Global warming worse than it appears: Nobel laureate, Carlo Rubbia

Carlo Rubbia, who shared the 1984 Nobel Prize in physics, says global warming is a much bigger problem than most people realize.
"My message is that the situation is much worse than one sees and believes," Rubbia, an Italian particle physicist and inventor, told Xinhua in an interview on the sidelines of the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Earth Summit).

Rubbia mentioned two "contradictory
phenomena" -- global warming and the aerosol masking effect which effectively offset the effects of the former. Otherwise, the temperature of the Earth would have increased to about three degrees centigrade by now, he said.
"The man in the street does not realize the effects of climate change," because in the last 10 years, the temperature did not increase substantially. So "people feel the pressure of global warming is not a reality," he said.

In reality, there are two phenomena co-existing at the same time -- global warming, which causes the temperature to rise and aerosol, which lowers air transparency and therefore reduces temperature, Rubbia said.
"So we have this unstable equilibrium, on one hand we have global warming which we do not really see because of a lot of pollution produced by the aerosol -- dust in the atmosphere, and etc," he said.
However, "as soon as we clean up the world by using less cars, using much more cleaner car, by burning less, then the full extent of the global
warming will come back, and it will be too late," he warned.

Rubbia recalled "a very substantial change in the temperature" of Europe during the summer of 2003, which then disappeared. All major greenhouse gas emitters agreed under the Copenhagen accord that global average temperature increase should be kept below 2 degrees centigrade.
Today, the temperature of the Earth is only about 0.75 degree centigrade higher than the past, but in reality it should be something about three degrees if there were not the other masking phenomena that is cancelling the warming effects.
As a result, people are not taking it "sufficiently seriously," because the situation became much more complicated and not so obvious as "yes or no," he said.

"There is more coal, and more coal means more Co2," he said, "We are in the process in which we see Co2 emissions do not tend to stabilize, but to go even faster."

It is difficult to convince the man in the street that this is a very serious situation which demands immediate measures, he said, illustrating by citing a mythological figure in ancient Greek.

AGE OF MAN
The world is entering "a new epoch called the Anthropocene dominated by the presence of man," Rubbia said, referring to an informal geological term used to describe the significant
impact of human activities on the Earth.

The world's population daily increases by over 200,000 people, with the growth rate incessantly rising and reaching nearly 80 million new people
per year, he said.
Expanding populations demand more food, water, energy and a greater consumption of mineral resources, exerting increasing pressure on the environment, he said.
Rubbia stressed the role of science in helping mankind to realize sustainability.
In order to be "rudimentally successful" in avoiding irreversible changes for the "possible catastrophic outcomes for humanity, new capacities for innovation and creativity would have to be created and integrated within the framework of global sustainability, " he said.

Rubbia called for a coherent energy policy, strategic choices and political will to foster innovative, scientific and technological developments to reconcile sustainable development and economic growth with the threat of environmental decay.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

SPEECH BY DR GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN AT THE UNITED NATIONS' CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (RIO+20 SUMMIT) RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Your Excellencies, Dear Delegates,
Let me first congratulate the President of Brazil for her election as the President of this historic Summit and also appreciate her for the facilities
and the warm hospitality the Government of Brazil has provided. I also commend the Secretary General and staff of the United Nations for organizing this Conference, which marks the 20th Anniversary of the Earth Summit, also held in this beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro.

The presence of many world leaders at this Summit lends credence to the fact that global cooperation is imperative to ensuring sustainable
development in our world. In line with the chosen theme for the Conference, we owe an obligation to our peoples and coming generations to eradicate poverty and employ green economy
in our sustainable development programme.

For us in Africa, the Green Economy is an agenda for growth, wealth creation and employment generation. We believe that the promotion of a Green Economy must be underlined by clear
national objectives, social and economic development imperatives and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

We are aware of the constraints posed to sustainable development in Africa by emerging challenges such as the global financial crisis, migration, rapid urbanization, the energy and food crisis, low resistance to natural disasters, desertification and the loss of the eco-system resulting from climate change.

A spectacular case in point is the Lake Chad in West and Central Africa which used to be the 6th largest Lake in the world. Unfortunately, this body of water, a major global resource has
become endangered to the extent that it has shrunk from about 25,000 sq kms in 1964 to less than 2000 sq kms today. At this rate, if nothing
is done promptly to salvage the situation, this world heritage will disappear within 20 years.

