By Liu Shaohua
The 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2022, was held at the Zhuhai International Airshow Center, Zhuhai, south China’s Guangdong province, between Nov. 8 and 13.
The event was joined by over 740 enterprises from 43 countries inperson and online, attracting around 200,000 visitors. Cooperation agreements for 549 aircraft, worth $39.8 billion, were inked at the event.
The Airshow China is an important platform showcasing the cutting-edge technologies and innovations of the Chinese aviation and aerospace industry as well as national defense.
It is reported that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) took over 200 pieces of independently developed aviation equipment and technologies to the Airshow China 2022, up 34 percent from a year ago. Fifty-five of them were exhibited for the first time at the event.
The exhibition is a witness to the huge progress made by the Chinese aviation and aerospace industry, as well as the improving capability of China in manufacturing high-end weapons and equipment.
It only took three years for China to unveil its stealth fighter jet J-20 after the Chinese transport aircraft Y-20 debuted, and the medium-lift helicopter Z-20 with double China-made engines was also launched three years after the J-20 was unveiled.
Li Weipeng, who flies the J-20, said the engines and the avionics of the J-20 jets exhibited this time have been comprehensively updated, though their appearance remained the same.
Y-20U, a tanker variation of the Y-20; C919, China’s first homemade large jetliner; and AG600, China’s independentlydeveloped large amphibious firefighting plane, took part in a flying display at the Airshow China 2022.
Besides, the Chinese passenger aircraft MA60, the AC352 helicopter that had just obtained airworthiness certification, the newly developed Lingyan AG50 light-sport aircraft, as well as some new unmanned aerial vehicles, all appeared at the exhibition in real aircraft.
The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC), apart from displaying its C919 passenger jet, also took the medical version of its ARJ21, China’s first turbofan regional passenger jetliner, to the airshow.
The COMAC said it has received 300 new orders for the C919 and 30 for the ARJ21 from seven leasing firms.
The SLC-18, a new P band solid-stateactive phased array radar developed by China, was exhibited at the Airshow China 2022. The radar can scan a wide field of space and work in tough weather and environments around the clock. It is used for upper atmosphere and space surveillance.
The Dialogue with the World, China Aviation & Aerospace Forum 2022, and the 2nd China International Aerospace Leadership Summit and Aerospace Industry Open Source Innovation and Sustainable Development Forum were held during the airshow, attracting a number of experts from home and abroad.
An information release area was set up at the airshow by the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission of China, which hosted some 20 lectures, including the ones given by the first taikonaut of China, Yang Liwei, and military expert Du Wenlong.
Exhibitors such as the AVIC, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), and the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation held a number of signing ceremonies and negotiation meetings with overseas guests.
“I can say that I’ve been to the space since I’m here,” said a visitor to the airshow, standing in front of the exhibition booth of the CASC.
The CASC brought to the airshow a 1:1 model of China’s space station combination in its T-shape configuration, bringing visitors closer to the “home” of the Chinese people in space.
The “Mars Base 1 Camp” in Jinchang, northwest China’s Gansu province, also joined the Airshow China 2022. It displayed a Mars suit designed according to the real environmental data on the red planet. Besides, it exhibited Mars-themed creative products, launched an online question game about Mars, and presented simulated Martian scenes, attracting huge attention.
Category: Uncategorized
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Frontier Chinese aviation, aerospace technologies displayed at Airshow China 2022
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British young man aspires to become envoy of UK-China friendship
By XingXue, People’s Daily
Cameron Patterson, a young man from the UK, had just joined the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University when he receivedthis interview from People’s Daily.
“Affirmed and encouraged by President Xi Jinping, I have always been working hard at my Chinese studies and actively participating inthe UK-China cooperation on culture, people-to-people exchanges and education,” Patterson told People’s Daily in affluent Chinese.
The man, who names himself “Kang Ke” in Chinese, said he hopes to serve as a bridge between the British and the Chinese people.
Oct. 22, 2015, is an unforgettable day for Patterson, who was a 20-year-old then.
On that day, Chinese President XiJinping, on his state visit to the UK, attended the opening ceremony of the UK Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms Annual Conference.
At the opening ceremony, Patterson, as the European Champion inthe 2015 Chinese Bridge language competition for foreign college students, recited a poem authored by the Chinese President in 1990 in memory of Jiao Yulu, a long-deceased revolutionary icon of China.
Today, the British young man still remembers every detail of the scenes seven years ago – the fully packed conference hall and the excitement of attending students and faculty.
