TRANSATLANTIC TIMES: World News Report
Friday, July 17, 2009
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Washington, DC, USA
Rate Top Monthly TV Episodes & Stories >>
A. Nigerian Religious Leaders Led A USA Event of African Immigrants
B. Tough Love is Good Business Practice
C. Maryland Delegates Calls on Nigerians Abroad to Join ANAC Efforts
D. US Air Ambulance Services For African Destinations
Nigerian Religious Leaders Led A USA Event of African Immigrants
TTimes African Report
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Nigeria is a nation of many countries lumped together by the Colonial Master without much consideration of its multiplicity. The only consideration then was to meet up for Great Britain deficiencies in Europe, to colonize Nigeria.
After Nigeria independence (1960) the country is still struggling to understand the dynamics of using its differences as sources of strength. Where will Nigeria be in the year 2010 when it clocks 50?
Due to the thoughtlessness of most past Nigerian leaders, mostly of Military orientation; Zumunta Association USA, Inc., is branding a new direction for Nigerian leaders, creating an enabling environment for Nigerians to claim citizenship of any State of their choice. Unfortunately, most of the past leaders have used ethnicity and religion for their own selfish ends at the expense of very poor majority Nigerians. Zumunta believes that an average Nigerian must be able to be anything he or she wants to be in any parts of Nigeria, without hiding his/her identity or faith to make a living in Nigeria.
On July 25 through 27, 2008, at the Los Angeles International Airport Marriot Hotel, Zumunta will be playing host to a powerful gathering of Nigerians from all walks of life at its 15th Annual International Convention of ZUMUNTA to create a road map in reducing the ethnic and religious tensions in the country. According to its Public Relations Officer, Mesi Ada Usiade, the theme of this year's ZUMUNTA convention is; 'Prevention of Communal and Religious conflicts in Nigeria', while revisiting its previous and the most recent theme, 'Preventing HIV/AIDS and Malaria in Northern Nigeria'.
Realizing the slippery terrain of religion and ethnic divide in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto and the leader of Muslims in Nigeria, His Eminence Alhaji Mohammad Sa'adu Abubakar III, CFR Mni, has decided to join Zumunta Association at its 2008 convention on ways to foster the unity among Nigerians. In addition, Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella association of all Christians in Nigeria, would be joining Zumunta in Los Angeles, California on the issue of Conflict Management and Resolution in Nigeria. The Sultan and Arch Bishop would be on the same forum, in a Town hall meeting style, to pave ways for finding some lasting solutions to religious and ethnic divide in Nigeria.
In addition, Zumunta is assembling a truly outstanding team of speakers and presenters for 'the Convention of the Century', according to Halilu Haruna, one of the organizers, and the National Zumunta Treasurer. It is not going to be a loud-mouthed venture for a formidable group like Zumunta to start the engine of unifying Nigeria in spite its diversity, especially religion, which has been a source of disunity among Nigerians.
Going down the history lane of Nigeria, religion has been used by most Nigerian past leaders to partition the country along ethnic and religious blocks. Because of the prominence of religion as a political instrument, successive governments in Nigeria involved themselves neck-deep in religious matters. However, religion has become an inalienable factor in the new Nigerian politics, being used to stamp the ruler's authority and acceptability. In effect, the ruling elite have used religious sentiments to polarize the people and created unnecessary and unhealthy tension.
My knowledge of religion tells me that it is the hardest subject in the world to approach objectively. By its nature, it dwells and thrives on emotion. Moreover, where emotion holds sway, reason is held captive. Thus religion argument is like the man in the anecdote. It goes round and round in circles, endless, inconclusive, and frustrating. It is about time Nigerians nail the coffin of religious riots especially in the North, and regionalization policies and see Nigerians as Nigerians wherever State they make their living in Nigeria.
Tough Love is Good Business Practice
Jim Muehlhausen
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“Benevolent Dictators”
Are More Effective Small Business Leaders
Whether its recession time or boom time, small business owners should look at the way they operate in order to maximize their revenues. Many small businesses are run a little loosely; because many owners believe they lack the overhead and the staff to require a lot of strict policies and procedures.
That’s a mistake, according to Jim Muehlhausen, CPA and author of The 51 Fatal Business Errors and How To Avoid Them, from Emerald Publishing (www.51errors.com).
“Every business owner is enrolled in the world’s most expensive business school: The School of Hard Knocks,” Muehlhausen said. “Instead of acquiring business knowledge the slow and expensive way, business owners need to capitalize on the hard-fought lessons of others. That’s why benevolent dictators are the best small business leaders, because ruling by committee against that landscape rarely works.”