As a response to this great ecological challenge, a feasibility study on the Inter-Basin Water Transfer from the Ubangi River in Central African Republic (CAR) to Lake Chad has been embarked upon.

Nigeria has committed US$5 million out of the US$6 million earmarked for the studies. However, efforts to save the Lake exceed the capacity of the contiguous states because of the enormous resources required. I, therefore, appeal to the international community to support this project
which is a global responsibility. Concerned as we are about the sustainability of the environment, Nigeria promoted the Great Green Wall for Sahara Initiative as an integrated approach to check desertification and depletion of
natural resources in the Sahel, from the West Coast to the Horn of Africa.
The goal of the Great Green Wall project is to develop a regional strategy and national implementation plan that would lead to selection of country and cross-border projects for financing by the countries.

This noble project calls for donor support. In our sustainable development agenda, under
our medium to long term National Plans, we have developed several sectoral initiatives, particularly in agriculture, petroleum, solid minerals, power supply, renewable energy, trade and investment, water and sanitation, which accord priority to
environmental and wider development issues. Our goal is simple: Create more jobs and opportunities for our people to rise out of poverty, create wealth to ensure sustainable development.

While we recognize that the developing countries have primary responsibility for implementing their
own sustainable development agenda, there is no doubt that they need the support of the international community to achieve these objectives. In effect, Rio+20 can only be seen to be successful if the thorny issue of the means of implementation is adequately addressed. We must bridge the yawning gaps undermining the fulfilment of international commitments on sustainable development, especially in areas of
finance, external debt, trade and investment, capacity building and technology development.

I earlier referred to this Conference as historic because it marks a defining moment, both for humanity and for our planet. Today, we have a unique opportunity to reshape the future and
redefine the relationship between human advancement and environmental sustainability, by ensuring that we join, in a collective effort, to reduce the conflict between human development and environmental conservation. Twenty years ago at the 'Earth Summit', we
made a number of pledges. Today, twenty years later, it is evident, that there is still a lot more that we need to do. Working together to develop
'green economies', offers us a greater chance of a sustainable future. And that work must be intensified now.
As our challenges are collective, both in nature and consequence, our responses must also be collective, for them to have the desired impact.

And because the circumstances that confront us are extraordinary, the kind of change that is needed must also be extraordinary. To serve as a
catalyst to advance this, Nigeria believes that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
in Nairobi, Kenya be strengthened as a more robust United Nations Agency dedicated to advancing environmental and sustainable
development issues.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my hope, that the outcomes of this Conference will mark that turning point in history that we all can look back at another ten to twenty years from now, and say that this is where and when we met, took the right decisions and the right actions that shaped a better future.

I thank you.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

Corporate Partnership on Environmental Sustainability in Nigeria written by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

February 13, 2012, Tuesday, started like every other day in the city of Lagos; slow at first then steady upsurge of business. That was before 7:00am when the sky closed it morning sunshine to fury of rain and strong winds that lasted about fifteen minutes.
Mr. Ekpeyong, a Mathematics teacher at St. Gregory College, Lagos, left his home that same morning, with much upbeat about the activities lined up for that day. To beat traffic and the coming rain, he took a commercial motorcycle that raced through the early morning traffic, alight and was about paying off the rider when a communication pole fell on him.
He died on the spot, while the motorcycle rider sustained serious injury.
That morning wind was later announced to be 120km/h storm that was equated to hurricane wind speeds.
According to Mr. Abayomi Oyegoke, Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), "the rain came as a result of a micro scale system that developed over the Delta area, grew and propagated into the West towards Lagos. In the process of that movement, another cold system developed around the inland of the South West. Because of the one coming from the Delta area, it invigorates and merges and became a massive system.  This massive system now caused a downdraft.  The downdraft was associated with the strong velocity of wind that led to the maximum wind gust that caused the destruction we witnessed today."
Mr. Oyegoke's comment corroborate that of Ngeri Benebo, Director General of the National Environment Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). Some years ago, she warned that the humid tropical zone of Southern Nigeria, which is already too hot and too wet, is expected to be characterized by increase in both temperature and precipitation, especially at the peak of the rainy season."
Her comment came on the heel of continuous gas flaring by multinational oil and gas companies operating with the shores of west Africa.
The Saffir-Simpson Scale

Category
Wind Speed
Barometric
Pressure
Storm Surge
Damage Potential

1
(weak)
75–95 mph
65–82 kts
33–42 m/s
> 28.94 in. Hg
> 980.0 mb
> 97.7 kPa
4.0–5.0 ft.
1.2–1.5 m
minimal damage to vegetation

