Tuesday, April 9, 2013

NLC, TUC set for mass protests over unpaid N1bn pensions

Ondo govt broke, says PDP

...declare tomorrow work-free day MESHACK IDEHEN AND MARCUS NIYI Omar

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rganised labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union

Vol. 31 N0. 595 115

Abduction: Ex-Anambra dep gov’s body found

Congress, TUC, and civil society groups have declared tomorrow a work-free day CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

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Mimiko

Tuesday, Tuesday,June April7,9,2011 2013

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Why we killed 12 policemen –Ex-militants IGP launches manhunt OMEIZA AJAYI AND EMMA GBEMUDU

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ontrary to the claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, that it carried out Friday’s killing of 12 policemen in Bayelsa State, fresh facts emerged yesterday that the cops were victims of

infighting among ex-militants.

As the police high command yesterday resolved to fish out the killers of the cops, aggrieved lieutenants of a militant leader in Bayelsa State, Kile Torughedi alias Gen. Young Shall Grow, claimed responsibility for the killings at Azuzama CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Questionable judgements:

CJN threatens to fire judges

Kwara CP killers arrested

‘IRON LADY’, MARGARET THATCHER, DIES AT 87

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Dikki

ALSCON in crisis over UC RUSAL’s N21.5bn debt

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P.5 ICPC complains about delayed justice

Pain of poverty fired my fighting spirit –Oshiomhole

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Olayinka

ACN, Minister, Fayose, others mourn Ekiti deputy gov

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Police arrest parents for selling own babies P.11

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News

PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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aroness Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s greatest post-war prime minister, has died at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke, her family has announced.

Her son, Sir Mark, and daughter Carol confirmed that she died yesterday morning.

Lord Bell, her spokesman, said: “It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning. A further statement will be made later.”

Known as the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher governed Britain from 1979 to 1990.

She will go down in history not only as Britain’s first female prime minister, but as the woman who transformed Britain’s economy in addition to being a formidable rival on the international stage.

Lady Thatcher was the only British prime minister to leave behind a set of ideas about the role of the state which other leaders and nations strove to copy and apply.

Many features of the modern globalised economy - monetarism, privatisation, deregulation, small government, lower taxes and free trade - were all promoted as a result of policies she employed to reverse Britain’s economic decline.

Above all, in America and in Eastern Europe she

Thatcher

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ex-British PM Margaret Thatcher was regarded, alongside her friend Ronald Reagan, as one of the two great architects of the West’s victory in the Cold War. Of modern British prime ministers, only Lady Thatcher’s girlhood hero, Winston Churchill, acquired a higher international reputation.

Lady Thatcher had become increasingly frail in recent years following a series of small strokes in 2001 and 2002.

Her daughter Carol also revealed in 2008 that she had been diagnosed with dementia, which had increasingly affected her memory for the last decade.

Ill-health had prevented her attending an 85th birthday party in Downing Street arranged by David Cameron in October 2010.

It also prevented her attending the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

Lady Thatcher published two volumes of memoirs.

The first, The Downing Street Years (1993), covered her time as Prime Minister, while the second volume, The Path to Power (1995), concerned her early life.

She also published a magisterial volume on international affairs, Statecraft (2002).

She is survived by her two children. Her husband Sir Denis died in 2003.

Meanwhile, the British government said a

ceremonial funeral with military honours, a tribute usually reserved for senior members of the royal family, would be held for Thatcher.

The ceremony is expected to be held at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral next week. In line with her family’s wishes, the occasion will not be a full state funeral, which another former British leader Winston Churchill was given in 1965.

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However, Prime Minister David Cameron’s Downing Street office said the Queen had given consent for a ceremonial funeral, the same status as that held for the late Princess Diana in 1997.

“A wide and diverse range of people and groups with connections to Lady Thatcher will be invited,” Downing Street said in a statement.

“The service will be followed by a private crema-

tion. All the arrangements being put in place are in line with wishes of Lady Thatcher’s family.”

The day before the funeral, Thatcher’s coffin will be moved to Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster, home to Britain’s Houses of Parliament.

The following day, the streets of central London will be cleared of traffic with her coffin taken by hearse to the Church of St

Clement Danes, the Royal Air Force chapel located on the Strand.

There it will placed on a gun carriage and drawn by the King’s Troop Royal Artillery in a procession through London with the route lined by service personnel from Britain’s military.

At St Paul’s it will be met by a guard of honour, with military personnel and veterans lining the steps of the cathedral.

FROM 1925 – 2013

argaret Thatcher was born on October 13, 1925, in Grantham England. She became Britain’s Conservative Party leader in 1979 and was elected prime minister, the first woman to hold the position.

During her three terms, she cut social welfare programs, reduced trade union power and privatized certain industries. She resigned in 1991 due to unpopular policy and power struggles in her party.

The former British Prime Minister was born as Margaret Roberts. She was nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” Thatcher served as the prime minister of England from 1979 to 1990.

The daughter of a local businessman, she was educated at the local grammar school. Her family operated a grocery store and they all lived in an apartment above the store. In her early years, Thatcher was introduced to conservative politics by her father, who was a member of the town’s council.

A good student, Thatcher was accepted to Oxford University, where she studied chemistry at Somerville College. One of her instructors was the Dorothy Hodgkin, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. Politically active, Thatcher served as president of the Conservative Association at the university. She earned a degree in chemistry in 1947, and went to work as a research chemist in Colchester. Later, she worked as a research chemist in Dartford.

Early venture into politics Only two years after graduating college, Thatcher made her first bid for public office. She ran as the conservative candidate for a Dartford parliamentary seat in the 1950 elections. Thatcher knew from the start that it would be

Thatcher

nearly impossible to win the position away from the liberal Labour Party. Still she earned the respect of her political party peers with her speeches. Defeated, Thatcher remained undaunted. She tried again the next year, but once more her efforts were unsuccessful. Two months after her loss, she married Denis Thatcher.

In 1952, Thatcher put politics aside for a time to study law. She and her husband welcomed twins Carol and Mark the next year. After completing her training, Thatcher qualified as a barrister, a type of lawyer, in 1953. But she did not stay away from the political arena for too long.

Thatcher won a seat in the House of Commons in 1959, representing Finchley.

Clearly a woman on the rise, Thatcher was appointed parliamentary under secretary for pensions and national insurance in 1961. When the Labour Party assumed control of the government, she became a member of what is called the Shadow Cabinet, which is a group of political leaders who would hold cabinet level posts if their party was in power.

Britain’s First Female Premier When the Conservatives returned to office in June 1970, Thatcher was appointed secretary of state for education and science, becoming famous as “Thatcher, milk snatcher,” after her abolition of the universal free school milk scheme. She found her position frustrating not because of the all of the bad press around her actions, but because she had difficulty getting Prime Minister Edward Heath to listen to her ideas.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

dies at 87

Cameron ritish Prime Minister David Cameron while reacting to Thatcher’s death said, “Today is a truly sad day for our country. We’ve lost a great Prime Minister, a great leader, a great Briton. As our first woman Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher succeeded against all the odds, and the real thing about Margaret Thatcher is that she didn’t just lead our country, she saved our country. I believe she’ll go down as the greatest British peacetime Prime Minister.

“Today most of all we should think of her family.

We’ve lost somebody great in our public life but they’ve lost a much loved mother and grandmother and we should think of them today.

Her legacy will be the fact that she served her country so well and that she saved our country, and that she showed immense courage in doing so, and people will be learning about what she did and her achievements in decades, probably centuries to come. That’s her legacy, but today we must also think of her family.”

Obama US President Barack Obama also paid tributes to Thatcher. He said “With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend.” He added that she “stands as an example to our daughters that there

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is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered.”

Words of condolence came also from Russia. The last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, described her as “a great politician and an exceptional person” who helped end the Cold War. Karzai Also, the Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai paid tribute to her saying “one of the greatest leaders the world knew.” He says she will be remembered as a “strong leader who had truly served her country, particularly in strengthening the UK’s economy”.

Higgins Irish President Michael D Higgins said the ex-PM’s policies on Northern Ireland “gave rise to considerable debate at the time”.

“However, her key role in signing the Anglo-Irish Agreement will be recalled as a valuable early contribution to the search for peace and political stability,” he said.

Blair Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said she was a “towering political figure”. “Very few leaders get to change not only the political landscape of their country but of the world,” he added.

John McCain US senator tweeted: “RIP Margaret Thatcher, one of the great leaders of the 20th century.”

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has paid tribute to her saying she was “an extraor-

dinary politician who was a staunch defender of freedom, a powerful advocate of NATO and the transatlantic bond”.

He says: “She strongly supported NATO values and principles, believed in a strong defence and played a leading role in ending the Cold War. Throughout her tenure as British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher stood on principle and showed great courage, vision and leadership.”

South Africa’s governing African National Congress says her death signals “the end of a generation of leaders that ruled during a very difficult period characterised by the dynamics of the cold war”.

In a statement, it says: “The ANC was on the receiving end of her policy, in terms of refusing to recognize the ANC as the representatives of South Africans and her failure to isolate apartheid after it had been described as a crime against humanity.”

UK labour leader Ed Miliband in a tweet said “I send my deep condolences to Lady Thatcher’s family, in particular Mark and Carol Thatcher.”

UKIP leader Nigel Farage also said Lady Thatcher was a “great inspiration”. “Whether you loved her or hated her nobody could deny that she was a great patriot, who believed passionately in this country and her people,” he added.

in 1981. On behalf of Nigerians in the UK, I wish that God grants her family the fortitude to bear the loss,’’ Tafida said.

Similarly, Mr Bimbo Roberts, Chairman of the Central Association of Nigerians in UK (CANUK), said Thatcher’s demise was a big loss to the democratic world.

Bimbo while extolling her virtues, said her economic policies for the UK encouraged private sector involvement ``and this brought a boost to the economy of the UK, it also earned her the name `Iron Lady’ which is synonymous to hard work and commitment.’’

Roberts also said that Thatcher motivated women to work hard ``and this is evident even in the way Nigerian women in the UK are seen in their places of work’’.

Thatcher who died of stroke at 87 retired from public life in 2002.

Meanwhile British Prime Minister David Cameron has cut short his trip

to Spain after the announcement of Thatcher’s death.

Reacting to the news, Cameron said ``She was a great Prime Minister, a great leader, a great Briton who succeeded against all odds. ``She didn’t just lead our country, she served our country, and I believe she will go down as the greatest British peacetime Prime Minister.’’

In the same vein, U.S. President Barrack Obama said ``America will never forget her standing shoulder to shoulder with President Ronald Reagan, and that she had with moral conviction helped to shape history’’. ``The world has lost one of the greatest champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the mood in London a few hours after the news broke out, seemed normal as quite a number of people were unaware of Thatcher’s death.

...Nigerians in UK mourn

She was one of the greatest world leaders, says Jonathan Jonathan said he believed that having already attained a legendary status in her lifetime after positively transforming Britain forever in her eleven and half years as Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher will, with her passage today formally take her place in history as one the greatest world leaders of our time.

The President noted that Thatcher would be eternally honoured for serving her country with immense passion and strong-willed determination as well as for the great transformation that resulted from her economic and social policies which laid the solid basis for the remarkable eco-

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Reactions from World leaders

Thatcher with British Prime Minister David Cameron

resident Goodluck Jonathan has expressed condolence to the government and people of Great Britain over the death of former Prime Minister, Margret Thatcher.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said he joined the Thatcher family, citizens of Great Britain, members of the Commonwealth and all those in far-flung corners of the world whose lives were positively touched by her dynamic and forward-looking policies in mourning the passage of the celebrated first female British Prime Minister.

News

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

nomic growth that was witnessed in Britain under the Conservative Government that she led.

According to him, Thatcher would always be remembered by the world for her very unique, distinctive and purposeful leadership which restored pride and respect to her country and made a resurgent Great Britain a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

He assured Prime Minister David Cameron and the people of Britain that the government and people of Nigeria share their sadness and deep sense of loss at the passage of Lady Thatcher and joined them in praying for the peaceful repose of her great soul.

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igerians in the UK yesterday described the death of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, as ``a loss to the democratic world’’.

Thatcher who was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, and leader of the British Conservative party died on Monday in London after suffering stroke, her family said.

Speaking on the development, Dr Dalhatu Tafida, Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, said Thatcher’s death was a big loss and that she would be remembered for her economic policies, and reforms in the trade unions. ``She was called the `Iron Lady’ not only because she operated like a man, but because of the reforms she introduced that brought rapid growth to the economy of the UK’’, `` Thatcher also did very well for Africa, and was quite passionate about Nigeria during President Shehu Shagari’s visit to London

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PhotoNews

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

4TH ANNUAL GMD MANAGERS’ CONFERENCE, DUBAI 2013

L-R: Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, National Mirror newspapers, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Group Managing Director, Energy Group, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim(OFR); Resident Director, Academics, Premier University, Sao Tome and Principe Dr. Ossie Esiemokai and Managing Director, Nicon Insurance, Mr. Emmanuel Jegede.

Chief Executive Officer, Sloane Communications, Mr. Sesan Ayeni (left) and Editor, Sunday Mirror and Chairman of the conference, Mr. Bolaji Tunji.

L-R: Business Development Manager, Global Fleet Industries, Kingsley Obakpolor; Head of Department, Audit, National Mirror newspapers, Mr. Ademola Ishola and Head Finance Control and Corporate Planning, Energy Bank, Mr. Michael Osikoya.

L-R: Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Nigeria Re-Insurance, Mrs. Elizabeth Esiemokhai; Regional General Manager, Nicon Insurance, Nkiru Nzegwu; Executive Director, Energy Bank, Ghana, Ophelia Attobrah and General Counsel of Newswatch, Ibilola Adefope.

L-R: Executive Editor, Special Publications/Marketing, Tribune newspapers, Mr. Sunday Olajide; Ekwere Blessing of Global Fleet and Managing Director, Nicon Luxury, Abuja, Mr. Gabriel Olagbemi.

Representative of the Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Abuja, Alhaji Baba Muhammed (left) and Executive Director, Technical, Nicon Insurance, Mr. Samuel Bayode.

L-R: Country Manager, Worldwide Fleet Consultancy, Dubai, Pastor Tolu Olubanwo; Finance and Accounts Manager, Aminat Baruwa and Customer Relations Manager, Abimbola Fadayomi.

Dr. Ibrahim (3rd left), flanked by participants.

L-R: Head, Admin and Human Resources, National Mirror newspaper, Mrs. Biodun Adewunmi; Managing Director, Nigeria Re-Insurance, Lady Chioma Chukwuma and Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mrs. Esther Ajayi.

L-R: General Manager, Nicon Hotel, Mr. Sunday Olukayode; Administrative Manager of Global Fleet Industries, Mr. Charles Ojo; Newswatch magazine’s Business Development Manager, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Adesina Taiwo, and Online Editor, National Mirror newspapers, Mr. Segun Fatuase.

PHOTOS: OLUFEMI AJASA

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

CJN threatens to fire judges

ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

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hief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, yesterday, declared that the days of judges writing questionable judgements are numbered on the bench, saying the National Judicial Council, NJC, will begin to wield its big stick against judges caught in such misconduct.

Mukhtar gave the warning in Abuja, while declaring open a refresher course on judgement writing and delivery organised by the National Judicial Institute, NJI, for judicial officers nationwide.

The CJN, identified delivery of questionable judgements by some judges as one of the major reasons why public confidence in the nation’s judiciary is waning.

The CJN, who applauded the NJI on the choice of the course theme, however appealed to judges to henceforth ensure that their judgements are not only fair but also clear and unambiguous.

Her words: “The theme of this course to wit: Towards a culture of better judgement writing and judgement delivery is both timely and of immense relevance. The theme is apt in that it goes to the very fabric of the work

of a judge. The work of a judge is simply put adjudication, which is adequately encapsulated in judgement writing and delivery. Judgements should be written in a manner and language not just with counsel in the matter alone in mind.

“A judge should write judgement in a simple and unambiguous manner such that it leaves no one in doubt as to what the judgement has addressed.

A judgement should meet the justice of the matter or controversies between the contending parties. It is certainly not good for a judgement to be capable of more than one interpretation otherwise the judge

would have caused more problem than the reason for his being called upon to intervene in the first place.

“I concede that as judges, we are accorded some semblance of discretion particularly in criminal cases. I must however hasten to add that the exercise of any discretion in adjudication must be judicially, judiciously and reasonably exercised. A judge must certainly not put himself in a position where the exercise of his discretion is deemed to be unreasonable in the estimation and assessment of a reasonable member of the society.

“Of course, a public

L-R: Anambra State Governor Peter Obi; newly elected Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Chief Maxi Okwu and Deputy Leader, Dr. Tim Menakaya at the Women Development Centre in Awka, yesterday.

uproar or placard carrying scenario against the judgments of a court of record is not to the credit of the judiciary as an arm of government. I have heard the aphorism a couple of times that in the court, ‘the rich get bail while the poor get jailed.’ To what extent have we as judges turned justice as within the reach of the highest bidder?

“Where therefore a judge is found to be complicity in the writing and delivery of a judgement, the NJC as constitutional regulatory body will not hesitate to wield the big stick. But beyond the intervention of the NJC, I urge you all to remember at all times that you are representatives of God in your courts, that as you sit in judgement over others, you are also standing judgement and that one day, we shall all stand before God to be judged,” she added.

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, who also graced the event, however complained that his commission has a long list of corruption cases suffering undue delay before various courts.

Nta, who commended the nation’s judiciary of doing well in the discharge of its functions within the limits of available infrastructure and working

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tools, however said that the judiciary would need to quickly evolve a workable strategy to tackle the menace of delayed justice in the country.

“My Lords, we believe that the trial of corruption cases needs to be readdressed very urgently because undue delay demoralises anti-graft agencies, encourages impunity in the polity especially by persons with chronic corruption tendencies and erodes public confidence. It also opens the court to public criticisms,” he said.

Nta said he was aware as a legal practitioner that much of the delays in criminal trials are caused by external factors other than judges.

He, however, said there was need for reappraisal of their practice and procedure in the handling of cases pending before them to improve the image of the judiciary.

The NJI Administrator, Justice Umaru Eri, himself reminded the judges of the confidence the society repose in them about the discharge of their sacred duties, saying “the judgement we write and deliver deals with the tension between the desire for people to take justice into their hands, exact revenge in self-help as opposed to the processes of the law, which in my opinion is determined by fair trial and fair judgement.”

Why we killed 12 policemen –Ex-militants CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Town in Southern Ijaw area of the state citing non-payment and illegal deduction of their allowances.

In a statement, the group, led by Gen. Adaka Boro Jnr, yesterday said that the killing of the policemen was an outcome of a gun battle between their foot soldiers and the security men.

Boro said that the incident was a clear warning to their leader, Kile Torughedi alias Gen. Young Shall Grow.

“What happened yesterday was warning to Young Shall Grow. He is deducting our salaries and we have been sidelined in NNPC, Bajero security jobs. He has been given N80m to buy cars for his commanders, but he embezzled the money.

“We want the federal and state governments and other stakeholders to come to our aid. If they refuse, we will blow up the flow stations in the region. It is an armed struggle. We have just started. The Federal Government should tell him to empower his boys.

I am not afraid,” the statement reads.

The slain policemen were on their way to the funeral ceremony of Torughedi’s mother as security back up when they were attacked after the boat conveying them developed fault.

National Mirror learnt that Torughedi was alleged to have fallen out with his lieutenants owing to his failure to pay the arrears of stipends owed them.

It was learnt that the exmilitants may have taken

away the corpses and rifles of the dead policemen to an unknown destination, even though local divers have been engaged to comb the rivers and creeks in the locality for their bodies.

Already, the three policemen and the boat driver who escaped the attack are in custody as investigation continues.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, told our correspondent yesterday in an interview that the Police was yet to recover any corpse and no arrest had been made.

Meanwhile, palpable fear has gripped ex-militant leaders in Bayelsa State.

Investigation by National Mirror in Yenagoa revealed that security has been beefed up around the

private residences of leading ex-militant leaders such as Eris Paul, alias Gen. Ogunboss, Victor Ben alias BoyLoaf, Pastor Reuben Wilson and others.

A former militant leader in the state, Wilson in an interview with our correspondent confirmed the development, as he condemned the killing.

Wilson described the killing as a dastardly act, saying that it could happen to any ex-militant leader in the state, owing to their involvement in the monthly deductions of allowances of their followers.

He said: “The media should dismiss the claim of responsibility for the killing by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND. Our lives are in danger when visiting our

areas. Anything can still happen to another leader.

But I don’t think I have any problem with my boys.

“We that are freedom fighters in Bayelsa State are saddened that such incident happened in the state. We want to state that the purported MEND claim is false.

MEND is not involved and the Amnesty Office is not involved. This is pure misunderstanding between a leader and his boys. The killing is an attempt to rubbish the amnesty programme of the Federal Government.

“When we accepted amnesty, the Federal Government made lots of promises to the leaders. Because of the failures on the part of the Federal Government, the leaders were deducting the allowances of the boys.

But if the Federal Govern-

ment reached out and treat the leaders with respect and fulfil the promises, I don’t think any leader will make such illegal deductions.

“For the leaders, I want them to reach out to their boys. Most of the leaders should talk to their boys and let them know what is happening. At times, the leaders provoke these boys into violence by abandoning them. They should interact and have regular meetings with these boys because they know their capabilities and strength in the handling of weapons.”

Incensed by the killing, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar yesterday summoned an emergency meeting of the Police Management Team, consisting of himself and CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

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News

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NLC, TUC set for mass protests over unpaid N1bn pensions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

for the mass protests in Lagos and Abuja to draw the attention of government towards the plight of pensioners, whose pension arrears estimated at over N1bn by the government.

Speaking with National Mirror in Lagos yesterday, President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, said labour and civil society groups will come together

to stage the protests.

Omar said the Joint Action Front, JAF, has also endorsed the decision of the NLC to declare April 10 a work-free day and to stage mass protest in Lagos and Abuja in solidarity with the pensioners.

He said the mass protest was targeted against corruption and impunity in government across states and federal levels, explaining that it was decided that

the Lagos and Abuja mass protests hold under the joint umbrella of Labour and Civil Society Coalition, LASCO. Urging Nigerians across the country to participate actively in the rallies and protest marches to support the demand for a review of the pension fund in order to ensure living pensions and its prompt payment to senior citizens, Omar said pensioners who are not

physically fit to start the procession from union’s secretariat at Yaba, Lagos should assemble at the Nigeria Civil Service Union’s secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja from where they would proceed to join the mass movement on arrival at the Lagos State Secretariat.

Joint Secretary of LASCO, Mr. Abiola Aremu, said the protest would take off by 8 a.m. from the NLC Sec-

L-R: Group Executive Director, Finance and Risk, EcoBank Transnational Incorporated, Laurence do REGO; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Thierry Tanoh and Executive Director, Business Development, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, at the ETI presentation of Facts Behind the Figures to The Nigerian Stock Exchange community yesterday.

Why we killed 12 policemen –Ex-militants CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

the Deputy Inspectors General of Police, DIGs, resolving to fish out the killers of the policemen.

Abubakar has consequently declared a massive manhunt for the perpetrators of the crime, assuring Nigerians that he would restore the country to the path of normalcy.

He said the force would not be stampeded into abdicating its responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians.

Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who spoke on behalf of the IGP in Abuja, said the police have resolved that the least it would do in memory of the slain officers is to immediately apprehend their killers.

“As police officers, we have resolved that the best post-humous honour we can give to these fallen heroes is to find their killers and find them as soon as possible,” he said.

According to him, the killing is in line with recent trend when policemen become targets of criminals.

He said: “Worried by the rising cases of premeditated attacks on police officers

and what appears to be an increasing murderous targeting of police officers, the Inspector General of Police and his Management Team rising from an emergency meeting today (Monday), have devised a new standard operational procedure containing new strategies and methodologies aimed and designed at reducing the vulnerability of police officers while on tactical assignment and also designed at reducing the sufferings of police officers while on national assignment.”

Despite pockets of outrage among Nigerians as to the propriety of assigning 12 policemen to escort an ex-militant leader to the burial of his mother, the IGP said the slain officers were on a legitimate assignment at the time they were murdered. He described the incident as sad, unfortunate and unprovoked, vowing to round up the killers within a short time.

On the recent murder of Kwara State Police Commissioner, Chinweike Asadu in Enugu State, the IGP said the force has made tremendous progress on the incident but would rather

maintain sealed lips in order to safeguard the fidelity of the investigation.

Although he did not emphatically state that the police has arrested the killers of Mr Asadu, he imputed it when he said that the police was guarding the investigation process so as not to allow other suspects in the case to escape.

“It might interest you to know that the Nigeria Police has made a tremendous progress in the investigation into the unfortunate death of late CP Chinweike Asadu.

“We are deliberately keeping the investigation under wraps for fear of allowing investigation processes to be hijacked and possibly polluted.

“We are trying to make sure that we do not jeopardise what we are doing; we are trying to make sure that we do not open up our processes; we are trying to make sure that others who are still at large do not get unnecessary clues that will allow them cover their tracks”, he said.

The IGP, who admitted that Nigeria was passing through a most difficult

phase in terms of security challenges,said although the times are tough, the race against crime remained high.

“I must quickly admit that Nigeria is passing through one of its most challenging moment particularly in the area of security. The times are tough.

The race against crime is high and the challenges of crime, enormous. But in the midst of all these, I want to bring to Nigerians the message of hope.

These challenges are not insurmountable and they are things that we can, and must cross over.

“Backed by the will of the Federal Government, the state governments, the local governments and the greater will of the people, the Nigeria Police in partnership with Nigerians and other security agencies will soon restore the security situation in this country to normalcy,” he added.

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has promised to collaborate with security agencies in the state to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the ex-militants that killed the policemen.

retariat, Yaba, after which the procession would move through Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Ikeja roundabout and terminate at Lagos State Secretariat.

According to Aremu, the NLC’s Central Working Committee, CWC, comprising presidents and general secretaries of the affiliate unions of the congress have condemned the growing level of corruption in the country and the crisis in the pension industry, adding also that all efforts to get the attention of government including two letters sent to the Presidency for intervention over the hardships faced by the nation’s senior citizens were ignored.

He said the CWC has expressed concern that despite the unprecedented scam in the pension regime and the raging war of words between the executive and the National Assembly, pensioners remained the main victims with a large number of them not being paid their entitlements.

“The congress had written at least two letters to the Presidency calling for its intervention in the pension crisis. Coupled with the correspondences, the leadership of congress had reached out through other channels to the Federal Government.

The congress leadership had also made public pronouncements on the avoidable, but painful pension crisis.

“The Presidency neither acknowledged the letters nor responded to the issues the leadership of the congress publicly raised on the plight of pensioners. Convinced that the congress had exploited all the lawful channels of communication to the government to no avail, congress is certain that nobody wants to listen to the plight of pensioners,” he said.

Aremu said labour and civil society groups are worried that the continued silence of the government means more hardship for its members in the fold of the National Union of Pensioners, NUP, and that labour is determined to ensure justice for its members who are owed billions of pension arrears.

“The CWC resolved that on April 10, 2013, all NLC affiliate unions and state councils across the length and breadth of the country will mobilise workers on a protest march to the Presidency and state govern-

ment houses,” he added.

Speaking on the planned action, the President General of the TUC, Mr. Peter Esele, in a statement made available to National Mirror last night, said the congress was unhappy with a situation where the destinies of “our fathers and mothers who served the country with their blood are being toyed with,” and that if the congress fails to fight for change now, today’s workers may be treated the same way when they retire.

“How do we explain it that every now and then they invite these old people for verification and in the end nothing comes of it after all? Some die on the verification ground without receiving their money, subjecting their wards to avoidable pains,” he said.

Esele reiterated that this injustice must stop if the country must move forward, pointing out that in the African tradition the younger ones have so much respect for elders, but that it is unfortunate the reverse is now the case to the extent that money meant for elders is now being stolen by the youths.

The labour chief stated that any nation that abandons its elders will not succeed, while lamenting that the administration of pension funds has been enmeshed in unprecedented corruption with some public officers, institutions of government and banks taking undue advantage of the pensioners to enrich themselves.

“More painful to the congress is the way and manner government, in spite of the cries and agony of the victims and the criticism of concerned citizens, has kept mute over the matter and shown no concern or care since the agitation of the pensioners began,” Esele added.

Meanwhile, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, has vowed to join the rally.

The group made known their decision yesterday in Abuja at a briefing to mark its 2nd Medical and Health Workers’ Week.

MHWUN’s Chairman, Ayuba Wabba, said as part of activities to mark the Week, MHWUN free medical services would be offered children in all senatorial districts across Nigeria.

This, he said, would take the form of de-worming and health education on personal hygiene.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Abduction: Ex-Anambra deputy gov’s body recovered in Delta SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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here was tension in Delta State yesterday several hours after the discovery of a corpse suspected to be that of the former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chudi Nwike.

Police sources told our correspondent that the remains of Nwike, who was abducted on March 19 in Anambra State, and two others were recovered in the early hours of Sunday, in Alizomor community, near Agbor, the headquarters of Ika South Local Government Area.

The three corpses were recovered in the bush in Ika community at 6:40am. A note and the politician’s phone were dropped on his corpse.

Nwike served in the Chukwuemeka Ezeife administration between 1992 and 1993.

His fate further worsened

•Inspector-General orders autopsy the security situation in Delta State.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was said to be traumatised by the incident. It was learnt that the governor was disturbed by the un-abating security breach in the state, which has truncated his peace and security agenda.

Uduaghan, who was briefed of Nwike’s fate by the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Adaba, immediately intimated his Anambra State counterpart, Mr. Peter Obi, about the tragic development.

Sources added that Adaba had sent a report on the incident to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.

It was gathered that the IG had ordered medical enquiry to confirm the identities of

the corpses, especially that of the former deputy governor.

Anambra State Government and security agencies had made futile attempts to ascertain the whereabouts and ensure release of the former deputy. His corpse was recovered 19 days after he was abducted by gunmen.

Police sources told National Mirror last night that the former governor’s abductors left a note on his corpse that he was killed in company of two others because his family refused to pay a N30-million ransom.

The corpses were recovered following a tip-off by the people of Alizomor community.

One of the police sources said: “On April 7, about 0640 hrs, a team of police from Agbor Division, act-

ing on a tip-off from a vigilance group, discovered three lifeless bodies at Alizomor, Agbor, suspected to have been killed by kidnappers.

“A written note was placed on their bodies by the kidnappers claiming that they were killed for refusing to cooperate to pay N30 million ransom demanded from them.

“However, investigation has confirmed one of the bodies to be that of the former deputy governor as his handset was recovered from the scene.

“Meanwhile, the bodies have been deposited at Central Hospital, Agbor, for autopsy.”

Adaba, who confirmed the recovery of three corpses, said it was too early to speculate that one of the corpses was that of the former deputy governor.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu (left) and Chairman, National Population Commission, Chief Festus Odimegwu, at the opening of the commission’s workshop in Minna, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Tambuwal cautions on pardon for individuals in corruption related cases

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday cautioned “state actors” not to misapply the law in granting pardons to persons involved in corruption and security related cases.

