FIRS begins sealing off business premises

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),Ebonyi State Office has begun sealing off business offices that have defaulted in their tax payment.
This is one of the new strategies adopted by the Controller of the Service in the State, Comrade Effiong Kenneth to drive up revenue generation.
The measures is now paying off as the office of the service in Abakaliki is now a beehive of activities as people throng the office to pay their tax to get their offices reopened or to avoid being shut down.
Other measures introduced include tax notices and workshops.
The Controller said these measures did not seem to have had the desired effects hence the new measures of sealing offices.

He said: “we know things are difficult, but this does not exonerate tax payment. It is the duty of a good citizen to pay his tax. As a Christian, it is a sin not to pay tax because our Lord Jesus humbly did it, so that the wordly government will not be disrupted”
“At a time period external revenue from oil is dwindling, while government responsibilities is increasing, it is left for government to look inwards”
“And why the people are grumbling is because many have not been paying their tax in the past and now they see it as unjust policy”
“I don’t blame the people because, when oil revenue was there, government cared less about tax payment and collection making the people think that it is a new policy of exploitation introduced by the authorities”.

TB Joshua Reacts To Report He Owns Shell Company

                                                              Prophet T.B Joshua
Popular prophet and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope.Balogun Joshua, has reacted to reports that he has shares in a shell company in Panama.
It was alleged that the leaked data of a Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca, shows that Joshua and his wife, Evelyn, own Chillon Consultancy Limited, a company incorporated on June 20, 2006 at the British Virgin Island (BVI).
In a statement on Tuesday, Joshua said he was shocked to find the report first carried out by a news site. It reads;

“I was shocked to find a report claiming that the Panama Papers revealed a shell company called Chillon Consultancy Limited in the British Virgin Islands, allegedly owned by me.
“Whoever is involved in this malicious write-up and propaganda with an obvious intent to defame my person and the ministry, remember what the Bible says in Luke 2:34 – “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many… and to be a sign that will be spoken against.”
“I am not a businessman and have no business whatsoever. What God has given me is more than enough. I have nothing to do with the Panama Papers. As for me and my family, we shall remain in the vineyard of God.
T.B. Joshua asked the media organisation not “to allow your company to be used. Do not allow your company to stand against God.”
“This is a lie! Take note – this news was written by the same journalist who alleged that I bribed him during the building incident and went to different channels – both local and international – to propagate these fabrications.
“Since the building incident, there have been a series of threats towards the ministry and my person by this same journalist, who represents a gang of people.
“After everything that has been done in an attempt to destroy this ministry, this is what he has resorted to. Even the picture used in the write-up is taken from the Mexico Crusade I recently held. It was a crusade I went for, nothing more.
“Do not use the Panama Papers to attack those you have been looking for an opportunity to victimise. This is to show that not everybody alleged in the media to be involved in the Panama Papers is truly involved. My own case is a good example.
“Beware of those using the Panama Papers for fraudulent purposes! This is a very big mistake the fraudsters have made. Those who read this report – take time to do your findings. It is malicious.”​

Trending New Star

 

Portharcourt-based singer/rapper, songwriter, originally from Bayelsa state. Snazzy Benwari (Ayebaesin R. Benwari) collaborated with Frank D Nero on the 2005 single “CRAZY,” then became increasingly busy through an assortment of productions. After working with the likes of Frank D Nero, Duncan Mighty, Duncan Daniel, Snazzy released two official single through his own management team Legacy Entertainment: “Ball-Out” (featuring Tosyno) produce by freelance and "Shawdy" produced by Skelly.