2
(moderate)
96–110 mph
83–95 kts
43–49 m/s
28.50–28.93 in. Hg
965.1–979.7 mb
96.2–97.7 kPa
6.0–8.0 ft.
1.8–2.4 m
moderate damage to houses

3
(strong)
111–130 mph
96–113 kts
50–58 m/s
27.91–28.49 in. Hg
945.1–964.8 mb
96.2–97.7 kPa
9.0–12.0 ft.
2.7–3.7 m
extensive damage to small buildings

4
(very strong)
131–155 mph
114–135 kts
59–69 m/s
27.17–27.90 in. Hg
920.1–944.8 mb
91.7–94.2 kPa
13.0–18.0 ft.
3.9–5.5 m
extreme structural damage

5
(devastating)
> 155 mph
> 135 kts
> 70 m/s
< 27.17 in Hg
< 920.1 mb
< 91.7 kPa
> 18.0 ft
> 5.5 m
catastrophic building failures possible

If these reports are anything to go by, are we entering the age of hurricane in Africa?
A report titled Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate submitted to the United State Climate Change Science Programme Department reads "It is very likely that the human-induced increase in greenhouse gasses has contributed to the increase in sea surface temperature in the hurricane formation regions. Over the past fifty years, there has been a strong statistical connection between tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures and Atlantic hurricane activity as measured by the power dissipation index. "
Until now, the world 'hurricane' has been synonymous with America and the Oceania yet recent natural occurrence such as the October 2, 2010 flood in Benin republic and July 10, 2011 flood in some part of Nigeria, brings to fore the need for a reassessment of our activities concerning the environment and what our itinerary to environmental sustainability are.

OUR ENVIRONMENT ACTIVITIES
Starting from cooking fires, stove to fume from generating sets that provides cheap electricity to many, Africa has the hallmark of a state not ready to go green.
Ironically, the continent sits atop resources which can solve it basic challenges yet these resources are either ignore or wasted.
A typical example is the flaring of gas in Nigeria, Angola and some other African oil producing states. These natural resources that are wasted generate electricity.
Within these oil producing communities, decades old ruptured pipes that spills crude oil into the environment are still in use by oil industry to convey crude oil to depot stations. This causes loss of crops, farms, ecosystem and conterminate the people's livelihood. This development alone account for about 51 percent causes of rural-urban migration.
Increase in demand for housing due to rural-urban migration mounts pressure on estate investors who clear natural rainforests, converting natural carbon sinks to quarters.
In the midst of these depleting economy systems, there lay economic values that spell profits to both investors and the communities.

RECYCLING TO THE RESCUE
Recycling basically involves reusing materials. A recyclable product is turned back into raw form that can be used to create a new and different product. Not only are natural resources limited, but recycling efforts can significantly reduce additional waste that will not only harm the planet, but future generations as well.
Today, filths around major cities are becoming sources of livelihood for many homeless people. However, the amount of garbage collected is a far cry to what these cities dumps. With a slim option, very little of wastes available are sent in for recycling. What then becomes of the remaining waste?
Creating new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials as well as reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials is becoming a better option in the race to sustainable environment. This option reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production.
Nearly all our waste are recyclable yet most end up threatening our existence; blocking canal, drainages etc.
To complete the cycle, we must do it as part of our lifestyle to purchase and use products made from recycled materials.

Paper
Paper is as old as we can remember, that it face out might leads to a change in cultural ethnocentrism yet the trend of our lifestyle is, gradually, tending towards a paperless society.
Before you throw that piece of paper in the trash, consider how many trees you could save by sending those papers to a local recycling plant. The advantages of recycling paper go far beyond saving trees.
Every day, humans use paper to do one thing or the other. From your offices, to the money you use for transactions, packaging used to wrap what you bought, book and newspaper you read etc.
Research conducted revealed that to produce 80, 000 sheets of paper or 2, 700 copies of a 35-page paper, a tree whole tree measuring 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet—or 128 cubic feet is needed.

(*Data from Browning Ferris website)
Most are about 1 foot in diameter and 60 feet tall. Ignoring taper, that's about 81,430 cubic inches of wood:
 pi * radius2 * length = volume
3.14 * 62 * (60 * 12) = 81,430
3.14 * 62 * (60 * 12) = 81,430
Recycling paper to the tune of 1 ton saves 17 trees, 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space, 360 gallons of water and 60 pounds of air pollutants. Not all, the decision to recycle uses 60 percent less energy than fresh timber. According to Browning-Ferris Industries, if everyone in the United States recycled 10 percent of their newspapers, 25 million trees would be saved each year.