Tambuwal gave the advice at the opening of a two-day national conference on corruption and national security in Nigeria organised by the Institute for Anti-Corruption Studies, University of Abuja.

He said that for the nation to succeed in the fight against corruption state actors must have a better understanding of the law.

Tambuwal said: “A situation whereby you misapply the law even to grant

pardon or whatever it is, we need to really look at that because if you don’t understand the law you may tend to misapply the law. So there is the need for us at the high places to increase our capacity of understanding our legal system and the laws that relate to issues of security and fight against corruption for us to apply them in the best interest of the citizenry.”

The speaker, who described corruption and insecurity as key challenges facing the nation, regretted that government agencies working in these sectors had faced serious budget cuts in recent years.

“There is the need for

the government to properly fund the security agencies for them to have proper training to face the challenges of insecurity especially terrorism, which is a new phenomenon around here.

“There is also the need for our anti-corruption agencies not only to be independent in paper but also to have adequate funding and the requisite financial muscle to face the uphill task in the fight against corruption,” he added.

He challenged the conference, largely made up personalities from the academia and the civil society, to study the funding pattern of the anti-corruption agencies over the years.

He said anti-corruption agencies in the country were “seriously underfunded” when compared with their peers from other countries.

The Speaker said that attempts by the National Assembly to address the anomaly in the budget had often been misconstrued by some sections of the public as “padding of the budget and meddlesome.”

The Speaker also called for a critical overhaul of the legal and justice system in the country to boost the fight against corruption and insecurity.

He said the National Assembly would not hesitate to review and enact laws that would aid the fight against corruption.

7

NGE, CNPP condemn arrest of four journalists EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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he Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, yesterday condemned the detention of four journalists working with the Leadership newspapers by the police.

The journalists, Mrs. Chinyere Fred-Adegbulugbe, Mr. Tony Amokeodo, Mr. Chibuzor Ukaibe and Mr. Chuks Ohuegbe were allegedly being held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, after honouring an invitation over a story published by the newspaper last titled: “Outrage trails presidential directive on Tinubu, APC.” NGE, in a statement by its President, Mr. Femi Adesina expressed concern over the arrest of the journalists.

“The presidency had faulted the report, in which the newspaper claimed (accompanied by the alleged bromide of an official document) that there was an official directive to deal with certain political figures in the country, who were opposed in one way or the other to the government of the day.

“Leadership newspaper, however responded to the rebuttal, saying it stood by its story.

“When such a development occurs, as it will inevitably happen in a vibrant and virile polity like ours, we expect the security agencies to scrupulously investigates the issues at stake, while being mindful of the fact that we run a democracy, with freedom of the press enshrined in our Constitution.

“No government that lays claim to democratic credentials can afford to be at logger-

heads with the press, which is a worthy ally in any robust democracy, as we seek to become,” NGE said.

The Guild noted that the organisation and its staff can be investigated for any offence without detaining the journalists.

“We therefore, demand that the journalists be released, as they will in no way stand in the path of dutiful investigation by security agencies,” the Guild said.

CNPP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Osita Okechukwu, said the action of the police sign posted “the return of the Dark Ages.”

It expressed worry that the police chose to detain the journalists, in spite of the fact that the 1999 constitution guarantees freedom of the press.

The newspaper had in a statement by its Group Managing Director, Azubuike Ishiekwene alerted the public on the detention of the journalists by the police.

According to the statement, Mrs. Fred-Adebulugbe, the company’s Director of Human Capital who led the group, said that after they had given written statements to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Peter Gana who interviewed them, they were abruptly told they would not be allowed to leave unless they disclosed their source.

“We told them that it would be unethical to disclose our source and asked them to charge us to court, if they wanted,” she said.

“They said they wanted to have the document. We said the bromide had been published and wondered why they were making such a fuss, since they said the document was a work of fiction.”

LAUTECH students on rampage over colleague’s death MOJEED ALABI

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iolent protest again erupted yesterday at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, over a ghastly motor accident involving four of the institution’s students.

A 200 level student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Folakemi Fadugba, died in the accident.

Fadugba was said to have gone to the school for an impromptu practical test but

was denied entry into the lab because she was not putting on her lab coat.

While rushing home on a motorcycle to pick the coat, she was knocked down by a van belonging to a bread bakery.

Three other students were also said to have been involved in the accident and were rushed to the General Hospital, Ogbomosho, where Fadugba was confirmed dead.

This sparked a violent protest by the students who mobilised to the scene of the accident.

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mass burial for Benin-Ore Expressway auto crash victims SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

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he management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, yesterday said it is planning a mass burial for the

victims of Friday’s auto crash on Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway, which killed scores of travellers.

According to UBTH news bulletin that was signed on behalf of the Chief Medical Direc-

tor by the Senior Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Kehinde Ibitoye, a mass burial will be carried out for the victims within the next 24 hours if their corpses were not claimed.

The bulletin stated;

“The management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital wishes to inform the general public that the victims of the accident involving a luxury bus, fuel tanker and a trailer belonging to Dangote Group that oc-

curred around Ugbogui in Edo State on Friday, April 5, 2013 would be given mass burial within the next 24 hours.

“While sympathising with the relatives of the victims, the management is left with no other options because the bodies are badly burnt and beyond recognition. It is not in the best interest of the hospital and its immediate environs to continue to keep such bodies.”

Scores of people died last Friday in an auto crash that occurred on the Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway at about 1.30 pm, involving a Dangote Group of Companies’ truck that was carrying cement, a fuel-laden tanker and a fully loaded

Young Shall Grow luxury bus believed to have about 60 passengers on board.

While it was learnt that only three passengers were rescued from the luxury bus alive with severe burns, it was gathered that the trailer that was heading towards Benin suffered a burst tyre before ramming into the petrol tanker, which instantly fell on the luxurious bus, with all the vehicles bursting into flames in the process.

The destructive impact of the accident has made the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to decide that it will henceforth sue corporate bodies whose heavy duty vehicles cause accidents on federal highways.

11 injured in Anambra-Kogi oil well clash CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

Demolition work under Eko Bridge in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Soldier, two kidnappers die in gun battle

•As JTF arrests 11 suspects SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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soldier attached to the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta and two suspected kidnappers were yesterday killed in a gun battle between the JTF and suspected kidnappers in Okpara Inland in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Checks by our correspondent revealed that the JTF had stormed a suspected hideout of the hoodlums

in the Urhobo community, following a tip-off that they were holding a clandestine meeting in the area.

It was learnt that the troops had invaded the scene, hoping that a wanted militant kingpin in the state, popularly known as Kelvin was presiding over the forum.

Although Kelvin was not at the meeting, reports indicated that his lieutenants, who got wind of the JTF mission, instantly engaged them

in a shoot-out.

Consequently, one of the soldiers and two of the hoodlums lost their lives at the end of the gun battle.

But the JTF recorded another feat as it arrested 11 of the criminals. They were being interrogated at the Delta Sector Command of the JTF located at 3rd Battalion, David Ejooh Barracks, Effurun, the headquarters of Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, as at the time of filing this report yesterday.

National Mirror gathered that concerted efforts of the

state government and the security agencies to apprehend Kelvin, said to be the brain behind high profile cases of kidnapping and killings in the state, were futile.

The efforts had resulted in frequent raid of Kokori community, Ethiope East Local Government Area, where the kingpin hails from. His father, whom the police attempted to arrest in proxy, ran to the court, which eventually granted an interim order restraining the police, for cover.

Again, Army, Navy discover illegal refineries in Anambra

NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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team of Nigerian Army and Navy personnel at the weekend discovered over 23 illegal oil bunkering sites with illicit refineries in the riverine areas of Ogbakuba community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State with equipment worth over N500 million.

This discovery was the second barely three weeks after the army intercepted about 453 drums of such illicit products worth N17 million, loaded in two vessels at the Niger Bridge-head, Onit-

sha and handed them over to men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC. Conducting journalists round the sites yesterday, shortly after leading the combined team of army and navy personnel to various sites at Ogbakuba, the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Major-General Adebayo Olaniyi, expressed surprise at the level of economic sabotage that have been going on in the area.

Flanked by the Commander of the 302 Artillery Regiment, Military Cantonment, Onitsha, Col. T. A. Gagariga and the Commanding Offi-

cer of the 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, Lt. Col. Bayode Adetoro, Olaniyi said the current spate of illegal oil bunkering business in various parts of the country

have continued to sabotage the economy of Nigeria and vowed that the army and other security agencies must intensify efforts to address the ugly incident.

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t least 11 people sustained gunshot wounds yesterday in renewed fighting over the oil well situated between Aguleri-Otu community in Anambra State and its neighbours in Echonwa/Ideke community in Kogi State.

Sources in Aguleri-Otu told journalists that combatants from both sides suffered serious injuries and that three persons were hospitalised in an undisclosed hospital.

The sources disclosed that many of the wounded ones were taken to native doctors for treatment.

Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor on Security, George Molokwu, who spoke on the latest crisis, said that he was surprised that Kogi people are still causing trouble despite the call for peace by the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi. Speaking to journalists,

Aero sacks director over strike OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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ndications emerged yesterday that the Director of Human Resources, Aero Airlines, Mrs. Temitope Fagbemi, may have been sacked by the management of the airline over the industrial action embarked by the workers, which paralysed activities in the airline for 18 days.

National Mirror gathered yesterday that Fagbemi’s sack was based on the insistence of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, who said that for the dispute to be settled, she must leave the airline.

AMCON presently controls 60 per cent stake in the airline, due to debts of the airline, which runs into billions of naira.

During the strike, aviation unions had called for the sack of Fagbemi whom they alleged came up with various unfriendly conditions of service against the workers.

However, our correspondent gathered that Fagbemi was still pleading with AMCON to reverse its stands, which we learnt was not accepted by the assets’ managers.

Molokwu said: “They have been urged to lay down their arms and I am surprised they have started again to create tension. But I am joining Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and Captain Idris Wada of Kogi State to appeal to the communities to lay down their arms in the interest of peace and unity, because without peace and unity the communities would not develop.”

Molokwu who regretted that the hostilities were deterring development of oil and gas in that zone, said there is the need for everybody to give peace a chance.

The Local Government Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Comrade Chiedu Obidigwe, speaking to journalists on the incident said three people were hospitalised while eight others were injured.

“The Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State has obviously disobeyed the order of the two wise governors over the communal clash.

The governors had advised the two communities to maintain peace and order and stop going after each other as they did yesterday until the National Boundary Commission, NBC, comes out with a stand on the issue,” the council chairman stressed.

He warned politicians from Kogi State to stop misleading their people and laying claim to what they know nothing about.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ondo is broke, says PDP •It’s attention-seeking propaganda –Govt

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of mismanaging the finances of Ondo State in the last four years.

The party said the recent screening of workers by the Labour Party administration might not be unconnected with the inability of the government to pay workers’ salaries.

The state PDP Director

South West

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, said in a statement that the government had been experiencing difficulties in fulfilling its obligation to the workers.

He said: “For the first time in modern history of the state, workers are being owed salaries. Specifically, primary school teachers are being owed salaries for over two months, while all the workers are currently being owed their March salaries.

“This development is indeed the cumulative effect of years of financial reck-

lessness that has characterised the lifespan of the Mimiko administration.”

But reacting to the PDP allegation, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Rotimi Adelola, said it was an attentionseeking propaganda from the opposition.

Adelola said the government owed no worker any salary, adding that the allegation was only designed to distract the attention of the Mimiko administration.

The SSG challenged the PDP to produce any

worker being owed salary as it alleged, saying the party was only being hunted by the reality of its imminent obscurity as a result of its woeful performance at the recently held gubernatorial election and its envisaged loss at the election tribunal.

Adelola described the party’s action as wicked and a deliberate act to misinform the public about the good tidings in the Sunshine State.

He said: “The opposition party is mere suffering from ignorance in rudiments of governance. They are just blabbing to keep themselves busy and give the people the impression that they still exist.”

Lagos won’t take over burnt Alade Market –LASEMA MURITALA AYINLA

LUTH doctors, nurses over-taxed –ARD TOBORE OVUORIE

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octors and nurses working with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, are currently reeling from many taxes imposed on them.

The General Secretary of the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, LUTH, Dr. Bankole Adebambo, who disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent, also denied report that doctors and nurses were on strike.

But Adebambo called on the Lagos State Government to wade into the matter.

He said: “We are heavily taxed and are not comfortable with the tax issue especially the new amended tax law 2011. But the tax law is already being practiced in Lagos State and other very few states in the country. We are not complaining about paying tax, we are law- and tax-

abiding citizens of the state and country; I have been paying my tax ever since I started working.

“The issue that people or doctors don’t want to pay tax does not arise; we want to pay tax. Prior to the amendment and carrying out of the tax law, we have been paying our tax and now we are still paying but what we want to do is appeal to the Lagos State governor that there is a way that they can handle this.

“The thing is before this new law; we have been paying tax on only taxable incomes and not on our call duty allowances. Before this law, some allowances such as call duty allowances were not taxable, and call duty allowance forms the bulk of the incomes of doctors and was not being taxed before but now with this new tax regime, that call duty is now being taxed. It means that the large chunk of doctors’ money is going to be taxed.

Braithwaite’s suit: Court orders bank to comply with rules

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agos State Government yesterday said it had no plans to close and take over Alade Market at Allen Junction, Ikeja, which was gutted by fire on Sunday night.

It, however, promised to investigate the cause of the inferno and evaluate losses to forestall future occurrence.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this yesterday when he visited the market.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the government would not shut down the market, but would ensure the safety of lives and property of the traders.

He said: “We are here to bring sanity. Government is not interested in closing your market; we are only here to evaluate the extent of the damage. Tell the traders to cooperate with us in the enumeration of the victims.”

Earlier, leader of the market, Mrs. Elizabeth Adenuga, appealed to the government to rehabilitate the damaged portion on time to allow the traders return to the market.

She said: “Many of the traders here are widows who rely on the daily opening of their market. Majority of them are bread winners in their families, government should please consider rehabilitation.”

9

WALE IGBINTADE

J L-R: General Superintendent, Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Folorunso Kumuyi; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; founder, Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo; and Chief Missioner, NASFAT, Alhaji Akinbode Abdullahi, during the clerics’ visit to the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday.

Controversy won’t stop Ijebu-Ode road construction –Amosun

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gun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said the controversy over the construction of roads in Ijebu-Ode metropolis would not stop his administration’s massive expansion plan for the road.

Amosun, who gave the assurance while inspecting the road project, said his administration was committed to executing the project in line with its promise to provide quality and durable roads throughout the state.

The governor said the Ijebu-Ode road deserved more than the asphalting which the Federal Government hurriedly carried out after his government paid N2 billion to contractors for a more elaborate expan-

sion.

He said: “Ijebu-Ode people deserve more than mere asphalting of their roads.

They need something better than this. This is the area where the Awolowos, Soyinkas, Onabanjos and other founding fathers of the state come from. As you are aware, our own road is known as ‘Ogun standard road’, and that is what we are committed to doing here in Ijebu-Ode.” Decrying the development, Amosun said contract for the asphalt surfacing of the road was awarded by the Federal Government in 2010 but no action was taken until his government decided to intervene to address the dilapidated state of the road in the interest of the people.

ustice Doris Okuwobi of a Lagos High Court yesterday ordered Standard Chartered Bank to comply with the rules of court before its application could be heard.

Braithwaite is demanding N10 billion from the bank as general damages for nuisance alleg-

Nigeria’s economy, a reflection of leaders’ education –Fashola MURITALA AYINLA

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agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday said the performance of the country’s economy was determined by the quality of education those managing it received.

Saying that there was a direct relationship between universities and leadership, Fashola noted that Nigerian leaders were as good as the education they received.

He faulted what he termed ‘a disconnect between universities’ curricular and the country’s needs,’ attributing the situation to the not-tooimpressive performance of the economy.

Speaking when he received top management staff of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, led by the Vice-

Chancellor, Prof. Rahman Bello, at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, Fashola advised universities to start offering courses tailored to the country’s developmental needs.

He added that it would adequately address the problem and reverse the situation.

Earlier, Bello thanked the governor for transforming facilities in the institution during the last National Sports Festival hosted by the state.

He commended Fashola’s role following the demise of the immediate past VC, Prof Adetokunbo Sofoluwe.

The VC appealed to the governor to expedite work on the ongoing rehabilitation of the canal in the university to prevent gully erosion in the area.

edly caused due to the noise and pollution of the bank’s giant electric generating sets, which led to his great discomfort over the period of 10 years.

Yesterday, the bank wanted to move its response to the amended claims filed by the claimant but Okuwobi insisted that it must first follow the rules of court and pay necessary penalties.

Okuwobi, who adjourned the matter till April 16, urged the bank to use the opportunity of the adjournment to comply with court rules.

Braithwaite had declared that the 14-storey building and five-level car parks being constructed close to his residence on Victoria Island by the Standard Chartered Bank of Nigeria Limited was illegal.

In his 34-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Ismaila Shaib Usman, the elder statesman sought the order of court to stop the bank from constructing such building in a residential area.

Braithwaite averred that the development permit which the defendant purportedly obtained from the state government authorising a mixed development in the area was invalid and unlawful.

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South West

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

N47.1bn scam: Court to hear Akingbola’s plea to travel abroad April 10 KENNY ODUNUKAN

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n Ikeja High Court yesterday fixed April 10 for the hearing of an application filed by former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank PLC (now Access Bank PLC), Erastus Akingbola, seeking leave of the court to travel abroad for medical attention.

At the resumed hearing of the suit yesterday, Akingbola‘s counsel, Mr. Micheal Igbokwe, said his client had filed an application seeking the court’s permission to

travel abroad to treat an ailment that required an emergency attention.

It will be recalled that Economic and Financial Crime commission (EFCC) had re-arraigned Akingbola and his co-defendant, Bayo Dada, the former General Manager of Tropic Security Limited over an alleged theft of N47.1bn belonging to Intercontinental Bank.

The defence counsel told Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo that there was no health care service in Nigeria that was adequately equipped to treat the ailment, adding that the disease could only be treated

in developed countries like United Kingdom.

Igbokwe further urged the court to grant the request and that Akingbola had already scheduled appointment with a London hospital.

He added that the prosecution had been served the application.

But EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Godwin Obla, said he was served the application in court and therefore required more time to respond to it.

Obla said that the position of the law was clear on the procedure of responding to a pending application before

the court, saying: “The law gives the other party at least 48 hours to respond.’’

He, however, urged the court to shortly adjourn the matter to enable him file his response.

Dada‘s lawyer, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), asked the court to vary the bail condition granted to the defendants by the EFCC. He said EFCC mandated the defendants to report to its office every Monday, which according to him “is an extremely busy day for his client’’.

Justice Onigbanjo adjourned the matter till April 10.

L-R: Nestle Nutrition Training and Development Manager, Mr. Victor Orji; Nutritionist Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Dr. Brai Bartholomew and a member of IGNITE Scientific Committee; Nestle Scientific and External Affairs Manager, Mrs. Chioma Nwachukwu and Nestle Category Business Manager, Nutrition, Mr. Marzah Qureshi, at the 2013 Nutrition Kick-Off at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday.

N4.7bn fraud: Ladoja’s appeal suffers setback WALE IGBINTADE

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he appeal filed by former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja in which he is challenging the corruption charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) suffered a setback yesterday as the appellate court refused to hear it as scheduled.

Ladoja is being prosecuted for alleged embezzlement of N4.7 billion by the commission.

The appellate court had earlier fixed yesterday for the hearing of the appeal, but decided to adjourn it till April 19 for definite hearing.

The court presided over

by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa told Ladoja’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), represented by Dr. Dapo Olanipekun, that hearing of the appeal would place more pressure on the court.

Justice Saulawa said the court was confronted with

too much work load and could not take arguments on the appeal.

He pointed out that the appeal would require that judgement must be delivered within specific date.

Justice Saulawa said: “The court is under pressure and this panel alone has over 19 judgements to deliver. The pressure in Lagos is more because of the volume of cases. We need adequate time to write and deliver these judgements.’’

Counsel to EFCC, Festus Keyamo, commended the justices for the efforts they put in to attend to the cases filed before them.

Ladoja had in his appeal filed in March 2010 prayed the court for an order quashing the criminal charge levelled against him by the EFCC. In his notice of appeal, Ladoja contended that the proof of evidence placed before the lower court by the anti-graft agency had no nexus with the charge against

him and did not disclose any prima facie case against him.

He, therefore, asked the court for a declaration that the EFCC has no power, jurisdiction or authority to prefer any criminal charge against him.

EFCC had arraigned Ladoja before Justice Ramat Mohammed of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, in November 2008 alongside one of his former aides, Chief Waheed Akanbi, on an amended 10-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N4.7 billion.

They were said to have conspired to convert property and resources derived from an illegal act, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the property and resources.

It was further alleged that Ladoja used about N42 million to purchase an Armoured Land Cruiser Jeep and remitted about 600,000.00 pounds to one Bimpe Ladoja in London, United Kingdom.

But the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and were admitted to bail.

However, Ladoja’s counsel, Chief Olanipekun, raised an objection to the charge and urged the trial judge to quash same on the grounds that the charge levelled against him were vague and did not link him with the commission of any crime to warrant his arraignment.

But Keyamo said that the objection raised by defence counsel was belated, as the accused had already been arraigned on the charge and his plea taken.

He said that such objection ought to have been raised immediately after his arraignment or before taking his plea, and not when trial had commenced mid-way.

Justice Mohammed agreed with Keyamo and held that objection to a defect in a charge could only be made on the day of arraignment when the applicant is taking his plea and not afterwards.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ex-Ogun officer holders protest non-payment of salary arrears •Accuse Amosun of harassment FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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ver 100 former political office holders in the 20 local government areas of Ogun State yesterday stormed the streets of Abeokuta and protested non-payment of their salary arrears and other entitlements by Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration.

The protesters, who later converged at the state Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at Oke-Ilewo, where they addressed a press conference, were armed with placards and demanded what they described as their statutory right.

Some of the placards read: “Irokunle, pay our rights”, “Please, don’t ignore our sufferings; our families are dying”, “Amosun, pay us now; you collected yours at the Senate.”

The protesters accused Governor Amosun of deliberately sitting on their N2.3 billion salary arrears, leave bonus and severance allowance since May 2011.

Addressing journal-

ists shortly after the protest, their leader, Alhaji Farouq Akintunde, alleged that the governor had turned deaf ears to their demands despite series of correspondences sent to his office as well as the intervention of the Senate Committee on Local Government Matters.

Akintunde said: “The Amosun-led administration has grossly displayed lack of human face and lack of respect for the law of the land because even when the Senate Committee on Local Government Matter waded into the issue, the committee recommended the immediate payment of those legitimate entitlements owed us”.

The protesters, including former chairmen, their vices, former councillors and consultants, among others served between 2007 and 2010. They further accused Amosun of intimidating and harassing them for demanding the payment of the entitlements.

Claiming that they have lost 12 members since they began agitation for the payment of the money, the protesters vowed not to relent in their agitation until the state government meets their demands.

National Park Service gets para-military status DAYO AYEYEMI

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n order to ensure that park’s protection and conservation is taken seriously, the Federal Government has approved the classification of the National Park Service as a para-military organisation, with effect from January 2014.

The statement issued at the weekend by the Federal Ministry of the Environment spokesman, Mr. Lawrence Ojabo, stated that President Goodluck Jonathan gave the approval.

The approval of the para-military status is consistent with the National Park Service Amendment Act 2006, and will enable the organisation to cope with the daunting task of park protection and conservation.

The National Park

service currently operates seven national parks across the country. The parks cover a total land area of 24, 000 square kilometers.

The staff trek long distances on rugged terrains and weather conditions to protect the fauna and flora domicile in the parks and in the process risk attacks by both marauding wild animals and poachers.

The national park service has responsibility for surveillance, patrolling, checking illegal activities of poachers, enforcement of relevant international treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, searching, arresting and prosecuting offenders, public enlightenment on the protection and conservation of plants animals and assisting researchers, among others.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

DENNIS AGBO AND CHARLES OKEKE

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risis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, nosedived yesterday with the emergence of two people as the national chairman of the party.

The three-man Appeal Court sitting in Enugu yesterday held that Chief Victor Umeh should remain APGA national chairman, pending the determination of a suit before it challenging the judgement of Enugu State High Court which ousted him.

Also yesterday, a faction of the party, led by Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, held its national convention in Awka, the state capital.

The convention elected a new National Executive

South East

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

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APGA : Obi faction elects Okwu chairman •Court restores Umeh

Committee led by Maxi Okwu as the national chairman of the party.

Okwu scored 764 votes to defeat Chief Joe Martins Uzodike who polled 91 votes.

But the Appeal Court, in a unanimous judgement, granted Umeh’s application for stay of execution on the ruling of Justice Innocent Umezurike of February 8, which sacked him and the entire National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party.

The court upheld the argument by Umeh’s counsel that there was need to preserve the res (status quo) and that Umeh should continue in his capacity as national chairman of APGA,

pending the determination of the substantive appeal challenging the entire judgement of the trial court.

The three-man panel headed by Justice Paul Galinje as chairman and Justices F. A. Kwasami and Tom Yakubu as members unanimously ruled that since Umeh duly appealed against the decision of the lower court presided over by the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, challenging his jurisdiction and accusing him of bias, the status quo ought to be maintained, pending the determination of the appeal.

Galinje, who delivered the lead ruling, said the

court agreed with the submissions by the applicant’s counsel, Patrick Ikweto (SAN) and Chief Wale Olanipekun (SAN), that the injunctive order made against Umeh by the lower court was capable of causing him and APGA irreparable damage if the status quo was not maintained while the matter was pending at the Appeal Court.

He said that the respondent, Mr. Jude Okoli, an expelled member of the party in Enugu State, did not file a counter-affidavit, adding that when the bailiff made an attempt to serve him the applicant’s motion and other processes, he refused to accept the court processes

including the application for stay of execution.

The processes were therefore dropped for him at the place he was met.

Meanwhile, the convention, which took place at the Women Development Centre, Awka, was attended by delegates from the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Other officers who were elected after the results were announced by the Chairman, National Convention Planning Committee, Colonel James Onyejegbu (rtd), include Alhaji Sadiq Maidoya as national secretary, Chief Dickson Ogu Ohaeri (deputy national secretary), Everest Uba (national treasurer), Alhaji Garba Barma (national auditor), Bernard Akoma (national publicity secretary) and Prince Afeni Gbenga (national organising secretary).

Others include Alex C.

Ejesieme as national legal adviser, Alhaji Sadeeq Massah (deputy national chairman), Ferguson Okpara (national youth leader), Stanley Chira (deputy national publicity secretary), Alhaji Habib Gajo (national financial secretary) and Joseph Tondo (national vice-chairman, North Central).

The Women Development Centre was filled to capacity as delegates gathered there to cast their votes in an exercise that started at 6am.

At the end of the ceremony, the key national officers and the Deputy National Leader of the party, Obi, who was the main motivator and organiser of the event, thanked the delegates for their peaceful conduct throughout the duration of the exercise.

In his acceptance speech shortly after taking the oath of office, Okwu promised to move the party forward.

Police arrest parents for selling own babies in Abia GEORGE OPARA ABIA

P Consultant, Mr. Alimi Adamu (left) and representative of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prof. Deji Adekunle, at the Federal Ministry of Justice’s Workshop on Access to Freedom of Information Act in Enugu, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Conduct LG polls or face people’s wrath, CD warns govs CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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ampaign for Democracy, CD, SouthEast Region, yesterday told governors of South-East states to conduct council polls within six months or face the wrath of the people.

The group frowned at the failure of the governors to conduct the local government elections which it said had given the governors leeway to embezzle council allocations.

“Failure to abide with the six months timeline, we would mobilise the local youths in the affected states to stage a continuous demonstration until the election is conducted,’’ CD said in a statement

signed by its Chairman, Dede Uzor A. Uzor and Secretary, Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo.

It described as sad the deliberate attempt by the governors not to bring development to the grassroots by not conducting the council elections.

“It is very sad that up till now some South-East governors had not deemed it fit to democratise and conduct local council elections to bring governance close to the people,” the group said.

CD said the situation was pathetic in Anambra State where the government had refused to conduct council elections in the last nine years.

It said: “The worst of the states within the re-

gion is Anambra State that had not conducted council polls for over nine years out of 14 years of unabridged democratic rule in the country.”

In Abia State, the group observed that Governor Theodore Orji had been playing hide and seek politics with the conduct of local government elections, adding that the governor’s alleged excuse of the state not having sufficient funds to conduct the elections “is not only evil but wicked and condemnable.”

“In Ebonyi State, Governor Martin Elechi had not shown commitment to see that the election is conducted,” CD added.

The group said though Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State had

tentatively scheduled the elections for April, it might not hold because of a pending court case.

CD, however, urged Okorocha to resolve the issue of the immediate past chairmen and councillors by paying them all their outstanding salaries and entitlements before the proposed elections in April, to enable some of them who want to participate in the fresh election to do so.

It, however, commended Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State as the only governor in the South-East to have conducted council elections.

“As a true democrat, Chime had exhibited high sense of maturity and love for democracy,’’ CD said.

olice in Abia State have arrested some parents for selling their own babies for various amounts ranging from N15,000 to N350,000.

In the first case, a 26-year-old man, Onyekachi Ekwelum, sold his only son for N350,000 with the plan to use the proceeds to procure a travelling visa to Greece for greener pastures.

But he was apprehended when his wife, Ozioma Ekwelum, 20, reported the matter to the police that her husband had sold their six months old son with the aim of travelling out of the country.

Briefing journalists, the state Commissioner of Police, Usman Tilli Abubakar, said the boy was rescued from those who bought him and returned to his mother in good health.

However, all those involved in the sale of the baby have been arrested by the police and would soon be arraigned before an Umuahia magistrates’ court.

The commissioner also said that on March 4, one Chidiebere Samuel of Ovurungwu village in Isiala Ngwa South Local

Government reported to the police that his wife, Odinakachi Samuel, delivered a baby girl, but connived with a nurse, Monica Benjamin, to sell the baby girl.

Abubakar said the child was sold for N150,000, adding that the suspects had been arrested and would soon be arraigned in Umuahia.

The commissioner also said that one Oluchukwu Ogidi of Anayo Nkwogu Amaoji Ngwa in Isiala Ngwa North reported that his wife, Kelechi, connived with one Dr. Williams Oruwa, who delivered her of a baby boy, and sold him for N300,000.

He explained that during a raid at the hospital, three pregnant women, Blessing Okwu, 21, Janet Ogbonna 20, and Chinenye Onuoha, 23, being harboured by Oruwa were arrested, adding that they were being used as prosecution witnesses.

The commissioner said all the suspects involved in the case have been charged to court with charge No. U/87C/2013.

The police also arrested one Uchechukwu Gabriel and his wife, Nneoma, for selling their newborn baby girl for N200,000 to a buyer yet to be identified.