“I was very excited and too nervous to even raise my head and look at President Xi when I recited, but I somehow felt he was watching me with a smile on his face,” Patterson recalled.
“Ten thousand miles away, your soul has flown; the rivers, mountains and land yearn for your return. The people mourn the loss of a caring official, tears flooding under the empress trees you planted,” Patterson recited emotionally with clear pronunciation and great intonation, and left the stage to prolonged applause.
Xi praised Patterson, “His Mandarin is very good, better than many in my delegation, and he recites the poem better than I could.”
Encouraged by the Chinese President, Patterson noted down Xi’s comments and posted them on the microblogging site Weibo. He wrote in Chinese, “My recitation today went well. I was very happy to hear President Xi’s praise.”
At the opening ceremony, President Xi stressed that language is the key to understanding a nation and that Confucius Institutes serve as an important platform to help the world understandChina, Patterson remembered. Xi also pointed out that the way of thinking and lifestyles in China and the UK were experiencing wonderful “chemistry” triggered by the interaction between the essences of the two cultures.
“President Xi’s remarks inspired me so much. As a former student and a teacher today of the Confucius Institute, I’m extremely honored to be able to contribute to UK-China cultural and people-to-people exchanges,” Patterson said.
Patterson has a special bond with China. He came to China at the age of nine with his parents and didn’t goback home until he finished middle school In China’s Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces, he went to the same schools asChinese children, where he gained a profound understanding of Chinese society through a number of touching stories aboutthe endeavors of the Chinese people.
“When I was in middle school in China, my classmates and I were assigned a task by our teacher that required us to learn the stories of Jiao Yulu. I consulted many materials about him and was deeply touched by his love for the people, his hard work, his truth-seeking spirit, and his selfless dedication,” Patterson noted.
He said he had a deeper understanding of Xi’scarefor the people when he recited the Chinese President’s poem about the revolutionary icon at the opening ceremony. “Only those who always bear in mind the people can write a poem like that,” Patterson told People’s Daily.
Civilizations have become richer and more colorful throughexchanges and mutual learning. Patterson said that Xi would always stress the significance of people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations when he visits other countries. Only with exchanges, can people-to-people bonds be established and civilizations learn from each other for common development.
“I was told by many British beginners in learning Chinese that they had a great feeling of being close to China when they recited the poem of Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again in Chinese for the first time, when they wrote their Chinese names with an ink brush for the first time, and when they talked to their friends in Chinese for the first time,” Patterson said.
“I will present the profound Chinese culture and its aesthetic conception to more British students and introduce China’s development to more people inthe classes of the Confucius Institute, and become an envoy of the friendship between the UK and China.” he said. -
China sees vigorous development of its manufacturing industry over past 10 years
By LiHongxing, People’s Daily
China’s value-added industrial output grew from 20.9 trillion yuan ($3.1 trillion) in 2012 to 37.3 trillion yuan in 2021, with an average annual growth rate of 6.3 percent.
During the same period,manufacturing value-added output increased from 16.98 trillion yuan to 31.4 trillion yuan, accounting for nearly 30 percent of total global output.
China has maintained the largest producer of over 40 percent of the world’s 500 major industrial goods.
These inspiring achievements mirror the steady growth of China’s manufacturing sector in terms of both quantity and quality. The Chinese manufacturing sector, with a more complete industrial system and supply chain, has come to a new level regarding comprehensive strength, innovation capability and competitiveness.
The manufacturing industry is the very foundation for building China and improving its strength and the lifeblood of the national economy. In recent years, China has made huge efforts to upgrade the manufacturing industry and build itself into a world manufacturing power.
The country believes high-quality development of the manufacturing sector, in particular that of equipment manufacturing, plays a major role in China’s drive toward high-quality development of the economy. It is working to enhance the quality and strength of the real economy, especially the manufacturing sector, and is building advanced manufacturing clusters with international competitiveness.
Over the past 10 years, China’s manufacturing industry has witnessed historic achievements and changes, which have laid a solid material foundation for the country’s development.
The industry continuously improved its comprehensive strength and market players also gained greater vitality. So far, China has nurtured over 400,000 industrial enterprises above their designated size, or those with main business revenue of 20 million yuan or above, as well as more than 40,000 specialized and sophisticated small- and medium-sized enterprises that produce new and unique products.
