PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Jonathan's pledge to keep the nation united reported in Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - President GoodLuck Jonathan's assurance that the nation will not break up in 2015 was the major story in Nigeria this week.
Jonathan made the pledge while speaking with Muslim leaders who paid him the traditional Sallah homage after Thursday's Eid-el-Fitr celebrations at his Aso Rock official residence in Abuja, the nation's capital city.
The GUARDIAN headline on the story was "Nigeria won’t break up in 2015, says Jonathan" with the rider 'Leaders urge unity, peace for nation’s growth'.
According to the GUARDIAN, "From leaders Thursday came appeals to the citizens to work for the unity and peace of the nation to ensure its development.
Among those who made the requests were President Goodluck Jonathan, his predecessors Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
The President said that those predicting the break up of the country in 2015 would be disappointed as it would remain united.
According to the President, there can never be a country called Nigeria without Muslims and Christians co-existing, noting that God in his infinite wisdom designed the country to be together.
“That helps us in so many ways. We are not even exploiting our diversity because of the myopic views of the elite about our situation. Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters and we must live together. Those who are predicting a break-up when Nigeria will be celebrating its centenary anniversary will be disappointed because Nigeria will continue to remain one indivisible entity. Today is a unique day, and I urge our Muslim brothers and sisters that they should continue to pray for peace not just in Nigeria but all over the world.
“As a nation, for our children to get where we want them to be, we must create a very peaceful environment for them so they can develop mentally and be focused and use their brains … In Nigeria, we are very religious people and we believe in one Almighty God and we continue to pray for God to see us through . Yes, we have some few challenges but surely, Allah will see us through.”
The President, who underscored the importance of Ramadan and fasted throughout the month-long exercise, said Ramadan had enhanced the spiritual essence of the Islamic faithfuls.
Former leaders Babangida and Abubakar were among the Muslim faithful who worshipped at the Minna main prayer ground Thursday.
"AGITATORS FOR NIGERIA’S BREAK-UP WILL BE DISAPPOINTED - JONATHAN" read the headline of the NIGERIAN TRIBUNE on Friday with the story quoting President Jonathan as saying that "Those who are predicting the break up of Nigeria in the year 2015 along the perceived fault lines will be disappointed as Nigeria will overcome its challenges and forge ahead as one indivisible entity."
It said that Jonathan gave the assurance Thursday while receiving the Muslim community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led by Vice President Namadi Sambo, who paid him a Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He reiterated that adherents of both Christianity and Islam were brothers and sisters and there could not be a country called Nigeria without the co-existence of the followers of both faiths.
The NATION and the PUNCH also ran the story with similar headlines. While the NATION headlined its story "Nigeria won’t break up, says Jonathan", the PUNCH called it "Nigeria won’t break up in 2015 – Jonathan".
Also during the week, the media were awash with stories on new jobs created by the government and the declaration of interest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Boko Haram, the Islamic fundamentalist sect whose insurgency has claimed many lives in the country.
On job creation, the PUNCH ran the story under the headline "Nigerian economy creates 427,294 new jobs — NBS".
Quoting the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the PUNCH reported that the government agency had released its job creation survey, disclosing that the nation’s economy generated 427,294 new jobs in the third quarter of 2012.
It said that a copy of the report, which was signed by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, was emailed to its correspondent on Wednesday.
According to the survey, the need to fill a position vacated by an ex-employee recorded the highest percentage of those employed with 29.9 per cent,
This was followed by the need for business expansion, with 20.2 per cent
The report also added that 56,528 employees exited from various businesses in the third quarter of 2012 with most of them from the clerical cadre
The bureau also added in the report that the informal sector, with 240,349 fresh new jobs, generated the highest employment within the period under review.
The 240,349 figure, it noted accounted for 55.25 per cent of the total number of jobs created in the period.
There are over 17 million enterprises in the informal sector.
The formal sector, with 164,293 jobs representing 38.45 per cent; and the public sector, with 22,642, or 5.3 per cent, followed in that order.
The report stated that people within the age bracket of 15 to 35 years constituted the bulk of people employed by the jobs created in the quarter with 72.8 per cent, while the remaining 26.6 per cent represented age group 36 to 59 years.
The age group of 60 and above, it added, recorded 0.6 per cent of the total number of new employees.
"War crimes: Fed Govt backs ICC probe of Boko Haram" was the headline in the NATION on Thursday.
According to the paper, the Federal Government will support the investigation of Boko Haram — the Islamic fundamentalist sect whose insurgency has claimed many lives — by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC at the weekend said the insurgents were committing crimes against humanity for which their leaders will stand trial.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, in a report issued on Monday, said: “Information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that since July 2009, Boko Haram has launched widespread and systematic attack that has resulted in the killing of more than 1,200 Christians and Muslim civilians in different locations throughout Nigeria.”
If the ICC’s plans succeeds, Boko Haram leaders will face trial before the court, which sits at The Hague, Netherlands.
A source in the Presidency said: “The Federal Government will support any plan by ICC to check the activities of Boko Haram. The ICC is a global court and we subscribe to it as a nation. This is not the first time that leaders involved in genocide or violent crimes would be tried by the court.
“Our backing for ICC is without prejudice to the ongoing dialogue with the sect.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “If necessary, we will make relevant records or reports available to the court.”