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South South

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PDP accuses Oshiomhole of lying about his age SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole of perjury.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday at its secretariat on Sapele Road in Benin, the state capital, PDP asked Oshiomhole to resign and hand over to his deputy for lying about his age. PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, said the party had records and documents indicating that Oshiomhole, sometime last year before the governorship election, swore to an oath that he was born on April 4, 1952, which reveals his age to be 61 instead of 1953 that many people that attended his birthday celebration last Thursday were made to believe.

Orbih said: “Looking through records, we discovered that Adams Oshiomhole went to the High Court in Benin to swear to an oath that he was born April 4, 1952. Now, you can appreciate the dilemma we are facing in Edo State. Was Adams

•Party is a busy body –Governor Oshiomhole born on April 4, 1953 or on April 4, 1952?

“Our conclusion is that he knew full well that he was born on April 4, 1953 but went to the High Court to swear that he was born on April 4, 1952. This is perjury.

We cannot be watching. We want to challenge Oshiomhole to tell the world when he was born. Why should the governor deceive the President of this country? This is unacceptable. We are here

at the headquarters of the PDP in Edo State to deepen democracy. Democracy can never be deepened on falsehood. The documents we have in our possession will send him to prison.

“If we must deepen democracy, this is the time to start it.

The path of honour is for Adams Oshiomhole to resign.”

Orbih, however, asked the Bishop of Sokoto Dio-

cese, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, to “come to Benin immediately to conduct confession mass for Oshiomhole for lying to the President, governors and other Nigerians about his age.”

But the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said Oshiomhole is 61 years and that he was born in 1952.

Afegbua said that the governor pointed out the error to the committee of friends that organised the birthday,

L-R: President of the United Aladura Churches, Baba Aladura S. O. Andrew; leader of the delegation of the Olu of Warri, Chief Brown Mene and Mrs. H.I.D Awolowo, during a condolence visit by the UAC and Warri chiefs to the Awolowo family on the death of Chief Oluwole Awolowo in Ikenne, yesterday.

PHOTO: PADE OLAPOJU

Beneficiaries of Bayelsa empowerment scheme plan protest •••over poor welfare

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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he 500 agriculture trainees in Songhai International Farms, Porto Novo, Republic of Benin, are planning to protest what they called the paltry N10, 000 monthly stipend being given them by the Bayelsa State Government.

The aggrieved youths, who are beneficiaries of the state government empowerment programme, demanded that they should be paid between N30, 000 and N50, 000 each as monthly allowance.

The trainees requested that they should be treated as former militants, claiming that the current N10, 000 allowance being paid them was poor and inadequate.

It will be recalled that the state government sponsored

the 500 trainees for an agricultural empowerment in Benin Republic in February, this year.

But in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Thomas Commander, warned the trainees against the planned protest.

The commissioner accused those he described as disgruntled politicians of attempting to scuttle the programme.

Eight killed in Akwa Ibom auto crash TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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o fewer than eight persons died yesterday in an auto crash that occurred in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The accident occurred when a 16-seater-bus conveying sympathisers to a burial ceremony rammed into a stationary truck on Eket-Uyo Road.

Eye witnesses told National Mirror that the eight persons died immediately the 16-eater Nissan bus marked: Enugu XA 107-ENU

but that they said it was too late to make any adjustment.

He also said that past advertorials placed in the papers congratulating him on his birthdays were not authorised by him even as he had publicly declared his true age.

Afegbua said: “PDP is a busy body. The party is seeking attention to cash in on any issue to gain attention.

The governor’s true age, which is 61, is reflected on all his traveling documents and credentials.”

rammed into the stationary truck marked: Abia SSM 66 XA. They said many others were injured.

One of the witnesses, Mr. Friday Akpan, said that he counted eight bodies at the scene of the incident, including a woman believe to be a sister to the person to be buried.

According to the eye witness, the stationary truck had mechanical fault and was being attended to by three mechanics when the incident occurred.

Akpan said that from all indication that the bus driver lost control because

of over speeding and dizziness.

He said: “I observed that three mechanics were repairing the broken down truck when suddenly the mini bus rammed into them. The driver might have dosed off as a result of fatigue.”

The driver, whose name was not immediately known, died on the spot along side six other passengers. One of the mechanics, Mr. Linus Okafor, also died.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Unit Commander, Mr Odo Kelvin, blamed the crash on over speeding.

He said: “The recalcitrant trainees were being instigated for political reasons.”

Describing the planned protest as uncalled for, the commissioner noted that it was a show of ingratitude to the government for the empowerment programme for the unemployed youths in the state.

He said: “The state government had approved the training of 500 youths in agriculture at the Songhai International Farms in Port

Novo, Republic of Benin, but the beneficiaries, according to security reports, rather than reciprocating the gesture of government are demanding N50,000 monthly allowance.

“The Bayelsa State Government is paying each beneficiary of the scheme N10,000 monthly, aside tuition, feeding and other payments ,but they are saying the money is not enough and they need between N30,000 and N50,000 as a compulsory condition for government to bear.”

NGO initiates move to empower women SAM OLUWALANA

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resident Goodluck Jonathan’s policy of empowering at least 13 per cent of women has received a boost at the grass root through a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) that is committed to aligning itself with the Federal Government to achieve the objective.

The organisation, New Nation, with offices in 21 states across the country is planning to make funds available to millions of women through the oil and gas sector.

According to its chairman, Mr. Charles Dakwe, Nigeria realises more than $20 billion from oil annually and his company is set to ensure that women, who are interested in escaping poverty have access to two per cent of the common wealth.

Dakwe his company has about 21 products which are all grass root-based, povertyeliminating products which will touch the lives off all Nigerians regardless of their status.

The women-empowerment programme, Women in Oil, which is the flagship product of the company is designed to create access to

Ndoma-Egba lifts 460 indigent students with N60m scholarship RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

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ver 460 indigent students from the Cross River State Central Senatorial District yesterday benefited from the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba’s N60 million scholarship award.

Ndoma-Egba, who represents the district in the Senate, gave the scholarship to the beneficiaries, including post-graduate students at a ceremony held in Calabar.

Ndoma Egba described youths as the only resource that need training so that they could in turn become useful and resourceful to the nation.

He said that the initiative was born out the fact that he too benefited from other people’s benevolence, stressing that there was a time he almost drop out from school because of a paltry three pounds.

The Senate Leader promised to increase the number of beneficiaries subsequently.

Chairman of Ndoma Egba Scholarship Board, Dr. Mrs. Margaret Ndoma Egba, who gave a breakdown of those that benefited from the largesse, said 300 under-graduate students got the scholarship and over 100 postgraduate students benefited.

She said one of the criteria for scholarship is base on indigence, adding that she believed that every family within Ndoma Egba’s Senatorial District benefited from the scholarship scheme. unlimited funds for women for their choice of businesses.

Dakwe said his company was serious about changing the situation in Nigeria, especially in the lives of women who have been the victims of successive governments in the country.

He advocated that President Goodluck Jonathan should be awarded the Nobel Prize for his gender-friendly programmes, which he said have affected the lives of women positively.

On the Women in Oil programme, he said interested women in the 21 states could apply for membership by paying N8,000.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

SUPER TUESDAY

13

Politics

Zonal public hearings on PIB: Tambuwal’s warning resonates

Pain of poverty fired my fighting spirit, says Oshiomhole

14&15

42,43

The politics of amnesty for Boko Haram

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n what appears to be a major political volte face, President Goodluck Jonathan, last week caved in to pressures and towed the path of granting amnesty to the dreaded Islamic sect, Jama’a Ahl al-sunnah li-da’wa wa al-jihad, better known by its Hausa name, Boko Haram, which literally translates to “Western education is forbidden.”

President Goodluck Jonathan is considering amnesty for members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, a development many political analysts have seen as one of the pawns in the chess game to 2015. Will this new found panacea to the sect’s insurgency bring about the elusive peace in the North, or is it just another political calculation towards a second term in office for President Jonathan?

Asks OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU.

Series of meetings After series of meetings last week, first with the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), led by Alhaji Maitama Sule last Wednesday at the Aso Rock Villa and on Thursday with security chiefs including the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); Director-General of the State Security Service, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong and Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade, President Jonathan came out to set up a committee to look at the amnesty option for the Boko Haram sect.

Also in attendance at the emergency meeting were: Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN); Minister of Interior, Abba Moro; Minister of State, Defence, Olusola Obada and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim The emergency security meeting was called following growing agitations, especially from the North, for amnesty for Boko Haram. It was learnt that President Jonathan was unhappy that his comments during his visit to the sect’s enclave last month that he would not grant amnesty to ‘ghosts’ did not go down well with a vast majority of Northerners and other Nigerians.

It was the expectation of the Presidency that Jonathan’s comments in Yobe should have abated the call for amnesty, which was began by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, but rather than thaw, the agitation had increased in crescendo.

During the meeting with the NEF, the Northern elders insisted on the amnesty option for the Boko Haram sect as panacea for achieving the elusive peace in the country, especially in the Northern part of the country. At the closed-door late night meeting with President Jonathan, NEF also called on the Federal Government to address the lack of infrastructural development in the North and the marginalisation particularly in the directorate cadre of the federal civil service.

But prior to last week’s new swan song by the Federal Government, President Jonathan had foreclosed the amnesty option when during a state visit last month to

Jonathan

Abubakar

TOP STORY I SUPPORT IN PRINCIPLE, THE GRANTING OF GENERAL AMNESTY TO

BOKO

HARAM, IF THAT WILL STOP COMPLETELY THE KILLING OF INNOCENT PEOPLE the enclaves of the sect in Yobo and Borno states, told the people of the North that his administration would not even consider the amnesty option.

No amnesty for the ghosts Speaking at a town hall meeting in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, President Jonathan had said: “You cannot declare amnesty for ghosts. Boko Haram still operates like ghosts. So, you can’t talk about amnesty for Boko Haram now until you see the people you are discussing with.

“When you call the Niger Delta militants, they will come; but nobody has agreed that he is a Boko Haram member, no one has come forward. If amnesty is the solution, then no problem, but nobody has

come forward to make himself visible.”

Jonathan then advised members of the sect to come out with their demands and grievances, which would pave the way for negotiation and dialogue which in turn would lead to the subsequent resolution of the crisis for the overall development of the state.”

He added that when there were calls for the leadership of the Niger Delta militants, they came out and met with late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, saying that even as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State then, before he became the Vice President, he never met Ateke Tom and Asari-Dokubo until they came to the State House for the meeting with Yar’Adua, and therefore concluded that unless the leaders of the sect come out into the open, his administration would not consider the amnesty option.

Sultan calls for Amnesty After the call by the Sultan for amnesty, which elicited mixed reactions and the subsequent rejection of the call by President Jonathan, the sect intensified its terror activities, with attacks coming on almost on daily basis and the killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians.

But the Sultan’s initial call has continued to resonate across the land, with people of diverse backgrounds either supporting or criticising it.

But with the activities that were kickstarted last week by NEF, and the subsequent change of gear by the Federal Government, analysts are asking the ques-

tion: Who will be the beneficiaries of the amnesty, if granted the Boko Haram sect?

This question became pertinent, because unlike the Niger Delta militants, who have come out to dialogue with government, nobody has come out to openly say that he is a member of the sect.

The NEF, speaking to newsmen after the meeting last Wednesday through its spokesman and former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said that President Jonathan had told them that he has not foreclosed amnesty as an option to achieve peace in the troubled Northern region, but he gave the NEF certain conditions under which the amnesty option would be considered.

One of such conditions was that members of the sect must come out of their masks and make their identity known while also renouncing their violent and deadly activities.

Abdullahi told newsmen: “We discussed amnesty and the general opinion in the country is that amnesty should be factored into whatever the government is trying to do to overcome these bombings that are taking place all over the country.

“Fortunately the President is already thinking very hard about it and he assured that there will be a special meeting and am sure something substantial will come out of that meeting.”

Support for amnesty But apart from NEF, which has come out to openly declare support for the amnesty for the sect, after the Sultan of Sokoto, others who have thrown their weight behind the amnesty option include the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), leader of the opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari and former national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), John Cardinal Onayekan among others.

Leaders of the opposition ACN believe that there was nothing wrong in trying the amnesty option if it would bring peace to the troubled region and allow a breath of fresh air for the people.

Also, a former governor of the old Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has made a u-turn from his ‘no amnesty’ stance to towing the path of the amnesty option. He said: “I support in principle, the granting of general amnesty to Boko Haram, if that will stop completely the killing of innocent people in the North. Mr. President is right that amnesty is not given to ghosts. They will not be ghosts when they CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

14

Politics

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pain of poverty fired my fighting Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, is one man who has come a long way in life. The former labour leader-turned politician, in this interview with FELIX NWANERI shortly after his 61st birthday, spoke on several national issues including the leadership question, democratic process and his upbringing, which he said, is responsible for his fighting spirit. Excerpts:

The theme of your birthday lecture was “Deepening democracy for the wellbeing of the people.” Would you say that the principal actors in our democratic process have actually done enough to ensure good governance?

I think that it is not the discretion of those in government to decide whether or not democracy should be deepened. It is probably illogical to expect that people who are benefiting from election rigging and isolation of the people in order to shield and prevent themselves from the rigours and challenges of accountability, to be ones to lead the fight to deepen democracy and to have an accountable government. Obviously, it must be the victims of civil dictatorship and the culture of imposition, who should make up their minds to resist it. In Edo State for example, before I arrived here, they told me everywhere: ‘Don’t bother, because here, the votes do not count. Yes, we like you; yes we support you but whether we vote or not, these guys have a culture and tradition of writing the results and there is nothing anybody can do about it.’ If you talk to some people on the streets and even enlightened people in the rural areas then, they will tell you that they were not going to vote.

That was the tradition and everybody seemed to have given up. And as long as nobody questioned that, it was very convenient for the election riggers to continue with the tradition, which was why the question of one-man dictatorship became the key issue in Edo State, because if the election riggers impose you and the people say no, it doesn’t matter because they will manipulate the election and declare you the winner. We had a case in my local government where people were still on the field, queuing to vote and then they heard on the radio that a winner has emerged.

There was nothing they could do about it.

For the candidate, if he likes, he can go to court and given the fact that all these are usually done in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), all the evidences are manipulated and the courts can do nothing in the absence of compelling evidence. The Electoral Act was written more in favour of rigging. It is almost impossible for a victim of election rigging to prove it.

First, they will tell you that election matters are sine generis and if you allege that someone snatched the ballot box or that they brought thugs to beat-up people; they will tell you that those ones are criminal

charges. And if it is a criminal charge, you must prove it beyond reasonable doubt.

But, even if you succeed in proving it, the criminal who committed the crime would be the only one to be sent to prison, while the man who commissioned him would be free. That is the contradiction in our electoral law and so, many people just felt that you should forget about it once you have been rigged out. The result was that people didn’t bother to vote and that was even better for election riggers. You don’t expect that these few guys, who enjoyed this power of imposition and whom you people unfortunately celebrate in the media to fold their arms under that situation. Instead of calling people fraud, you say ‘Mr Fix It.’ But when I came in, I said we can stop rigging and the people said, how? I said ‘you just go and vote, I will defend your votes.’

That was what led me to start the one man, one vote campaign to take the message to the people that they are not powerless. My union background taught me one thing: no one is really powerless. If you realise that you are powerless as an individual, you need other people who are as powerless as you to come together to organise, mobilse and challenge the powers that be.

In the end, you will realise that they are not as powerfull as you assume. This has been proven in Edo State.

But it didn’t just come like that; we had to enlighten the people, we had to give them confidence, convince them that they can do something. When I said that if they rig, they will be roasted, people said that we were preaching violence, but there is nothing much more violent than when you impose yourself on the people in a democracy. There can be no devastating political violence than that of imposition.

What we tried to do at the lecture was to put the matter back to national discourse; that this democracy need to be deepened for it to be able to deliver on public welfare. There was a story in Edo State, where some people went to meet a senator; they reminded him of how they voted for him to get to the position, but the man said ‘you didn’t put me there. I know how I got there; it was not by your votes. If you want me to listen to you as a matter of courtesy, I will do that but don’t tell me you voted for me because you didn’t.’ And that was the truth, anyway.

So, the reason for forming unions is the realisation that workers as individuals cannot challenge the management, but when they combine, they can. The same logic, as far as I am concerned, also apply to our political project. The people, lamenting individually will not change the situation, but when we combine, mobilise and agree to challenge the forces of darkness, light will shine. Nobody believed that I

Oshiomhole

would win in every local government area of the state. We defeated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is from Benin City not only in his ward but the polling booth where he voted. We also won in all the wards in Benin Kingdom. That was one man, one vote. People told them that if you want to kill us, you are free but for every one thug that they produced, we had over a 100 who queued to vote. How powerful can one thug be?

The worsening state of insecurity in the country has prompted a lot of people to question the rationale for the huge allocations to governors in the name of security votes. What is your take on that?

I don’t think that it is fair to ask me to evaluate what other governors are doing

IF I AM THE CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER OF A STATE AND A DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER, WHO IS PROBABLY AN EQUIVALENT TO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE WILL LOOK INTO MY EYES AND SAY,

‘I AM NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU,’ WHAT POWERS CAN I HAVE?... THAT CANNOT TRANSLATE TO THE DESIRED RESULT

and I don’t know why you chose to limit the matter to governors. Look at the security votes of all the governors put together and compare it with that of the Federal Government. You should understand that throwing money at a problem doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem will disappear. The institutions responsible for the management of security are all federal institutions – the Army, Police, State Security Services and lately, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The management of our borders, whether criminals or insurgents are coming in through Mali or elsewhere is under the Immigration Service, which is also a federal agency. I can’t decide who lives in Edo State; it is only the Federal Government that has the monopoly of power in all of these.

What a state government can do and which virtually all of us have been doing, is to try to provide support to these federal security agencies, but what makes a system to work is how we administer the carrot and the stick. I will give you a typical example; I have procured several vehicles, communication gadgets and portacabins to mount various out-of-town checkpoints for the Nigeria Police. My private secretary was murdered; the same Police that I am supporting – we set up Operation Thunder Storm, provided them with vehicles, pay them daily allowances that is more than what the Federal Government pays them; yet when they killed my secretary, the Deputy Inspector General of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police who investigated

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Tuesday, April 2, 9, 2013

spirit, says Oshiomhole of the day, this group is not empowered by the law to carry weapons. So, how do they confront armed criminals? Even the double-barrel guns that they carry, strictly speaking is unlawful and when the Federal Government gets angry with you for any political reason, it just comes up with criminal charges even though it knows that these guys are helping. So, there are lots of contradictions in our constitution.

On one hand, the governor is the chief security officer of the state and on the other hand, he doesn’t have the instruments to maintain security. I am not consulted before a Police Commissioner is posted away from here or a new one is sent. Somebody will just come and say ‘I’ve been assigned to Edo State’ and I will say ‘welcome sir.’ Is that really the way it should be?

the matter said they were not obliged to report to me, even as I was pleading with them to update me in what they were doing.

So, even if I give them all the money earn

by Edo State and I have no control over them, what difference can it make?

When Tony Anenih said that governors should use their security votes more judiciously, he should have extended the same message also to Abuja because it is the same security. And that is why many people are saying; let’s have control over our affairs by having our own state security so that you will know who to hold responsible if it is working or not. Although I have reservations on state police, increasingly I am losing faith because this federal one has not been able to perform. If I am the chief security officer of a state and a deputy police commissioner, who is probably an equivalent to an assistant director in the state civil service will look into my eyes and say, ‘I am not accountable to you,’ what powers can I have? If I don’t have the powers of discipline, recruitment, promotion and reward, but only power to give them money, that cannot translate to the desired result.

In Edo State, virtually all the traditional rulers of our various communities have tried to persuade us to give them vehicles to set up vigilant groups to protect their various villages and you find out that most times, these vigilant groups are more effective. We have to also pay them some stipends as a kind of incentive, but that cannot be a substitute because at the end

Despite your developmental efforts in the state, some people believe that much of the projects are concentrated in the cities to the detriment of the rural areas. How true is this assumption?

I can tell you that we are far more popular in the rural areas than in the urban centres, not on the account of my look but on the account of our work. I think that we should do the real Good Governance Tour that should be comprised of eminent Nigerians who are not politically affiliated; who are capable of speaking their minds – people like Wole Soyinka and Emeka Anyaoku – elder statesmen who do not require any government patronage to survive and senior editors, not the ones who were conveniently selected. In an interview, the PDP accused me of spending Edo State money on the construction of rural roads to hamlets; sometimes they say roads that lead to nowhere and spending of money in a way that is not economically viable. They were angry because they use to vote for the people in those areas during elections. They will just sit down here in Benin with the INEC and police and write the results because there was no way you can get to those areas, no roads. But immediately we started opening them up, these arguments came up.

We have built more roads, connecting rural communities than we have done in urban areas. These are the forgotten rural majority who are remembered only for the purposes of election and census for revenue allocation, but when the revenue arrives, the urban political elite privatise the resources and leave the rural people even poorer. I am a rural man and I understand the pain of the rural people.

So, for me, the starting point is access.

Even to get investors to come, there must be access; to take full advantage of our land for agricultural purposes, there must be access; when Aliko Dangote said that he is going to build a $6 billion fertilizer plant – the biggest anywhere in the world, if there was no access, he won’t go there. Access is it and the rural areas are the starting point. The quality of schools that you find in Benin is what you will find in the rural areas. We are saying that our public schools must have the same appeal for children, whether of the rich or the poor. Because of this, those mushroom private schools have lost their pupils back to the government schools and the enrolment in the public schools have more than doubled across the state. So, talk-

I AM A RURAL MAN; TALKING OF POOR PEOPLE, I COME

FROM A VERY POOR BACKGROUND. IN

FACT, WHAT FIRED MY FIGHTING SPIRIT IS MY OWN LIFE EXPERIENCE

– THE PAIN OF POVERTY ing of rural people, I am a rural man; talking of poor people, I come from a very poor background. In fact, what fired my fighting spirit is my own life experience – the pain of poverty. We have done over 500 kilometres of roads in the state and if we start commissioning them, we will have one to two months filled up. And I dare say that the quality of our roads is far better than those of the Federal Government.

The opposition parties have accused your party – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) of plans to manipulate the forthcoming local government election in the state. How do you respond to this?

What are the specifics? I can’t comment on an allegation that has no substance.

They have to tell the world what we have done that has altered the playing field.

When I accused INEC of manipulating the election, I gave specific examples; I talked about doctoring of the voters’ register, I cited example of late arrival of election materials.

But the culture of impunity which you are determined to eradicate in Edo State seems to have been undermined by the imposition of candidates in the forthcoming poll by your party...

First, you have to realise that we have 192 wards and that means 192 councillors.

I am not in a position to supervise the party’s primary election in those wards, but what we try to do, is to ensure that candidates who emerge are the choices of the people. When it comes to local government election, the people are more sensitive than in any other election, because the local politicians want to see that their own

Politics

15

persons are there. At the chairmanship level, we tried to talk to everybody to be careful. We had a problem because many people have joined the ACN and the PDP is virtually empty. Unfortunately the process of registering new members into the party is controlled by the national headquarters and they have cards that have been printed, which are computerised. This means that many people have joined the ACN without membership cards. Now the party’s constitution provided for direct primaries, which means that every member can vote.

What we encourage the ward leaders to do is to sit down and agree among themselves who should emerge as candidates.

The issue of court cases is not necessarily a big one because no matter how you do it, those who lost out will normally go to court, hoping that they would be called for settlement. People have come to me to say ‘I’ve spent so much, how do you refund me,’ but I say to them ‘you knew that there were more than two aspirants for the position and you chose to contest, you should have known that you can’t determine the outcome of an election in a genuine democracy.’ So, the risk of losing is always there.

Any money you spend in an election is one you are ready to let go. I tell our people that the PDP impose candidates because they don’t need votes because they usually write the results, but we want the people to vote and therefore, if they put forward a candidate that the people don’t like, they are not likely to vote for the person.

Bishop Matthew Kuka pointed out at the lecture that Nigeria’s presidents, including the incumbent, have always emerged by accident. How do we put a stop to this anomaly in the 2015 elections?

We can put an end to it by insisting that there should be an end to accidents. To be honest, if you have not thought of it, you shouldn’t wake up and find yourself as a president. When the people expect that you hit the ground running shouldn’t be when you will start thinking of what you are going to do and when you arrive at what to do, you start thinking of how you are going to do it. Before you do all these, your tenure has lapsed. Even to run a tomato business, you have to convince yourself that you have the managerial acumen to do it; think of the market and how you will preserve unsold products. That is running a small scale business. It is worst to think that you can run a country without having sufficiently reflected, first on your ability and secondly, on what such office as that of the president entails by understanding what the problems of the country are and whether you have the courage to deal with those problems. After answering all these, then you go in. I don’t think that Kukah said what he didn’t know. Although he didn’t elaborate on it because he thought it was obvious, is it not obvious to you?

You seem to work round the clock, where do you derive your strength from?

My background was a tough one. I was born in a very small village by poor parents and had to go to the farm after returning from school and all that. So, from day one, one have faced all sorts of challenges and I believe like my late father told me, hardwork does not kill, what kills is laziness. So, if you come from that type of background and the textile industry where I was doing 12 hours a day, seven days a week before I

Oshiomhole

CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

16

Politics

Jonathan, Boko Haram and amnesty option

ASO ROCK FILE with

Rotimi FADEYI

Denial of presidential directive on Tinubu, APC

T

he pressure was on the Presidency last week to deny report of a purported bromide of a presidential directive on the former Lagos State governor and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Tinubu and the planned merger of opposition parties under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, described the report as the handiwork of desperate politicians who neither mean well for the country nor have the respect for the office and person of the president.

He said what was being bandied around as a presidential directive was fictitious, designed to mislead the public, discredit the person and office of President Goodluck Jonathan and cause disaffection within the polity.

According to Abati, a “careful examination reveals a mishmash of deliberately arranged and concocted lies, presented to the public as evidence of a document emanating from the Presidency. This is not only dubious but raises concerns as to the length certain persons will go to perpetuate falsehood for the sake of their selfish ambitions.”

He stated that no such directive was ever conceived nor was any such directive put forth by his boss or any of his aides, saying that the bromide of the presidential directive was false and inconsistent with the governance ethos of the present administration.

According to him, it was ironic that the report came at a time when the President was actively engaged in serious discussions with various interest groups on how to further deepen the democratic experience as well as the key issue of how to build an economically viable federation.

He urged Nigerians to be wary of such tactic of old, one that seeks to undermine a current administration by creatively espousing imaginary fault lines, with the aid of fake documents to create doubt, fear and disbelief in the minds of citizens and true patriots.

The presidential spokesman observed that the physical quality of the unsigned document published with jagged and irregular edges (which make a mockery of both presidential correspondences and the quality of attention paid to sensitive issues and development-oriented policies of government) should signpost the level of desperation by those who seek to mislead the enlightened electorate.

He maintained that the President is committed to providing good governance to the nation, even in the face of the most uncharitable criticism by people desirous of a chaotic environment for them to thrive.

T

O

ne of the greatest challenges to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has been the violent and deadly activities of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

The group had claimed responsibility for the death of scores of people and the destruction of valuable property, particularly in the Northern part of the country.

Recently, there has been clamour championed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III and some northern elders for amnesty for the members of the group as a process of achieving peace in the country.

Jonathan had even visited Maiduguri in Borno State which is regarded as the base of the terrorist group. He was also in Yobe where he met with elders in the state on possible solution to the increasing wave of insecurity which is affecting the economy of the Northern states and the entire country.

Last week at the meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), the President set up a committee to look at the feasibility of granting amnesty to the group. This was the decision taken after long hours

of meeting with all the security chiefs at the Presidential Villa.

At the meeting, the President said amnesty as an option to the process to achieving peace in the country, especially in the northern region has not been ruled out but expressed serious concern that amnesty cannot be granted to people that are faceless, saying that the members of the group must come out of hiding and disclose their identity before the option of amnesty could be considered.

The terms of reference of the committee are to collate the agitation by different interest groups who want the government to administer clemency on members of the sect and to also recommend modalities for the granting of amnesty.

The committee which would work with the office of the National Security Adviser is expected to submit its report to the council within two weeks at its next meeting would hold again at the Presidential Villa.

It’s just a matter of time before the government would come out with a position on the option of amnesty for the Boko Haram sect as a way of addressing the state of insecurity in the country.

Presidential Villa’s visitors

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Alhaji Maitama Sule and Mr. Paul Unongo during a meeting of the president with Northen Elders’ Forum in Abuja, last week.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Cheering news on open heart surgery

hose who need to have open heart surgery to correct some defects in the proper functioning of the heart in order to stay alive now need not to bother about going abroad for some operation.

The cheering news of the resuscitation of the open heart surgery unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, which was suspended about a decade ago came during the week when Information Minister, Labaran Maku also said that the operation would be at a government subsidized rate of N500,000.

Maku said his counterpart in the Ministry of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu brought the cheering news of the development to the Federal Executive Council meeting, stressing that the resuscitation of the open heart surgery unit came about a decade after the service was suspended.

According to him, Nigerians who travel abroad for open heart operation would now be able to have such surgery performed in the country with the resuscitation of the

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

UNTH, Enugu Open Heart Surgery Unit, which he said was made possible through partnership with foreign organisations.

He stated that the hospital was working with a United States-based Non-Governmental Organisation, the VOOM Foundation, also known as the Vincent Ohaji Memorial Foundation, which led a team of 14 medical experts to Nigeria for the sole purpose of resuscitating the programme at the UNTH. Maku noted that four cases have been handled since March 18, when the partners arrived, thus stemming the tide of medical missions to India and other countries.

The minister further said that the surgery unit was commissioned last month in line with the transformation programme of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He noted that a situation where Nigerians are flown abroad for medical missions was not the best for the country, saying that there is no reason why medical skills should not be available in the country.

1

Former Head of Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan

2

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

3

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha

4

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim

5

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba

6

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh

7

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika

8

Alhaji Maitama Sule

9

Governor Gabriel Suswan

10

Governor Theodore Orji

11

Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar

12

Wife of Benue State governor, Yemisi Suswam

FG loses grip on Abuja, Lagos national stadia

T

he sheer waste of the multibillion naira facilities in most stadia in the nation has become a national shame considering the high rating of the country in sports in the continent, particularly in football competitions.

Only in January, the Super Eagles of Nigeria won the coveted trophy in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa. But despite the fact that Nigeria is a sports loving nation, the various stadia in the country have been in bad shape for lack of maintenance and inadequate funding of sporting facilities.

Already the Federal Government has concluded plans to concession the Abuja and Lagos National stadia to private investors as government could no longer fund their maintenance to make them functional and effective.

Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, while giving account of the performance of his ministry at the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the activities of his ministry said the Infrastructure Conces-

sion Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is already working out the process of the concession.

According to him, the maintenance of other national stadia including the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium (Enugu), Tafawa Balewa Stadium (Bauchi), Ahmadu Bello Stadium (Kaduna) and Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (Oyo) are to be taken over by the state governments in order to ensure that they become functional.

He explained that the President has already approved the request of the Enugu State government to take over the stadium in the state while Bauchi’s request is being considered.