The quality of the supply system for China’s manufacturing industry has significantly improved. The country has ranked at the top of the world in terms of the production and sales of new energy vehicles, and as of 2021, the shipment volume of 5G smart phones in China hit 266 million units.
Besides, the country has accelerated the upgrading of production models in the manufacturing industry and made new progress in the industry’s high-end, intelligent and green development. It made breakthroughs in airplane manufacturing, manned space programs, power equipment and high-end numerical-control machine tools. By the end of 2021, the digital control rate of key processes in industrial enterprises and the penetration rate of digital R&D and design tools reached 55.3 and 74.7 percent respectively.
Innovation and key technologies remain the core competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. As of 2021, investment in the sector’s R&D had reached 1.54 percent, up from 0.85 percent in 2012, and the figure stood at 10.3 percent among specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce new and unique products. More than 570 Chinese industrial companies made their way onto the list of the global top 2,500 companies in terms of R&D investment.
China has constructed 23 national manufacturing innovation centers and those jointly built by the central and local governments, and offered support in the construction of 125 basic public service platforms for industrial technology. Innovation is now taken as a priority in developing the manufacturing industry, to make the sector healthier and more robust.
International Union of Railways recently published two international standards for high-speed railway infrastructure design and power supply, which were mainly drafted and developed by China.
It is expected that China will make its manufacturing industry even stronger as it maintains fast growth, improves innovation capability, as well as speeds digitization and green transition. -
NEWS ANALYSIS: Providing quality legislative representation
Political analysts observe that one of the factors that determine growth and development in every democratic government is the quality and the commitment of the representatives elected to coordinate the political affairs of the electorate.
According to them, in most advanced countries where democratic government is the driving force to growth and development, quality representation either in the parliament or congress, is always a significant factor on which the electorate take seriously in assessing those seeking political offices.
Incontrovertibly, quality legislative representation transcends the ability to move motions on the floor of the legislature, Mr Sunday Akinade, a political scientist in Ejgbo, Osun, observes.
“It is, crucially, also about proper linkage with the grassroots, attracting life-changing projects to their constituencies; it involves appropriate linkage with the executive arm of government and being above board in the discharge of legislative duties.
“Senators and House of Representatives members count it all joy that they are given the opportunity to serve and contribute their quota to the development of the country and their constituents while Nigerians at large are big winners.
“This is because it is hard for the electorate to always, at every electoral season, elect men and women of good virtues,’’ he notes.
He, however, expresses concern that the reality of the Nigerian situation is that the political class sees politics as another means to get wealth and boost their social status.
But the representative of Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau, Mr Yusuf Gagdi, says he understands why he has to serve his constituency better because he deserves to be counted among the few members of the legislature who are giving quality representation with positive results.
“Serving the people in terms of life-changing moves and engaging in sustainable projects that will see to the growth and development of the constituency must be cardinal to representation in the National Assembly,’’ he insists
Residents of his constituency attest that from when Gagdi represented Kantana Constituency at the Plateau State of House Assembly, and later became Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, he distinguished himself as a lawmaker who knows his onions and the onus of his office.
Records also show that he was one of the vibrant and outspoken lawmakers the eighth state assembly had.
The residents believe that his sterling qualities spur the people of Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam constituency to vote him in 2019 to represent them at the House of Representatives in the National Assembly.
Gagdi said that in the House of Representatives, he used his lobbying skills and political connections he had built over the years, to attract “many projects that have direct bearing in the lives of his constituents’’.
Observers note that he is one representative that has risen above mediocrity to add real value to the political cum developmental narrative of his constituency.
Gagdi reiterated his commitment in ensuring that the pact he entered with his people is met, promising never to convert what belong to the people for his personal use.
Speaking on the achievements of the lawmaker, Mr Sati Tanko, a public affairs analyst and member of the constituency, described Gagdi as a “worthy and true son of Plateau’’.
He added that Gagdi’s performance has surpassed expectations, insisting that the young lawmaker had turned the fortunes of the constituency in all ramifications.
“We celebrate the successes and humanitarian gestures of our amiable lawmaker; he is indeed a worthy son and we are proud of him.
“I am supporting him for a second term because he has not disappointed me as my representative; he has fulfilled his mandate as a patriot.
“So far, the lawmaker has touched almost all facets of lives in this constituency; from education, economic empowerment, provision of social amenities, physical infrastructure and human capital development, among others.
“As I speak, he constructed and rehabilitated more than 20 kilometres of township and rural roads in Pankshin and Kanam, constructed more than 100 boreholes with others still ongoing across each polling unit.