Just download  : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gORL-re-syc

Hezbollah Planning its Next War, Israel Preparing

Recent reports show Hezbollah is preparing for its next war against Israel.
A newly released by reporters says Hezbollah plans "to expand and solidify" its future presence in Syria as it continues preparing for a future confrontation with Israel.
Since a U.N.-imposed ceasefire ended the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006, Israel has closely monitored Hezbollah's activities, especially south of the Litani River. U.N. Resolution 1701 forbids its expansion there, but that has never been the reality on the ground.
Like many of its terror counterparts, Hezbollah built underground bunkers and weapons warehouses inside residential areas in southern Lebanon.
It also restocked its missile cache after firing some 4,000 rockets on northern Israel nearly a decade ago. Reports at the time indicated the U.N. peacekeeping forces did little to interfere with Hezbollah's activities in southern Lebanon.
Years before Syria's civil war began, the Assad regime helped transport Iranian missiles and other weaponry to Hezbollah. Later, the Lebanese-based Iranian proxy dispatched its fighters to bolster President Bashar al-Assad's troops.
According to the report, Hezbollah is building a military base near the Syrian town of Qusair where it's stockpiling weapons, ostensibly for defense should the Assad regime fall. Some say Hezbollah is building tunnels into Lebanon from there.
However as the now-six-year-long war winds up, Hezbollah plans to keep a few thousand troops on the ground in Syria, in part to provide easy access for its mentor, Iran. Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers are said to inspect the facility regularly, which in the future may house long-range missiles that can hit any of Israel's major population centers.

Hillary Clinton rides the subway, New Yorkers unfazed

Hillary Clinton was on the subway. And New Yorkers were totally unfazed.

Clinton, arguably the most famous woman in the United States, boarded the 4 train going uptown on Thursday morning, nearly at the peak of rush-hour traffic. Followed by over a dozen reporters and cameras, Clinton tried to make a chaotic situation seem normal.

She last took the subway a year and a half or two years ago, she said. But the sight of the former secretary of state riding the rails looked out of place for the candidate more used to riding in a Secret Service protected van and private jet.

And like most New Yorkers, it took Clinton multiple swipes at the turnstile of her MetroCard to grant her access to the campaign photo op.

"Hi there," Clinton exclaimed as she got on the train to the bewilderment of commuting New Yorkers.

Some asked for a picture, others snapped photos on their own, but a number of commuters didn't budge at the sight of the 2016 presidential candidate.

Clinton, however, encouraged her entourage -- which included the press -- to make room for commuting New Yorkers.

"Scoot in," she told the press at one point, when new passengers tried to board the crowded train.

One woman, standing behind Clinton and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., for most of the ride didn't even remove her over-the-ear headphones until Clinton directly questioned her about her commute.

 

Clinton rode two stops uptown. At the second, one woman, surrounded by media and nervous Secret Service agents, proclaimed that she needed to get off the train. There was no budging, though, and the woman missed her stop.

Clinton is campaigning hard in New York, the state that first vaulted her into elected office in 2000 and the place she calls home. Clinton aides see the state's primary as a perfect chance for Clinton to put rival Bernie Sanders away, with a win making it near impossible for the Vermont senator to secure the nomination.

So Clinton is campaigning differently than she did in other states: More hand-to-hand campaigning.

Dangote Signs Chinese Bank Loan For Two Cement Plants

Dangote Group, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has signed a deal for a $2 billion loan from the Industrial Commercial Bank of China Limited for two cement plants.

After securing the deal, Mr Dangote told Reuters that “the interest rate is okay, quite favorable with me”.
“It’s for my two cement companies that we are establishing in Nigeria.”
The deal included China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure).
Few days ago, Dangote Group held a ground-breaking ceremony of a cement plant in Okpella in Edo state, south-south Nigeria.
It has an estimated production of six million metric tonnes of cement per annum.
Addressing a gathering at the ground-breaking ceremony, he said the one-billion dollar investment would create massive employment.
Dangote cement group is targeting 81 million tonnes of cement per annum, which will make the group one of the top six cement companies in the world.

The Five Worst US Cities for Life Expectancy Among the Poor

Four of the five U.S. cities with the worst life expectancy among poor residents between 2001 and 2014 were in Indiana and Oklahoma, according to a new study that also examined why these residents were the most at risk.

