appointed his cabinet just in November.

Taraba Governorship: Court Of Appeal Reserves Judgment

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ruled that the duly elected governor of Taraba state is Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and not Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Daily Sun reports that the court gave the verdict today, December 21, in support of a ruling of the state election petitions tribunal which nullified Ishaku’s victory in the April 11 and 25 polls in the state.
Meanwhile, NAN reports that the Appeal Court reserved judgment in an appeal filed by Ishaku against the nullification of his electoral victory by a tribunal.
According to Justice Abdul Aboki, the court would announce the date for the judgment in the appeal later.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on April 13, declared the governorship election in Taraba state inconclusive due to widespread irregularities. After a rerun on April 25, Ishaku was declared winner.
The election petition tribunal had on Saturday, November 7, held that all votes in Ishaku’s favour were wasted as the PDP did not conduct primaries hence Ishaku was not chosen by delegates of the party to represent it which was in violation of‎ the provisions of the Electoral Act. The tribunal ruled that Alhassan was the rightful winner of the polls.

Following the ruling of the tribunal, Ishaku challenged the verdict at the Court of Appeal.
Solo Akuma (SAN), counsel to the PDP and Joseph Daudu (SAN), counsel to INEC urged the court to allow Ishaku’s appeal.
Daudu said the electoral commission was of the view that the PDP candidate was duly qualified to participate in the said election.
However, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), counsel to Alhassan, filed a cross appeal, urging the court to dismiss Ishaku’s appeal and uphold the tribunal’s judgment. He said INEC had no legal authority to approve a candidate as either qualified or not.
Mahmud Magaji, counsel to APC, said his party was concerned about the qualification of Mr. Ishaku in the said election.

Alhassan is currently serving as the minister of women affairs after being nominated and sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan's Administration Behind Fuel Scarcity - Minister

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information, on Monday, December 21, has blamed former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for the present fuel queues being experienced across the country.
Jonathan’s blamed for lone fuel queue by Buhari’s government
The minister made this known when he spoke to reporters shortly after the end of Federal Executive Council  meeting at the State House, Abuja.
He said that Jonathan’s government failed to make provision for fuel subsidy as far back as August 2014,The Nation reports.
Mohammed attributed the current scarcity to poor distribution of the product as he explained that fuel is available.
What I will be telling Nigerians is that what we met on ground is such that we are paying for the sins of the last administration. I am being very serious. You remember that about two weeks ago, we had to go to the National Assembly for a supplementary budget of N674 billion.

“Of that figure, N522 billion was for arrears of fuel subsidy which was incurred as far back as August last year. One of the reasons for the fuel scarcity was the inability of the last government to make adequate provision for fuel subsidy.
“We do face some other logistic problems but majorly we are paying for the sins of the last administration,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, tyhe federal government.
Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, order was given to the Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC) for them to embark on special supply intervention measures to ensure country-wide availability of product ahead of the yuletide and beyond.

Buhari Speaks On Defence Procurements (PHOTOS)

Following the current investigation of arms deal President Muhammadu Buhari has said what the government should do to sanitize defence procurements.
President Buhari added that the violation of the purchase of weapons for the army under the last government is responsible for some of the challenges confronting the country.
He was speaking on Monday, December 21 when Michael Fallon, the British secretary of state for defence, visited him in Abuja.
Buhari added that his government was taking urgent and appropriate actions “to restore order, due process and probity to the procurement processes of the nation’s armed forces”.
Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesperson, noted that Buhari lamented that the purchase of equipment for Nigerian army which followed due process  in the past, had become open to corruption and shady agreements under the last government.
Buhari said: “They just put foreign exchange in a briefcase and travelled  to procure equipment for the military. That is why we have found ourselves in the crisis we are now facing.”
 “Terrorism has become very sophisticated now. If developed nations can be attacked, and hundreds of lives lost, how much more developing countries?” he asked.