“This water project has basically addressed the perennial water challenge and the rising cases of cholera in the rural communities,’’.
Nde Gobak, the Chairman, Elders Advisory Council of the constituency, also described Gagdi as a “godsend’’.
Gobak, a one-time Secretary to the Government of Plateau, said that the people of the constituency had no regrets electing Gagdi to represent them at the National Assembly, adding that the lawmaker had not reneged in fulfilling his campaign promises.
He maintained that the constituency had never had it so good until the emergence of Gagdi, adding that the lawmaker had invested all resources available toward giving the constituency a facelift.
“Gagdi has constructed and renovated blocks of classrooms, examination halls, laboratories, equipped modern ICT centres and other facilities across secondary schools in the constituency.
“His intervention in the education sector didn’t end at building structures alone, but he took deliberate steps toward bringing succour to parents by offsetting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration fees for more than 2,000 candidates within the constituency in 2021.
“Recently, he presented a cheque of N100 million to the elders’ advisory council headed by me to offset the Senior School Certificate Examination registration fees for all SS3 candidates in public and private secondary schools across the constituency. As I speak, we have commenced payment already.
“He has built and furnished palaces of some district and village heads across the constituency, constructed and equipped health centres and empowered more than100 constituents with vehicles, more than 1,000 with motorcycles, grinding and sewing machines, among others things.
“This young man is the first representative in the annals of the constituency to have built and furnished a modern edifice as a constituency office with a 300-seater capacity hall attached to the office to enable constituents use it for any meeting or activities,’’ he said.
Gobak also commended the lawmaker for installing the solar-powered street lights at the headquarters of Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam local government areas, insisting that such gesture had given the towns a modern outlook.
The elder statesman also lauded Gagdi for empowering farmers with various farming tools and inputs, such as pumping machines, insecticides, herbicides and fertiliser, among others, adding that the gesture had encouraged more young people to venture into farming, thereby taking them off the streets.
For Alhaji Abdulahi Dugum, a businessman from Kanam, the interest-free loan worth millions provided by the lawmaker to the business community in the constituency had so far boosted businesses and promoted the growth of local economy.
He added that at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic era, the lawmaker, being a compassionate and a cheerful giver, donated foodstuff, clothing and cash to widows, less-privileged persons and Persons Living with Disabilities in the constituency.
“This gesture really cushioned the effects of the hardship being faced by this category of persons as a result of the prolonged lockdowns occasioned by the advent of the pandemic.
“In the area of human capital development, Gagdi has influenced and secured over 200 permanent and pensionable employments for his constituents at different government agencies, institutions, including the military and paramilitary organisations
“He has always been kind to his people; during Christmas and Sallah festivities, this gentleman has made it an annual ritual to distribute trailers of rice, cows, and cash to constituents, particularly the poor ones, to enable them celebrate the festivity with ease
“As someone who trust in God in all his dealings, Gagdi has supported the construction and rehabilitation of Churches and Mosques to enable worshipers to have befitting places to worship God,’’ he said.
Similarly, Mr Nanle Gujor, a member of elders’ advisory council of the constituency lauded the lawmaker for initiating several bills and motions that had direct bearing in the lives of his constituents.
“Suffice is to mention is that Gagdi has not failed in performing his primary function of law making, he has sponsored many bills and motions in the last three years of his representation
“Notable among his bills that were passed and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari is the bill that saw to the upgrading of Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankshin to the University of Education.
“Others included the repeal and enactment of the Police Reform Act which provided a legal framework for the recruitment of community police across the country, thereby creating job opportunities for youths and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act.
“Also, the House of Representatives passed the bill for the establishment of Admiralty University in Ibusa, sponsored by our amiable lawmaker.
“Not only that, a bill for the establishment of College of Education, Dengi, Kanam Local Government Area, is standing in his name, among many others.
“With all of these, it will be a disservice to say this young man has not performed; this why we are calling on our people to vote him back so that he can consolidate on achievements recorded so far,’’ he said.
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Buhari at Kigali memorial, says Nigerians must be their brothers’ keepers.
President Muhammadu Buhari has made a passionate appeal to Nigerians to be tolerant of one another and embrace peace for the general good of the society.
The president’s spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement in Abuja, said Buhari made the appeal after visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda on Thursday.
Buhari toured the permanent exhibitions at the Memorial and laid a wreath at the mass graves where more than 250,000 victims of the genocide were buried.
