President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has directed the Minister of Defence and Service Chiefs to ensure that necessary structures are put in place to enable the armed forces remain "resolutely focused" on their constitutional duty of defending Nigerian's territorial integrity and protecting its democratic institutions.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Armed Forces Council (AFC), President Jonathan reaffirmed his administration's commitment to building a truly professional military which will foster stability, peace and security in the country at all times, as well as a source of pride to all Nigerians.
The Council was established in pursuant to Part 2, Section 4 of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 � laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
Its other members are the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence staff, the Chief of Army staff, The Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence serves as Secretary of the Council which is responsible, under the general authority of the President, for the command, discipline and administration of Nigeria's Armed Forces.
President Jonathan commended the military for the high degree of commitment to professional excellence, loyalty and dedication which they show in their duties outside the shores of the country.
He made reference to the tempo of political activities in the country and called on the military to be insulated from partisanship. The president elaborated that he is concerned about how to foster stability in a country largely ravaged by incessant military interventions in the past. He said the military must be repositioned to perform its constitutional role hence the inauguration
Follow President Goodluck on facebook: www.facebook.com/jonathangoodluck
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Business Ethics will Stop Corruption
One of the most important attributes for small business success, is the distinguishing quality of practicing admirable business ethics. Business ethics, practiced throughout the deepest layers of a company, become the heart and soul of the company's culture and can mean the difference between success and failure.
7 Principles of Admirable Business Ethics
1. Be Trustful: Recognize customers want to do business with a company they can trust; when trust is at the core of a company, it's easy to recognize. Trust defined, is assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, and truth of a business.
2. Keep An Open Mind: For continuous improvement of a company, the leader of an organization must be open to new ideas. Ask for opinions and feedback from both customers and team members and your company will continue to grow.
3. Meet Obligations: Regardless of the circumstances, do everything in your power to gain the trust of past customer's and clients, particularly if something has gone awry. Reclaim any lost business by honoring all commitments and obligations.
4. Have Clear Documents: Re-evaluate all print materials including small business advertising, brochures, and other business documents making sure they are clear, precise and professional. Most important, make sure they do not misrepresent or misinterpret.
5. Become Community Involved: Remain involved in community-related issues and activities, thereby demonstrating that your business is a responsible community contributor. In other words, stay involved.
6. Maintain Accounting Control: Take a hands-on approach to accounting and record keeping, not only as a means of gaining a better feel for the progress of your company, but as a resource for any "questionable " activities. Gaining control of accounting and record keeping allows you to end any dubious activities promptly.
7. Be Respectful: Treat others with the utmost of respect. Regardless of differences, positions, titles, ages, or other types of distinctions, always treat others with professional respect and courtesy.
Recognizing the significance of business ethics as a tool for achieving your desired outcome is only the beginning. A small business that instills a deep-seated theme of business ethics within its strategies and policies will be evident among customers. It's overall influence will lead to a profitable, successful company. By recognizing the value of practicing admirable business ethics, and following each of the 7 principles, your success will not be far off.
7 Principles of Admirable Business Ethics
1. Be Trustful: Recognize customers want to do business with a company they can trust; when trust is at the core of a company, it's easy to recognize. Trust defined, is assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, and truth of a business.
2. Keep An Open Mind: For continuous improvement of a company, the leader of an organization must be open to new ideas. Ask for opinions and feedback from both customers and team members and your company will continue to grow.
3. Meet Obligations: Regardless of the circumstances, do everything in your power to gain the trust of past customer's and clients, particularly if something has gone awry. Reclaim any lost business by honoring all commitments and obligations.
4. Have Clear Documents: Re-evaluate all print materials including small business advertising, brochures, and other business documents making sure they are clear, precise and professional. Most important, make sure they do not misrepresent or misinterpret.
5. Become Community Involved: Remain involved in community-related issues and activities, thereby demonstrating that your business is a responsible community contributor. In other words, stay involved.
6. Maintain Accounting Control: Take a hands-on approach to accounting and record keeping, not only as a means of gaining a better feel for the progress of your company, but as a resource for any "questionable " activities. Gaining control of accounting and record keeping allows you to end any dubious activities promptly.
7. Be Respectful: Treat others with the utmost of respect. Regardless of differences, positions, titles, ages, or other types of distinctions, always treat others with professional respect and courtesy.
Recognizing the significance of business ethics as a tool for achieving your desired outcome is only the beginning. A small business that instills a deep-seated theme of business ethics within its strategies and policies will be evident among customers. It's overall influence will lead to a profitable, successful company. By recognizing the value of practicing admirable business ethics, and following each of the 7 principles, your success will not be far off.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
CORRUPTION GETTING WORSE OR.......?
From every perspective, corruption or corrupt practices has to do with fraudulent activity especially syphon funds that are meant for the general populace for one’s aggrandizement only. Right from the beginning, corruption has been a vermin that has been killing and discouraging Nigeria from moving up or welcoming new innovations. From historical point of view, Nigeria governments had in the hands of those who only care for themselves, putting aside the yearnings of the entire populace. Gone are the days when merit, ability, honesty and transparency, as I understand, has meaning in Nigeria government, and this was then actually helping the country to move up.
The likes of Pa Awolowo, Dr. Azikwe, General Murtala Muhammed, Tunde Idiagbon (all of blessed memory) would never be forgotten in the history of Nigeria for being leaders with proven records of achievement.After these great people, what we have are the hungry politicians, I-care-for-myself leaders, who are actually opportune to beat the helms of affairs. The type of politicians in Nigeria political arena are bounce of criminals, crooks who have in one way or the others, indulged in mischievous activities. There is no wonder, therefore, why crime, corruption, poverty, crime and religion violence have become the fastest growing industries in Nigeria—and this has made our hard earned democratic government worthless.To the best of my little knowledge, the primary concern of reasonable, caring and competent leader should be the welfare of his followers. But in Nigeria, the case is different and so far while our leaders pay lip service to fight against corruption and poverty reduction, they wallow in self-adulation and sycophancy, and never seem to be tired of asking for more benefits for themselves. It is no wonder then that Nigerians feel no sense of patriotism, as our leaders appear insensitive to the plight of the masses. Imagine, corruption is now a serious Nigeria phenomenon and it has critically hobbled and skewed Nigeria development.
