Pope Benedict’s retirement package

After Pope Benedict XVI retires, he will get a 2,500-euro pension, a home in the Vatican, and other amenities. How does his retirement package compare with others?

POPE Emeritus Benedict XVI, the 264th successor of Pope Peter and the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, who made his final farewell Thursday evening, is likely to have a much better retirement package than most American seniors, according to a CNBC contributor.

The retired pontiff is expected to receive a monthly pension of 2,500 euros ($3,266), which is near the maximum a person could receive on US Social Security, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa.

That translates to almost $3,300, or close to the monthly maximum of $3,350 that Social Security will pay to an American who retires this year.

"That's quite rare," Richard Johnson of Urban Institute told the broadcaster. One would have to wait until 70 when they retire and would have had to make the maximum pay stipulated by Social Security for a long time.

"For most people, if you look at the median, Social Security counts for about 40 per cent of their income. So it's important, but people rely a lot on other savings, like pensions or 401(k) savings," Johnson added.

The Roman Catholic Church will cover the expenses of Pope Emeritus Benedict, born Joseph Ratzinger, and will give him a Vatican home with cooked meals and housekeepers, the report said.

A big nest egg is not something the Pope emeritus has to worry about. The Roman Catholic Church will cover his living expenses, provide him with a spacious home inside the Vatican and pay for everything from cooked meals to housekeepers, according to The Telegraph.

Such services are not available to the typical American senior, unless he or she pays for an assisted living facility or resides in a nursing home, Johnson said.

What about waiting to retire until 85, as Benedict did? The average American retires at about 64, so working that long is unusual, Johnson noted.

"If you have a job you love, it's great," he said.

"(But) just like the pope, the biggest determinant of retirement is health status. When your health starts to deteriorate, that's what often pushes people into retirement, sometimes earlier than expected."

Health care costs are one of the big risks that older Americans face, and while Medicare pays for the bulk of their expenses, many things are left uncovered, Johnson said. Meanwhile, the pope emeritus will continue to be a member of the Vatican's generous private health care policy, the BBC reported.

"(But) just like the pope, the biggest determinant of retirement is health status. When your health starts to deteriorate, that's what often pushes people into retirement, sometimes earlier than expected," Johnson said.

When he stepped down on Thursday, he said that he was glad to be "surrounded by the beauty of creation," reported The Associated Press. "I am simply a pilgrim beginning the last leg of his pilgrimage on this Earth," he added.

Next Monday, cardinals will meet to determine the next papal conclave to elect the new pope.

"May the College of Cardinals work like an orchestra, where diversity—an expression of the universal church—always works toward a higher and harmonious agreement," Benedict said, according to AP.

State police a must, says Deputy Senate President.

UPDATES: Jonathan orders restructuring of Office of the Head of Service. Fraudster steals N3.1m from Redeemed Church. Kidnappers kill two policemen in Taraba. 3rd Phase Amnesty: Ex-militants threaten to make N/Delta ungovernable. Jonathan charges African leaders on security, political stability. Court sacks Delta House of Assembly member for decamping from DPP to PDP. PDP, Mark, Ndoma-Egba, others mourn Ogbodo, late Guardian Editor. Prophet in court for allegedly commiting adultery with his client. Court clears President Jonathan for 2015 election. British PM Cameron humiliated in election rout. Presidency, Pro-Amaechi govs battle over pdp state chapters. Stay away from S'West, OPC warns B'Haram, Ansaru. FG, states to jointly feed prisoners. Gunmen raid varsity hostel, rape two. Insecurity: State police a must, says Deputy Senate President.

Cross River Governor Liyel Imoke returns to Nigeria after 3 months

After three months away from Nigeria to receive treatment for a supposedly minor health concern in the US, governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke is back in the country. He came into the country around 6:50 this evening via a British Airways flight. He will resume office next week!

Al Qaeda Commander Abu Zeid Killed In Mali

French forces in Mali have killed Abdelhamid Abu Zeid, a leading field commander of al Qaeda's north Africa wing AQIM.
The station said 40 militants including Abu Zeid were killed in the region of Tigargara in northern Mali three days ago. A French Defence Ministry official declined to comment on the report. Algeria did not confirm the killing.
France launched a whirlwind assault to retake Mali's vast northern desert region from AQIM and other Islamist rebels on January 11 after a plea from Mali's caretaker government. The military intervention dislodged the rebels from several main towns they had occupied and drove them back into desert wilds.


AQIM, which stands for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has earned tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments for Western hostages taken to its strongholds in northern Mali.
Abu Zeid has been regarded as one of AQIM's most ruthless operators. He is believed to have executed British national Edwin Dyer in 2009 and a 78-year-old Frenchman, Michel Germaneau, in 2010.
Canadian diplomat Robert Fowler, in an account of his kidnapping by another Islamist cell in the Sahara, recounted how Abou Zeid refused to give medication to two hostages suffering from dysentery, one of whom had been stung by a scorpion. – Reuters.
Source: Reuters

Jonathan can contest for presidency in 2015 – Abuja Court

After a protracted legal tussle, an Abuja High Court on Friday struck out a suit that sought to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from running for the 2015 presidential election.