“In the West African sub-region, Nigeria is the main battleground of the Boko Haram insurgency. We have made a lot of progress against the terrorists, but we will welcome more assistance from our friends and the international community.”
On his own part, Fallon said he was in the country to see what more Britain could do to assist Nigeria in fighting insurgency and violent extremism.
“Groups like Boko Haram don’t believe in democracy and freedom of choice, so it’s a common fight for us all,” he said.
The panel launched by the president indicted Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser for supposedly awarding fabricated contracts and diverting funds meant for arms procurement.

Bayelsa: I Was Offered Bribe To Rig Election - INEC REC


Baritor Kpagih, the Bayelsa state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) has disclosed that he was offered money by some people to rig the December 5 governorship election in favour of their candidate.
According to him, his refusal to collect their bribe and help them made him their enemy and they started persecuting him and spreading all sorts of false stories about him.
From Left: REC Baritor Kpagih; Returning Officer Prof. Zana Akpagu and Administrative Secretary, Inec Bayelsa state, Dr Richard Ntui, during the collationoOf Bayelsa governorship election results.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Kpagih said since the cancellation of the polls in the Southern Ijaw local government area, he has been receiving threats to his life.
He said: “I believe it was those who had tried to bribe me before to help them rig the election that are now behind all sorts of stories, being bandied around about me. My refusal had infuriated them and they started by saying I was missing and that I have gone underground and all sorts of stories. People should not take election as a do-or-die affair. I told them, I can’t help them to rig the election and that they should use the money they wanted to bribe me with to go to the grassroots and canvass for the people’s votes.
Somebody called me on the phone and threatened me and since then, I have been receiving all sorts of threats. These have come through text messages and others. Just on Thursday, two strange people visited my house in Yenagoa. They refused to identify themselves but told my people that they had an appointment with me and I knew for a fact that I didn’t have any appointment with anybody that day.”
Kpagih said the threats to his life had become more frequent in the last few days and he has been advised by his friends to stay away from Bayelsa state because his safety cannot be guaranteed.
The REC denied having a personal relationship with former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying they were never course mates and he joined the Customs Service a few years after Jonathan had left the service.
The first time I met him (Jonathan) was when he was the vice president and we never had any close relationship. I was retired prematurely, seven years before the mandatory year. If he was my close friend and he was the vice president, wouldn’t he have helped me to stay in service?” he queried.
Speaking on the violence that marred the election, Kpagih said: “What keeps baffling me is the fact that up till now, nobody is talking about the arms and ammunition that were used to wreak violence on the people. Nobody is looking into how the arms got into Southern Ijaw and who brought them into the area. They were freely deployed into the communities and nobody is talking about those things.”

He advised that people look into the root causes of the violence rather than playing the blame game.
Kpagih warned that election should not be seen as a do-or-die affair, but rather, as a call to service.
The Bayelsa governorship election was marred by large-scale violence across the state in which five people reportedly lost their lives in Nembe, Southern Ijaw and Brass local government areas, while scores sustained various degrees of injuries. The election was declared inconclusive by INEC as it was cancelled in the Southern Ijaw area.
Day after the cancellation, Kpagih went into hiding. by some persons, who are not comfortable with the cancellation of the Southern Ijaw local government election that has rendered the whole election inconclusive.