According to him, the Federal Government will encourage Kaduna and Oyo states to also make similar request to take over maintenance of the stadia located in the two states.

MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 41-43

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

17

The President’s Borno visit in perspective THE MILITARY,

MEDINAT UMAR

POLICE AND OTHER Continued from last Friday

A

nother President, perhaps more political and wily, would probably have gone along with the elders of Borno and play to the gallery by endorsing all their proposals just to be in their good book because of the next general elections. President Jonathan would have none of that. He stood by the oath he swore to defend and protect the lives and property of the people. He was well aware that many of the people who suffer daily from the attacks of Boko Haram and live in continuous fear could not possibly find their way to that town hall meeting.

For this people, the presence of the JTF in Borno remains a source of confidence in the ability of the Nigerian state to protect them. Therefore, any talk about pulling the JTF out of Borno and Yobe states now cannot be in the interest of these poor masses.

Even the governor of Borno himself did hint the President that while the insurgency had dropped in neighbouring states, like Bauchi, Gombe and Adamawa, there was still no let-up in

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (IN THIS CASE THE JTF)

EMBODY THIS FEATURE OF MONOPOLY OF THE USE OF INSTRUMENTS OF COERCION IN THE STATE Borno and Yobe states.

Moreover, the President is in a better position to know; he has the benefits of security and intelligence reports, which the elders do not have in reaching their own conclusions and to prove that the President was sport on in his decision, pulling out the JTF would be far more easier decision for him to take both in terms of cost and scoring cheap political goal!

It is very important to appreciate the point President Jonathan was making in defending the JTF. One of the features that make a state actor unique from other non-state actors is the pos-

session of the monopoly of the use of violence. Once any group succeeds in breaking this monopoly, which only the state enjoys, the state is as good as dead. The military, police and other law enforcement agencies (in this case the JTF) embody this feature of monopoly of the use of instruments of coercion in the state. While not encouraging the JTF to discard its rules of engagement, it must be noted that what the Borno elders are demanding of the JTF will axiomatically lead to it being run over by the Boko Haram.

And if this happens, this will embolden other dissident groups in the country to challenge the authority of the Nigerian state. When a single soldier or policeman is gunned down in the street by armed groups and dissidents, the signal that is being sent out to the larger society is that the state is too weak to protect the citizens because these soldiers and the police are agents of the state. And when such a signal is out, not only the people are endangered, even the state itself is at risk. Is this too abstract for our Borno Elders, some of whom have been ministers in the past, to understand?

The visit of the President need not create any unnecessary controversy.

Instead it should provide the road-

map to finding lasting peace, not only in Borno and Yobe states, but all over the North. One striking outcome of the visit is that we are all agreed that there is an urgent need for peace to return to the North even if we disagree on the road to that peace. It is therefore, important to build on the gains of that visit by keeping the channel of communications and dialogue open and flowing, and collaborating with the government, which is determined to do whatever it can, to secure the people of the region.

Our Elders and the people can really help in speeding up the exit of the JTF in Borno. They can do this by volunteering important information to the security agencies that will help stamp out the Boko Haram group. Once the area is safe again, the elders would have their wish and the JTF will be called out of their beautiful state.

All in all, the President’s visit to Borno and Yobe was largely successful. The performance of President Jonathan on the road shows that he has come good and Nigerians can beat their chest and say, ”yes, this is the President we voted for”!

Concluded.

Hajya Umar lives in Abuja

Pension scam: A window to an inept system ABU BABA

I

t is only in Nigeria that we see big time miracles working, the latest being the disappearance of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Ahmed, the embattled chairman of the defunct presidential Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), another focal point of the serial pension scams hitting the country.

When reading about his disappearance, I remembered my NYSC year in Zaria, Kaduna State in 1989 when two trailer loads of fertiliser brought to town for farmers disappeared like a needle in the historic city. No one ever knew the truth about what happened to the trailers; the only obvious knowledge was that the two trailers entered Zaria and they never left the town!

So far, the only obvious fact is that there is a scam in the nation’s pension scheme involving a mouth-watering amount of money that should automatically send all the arms of government working on how to track the alleged amount and possibly return it to government coffers. This is not a new scam; it is old enough for all powers in the land to have laid effective mechanisms to ensure no one involved ever go scot free. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

John Yusuf of the Police Pension scam saga got a ridiculous sentence, less than that of the man who was also convicted for stealing vegetable that was less than a thousand naira. The judge is already under investigation for probable judicial misconduct. The

judgement for John and the disappearance of Maina demonstrate the rot and ineptitude in our system.

Maina was mandated to fight the nation’s fraud ridden pension scheme, expose those involved and help the nation recover the loot. Then as it was in the case of the power sector probe of the House of Representatives under Dimeji Bankole, the supposed ‘policeman’ became enmeshed in the crime he was supposed to investigate. Maina got soaked in the crime he was to unravel. He has alleged that the people he was about to expose are behind his ordeal and that he has done no wrong.

However, he has neither mentioned the names of those who wanted him crucified nor submitted himself for scrutiny and probably clear his name.

In the process, a convoluted court case emerged with the erstwhile PRTT boss allegedly moving in high circles and making inflammatory statements, thus implying his ‘above the law’ status.

He was said to be moving around with a large retinue of security men, whether real or fake. Then when the case became a total embarrassment for the politicians, the legislature rose to the occasion and ordered the man at the centre of the storm arrested. Another drama then ensued.

Rather than a prompt action targeted at the alleged scammer, the Presidency embarked on a self-pontificating mission clearing itself of shielding the wanted man. Belatedly thereafter, it turned round to issue a directive to the Head of Service to deal with the man.

THE POLICE CLAIMED TO HAVE DECLARED HIM WANTED EVEN WHEN HE WAS ALLEGEDLY MOVING AROUND WITH ARMED MOBILE POLICEMEN Then alas, the man had disappeared like a needle in the sands of the proposed Atlantic City in Lagos. The police claimed to have declared him wanted even when he was allegedly moving around with armed mobile policemen.

What story does this development tell of our systems! Only in an inept system like ours would the Head of Service wait to be informed of what he was supposed to do in a case of such magnitude without him not being investigated for probable involvement in the crime ab initio. He allowed quality time to be wasted on empty debates and gave the man enough ground for cover. Maina has been issued a threat of sack for AWOL! What would he be missing that is comparable to the billions of naira alleged to be in his pocket? Would this not make many more people throng his road and wait to be sacked or dismissed and go away with the loot?

Only in an inept system like ours would the intelligence community fail to pre-empt the man and cage him before he could make good his escape.

What exactly is the duty of the intelligence agents if they cannot expect that a man carrying such a weighty allegation would not attempt to run for cover - whether running from the law or those he alleged were trying to implicate him because his attempt to sanitise the pension scheme exposed their nefarious activities.

If, in our slightest imagination, it becomes true that this man is not running away from the law but from a criminal gang that is eager to eliminate him to cover up its track, how would the security agents get at the facts if he is eventually killed before his testimonies?

Without doubt, when the witness in a case dies, evidence evaporates and the case is closed.

Why did they have to wait and allow him to escape if not to prove that our system is inept and condones corruption? Possibly the man would once again emerge when he would have a better story to tell, a story that may consign this probe to the dust bin just as was done with the power probe and similar others.

Who will stop this ineptitude?

Baba, abubabayes@yahoo.com, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Ilorin, Kwara State Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

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Violent ejection of Bakassi residents

ameroonian security agencies forcefully ejected over one thousand Nigerians resident in the Bakassi peninsula and its adjoining settlements not long ago, according to reports. In the process, five people were also killed and several others injured. Eyewitnesses said Cameroonian security operatives, on March 7, 2013, invaded Efut Obot Ikot, a Bakassi settlement, accusing the residents of involvement in reckless militancy.

Several Bakassi residents were said to have been arrested and whisked away by the Cameroonian forces.

The hostility of Cameroonian gendarmes against Nigerians in Bakassi has been a recurring problem that often leads to strained relationships between the Nigerian government and its Cameroonian counterpart. When Alhaji Shehu Shagari was serving as the Nigerian President between 1979 and 1983, five Nigerian soldiers were killed by Cameroonian gendarmes as a result of boundary disputes between the two countries. The killings triggered a diplomatic agitation with some Nigerians calling on the Shagari government for the declaration of war against Cameroon. Shagari was, however, reluctant for the retaliatory option.

Shagari, we recall, cited Nigeria as a major state actor in Africa that would not compromise peaceful co-existence with its neighbors.

But even after the Shagari era, there have been several reports of attacks, mostly unprovoked, by

the Cameroon security agents on Nigerian villages in Cross River State in the South-South geopolitical zone and some areas in the North East geopolitical zone.

The gendarmes, apparently emboldened by the 2002 verdict of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ceded the Peninsula to Cameroon, and the position of the Nigerian government last year not to appeal the ICJ judgment, were said to have hoisted Cameroonian flags in several Nigerian villages, and insisted that the residents must pay taxes and pledge their allegiance to the government of Cameroon.

It is no longer news that a dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon over the ownership of the oil rich peninsula led to a bitter disagreement between the Nigerian government and its Cameroonian counterpart at various points in time. The dispute was later referred to the ICJ in The Hague, Netherlands, for adjudication.

The ICJ, during the era of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian administration, delivered a judgment in which it ruled that the disputed peninsula belonged to Cameroon. The judgement, not surprisingly, drew intense and passionate comments from Nigerians who felt that the Obasanjo administration carelessly conceded the Nigerian territory (Bakassi) to Cameroon. Indeed, most Nigerians were of the opinion that the Nigerian government did not diligently

NIGERIA MUST… NOT PURSUE INTERNATIONAL PEACE TO THE DETRIMENT OF ITS CORE NATIONAL INTERESTS prosecute the case at the ICJ. Likewise worth recalling was the Obasanjo administration’s promise to comply with the decision of the ICJ. The government also ruled out military option to displace Cameroon in Bakassi, based on the country’s recognition of Africa as the centre of Nigeria’s foreign policy. The argument then was centred on Nigeria’s ‘critical roles’ in Africa’s political and economic affairs; and the country’s commitment to international peace, security, and the observance of the Green Tree Agreement (GTA). The GTA (Articles 1 and 2) published by the United Nations last year says: “Nigeria recognizes the sovereignty of Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula in accordance with the judgment of the International Court of Justice of 10 October 2002 in the matter of land and maritime boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria. Cameroon and Nigeria recognize the land and maritime boundary between the two countries as delineated by the

Court and commit themselves to continuing the process of implementation already begun. Nigeria agrees to withdraw all its armed forces from the Bakassi Peninsula within sixty days of the date of the signing of this Agreement. If exceptional circumstances so require, the Secretary-general of the United Nations may extend the period, as necessary, for a further period not exceeding a total of thirty days. This withdrawal shall be conducted in accordance with the modalities envisaged in annex 1 to this agreement”.

Considering the very sensitive nature of the boundary dispute and the reluctance of Nigeria, notwithstanding the ICJ judgment, to let go of Bakassi, we consider the needless attacks on Bakassi residents by Cameroonian gendarmes as provocative. The Federal Government should register a protest to the government in Yaounde over the incident, and if need be, reconsider a review of its diplomatic relations with Cameroon. Despite the situation on ground, the rights of Bakassi residents to life, human dignity, livelihood and choice of residence must not be compromised. The Jonathan administration should, in addition, formally protest to the African Union (AU) and the UN on Cameroon’s reckless use of force on Nigerians in Bakassi. Nigeria must assert itself in its relations with all its African neighbors; and must not pursue international peace to the detriment of its core national interests.

ON THIS DAY April 9, 2011 A gunman murdered five people, injured eleven others and committed suicide in a mall in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands, a town approximately 33 kilometres (21 mi) south-west of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Using a rifle, 24-year-old Tristan van der Vlis shot several people and then killed himself, reportedly with a different firearm. There were seven deaths, including the killer, and 17 wounded persons after the attack.

April 9, 2005 Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles: The wedding took place in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall. The ceremony, conducted in the presence of the couples’ families, was followed by a Church of England service of blessing at St George’s Chapel. The groom’s parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, did not attend the civil wedding ceremony but were present at the service of blessing and a reception.

April 9, 2003 The 2003 invasion of Iraq: Baghdad, the capital of Iraq fell to American forces the statue of the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, was pulled down and destroyed. The 2003 invasion of Iraq lasted from March 19, 2003 to May 1, 2003, and signaled the start of the conflict that later came to be known as the Iraq War, which was dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the United States. The invasion consisted of 21 days of major combat operations.

Stakeholders warn FG on neglect of commercial aviation

Experts identify rate cutting as insurance sector’s major challenges 37 SUPER TUESDAY

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www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

IMF signals wake up call for AMCON P erhaps this may be the best time for the National Assembly to urgently take a holistic look at the AMCON Act. The House of Representatives had set in motion, a process that would lead to the amendment of some sections of the AMCON Act. Even though the move by the House Committee on Banking and Currency was greeted with mixed reactions, unfolding events have shown that a proper look needed to be taken to ascertain whether AMCON has actually achieved its objectives or outlived its usefulness, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendation.

There are arguments by some operators that any amendment by the National Assembly could affect the gains recorded in the banking sector, by dampening confidence, especially in foreign investors and correspondent banks, which was built by the reform process.

To them, the corporation is a private sector led initiative funded by the banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Sinking Fund and as such, any attempt to tamper with its source of funding has the potential of affecting the system. They said that any attempt to make the federal government shoulder AMCON’s over N5 trillion debts could significantly raise Nigeria’s debt.

Managing Director/CEO, Maxifund Investments and Securities Limited and former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Mr. Okechukwu Unegbu, said it was appropriate for the lawmakers to amend the Act if the

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As Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and some experts faulted the recommendation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the Federal Government winds down the corporation, many stakeholders say this is the time to look at the Act establishing the corporation UDO ONYEKA reports.

Arik Air Lag-Abj:07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 13.05, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50,18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).

Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40,10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15,17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun)Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri) 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) AbvBeni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/ Sat)08.56, 12.10(Sun)

Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) LagBenin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) Central bank of Nigeria

IRS

body so wish, “saying it was necessary to take a holistic look at the AMCON Act. The former CEO of the defunct Citizen International Bank, explained: “I don’t think there is anything wrong with that as there are issues in the AMCON Act that ought to be looked at and amended if need be.”

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria (ICEN), Mr Peter Ikpamejo, advised the lawmakers not to take a hasty decision on the AMCON Act. He advised that professionals be engage to properly look at the AMCON Act and advise the National Assembly on what should be done.

In the same vein CIBN, President Mr Segun Aina has advised the lawmakers to quicken the amendment of AMCON

Act. Aina who led the institute’s delegate to the National Assembly, said there is the need to fast track the consideration and passage of the AMCON Act, Nigerian International Financial Centre Bill, Consumer Credit and Regulatory Commission Bill, Banks and Other Financial Institution Bill and the Electronic Transaction Bill among others.

In a statement made available to National Mirror, Aina emphasised the need for National Assembly to collaborate with the institute on Banking and finance matters.

However concerning the call to wind down AMCON the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, described the IMF’s recommendation as

“absolutely unnecessary,” saying “there is no reason for that”.

According to Rewane, AMCON is both a distress resolution vehicle as well as an institution set up to prevent systemic risks.

“AMCON is just two years and they are suggesting we wind down. Are they saying if there is another crisis, we should set up another AMCON? If AMCON is there, anytime there is a systemic risk, it can take it off.

“I am not aware of any part of the world where a distress resolution vehicle is set up and after two years, you shut it down. You can ask AMCON to slow down it activities, which to me is what it is doing now. So I totally disagree with IMF,” Rewane said.

Perhaps it was AMCON announcement of its first accounts

Lagos-Abuja 7.30 8.30 7.45 8.45 09.30 10.30 10.30 11.30 12.30 13.30 14.30 15.30 16.30 17.30 Lagos-Kano 08.00 09.15 10.30 11.45 14.30 15.40 18.15 19.30 Los-Maid&Yola (Mon-Thur) 09.30 11.30 Fri- Sun 10.30 12.30 Kano-Lagos 07.30 08.45 14.00 15.15 17.30 18.45 Kano-Abj 10.45 11.30 Abj-Lagos 09.00 10.30 11.00 12.00 12.00 13.00

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Air passenger demand rises to 3.7% in February – IATA

Why we back anti-graft war in Nigeria’s port system - UNDP

2013 budget: Delay in implementation paralyses real estate sector

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

IMF signals wake up call for AMCON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 since it was set up which showed a N2.37 trillion naira ($15 billion) loss after tax that opened the flood gate of criticisms over its operations.

According experts the loss raised some questions. Questions about the big size of the loss; how AMCON will refinance a 1.7 trillion naira zero-coupon bond at the end of 2013; and the ability to repay a total of N4.5 trillion government-backed bonds used to clean up the banking sector and whether the sinking fund will be sufficient in the short-term.

AMCON had however responded to these issues, assuring stakeholders about the needlessness to panic.

On the size of the loss, Executive Director of Finance, AMCON, Mofoluke Dosumu, said: “The non-performing loans that we bought were four times larger. This shows that what was disclosed as NPLs (non-performing loans) on the books of the banks were below what we found when they started selling to us. We bought four times what we initially envisaged.”

According to AMCON Managing Director, Mustafa Chike-Obi, the loss was also because of the N5.6 trillion it invested in the three banks to secure depositors’ funds and other public investment in them and to enable the banks compete favourably with other healthy banks in the country.

Investigations show that AMCON recorded its biggest loss in the five banks it intervened in: Intercontinental Bank where it injected N561.58bn and lost N557.98bn, representing 99.36 per cent loss and 23.5 of total loss in all interventions; in Union Bank, it was exposed by N382.814 billion and lost N280.782 billion (73.35 per cent); Equitorial Trust Bank N64.516 billion exposure and N62.93 billion loss (97.54 per cent); in Oceanic Bank it injected N304.680 billion and lost N280.7 billion (92.13 per cent); and in FinBank it intervened with N154.7 billion.

The loss through the five rescued banks accounted for 56.2 per cent of total loss by AMCON. On the rescued banks, AMCON injected N300.673 billion into Keystone Bank Limited and lost N271.324 billion (90.24 per cent); Mainstreet Bank Limited got N425.562 billion but N383.947 billion was lost (90.22 per cent); and Enterprise Bank Limited got N135.032 billion while N106.880 billion (79.15 per cent) was lost.

Chike-Obi however assured that the corporation is healthy. He said he was confident AMCON will be able to refinance its bonds at maturity next year and it could also choose to retire them using the proceeds of its sinking fund.

According to him, Nigerian banks had also agreed to increase their collective contributions to a post-crisis “sinking fund” used to refinance the bank’s bad debts to N100 billion, up from the N60 billion they had already put in, and with a projection to hit N6 trillion in 10 years.

According to experts AMCON’s published accounts did show much more than the balance sheet.

The annual report also shows that

Sanusi

Obi

Tudor

THE NONPERFORMING LOANS THAT WE BOUGHT WERE FOUR TIMES LARGER.

THIS

SHOWS THAT WHAT WAS DISCLOSED AS

NPLS (NON-

PERFORMING LOANS) ON THE BOOKS OF THE BANKS WERE BELOW WHAT WE FOUND WHEN THEY STARTED SELLING TO US.

AMCON completed the primary acquisition of N866.2billion of Eligible Bank Assets (“EBA”) from the 21 financial institutions on 31 December 2010, achieving this key objective within less than two months of commencing operations.

“AMCON acquired a further N377 billion of EBAs in April 2011, from 22 EFIs as well as some N515 billion of systematically important loans in December 2011. EBAs were purchased at fair value prices, largely based on the underlying collateral value of the loans, which is in accordance with the AMCON Guidelines as approved by the CBN. The IMF, had penultimate week advised the CBN as well as the federal government to consider winding down the operation of Asset Management Company of Nigeria. The advice is based on Article IV of the IMF’s agreement with members of the Fund. The Articles of Agreement states that the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year.

This involves a team of IMF staff visits to the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies.

Kuru

On return to IMF headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities.

The call for winding down of the operations of AMCON, according to IMF is based on the fact that the CBN has succeeded largely in restoring stability in the Nigerian financial system. The call is also to curb moral hazards and fiscal risk that would arise if AMCON continues in business of buying off non performing loans from banks.

It however thought that the corporation may bit more than it can chew in the near future, hence the advise.

In response to the IMF, AMCON, last week said it has stopped buying bad loans from commercial banks in Nigeria.

The Chief Executive Officer of AMCON, Chike-Obi, in a statement said the company decided to stop buying the loans so as to discourage excessive risktaking by the banks.

He noted that AMCON would no longer serve as a life line to banks with bad

Rewane

loan, adding that the banks now bear the risk of loans that turn bad, “added that the banks must make provision on their balance sheets or sell bad loans to a third party. We are not buying any more non-performing loans, and the bank had not done so for six months”.

He added that the company has cleaned up the banking system, saying that bad loans are now below five per cent. “We want to make sure that everybody adheres to the prudential guidelines”, Chike Obi said.

An indication that the bridged bank are back into profitability might be a plus and vindication for AMCON. It is gathered that the three banks; Mainstreet Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited, which emerged from the old three rescued banks namely, Afribank Plc, Bank PHB Plc and Spring Bank Plc, respectively, are set to declare various profit margins in their 2012 financial year subject to the ratification of their results by the CBN. Information on unaudited accounts showed that while Mainstreet Bank posted a profit after tax of N18billion, Keystone Bank and Enterprise Bank recorded N5billion and N7billion as profit after tax, respectively.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

21

ALSCON in crisis over UC RUSAL’s N21.5bn debt TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

T

here are strong indications that UC RUSAL of Russia, managers of the multibillion naira Ikot-Abasi based Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) may have run into financial crisis going by the figures in the company’s 2011 financial statements prepared by the globally rated auditing firm, KPMG. According to a copy of the document sourced at the weekend from one of the recently sacked officials who pleaded that his identity should not be in print, the company’s Balance Sheet showed that whereas its total current assets stood at about N15.77 billion during the year under review, its short term loans liabilities alone was about N21.35 billion (about $135 million) in 2011, up from the N17.51 billion of the preceding year.

The creditors and amounts advanced as loans in the Notes to the financial statements are,

L-R: Group Head, e-business, Sterling Bank, Mr. Fatai Amoo; winner of LED TV, Tossa Monday, and Head, Cards unit Sterling Bank, Abidemi Asunmo, during the presentation of gifts to winners at the just concluded verve card promo at the corporate head office of the bank in Lagos at the weekend

Dayson Holding Limited, N18.17 billion; Rual Limited, N2.72 billion; and Sea Chaika Corporation, N455.32 million. The company’s overall net assets or total equity according to the accounts, stood at N14.57 billion as at 31 December, 2011.

If the outstanding short term loans which are due for repay-

Lekki Port to generate $200bn, 163,000 jobs ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

T

he managing director of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise, Mr. Haresh Aswani has projected that the state-of-t he-art Lekki Port project, scheduled to be operational by third quarter of 2016 will generate $200bn revenue and create 163,000 new jobs.

Located in the Lagos Free Trade Zone at the Lekki suburb, Aswani explained that the Lekki Port, conceptualized as a multi-product industrial and logistics hub would spread across 90Ha of land and shall be built at an estimated cost of $1.55 billion.

He further said the deep-sea port which will be located 65 km east of Lagos Mainland shall become the gateway to West African region and would be one of the most efficient and modern maritime facilities that will cater to containerized, liquid and dry bulk cargo par international standards.

“In addition to bridging the capacity deficit, Lekki Port will have significant positive macroeconomic impact estimated at $361 billion over the entire concession period. It is expected to contribute more than USD 200 billion to the government exchequer while also creating close to 163,000

new jobs in the economy. Furthermore, Lekki Port will spur the economic development around the Lekki sub-region and on a wider perspective, the whole of Lagos State through rapid industrialization”, headded.

In a bid to ensure smooth and efficient operations, Lekki Port has engaged the services of leading global consultants in the mould of The Louis Berger Group Inc., Delta Marine Consultants, Berger ABAM and TBA Netherlands and the container terminal has been sub-concessioned to International Container Terminal Services, Inc, Philippines, a leader in the container terminal operations with a footprint across the globe.

The strategic location, optimal layout and modern facilities is expected to provide Lekki Port a distinct competitive edge over any other port facility in the West African region.

The Lagos State Government’s and Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) involvement as shareholders in this project demonstrate both, their interest in the success of Lekki Port and their confidence in the Public-Private Partnership model to bridge the gaps in the infrastructure domain which is pivotal to overall growth of Nigerian economy.

ment within 12 months amounting to N21.35 billion as well as other liabilities including creditors and accruals’ totalling N941.45 million as well as the N707.56 million due to related parties falling due within one year are netted off its assets, then the company is in serious financial strait. It is believed

that this accounted for the laying off of 470 workers by the management recently.

The huge financial liabilities of the company are said to have been incurred by UC RUSAL despite the fact that the Federal Government provided them $120 million credit when they took over the management of the

plant. Nothing in the company’s audited accounts since 2007 suggested that the amount had been paid to government coffers. 470 Curiously, it was reliably gathered that only $130 million was paid by UC RUSAL out of the bid price of $250 million since it took over the plant. This means that if the $120 million credit provided by the Federal Government to facilitate its take-over of the plant is netted off from the payment made, it means that only $10 million was paid by UC RUSAL so far since it took-over the plant.

Reacting to the latest state of the plant, particularly the N21.5 billion short term loans, BPE’s spokesman, Chigbo Anichebe, said the Bureau may not be aware of the loan by Dayson Holding to UC RUSAL, describing any such arrangement as an internal business matter, adding “it is normal for a parent company to give an internal loan to support the operations of one of its affiliates.”

Atlas Cove bombing: NPA acquires three large patrol ships FRANCIS EZEM

T

he Nigerian Ports Authority says it is currently at the verge of taking delivery of three large and sophisticated patrol vessels designed to safeguard the various imported petroleum product reception terminals spread across the major seaports in the country.

Nigeria, though the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world and member of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), depends on fuel importation to meet her 36 million litre per

day consumption as none of her four refineries is currently working at optimum capacity.

This is sequel to the successful bombing in 2011 of the Atlas Cove Jetty located in Lagos, which is a major reception facility for imported products by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), which led to shortage of products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also called petrol.

The dreaded Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta had issued another statement threatening to resume attacks on major oil facilities to protest the 13-year jail term slammed on its leader, Mr.

Experts laud NAMA’s TRACON OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, says that its multi-billion naira Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, TRACON, equipment spread across the nation’s airports has been confirmed to be of high quality by some industry experts.

The agency through an online statement signed by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Supo Atobatele, stated that the safety equipment was lauded by the visiting members of the Aviation Round Table, ART, who toured the Lagos Airport site of the equipment over the weekend.

According to him, ART led by its Secretary-General, Mr. Sam Akerele who was also once a member of staff of the agency, stated that what NAMA had in various airports at the moment was complete safety equipment, which would go a long way in boosting safety in the airspace.

Akerele reportedly said, “What we have now is a complete radical departure from the past. The new radar is a good thing to happen to this generation as we can see that flights are properly vectored by the controllers without stress.”

The statement stated that comments by some stakeholders on the effectiveness of the

Henry Okar by a South African Court.

General Manager in charge of public affairs of the authority, Captain Ebubeogu Ihenacho, who fielded questions from news men during a media parley in Lagos, disclosed that the authority is currently building three sophisticated patrol ships to enhance its patrols.

According to him, one of the ships, christened Dorino, which means Hippopotamus because of her size is being built by a shipyard in France while the other two named Agede and Ojo, both of which are Ijaw names that depict strength are being built in South Africa. radar had rather been speculative as they lacked the technical knowledge on the workings of TRACON. He stressed that the visit of ART members to the site was to educate some stakeholders who have consistently dismissed the scheme as a mere terminal radar, stressing that the radar covers even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

Akerele reportedly said that the visit of the professional association became necessary following embarrassing comments to the media by some stakeholders who have not been privileged to visit TRACON and may not know how the radar works.

Akerele allegedly expressed gratitude to the Managing Director, NAMA,

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Nigeria GDP rebasing likely delayed until 2014

T

he rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, which is expected to increase by around 40 per cent, is likely to be delayed until next year, the head of the statistics bureau said on Monday.

The recalculation will enable Nigeria to join the ranks of middle-income countries and put it much closer in size to South Africa, the continent’s most developed economy. It will also make it an even bigger draw for foreign investors seeking a slice of Africa’s fast growth rates.

But several deadlines to implement the changes have been missed, with the latest being the fourth quarter of this year.

“It is unlikely that even the target of the last quarter (this year) we will make it,” Director General of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Yemi Kale told Reuters yesterday.

“I underestimated how much work needs to be done ... I think everyone understands that this

is very, very crucial and has to be done properly,” Kale said when explaining the delay.

Most governments overhaul gross domestic product calculations about every five years to reflect changes in output and consumption, such as mobile phones and the Internet. Nigeria has not done so since 1990.

The rebasing is expected to add about 40 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP, which would boost the economy from roughly $250bn, to around $350bn.

That brings it very close to South Africa’s currently $385bn economy. And, with a growth rate of over six per cent a year, compared with three per cent in South Africa, Nigeria may eventually overtake its rival to seize the top spot.

Some economists warn that a sharp increase in the size of Nigeria’s economy will mean slower growth.

“You’d expect that the bigger the economy, the slower the

growth ... but I don’t think it is as easy as that,” he said.

“Regardless of what our GDP is ... we are still going to be small enough to produce even sharper growth rates.”

Sectors like telecommunications, construction, hotels and entertainment should get a greater weighting after rebasing but agriculture, which currently makes up around 40 per cent of GDP and 60 per cent of jobs, is likely to decrease in influence.

“Growth in agriculture is ... largely subsistence, largely labor intensive, so there is a limit to how much you can grow. We know that capital intensive technology probably generates more output than labour intensive technology,” Kale said.

He said the oil and gas sector, which contributes around 80 percent of government revenues, is expected to maintain a similar weighting of around 15 per cent.

L-R: Executive Director, Rural Electrification Agency, Mr Kenneth Achugbu; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali and Director, Electrical Inspectorate Services, Mr. Abayomi Adebisi, at the launching of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme in Abuja recently.

Why we back anti-graft war in Nigeria’s port system - UNDP FRANCIS EZEM

T

he United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said that its decision to strongly support the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its quest to beam its anti-graft searchlight on Nigeria’s port industry is in tandem with government’s aim of increasing Foreign Direct Investment.

ICPC had last week in conjunction with its national partners; the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR) with the support of the UNDP held ameeting with port stakeholders on the proposed conduct of Cor-

ruption Risk Assessment (CRA) of the seaports in Nigeria.

The CRA, which seeks to strengthen the mechanisms to prevent corruption, is the process of examining the practices, systems and procedures of public bodies.