In some instances, recycling services are cheaper than trash-disposal services. Recycling paper saves landfill space and reduces the amount of pollution in the air from incineration. Businesses can promote a positive company and community image by starting and maintaining a paper-recycling program.
In Africa, recycling programme can yield thousands of jobs for teeming unemployment groups, the opportunities are endless.
So, before throwing that piece of paper in the trash, consider how many trees you could save by starting a recycling program in your home or office.

Surrogate of wood-based furniture with plastic
Wood makes fine sleek furniture but better and more complex designs are emerging with plastic furniture.
For the obvious reason that trees naturally reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, protecting the forest should be of more priority to everyone. The want of wood for everything has eroded the natural forest's functions. The end result which is now evidence in the sahel plain of West Africa to the Horn of Africa in the east.
The furniture industry has been primarily relying on natural supply of wood for it consumption which involves hacking down trees thus reducing forest cover, rendering animals itinerant, giving room to erosions and so on. However, research have indicated that plastic furniture is a more robust way of manufacturing office and home furniture with a future tendency of recycling of same for further production of other plastic products.

Wood furniture or plastic furniture?
Wood has been a standard building material for centuries, however, some basic truth is that wood deteriorates, it cracks, rots, splinters and prone to mildew and mold. As an organic matter, wood serve as a breeding ground for bacteria and a hearty meal for the termites and other insects. From an environmental standpoint, wood cannot be recycled and it continuous production leads to deforestation and global warming.

Plastic furniture
Plastic furniture is environmentally sustainable, durability, and consumer friendly. In addition to being environmental friendly, plastic furniture are 100 percent recyclable. No trees are destroyed to manufacture this product, and it releases no toxic chemicals or greenhouse gases into the environment.
In half a century, your recycled plastic furniture will look as good as new with no maintenance or replacement needed.

With the growing treat of climate change becoming more pronounced, what are the moves of Ministries of Environments in protecting the forest, reducing waste through encouragement of recycling?

Gas flaring: Whatever happened to Land Fill Treatment
Nigeria loses enormous revenue and is faced with the threats of environmental pollution and unequal degradation. In an effort to stop gas flaring in Nigeria, a liquefied natural gas plant was established at Bonny in Rivers State by the federal government and multi-transnational oil and gas corporations operating in the country to promote the export of natural gas, utilization and to discourage zero gas flaring.
Gas flaring not only wastes a potentially valuable source of energy (natural gas), it also add significant carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Moreover, flaring combustion is typically incomplete, leasing substantial amounts of dirt and carbon monoxide, which contribute to air pollution problems.

Basil Omiyi, external Relations Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria on the reason why the company has been compelled by a combination of historical, economic, and geographical factors to flare gas said lack of appropriate reservoirs conducive for gas re-injection/ storage and the economies of doing so, huge cost of developing major and inter-connecting network of gas pipelines, low technological and industrial base for energy consumption in the country, limited regional and international gas market among others are the reasons for the continuous flaring of natural gas in the country.
Today, arrays of technologies to capture or use associated natural gas as viable alternatives to flaring are not exploited. With this, gas can be re-injected, which will boost oil production.
While this is going on, it is a depressing story to know that most Nigerian villages lack electricity.
In 2008, approximately 10% of Chevron's global crude oil operations were in Nigeria. In 2009 Chevron produced on average 225,000 barrels of crude oil and 48 million ft3 of natural gas a day in Nigeria and flared about 84% of its gas in 2008 pushing Nigeria to No.2 among top ten countries in the world.
Russia (26%), Nigeria (11%), Iran (8%), Iraq (7%), Algeria (4%), Angola (3%), Kazakhstan (3%), Libya (3%), Saudi Arabia (3%) and Venezuela (2%)
Although flaring and venting of natural gas from oil and gas wells has declined by three-quarters in absolute terms since it peak in the 1970 of approximately 110 million metric tons/year and now accounts for 0.5% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, landfill gas utilization is a more better way to achieve optimum use of the gas.