Tough Time Looms As Nigeria Loses Biggest Oil Customer

As US begins export of crude oil, Nigeria’s crude oil may suffer further setbacks in the global market.
The US Congress had on Friday approved the lifting of the ban as part of a $1.1tn spending bill, which included a provision that would allow . The bill was later signed by President Barack Obama.
Following the lifting of the ban on the United States oil exports,  US can now export crude for the first time in more than 40 years.  An indication that Nigeria may soon lose its biggest customer.
President Obama
The US now buys a small amount of Nigerian crude oil due to the dramatic rise in domestic shale production.
The growth in US light sweet crude oil production has resulted in a sizable decline in the country’s imports of crude grades of similar quality, such as Nigeria’s.
Since June 2014,  crude oil prices have been on the decline and this has consequently exacerbated the dwindling fortunes of the Nigerian crude, with the nation’s crude differentials trading at a 10-year low.
There are reports of Nigerian crude currently floating on ships with a significant amount finding home in storage tanks rather than in refineries as a result of the supply glut in the global market, which is dominated by largely by light sweet crudes.
Meanwhile,  on Saturday. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, the managing director of Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) said the refinery was reopened to meet up with the December deadline for the four refineries to return to full production.
While Nigerians await other refineries to commence full production as indicated by the PPMC, Nigerians are eager to witness the impact of this  on the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country.

VP Osinbajo Discloses When PMB Will Present 2016 Budget


Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo, has reportedly disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will present the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly on Tuesday, December 22, NAN reports.
Vice president Yemi Osinbajo at his office in the Aso Rock villa, Abuja
The vice president made the disclosure on Sunday, December 20, when receiving members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital.
Osinbajo said: “I want assure those who are saying that they are tired of waiting to see the change. The change is coming soon as discussions are ongoing. The President will soon reveal the programmes of the APC when he presents the 2016 budget on Tuesday. You will see the mindset of the president who is ready to reposition the country.”
Speaking further to the defectors, the vice president said there was no justification for people in North-Eastern part of the country to remain in the PDP.
Osinbajo, who was represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, further noted that it was never too late for anyone aspiring to joine the APC to come onboard.
“There is no justification for anyone in the north-east to remain in PDP. Therefore, I call on all my brothers and sisters in north-east to join our great party -APC. This is because we want all hands in building Nigeria, our great nation. You can never be too late in joining the APC,” Osinbajo said.
He therefore urged all in the north-east to join APC to build the nation together, adding that those clamoring for change should exercise patience as President Buhari would soon unveil the programmes he had for the nation.
The vice president pleaded with all Nigerians to pray for the president and the APC in order for them to triumph.
Meanwhile, the presidency before now had promised to present to Nigerians, when the presentation of the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly is being carried out on Tuesday, December 22.
Just few weeks ago, Osinbajo, on Wednesday, December 10, at his office during a courtesy visit at the Aso Villa.
Osinbajo, who is not much of the outing type was recently a guest at the , on December 7, in Ile-Ife. He was spotted among other prominent personalities including Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos state, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the national leader of All Progressive Congress (APC) Senator Bola Tinubu and others.

How Much Buhari, Other Officials Earn Yearly

The Nation has unveiled report on how President Muhammadu Buhari other government officials earn every
President Buhari and his vice Yemi Osinbajo
According to report the Federal government spends N 1,126,614,234,434. 38 annually on salaries and allowances of political office holders by the administration, the 36 states and the 774 local government areas.
The new document titled “Policy Brief: Cost of Governance Series (2)” contained this information. It was compiled by the 43 civil society groups under the Citizens Wealth Platform.
The paper is dated October 2015 and has been presented to the government of President Buhari and the National Assembly.
The 17,774 beneficiaries comprise President, Vice President, Senate president, the House of Representatives Speaker, deputy speaker, ministers, governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, judges, principal officers and members of the state Houses of Assembly, commissioners and local government chairmen and their councilors.
Salaries cost N94.959 billion and allowances take about N1,031,654,689,033.18 (N1.031trillion).
The paper reads in part: “The total number of persons benefiting from this fat remuneration in all tiers of government is put at 17, 474 and it costs the Federal Government N173.656billion every year.
Remuneration package of government officials
“For state governments, the total cost is N360.091billion while local governments pay N592.865billion every year.
“This raises issues of social justice and the relativity of their remuneration to that of the workers in the same Nigerian economy. The N173.656billion required at the federal level to pay these public officials who are 1,078 in number will pay the N18,000 minimum wage of 9,647,574 workers.
“Of course, the remuneration of other categories of public workers did not take into consideration the need to give them a living wage that will pay for a dignified existence.
“This foregoing raises issues of Social Justice in a country of about 170million persons; whether it is right to dedicate this quantum of resources to service thus infinitesimal percentage of the population.
“For all qualifying for this jumbo pack across the states and local governments of the federation, their number comes up to 17,474 which is 0.010 per cent of the population. The Federal government spends N173.656billion for the huge salaries which in 2015 amounts to 3.87 per cent of the budget.
“There is a wide disparity between the very low minimum wage and apparently outrageous  fringe benefits and allowances of these special public officers. The salaries and allowances of these public officers are in far contrast to the minimum wage approved for Grade Level 1 civil servants.
“There should be an equitable  relationship between the highest paid, lowest paid and averagely paid public officials.”
At the same time President Buhari’s ministers inaugurated on Wednesday, November 11
Buhari, , announced the reduce  of the salary paid to his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, by half.
Over the last 4 years of his tenure ex-president received N4.323 billion as salary.
In the same vein, he had within the last three years, paid N626.422 million as tax to the country