He also paid tribute to the memory of the victims and prayed for healing for the survivors.
After the historic visit, the president told journalists that a lesson from his visit was the need for Nigerians to continue to be tolerant of one another.
He added the nation should preserve its own historical antecedents from the Nigeria Civil War (1967-1970).
‘‘I went through all the experiences from 15 January 1966 to date.
“I was a Governor, Minister, and Head of State and went through detention. I returned to partisan politics and will finish my two-terms as constitutionally allowed.
‘‘We fought a 30-month bitter civil war and we killed about a million of each other. Nigeria went through this kind of terrible development process,’’ Buhari said.
Before departing, the president also wrote in the visitors’ book:
‘‘Remembering the victims of this dark history of the Rwanda Genocide, we pray that humanity will never experience this kind of hatred, wickedness and violence to others because of their ethnic background, religion and beliefs.
‘‘Nigeria is strongly committed to the prevention of mass atrocity anywhere in the world and believes that perpetrators of such crimes; and their enablers, anywhere in the world must be held accountable’’.
The Nigerian leader is in Kigali, Rwanda to participate in the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
He will hold bilateral talks with the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson on Thursday.
Buhari will also attend the official opening of CHOGM on Friday, followed by high-level meetings of Heads of State and Government.
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NNAMDI KANU, A CRIMINAL SUSPECT AND NOT A POLITICAL PRISONER
By Alex Ndubueze
With the deteriorating security condition in the South-East, one is inclined to call for a political solution to put an end to the burgeoning restiveness bedeviling the region. While bouts of criminal activities and bloodletting characterized the South East, the arrest and incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu have irrefutably aggravated insecurity in the zone with repercussions for socio-economic and political order. This has sparked desperation and entreaties by critical stakeholders and groups for workable resolutions to restore peace and stability in the region. Though these calls are intended for peace and greater good, the political solution being sought for is unfortunately not tenable and the reasons are not far-fetched.
Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and charged with crimes of terrorism and treasonable felony. These crimes qualify him as a criminal suspect and not a political prisoner. This is more so that the internationally accepted definition of political prisoner is at variance with crimes committed by the outlawed group leader. A political prisoner is anyone detained for exercising their human rights under international law. Such rights include peaceful assembly, freedoms of religion, association, expression and advocacy for peaceable social and political change as well as criticize government policy or government official. Kanu was none of that or could have been one if he remained non-violent. He turned his IPOB group to a bloodsucking violent pack. The modus operandi of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra is also not in line with peaceful procedures as defined. Kanu is commonly known to aggressively advocate for civil disobedience, bigotry and fanning the embers of war to provoke anarchy and public disorder. He has on several occasions openly incited members of his group to take laws into their hands.
Indisputably, the formation of IPOB’s military wing code named Eastern Security Network, exacerbated insecurity in the South East Zone. Attacks on police formations, correctional centres, homes of select personalities and other critical government facilities became widespread after the formation of ESN. IPOB is also suspected to have launched unprecedented attacks against security agents in the region leading to the death and maiming of innocent citizens. During the #EndSARS protest, Kanu was known to have incited the carnage and destruction of lives and property in Lagos State and some parts of the country. His broadcasts are filled with hate, bile, intolerance and propaganda against the State and its institutions.
Similarly, the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe noted that a person can only be recognized as a political prisoner if the suspect’s detention is imposed purely for political reasons without connection to any offence. The activities of the IPOB leader falls within the context of crimes against the state which prompted security and law enforcement agencies to effect his arrest. In furtherance to this, Nnamdi Kanu was never a member of a political party neither is he being tried for expressing political views. He has never contested for election under any party or independent platform. Why then should he be referred to as a political prisoner? His offences – treason and terrorism¬ – are purely criminal; for which he is being charged and tried by a competent court of law.
It is public knowledge that Nnamdi Kanu has been granted access to his lawyers, family members and medical doctors. He practices his religious beliefs unhindered despite the attempt by IPOB, subversive groups and individuals sympathetic to him to project otherwise. According to information in the public space, he is treated in accordance with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). His legal team can attest to the veracity of this assertion. Additionally, a political prisoner is someone who is detained for many years without trial or under house arrest. Nnamdi Kanu was never detained under an executive order. The State has not also failed to take him to court after his arrest. He was promptly charged. So the argument of being detained as a political prisoner has no foundation. Nnamdi Kanu was a fugitive who jumped bail after his initial arrest. The severity of his charges, unrepentant disposition and history of jumping bail has diminished the chances of a Judge granting him bail again. Therefore, a political solution may not be feasible given the fact that Nnamdi Kanu’s case contradict the basis for being termed as ‘political prisoner’. His actions contravene both the country’s Criminal Justice system and international laws, thus the law must be allowed to take its full course. Nnamdi Kanu must face the music.