Landfill gas can be converted to high-Btu gas by reducing its carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen content. The high-Btu gas can be piped into existing natural gas pipelines or in the form of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) or LNG (Liquid Natural Gas). CNG and LNG can be used on site to power hauling trucks or equipment or sold commercially.
Landfill gas utilization is a process of gathering, processing, and treating the gas to produce electricity, heat, fuels, and various chemical compounds.
The World Bank estimates that over 134 billion cubic metres of natural gas are flared or vented annually, an amount equivalent to more than 20 percent of the United States' gas consumption or 33 percent of the European Union's gas consumption per year.
Atmospheric contaminants from gas flaring include oxides of Nitrogen, Carbon and Sulphur (NOx, CO2, CO, SOx), particulate matter, hydrocarbons and ash, photochemical oxidants, and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The flares also contribute to acid rain, which, apart from corroding corrugated aluminum roofs, acidify the soil, thereby causing soil fertility loss and damaging crops.
In cassava, flare contamination had resulted in decrease in length, weight, starch, protein and ascorbic acid content while okra plants and palm trees around flaring sites do not flower, and therefore, do not bring forth fruit.
This trend is a direct treat to agricultural produce in areas of flaring which might leads to agricultural activities in such areas to be reduced to a very minimal degree thereby constituting a major source of food challenge on local demand or national, if such area is a major agricultural producing area.
Food challenges, diseases will ultimately result in massive rural-urban drift hence pushing vibrant youths into a world of unknown. The world will be robbed of great potentials with many becoming criminals while other fulfills less of their potentials.
Ironically, the brightly lit flame from the burning funnel serve as light source for communities at night whereas the same flared gas could be use to power electricity in their homes, we can do better than flaring natural gas in the back yards of people that could really use a low cost source of reliable energy

Afforestation
The importance of afforestation cannot be overemphasized. It will help in addressing the environmental and socioeconomic problems in the Sahel region of West Africa country, it provides shelter as well as windbreak in the region, it also prevent desert encroachment by stabilizing the soil and reducing the speed of winds as well as increasing crop yield in the region; afforestation make marginal lands more arable.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and exit oxygen. It is therefore a common knowledge that continuous deforestation will increase the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere thereby contributing to global warming. Large scale afforestation could successfully absorb the CO2 generated by the burning of the fossil fuels, coal and oil.
A better approach would be to tackle this problem at its roots: reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and prevent deforestation of our natural forests. Fossil fuel combustion and deforestation together account for the majority of man-made CO2 releases.

As the sun of that February descend later in the day, I looked back at the destructions, bodies deposited at the Lagos state University teaching hospital and what will be of Nigeria when the hurricane season eventually becomes an integral part of our natural occurrence.

abiodunodedeyi@gmail.com
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

Communique by Gurara Forum on Boko Haram insurgency on churches in Kaduna

The Gurara Forum, a forum of indigenes of southern Kaduna , wish to make clarifications regarding the ongoing annihilation against Christians in Northern Nigeria, and the
orchestrated hysteria being peddled by selfish Northerners aimed at jeopardising the reality of Boko Haram's insurgency and plot against
Christians.

Putting the baseless propaganda aside, the whole world and those following trends in Nigeria know
better what Boko Haram stands for, the ideals and principles which they represent and of which they are working assiduously to achieve come
what may.

As our Churches were hit again yesterday in Zaria and Kaduna town, it became glaring that the sect meant what they represent, more so, they have cleared the air and claimed responsibility of the attacks which defied falsehood being advanced
by selfish Northerners. Regrettably was the concern of the Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal which was largely on reprisal and not the suicide bombing that killed Christians. We will not succumb to photo shops manipulation and outright deviation of facts and reality of all these deliberate attacks
against Christians.

We have been watching as Churches are being bombed every Sunday for the past few months by suicide bombers. Christians in their Biblical
teachings have been told to be magnanimous in their dealings with their fellow human beings and to respect the rights of other people, and be slow to anger and revenge for "vengeance is mine saith the Lord".

And despite our very slow attitude in response to these incessant bombings and killing of innocent citizens including women and children in their places of worship, no attempt is being seen to be made by the perpetrators of this satanic injunction to desist or slow down in these devilish acts of murder and slaughter of Christians.

This means there is no remorse or regret from the actions of this evil machination. The body language of the so called leaders of the North shows an unfortunate and maniacal mischief going by their lingering efforts of saying the attacks are perpetuated by non-Muslims in contrast to the stand by Boko Haram that has always claimed responsibility.
Their actions simply mean tacit support of Boko Haram. Government and security operatives though claimed to be giving their best has failed to bring this acts of impudence to a halt. However, security is the responsibility of all. We therefore observe with total regret that these people who live amongst us cannot be pointed by those who know them.