Small Business face more challenges than the large corporations with huge cash reserves to help them through financial crises. They are more susceptible to market fluctuations, have fewer clients to support them and generally have more transient staff. On the flip side, they also make up 70 percent of the businesses in the U.S., so as goes small business, so goes the economy.
In order to swim with the big fish without getting eaten, Muehlhausen suggests that small business owners get a little tougher and smarter to survive the nasty water.
“There are several practices that are considered standard operating procedure that actually work against small business owners,” Muehlhausen said. “First, many insist on learning hard lessons themselves rather than learn from the mistakes of their competitors. To compound the problem, they also tend to hire employees away from their competitors without realizing that chances are that the employee may be leaving because they had been fired, or they are about to be fired. In essence, they wind up with their competitors’ rejects, who they wind up firing soon after.”
Muehlhausen also stresses that CEOs need to be benevolent dictators to be more effective.
“Managing employees is a lot like parenting,” he said. “Employees may not like what you do, but you’ll have to do it, anyway. Many CEOs are afraid to be authoritarian, but they should do it, anyway. They should remember two things – first, being authoritarian does not mean you can’t be nice, and second, it’s the CEO’s name on the big door. No one else will be blamed for the failure of staff. An autocrat is not automatically a jerk, and businesses aren’t a democracy. Hire good people, listen to input, but after you’ve listened, call the play and make sure you have a team on board who’s going to execute it.
Jim Muehlhausen CPA, JD has had articles feature in numerous publications including Businessweek.com, Entrepreneur, Inc., Indianapolis Business Journal, The Small Business Report, Undercar Digest, Digitrends and NAICC Legal Journal. Jim graduated from Valparaiso University with a B.S. in Accounting, passing the CPA exam while still in college. While subsequently attending the Indiana University School of Law, he became the youngest franchisee in Meineke Discount Muffler history (1987-1991).
To interview Jim Muehlhausen or request a review copy of “The 51 Fatal Business Errors and How To Avoid Them” contact Rachel Friedman at 727-443-7115, ext. 206 or e-mail rachel@newsandexperts.com.
Maryland Delegates Calls on Nigerians Abroad to Join ANAC Efforts
TTimes African Report
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Washington, DC March 30th, 2009
All Nigerian American Congress of Maryland, calls on all Nigerians Abroad to unite behind ANAC to get their consitutional representation in the Nigerian National Assembly.
"Resolution Passed: ANAC Maryland Calls for a Strong Lobby in addition to Present ANAC Efforts to Reach–Out to Law Makers in Nigeria and Government Decision Makers, including a submission to the Constitutional Review Committee. Reach Out to other Nigerian Regional Ethnic Groups in the Diaspora to join Efforts by ANAC to grant the "Diaspora voting", the 3 or more Senatorial Seats, 6 or more Congressional seats, in the National Assembly of Nigeria.
The scheduled Chapter teleconference was called to order at 9:20 PM by ANAC Maryland Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Iroanya, who presided over the meeting. In attendance were the following delegates: Delegate Dr. Emmanuel Onyekwere, Maryland; Delegate Prof.Joshua Okundaye, Dr. Alamezie OJiaku, Maryland; Delegate Israel Agwamba, Delegate Cynthia Austin M.D, Maryland; Delegate Martin Okafor, Delegate Dr. Aregs Bright, Delegate; Dr. Dan Austin, Maryland; and Delegate Emmanuel Iroanya, Maryland.
Chairman Iroanya introduced Dr. Aregs Bright of ANAC Resolution 101 Committee, who gave a preamble on the "Diaspora Vote", an overview from 2005, when ANAC commenced the push for Nigerians in the Diaspora to exercise their rights of universal suffrage granted under the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. He traced the passing of ANAC Resolution 101 in the November, 2005 at the inaugural Congressional Session of ANAC, in Virgina, to the representation of the New Democrats party headed by Prof. Issa Odidi of Canada, the case filed against INEC by Prof. Issa Odidi in order to grant the right to qualify as a presidential candidate.
The issue at hand today, he affirmed as indicated by ANAC is that the Nigerian Courts have affirmed the position of ANAC, that the Nigerian Senate would need to pass a Resolution to set forth the application of such rights. To that effect, ANAC had prior to the Court ruling, presented a Bill currently with the Senate President David Mark, which was supported and brought forward by the Law Firm of Adm. Akhigbe, who is an expert of International Politics and Maritime Law. It may be mentioned that Adm. Akhigbe was a former Vice President of Nigeria in the regime that successfully handed over power to the Olusegun Obasanjo's democratically elected government.