Rather than seek a political solution, stakeholders and promoters of a political solution in the Kanu matter should resort to social reorientation of its citizens to shun violent and divisive acts responsible for crippling security and socio-economic activities. They should also join hands with government and security agencies in restoring normalcy in the zone. Campaign for political solution is a blackmail that should not be allowed to fester. The Igbo elite should come out of its inertia and selective amnesia. It should face the problem and speak out in one loud voice against evil. Those struggling to plant in public psychology that Nnamdi Kanu is a political prisoner should stop that. He is simply a criminal suspect and should be seen and treated so. This achieves common good. Allowing Kanu and IPOB with their splinter groups to bestride the region with pervading violence will rub the region of many things including economic development and the Presidency of Nigeria. The time to act is now.
Alex Ndubueze is a public commentator.
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Ayu Is A Chameleon
By Aondowase Alex Torkuma
Opposition parties and desperate politicians are known to employ various political gimmicks in the run-up to any election in the Country. Majority of these unscrupulous politicians would weep up sentiments, exploit divisions, security and economic challenges to elicit sympathy and public support. As preparations for the 2023 general elections gather momentum, these dishonest elements are at it again, with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) already making comical and unwarranted statements. In an unusually recent outburst, Iyorchia Ayu National Chairman of the PDP, publicly accused the APC-led administration, of using Soldiers, the Police and the DSS to harass people in the South East. What a despicable attempt at inciting the public against these agencies and a cheap trick to sway sympathy for his party. But why drag these organizations into the gutters of dirty politicking. I am not bemused as such misguided statement coming from a stooge and an old cargo like Ayu, who can do anything for a penny to impress his paymasters, is not a surprise.
Ayu could best be described as a Chameleon, as he switches from one party to another, changing every time, as situation warrants, all for his pecuniary interest. Otherwise, how can someone in his right state of mind stoop as low as exploiting the mindless bloodletting going on in the South East to seek cheap popularity. He makes it look as though the killing of Chief Bola Ige, Harry Marshall, Ogbonnaya Uche, Abigail and Barnabas Igwe, Ayo Daramola, Funsho Williams and Aminosari Dikibo all assassinated and thousands of lives lost during the sixteen (16) years of PDP should be forgotten. As Mr. Ayu grows older, he has either become senile or this is just another display of his political merchandise.
One fact is that whatever situation Nigeria is in today, Ayu has played a role in it. He has remained in the saddle. While Ayu has been in government since Abacha’s regime, he could only be remembered for one thing, the politician that has been a member of all of the country’s major political parties and without any project/achievement to his name.
Ayu was purely up to a destructive agenda at Owerri. He also stated that the PDP if elected next year would resolve the agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This raises more questions about whether Ayu and his co-travelers are not involved or sponsoring the happenings in the South East. Assuming not, how can he be so confident that his party will put an end to IPOB agitation? Is IPOB gratified by his party or a Biafra breakaway from Nigeria. Hope I am not alone with this suspicious feeling. When innocent Igbos were murdered in Oyigbo, Rivers, a PDP-controlled state, where was he? Is it possible that he is oblivious of these incidents due to absentmindedness or in his desire to placate his paymasters and for political mileage, he rather chose the particular bowl of blood shed to see? For jumping on the bandwagon perception of marginalization of the South East, Ayu should know that if the person speaking is unintelligent, those listening are not. In his narrow thought, he expects APC to fix in less than seven years what the PDP failed to do in sixteen years.
It is noteworthy that these fabrications coming from people like Ayu is not surprising. Nigerians know history and will never forget him as the first person to sell out the Abiola-led movement which vehemently protested the annulment of June 12 election. He quickly jumped ship and accepted appointment as Minister of Education under General Abacha, despite persistently tagging Abacha a dictator. Ayu’s major job as Education Minister was campus to campus advocacy, rallying students against anti-government protesters. No wonder, there is no record of any achievement in his name. Ayu’s history of bootlicking and making dangerous political mistakes is not new. He was arrested and charged with terrorism as Atiku’s campaign manager for unduly recruiting Niger Delta militants to undermine Obasanjo’s Presidency. Amazingly, after rejoining the PDP, he was released and apparently that charge is no longer an issue. It is on record that Ayu admitted to receiving N345 million from the $2.5 billion funds for arms purchase in the PDP days, under the guise of consultation on difficult issues. Delicate and difficult issues indeed.