They thus continue to execute their
evil plan of annihilation by bombing and killing in the course of charting their religious cause.

Thus, we wish to make the following assertions:
1. In as much as we will continue to be law abiding and peaceful at all times. We will no longer tolerate any bombings in our Churches or any other place for that matter.

2. Uninformed, mischief makers and hardliners should desist from pointing fingers at other people when they know the truth and the bombers.

3. We will not fold our hands and agree to be annihilated. And we will continue to hold government and merchandise of death responsible for their illicit actions against Christians.

Signed
Vincent Bodam- Chancellor,
Jerry Adams- Secretary General.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

Nigerians in Ghana risk loosing businesses, deportation over $300k business registration rule

If you are a Nigerian, living or doing business in Ghana, you would have, at one point or the other, come to understand that there are many issues and cold war going on between the two countries, but for the sake of diplomatic protocol, both countries have kept mum about it.

The latest is the categorization of Nigerian traders among foreigners
in Ghana, who are to vacate all market designated areas, and also register their businesses with
$300,000; very ridiculous you will say?

Moves by the Nigerian government to bring about a resolution, so far, have been fruitless.

Deadline for the so-called registration is 20th of June, 2012.

Written by Ajayi Oluwapelumi

Chief Micheal Ajayi is the Director–General of Nigeria-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, founding President of Nigeria's Professionals in Ghana Forum and the Chief Executive Officer of Vintage Vision Company, Ghana, which has executed major projects in bridging the gap and integration of
economical development through Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria business summit.

In this chat with Ajayi Oluwapelumi, he revealed some of the major challenges Nigerian business owners are battling with in Ghana and his efforts to genuinely upgrade the
level of economic integration in African countries.
Excerpts.

Q: HOW challenging is it, encouraging West African citizens to invest in another ECOWAS member country?
A: It is very challenging-in the sense that people still do not realize the enormity of the potential available in intra-country trading with the West
Coast which is why as a company; we initiated the Ghana-Nigeria business summit. We expanded the Ghana-Nigeria business summit into Ghana, Togo, Benin business summit essentially to bring business people, government officials together in each of these countries to begin to look at the obstacles facing trade. For instance, the ECOWAS has set up
a trade team which is called ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Team. It has been there for close to 30 years; it allows you to manufacture in one ECOWAS country and export duty free to another ECOWAS country.
This is to allow benefit of cheaper products among ECOWAS countries. A lot of countries are either not aware or unable to access its full benefit because some countries have been resistant to allow the treaty to operate the way it has been designed.

Imagine a situation where such treaty is effective and it's being taken advantage of that would, to a large extent, promote trade in West Africa and discourage the importation of costly goods outside West Africa.

Another example, I want to dwell on is the fact that Ghana and Nigeria have been cultural and economic friends for thousands of years. However, it's unfortunate that as we speak today, there is no bilateral trade agreement awaiting the two countries to sign, which will now set out the terms and condition for operations and relations between the two countries. If you want to do the volume of trade between Nigeria and Ghana, there is really no accurate data available to capture it.

Q: How has the delay in signing the bilateral trade agreement been affecting you as a foreigner doing
business in Ghana?
A: it is affecting me and every business man or potential business man in the sense that there are
lots of little issues which need to be decided on and that will determine how far you can go as a foreign business man. Right now, there are restrictions to operations as a foreign company in Ghana. In other words, Nigerian businesses will still be treated like foreigners. But if there is a bilateral trade agreement that sets out the terms of agreement on what Nigerian business men are permitted to do in Ghana and what Ghanaians are permitted to do in Nigeria, this would have averted all sorts of
misunderstandings and unfair treatment. Under the ECOWAS charter, citizens from member countries are not to be regarded as foreigners.

Q: It appears that such problem is what Nigerian traders are also facing being categorised as foreigners who need to register their businesses with $300,000. How do you think the NHC and Federal Government should address this problem?
A: That brings us to the same issue; until there is a bilateral agreement between the two countries, Nigerian businesses in Ghana will continue to be subjected to foreign trade requirements to establish in Ghana. Of course, there is an Act in Ghanaian law that says foreigners are not allowed to do certain kind of businesses. It also says that they are not allowed to operate in the designated market areas. It says that they are required to bring a minimum of share capital of $300,000 which of course for a middle class business person is an impossible task. However, if there was that bilateral agreement, it would have set out these terms and take preferential care of Nigerian traders. The issue of Nigerian traders in Ghana has been on for four to five years and we have made all sorts of effort but nothing happened. I think it is the political way that it now requires to solve it.
It is high time the government of Nigeria met with the government of Ghana to agree on these terms
and offer some kinds of protection to their respective citizens. Until that is done, nothing is going to change. Also, Ghanaian government has
been complaining about certain products being restricted from being imported into Nigeria. The same excuse they are giving to some Nigerian goods. If there is no Bilateral law, every country is going to continue to apply general laws to ECOWAS member countries.