Okonjo-Iwela Fingered In N1.17bilion “Suspicious” Transfer

Yet again, the immediate past Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been involved in another “Suspicious” Transfer discovered by the House of Representatives.
past Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The House of Representatives ad hoc committee is probing the “suspicious” transfer to another account of N1.17bilion approved for a Federal Government agency.
The committee claimed Okonjo-Iweala, reversed a presidential directive which approved the money for the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBA).
According to a report by Nation newspaper, President Goodluck Jonathan, in a letter, approved the release of the money to the River Basin Authority. The approval was conveyed to the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) by the (then) minister of Finance, according to the office of the AGF.
The payment was made into the accounts of the SRRBDA on March 9 but withdrawn in two tranches within a week, two months later in May.
The first withdrawal of N784m was made on 6th May, 2015. The second, N90m, was effected on 12th May 2015 but executed on 16th May 2015 by the CBN.
Only N874.6million was withdrawn by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from the account of SRRBDA because the agency had started spending the money, the paper is reporting.
“Conduct of post mortem after payments does not seem to promote transparency and accountability.
“We are interested in who applied for the withdrawal since payment was initiated through an application by the SRRBDA.
“More importantly, there is a need to know how a ministerial directive can override a presidential approval.
“We also want to know where the money was returned to after it was withdrawn from the account of the Authority.
“We are only interested in how to make agencies of government can be responsive to the people.
“This is an organisation that can bring a whole lot to the agricultural sector in that region and the country as a whole, yet through whatever what we are yet to understand, it was being deliberately starved of funds. We are determined to get to the bottom of the matter,” Evelyn Oboro, the head of the House committee said.

Arms Deal: No Plea Bargain For Dasuki, Others - FG


The Nigerian federal government has said there would be no need for the frivolous plea bargain for those involved in the arms deal scam.
FG said it’s committed to recovering all the monies stolen by those involved in the now popular scam.
According to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, (SAN), those implicated by the arms probe and other scams that have cost the nation hundreds of billions of Naira, would be made to cough out the money and still pay the price for breaching public trust.
”Let me just make it clear to all that under the present administration, it is no longer business-as-usual. As at today, a lot of measures are being put in place to recover the loot which a few privileged Nigerians stole and stashed away.
“It is an article of obligation under the law of the Federal Government of Nigeria to convict the looters and recover the amount traced to each of them to show the disdain that this government has for corruption and to serve as a warning signal that nobody is authorized to steal the commonwealth of Nigerians under any guise.”
The minister said this on the heels of reports that some top politicians are willing to refund over N650 million which they claimed to have collected from the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for campaign purposes, Vanguard reports.
According to a media report on yesterday, the top politicians, who had acknowledged collecting the money for the mobilization of their supporters in the six geo-political zones of the country, were making moves to quietly return the money to the government.