Ayu had been sidelined in Nigeria’s politics and he is just trying to rehabilitate himself. Ayu has turned to a political prostitute and a lapdog/puppet controlled by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom to attack anyone who opposes their dirty politics. It is unfortunate that as National Chairman he allows Ortom to bankroll his nuisances instead of providing good governance to his own kinsmen in Benue. Very reprehensive of an old politician who, despite numerous top government portfolios held from the 1990s to present day, has left no single legacy in Benue State.
Ayu and other kleptocrats alike, should understand that the days of deceiving voters by leveraging on ethno-religious sentiments, regional agitation and unfounded claims are over. Nigerians have had enough of such tricks. Nigeria’s security agencies should look into Ayu’s falsehood propaganda and these peddled claims. Perhaps, Ayu being the National Chairman of the major opposition party has either credible intelligence at his disposal or may just be playing a part of the dirty tactics his party would employ ahead of 2023 elections. One thing is clear though. These irate politicians should leave public institutions who have apolitical orientations out of their show of shame and brigandage. Nigeria depends on their neutrality to continue to grow.
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Budget padding: CSOs Want Senator Barau Jibrin Sacked as Senate committee chair on appropriation
Some civil society organisations on Thursday, December 16, 2021, called on Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan to sack the chairman Senate committee on appropriation, Senator Barau Jibrin.
The groups, Guidance of Democracy and Development Initiative (GDDI) and Partners for Legislative Agenda in Nigeria (PLAN) stated that cannot remain the chairman of the committee in the face of the report of his involvement in budget padding.
Leaders of the group, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince of GDDI and Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, noted that Senator Jibrin’s continuous leadership of such a sensitive committee is in variance with the All Progressives Congress anti-corruption crusade.
”It is therefore incumbent on you as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to rise to the moral and patriotic occasion before you and sack the indicted Senator,” the groups told Lawan.
They further said:
”We are very saddened about the manifestation of corruption in Nigeria in its instituted forms. At a period of undeniable economic downturn and financial austerity for the federal government, it is suffocating to live with the fact that as long as a character like Senator Barau Jibrin chairs the Appropriation Committee of the Senate, budget padding will be the order of the day.”The 2020 Appropriation Act is full of padded expenditures which have now been pronounced by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as failing in all the integrity tests of accepted procedures in procurement and an aberration to the provisions of the Procurement Act.
”In the reported Constituency and Executive Tracking Exercise Phase 3 Report of the ICPC, it has become obvious that Senator Barau Jibrin has bestrode our national budget as a monstrous Colossus, creating expenditures that can only be criminally explained, or accounted for.
”And expectedly, the Senator has not denied the allegations in the ICPC report against him. A man who is found to have grossly abused our National Budget should not by any moral compass be allowed to continue to superintend over the legislative scrutiny of our National Budget.
”It is no longer news that various contract scams have been traced to Sinity Nig. Ltd, Engr Jibril Electrical Engineering and Talgo Luxury Estate Investment Nig. Ltd (companies owned by Senator Jibrin, and his family members, or in which he has serious stakes in).
”Projects running into millions are found to have been paid for in Kano North Senatorial District where the Chairman Senate Appropriation Committee represents, without any evidence of the projects being delivered or executed. Other projects are awarded and paid for without any iota of regard to Procurement Rules or the Procurement Act.
”It is therefore a matter of patriotic duty for you, the Senate President to act in national interest by removing him as a matter of dire urgency. Nigerians can no longer afford the continuous padding of our national budget. Enough is enough!” -
China’s domestic consumption flourishes during National Day holiday
Despite the lingering COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese people have shown great enthusiasm for consumption during this year’s National Day holiday, or the Golden Week holiday, which ran from Oct. 1 to 7.
The National Day holiday has always been considered an important window into China’s economic vitality. Compared with previous ones, this year’s National Day holiday has demonstrated some new consumption trends, according to Wang Bin, deputy director general of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion of the Ministry of Commerce.