Leader of the UNDP team, Dr. Sam Egwu, who spoke shortly after the meeting, said the agency is proud to be associated with the initiative, which is designed to curtail corruption in the port industry by preventing corrupt acts from occurring rather than waiting to prosecute offenders, which it believes could have been averted through the CRA. According to him, the agency has supported the CRA initiative from inception in 2011 because of its belief that there lies at the heart of the mandates of

its three core partners, which include ICPC, BPP and TUGAR. He said: “The support of the UNDP for this exercise derives from our commitment to respond to the priorities set by the Nigerian Government, which include fighting the malaise of corruption and achieving the country’s broader development goal one of which is to increase Foreign Direct Investment, to which the port industry is crucial”.

“The UNDP remains committed to promoting public accountability and transparency in Nigeria, an objective that is crucial and closely tied to our larger goal of reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development in order to empower and build resilient nations”, he also said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airport remodelling: Contractor to complete P/H’s first phase this month OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he contractor handling the ongoing remodelling of Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Port Harcourt has said that the first phase of the exercise will be completed by the end of this month.

The contractor also assured the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and other airport users that the construction company will deliver qualitative terminal to the public at the end of the day.

Speaking with airport correspondents yesterday at the Mur-

tala Mohammed Airport, MMA, Lagos, the Chairman, Inter-BAU Construction Limited, Sir Nath Okechukwu explained that airport remodelling was divided into two phases.

He noted that before the current project, the company had been handling various jobs for FAAN in the past 20 years, among which, were the resurfacing of the 18Right runway of Lagos and the construction of access roads in the same airport.

Apart from its project in aviation, Okechukwu noted that the company also handles roads, bridges, river ports and warehouses constructions across the country.

Air passenger demand rises to 3.7% in February – IATA report OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he International Air Transport Association, IATA, has announced global passenger traffic results for February showing that demand growth is accelerating on the back of stronger business confidence, particularly in emerging regions.

According to IATA, passenger demand rose 3.7 per cent compared to February 2012.

The growth, IATA said masks improvements in recent months.

October 2012 appears to have been a turning point for air travel markets.

Since October, passenger demand has been growing at an annualised rate of nine per cent., which is almost double the growth trend over the first nine months of 2012.

The Director-General, IATA,

Mr. Tony Tyler said February’s performance was good news for the industry, noting that demand for air travel continues to rise on economic optimism and improved business confidence.

He added, “But that comes with a few caveats. Much of the growth is concentrated on emerging markets. Europe continues to be a laggard.

And the handling of the banking crisis in Cyprus has reminded all of us that the deep problems in the Eurozone economies still remain.”

Capacity was up 1.0 per cent on the previous February and the industry load factor stood at 77.1 per cent.

“Airlines are carefully managing capacity expansion, which is keeping the load factor at a record high. This is helping the industry to remain profitable despite persistently high oil prices,” he said.

NEPC calls for more funding TONY ANICHEBE UYO

N

igeria’s quest of exploring the non-oil sector so as to diversify the economy may become a mirage except deliberate effort is made by government and other agencies to adequately and promptly fund the Nigeria Export Promotion Council.

This view was expressed by the Board chairman of the council Mrs. Grace Clark at a four day retreat going on at the Le Meridian Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo Akwa Ibom state capital.

According to her, if the board would only rely on its budgetary allocation from the government, its dreams of cutting down the country’s dependent on oil may be defeated and the idea of having a fall back on the non-oil sector to finance the economy may not be achieved.

“Funding is a huge task, but we

are looking at initiative to make our own internally generated revenue, we do not need to depend on the budgetary allocation, we have to generate our own money, if we depend on the budget allocation, maybe the whole project would be Nigeria Export Promotion Council.

“We are trying to break dependency on oil, everybody is talking oil, and if you follow the research that has been gong on world wide, very soon oil product will fall, if it falls what do we fall back to, we fall back to non-oil and that is what we are trying to empower to make sure that non-oil exporters are well known all over the world.

“We are not receiving all our funding that are due us, NIMASA is suppose to be contributing 10 percent of its resources to us and we have not receive it, it has restrain us, we want to be part of the President’s transformation agenda and you can’t do it with words.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Work, life balance critical to career development, says experts

23

CIPM to host entrepreneurship, career fair MESHACK IDEHEN

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Newly elected fellows of Nigeria Institute of Training and Development (NITAD) carrying plaques. L-R: Mr. Wale Oyeyemi, Mr. Ola Azeez, Mrs. Ayoade Igbeyi, Mr. Kayode Ogungbuyi and other fellows during the AGM of the Institute held in Lagos recently

Either as an established career professional or an employment hopeful, experts say several factors relatively independent of the workplace are directly connected to individual’s job and career development, MESHACK IDEHEN writes.

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any people feel that work is eating into their personal life. In a recent report, researchers said after a study on maintaining balance between work and life commissioned by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), that more than 14 per cent of employees in United States of America are working from home, and over 28 per cent from developing nation, including Nigeria are also now working from home.

Attributing the phenomenal rise in the number of professionals and career upstarts that now works or seek to work from home, experts said that option is borne out of the inability of many employees to strike or maintain a balance between their work and personal lives.

Directly linking career development, productivity and ability to rise on a job to the ability of an employee to maintain the work-life balance, Managing Director of Team Building Nigeria, Mr. Yinka Olugbodi, said the shift in the workplace practices as a result of advances in technology, team building initiatives

and affordable technologies have made it more feasible for employees to keep contact with work, even when not in the office.

He explained that researchers, in a recent study, found out that employees who consider their work roles to be an important component of their identities will be more likely to apply these communication technologies to work while in their non-work domain.

According to him, “the notion that workers should be more efficient is a good one which many organisations in the country are sadly yet to fully imbibe.

Employees have many methods, such as emails, computers and cell phones, which enable them to accomplish their work beyond the physical boundaries of their office”.

He said when given a reasonable level of free hand to work and through these devices, that the ability of employees to maintain a balance between their work and personal lives becomes real, thus enhancing the prospect of their productivity and increased profits for the organisations.

Olugbodi maintained that the era where employers compelled their workers to show up in the office, and not giving them “breathing space” irrespective of prevailing conditions have since gone, noting also that a lot of highly skilful and competent career people are having difficult time finding balance in their lives; a challenge that can extend to affect the organisation if left unchecked.

Speaking in the same vein that a

perfectly balanced work-life is key for jobs, career growth and development, President of the Nigeria Institute of Training and Development, Mr. Kayode Ogungbuyi, said even if workers don’t have much control over the hours they have to work, that they can think of innovate ways through which they bring greater “enjoyment” into their lives, adding that by doing so, such workers are also contributing towards their individual and organisational growth.

Suggesting ways by which workers can hit a balance between work and their lives with the objectives of increasing their usefulness for self and firm, the NITAD president explained that it was important to build downtime into whatever schedule such employees have.

Ogunbiyi said building a downtime includes making it a point to schedule time with family and friends, and also engaging in activities that help such employees recharge.

On her part, Productivity Expert, Ms. Laura Stack, in her online portal, said employees should always take stock of activities that does not enhance their career or personal life, and minimise the time you spent on them.

According to her, “employees may even be able to leave work earlier if conscious effort is made to limit the time spent on the web and social media sites, making personal calls, or checking bank balance.

Employees often get sucked into these habits that are making them less efficient without realizing it, thus also affecting their ability to maintain”.

he Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) said it will host an entrepreneurship and career fair, and that the move is geared towards combating the unemployment situation in Nigeria, particularly amongst youths.

Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Mr. Sunday Adeyemi, said in a statement on Thursday that the fair, which is opened to prospective entrepreneurs, job seekers and the unemployed, will go a long way towards linking job seekers with prospective employers.

Adeyemi said that the fair which has as its theme: “From Job Seeking to Job Creation”, is aimed at changing the orientation of the people from job seeking to job creation, creating awareness of entrepreneurship opportunities in various sectors of the Nigerian economy and sensitising participants on strategies to boast their employability.

He said CIPM which is the nation’s apex institute responsible for regulating the practice of human resource management in Nigeria is committed to operating global standard in human resource practice n Nigeria, adding the fair is the second in the series.

According to him, “the career and entrepreneurship fair is aimed at promoting entrepreneurship by providing a platform for potential entrepreneurs and job seekers to access information, opportunities and resources to start small businesses, become self employed and create jobs.”

The CIPM registrar disclosed that the success of the maiden edition of the fair which held in Lagos last year with over 600 participants in attendance, informed why this second edition is being held in Abuja, explaining another two are planned for Port Harcourt and Lagos before the end the year.

He added that this initiative is part of the corporate social responsibility of CIPM in contributing to sustainable national development, while also adding seasoned entrepreneurs will be at the fair to provide insight into the principles of job creation, share experiences and motivate potential entrepreneurs, job seekers and other participants.

Disengaged Sterling Bank workers get June 4 court date MESHACK IDEHEN

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isengaged staff of Sterling Bank that took the bank to court over the non-payment of their severance package have got a reprieve from the court, as Justice Agbadu Fisher of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Lagos has adjourned hearing of the suit filed by the workers to June 4 for adoption of motion and for amendment of ap-

plications.

The embattled workers were inherited by Sterling bank during the bank consolidation exercise from Indo Nigerian Bank limited. Five banks – Nal Bank Plc, Magnum Bank, NBM Bank, Trust Bank of Africa and Indo merged to form Sterling Bank at that time.

Some of the workers like Adedeji Wale, Jephter Amadi, Saka Kilani, Oderinde Usoro, Leonard Paul and Stephen Adegboye amongst others, said that they had under-

standing with Indo Bank before the consolidation that 18 months of service be assured the staff moving to the new mega bank, otherwise, upon the termination of appointment, redundancy benefits should be paid.

They also said that Indo assured them that no staff would be laid off and that everyone will be carried along to the defendant bank without fear of losing jobs. The claimants said that based on the agreement that they would be guaranteed a minimum of 18 months period of service

with the defendant bank or alternatively, upon termination of appointment, their redundancy benefits and salary in lieu of notice, they transfer their services to Sterling Bank on January 1, 2006.

They said they were surprised and shocked when by letters dated 29th September, 2006, they were intimated that their services with the defendant bank were no longer required just 9 months after transferring their services to the defendant bank.

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Jobs & Career

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

How to advance your present career

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nless you have been fortunate enough to carve your own career destiny with a business of your own, your future is at the whim of someone else. Think about it: the income you will earn going forward is at the mercy of another. What on earth can you do about it? Is there any way to get control of your career destiny?

According to www.careerbuilders. com, “the elusive holy grail of cubicle life cannot be had by secret formula or chance. You have to seize it and take command of that corporate ladder before you try to scale it. These tips to get on the career fast track can come in useful.

Education - Before you shake your head at what you think is an obvious one, think again. Education is not something you only get in a classroom. An Executive MBA will look sweet on that resume, but at the end of the day, will it ensure career success? Maybe, maybe not.

Theoretical knowledge can never prepare you for life as a company VP. The degree or diploma will get your foot in the door, but to ensure that you get in the room and stay there, you need to learn what it takes to be a top level employee. So how do you do that? Find the person whose job you want and ask them. Read a book penned by an expert.

Soak up the wisdom and go forward.

Network - Nobody can get anywhere without the right connections. You have to talk a good game in order to write the rules one day. Get out there and socialise with the people in the know. Join an association or corporate club and make friends with people who live in houses you want to own one day. Some of the biggest deals are closed on the golf course,or over dinner.

Find a proven path-When you start a new job, you should be looking ahead from day one. Where do you want to be in a year? No matter what type of organisation you work for, you will be streamed into a career path, whether you like it or not. Find out where you fit in so you can avoid fighting the current.

Get to know the company inside and out. Whose job would you like one day?

How did they get there? The answer to that question is everything you need to know.

Kiss butt - You worked your tail off to earn a degree, get a good job with decent pay and feel as if you deserve a promotion based on your record. Nobody is entitled to anything in life. You have to

Managing Director, FJAJOB.Com, Funto Akinkugbe

EVERYTHING BOILS DOWN TO ACTION. YOU HAVE TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR FUTURE NOW BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DECIDES YOUR FATE go out and grab it. Kissing butt is part of the game, so get used to it now. Not to suggest that you polish the loafers of your superior with your tongue and wipe his behind with your nose but you should curry his favour. You can be subtle about it but make no mistake -- you have to get some brown on your nose to make it.

Work late - In order to reap a sweet reward at the end of your career path, there will come a time when you have to kill yourself for your job. There is no avoiding it. The rite of passage is a part of corporate life. The people that have their own parking spot and expense account worked to the bone at one time or another. Work like a slave now and rest later.

Publicise your accomplishments - This piece of advice is important. If you do plan on sacrificing your entire

existence for your job, then you would be a complete fool not to drop a hint now and then to promote it. You can be shameless or subtle about it. One tactic sure to leave a good impression is to leave voice messages and e-mail to your boss on crucial work matters at the most ungodly of hours.

During casual conversations with coworkers, let it slip that you have been working insane hours or closed an important deal. Give frequent status reports to your boss so that you stay on his mind.

Do something memorable - What are you doing to make an impact at work? Forget your regular duty list, are you taking the initiative to spearhead important projects? This is what ambitious, successful people do. If it is not in your personality to be upfront with suggestions, you had better start faking it if you expect to get ahead. Look for ways the business can improve and take action.

When difficult tasks come up, volunteer to tackle them. Part of being aggressive and confident is the intimidation factor with regard to other people within the organization. It is good to make friends on the job but at the same time, part of the goal is to leapfrog over them when you seek a promotion. You need to have a killer instinct and a winning attitude to make it.

Become popular - Yet the irony is that you also need to foster goodwill in order to make it as well. An analogy can be made with Survivor -- while the contestants want to win the million dollars, they have to make alliances to move on without alienating the potential jury members who will vote for them to take the grand prize.

This delicate balance is akin to what you will face in the corporate world when you strive to move up the proverbial ladder.

Take action - Everything boils down to action. You have to seize control of your future now before someone else decides your fate. If you let it slide, you will coast until retirement and then live to regret the fact that you never did more to advance your position. It may feel comfortable to coast, but for how long? At some point you have to assess what is important to you and then make a decision. Can you deal with career stagnation or do you want something better? The time to act is now.

Workers to get N128.3m gratuities,union dues MESHACK IDEHEN

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he National Industrial Court has ordered the management of Gaskiya Textile Mill Limited to pay N128.3 million to its former workers and the National Union of Textile and Garment, Tailoring Workers of Nigeria as gratuity and union dues.

In its judgment, the court, presided over by Justice F. L. Kola-Olalere, upheld the 2010 ruling by the Industrial Arbitra-

tion Panel, which said the management of the company was wrong in unilaterally shutting down the company in 2005 without paying the workers their entitlements.

The union, while praising the judgment of the NIC and its leadership, however, urged the court to make sure that its judgment was enforced.

NUTGTWN President, Dele Hunsu, said, “Gaskiya Textile Mill unilaterally closed down operation in 2005 without settlement of the entitlements of the workers as well as outstanding union

dues.

“When all entreaties to management to settle her liabilities to the workers and the union failed, the union petitioned the then Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Hassan Muhammed Lawal, who promptly referred the matter to the Industrial Arbitration Panel in January 2008.”

In March 2010, the IAP ruled in favour of the union and directed the management of Gaskiya Textile to pay the entitlements of the workers and the outstanding dues of the union.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Job vacancies Available job vacancies this week begins with the position of a Regional Human Resources and Organisational Development Partner (www.findjobafrica) to be based in Dakar, Senegal.

The role of the Human Resources and Organisational Development (HR & OD) Partner is to provide coordinated leadership, technical support and strategic direction for the human resource function across the region.

The HR & OD Partner will have responsibility for ensuring that standards and good practice in terms of HR policies, procedures and practices are adhered to whilst reflecting local considerations such as employment law and culture.

Other functions are to be responsible for the regional human resource strategy and performance of the regional HR function and ensuring the effective roll out of global HR & OD initiatives, policies and procedures in all country offices in the region.

For skills, the incoming must have the ability to manage conflicting priorities and balance a heavy workload, excellent written and oral English and French language skills and ability to communicate clearly and effectively verbally and in writing with staff at all levels of the organisation.

He/she must be educated to degree level or equivalent, with relevant professional qualifications, must be a proven senior HR generalist with experience at a regional level.

Also from www.(findjobafrica..com) is the vacant post for an Executive Director in charge of Training to be based in Lagos According to the company recruiting, The executive director is expected to manage multiple large, complex and cross functional projects, set up strategy and the direction for the company, design, develop and implement the strategic plan for the company in the most cost effective and time efficient manner and Direct largescale, complex project often involving multiple internal and external constituents amongst other functions.

The qualifications and experience of candidate needed for the post are a minimum of Bachelors degree or its equivalent in the arts, social sciences or sciences; a 10 years Project related, and/or marketing, and/or training experience, working knowledge of project management, strong marketing skills to penetrate small, medium and large organisations and managerial skills for supervision and management of staff and company assets.

From the logistics and transport sector comes the position of a Truck/Fleet Supervisor (www.jobberman.com) also to be based in Lagos The minimum qualification required for this position is a degree with Required Experience of between 1 - 3 years Some of the responsibilities are truck supervision for timely delivery of goods, Driver supervision to ensure good conduct, fuel control and handling of way bill.

Also from www.jobberman.com are openings for the Marketers who are to be based in Lagos.

The minimum qualification is an OND and required experience is between 1 - 3 years, with responsibilities for communicating with target audiences and managing client relationships and contributing to and developing marketing plans and strategies for effective sales initiatives.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

25

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

Delay in 2013 budget implementation slows down real estate sector activities

One of the ongoing housing projects in Abuja

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espite the confidence earlier expressed by stakeholders about the prospect of the real estate sector, activity in the sector has remained slow through the first quarter of the year.

With first week in the second quarter already gone, stakeholders are yet to see any ongoing mass housing project. They are doubting the forcast of a boom in the sector in 2013.

Although, the Federal Government has announced plans to jumpstart the second phase of FESTAC Town in Lagos and the launching of the Nigerian Mortgage Finance Corporation, but to stakeholders, all these are mere promises yet to be back up with actions.

Some experts that spoke with National Mirror blamed lack of physical implementation of the 2013 budget for the woe of the sector, adding that the industry would require huge funds to promote development.

Lamenting the low level of activities in the sector after the first three months of the year, Lagos based estate surveyor and valuer, Mr. Akin Olawore, blamed the sector’s woes on non implementation of the budget by government.

He said, “The sector is yet to witness any growth during this period owing to non implementation of the 2013 budget.”

He stated that the sector relied so much on government patronage for funding and since the budget’s implementation is yet to take off, activity in the industry has remained slow.

Decrying the situation, he said, “As at now, there is no policy in place, no budget implementation, no funding. As it is now, if you go to banks for fund for housing, they will be asking for offtakers as one of

The first quarter of 2013 is gone and the real estate sector is yet to witness major activity in terms of funding and mass housing development. Some experts who spoke with DAYO AYEYEMI, blamed lack of physical implementation of the 2013 budget for the downturn.

LOOK AROUND, THERE IS NO MASS HOUSING PROJECT ONE CAN

POINT AT.

WHEN YOU

ARE DELIBERATING

ABOUT MASS HOUSING, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT

15 MILLION

UNITS

Jonathan

their conditions.”

He advised government to encourage the private sector to develop houses by creating an enabling environment and make funds available for effective demand.

He expressed hope in the proposed Nigerian Mortgage Finance Corporation, saying its introduction would give developers hope of availability of fund to construct affordable housing for the people.

He lauded UPDC for launching its N30 billion Equity Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT, recently, saying with this, “Investors are gaining more confidence in the sector.”

Principal Partner, Kola Akomolede and Company, Chief Kola Akomolede,

said virtually nothing has happened in the sector in the last three months.

He said, “There is no noticeable event in the housing sector at the end of first quarter of the year. We only heard of Nigeria Mortgage Finance Corporation which is not necessary since we have Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in place.

There is no serious step or programme by the Federal government to jump-start activities in the sector.”

He noted that the private sector ongoing housing projects are progressing slowly owing to non availability of fund.

On ways to drive the sector to performance, Akomolede has this to say, “Our government is not taking housing as an important matter. At individual level, we want people that see housing as important to get to power for the benefit of

enhancing home ownership among Nigerians.”

Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos Chapter, Mr Ladi Lewis, maintained that housing sector would require a lot of inputs from the professionals. This, he said is yet to be seen in Nigeria, pointing out that by the look of things, mass housing has not started in Nigeria.

“Look around, there is no mass housing project one can point at. When you are deliberating about mass housing, we are talking about 15 million units. We don’t even have 5 per cent of 15 million housing project in Nigeria,” he said.

Individually, disclosed that he had been involved in some commercial projects in the last three months and not residential housing.

He canvassed for robust funding for the sector coupled with virile mortgage system to promote mass housing for the populace.

Port Harcourt based estate surveyor and valuer, Mr. Mark Emmanuel, corroborated Olawore, saying though the budget had been passed but its implementation is yet to commence.

This, he said has slowed down real estate activities as many people relied on funding for housing projects.

“Even activities within the government’s circle have been slowed because the authority is yet to actualise the imCONTINUED ON PAGE 26

26

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Delay in 2013 budget implementation slows down real estate sector activities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 plementation of the budget. They just sent it back to the National Assembly,” he said.

It is on note that despite the nation’s landmass of 970,000 square kilometres, human population of about 150 million and rapid urbanisation, Nigerian real estate market has remained untapped for the well being of citizens unlike developing countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates which have used real estate to promote economic development.

Issues ranging from problematic land tenure system to bureaucratic and dysfunctional implementation of policies, defective title documents, lack of access to finance, lack of respect for contract, difficulty in realising real estate collaterals and absence of adequate mortgage institution and infrastructure have been adduced for low growth of the sector.

Speaking recently, Managing Director of UPDC, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran, explained that the real estate sector is over burdened by law and regulation, explaining myriad of legal constricts inhibiting and discouraging investment in the sector.

According to him, land titling has remained the greatest problem faced by major players in the sector, adding that the current legal frameworks have failed to guarantee title to land.

He explained that absence of an indefeasible title to land has exposed developers, financiers, buyers and investors to risk.

He blamed some provisions of the Land Use Act as relating to the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) for the slow growth in the sector, adding that holders of the certificate may later discover that the title document in their possession “is nothing but ‘mere piece of paper.”

He also expressed worry over the con-

Olawore

Akomolede

sent provision of the Land Use Act, saying that as laudable as the provisions might be for town planning purposes, various state governments, in their unmitigated drive for revenue, laid ambush for applicants for consent to collect numerous fees ranging from consent, stamping, registration, taxes and levies among others.

He said, “In some cases, the consolidated perfection cost may be high as over 20 per cent of the capital value of the property. And without a “One line consent regime” ensuring for a specified period, say 10 years, the property value is artificially doubled if it changes hands about five times within a short period.

“The perfection process is not only expensive; it is cumbersome, complex, time-consuming and generally antibusiness.”

He also bemoaned the ambiguous permitting and approval processes coupled with their ever changing rules, saying that multiple regulatory bodies involved have made the processes difficult for investors.

He said, “Other thorny legal problems besetting the sector include title recertification, double registration of documents, stamp duties assessment for corporate organisations, judicial process,” adding that the supposed avenue for dispute resolution is time consuming and should be avoided as much as possible. “Ä simple interlocutory application may take several years to resolve. In the meantime, third party rights would have been created over the rest, making legal enforcement impracticable,” he said.

Managing Director of Xpress Property services ventures Limited, Mr Allan Olusegun Alli, said lack of adequate funding towards to sector and poor level of infrastructural development have made the delivery cost of affordable housing too expensive.

Other factors, according to him, arehigh cost of building materials and interest rates.

“The antidote to this unfortunate situation is for funding requirements towards the sector; government investment into infrastructures thus lower-

ing the cost of building,” he said, adding that there was need to establish trust fund solely dedicated to support development while easing some of the provisions of the Land Use Act. The government, he stated must be serious and committed in a working partnership with the private sector to give all necessary support required to grow the housing sector even for foreign investors.

Former Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, had called for enactment and effective implementation of securitisation laws, strengthening of mortgage institutions, establishment of construction banks and the overhauling of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to revamp Nigerian real estate sector.

To grow the industry, the report of the Vision 20:2020 National Technical Group showed that housing would be achieved through a private sector led housing delivery system anchored on mass construction of houses and strong mortgage finance.

The vision implementation plan states that, “10 million new houses to the national housing stock should be added by building an average of 1 million new homes every year; and ensure that at least 50 percent of the new homes are build in the urban centres and the remaining in the rural areas; and provide incentives to encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) in mass housing development”.

Also, Financial Sector Strategy (FSS2020) Vision for Nigeria’s housing/ mortgage industry by year 2020 identified the creation of a mortgage market that is not only safe and profitable but one that would provide access to housing finance to a minimum of 30 per cent of Nigerians in all social classes in urban centres for the purpose of owning their own houses.

Lagos Housing Fair to focus on climate change, housing delivery DAYO AYEYEMI

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onsidering the effects of climate change such as rise sea level in leading to devastating flooding, extreme drought and wind coupled with high temperature which have become visible in major Nigerian cities, the promoters of 2013 Lagos Housing Fair have rolled out plans to beam searchlight on the negative implications of climate change on housing development.

The fair, themed, “Climate Change and Housing Delivery” which will hold between April 29 and May 4 at the premises of Radio Lagos /Eko FM in Ikeja, is to be declared open by former Head of State, General Abubakar Abdusalam.

In a joint press briefing attended by the General Manager, Radio Lagos/Eko FM, Mr Aderoju Adepoju, Chairman, Lagos Housing Fair Committee, Mr Moses Ogunleye, a town planner, stated that over 65 organisations have already confirmed their participation and readiness to exhibit their products during the event, recalling that over 110,000 people have visited the ex-

Beautification of Lagos

hibition since inception 13 years ago.

The fair is being promoted by Radio Lagos/Eko FM and Beachland Resources Limited.

Justifying reasons for the choice its theme, he said the decision was hinged on

the need to direct the nation’s attention to the debilitating effects that climate change could have on all aspects of housing delivery.

These, according to him, included design, land use management, material us-

age/specification, construction methodology, infrastructure, as well as finance.

In addition, Ogunleye explained that the intention was to refocus on the issue of mitigation plans for housing management in view of the continuous likely negative impacts of climate change on housing sector.

He noted that the prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency for 2013 showed that the volume of rainfall would be high, pointing out that increased intensity of rainfall could weaken the soil structure and threaten foundation of buildings in the mangrove and coastal areas like in Lagos State and other seven states along the shoreline.

As a result, Ogunleye said the fair would help to educate the public on the reality and likely impacts of climate change, and also propagate mitigation strategies from likely damage to housing facilities.

The adaptation and mitigation strategies, he said meant that buildings must be designed to withstand that vagaries of climate change, adding that design must enhance ventilation and natural lightening in order to reduce energy consumption.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

AYAC 2013: Time to reclaim Nigeria’s territory 30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

Sport

We will play this match like we played the match in Madrid. Nothing will be left to chance - Real Madrid’s Coach, Jose Mourinho

Ajiboye out for five weeks

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L-R: Globacom’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mohammed Jameel and Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, at the presentation of two cars to Photo: Ademola Akinlabi the coach in Lagos yesterday.

AFCON fallout: Finally, Keshi lands Glo cars I KENWA N NABUOGOR

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elecommunications company, Globacom, yesterday rewarded Super Eagles’ Coach Stephen Keshi with car gifts for his Africa Nations Cupwinning feat in South Africa in February.

The elaborate ceremony which took place at the company’s corporate headquarters in Lagos was at-

tended by stakeholders that include representatives of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) .

The 2013 Range Rover Sport HSE SUV and Toyota Corolla 2013 model were presented to Keshi by Globacom’s Chief Operating Officer, Mohammed Jameel.

Keshi, accompanied by his assistant, Sylvanus Okpala, as well as Eagles’ midfilder, Sunday Mba and defender Godfrey Oboabana,

beamed with smiles as he received keys to the cars in the presence of the media.

Jameel, who spoke at the occasion, reiterated Globacom’s support for the national team, saying the car gifts were the fulfillment of the company’s chairman, Chief Mike Adenuga’s pledge to reward the coach’s excellence.

“The car gifts are just our reward for a job well done,” Jameel said.

“We will continue to partner with the Super Eagles and always do our own part in supporting them to greater heights.”

Keshi expressed delight with the honour, even as he suggested that the donor extend same to his assistants Daniel Amokachi and Okpala.

“I don’t mean any harm by this humble suggestion but I hope Globacom understand my stand,” Keshi explained.

…Get NFF’s support AFOLABI GAMBARI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

A

report has indicated that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has supported the Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, on the latest invitation of players to the team ahead of the loaded June fixtures.

Keshi has come under criticisms by some big players of the Eagles following their exclusion from the Eagles last World Cup qualifier against Kenya.

Captain Joseph Yobo has openly criticised the coach for leaving him out of the

team after the 2013 AFCON feat in South Africa.

“We appointed Keshi for the Super Eagles job and we have resolved to give him a free hand to pick the players he deems fit to prosecute matches and thus far his selections have produced results,” MTNFootball. com quoted a top NFF official as saying yesterday.

Meanwhile, the NFF Technical Committee has been mandated to mediate in a presumed looming dressing room crisis involving Keshi and his players.

“We are going to look at the issues objectively,” committee Chairman, Barrister

Chris Green told MTNFootball.com “There is need for us mediate because the team can only achieve more when they are united.

“We appointed Keshi for this job and we believe in his ability, therefore we must do everything to make sure his job is easy and void of whatever distraction.”

The committee will meet today in Abuja to deliberate on the issues, upon which a statement would be made on the resolution, Aside from Yobo, the trio of Osaze Odemwingie, Emmanuel Emenike and Danny Shittu have at different times complained of being “used and dumped”.

hooting Stars’ first choice goalkeeper, Dele Ajiboye, will be out for five weeks due to a hand injury, according to the team doctor, Ogunjimi Funmilayo.

An x-ray on Ajiboye’s injured hand at the weekend revealed that the former Olympic team goalkeeper, who was invited for the World Cup 2014 qualifier against Kenya last month, will also be closely monitored for early recovery.

Ajiboye had injured his hand in an away game against Kano Pillars.

“I am not happy at all because this is not my plan for this season and it is so sad,” the keeper lamented.

“I have plan ahead for our next game with Bayelsa United game because my former coach is handling the team, but all the same the boys will do the job by beating Bayelsa in Yenagoa this week.”

Uganda axes Cranes’ coach

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he Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) yesterday sacked Cranes’ Coach, Robert Williamson, over what the federation considered as non-performance.

“FUFA hereby informs the public that a notice of termination of contract Cranes Head Coach Roberts Bobby Williamson,” FUFA’s Head of Communication, Rogers Mulindwa, said in a statement.

Mulindwa said the Emergency Committee of FUFA took the decision in compliance with the contract of employment and other relevant labour laws of Uganda including the Employment Act 2006.

“The decision takes immediate effect, but the fate of the assistants Jackson Mayanja and Fred Kajoba will be known later,” Mulindwa explained.

Although Mulindwa has helped the Cranes’ ranking improve, his recent 2-0 loss to Liberia in the 2014 World Cup qualifier has affected him greatly and many in the FA circles decided he should be sacked.