ANAC Resolution 101 calls for granting Nigerians in the Diaspora voting rights in districts created for North America, Europe, Africa and Asia/others, with three senatorial seats, and six congressional seats. Though the total of nine representative seats are requested, the bill does request population assessment, for possibility of more seats due to the expected higher population of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
In his contribution, Dr. Alamezie Ojiaku, affirmed the use of a strong lobby group on behalf of ANAC as an effective way of affecting the changes in policy and governance as it affects Nigerians in the Diaspora. This view supports ANAC’s current relationship with the Law Firm of Akhigbe on one hand and using other community based NGO’s to strengthen this effort at the national level. Dr. Aregs responded that all is set as far as the Nigerian Senate was concerned, as the Bill has the support of the Senate President David Mark. The Nigerian Senate is awaiting the arrival of ANAC Nigerians Abroad team "ANAC Resolution 101 Team" to meet in Abuja to further the movement of the Bill. We need to gather more resources to complete the job.
Hon. Emmanuel Onyekwere supported the views expressed on the issue of mounting a strong lobby but insisted that the ANAC go further to set up means to get these same materials to the Constitutional Review Committee currently holding in Nigeria for enshrinement as part of the draft document, in addition to the work being done in the Nigerian Senate since it is granted in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. Dr. Onyekwere asserted that it is on record that Nigerians in the Diaspora remitted more than $10 billion in 2008 from official and non-official channels and contribute to socioeconomic development of the country. He posited that ANAC should approach Diaspora advocacy from a position of strength in requesting these inalienable rights as well as explore opportunities to contribute to policy and governance of Nigeria.
This position was also supported by Mr. Ojiaku, Cynthia Austin and Prof. Okundaye. Cynthia Austin, then asked for a clarification on countries where such representation is currently done. Dr. Martin Okafor who also is a member of ANAC Resolution 101 then supported Dr. Aregs in listing France, Austria, Italy, India, many others and clarified the addition of Canada, USA to the North American zone in the ANAC sponsored bill, while Mexico though part of North America was not requested in the ANAC Bill to be zoned with North America due to known greater population of Nigerians in USA and Canada. The following resolution passed unanimously:
1. 1st Resolution Passed: ANAC Maryland Calls for a Strong Lobby in addition to Present ANAC Efforts to Target Nigerian Government Decision Makers, Reach Out to other Nigerian Regional Ethnic Groups Abroad, to join Efforts by ANAC to grant the "Diaspora Voting", the 3 or more Senatorial Seats, 6 or more Congressional seats.
2. The Chairman, Hon. Iroanya then called for discussion on the election of new Delegates for 2009-2011. Upon discussion, is was adopted that the election would be posted electronically, so all ANAC Maryland members can vie for the open seats, for the next 30 days and the election would be held at the next scheduled Meeting and it was so adopted.
3. Dr.Joshua Okundaye mentioned that ANAC should not completely rule out ANAC Canada to host the next Congressional session, though ANAC New York seems more likely, the comments was well accepted.
4. Next session date would be set upon full consultation with delegates and electronic approval. Motion for adjournment was moved by Delegate Onyekwere and supported by Dr. Austin; meeting was adjourned at 11.20 PM.
Emmanuel Onyegwere
ANAC Delegate, Maryland
Emmanuel Iroanya
Chairman, ANAC Maryland
US Air Ambulance Services For African Destinations
TTimes World Health Report
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AIR AMBULANCE AND MEDICAL EVACUATION
FOR AFRICA TO USA, UK
A US based Health HMO in cooperation with Air Ambulance Services Inc. has launched medical air ambulance services for medical evacuations for African locations to destinations in USA and UK.
Announcing the contract between Air Ambulance of America and USA based and NHIS Health Insurance approved HMO, was the Chief Executive Officer Dan E. Austin M.D and Tom Cox of Air Ambulance of America. The program would immediately start enrolling its clients members mainly service contractors for oil sector corporations operating in Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana, including Oando PLC, and other corporate clients.
The Health organization intends to introduce these services to short term travel visitors to numerous African countries residing in the USA, UK who go on short trips to Africa or other US Citizens who make short trips to other remote locations. While on such a trip, if a health emergency strikes, without timely Air Ambulance evacuation, the results can be all so commonly catastrophic. Fatality often occurs due to poor or inadequate health facilities in these regions.
Air Ambulance services which normally cost multiple thousands of dollars per evacuation, but this service allow for Plan members to make minimal monthly payments. And while in any location in Africa, or other parts of the world, if a medical emergency occurs, within a 72 hours notice, Air Ambulance intensive Care units Aircrafts would despatch from USA to evacuate patient for hospital centers in USA and UK depending of patients residency or travel documents approved destination.
For more information on the Air Ambulance Program, please contact Cignet Health call 1-800-730-5914, Outside USA call 301-4234551
Email: cignethealth@cignetcard.com
www.cignethealth.com
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