Q: One of the major missions of the Nigeria Mission in Ghana is to ensure that issues like these are attended to, but obviously, nothing has changed.
Will you say the immediate past Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana failed in this aspect of his assignment?
A: No. I will not say he failed because I know and I think everybody in Ghana knows that he made spirited effort and he had at many times brought
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Minister of Trade and many other relevant ministries- trying to bring up this issue and setting up the bilateral
agreement. He has mediated in several crises that occurred when some Nigerian traders' shops were
closed. So, I think he made a lot of effort but the effort right now is beyond the control of any high
commissioner; I think it now requires a presidential dialogue between the two countries.
It baffles me how the Nigerian government and Ghanaian government go about as if they don't
remember that there are issues to be addressed. I think it is important that the two countries at the presidential level come together to review and
agree on what to do because on the long run, as a Nigerian, I know that the majority of whatever actions are taken, it will affect Nigeria more than
how it will affect Ghana because there are more Nigerians doing business in Ghana than Ghanaians doing business in Nigeria.

Q: It was generally believed that one of the major aims of President Jonathan's visit to Ghana in 2011 was to sign the bilateral trade agreement. Why do you think Senator Obanikoro, having such a huge opportunity, did not press it on Mr. President to make it happen?
A: Well, I am surprised myself, and I would not know why that did not come up but I hope the new High
Commissioner will bring up the issue, so it can become a front burner issue to the Federal Government.

Q: You are recently given a regional integration and leadership award by the Nigerian High Commission.
How exactly did your penetration into Africa as a corporate personality start?
A: I will say it started from the point where I was recruited out of the University by UAC Nigeria in 1988. As at that time UAC had about 22 working divisions, so that gave us the opportunity to go round the country and relate with all other affiliate
companies all over their branches in different parts of the world.

When I came to Ghana, and eventually ended up working for U.S government owned company, Phtyo Riker Pharmaceuticals, which was at the time the largest manufacturing company in West Africa, I was the Vice-President of the company, and
because of the position I held, I had to travel to several countries. I have been to all West African countries and many other African countries; so that
is where my regional integration into Africa started.
Then, I observed and came to the realisation of the fact that very little trade was going on among West
African countries. It was common for people to leave Ghana to travel to China or from Nigeria to Dubai to buy goods, while little trade is going on in
the formal sector. Very few companies are actually exporting formally. So everybody is losing money; government is losing revenue, the business men are losing money to taxes because they are smuggling their goods in and out. So that is where the passion to make a difference all started from.

Q: How successful was the Ghana–Nigeria business summit which your company organised?
A: It was extremely successful as far as I know; in the sense that, it was the summit that led to the formation of the Ghana–Nigeria Chamber of
Commerce. It was the Ghana–Nigeria summit that led to the conceptualisation of a bilateral trade
agreement. Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria summit was also successful in the sense that over the years
we have been hosting it, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former President of Ghana,
John Kufour and former President Olusegun Obasanjo have at one time or the other chaired the summit.
It was a high profile summit which has attracted a lot of great personalities. A lot of business people have benefitted from it. Many business people have
started to see opportunities available to them in these countries and as a result of that, so many Nigerian investors have come to set up businesses in Ghana. If we are to look at the volume of trade between Nigeria and Ghana between 2008 when this summit started and now, it has increased tremendously.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