It could be recalled that Chief Cyriachus Njoko, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, filed a suit against President Jonathan, sometime in March 2012, asking the court to stop him from running for the 2015 presidential race.

In his judgment, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi maintained that Jonathan was yet to serve two terms as substantive president.

“The first defendant (Jonathan) neither contested the office of the president before 2011 nor got nomination of his party to contest same election before 2011.

“Jonathan, to my knowledge, in 2007 contested the general election as a vice president and nothing more.

“Section 135 (2) of the 1999 constitution spells out the tenure of the President to be four years single term, while Section137 (1b) prescribes that the President can only be administered with Oath of office and Oath of allegiance twice.

“In the case of Jonathan, his mere assumption of the office of the President was necessitated by what the National Assembly described as doctrine of necessity because of the demise of late President Umar Yar’Adua.

“It is therefore the interpretation of this court that Section 135 (2) can only be applicable with the person elected as president.

“Jonathan’s emergence as President on May 6, 2010 did not amount to his being elected; and so, the action did not give credence to the allegation of first oath taking.

“In the circumstance of the forgoing, Jonathan is just serving his first tenure, and therefore free to seek nomination of his party or any other political party if he so wishes to fulfill his presidential ambition,’’ he said.

The judge while giving a number of consequential orders held that Jonathan could be stopped from seeking the position of president beyond 2015, if he failed to obtain nomination of a political party.

He further ordered that the second defendant (PDP) be barred from fielding Jonathan as its Presidential Candidate after 2015.

Oniyangi however ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must reject the nomination of Jonathan as presidential candidate of any political party after 2015On the initial objections, the judge held that the plaintiff neither established a cause of action nor had `locus standi’ to institute the suit.

Oniyangi said that the non establishment of cause of action and locus effectively denied the court the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

“Being a card-carrying member of the second defendant (PDP) and a tax payer does not yet bestow locus on the plaintiff.

“The court views the action as being hasty and premature as the second defendant has not gotten the PDP nomination to contest the 2015 election yet.

“The Electoral Act mandates political parties to carry out primaries to nominate candidates for elective offices.

“The plaintiff will, however, be bestowed with `locus’ if only he had expressed interest to contest the presidential election and dully participated in the primaries.

“The plaintiff’s interest is at the embryo stage and can be best described as a mere ambition.

“The suit is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit as it is premature. The plaintiff is ordered to pay the sum of N20, 000 as cost for damages to the defendants.

“Let me, however, say here that this decision is not by any means a declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan as a sole candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming 2015 general elections,’’ he said.

Addressing newsmen after the proceeding, Chief Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), counsel to Jonathan, expressed delight in the court’s verdict.

He said: “This will lay to rest the issue of whether the President can seek re-election or not.’’

Mr Kwon Victor, counsel to the plaintiff, however, said that the decision gave room for appeal, adding thus “We are approaching the Appellate Court for better interpretation of Sections 135 and 137 of the 1999 Constitution”

Six Dead Following Outbreak Of Measles In Niger State

Niger State Commissioner for Health, Dr Ibrahim Sule, says no fewer than six persons are confirmed dead following the outbreak of measles in some parts of the state.Sule made this known on Thursday in Minna, saying that the outbreak was reported within the last two weeks in four local government areas.

“I can confirm that six deaths were recorded due to the outbreak of the disease in the state so far, but the situation is under control at the moment,“ he said.

The commissioner listed the affected council areas as Mokwa, Edati, Bosso and Chanchaga, saying that Chanchaga was worst hit.

Sule said the ministry had intensified the vaccination of children under the age of five years.

The commissioner said the public health department in the ministry had organised community vaccination for the affected communities and that 196,000 children had so far been vaccinated against the disease, since the outbreak was reported.

He then urged the parents to avail themselves of the opportunity of vaccinating their children against measles and other child killer diseases.

Policeman Who Took 16 Bullets For Nigeria Gets N600,000 Reward

“Who will die for Nigeria?” is a question that is frequently asked by public officers whose line of duty has some element of risk. This is because many had suffered in vain in the past.

The notion that those who suffer injuries or die in the line of duty are not recognised was dispelled Tuesday when Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), rewarded Jamiu Adekoya, an Inspector of Police, with N600,000 for his rare display of courage and dedication to duty.

Adekoya was said to have put his life on the line one night in Lagos, when the anti-robbery squad he was leading, fell under the heavy attack of a robbery gang.

A statement by the Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Mr. James Odaudu, said Adekoya was shot during a gun duel with the armed robbers in Lagos but defied his injury to fight back.

Although two of Adekoya’s colleagues lost their lives in the attack, he managed to survive, after 16 bullets were extracted from his abdomen. Four more bullets are still lodged in some sensitive parts of his body.

The gesture of the minister, it is believed, will further reinforce his commitment to his duty.

But what may have thrilled The minister more is the fact that even when Adekoya had been struck down by the bullets of the robbers, he still had the strength and presence of mind to shoot the fleeing leader of the gang, killing him with the accuracy of a certified marksman.

Before the Police Affairs Ministry came with its reward, a national newspaper had celebrated the courage of Adekoya by conferring on him an award for his selfless commitment to security in Nigeria.

While appreciating the gallantry of the officer, the minister said all the medical expenses for his treatment would be borne by the police authorities.