Using social security data to find out how wealth and poverty affects life expectancy, researchers from Stanford and MIT examined determined the best and worst cities for the poorest residents. The findings were published today in the journal of the American Medical Association .

The five cities where residents in the lowest income quartile had the shortest life expectancy included two cities each from Indiana and Oklahoma.

• Gary, Indiana: 77.4 years

• Las Vegas, Nevada: 77.6 years

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 77.6 years

• Indianapolis, Indiana:77.6 years

• Tulsa, Oklahoma:77.6 years

Study authors said it was difficult to pinpoint exactly why poor residents in these cities were more at risk than others. They found that the lower life expectancy did not correlate with access to medical care, pollution levels or poor "social cohesion" that could potentially cause stress.

Instead, study authors speculate that poorer residents in cities with high levels of education and income have more resources than their counterparts in depressed cities.

"Such areas may have public policies that improve health (e.g., smoking bans) or greater funding for public services, consistent with the higher levels of local government expenditures in these areas," the study authors said. "Low income individuals who live in high-income areas may also be influenced by living in the vicinity of other individuals who behave in healthier ways."

The authors said more testing is needed to truly understand why poorer residents in certain cities had shorter a life expectancy.

Dr. Stephen Woolf, professor at the Center on Society and Health in the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, wrote an accompanying editorial in the Journal of American Medical Association reviewing the study. He told ABC News that he found the study data to show how important education is in helping combat inequality.

"The conversation we have about addressing those problems and improving access to education are important to recognize as relevant to our health," Woolf told ABC News today.

"Education is not only known to be an important predictor of health outcomes but we live in an information economy," he said, explaining that for many people born into poverty, an education is the only way to escape it. "They have no realistic outlet without getting a good education that can open doors."

In his editorial, Woolf explained that education could be used to align multiple sectors from law-enforcement to health care to media to encourage a change in public health care.

"Monetizing the health benefits of education (e.g., lower health care costs) understates the savings a more educated populace brings to the cost of safety net programs and prisons while increasing tax revenue and workforce productivity," Woolf wrote.

Police Seals NFF Glass House

The Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was sealed by men of the police following the tussle between Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa.

A Jos High Court  just sacked Pinnick, president of the NFF while faction head Giwa was ruled as the new boss of the federation.

Giwa has always claimed that the September, 2014 election which put Pinnick in office was faulty but his case has been ruled out by FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

The NFF responded to the court ruling by filling an appeal,a motion to vacate the order and a motion for a stay-of-execution against the judgement of the Jos High Court.

The appeal filed on the same day means the status quo remains, meaning Pinnick remains NFF President pending determination of suit.

Despite the appeal by the NFF leadership, Giwa still insisted that he will be resuming at the NFF headquarters on Monday, April 11 as boss of the federation in accordance with the Jos High Court ruling.

In anticipation for some act of violence at the Glass,it was gathered that staff of the NFF were turned back by uniformed men at the entrance in the morning.

Offices of the NFF and the Federal Road Safety Commission are in the complex but only the staff of the latter are being allowed in after proper identification.The General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi and other staff who reported for work were allowed inside.

Police Seal Glass House

The head office of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been
cordoned off by police to forestall a breakdown of law and order,
according to officials.
Staff members of the NFF and the private security guards have been
sent away by the police.
This followed Friday’s court order nullifying the September 2014
elections of the NFF executive committee led by President Amaju
Pinnick.
A rival group led by Chris Giwa threatened to resume work at the
office on Monday after they announced new managerial changes at the
secretariat.
Pinnick said they will appeal the court ruling, while also applying
for a stay of execution on the matter.
This third-party inference could lead to world football governing
banning the country as it enters another round of leadership tussle.
Two years ago, a group led by Giwa took their case to court before it
was withdrawn as a result of a threat of a ban by FIFA. - See more at: http://independentnig.com/2016/04/police-seal-glass-house/#sthash.zUaFoVZI.dpuf

US Navy officer charged with spying for China and Taiwan

A US Navy officer has been charged with espionage, accused of passing military secrets to China and Taiwan, according to US military officials.