Nigeria Practising ‘Nonsense Democracy’, Says Buhari

Former military ruler, Major General Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday spoke about democracy and election in Nigeria.
Speaking in Abuja during the CPC Renewal Committee Stakeholders’ Forum, attended by prominent members of the party nationwide, he said: “I said I believe in this system. In 1991 nobody lectured me to become a democrat but when the Soviet Union collapsed then I came to the conclusion that democratic system is the best.
“Elections must be free and fair otherwise it is nonsense. So we are doing nonsense in Nigeria. Nigeria is practising nonsense democracy. I do not know when it will stop. If CPC is the only threat to PDP, of course, PDP will do anything to destroy CPC. So it is up to CPC to maintain political integrity.
“Votes are stolen; people are beaten up and houses burnt and some of them killed. Where ever you go one day you will come back home which is Nigeria. So we must join hands to stabilize the country for sustainable development.
“Movement in Nigeria now is so dangerous. In fact, I wonder if the insurance companies are still agreeing to insure lives, because if the Federal Government cannot pay some departments and so on and if the pension funds are not available, I think people should be very careful.”
Buhari stressed the need for unity of purpose by party members ahead of the 2015 elections with a view to defeating the ruling PDP.
Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and chairman of the CPC Renewal Committee, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai said the planned merger between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and CPC would end PDP rule in 2015.
El-Rufai encouraged Buhari to continue with the merger negotiation and advised members of the party not to relent in the renewal process.
He said: “It is Buhari’s commitment and example that is driving all of us to work harder to renew CPC which is the only hope that Nigeria has for 2015. Our hope is to merge with other likeminded political parties to ensure that we see the end of the PDP in the 2015 election. I do not want to say much about that because it is ongoing. General Buhari is in charge of the merger this time around and by God’s grace it is going to happen. We should think about how we can secure our party for the future.”

Dana Air Mishap: The Twist by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

While Nigerians are still mourning the death of more than 150 souls that perished in the Dana mishap, search for why is brewing brouhaha even in high places.

We bloggers woke up to the gist that Patience Jonathan, who was in Lagos on Saturday for a public function may have been the reason for the incident. The gist had it that dear First Lady was billed to go back to Abuja on Sunday and in accordance with the procedure for 'VIP', the airport was closed for some time. This, the gist alleged, caused a delay and subsequent crash of the inbound Dana Air.

However, Ayo Osinlu, Special Assistant to the President, Office of the First Lady denied the allegation.

In a communique made available to newsmen, Mr. Osinlu said "Our attention has been drawn to the orchestrated plan to politicize the Sunday Dana Air crash in Lagos in which many people lost their lives, through rumours about the possible cause of the accident citing VIP movement involving the wife of the President.

We consider it callous, inhuman and devilish for anyone to have thought of wrapping such national calamity in political garb by insinuating that the plane crashed because the airspace was closed for the First Lady’s movement in Lagos.

For the avoidance of doubt, the First Lady arrived Lagos at about 2pm on Saturday, 2nd June, 2012 for a private engagement and was billed to leave for Abuja on Monday, 4th June, 2012.
In compliance with her itinerary, the First Lady arrived Lagos on Saturday. She was at a public event on Sunday when the accident occurred and promptly abandoned the ceremony as a mark of respect for the victims and retired to the State House, Marina. She left Lagos at exactly 13.15hrs on Monday, 4th June, 2012, according to schedule."

He alleged, in the communique released on June 5, 2012, that the news making rounds is the handwork of mischievous persons who want to use the atmosphere to blackmail the president.

While there has been no media outcry on the involvement of the First Lady except on social media which has been on low key (I also got to know about this as early as 6:20am Tuesday but hold my breath while I snoop for more info), presidency outburst leave more to suspect than understand.

It is however not clear if the black box will corroborate earlier claim that the aircraft was delayed for some minutes. 

While the hole was still being investigated, Dana Air management, on Tuesday commented extensively on the crash of its MD 83 jet in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos, that killed all 153 people on board and some people on ground.

The Director of Operation of the airline, Capt Oscar Wason, in a press briefing said the airplane was 22 years old, acquired from Alaska Airlines in the USA four years ago, via a third party.

According to him, the aircraft was in perfect airworthiness condition before it crashed, stressing that it was not the same airplane that suffered hydraulic failure few weeks ago as being speculated in many quarters.

“The one that had hydraulic problem was 5N-SRI while the one that crashed was 5N-RAM. I personally flew the crashed one on Saturday to Ibadan for operational checks and it was fine. It later flew the routes it was to fly. On Sunday morning it departed Lagos by 7.47am as flight 998 to Abuja(1) and came back to Lagos (2) as flight 997. It later did another flight to Abuja (3) as flight 993 and crashed on landing in Lagos (4) as flight 992,” he stated.
 
>NOTE: The plane flew four times on Sunday.

Investigation, however, contradict Dana claims. Customers recount horror ordeals in the hands of the airline management as the normal turbulence is a nightmare with Dana Air.

Investigation also revealed that the plane was phased out by Alaska Air at the time of Dana purchase. The Boeing MD 83 aircraft was indeed phased out four years ago by the Alaska Airline.