More tourists visited local or neighboring destinations or simply spent their leisure time at home; consumers showed more interest in green, intelligent and health care products, and remained passionate about individualized, quality, and high-end goods; meanwhile, as online e-commerce platforms integrate with brick-and-mortar stores, experience-oriented and scenario-based consumption demands have grown and are expected to rise continuously in the future, Wang said.
As many people called off their travel plans during July and August because of the pandemic, they were eager to “compensate” themselves with relaxing trips during the week-long National Day holiday.
From Oct. 1 to 7, China witnessed 515 million domestic tourist trips, which generated over 389 billion yuan ($60.37 billion) in tourism revenue, according to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Data from the country’s Ministry of Transport suggest that the transport service providers in China handled about over 400 million passenger trips during the just-ended holiday.
Against the backdrop of regular epidemic prevention and control, people’s ways of spending their vacations are altering gradually. During the National Day holiday, tourists mainly traveled within the provinces they live.
Traveling light, short-distance trips, and spending leisure time in hotels were particularly favored by tourists, resort hotels in the suburbs of big cities, quality rural B&Bs and hotels near theme parks were very busy, and recreational vehicle camping and road trips to nearby destinations were popular during the Golden Week holiday.
Data showed that 49.1 percent of tourists made cross-city tours within the provinces they live, up 4.1 percentage points from the same period last year. 88.3 percent of tourists traveled no more than 300 kilometers away from where they live, and 55.8 percent of tourists drove to their destinations during the holiday, 10 percentage points higher than last year.
The dividends of China’s accelerating consumption upgrading were prominently displayed during the Golden Week holiday.
Sales of flowers surged during the holiday, said Lyu Yan, purchasing manager at Chinese e-commerce platform Hema Fresh’s flower department, who noted that decorating houses with flowers has become one of the ways of consumers to improve the quality of life.
From Oct. 1 to 4, Hema Fresh’s flower department saw the sales of its flowers rocket by 290 percent year on year, according to Lyu.
Data from China’s e-commerce giant JD.com suggest that home appliances, computers and other office equipment, mobile phones, food and beverages and digital products were the five most popular categories among consumers during the Golden Week holiday.
The transaction volume of robot vacuums grew over 30 percent year on year in Beijing and Shanghai and that of smart devices for health monitoring in Beijing and Guangzhou saw a year-on-year increase of over two times, according to the data, which indicate that high-quality and customized products are preferred by more and more people.
Consumption upgrading has also swept across China’s rural areas. Data from Tmall Global, China’s largest cross-border online marketplace, show that the spending of consumers from small cities and rural areas on imports grew even faster than that of their counterparts in relatively larger cities during the National Day holiday, with the consumption of imports in some townships and villages increasing over 55 percent year on year.
Going to the movies represented a new consumption trend during the holiday. With more than 90 million tickets sold for movies screened during the seven-day holiday, China’s box office reached nearly 4.39 billion yuan from Oct. 1 to 7, the second highest among those of China’s National Day holidays, according to data from China Film Administration.
“The Battle at Lake Changjin”, a film released just on the eve of the holiday, had grossed over 3.4 billion yuan as of Oct. 7. It has broken more than 10 records in China’s film history and significantly contributed to the country’s box office revenue during the period.
The increase in passenger flow and surge in online orders have mirrored China’s stronger consumer confidence as the epidemic situation has been improving in the country.
Data from China’s service-focused e-commerce giant Meituan Dianping suggest that consumers’ total expenditure on various services and products via the platform, which cover catering, accommodation, tourism, leisure and recreation, as well as traveling, rose about 30 percent year on year during the holiday and 51.6 percent from the same period in 2019.
Experts pointed out that the thriving consumption during the Golden Week holiday was underpinned by China’s super-large market and enormous demand potential and reflected the high-quality development of the Chinese economy as well as the steady rise in Chinese residents’ income.
By Du Yifei, People’s Daily
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German police seize assets worth €1.5m in drug raids
German police on Thursday, seized property and assets, worth 1.5 million euros (1.8 million dollars) in an early morning drug raids in six cities, across the western part of the nation.
Two arrest warrants were issued and 21 premises in the cities, searched during the raids in the nation’s most populous state, North Rhine Westphalia.
Police said special units were deployed in the raids in Dusseldorf, Meerbusch, Kaarst, Neuss, Huerth and Gelsenkirchen.
The large police operation came in the wake of an organised crime case, being prepared by state prosecutors in North Rhine Westphalia, involving alleged illicit trafficking in narcotics and other offences. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)