The Associated Press news agency named him as Lt Cdr Edward Lin, a US citizen who was born in Taiwan.
He is being held in Navy brig in Virginia awaiting a court-martial.
Officials believe he passed information to a Chinese girlfriend,reporters stated. Lt Cdr Lin is also charged with lying about his travels.
United States Naval Institute (USNI) News first reported the charges against Lt Cdr Lin. The website said that Lin worked as a signals intelligence specialist on the Navy's EP-3E Aries II reconnaissance planes.
He joined the Navy as an enlisted sailor in 1999 and became a US citizen in 2008.
"I always dreamt about coming to America, the 'promised land," Lt Cdr Lin said when he became a citizen. "I grew up believing that all the roads in America lead to Disneyland."

British cricketer Adrian St John 'shot dead in Trinidad'

An aspiring British cricketer has died after reportedly being shot by robbers in Trinidad.

Adrian St John, 22, who played for the Chris Gayle Academy in London, is understood to have died on Sunday.
West Indies cricketer Gayle tweeted: "Such sad news to hear. My condolences to his family & friends. Adrian St John was the captain of the academy. #Sigh."
Local media reports suggest Mr St John was attacked after he had stopped his car to pick up someone.
Mr St John was robbed and was shot as he drove away. A 24-year-old man has been arrested, Online reporters were quoted.

Longest-ever' captured python dies in Malaysia

A giant python found on a Malaysian building site, that may be the longest ever caught, has died, officials say.

The estimated eight-metre-long (26ft) snake was spotted Thursday under a fallen tree on the island of Penang.
It died on Monday after laying eggs, Herme Herisyam, operations chief for Penang's Civil Defence Department's southwest district told reporters.
The current record for longest snake ever caught is 7.67m (25ft),Guinness World Records says.
The Malaysian snake, also thought to be a reticulated python, has not been officially measured by record keepers.
Mr Herisyan said it weighed 250kg (39st 5lb) and took 30 minutes to rescue.

A Lost Generation?

Give them books to read, they won't read. They would rather read pool results or football match results in the dailies.
Invite them to seminars they won't attend, they would rather stay at home to watch Telemundo or attend pool party. Post educative statuses longer than 100 words, they won't read it. They will rather stare at Linda Ikeji blog from morning till night reading gossips.
Give them free ticket to listen to Literary Giants, they will rather go and buy tickets to watch Whizkid.

Ask them to pray and worship God, they prefer to be sleeping.
These same people are the one chanting for change. Asking for change when they are unwilling to change. They are full of noise yet empty of constructive ideas. They know nothing about world history, they are unaware of breakthroughs in science, yet they know the latest mobile phone in town.
A lost generation, always seeking quick fixes, quick to find faults, yet void of solutions, morally bankrupt, intellectually deficient, short of sight and lacking vision! Such is our youths. To whom do we handover? This lost generation?
Can they be saved?
Can they be redeemed?
Who will save them?
Start from your home now to make sure your children are not part of the lost Generation!
May God help us all.

Written by Emmanuel Adekanye Ajayi
 www.facebook.com/ajayi.emmanueladekanye

Two die, UNIPORT shut as students protest fee payment

Two students of the University of Port Harcourt were feared killed during a protest over an alleged policy by the management of the institution that school fees must be paid before they would be allowed to take their first semester examinations.

One of the students identified as Peter Ofurun, who was said to have been hit by a bullet from a policeman, died instantly.

Another student also hit by a bullet was rushed to the hospital, even as sources claimed that she died on the way to the hospital.

The UNIPORT students’ protest had halted academic and administrative activities in the institution as they demanded that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Lale, should address them and reverse the policy

Ofurun was a student in the Faculty of Management Science before he met his untimely death. His corpse was later taken to the African Independent Television station in Port Harcourt.