After the loss to Liberia, Uganda slipped to fourth place in Group J of the World Cup qualifier. Senegal leads the group with five points, while Liberia is second and Angola third.

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Abidal greets ‘loyal fans’

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arcelona defender, Eric Abidal, has thanked the club’s fans for the ovation he received after making his long-awaited comeback on Saturday following liver surgery.

The 33-year-old defender was a 70th-minute replacement for Gerard Pique in Barça’s 5-0 rout of Real Mallorca, making his first appearance in over a year after undergoing a liver transplant last April, having previously had surgery to remove a tumour in March 2011.

“My goal was to return. Now it is done and I try to look a little beyond this,” Abidal said.

“After a year of effort and hard work, the ovation is the best thing I could have had.

“I still have a long way to full fitness but I hope to be part of the group until the end of the season. Whether on the bench or in the stands, it is not too important.

The most important thing is to feel good and enjoy all these moments with my team-mates.”

Assistant coach Jordi Roura had dedicated Barcelona’s win to Abidal and coach Tito Vilanova, who returned to the dugout last week following two months in New York undergoing cancer treatment.

“At this stage, we cannot but look forward to our march to the Champions League final in Wembley next month,” Roura said.

Abidal

Drogba dreams Madrid’s fall

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alatasaray striker, Didier Drogba, hopes for a turnaround in today’s Champions League second leg quarter final clash with Real Madrid in Istanbul.

“This is something very exciting and I believe nothing will be impossible,” Drogba said yesterday.

“I have a special relationship with the Champions League and

I am eager to prolong my affair with the competition and I think we can turn the table against Madrid,” he added.

“I have found a club that is ambitious, with a great project. They at some point want to win the Champions League. It is a great choice for me. I wanted to rediscover the passion I experienced in Marseille. I want to be part of this adventure, part of this challenge.”

Santa Cruz aims semis

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Wembley Stadium, London will host the 2013 UEFA Champions League final

Ramos, Alonso out of Istanbul

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eal Madrid arrived in Turkey early yesterday without the suspended captain Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso as they picked up cautions late on in the first-leg to ensure they would not risk suspension for the semifinals.

The players’ action attracted UEFA criticism, although no sanction was proffered.

Luka Modric and Pepe look set to step in for the Spanish international duo, whilst Kaka has also been left out of the squad after coming off with a slight injury problem in Saturday’s 5-1 win over Levante.

Young France defender Raphael Varane will likely replace Ramos alongside Pepe, while Alonso’s absence could be filled by Luka Modric.

Madrid Coach, Jose Mourinho, has designated Diego Lopez as his starting goalkeeper,

meaning Spain captain Iker Casillas will watch from the dugout for the second straight match since recovering from a broken hand.

Whilst qualification for the last four now seems beyond Galatasaray, the Turkish team’s midfielder Felipe Melo is determined to round-off what has been a highly successful campaign for the Turkish champion with a famous victory on the night.

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“The return game will be just as hard because being three goals behind means we must go all out and that will mean leaving spaces in which they can play,” Melo said yesterday.

However, Galatasaray is also hampered by suspension as its top-scorer Burak Yilmaz and defender Dany Nounkeu also saw yellow cards at the Bernabeu that will keep them out of tonight’s game.

eal Madrid’s talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, aims to finish off Galatasaray and ease his club into the Champions League semifinals after holding a commanding 3-0 from the first leg at the Bernabeu last week.

Ronaldo leads Europe’s top-tier competition with nine goals in nine outings “If we go with the ambition to score a goal, we will go

alaga striker, Roque Santa Cruz, has said the Spaniards are ready to fight for their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at Borussia Dortmund today.

Dortmund wasted a string of chances to claim a valuable away goal at Malaga when last Wednesday’s quarter-final first-leg finished 0-0 after some heroics from the home side’s Argentinian goalkeeper Willy.

The draw means there is all to play for at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park stadium, but Malaga has both Brazilian captain Weligton and midfielder Manuel Iturra suspended for the return leg.

“The tie is still totally open, although you always come under a great deal of pressure in Dortmund,” Santa Cruz said yesterday.

“But we’ve done it at the San Siro, we did so in Russia and I see no reason why we shouldn’t do so again in Germany. They are a dangerous, high-quality side, but our squad is full of real men. We’ll show intensity and belief - and have a go at making the last four.” Santa Cruz

Ronaldo targets encore through fine,” Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo opened last week’s first leg with a delicate chip shot, and he needed just 45 minutes on Saturday to net his 46th goal this season in all competitions and set up another in Madrid’s 5-1 rout of Levante in the Spanish league.

The last time Madrid lost by three goals or more in the Champions League was in

2008-09 when it fell 4-0 at Liverpool and barring a similar upset by the host tonight, the nine-time champion is on course to reach its 24th semi final.

“I expect it will be a tough game because of the crowd and the key is keeping calm at the back and then looking to score a goal that would practically seal our pass to the next round,” the Portuguese star

said.

Galatasaray had hoped that UEFA will remove the yellow card given to striker Burak Yilmaz in the first leg that rules him out of today’s game but the star player is condemned to watch the game from the stands.

Today’s fixtures Galatasaray

vs

Madrid

Dortmund

vs

Malaga

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tit bits...

Buffon Juventus goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, says he wants to play out his career at the Turin club.

“I have extended my contract in January for two additional years and I think I will end my career at Juve” Buffon told local media yesterday.

“I believe Juventus is my home and when you stay so long in a club you create very strong links with people at the club and feel like being part of a family,” the 35-year-old added.

Bale

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker, David Ginola, has urged the London club not to sell midfielder Gareth Bale.

“If you want to keep being successful it is important that you keep your best assets and Gareth Bale is one of them,” Ginola, who played 127 times for Spurs, said.

“Spurs have made mistakes in the past like selling Berbatov, Modric and Rafael van der Vaart and it’s not necessary to commit same mistake again.”

Donovan

USA Coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, has welcomed midfielder Landon Donovan’s return to action for LA Galaxy, saying he would keep tabs on the former Everton star.

“We will watch his games obviously and judge his performance,” Klinsmann said yesterday.

“But it’s totally up to Landon what he intends to do and what he proves to us on the field. I just believe his mates would welcome him back.”

Cahill New York Red Bull midfielder, Tim Cahill, has indicated that he will be available for the club in the coming matches.

The Australian international played through the pain in last week’s 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Union but has started to train fully again.

“I feel pretty good and I think it’s been a good week for me,” Cahill said yesterday.

“It’s a nice feel and I hope it’s sustained,” he added.

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Concession: Stakeholders seek Lagos Stadium

Khedira

Real Madrid midfielder, Sami Khedira, is happy with his midfield role in the club’s system.

“We have an incredibly attacking team, with the best forwards in the world,” Khedira said yesterday in apparent reference to Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Gonzalo Higuaín and Karim Benzema.

“My function as a midfielder is to keep a good balance between defence and attack,” he added.

Sport

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Governor Fashola

AFOLABI GAMBARI

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he decision of the Federal Government to concession the National Stadium in Lagos has prompted stakeholders to urge the Presidency to allow Lagos State Government take over maintenance of the facility.

National Mirror learnt yesterday that the stakeholders’ quest was informed by the rehabilitation effected to the stadium before and during the National Sports Festival hosted by the state last year.

“It will be justified if the federal government hands over the National

Remo wins Adebutu Cup ABIODUN BELLO

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emo Football Academy has won the maiden Ladi Adebutu Under -20 Football Competition that ended at the former Police College, Iperu Remo, Ogun State over the weekend.

Remo Academy defeated Ingenious Football Club of Ijebu Ode to cart away the cup and N250, 000 while the loser got N150, 000 as Kameballer FC Sagamu, which edged Ijebu City to win the third place match, was rewarded with N100, 000.

A member of the competition’s Organising Committee, Mr. Tope Oyekan, said in a statement that the tournament which started on February 17 featured teams from the Remo and Ijebu divisions of the Ogun East District.

Tournament sponsor, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, who spoke at the occasion that attracted dignitaries from within and outside the district, said the competition aimed at engaging youngsters in football and developing their skills in teamwork for better community relationship.

“Ultimately, we aspire to nurture future icons and leaders of our society,” Adebutu said.

Alaperu of Iperu, Oba Adeleke Idowu Basibo (Odoru V), the Chairman, Ogun State Football Association, Alhaji Ganiu Majekodunmi, veteran sports journalist, Mr. Kunle Oluwusi, and former Executive Chairman, Ikenne Local Government, Otunba Tiwalade Sobo, graced the event.

Stadium upkeep to Lagos State in view of what the state has done in recent months,” one of the stakeholders who pleaded anonymity said.

“It is also on record that former Lagos Commissioner for Sports and Social Development, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, requested the federal government to grant the state leave to manage the Sports City.

“It is a fact that Lagos has more stadia that any state in the country and all the facilities have been well-maintained as we believe the National Stadium will not be an exception.”

The stakeholders, however, called on the federal government to be transparent in the concession plan for the various stadia in the country to enable the bidders observe with a view to determining the applicants’ ability to manage the structures.

Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, announced last week in Abuja that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) had commenced the process of ceding federal government-owned stadia to state governments to maintain and sustain.

The minister argued that the government’s decision was hinged on the nonfunctionality of the stadia.

“We will encourage willing states to take over the stadia,” Abdullahi had pledged.

Pacific boss wants participation

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hairman of the Pacific School Shasha, Remigious Omosowon, has appealed to parents to encourage their ward to develop their potential in sports as a way to launch themselves to stardom.

Omosowon, who made the appeal at the 5th Biennial Inter-house Sports of the school, described sports as a lucrative business which the young generation must explore.

He decried maladministration as a major syndrome towards sports development in the country.

“Sports stars all over the world make fortune in sports and it is little wonder that footballers, tennis stars, golfers, boxers and athletes are known worldwide while professors, engineers and doctors are barely known beyond their territories,” the chairman observed while urging the parents to provide kits and equipment for their wards.

Red House, Green House, Yellow House and Blue House came first, second, third and fourth respectively in the secondary section at the one-day meet while Green, Yellow, Red and Blue came in that order in the primary section.

Olumide Aweda of Red House won gold in the Boys 400meters final, while Opeyemi Oni of Yellow House won the Girls race in some of the highlights of the event which include staff and parents races.

Veteran journalist Mr. Seba Osoko at the draw for the 12th Abesan Unity Cup Competition in Lagos at the weekend

Abesan Cup targets new height A FOLABI G AMBARI

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orty-eight grassroots clubs will participate in the 2013 Abesan Unity Cup scheduled to kick off on May 12, as organisers have unfolded plans to break new grounds in the competition which enters its 12th year.

Coordinator of the competition, Mr. Tayo Adeyemo, who spoke at the draw in Lagos last weekend, said the event had attracted followership that has encouraged the organisers to seek new front in the years ahead.

“Aside producing players for the domestic league over the years, the Abesan Cup has also produced players that have made inroads to the foreign leagues and we intend to leverage on this development by expanding the scope of organization this year,” Adeyemo said, stressing that Nigeria international, Pius Ikedia, had remained a focal point

for the competition.

General Manager of Tastytime Beverages, Mr. Mayowa Kole, said at the occasion that the company was proud to association with the competition’s rich heritage.

“We owe it a duty to support the organisers in view of their patriotic resolve to sustain the future of Nigerian football by producing the next generation of stars,” Kole said.

“We will not put emphasis on cash awards but will be duty-bound to make our water and beverages adequately available to participants throughout the competition,” he added.

Meanwhile, the coordinator has appealed to chairman of Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Area as well as his counterpart in Ifako Ijaiye to redeem the pledge made to the Abesan Cup organisers.

“We feel the redemption will make a huge difference in our efforts this year,” he said.

Coaches decry ‘desperate’ colleagues A FOLABI GAMBARI

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he Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA) has criticised the desperation among coaches to take over from their colleagues with contract dispute with their different clubs.

President of NFCA, Bitrus Bewarang, said in a statement yesterday that the body frowned at the development in Sharks, where one of its members, Gbenga Ogunbote, allegedly accepted the job after the club had earlier treated his predecessor Austin Eguavoen with disdain.

“If a coach of Eguavoen’s

status could be so treated

by Sharks, there is no guarantee that any other coach would not suffer the same fate,” Bewarang said.

“For almost three months that Eguavoen was with Sharks, the management refused to give him a valid contract and when he walked away another walked in without proper documentation of his contract.”

The NCA also blamed the ouster of Lobi Stars from the CAF Confederation Cup on the absence of a qualified coach.

“We have warned of the consequence of a manager turning himself to a coach overnight without the prerequisite qualification,” the

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

On the track with

YEMI OLUS danyella172003@yahoo.com

getting near the podium for such events so it’s a very exciting thing,” Nesiama said.

“The steeplechase was very interesting as our athletes competed against the best in Africa who have these as their traditional events and held their own until the end.

“The most important thing is that Nigerians have been exposed to that event, especially as it was introduced in February. I think we should be very proud of them and should encourage them.”

L-R: Ofonime Edidiong (l), Adewunmi Adewale, Deborah Francis, and Abimbola Junaid are winners of Medley Relay Girls Final.

AYAC 2013: Time to reclaim Nigeria’s territory

A review of the maiden African Youth Athletics Championships held in Warri, Delta State.

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gainst all expectations, Nigeria overcame the stiff opposition from Egypt, Kenya and Ethiopia to win the first African Youth Athletics Championships (AYAC) held in Warri, Delta State from March 27 to 31.

After four days of competition, the host country came top with 13 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Egypt was second with eight gold, six silver and two bronze medals while Ethiopia placed third position with six gold, 13 silver and six bronze medals as Kenya came a distant fourth with five gold, four silver and two bronze medals. Fellow West Africans, The Gambia, surprisingly placed fifth with two gold medals.

Despite attaining this feat, the truth dawned on athletics watchers that unless the right things are done at the right time with athletes that prosecuted the tournament for Nigeria, the country may lose its place as one of the continent’s dominant forces in track and field.

North and East African ‘conspiracy’ Egypt ruled the AYAC for three days as they virtually ran riot, dominating the field events which is touted as one of their strongest areas. As if to add insult to injury, the North Africans also won medals in events that had hitherto been regarded as Nigeria’s ‘strong areas’.

In a surprising turn of events, the girls’ long jump was won by

was anchored by Tijani Keita.

Ethiopia beat Nigeria to second position in that same race. It was the same story in the boys 400m as Keita dominated the quarter mile once again with a time of 47.39; Ethiopia’s Gabiso Gabra Galcha was second while Nigeria’s Nathaniel Samson could only salvage a bronze medal.

So unbelievable was The Gambia’s victory in the relays that the country’s anthem was unavailable for play during the medal presentation which subsequently had to be postponed till the following day.

Ifeanyichukwu Atunma won 110m Hurdles Boys gold

Esra Mohammed Faye (Egypt) while the 100m hurdles were won by her compatriot. Nigerians won silver and bronze in both events respectively.

Having dominated their events (long distance races), further surprise was the ‘encroachment’ of the Kenyans and Ethiopians in the short sprints and jumps, thereby firing a warning that Nigeria cannot solely lay claim to these events. The silver medal in the boy’s long jump was won by Ethiopia’s Mekonen Mesfin Abebe (6.85m) while the boys’ 100m silver medal was captured by his compatriot, Abebe Atsibeha (10.86).

The same script played out in the boys’ 200m while the East Africans also placed second in the girls’ relay medley. The boy’s relay medley was a painful sight to behold as the event was won

by The Gambian team which

Nesiama counts ‘blessings’ The AYAC Competition Director and AFN Technical Director, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, said Nigerians should not lose sleep over this development even as he revealed that the country is also making entry into the middle and long distance events.

The performance of Nigeria’s representative in the girls’ 800m, Esther Oluwatobilola who won bronze in the event, is worthy of mention.

Another athlete, Sarah Loveth Malagu, won another bronze in the 5km walk.

Nigeria also took part in the steeple chase event for the first time ever in an international competition.

“We won a bronze in the girls’ 800m ahead of Kenya and another bronze in the walking event which is a very unique medal for us. We’ve never considered

Ghana, South Africa missing Conspicuously missing at the five-day event was one of Africa’s track and field powerhouses, South Africa, who are currently battling with various issues in their athletics federation. Ghana were also not in action and for some, the absence of both nations weakened the competition that would have made the AYAC more exciting.

Former Nigeria’s national coach, Amelia Edet, however believes that the competition lived to its billing nonetheless.

“I don’t think their absence affected performance of other athletes. Of course, they have their reasons for choosing not to come,” Edet said.

But AFN top official, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, differed.

“From the angle of competition, I missed them because the competition would have been keener with their presence because they would have made the competition stronger for Egypt who cleared the medals in the field events and throws,” Nesiama reasoned.

“Unfortunately, most countries cannot compete with us in our areas of strength so we had

fewer entries and you need a minimum of three countries to make the event scoring. That is how we lost out in the pole vault men and women because we only had Nigeria and Egypt so the event was cancelled.

“I don’t really know why Ghana couldn’t make it for the championship while South Africa had internal issues in their athletics federation.”

New stars on parade The maiden edition of the AYAC threw up new discoveries that could rule the continent and world at large if exposed to the right programmes and competitions.

The likes of Divine Oduduru and Deborah Adeyemi were impressive as they captured the sprint double in the boys and girls categories. Oduduru ran a time of 10.62 to win the 100m title and 21.56 in the 200m. Adewale ended the championship on a high note with three gold medals to her name including the relay medley which the team won in 2.09.37 secs. Edidiong Ofonime is another star in the making as she was in a class of her own in the 400m.

Athletics Coach, Saheed Alabi, said the team performed creditably well, considering the short camping period in Port Harcourt.

“We only managed to gather the team for two weeks and you can see the result,” Alabi said. “This is a very good start for Nigeria because many of these athletes are just representing Nigeria for the first time.”

It’s now onward the ECOWAS Games in Burkina Faso, African Junior Championships in South Africa and the World Youth Championships in Ukraine later in the year.

Obajimi points the way“Allforward of them are exposed to nternational Association

I

of Athletics Federations (IAAF) certified instructor, Rotimi Obajimi told National Mirror that unless drastic measures are taken by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to expose Nigerian athletes to more events, other African countries would take the lead.

“With the way things are going around in the world and particularly the IAAF programme is that these young athletes are being given a broad athletics background across as many events as possible,” Obajimi observed.

running, jumping, throwing and so on. These countries are going into other areas and are getting athletes to compete in them.

“They are now into events that they never knew they had potential in, they are winning medals as well and they are exposing their athletes to international competitions. We should take a cue from that and do same for our athletes as well. We are not exposing them to these events and have not pushed them to the level where they know what it means to perform at an international level.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Real Estate & Environment

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Commendation as Iseyin’s main road gets face lift

On going works on IIseyin road.

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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hen the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at his inauguration as the helmsman of the pace setter state on May 29, 2011, at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty Stadium), Ibadan, assured of moving the state from the level of abyss that it had found itself as a result of misrule of past administrations to one that will be respected among the comity of states in the country in terms of provisions of necessary infrastructure such as good roads and housing estates, to many skeptics these can only be realisable in the realm of dreams, no thanks to the experience of the past.

But less than two years into his administration, this promise has not only become a reality in Ibadan, the state capital, it is the same situation in virtually all the major cities in the state such as Iseyin, the heartbeat of Oke Ogun area of the state. Indeed, for any indigenes or residents of the ancient town that has been away for over seven months, a visit will reveal the massive expansion of the major road that passes through the town.

In its determination to change the face of the town, the Ajimobi-led administration late last year awarded the dualisation of the 6.53 kilometre Ibadan-OyoIseyin-Ipapo road to Adold Engineering Development Company, with a completion date of 18 months. The Principal Resident Engineer of the project, Mr. Olayiwola Rasaq, who said the contractor has been doing wonderful job on the road, disclosed that the project involves the relocation of service utilities such as PHCN poles and NITEL poles, demolition of houses and road construction.

According to him, full operation on the road project started in November last year and the pace of work has included the demolition of houses while enumeration of those affected will soon be done

for them to be paid compensation that will run into over N200million. He disclosed that the dualisation will see the road expanded to about 26.3 metres wide with a standard drainage on both sides of the road.

Rasaq said, “ I can with all emphasis say that work is progressing smoothly on this road project and with the rate it is going, it will not be difficult to meet the completion date of May 2014. What I know is that by the time the dualisation of the road is completed, the people of the town and indeed that of Oke Ogun area, will not forget in a hurry what the government of Senator Abiola Ajimobi has done to impact positively on the area.”

The senior official of the state Ministry of Works and Transport maintained that there is no need to entertain any fear on the completion date, stating that the state government cannot breach the agreement in terms of funding as it regarded the project as dear to its heart.

For the Project Manager on site, Mr. Bradley Viglino, handling the road project has been fun with the cooperation that the construction company is receiving from the people of the Iseyin community .While assuring that the company will not fail in completing the project on schedule, stated that the company conscious of the importance attached to it by not only the state government but the community as well will deliver a quality job on time.

He explained that with the experience of the company in road construction across the length and breadth of the country, the high standard of the road project will be such that it will be a source of emulation by others in the country, saying “ the quality will be such that for between 20 to 30 years, there will be no need for any repair on the road.”

While it is about two years to the completion date of the road project, the people of the community have been

THIS ROAD PROJECT IS A GREAT THING IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN WHICH WILL BE THERE FOR A LONG TIME TO COME showering encomiums on the state government for counting them worthy of having the dividend of democracy. For the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Abdul Ganiyu Adekunle Salau, the dualisation of the main entrance road in the town could not have come at a time that the people of the community have resolved that they do not belong to the pace setter state, no thanks to the fact that they have been neglected in the provision of social amenities by the previous administration in the state.

The royal father who said the people of the town will continue to be grateful to the present government in the state for remembering them with the road project, lamented that the road which was first constructed in 1948 was last touched in term of patching by the administration of late Chief Kolapo Ishola in the early 1990s and that indigene of the town are happy with the road project.

He said, “ Concerning the dualisation of the main road in Iseyin, I have nothing to say than so far so good. We cannot but be grateful to Governor Abiola Ajimobi for what he has done to bring more development to the town. As the father of all in the town, I am happy to say that nobody in the town is angry with the government, even though it is a fact that some houses were demolished, we all agree that this was done in overall interest of the town.”

Oba Salau nevertheless appealed to the state government to go beyond the road project in touching the lives of the people of the town in particular and the

Oke Ogun area in general, saying “ as Oliver Twist, we cannot but call on the governor to do more for our people, for instance, the Ikere Gorge dam has been there for many years with past governments doing nothing on it. The same with some of the roads within the town such that if they are constructed will bring more development to the town.”

Speaking in the same vein, the caretaker Chairman of Iseyin Local Government, Mr. Saheed Adejare Yusuf, said the road project was a welcome development commended by every son and daughter of Iseyin. According to him, the dualisation of the road will be a source of great relief to the people of the town who had been subjected to harrowing experience on the road neglected for donkey years while it will accelerate in bringing development to the town.

His words, “This road project is a great thing in the history of the town which will be there for a long time to come. It is a project that is appreciated by everybody in the town who are conscious of its importance on the economic development of not only Iseyin but the entire Oke Ogun area. I can only appeal to those whose houses were demolished to see it as a sacrifice that they need to make on behalf of the town knowing fully well that there cannot be this type of development without bringing pains.”

On his part, the Vice Chairman of the Iseyin chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Mutairu Akolade, said the transport workers in the town could not but be happy with the road project given the havoc that the deplorable condition of the road has wrecked on their vehicles.

The NURTW boss stated that their appeal to past administrations concerning the road always fell on deaf ears and that the Ajimobi-led administration has lifted a great burden on them.

He said, “For us transport workers in this town, we cannot but salute the state government for not only touching the road that has been deplorable but also dualising it. It is a great relief to us as it will bring an end to taking our vehicles to the mechanics for repair everyday. The road is so bad that even if one should put a new vehicle on it, it does not solve your problem of visiting the mechanics everyday. My only appeal to the government is that it must ensure that the road is not abandoned but completed on time so that it will be a smooth ride for us.”

The Iyaloja of Bola Ige Shopping Complex, Iseyin, Chief (Mrs.) Muibideen Tawa Oladoyin, while lamenting that the bad condition of the road affected their business, said the dualisation of the road will bring economic development to the ancient town as more people will be coming to purchase goods from the market men and women in the town, saying “ we are happy with the road project, this is because its deplorable condition in the past does not allow people from outside the town to come and buy our goods given the fact that we are the food basket of the state. Most times we always record losses as the goods perished with nobody to buy them.”

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Real Estate & Environment

Transform your space with extraordinary stainless handrails Handrails are commonly placed throughout homes and buildings, providing a safe, secured object to hold onto while travelling up or down a flight of stairs. Stainless steel is a popular material choice for the handrails, as it is very durable, fairly neutral (allowing it to fit in with nearly any design) and easy to clean.

Stainless steel handrails are the optimal choice for stair that require an aesthetically pleasing look as well as a durable and sanitary component. Stainless steel handrails are installed as a safety precaution in order to prevent users from falling off the edge of the stair. A nonslip stainless steel handrail provides an additional safety element to the stairway.

High traction handgrips help users maintain balance while walking up and down stairs.

In industrial and commercial applications where the minimal handgrip is not

Courtesy: www.ehow.com

enough, a slip resistant stainless steel handrail is the premium choice.

Slip resistant stainless steel handrails are custom manufactured with an all metal slip resistant coating that meets and exceeds all recommendations set for slip resistance.

On how to clean a stainless steel handrail, the key is to find an element that will both clean and disinfect the handrail, as many hands are in contact with it on a regular basis, carrying and transferring germs and bacteria.

Courtesy: www.ehow.com

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Real Estate & Environment

33

Demand for accountability rises amid resistance to land deals in Africa DAYO AYEYEMI

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eople who feel wronged by large scale land deals in Africa are taking a variety of steps to seek justice, according to new research by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

The research examines the accountability of public authorities that preside over such deals and asks whether legal empowerment offers citizens scope to expect fairer outcomes.

According to spokesperson of the institute, Dr Lorenzo Cotula of IIED would present the findings of the new report at a World Bank conference on large land deals in Washington DC between April 8 and 11.

The research, published by IIED and the International Development Research Centre, analyses legal frameworks in 12 African countries and reviews the cases of 16 large scale land deals.

It is a general belief that Large scale land deals can bring benefits such as jobs, market access and infrastructure, but can also dispossess people of land and other resources and can spark conflict over economic benefits.

Part of the problem is that land deals are rarely transparent and that there is limited accountability on the part of the public authorities that decide them.

The report’s lead author, Emily Polack of IIED said, “We need to understand more about the accountability weaknesses in different contexts – such as the imbalances in legal frameworks and the ways in which political interests affect deals.

“We also need to understand what options citizens have to seek greater accountability – and how to strengthen the mechanisms they can use as well as their ability to use them.”

The research assesses the effectiveness of different ways citizens respond when they perceive land deals to be unjust. These efforts include letter writing, requesting an audience with authorities, forming local associations to strengthen negotiating power, and using courts and other formal legal mechanisms.

Demonstrations can follow if these routes fail.

The report shows too that few legal options are available to local groups and that there is an imbalance in the way laws protect investors, governments and communities. Meanwhile, many of the smaller land deals pass unnoticed, leaving even fewer options for redress.

“On one hand, international investment law is strong and offers great protection to investors who seek to acquire large areas of land,” says coauthor Lorenzo Cotula of IIED. “On the other, international human rights laws tend not to be very effective in protecting the rights of poor communities. Meanwhile, features of na-

Large expanse of land for agriculture in Africa.

tional laws provide the basis for rights and accountability but very often they legitimise abuses of power against the powerless.”

The report explores ways that legal empowerment could improve public accountability through two complementary approaches – one that

reforms national and international legal frameworks to increase local control and downward accountability, and one that increases citizens’ capacity to engage in policy processes, claim rights and advocate alternative visions of development.

“Improved public accountability

is critical to democracy as it enables local people to voice their concerns about large scale land deals,” says Adrian Di Giovanni of IDRC. “It discourages harmful investments and makes it more likely that everyone involved will gain from incoming investment.”

Ekiti to reclaim land earmarked for public use He said that his ministry would also soon embark on the removal of illegal kiosks, containers and shanties in front of residential and outside the building lines on the major roads.

The commissioner bemoaned the quality of construction in the state, saying the situation had challenged the quality of professionals in the built environment.

He said, “Government has discovered that the poor quality of building and civil construction in Ekiti State is closely linked to the dearth of personnel in craftsmanship and sub-professional cadre of all disciplines in the building industry”.

Olorunleke said in the interest of saving lives, avoidance of building collapse incidents and generating employment through the building industry, “the government has established three life acad-

emies in the state to train craftmen and technicians.

“There is need for a polytechnic to further train technicians and sub-professionals in the building sector. This will no doubt reduce the high rate of unemployment among our youth which gradually resulted in youth restiveness,” he added.

The commissioner said the newly created Housing Services Department in the ministry had been saddled with the responsibilities of policy formulation in housing in terms of quality construction, development of alternative materials and monitoring.

He explained that the state government had started the prosecution of those discovered to have forged documents for land approval, saying that the litigations against the contraveners had forced some of them to respond to payment.

Warming climate can drive algal blooms

Lake Erie.

The following spring, record rains fell in May, dumping 75% more water than the average for that month, and washing large quantities of phosphorus fertiliser applied to the soil that spring down the water course and into the lake.

The spring storms were followed by a fine summer, with calm winds and warm water temperatures. These conditions were ideal for the explosive growth of the toxic blue-green algae Microcystis, and the poison it produced was, at its highest, 224 times the World Health Organisation guidelines for safe levels.

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

E

kiti State Government has served notice of reclamation to land speculators in the state who have misappropriated parcels of land originally earmarked for public use.

Commissioner for Housing, Physical Development and Urban Planning, Mr Remi Olorunleke, lamented that such parcels originally earmarked for schools, markets, health centres, police posts, open spaces and play grounds among others had been misappropriated. He told journalists in Ado Ekiti that, “all such public plots shall be reclaimed and reverted to their original use,” as part of the efforts of the Dr Kayode Fayemi administration’s to implement the master plan of the state capital and indeed the state.

D

evastating algal blooms on one of the Great Lakes on the CanadaUS border could become a much more frequent event, according to scientists from the Carnegie Institution and the University of Michigan.

They report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that conditions in 2011 were just right for a perfect storm of algal growth that turned Lake Erie an ugly blue-green, killed fish, fouled harbours, clogged marine engines,

created oxygen-free dead zones and released unwholesome quantities of a liver toxin poisonous to mammals.

And although the bloom was a consequence of the unhappy combination of agricultural management and unusual weather conditions, global warming could make such episodes more frequent.

In 2010 conditions were fine for both the planting and harvesting of corn, wheat and soya in Ohio’s Maumee River basin. The Maumee drains into western

34

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

London Mayor set to deliver 100,000 affordable homes

London property

T

he number of affordable housing starts in London has more than doubled in less than a year and Mayor Boris Johnson said he is on track to deliver up to 100,000 affordable homes for Londoners over two Mayoral terms, boosting the capital’s construction industry and creating thousands of jobs.