Where does this come from? Don’t bother your mind, the whole sorry development emanates all the way from Aso-Rock—the seat of power. Government at the central level is the vessel that is leaking from the top and Aso-Rock and other government parastatals and departments are the main fountain where corruption takes its source. This is the reason why I continue wondering why Obasanjo should be deceiving the whole world by claiming that he is going to put an end to corrupt practices. This is really a mega-lie, a dream which possibility of realisation is very slim. Or else, how can we believe him when almost 95% of his henchmen are criminal, 419 etc? Can you believe that just of recent, one of the newly elected law-makers was allegedly accused of being involved in a 419 scam amounted to $350000?Obasanjo commissioned a corruption panel and believe me, non of the senior officers or bigwigs in government offices has been taken to court by the panel in a country as corrupt as Nigeria. For many weeks, people like Okadigbo, Enwerem etc were in the headlines (fore-front) in the looters’ list claiming he has perpetrated a lot of atrocities and many fraudulent practices. But where are these people now? Most annoyingly, Okadigbo was seen campaigning to be vice president in the last election, instead of being in court or on his way to jail.To me, Obasanjo is slowly reinforcing the ideology that Nigeria is a place where you can pilfer and be assured that if the worst comes, you will only lose your job. You need not to return the money or worry about being brought to book.
In fact, it is terrible, awful and even outrageous as much damage had been done to the good name of the country and the whole sorry story takes its source from Aso Rock, which has become centre of corruption in the whole nation. It is crude and barbaric, Nigeria is fast losing its credibility, friends and opportunities while crisis management takes better part of our government preoccupation. How can we expect foreigners from developed countries to come and invest in the country and help us sustain an industrial promotion when reports on rate at which corruption and mismanagement had eaten to the root of Nigeria economy is available for the to read?
Woe betides all those who perpetrate those sinister, fraudulent activities that dragged us to mess and brought us the kind of problems we are confronting today. You shall dearly pay for it and you will forever remain unsettled, unrest as long as you are using public funds to accumulate wealth. So shall it be, amen.
Author: Hafiz Adisa
The likes of Pa Awolowo, Dr. Azikwe, General Murtala Muhammed, Tunde Idiagbon (all of blessed memory) would never be forgotten in the history of Nigeria for being leaders with proven records of achievement.After these great people, what we have are the hungry politicians, I-care-for-myself leaders, who are actually opportune to beat the helms of affairs. The type of politicians in Nigeria political arena are bounce of criminals, crooks who have in one way or the others, indulged in mischievous activities. There is no wonder, therefore, why crime, corruption, poverty, crime and religion violence have become the fastest growing industries in Nigeria—and this has made our hard earned democratic government worthless.To the best of my little knowledge, the primary concern of reasonable, caring and competent leader should be the welfare of his followers. But in Nigeria, the case is different and so far while our leaders pay lip service to fight against corruption and poverty reduction, they wallow in self-adulation and sycophancy, and never seem to be tired of asking for more benefits for themselves. It is no wonder then that Nigerians feel no sense of patriotism, as our leaders appear insensitive to the plight of the masses. Imagine, corruption is now a serious Nigeria phenomenon and it has critically hobbled and skewed Nigeria development.
Where does this come from? Don’t bother your mind, the whole sorry development emanates all the way from Aso-Rock—the seat of power. Government at the central level is the vessel that is leaking from the top and Aso-Rock and other government parastatals and departments are the main fountain where corruption takes its source. This is the reason why I continue wondering why Obasanjo should be deceiving the whole world by claiming that he is going to put an end to corrupt practices. This is really a mega-lie, a dream which possibility of realisation is very slim. Or else, how can we believe him when almost 95% of his henchmen are criminal, 419 etc? Can you believe that just of recent, one of the newly elected law-makers was allegedly accused of being involved in a 419 scam amounted to $350000?Obasanjo commissioned a corruption panel and believe me, non of the senior officers or bigwigs in government offices has been taken to court by the panel in a country as corrupt as Nigeria. For many weeks, people like Okadigbo, Enwerem etc were in the headlines (fore-front) in the looters’ list claiming he has perpetrated a lot of atrocities and many fraudulent practices. But where are these people now? Most annoyingly, Okadigbo was seen campaigning to be vice president in the last election, instead of being in court or on his way to jail.To me, Obasanjo is slowly reinforcing the ideology that Nigeria is a place where you can pilfer and be assured that if the worst comes, you will only lose your job. You need not to return the money or worry about being brought to book.
In fact, it is terrible, awful and even outrageous as much damage had been done to the good name of the country and the whole sorry story takes its source from Aso Rock, which has become centre of corruption in the whole nation. It is crude and barbaric, Nigeria is fast losing its credibility, friends and opportunities while crisis management takes better part of our government preoccupation. How can we expect foreigners from developed countries to come and invest in the country and help us sustain an industrial promotion when reports on rate at which corruption and mismanagement had eaten to the root of Nigeria economy is available for the to read?
Woe betides all those who perpetrate those sinister, fraudulent activities that dragged us to mess and brought us the kind of problems we are confronting today. You shall dearly pay for it and you will forever remain unsettled, unrest as long as you are using public funds to accumulate wealth. So shall it be, amen.
Author: Hafiz Adisa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)