-0- PANA VAO 10Aug2013
Jonathan made the pledge while speaking with Muslim leaders who paid him the traditional Sallah homage after Thursday's Eid-el-Fitr celebrations at his Aso Rock official residence in Abuja, the nation's capital city.
The GUARDIAN headline on the story was "Nigeria won’t break up in 2015, says Jonathan" with the rider 'Leaders urge unity, peace for nation’s growth'.
According to the GUARDIAN, "From leaders Thursday came appeals to the citizens to work for the unity and peace of the nation to ensure its development.
Among those who made the requests were President Goodluck Jonathan, his predecessors Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
The President said that those predicting the break up of the country in 2015 would be disappointed as it would remain united.
According to the President, there can never be a country called Nigeria without Muslims and Christians co-existing, noting that God in his infinite wisdom designed the country to be together.
“That helps us in so many ways. We are not even exploiting our diversity because of the myopic views of the elite about our situation. Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters and we must live together. Those who are predicting a break-up when Nigeria will be celebrating its centenary anniversary will be disappointed because Nigeria will continue to remain one indivisible entity. Today is a unique day, and I urge our Muslim brothers and sisters that they should continue to pray for peace not just in Nigeria but all over the world.
“As a nation, for our children to get where we want them to be, we must create a very peaceful environment for them so they can develop mentally and be focused and use their brains … In Nigeria, we are very religious people and we believe in one Almighty God and we continue to pray for God to see us through . Yes, we have some few challenges but surely, Allah will see us through.”
The President, who underscored the importance of Ramadan and fasted throughout the month-long exercise, said Ramadan had enhanced the spiritual essence of the Islamic faithfuls.
Former leaders Babangida and Abubakar were among the Muslim faithful who worshipped at the Minna main prayer ground Thursday.
"AGITATORS FOR NIGERIA’S BREAK-UP WILL BE DISAPPOINTED - JONATHAN" read the headline of the NIGERIAN TRIBUNE on Friday with the story quoting President Jonathan as saying that "Those who are predicting the break up of Nigeria in the year 2015 along the perceived fault lines will be disappointed as Nigeria will overcome its challenges and forge ahead as one indivisible entity."
It said that Jonathan gave the assurance Thursday while receiving the Muslim community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led by Vice President Namadi Sambo, who paid him a Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He reiterated that adherents of both Christianity and Islam were brothers and sisters and there could not be a country called Nigeria without the co-existence of the followers of both faiths.
The NATION and the PUNCH also ran the story with similar headlines. While the NATION headlined its story "Nigeria won’t break up, says Jonathan", the PUNCH called it "Nigeria won’t break up in 2015 – Jonathan".
Also during the week, the media were awash with stories on new jobs created by the government and the declaration of interest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Boko Haram, the Islamic fundamentalist sect whose insurgency has claimed many lives in the country.
On job creation, the PUNCH ran the story under the headline "Nigerian economy creates 427,294 new jobs — NBS".
Quoting the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the PUNCH reported that the government agency had released its job creation survey, disclosing that the nation’s economy generated 427,294 new jobs in the third quarter of 2012.
It said that a copy of the report, which was signed by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, was emailed to its correspondent on Wednesday.
According to the survey, the need to fill a position vacated by an ex-employee recorded the highest percentage of those employed with 29.9 per cent,
This was followed by the need for business expansion, with 20.2 per cent
The report also added that 56,528 employees exited from various businesses in the third quarter of 2012 with most of them from the clerical cadre
The bureau also added in the report that the informal sector, with 240,349 fresh new jobs, generated the highest employment within the period under review.
The 240,349 figure, it noted accounted for 55.25 per cent of the total number of jobs created in the period.
There are over 17 million enterprises in the informal sector.
The formal sector, with 164,293 jobs representing 38.45 per cent; and the public sector, with 22,642, or 5.3 per cent, followed in that order.
The report stated that people within the age bracket of 15 to 35 years constituted the bulk of people employed by the jobs created in the quarter with 72.8 per cent, while the remaining 26.6 per cent represented age group 36 to 59 years.
The age group of 60 and above, it added, recorded 0.6 per cent of the total number of new employees.
"War crimes: Fed Govt backs ICC probe of Boko Haram" was the headline in the NATION on Thursday.
According to the paper, the Federal Government will support the investigation of Boko Haram — the Islamic fundamentalist sect whose insurgency has claimed many lives — by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC at the weekend said the insurgents were committing crimes against humanity for which their leaders will stand trial.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, in a report issued on Monday, said: “Information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that since July 2009, Boko Haram has launched widespread and systematic attack that has resulted in the killing of more than 1,200 Christians and Muslim civilians in different locations throughout Nigeria.”
If the ICC’s plans succeeds, Boko Haram leaders will face trial before the court, which sits at The Hague, Netherlands.
A source in the Presidency said: “The Federal Government will support any plan by ICC to check the activities of Boko Haram. The ICC is a global court and we subscribe to it as a nation. This is not the first time that leaders involved in genocide or violent crimes would be tried by the court.
“Our backing for ICC is without prejudice to the ongoing dialogue with the sect.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “If necessary, we will make relevant records or reports available to the court.”
-0- PANA VAO 10Aug2013
