The host of the Jesus And Me (JAM) mega festival, Rev. Goodheart Obi Ekwueme, who also is the senior pastor, House on the Rock the Refuge, Abuja daughter church, has disclosed to newsmen that the annual national praise festival holding for the ninth time this Friday in Abuja at the Eagle Square could be shifted to any other part of the nation.

Ekwueme disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, at the Haven while fielding questions from newsmen on the sincerity of the annual festival in all intents and purposes, concerning its focus only on Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) rather than taking the event also to places like Niger Delta and some parts in the north, since the vision behind the festival is to ender  unity, change and contribute to nation building.

Responding, Reverend Obi Ekwueme stated that "Though the vision behind JAM is tri-partite as pointed out and has been held in Abuja since inception, it can also be shifted to the Niger Delta or nay other part of the nation, if they get a willing sponsor that can take them there to spread the message  to all other parts of the nation", he said.

Additionally, he said that "over the years, many have asked after the funding of JAM especially as attendance is 100% free. Let me first say that our God is Jehovah Jireh, our erstwhile provider, who supplies for all our needs according to His riches in glory".

The organization For the Liberation of the Izon ethnic Nationality in the Niger-Delta (ORLICN)  has moved to save the job of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Adamu Aliero, urging the Acting President Good Luck Jonathan to retain the minister in the event of cabinet reshuffle.

A  statement issued by the group in Abuja, jointly signed by its president,  Sire Ike Bekekiri and Prince Amapomowei stated that the call to retain Aliero was necessary following the developmental achievement of the FCT minister in the territory.

The President of the group who was a special adviser to Goodluck Jonathan when he was the governor of Bayelsa state, conceded that the award of several roads expansion in the metropolis and the suburbs by the Aliero administration was a good signal that other good things will come.

"The expansion of the airport road and that of Kubwa express way, introduction of the monthly sanitation exercise and the full support given to the security agencies to protect lives and properties in the city are commendable.

We need people of good foresight like Aliero to champion the activities of the FCT", the group stated in the statement.

According to the Niger Delta group, these laudable projects will, in no small way, ease the difficulties faced by Nigerians and other people  living in the city.

"We want the acting President to remain focused and work with credible Nigerians in championing the affairs of this country. People like Aliero, we believe, will always make you proud. As a two-term governor, Senator and Now minister, Aliero will give us what we want in Abuja".

Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory Chief Chuka Odom has said that the Public Private Partnership approval to mass housing is not a substitute for government’s intervention in provision of sustainable housing for the masses.

The minister has also said that until the right housing policy is adopted by the federal government, the economy of the nation may not be able to bounce back.

He added that the nation's current framework for housing development lacks a lot of government input. He said, "Government has primary responsibility for certain inputs if we have to have sustainable housing".

Odom stated this yesterday while receiving members of International Real Estate Agency Federation (FIABCI) in his office where he observed that the global financial crisis started with the collapse of the housing market in the United States of America.

"The global financial crisis started in America when the housing market there collapsed. It is not coincidental: It underscores the importance of housing to income disparity, income savings and all the other economic issues that are associated with that collapse," he said

He noted that Nigeria was currently experiencing a major housing deficit which could have been considerably narrowed down if the current policy in housing had the relevant government inputs, stressing,  "I have had cause to say publicly that our current framework for housing development lacks a lot of government inputs. “Government has primary responsibility for certain inputs if we have to have sustainable housing approach. The PPP of the private sector involvement is not a substitute for government intervention".

The minister disclosed that his sojourn in public offices had exposed him to housing and urban planning issues, noting that the nation's major housing deficit gap cannot be filled alone by the government.

"There is a limit to private capital when it comes to provision of basic infrastructure. If today our housing policy can address these issues, may be the gap would have considerably been narrowed down and this is where FIABCI and all other professional bodies have the responsibility to continue to drum up this message.

“Those of us in government are not well equipped to speak to ourselves, but the private sector, professional bodies and informed groups can continue to champion the campaign. We want to assure you that we will definitely get there. It is simple trick; every economy relies on housing for its sustainability, "he maintained.

Speaking earlier, World President of the agency, Lisa Kurass, said that Africa remains important to the world and to the agency in particular, adding that the agency had been in existence for over 60 years and has been reaching out to over 60 nations, in matters concerning involving in private properties and housing around the world.

Following plans by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to demolish purported illegal structures and shanties in Lugbe village, along airport road, residents of  the  village have dragged the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the FCT minister, Mallam Adamu Aliero, the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to an Abuja High Court sitting at Lugbe.

In their application at the high court, the residents represented by Eze Igbo Lugbe, H. R. H. Eze J. C. O. Okonkwo; Engineer Charles Obileye; Mallam Abdullahi Miga; Engineer Charles Mordecai Nelson Idu(Chief of South/South); and Mallam Adamu Liman through their counsel, Barr. Hassan Omolowo, urged the court to give them relief on seven orders.

The residents asked the court to declare that inhabitants of the Lugbe village within the Abuja Muninipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria as represented by the applicants have the fundamental right to full residence within the FCT as guaranteed by the sections 41 and 43 of the 1999 constitution and articles 13(3), 14, and 24 of the African charter on human and peoples rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP 10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.  that the inhabitants of Lugbe Village within the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria as represented by the applicants have the fundamental right to the protection of the dignity of their human persons by not having their houses forcefully demolished and being rendered homeless by first, second and third respondents as guaranteed by Section 34 subsection 1 (a) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Article 5 of the African Charter' on Human and People's Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap. 10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.

That the inhabitants of Lugbe Village within the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria as represented by the applicants have the fundamental Right to participate in their government by participating in the development of Lugbe village and/or any other part of the Federal Capital Territory by way of acquisition of plots within Lugbe village and/or relocation to the said other part of the Federal Capital Territory in accordance with Article 13 (1) of the Africa Charter on Human and People's Right (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap. 10) and Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federation of Nigeria, 1999. That the respondents have the duty to ensure the right to economic, social and cultural development of the inhabitants of Lugbe  village within the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria as represented by the applicants by being permitted to acquire and develop plots of land within Lugbe settlement or by being given adequate time to relocate and develop another specific part of the Federal Capital Territory in accordance with Aliicle 22 (1) and (2) of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap. 10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.