In 2012/2013, according to Property Wire report, some 10,092 homes were started, more than double the number achieved in the previous financial year. In addition, a total of 8,114 affordable homes were completed.

Having delivered a record number of affordable homes in his first term, the Mayor is now on track to deliver a further 55,000 in the 2011/2015 investment round. At the

half way point he has already completed over 25,000 affordable homes.

Earlier this month, Johnson secured a minimum of £750 million for London in the Budget, to help boost new build construction and support thousands more midincome Londoners to buy their own home through low cost finance. This is in addition to the £100 million already pledged as part of his Housing Covenant to stimulate the market, cut red tape and broaden the range of low cost home ownership products available.

He wants to be able to retain the huge Stamp Duty Land Tax receipts generated by property sales in the capital to re-invest in house building and regeneration. He said the receipts would give the city the

continuous stream of funding needed to boost supply of this vital infrastructure and increase confidence in the market.

‘Increasing the supply of affordable homes in London is intrinsically linked to the future economic growth of the capital.

Without homes to live in the hard working Londoners who keep this city thriving will be forced to move elsewhere taking with them their energy and drive,’ said Johnson.

‘While there is a growing momentum behind affordable housing delivery, we need to redouble our efforts, which is why I will continue to call on government to give London all the tools and funding it needs to increase the supply of affordable homes in the capital,’ he added.

As well as assuming control of the

US home market remained positive

F

or the first time since 2006, quarterly home prices in the United States remained positive over winter and forecast point to continued growth in 2013.

The latest Home Data Index report from real estate firm Clear Capita, according to Property Wire, shows that in the first three months of 2013 prices increased nationally by 0.9 per cent and the firm forecasts further growth of 1.7 per cent over the next nine months.

Coming out of winter, national prices were up 6.5 per cent over the year. As prices continued to move up incrementally over the winter months, slight quarterly gains fuelled stronger yearly growth.

Regionally, the West led with yearly gains of 14.5 per cent and made the largest move forward over February’s 13.6 per

cent yearly growth. The Midwest, Northeast and South saw home prices rise over the year by 4.2 per cent, 3% per cent and 5.1 per cent, respectively.

According to Alex Villacorta, director of research and analytics at Clear Capital it has been seven years since home price growth continued throughout winter. ‘This is very strong evidence of the start to a new leg of the recovery, one that should give further confidence to consumers and lenders alike that the recovery is real. As buyers become more confident the recovery is sustainable, this sentiment should grow to create a positive feedback loop,’ he said.

He pointed out that it is further evidence that the home market the recovery is maturing from the relatively rapid price correction seen in 2012 and it was a good sign that growth has

now slowed to a more manageable climb that will make the recovery sustainable. Too much rapid growth would not be good for the market, he pointed out.

‘Phoenix is a great example where we expect to see that cooling trend support a more sustainable recovery. After a strong year of growth, rising prices should bring the metro back into a more normal range of growth.

In addition, the typical influx of spring and summer supply will also help subdue price gains. All in all, this is great news for housing, where prices are sustainably on the rise, demand continues to grow, and the expected supply influx should curtail any bubble like price trend behaviour,’ explained Villacorta.

He added that home prices across the nation are start-

capital’s housing budget, the transfer of assets under the Localism Act 2011 has also seen the Greater London Authority become one of the largest owners of public land in London. Johnson said that he is determined to speed up the release of this, and other publically held land, to get more homes built for Londoners and support the capital’s economy. He has already released more than 100 hectares of this land, with an economic value of £1 billion, for development.

In the last financial year, the Mayor invested just over £180 million across 12 London Boroughs through his Decent Homes programme to bring existing stock up to standard with modern facilities and suitable insulation and heating.

UK records increased tenants in severe arrears

ing the second quarter of the year on solid ground and are expected to remain in growth mode throughout 2013. The three quarter forecast for the nation is 1.7 per cent, which would bring 2013’s total yearly price growth to 2.6 per cent. Villacorta described the winter seasons as ‘solid’. Regionally, the West, Midwest, South and Northeast are expected to see additional gains of 0.7 per cent, 1.9 per cent, 1.8 per cent and 2.1 per cent over the next three quarters.

‘These rates of growth highlight a potential shift starting to take place and 2013 should see a more balanced rate of growth across the regions. Recovering hard hit markets, like the West, could see buyer interest cool due to rising prices, while more fair market sellers might help boost supply.

S

evere arrears in the UK’s private rented property sector over the last 12 months are now 20 per cent above the long term average and evictions are also up, research shows.

The number of tenants in severe arrears has increased, reversing much of an improvement in the previous quarter, according to the latest Tenant Arrears Tracker by LSL Property Services, owners of Templeton LPA, the specialist practice of LPA Receivers.

In the first three months of 2013 the number of tenants more than two months behind on their rent rose by 4.8 per cent on a quarterly basis. This overturns much of the improvement in severe arrears seen in the final quarter of last year, when the number of these most severe cases had fallen by 14.5 per cent.

In absolute terms, the number of tenants in severe arrears rose by 4,000 to 94,000 in the first quarter. This leaves the quarterly figure the fourth highest on record, only 10 per cent below the record set in the third quarter of 2012.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviation

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

35

Stakeholders warn FG on neglect of commercial aviation The ongoing remodeling of the 22 airports in the country by the Ministry of Aviation is seen as a step in the right direction by stakeholders and professionals in the sector who, nonetheless, caution against the neglect of commercial flight operations by government. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

U

ntil recently, the focus of the Federal Government was on the development of commercial airline sub-sector for the teeming air passengers flying with the indigenous airlines, but the recent remodeling of 11 airports in the first phase and the commissioning of some of the completed airports, especially the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airports (NAIA), Abuja for jet operators in the country is gradually shifting the attention of the government to general aviation development.

As at the last count, four airports have been commissioned by the Federal Government; the Murtala Mohammed Airport Domestic 1, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano and Benin Airport.

In recent time, the urge for private jets among Nigerian billionaires increased astronomically, which redirected the attention of the Federal Government to that aspect of civil aviation in the country. There are claims by some stakeholders in the aviation industry that the craze for private jets rose by 650 per cent between 2007 and 2012 in Nigeria.

According to stakeholders, as at 2007, there were just about 20 private jets in Nigeria, but as of today, report claimed that there are about 200 private jets in the country and that Nigeria is one of the fastest growing private jet markets in the globe.

Although, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said that the figure being peddled by some reports is not the true position of things. The regulatory agency put the figure at about 67 and disclosed that most of the jets are registered abroad for various reasons.

But, sources close to NCAA confided in National Mirror that between 2010 and 2011, Nigerian billionaires acquired at least six private jets for a combined fee of about $225 million (N36bn). In fact, in the last four years, acquisition of private jets has been on the increase.

However, in order to ensure sanity and safety of the operations by jet owners, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah in a recent interview said that the ministry was planning to meet with jet operators in the country on the new changes in general aviation policy.

Oduah noted that there are several loopholes in the current policy, but declared that the new policy would guide the operations of general aviation in the country, adding that the government specifically opened the new GAT, Abuja for jet operators and assured

WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 40 PRIVATE CHARTERED FLIGHTS A DAY IN

ABUJA

ALONE AND ALL HAVE ONE, THREE OR SIX

PASSENGERS AND SO IT IS A PREMIUM SERVICE AND OBVIOUSLY ATTRACTS

PREMIUM TICKETS.

THE

MATHEMATICS TELLS US THAT IT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF AND MAKE PROFIT.

that such facilities would still be provided in other airports in the country.

She also added that government was planning to encourage more private jet owners in the country for the full utilisation of the GAT facilities in all the projected airports.

In a recent interview with our correspondent, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi informed that general aviation consists of private aircraft owners and chartered airline services.

Uriesi said that FAAN as the landlord in the country’s airports could earn high revenue through general aviation, adding that the sub-sector required development as it is growing in an accelerated rate.

Like Oduah, Uriesi re-echoed that the agency would be developing this area not only in Lagos and Abuja airports, but all the other areas that this sort of aviation activity has shown promises in recent times.

He explained that people would be amazed at the level of growth in chartered services as Abuja alone accounts for more than 40 take offs and landings of chartered aircraft or privately owned ones in the country.

The FAAN boss explained that already, hajj terminals have been built and some remodelled in Kaduna, Kano and Abuja while serious remodelling was ongoing in normal passengers terminal at all the 22 airports in the country and so FAAN was providing the private charter service, services commiserate with their expectation.

He said, “We have about 40 private chartered flights a day in Abuja alone

Abuja airport

and all have one, three or six passengers and so, it is a premium service and obviously attracts premium tickets.

The mathematics tells us that it will pay for itself and make profit.”

Uriesi, however, said that there were some airports that do not have such viability and insisted FAAN would not build any GAT there as such places do not have the potential for that kind of aviation yet.

“It is our fastest growing segment and you will be amazed at the level of growth. The quiet airports are taking five to six charter flights daily because that is the way this segment gets around so you will be surprised that these charter or private jets in Kano, in Kaduna, in Yola who have their jets are taking them in and out everyday. It is enough and you may not need a large terminal like this (GAT Abuja), you will need something smaller, but it would provide the same service and be profitable so you give to each what is expected.

“So when they fly from Abuja to Yola or anywhere else, they get the same experience. There are some airports with no activities, we are not doing this there, we are only doing it where there are activities and those are the airports I mentioned,” he said.

Besides, an aviation consultant, Dr. Adewale Arowolo challenged the government to put in place strict regulations that will regulate the activities of the jet owners in the country.

He alleged that some of the private jet owners willfully violate the aviation policy by putting their jets in the hire and reward category, which he said was dangerous to the country’s aviation industry.

Arowolo explained that in other climes, jet operators are keenly watched by their civil aviation regulatory bodies, but suspected that the reverse may be the case in Nigeria.

He emphasised that jet operations in Nigeria was still insignificant to other countries in the world and ex-

plained that a country like the United States of America (USA) at present has over 2,000 private jet owners.

He, however, commended the government for providing dedicated terminal for the jet owners in the country, but equally challenged it to provide same comfort for commercial flight operators in the country.

He said by so doing, the ministry would have created comfort for all users of the airport despite their status and classes.

He said, “It is really a good thing that the government is creating enabling environment for users and operators in the sector. This gesture will go a long way in boosting aviation services in the country as some high class passengers who don’t want to mix with commercial airline passengers would further embrace the sector.

“Personally, I think the GAT in Abuja and other airports still in the offing by the government can take care of themselves, they can pay their bills without government spending additional revenues on them. This is the way to develop the sector and I want to commend the minister of aviation for her visions in this area.

I’m sure in the next couple of years, private jet operators will increase rapidly in the country because of this effort.”

Also, a member of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Engr. Patrick Omoefe called on the government to continually maintain the facilities installed at the terminal.

He said the bane of the sector in particular and the country at large was the lack of maintenance culture, which he said made equipment and facilities installed to deteriorate at an alarming rate.

Omoefe lauded the efforts of both Oduah and Uriesi in providing the facilities to jet operators in the country, saying it would further augment business for the operators.

36

Aviation

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Dana Air crashes fares to N15,300, plans to resume P/H route STORIES: OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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or standing behind the airline during its turbulent time, the management of Dana Air has announced a reduction in airfares to its loyal customers between Lagos and Abuja route.

This is as National Mirror gathered that plans are underway by the airline to recommence operations into other airports in the country very soon.

An e-mailed statement signed by the Group Communications Manager, Dana Air, Mr. Tony Usidamen, stated that the special fare offered for its esteemed clients started last week and will run throughout the month.

Usidamen stated that air passengers can fly for as low as N15,300 one-way on its LagosAbuja-Lagos route.

Speaking on the offer, Dana’s Head of Commercial, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo, stated that the management decided to open up seats for sale at N15,300 throughout the month of April as a “mark of appreciation to our loyal guests, and also to offer more guests the opportunity to experience our world-class services.

“We encourage all business

Hathiramani

and leisure travelers to Lagos and Abuja to take advantage of this special offer and purchase their tickets online at www.flydanaair.com or at any Dana Air sales outlet nationwide.”

Besides, our correspondent gathered that Dana management is perfecting plans to recommence flight operations to airports it was hitherto flying into before the ill-fated crash of June 4, 2012 at the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos killing about 163 souls onboard and on ground.

Before the crash, Dana was

operating passenger services to Port Harcourt, Kano, Uyo and Calabar airports.

National Mirror gathered that the airline had planned to recommence Port Harcourt route about two weeks ago, but the grounding of one of its serviceable aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) put a halt to this plan.

At the moment, Dana has two operational equipment while plans are underway to increase the fleet in the next few weeks or months.

Confirming the report in a phone interview with our correspondent, Usidamen said that it would recommence other routes as soon as its third aircraft was released for operations by NCAA. He said, “We will let you know as soon as we are ready.

It all dependent on aircraft availability. At the moment, we have two aircraft we are using for operations apart from the other serviceable one that was grounded. We actually plan to recommence Port Harcourt route, but it can change, but I want to assure you that plans are in top gear to recommence a new route.”

At the moment, Dana Air operates 10 flights daily on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route.

NAHCo upgrades training centre to IATA standards

Williams

T

he leading aviation handling company in Nigeria, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCo, Plc has announced the upgrading and transformation of its training centre to the International Air Transport Association, IATA, certified learning and development centre.

The ground handling company said that the newly designed learning and development centre is equipped with modern facilities, which makes learning seamless and better.

An online statement signed

by the Head, Corporate Communications, NAHCo, Mr. Sanya Onayoade mentioned the newly installed facilities in the centre to include a syndicate room, main training room, e-learning, e-library, e-centre, VIP lounge and a functional website in conformity with statutory requirements of IATA. Onayoade added that the centre would help in facilitating online recruitment tests, examinations, competencies tests and assessment, adding that the centre has come to offer the industry the much desired training support especially in ground handling competencies, through its 34 -day intensive training program in ramp and cargo operations as well as passenger services.

He added, “It will also offer industry standard compliance or mandatory trainings such as Aviation Security, AVSEC, personnel training, searching and screening techniques, cargo screening, access control, documentation and passenger handling training, among others.

“In addition, the centre will ensure that commercially accredited IATA courses are offered here

in Nigeria and are acceptable worldwide. This will further boost the nation’s economy as funds spent on such trainings abroad will be reduced.”

With the establishment of the centre, Onayoade said that the company is set to become a reference point for aviation training in Nigeria.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

The enemy within as a major threat

T

he last week’s parade of armed robbery gang who wrecked havoc on the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos sometime last month by the police is a commendable act especially when one takes a critical look at the commando like operations of the robbery gang on the said day.

Three lives were lost in a gun battle with the police; two police officers and one of the armed robbers lost their lives with other people sustaining minor and major injuries.

Before the parade, Airside and other doubting Thomases thought the robbers who carted away millions of money in both local and foreign currencies from the Bureau de Change operators would never be apprehended as past experiences have shown, but the active Lagos State Police

Command proved everybody wrong.

But something is pertinent about the attack; the confession of one of the culprits, Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi who confessed that he was a trolley pusher at the same airport.

Definitely, as a worker at the airport, Abdulllahi knows the weak points in the environment and would have given the dare devil robbers all the required information to make their task easy.

Airside feels that the involvement of an airport worker calls for concern and vigilance about internal threat, which has been identified as a major threat to safety in the industry, but unfortunately, the workers at our airports are overlooked by the different security agencies when they are carrying out their underground investigations.

Air Maroc, why this poor treatment of Nigerian passengers?

T

he media was awashed recently of bird strike incident involving Air Maroc flight out of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos to Casablanca in Morocco.

While Airside feels that the respective agency in charge of wildlife control in the industry, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) still has a lot to do to ward-off birds from our airports, the shambolic treatment of passengers onboard of the plane can not be overlooked.

Reports reaching Airside indicated that apart from the pilfering of the checked in luggage of some of the passengers by either staff or agent of the airline, no fewer than five pieces of checked

in luggage belonging to different passengers were missing.

However, this is not the first time such would be happening onboard the airline. Just recently, one of the passengers of the airline lamented that his checked in luggage was tampered with by unknown personnel attached to the airport.

Airside thinks Air Marco is gradually becoming notorious for luggage incident. The Consumer Protection Directorate of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, should swing to action and checkmate the activities of some of the foreign carriers operating into the country as they continually take their Nigerian clients for granted.

SAA improves on-board experience for Nigerian passengers

S

outh African Airways, SAA, has announced three product enhancements that are set to delight its Nigerian clients and other nationals flying with it.

An online statement sent by the airline’s media consultant in Nigeria stated that SAA is a premium brand proud to associate with other quality and established premium brands to offer customers a world-class service when travelling.

The statement stated that from last week, SAA customers will be able to flip through the pages of a newly designed onboard magazine, Sawubona, and enjoy sipping on one of the world’s finest champagnes, Taittinger, as well

as select cuisine from a menu designed by Chef Benny Masekwameng, Executive Chef of Tsogo Sun. It added that SAA appointed Ndalo Media as the publisher of its onboard magazine, Sawubona, and tasked the publisher to produce a bold publication that will unearth positive South African stories and share them with the world. SAA is confident that the fresh, warm design and editorial approach sets Sawubona apart from other inflight magazine.

Through the introduction of one of the world’s finest champagnes, Taittinger, it is evident that SAA only offers the best of the best to customers travelling

business class on international and long-haul regional flights.

The excellent champagne from Reims, France, will also be enjoyed by customers visiting SAA’s Premium and Cycad lounges.

“SAA also has the pleasure of collaborating with Tsogo Sun’s Executive Chef, Benny Masekwameng to create a delectable new menu set to delight travellers’ taste buds. SAA is proud to showcase and expose quintessentially South African cuisine by partnering with established hotel group Tsogo Sun in this regard.

“All these partnerships are aligned with SAA’s mandate to bring the world to Africa and to take Africa to the world,” the statement stated.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

37

Experts identify rate-cutting as insurance sector’s major challenge The insurance industry is confronted by the problem of rate-cutting that goes on almost unchecked among operators. Experts, however, are of the view that insurers are operating at a loss, if the practice is left unchecked, MESHACK IDEHEN writes.

D

espite the warning handed out to some insurance operators last year by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), that no insurance cover is provided for policyholders that fails to pay premium on their policies, observers said the sector is still grappling with numerous challenges, including the problem of rate cutting.

Aiming to bring to an end the endless credit transactions and premium payment default in the industry which experts said is another challenge confronting the insurance sector in Nigeria, the problem of rate cutting, they added, has become a threat to the sector, due to the cut-throat competition that exists within the industry.

Commending the sector’s regulators for permanently putting an end to the premium default era which many practitioners agreed will soon be phased out completly, others said rate-cutting has the tendency to make insurers continue to do business at a loss and overtime, and also affect their ability to remain in business, hence NAICOM, like it did with the premium default issue, must also tackle the challenges posed by rate cutting to the insurance industry in Nigeria.

Explaining that rate cutting as a situation whereby an underwriter charges a “ridiculously low premium” on an insurance contract in order to secure it, even if it has to be done at a loss, Insurance Analyst, Mr. Joachim Adenusi, said the market agreement signed by members of the Nigerian Insurers Association in 2009 to curtail the trend has not worked.

Adenusi said the major objective of the agreement which was to ensure that members did not charge inappropriate premium rates in their quest to get businesses, may not have worked, due to the lukewarm attitude of NIA members towards the agreement.

He said in the long term, that it was the NIA members that have succeeded in short changing themselves with their inability to keep to the agreement to stem rate cutting, adding the realisation by insurers that it (rate cutting)was damaging the sector certainly comes as a relief to discerning stakeholders.

According to him, “rate cutting has brought about situations where many insurers are unable to settle claims, due to the lopsidedness that is made manifest in the policy when there is need to pay even genuine claims”.

Also lamenting the attitude of some members of the insurance community and not only NIA members to concur on the market agreement terms, Risk Expert, Mr. David Abesan, said most insurers, as soon as they leave meetings, forget what they had signed and resumed business as usual as far as rate-cutting was concerned.

Abesan also predicted that all attempt by insurance stakeholders in the country to put an end to the menace of rate cutting will fail, until NAICOM makes a policy pronouncement on the matter, just like the regulatory agency did with the no cover, no premium issue.

Ag D-G Pencom, Anohu Amazu

RATE CUTTING HAS BROUGHT ABOUT SITUATIONS WHERE MANY INSURERS ARE UNABLE

TO SETTLE CLAIMS, DUE TO THE LOPSIDEDNESS THAT IS MADE MANIFEST IN THE POLICY WHEN THERE IS NEED TO PAY EVEN GENUINE CLAIMS According to Abesan, “insurance operators have continued to groan that most corporate and government accounts are unprofitable to them, even though they have to pay huge claims. Without realising they are part of the problem through their inability to eliminate rate cutting from the sector, once and for all”.

On his part, Managing Director, Equity Assurance Plc, Mr. Ekpe Ukpabio, while commenting on the matter, blamed rate-cutting on pressure in the industry, because every underwriter, according to him, desire to have a piece of the available business.

Ukpabio agreed that many insurers are burning their fingers because many practitioners go to the market with rates that are not commercially viable just to get the business.

Also blaming the trend on the willingness of clients, including corporate bodies and agencies of government to give available insurance to underwriters with the lowest rates, Ukpabio noted also that underwriters do not give priority to proper risk assessment because of this rush to secure the business.

According to the equity assurance managing director, “as an underwriter, you are left to either take it or back out of the consortium. Some people have backed out because it is not helping the bottom line. But some will say because of the profile of the client, they want to be part of it.”

Fola Daniel

Be that as it may, other stakeholders in the sector said the issue of rate-cutting was debatable, because, it can make a firm to continue to record underwriting losses when it is not generating enough premiums and needs to pay claims.

President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Dr. Wole Adetimehin, said if there were huge losses, which could destabilise the insurance pool, what the insurers should do was to raise the rates the following season.

Adetimehin added that claims would help to ascertain if a particular class of insurance was good or not, and if the rate should be reviewed upward or downward, saying also part of the problem was that that local manufacturing industries were not springing up while old ones were dying.

He explained that companies that should be insured were reducing in number by the day and insurers were equally scrambling to get businesses from the few existing ones.

Also on the dangers posed by rate cutting to the sector, Former Managing Director of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (Nigeria-Re), and renowned insurance professional, Professor Joe Irukwu, recently asserted that market indiscipline and particularly rate cutting is at its worst in the insurance industry.

He confirmed that the country has the higher incidence of rate malpractice in the global insurance market, adding that the insurance regulator is doing its best to force on the operators back on track of ethical practice and adequate rating.

According to him,” “In the early days of insurance, it was a small industry, but highly disciplined, and people were very professional and united. Now, we have bigger insurance industry in terms of premium volume, but we have some people who are not really disciplined and practising insurance properly.

“We have the highest level of premium cutting in Nigeria more than any other country. The practitioners are not doing their best to maintain insurance culture the way it should be. We still have a long way to go”, he said.

Underwriters battle to produce IFRS compliant accounts

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he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) said underwriters are expected to submit their audited and approved International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) compliant accounts.

This development has becme necessary, said NAICOM,in order for the underwriters to beat the six months deadline given by the insurance sector regulators.

NAICOM said out of the 60 insurance and re-insur-

ance firms in operation,that only three have sent their IFRS draft accounts to the Commission three months to the deadline for submission of 2012 financial reports which must be IFRS compliant.

The Director, Supervision, NAICOM, Mr. Nicholas Opara, disclosed this during a meeting in Lagos, saying that the drafts have been returned to the companies as there are still areas to be worked on after necessary observations made by the commission.

He said last year’s financial reports of operators are special to the industry, as they are expected to herald the migration to the new IFRS regime.

According to him, no company has submitted full IFRS compliant account. It is only three companies that have sent in their drafts which we have returned to them, as there are still many things they are yet to get right. The 2012 reports are special because it is different from what we have been doing in the past.

38

Insurance

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Most Nigerians lack insurance knowledge, says expert STORIES: MESHACK IDEHEN

T

he Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Riskguard Africa, Nigeria Limited, a pension and insurance consulting firm, Mr. Yemi Soladoye, has said that more than 40 per cent of Nigerians lack any form of insurance knowledge.

He said also that what insurance is all about has remained and continues to remain a mystery to vast majority, adding that it was time for practitioners to ensure insurance knowledge is available to a greater number of Nigerians.

Speaking with journalists recently, Soladoye said this information was discovered from a recent research work that was carried out under the development of micro insurance by his firm, and which was

Soladoye

made available to the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

He said based on a report submitted to

NAICOM, at the end of the feasibility study for sales of micro insurance that the report further revealed that 40 per cent of Nigerians don’t have any opinion about what insurance is all about, whether it is positive or negative.

He said the findings also revealed that most of those interviewed during the research did not know what insurance does for individuals, or the society, while some saw insurance as a means to borrow money to buy assets.

According to Soladoye who is an insurance expert, when the industry commenced campaign on the benefits of compulsory insurance, many people were excited about it and showed their readiness to obtain some of the insurance policies.

He said the mortgage industry which should maximise the potentials of insurance was not well developed to utilise insurance effectively.

AIICO retirees get N1.2bn payments

T

he Deputy General manager, Technical, AIICO Pension Managers, Mr. Patrick Onos, said the firm has paid N1.2bn to retirees since its inception, and that an average of N12million is being paid monthly to retirees under its portfolio, adding that the amount would increase as more retirees join the pension fund company.

Speaking in Lagos during the retirees forum held for its pensioners, Onos explained that their retirees are paid at when due, saying also that the company’s has organised itself around an inspiring principle, which is helping people make smart choices for now and for the future.

He said fraud in the industry is caused by the old system of things which is no more, as the new arrangement is that no pension fund manager can access fund without the National

Pension Commission (PenCom), being aware of it.

According to him, despite the company being a pension fund administrator, funds of retirees are kept with a different body serving as a Pension Fund Custodian (PFC), though, AIICO gives them instruction on how to disburse the fund.

Onos explained that the company, beyond effective pension funds administration, is continuously identifying and exploring ways to ensure that its customers are encouraged to make smart moves and choices at every point in their lives.

He said it was a direction the company has recently come to hold very dear because the idea sums up the benefits of planning for the future and the value of making smart decisions on both the present and the future, adding that the

Non-life accounts for 61.6% of premium, report says

How to start an insurance business from home

A

report by Researchmoz, a globally renowned research agency, said the non-life segment of Nigerian Insurance Industry, accounted for 61.6 per cent of the premium underwritten by insurers, in 2012.

The agency, which undertook in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the insurance industries in Nigeria, Gabon, Uganda, and Rwanda, said the Nigerian Insurance sector experienced strong growth over the review period, adding that the industry’s growth was supported by relatively stable macro-economic conditions and a favourable investment climate.

According to the report, “The insurance industry in the country is very small, yet highly crowded and competitive. The key segment driving the overall industry is the non-life segment which accounted for the largest share of 61.6 per cent of the industry’s total written premium in 2012.

“For low income earners, the Nigerian government has concertedly promoted micro insurance; however a poor understanding among consumers of the benefits of such products and inefficient distribution channels is limiting their spread,” the report indicated.

M

any entrepreneurs turned to the insurance industry when they are first beginning, because it provides you with a cheap and effective business model that you can start very quickly in your own home. This is because success as an insurance agent relies heavily upon your salesmanship, just as much as it does your initial investment into the business.

Here are a few tips to take into consideration as you look to start your own insurance business from home include; Finding initial clients-In the beginning, the hardest task that you will come across is finding your initial clients. Later on, your business will flourish based on word-of-mouth, but those first few clients are going to be much tougher to acquire.

Acquiring new clients is a huge challenge, but there are some tried-and-true methods that you can use.

Word of mouth-Most insurance agents that are successful are able to survive on word-of-mouth alone. This means that you are taking care of clients so well, that they feel compelled to tell individuals they know about your service. A single client may provide a gateway of referrals that can lead you to 10 or more clients down the

Managing Director, AIICO Insurance Plc, David Sobanjo

retiree forum is a yearly gathering hosted by AIICO Pension, at the zonal level across the country and is one of the ways the company is showing its commitment to customer service and satisfaction.

road. For this reason alone, it is important that you take care of each and every client to the best of your ability, being available for calls and answering their questions as they come up. Although you do not want to outright ask your clients to spread the word about your services, dropping a few subtle hints may push them in that direction.

Friendly conversation creates clients-When you are out and about, as an insurance agent, one of the best things that you can do is to start friendly conversations with as many people as you can throughout the day. Of course, the conversation does not have to start with a pitch about your services, in fact that should be avoided.

While waiting in line at the store, you can make a funny comment, or ask someone in line about the products that they are purchasing. This can lead to additional conversation if they are being receptive, in which case you can end the conversation by handing them your business card or simply beginning your sales pitch at a convenient time. By creating a rapport with individuals prior to pitching your services, they are going to be much more likely to say yes when you pitch them.

Source: (www.insure.net)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How to grow your life insurance business

L

ife insurance sales, whether you are just starting out in the insurance industry, or you have been active for several years, growing your business is at the forefront of any agent’s mind. To help boost your business check out these easy tips.

Schedule a seminar-A retirement planning seminar is a great way to get people interested in life insurance. Use story-selling techniques to drive home the importance of owning a life insurance policy. Reach each participant on a personal level to help drive the importance of life insurance.

Try a fun marketing campaign- One of the best tips to grow a life insurance business is to have fun while you are doing it. Life insurance is a serious subject, and if you can find a fun way to market it, you’ll be able to get more people interested. Utilise local radio shows and newspapers in your campaign to get your local community involved.

Leverage existing customers- While it’s important to attract new customers, you shouldn’t forget those who are already in your book of business.

Find out which ter m policies are about to expire, or check in to see if a major life event has them looking at additional coverage. Offer your expertise and assistance to help them find new or supplemental coverage. If you sell multiple type of insurance, look for cross-selling opportunities. The key is to stay in touch with your current customers and stay up to date on their everchanging life insurance needs.

Request referrals- If your customers trust you and enjoyed their experience working with you, they’ll be an ideal person to spread good word of mouth for your services and will likely be more than willing to pass on your infor mation to friends and family.

Give online leads a tryLeads are key to growing your life insurance business. If you’re not already involved in an online lead program, start looking into the process now. You’ll be able to reach qualified leads with ease.

Many lead programs allow you to customise your lead selection based on your target audience, budget and type of lead.

By utilising a mix of marketing tools to enhance your life insurance business you’ll increase your likelihood of reaching new prospects while maintaining relationships with existing customers. For more infor mation on reaching new prospects, view additional posts on our blog.

Source: www.efinancialwholesale.com

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

39

ETI posts N45.9bn profit on loans, acquisitions JOHNSON OKANLAWON

E

cobank Transnational Incorporation Plc has declared a profit after tax of N45.9bn for the financial year ended December 31, 2012, up by 39 per cent from the preceding year.

Presenting the bank’s Facts Behind the Figures at the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, the Group Managing Director, Mr. Thierry Tanoh, explained that the group revenue increased by $555m or 46 per cent to $1.8bn, from the corresponding period of 2011.