Sources told our correspondents that the two students were hit by the bullets when policemen opened fire to disperse the protesting students from the busy East-West road they had occupied for hours.

However, the state Police Public Officer, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad, told one of our correspondents that no life was lost during the protest.

“No reported case of loss of life throughout the students’ protest. What the police did was just the discharge of their mandate of restoring normalcy and orderliness in the university,” Muhammad said.

The students’ presence on the East-West Road had caused a gridlock as travellers waited in vain for the students to disperse for them to continue with their journey.

An armoured personnel carrier that was moving close to the institution to ensure that calm returned was also trapped in the traffic.

 It was gathered that the students had come out from their hostels at about 4.30am to express their grievances over the stance of the UNIPORT management to stop them from taking their first semester examinations because of non-payment of the fees.

Banish the Belief that You're Not Good Enough

As a therapist, I've worked with a lot of high achieving people who just didn't feel worthy of their success. Whether it was a recent college graduate who had landed a high paying job, or a mature adult who had just received another promotion, they suffered from impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome involves feelings of inadequacy and chronic self-doubt, despite evidence to the contrary. No matter how successful these individuals were, they felt like frauds and their beliefs robbed them of mental strength.They thought they just weren't good enough to compete at a higher level and ultimately, their bad mental habits sabotaged their success.
There was one young entrepreneur in particular whom I worked with whose products were in high demand. Even though he was wildly successful, he attributed his good fortune to 'good luck.' He lived in constant fear that people would find out he wasn't smart enough or business-savvy enough to operate a successful business.
His anxiety kept him from enjoying his accomplishments. And, his self-limiting beliefs prevented him from achieving the next level of success.
With help, he was able to change the way he viewed himself. And when his thoughts changed, his behavior changed as well. Once he started believing he really was deserving of everything he had achieved, he was able to launch more products and reach new heights of success.

How to Stop Feeling Like an Impostor

If you've ever felt like you aren't good enough, you're not alone. If you're not careful, however, those feelings can keep you from reaching your greatest potential. The good news is, you can take steps to change your outlook so you can embrace your accomplishments.
Here are five ways to banish the belief that you're not good enough:

1. Acknowledge Your Strengths

While you may good one 'lucky break,' don't chalk up all your success to good luck. Acknowledge that you have legitimate talent. Otherwise, you wouldn't be where you are today.
Write down your accomplishments and your strengths. Read over your list regularly--especially when you're feeling down. Reminding yourself of your strengths can help chip away at the core belief that says 'you aren't good enough to be successful.'

2. Share Your Passions with Others

It's easy to forget how far you've come and how much you've learned. Teaching a class, starting a blog, or mentoring another professional can remind you of your accomplishments. Sharing your knowledge can also help you stay passionate about what you're doing so you don't burn out.

3. Address Your Self-Doubt

When self doubt creeps in,don't ignore it--Address it. Respond to harsh self-criticism with something more compassionate. Talk to yourself like a trusted friend and refuse to believe your unrealistically negative inner monologue.
4. Give Yourself Permission to Play
Changing your behavior is instrumental in changing the way you feel. So don't forget to do the things you love. Give yourself permission to slack off sometimes so you don't take yourself and your work too seriously. Doing so will help you enjoy the fruits of your labor, which can help you see that you deserve those things you've earned.

5. Accept Compliments Gracefully

Too often, people with impostor syndrome shrug off kind words from others. They make excuses for their success or minimize their accomplishments. Commit to accepting compliments gracefully by offering a simple, "Thank you," when others acknowledge your work.

Seek Professional Help

If despite your best efforts, you continue to feel like an impostor, seek professional help. If left unchecked, feeling like a fraud could lead to anxiety and depression. A trained therapist can help you overcome impostor syndrome.

Written By Amy Morin  
Twitter.com/AmyMorinLCSW