He attributed the performance to the successful integration of acquisitions in Ghana and Nigeria, which increased the bank’s market share

in terms of assets, including investments of $74m in one-off restructuring costs that will enable the bank to benefit fully from the enlarged platform.

Tanoh explained that strong performance in the fourth quarter with customer loans growing by 10 per cent, while noninterest revenue was by 62 per cent.

Analysis of the Ecobank Nigeria reported profit before tax of $64.1m, an increase of $25m or 65 per cent when compared with 2011, which was primarily driven by revenue growth from domestic bank loans, trading activity and the sale of available-for-sale securities.

The revenue increased by $382m or 106 per

cent to $743m, from the preceding year, due to growth in the bank’s net interest income and noninterest revenue.

The operating expenses rose by by 4614m, an increase of $321m or 110 per cent, from the 2011 financial year, while provision for impairment losses increased by $35.7m or 124 per cent to $64.6m in 2012.

The bank’s GMD said the results reflected the strong demand for retail banking services across the 33 country platform, increasing trade and commercial flows between Middle Africa and the rest of the world together with a strong performance of the dedicated staff.

According to him, customer deposits increased $2.5bn, or 21 per cent, to

$14.6bn, from the result recorded in 2011, which he said was driven by both corporate bank and domestic bank.

He said, “The $1.1bn increase in corporate bank deposits (31 per cent of the total customer deposits) was driven by the growth in low-cost current accounts .Domestic banks increased by $1.5 bbn of which $1.0bn were current and saving account (CASA)deposits.

“We are closely focused on delivering cost efficiencies, whilst maintaining high level of service and innovation.

“Overall, we are confident that 2013 will be another year of progress as we further strengthen and develop the group to the benefits of all our stakeholders”, he added.

D

ings, first-half profit rose more than fourfold to 9.99 billion naira ($63 million), the lender said in July.

The stock fell 1.7 percent to 7.13 naira as of 12.19 p.m. in Lagos. It has risen 44 percent this year, outpacing the 22 percent increase of Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index. (NGSEINDX).

Meanwhile Guaranty Trust Bank Plc will open units in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as it seeks to expand in East Africa, Chief Executive Officer Segun Agbaje said.

The bank will “acquire lenders that are not that large, but profitable in those countries in the short term,” he said in a conference call from Lagos, the commercial capital.

Guaranty Trust Bank, which is currently operating in six countries outside Nigeria, is targeting the East African nations owing to their “appreciable gross domestic product, growing investments and ease of doing business,” Agbaje said.

Guaranty Trust Bank is seeking loan growth of 20 percent this year from about 11 percent

T

he benchmark index of equities turned green on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as some investors took position on stocks with good earnings.

Specifically, the All Share index rose by 1.48 per cent to close at 34,810.25 points, as against the decline of 0.11 per cent recorded on Friday to close at 34, 301.37 points.

Market capitalisation

appreciated by N17bn to close at N11.1trn, in contrast to the dip of N2bn recorded on Friday to close at N10.9trn.

All the sectorial indices gained substantial points except the Banking index which lost 0.77 per cent to close at 413.29 points.

The NSE 30-index increased by 1.32 per cent to close at 1,660.32 points, while the Consumer Goods index added 0.71 per cent to close at 991.56 points.

The Insurance index appreciated by 2.35 per

cent to close at 146.50 points, while the Oil and Gas index rose by 0.46 per cent to close at 205.11 points. Lotus Islamic index increased by 1.62 per cent to close at 2, 333.32 points.

Continental Insurance Plc led the gainers’ table with 10 kobo or 9.71 per cent to close at N1.13 per share, followed by Paints Manufacturing Company Plc with 14 kobo or 9.66 per cent to close at N1.59 per share.

Wapic Insurance Plc gained nine kobo or 9.28

Market indicators All-Share Index 33,810.25 points Market capitalisation 11.15 trillion

GAINERS in 2012 and intends to invest more in large oil and manufacturing companies, Agbaje said.

The bank’s profit after tax and income from discontinued operations rose to 87.2 billion naira in 2012 from 51.7 billion naira a year earlier, the lender said on April 2.

The bank’s shares fell 1.7 pecent to 25.50 naira at the close in Lagos. The stock has advanced 11 percent this year compared with the 22 percent gain of 10-member Bloomberg Nigerian Stock Exchange Banking Index.

(NGSEB10)

Equities regain vigour on corporate actions DAMILOLA AJAYI

S Source: Afrinvest

Stock Updates

Diamond, GT Bank plan to expand

iamond Bank Plc plans to raise as much as $750 million to finance an increase in lending, Chief Financial Officer Abdulrahman Yinusa said.

The company is preparing to raise the money through a share sale or debt offering this year, Yinusa said by, as shareholders will vote on the plan at an April 30 meeting.

The fundraising comes a year after the lender raised its annual loan-growth target to 40 percent from 20 percent.

While Diamond is yet to report full-year earn-

Source: NSE

per cent to close at N1.06 per share, while Learn Africa Plc appreciated by 16 kobo or 9.20 per cent to close at N1.90 per share.

On the flip side, Air Service Plc lost 47 kobo or 9.89 per cent to close at N4.28 per share, while IHS Plc shed 23 kobo or 9.79 per cent to close at N2.12 per share.

Wema Bank Plc declined by 15 kobo or 9.55 per cent to close at N1.42 per share, while DN Meyer Plc dipped by 15 kobo or 8.11 per cent to close at N1.70 per share.

COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

CONTINSURE

1.03

1.13

0.10

9.71

PAINTCOM

1.45

1.59

0.14

9.66

WAPIC

0.97

1.06

0.09

9.28

LEARNAFRCA

1.74

1.90

0.16

9.20

ROYALEX

0.66

0.72

0.06

9.09

ABCTRANS

0.88

0.95

0.07

7.95

CAP

37.10

40.00

2.90

7.82

DANGCEM

156.00

165.00

9.00

5.77

PORTPAINT

5.39

5.70

0.31

5.75

NEM

0.79

0.83

0.04

5.06

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

AIRSERVICE

4.75

CLOSING 4.28

0.47

-9.89

IHS

2.35

2.12

0.23

-9.79

WEMABANK

1.57

1.42

0.15

-9.55

DNMEYER

1.85

1.70

0.15

-8.11

CILEASING

0.61

0.57

0.04

-6.56

ACCESS

10.50

9.91

0.59

-5.62

IPWA

0.63

0.60

0.03

-4.76

MAYBAKER

2.31

2.21

0.10

-4.33

IKEJAHOTEL

0.85

0.82

0.03

-3.53

DIAMONDBNK

7.25

7.00

0.25

-3.45

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

30,159.21

11.55

11-Apr-13

182-Days

73,490.87

13.34

11-Apr-13

364-Days

80,000.00

15.07

11-Apr-13

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

122-Days

161,997.02

13.49

11-Apr-13

119-Days

73,490.87

13.40

11-Apr-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$300m

N/A

$300m

8-Apr-13

$300m

N/A

$300m

3-Apr-13

40

Capital Market

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at April 8, 2013 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 receive amnesty.”

The widow of late President Yar’Adua, Turai, has also joined her voice to swell the ranks of the pro-amnesty for Boko Haram.

She said that the Niger Delta case was of utmost concern to her husband, which culminated in his resolve to bring peace to the region, leading to the granting of amnesty to the militants.

Turai therefore urged President Jonathan to extend same gesture to the Boko Haram sect members.

She added: “Let me use this medium to appeal to my brother, President Goodluck Jonathan, to look at the issue of Boko Haram in the North, just like my husband did for Niger Delta militants by granting them amnesty which led to peace in the area.’’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, commended Jonathan for his step in the right direction. It said: “This is yet another demonstration of the President’s sincerity and forthrightness in handling national issues. The President has shown that he is indeed a listening leader and that the unity of the country is paramount to him in line with the vision of the founding fathers of our nation.

“We assure Nigerians that the PDP remains resolute in the commitment to restoring peace in the country, especially in the North and to return the region to its lost glory as the hub of unity, investment and trade in the country and the West African sub-region. We therefore call on the leaders of the north to take advantage of the President’s initiative and pursue peace so as to return the entire north to its lost glory.”

Meanwhile, while throwing its weight behind the granting of amnesty to the sect, the ACF said that the North as a region never had any sympathy for Boko Haram, insisting that granting amnesty to the sect will encourage its members to come out for dialogue in the interest of peace.

While calling on the United States of America (USA), whose acting ambassador to Nigeria, Jeffrey Hawkins, visited the ACF headquarters in Kaduna, to assist Nigeria with intelligence to put an end to the importation of arms and explosives into the country, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Anthony Sani, said that ACF’s call for dialogue as panacea to the challenge of insecurity facing the nation was “borne out of its belief that violence has never solved any problem anywhere in the world.”

His words: “Northern leaders are not sympathetic to Boko Haram. Our call for dialogue with the group is as a result of our belief that the use of violence and force has never solved any problem. If you use force and it failed, why not try dialogue.

“But nobody is coming out because there is no motivation for them and that is why we believe that there should be a different mechanism of bringing them out for dialogue. We believe that the offer of amnesty will be a carrot that will bring them out for dialogue.”

Afenifere wants the Federal Government to grant amnesty to Boko Haram with conditions. Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, it said: “It is a development that portrays our capacity to think through issues before we made public remarks. The President would have underscored a better mileage if he had acceded to that gesture when he visited Maiduguri and offered it conditionally for Boko Haram to come for-

41

The politics of amnesty for Boko Haram YOU CANNOT DECLARE AMNESTY FOR

GHOSTS...

SO, YOU

CAN’T TALK ABOUT AMNESTY FOR

BOKO

HARAM NOW UNTIL

YOU SEE THE PEOPLE YOU ARE DISCUSSING WITH ward and lay down their arms. We should have moved forward than what we have done now but it is never late than never.

For the militant arm of the OPC, led by Gani Adams, it was a welcome development for government to grant Boko Haram amnesty. Adams said: “I think it is a welcome development. If it is an option for us to have peace in the country, I will support it because amnesty was granted to the Niger Delta militants, so there is nothing wrong in granting same to Boko Haram.”

Oritshejafor

Antagonists of amnesty But antagonists of amnesty to the sect have asked the question: What happens to the victims of the activities of the sect?

To this school of thought, the Federal Government is setting a bad precedence, which may have a far-reaching repercussion on the future of the Nigerian state.

They opined that this could lead to the proliferation of sectional militant groups who may again demand for amnesty since a precedent has been set.

In this school of thought are the CAN, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Christian Association of Nigerians – Americans (CANAN) among others.

CAN berated Northern leaders calling for amnesty for Boko Haram, saying that the calls were insensitive to the plight of the victims of terror acts. CAN Secretary General, Reverend Musa Asake, said that it was unfortunate that the Northern elders, rather than call for the prosecution of the perpetrators of heinous crimes against innocent Nigerians, were busy making case for amnesty for criminals.

Addressing 5,200 displaced people at the Model Primary School in Fadan Attakar, Asake said: “Here are innocent people driven from their homes and displaced from their loved ones for no crime. That is why I consider the Northern elders calling for amnesty for Boko Haram members as insensitive.

“While many people, some of whom are women and children, are deprived of their breadwinners, somebody, somewhere who does not know how to live without security is saying give amnesty to some faceless individuals. It is unfair and these are the socalled educated elite in the North who would not even visit and see what is happening.”

Also, CAN national president, Ayo Oritsejafor, said that it would be an act of wickedness if President Jonathan grants Boko Haram amnesty. Oritsejafor said that pardon could only be granted when members of the sect admitted their wrongdoings.

His words: “…But that (amnesty) would be wicked. I don’t see why he would have to do that and I don’t see why he would have

Aliyu

to consider that because we are facing a very serious situation in Nigeria.

The cleric called on Northern leaders to emulate the South-South leaders by identifying leaders of the sect and leading them to Jonathan to seek amnesty, adding that the proposed amnesty, if granted, would be like putting the cart before the horse.

Also, the CANAN, last Friday faulted what it called the intense political pressure mounted on the government to grant amnesty to Boko Haram.

In a statement in New York, the Executive Director of CANAN, Laolu Akande, said that any political solution to the Boko Haram insurgency should go hand in hand with the enforcement of law, adding that there were other options beside amnesty.

CANAN added that the moment the Federal Government agree to set up a committee to consider amnesty for Boko Haram, “it completes its treachery against the wives, children and relatives of victims of Boko Haram.”

To the AYCF, which spoke through its national president, Shettima Yerima, granting amnesty to Boko Haram is like legalising criminality. In a chat with National Mirror, Yerima said: “I have never seen amnesty as an option, but the way the whole situation is, if the government of the day cannot enforce peace, they can also buy peace and it seems as if this is the only option open to it.

“But personally, even though it is not going to be immediately now, this step will catch up with us in the future, because if you continue to give amnesty for every kind of crime people commit, then we are going to have serious challenge in the future. Very unfortunate, because I thought that the government should have been

stronger, because all over the world, government is the strongest institution, but in our own case, the government of the day lacks the political will to tackle the issue and like I have always say, the Boko Haram issue is not religious, but political and if we have a president who told the whole world that Boko Haram is in his government and he has failed to point them out, it is clear that the government does not have the will to tackle the issue.”

Even the military top brass, despite understanding the pressure the president was going through, was not comfortable with the amnesty option in the fight against terrorism. National Mirror learnt from a reliable source at the meeting that this position was made known to the president at the meeting he had with the top security chiefs last week.

The source said that all the options proffered by the Northern leaders were given thorough analysis and their implications were expressly considered. He added that though the security chiefs expressed sympathy with the President due to the pressure he was going through, but they were not fully sure that the amnesty option would work or any of the options put forward by the Northern leaders.

For instance, none of the Northern leaders agreed to have a direct contact with the sect or its leader, Shekau, and they could not also give the guarantee that amnesty would make the sect embrace peace.

The source also said that intelligence reports have shown that the terrorists were divided on giving up arms, despite claims that some of them were willing to denounce violence and since there was no consensus among the sect, even granting amnesty would not deter those who were hell bent on perpetrating terrorism.

The security chiefs were also said to be wary of setting a dangerous precedent and would not want the government to negotiate from a position of weakness.

Amnesty committee’s terms of reference With the setting up of the amnesty committee, which terms of reference were: (i) to consider the feasibility or otherwise of granting pardon to the Boko Haram adherents; (ii) collate clamours arising from different interest groups who want the apex government to administer clemency on members of the religious sect; and (iii) to recommend modalities for the granting of the pardon, should such step become the logical one to take under the prevailing circumstance; and which has two weeks to submit its report, President Jonathan may have caved in to the pressure from the Northern leaders.

Members of the committee, which was fallout of the series of meetings held between Wednesday and Friday last week, according to National Mirror findings include the NSA, Sambo; Chief of Defence Staff, Ibrahim and the SSS representative.

National Mirror learnt that the President, in setting up the committee, wanted an undertaking from the Northern elders that the sect leaders and their followers would lay down their arms and embrace peace, as a condition for the amnesty.

When that happens, an Amnesty Committee would be set to register and cater for repentant members of the sect and protect them from any form of harassment or inCONTINUED ON PAGE 42

42

Politics

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Electoral Act was written more in favour of rigging –Oshiomhole CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42 joined the union, you will understand that it was not easy.

I remember when I had my first baby; my wife was in the hospital with the baby and we had a strike at Arewa Textile and because of the way the laws were, you have to virtually police the workers – a factory of about 4,000 workers running 24 hours. So, I needed to be at the gate to ensure that nobody goes in because if I leave the strike might fail. I spent about 48 hours, ensuring that the strike succeeded. Meanwhile, I had a new baby who I have not seen. My wife thought I was crazy, but I said to her: my seeing the baby would be nice but it won’t add any new value because if the strike fails, there are great consequences for me as a union leader. When a strike fails you are in trouble with your members as well as the management.

I hope that you also remember that we organised a strike when I got to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that the BBC’s Sola Odunfa, in his report, said: ‘Nigeria has been shut down, Lagos streets are empty, it has never happened before, reports from across the country say that people are indoors, NLC has shut the country.’ A lot of efforts were responsible for the success, there were times that we had meetings up to 3a.m. and we asked ourselves: where did President Olusegun Obasanjo draw his courage from to think that the strike would not work.’ So, we had to mobilise day and night, manually because there was no GSM. It required a lot of physical efforts to move round the country. The only thing I am afraid of now, is the day I will wake up and there are no challenges.

I keep on telling my colleagues and civil servants here that I am a contract staff, so every day is important to me.

The civil servant has a career, the politician don’t have. The politician has only a four-year mandate, probably renewable once if the people so wish, and which must be based on performance. So, everyday, we must think of what to do and get it done. If we postpone to Monday what we have to do on a Sunday, there will be a problem. You heard me talk about campaigns for the local government election; some people say that we won everywhere in the last election, so there CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 timidation by security agents.

Jonathan under attack But the President at the weekend came under flaks from the Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, ACN leader, Bola Tinubu and other speakers, at the 61st birthday lecture of Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole. They blasted Jonathan over his persistent call that Northern leaders should unmask those behind the Boko Haram insurgency.

They asked what he has done about those arrested in connection with Boko Haram insurgency.

Aliyu said that the Federal Government should properly interrogate those arrested so far to know those behind the Boko Haram sect. His words: “I believe that you cannot know a ghost unless you are a ghost. But the governor of Borno said it is our responsibility to unmask the ghosts and I asked what of the people that you have been arresting? Are we not investigating to find out? Who is actually the ghost?

Tinubu said that rather than tackling the sect’s insurgency, the President was busy inaugurating the PDP Governors’ Forum in a bid to polarise the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. “If we had a state police or even community police they would have been able to unmask either the militants in our environment or members of the Boko Haram.”

In the same vein, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. (Dr) Mathew Kukah, said: “The insurgency in the North is a

was no need for campaigns because the people will vote the same way, but I say to them that I must go round. Like the late Lamidi Adedibu will say: ‘how can a student rest when he has an exam to write.’ I think that if you have the passion and genuinely convinced in what you are doing, there is an excitement each time you find yourself at work.

What lessons did you learn from the last election?

I have to state it clearly that the only enemy of darkness is light. Once there is light, darkness must vacate, the two cannot co-exist and in the contest of politics, you have a party that have been privatising the resources of the state, that took the people for granted, misled them to believe that Edo is a civil service state with no resources, that we are not a core Niger Delta state and therefore people should understand why they can’t work. But within four years, they have seen that so much is possible if the leadership is clear on what it wants to do and it has the good heart to do it. One of the first roads that we built was to Anenih’s village and some people asked: why we should do a road to his village. In fact, they gave me an example of a former governor in the South-West during the Second Republic, who was constructing a road that passed through the village of the then chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and he decided that half a kilometre to the man’s village, he stopped the road only to continue a mile after the village. I said I won’t do that because the best way to convince those villagers that we

I KEEP ON TELLING MY COLLEAGUES AND CIVIL SERVANTS HERE THAT

I AM A

CONTRACT STAFF, SO EVERY DAY

IS IMPORTANT TO ME.

THE CIVIL SERVANT HAS A CAREER, THE POLITICIAN DON’T HAVE

love them more than the man who comes from there, is for us to build the road that he has refused to build even as a Works Minister. The road is completed now and that was why we won election in that village to the embarrassment of the leader himself.

I told the people before the election that they should not look at my face; don’t ask where I come from; ask what I have done for you and what they have done for you because I have continued to insist that politics is not game without purpose, the primary purpose is public welfare.

We should dismiss those who preach where we come from because when people steal, they don’t share their loot with members of their communities. Go and check it out; in a typical rural village now, the most beautiful building is the government school, whether primary or secondary. So, for me that was the trick, it is no more politics of I shall do, but what have you done. A pupil from Esan land, in describing how their school used to look like said it was like a pig house but now it is like America.

You are not used to celebrations, why did you choose to celebrate your 60th birthday?

May be because of my background, such things have never been an issue. To be honest with you, I didn’t want to celebrate but because my kids insisted that I must mark this birthday. And again, I found out that people like Issa Aremu and co. decided that there should be a lecture and had already sent out invitations. You can notice that there was a slight confusion because this thing was organised by a committee of friends. The invitation card and letters they sent out said ‘Oshiomhole at 60,’ but at a point when I had to come, I said this thing cannot continue like this. I told them that now that I am officially involved, I have to make some corrections. I declined to sign some of their letters, which stated ‘Oshiomhole at 60’ because if other people say I am 60, that’s fine but if I have to talk of my age, I have to tell the people the truth that I am 61 because my official records are clear. I was born on April 4, 1952.

Besides the celebration, what matters for me is the gift of health, energy and sound mind.

The politics of amnesty for Boko Haram critical issue in our country. I am talking about amnesty as a Christian not as politicians see it. As a Christian, I know that Jesus Christ never foreclosed the doctrine of confession and forgiveness. It is not by offering amnesty but who are you offering amnesty to? Amnesty is a very serious thing. If our politicians are Christians they should imbibe the principles of Christianity in leadership.”

To Tambuwal, lives and security of the people is the primary responsibility of the government as enshrined in section 14 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, but which the present government is failing to uphold.

Northern Govs seek expansion of Amnesty Committee Meanwhile, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has lauded President Jonathan for setting up a committee to consider proposals for granting amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Aliyu while expressing support for the amnesty issue, however, called for the expansion of the committee’s membership to include critical stakeholders in the region, whose input would facilitate a quick resolution of the crisis.

Is amnesty for 2015 polls?

Political analysts believe that the new move by Jonathan was not just ordinary.

They believe that it was part of his calculations towards the 2015 elections and his

second term ambition.

Former governor of old Kaduna State and national chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Balarabe Musa, said: “If President Jonathan eventually grants amnesty to members of the dreaded Boko Haram, it is bait to getting political concession from the North in 2015.

“Yes, he can do it. It is an attempt. He can use it. May be that was his reason for not doing anything about Boko Haram because he wants to use it to buy political concession from the North. I have always believed that Boko Haram is more likely to be an agent provocateur established by the Federal Government to divert attention.”

But he however conceded that the calls for amnesty to Boko Haram became necessary and justifiable, if the same gesture extended to Niger Delta militants by Yar’Adua is anything to go by.

His words: “With the amnesty given to the Niger Delta militants, once you create a thing like this, you create something that can always be used by others.

It is very difficult for any reasonable person to understand why the president cannot give amnesty to Boko Haram.

Secondly, Yar’Adua didn’t give amnesty to Niger Delta militants because he was convinced they had a case. He gave them amnesty because his government was too weak and was afraid of what would have happened if the amnesty had not been given to them.

Shekau

“Fortunately, it has worked. Now, the Jonathan administration is even weaker than the Yar’Adua government because Yar’Adua’s government, at least had the support of the Northern oligarchy.”

The amnesty option leaves many questions begging for answers. Has the government been able to put off faces behind the Boko Haram mask? What is the sect bringing to the table in return for amnesty? Who will negotiate the terms of the amnesty and with whom would government negotiate?

Will this new move by the government bring about the elusive peace and put an end to the senseless killings that have pervaded the Northern part of the country?

Or like Musa said, is it another ploy by Jonathan to remain in office beyond 2015?

Only time would tell.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

PARLIAMENT The House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will, in a few days, hold public hearings in the six geopolitical zones on the piece of legislation and present a report to the House for a final debate and passage to law. To make this crucial exercise successful, the committee, headed by the Whip of the Green Chamber, Hon. Ishaaka Bawa, must scale the hurdle of probity, writes TORDUE SALEM.

S

Politics

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

ince 1999, when the country returned to civil rule, investigative and public hearings have been marked or concluded in scandals and controversy.

At the root of these crises dogging the legislative exercises would most of the time be corruption and unabashed bribetaking. From the probe of the concessioning of Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) to a sketchy Dutch company in 2003 at N101 billion, to the mega power probe of 2008 and the recent fuel subsidy probe, the House has been rocked by controversy and graft allegations.

It is against this background that Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, determined to roll back that sordid image of the Green Chamber, warned the Ad hoc Committee now handling the PIB to stay above board.

Tambuwal had earlier in the month, at the inaugural meeting of the committee on the bill, admitted that he was “highly delighted to perform the official inauguration of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) constituted by the House of Representatives three months ago.” He added that “it is evident that having worked behind the scene all this while, the Committee is now set to launch out on its onerous task.”

The Speaker, however, cautioned that “with the demanding nature of the task before you and high stake interest and expectations lies the glittering but slippery line of integrity test. When you encounter it, do not take a second look, do not slow down, do not stop but rather flee because it is outside the scope of your mandate. May the Almighty God grant you the wisdom and strength to come out of this assignment with greater honour and integrity than you now possess.

“Let me remind all the members of this Committee that the assignment before you is critical, sensitive and demanding. It will not be an overstatement to say that the biggest activities in the country’s oil sector now is the wait for the Petroleum Industry Act. It means then that you must do a good job.”

According to the House helmsman, “from the tempo of public discourse, it should be obvious to all and sundry that there is high level of interest as well as expectations on the Petroleum Industry Bill from various interest groups, both within

43

Zonal public hearings on PIB: Tambuwal’s warning resonates

Tambuwal

Alison-Madueke

the country as well as at the international community. I therefore need not emphasise on the need for absolute circumspection, diligence, transparency and patriotism on the part of the committee.

“As you are already aware, your mandate is to facilitate the delivery to the people of Nigeria and indeed the global oil industry, a legislation that addresses most comprehensively, the hiccups that have encumbered Nigeria’s oil sector and constrained optimal operations and returns: issues of environmental degradation, general operational inefficiency, outright fraud as well as insecurity of investment and infrastructure.”

Another point the Speaker brought up was the fact that most of the committees, were not prepared for due diligence, leading to shoddy conclusions and untidy reports.

On Wednesday, November 15, 2012, the House of Representatives, ahead of the Senate, began a debate on the PIB, after a long and discomforting delay. However, contributors to the bill on the first day observed that the proposed bill gave too much power to the Petroleum Minister.

Majority of the legislators were of the view that with such powers, the minister could make damaging compromises, and transparency and competition in the sector would be lacking.

Aisha Modibbo (PDP-Adamawa), who described the piece of legislation as the “most comprehensive effort yet to reorganise our industry, as it will encourage competition and openness in the management of the sector,” however advised that Section 6 of the bill be amended to strip the minister of her and her successors’ authority to be sole decision makers in the sector.

Abubakar Momoh (ACN-Edo), called the PIB the “bill of the Minister of Petroleum.” According to him, “this is more less a bill for the minister and it will not be

healthy for our economy. There is nothing to be done in the industry, going by the provisions of the PIB, without the approval of the minister.”

Simon Arabo (PDP-Kaduna) advised the House to jettison the Bill as presented by the executive or cut out the enormous powers proposed for the minister by its drafters.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa (ACN-Lagos) joined the opponents in their call for an amendment to section 6(1).

She echoed that the PIB invested “so much power on the minister to the extent that the occupant of the position appeared more powerful than the President.”

Many lawmakers gave their support to the proposed restructuring of NNPC, adding that the proposal to establish the National Oil Company would make it competitive with other sector competitors and yield profits for citizens and other marginal stakeholders.

Another clause in the bill which engendered debate is the creation of the Petroleum Host Community Fund (PHCF).

The PHCF is to be funded through the contribution of 10 per cent of the profits of oil companies.

The money is expected to fund the development of the oil-hosting communities.

But, Friday Itulah (PDP-Edo) said the 10 per cent was meagre considering the environmental abuses and neglect wrought on the oil-producing communities.

At its second reading, the bill had to be harmonised with another bill with the short title, “National Frontier Commission Bill”.

The Frontier Bill, which was merged with the PIB and passed for third reading, is a bag of controversy.

The piece of legislation sponsored by Kaka Gujbawu (PDP-Borno) seeks to establish a commission that would be funded by government to explore and possibly ex-

WITH THE DEMANDING NATURE OF THE TASK BEFORE YOU AND HIGH STAKE INTEREST AND

EXPECTATIONS LIES THE GLITTERING, BUT SLIPPERY LINE OF INTEGRITY TEST. WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER IT, DO NOT TAKE A SECOND LOOK... DO NOT SLOW

DOWN, DO NOT STOP BUT RATHER FLEE BECAUSE IT IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF YOUR MANDATE

ploit oil in the North and other parts of the country.

The bill on its introduction faced a shortlived opposition, but had to muscle through for third reading embedded in the PIB. The number of Northern lawmakers who are in the majority ensured it sailed through, despite kicks from some executive quarters.

The question of a possibility of crude find in the Benue Trough and Chad Basins, has rattled certain interests and sparked debates on the viability of that, even if true.

Besides the political angle to it, some industry players have raised the economic viability of oil exploration and exploitation in that part of the country, but Northern interests who have smelt a rat in the argument against such a commission insist it is worthwhile.

While presenting his bill, Gujbawu had insisted that “the commission would ensure oil is exploited in other parts of the country.”

Though the Senate is behind the House on the PIB, its first allotted debate on the Bill, generated a lot of interest as questions were raised on who held the largest stake in the sector among the geopolitical zones of South and North.

This debate which beclouded the actual clauses in the draft Bill, had Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom) alleging that the North was not marginalised in the sector, as according to him, that region alone held 83 per cent of the oil wells allocated to Nigerians from different parts of the country.

But on the Northern divide, the question lingers: Is the North quantities of oil worth exploring and exploiting?

To test the question and the component of the PIB which seeks an equitable search of the black gold, the committee would in a few weeks hold public hearings in six geopolitical zones of the country.

The hearings, the chairman of the committee, Bawa, said would “ensure every Nigerian has a say in the bill”, and would also make sure “all Nigerians make their contributions on how they want the petroleum sector to be.”

The PIB was first introduced to the National Assembly by the late Yar’Adua administration in 2007. A very omnibus bill with unsettling clauses to oil business interests milking the country, the piece of legislation was shelved as the fight against it heightened.

The antics that the bill had several versions and made considering it by the National Assembly difficult also emerged.

Lawmakers were also accused of taking bribes and burying a very important bill that sought to liberalise the oil and gas sector, create more jobs and expand the economy.

But, now the same bill is back with a few new clauses and as the House Committee goes ahead of the Senate to gather views from Nigerians on how the sector should look like, a few years from now, they will do well to remember why the bill is still in limbo after six years and how much the future of Nigeria depends on a fair law for its biggest industry.

44

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

45

Community Mirror Lawyer accuses police of brutality, illegal detention

“Over 80% of local government council funds are expended on the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries. ” DELTA STATE GOVERNOR, EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN

46

Man dies in Ketu fire accident FRANCIS SUBERU

A

yet to be identified man has been killed in a fire which gutted a storey building on Demurin Street, beside the plank market, Ketu, Lagos on Sunday.

The incident, which occurred in the morning hours was said to have been caused by power surge.

Eyewitness account said the fire started immediately after the Power Holding Company of Nigeria,PHCN, restored electricity to the area and, in the process, caused a generator set to explode in the compound.

The deceased was said to have rushed out to put out the fire and in the process, suffered massive burns and died instantly.

His wife and child who were in the apartment when the fire started managed to escape. Even though the fire was put out some minutes later, several rooms in the building were affected.

It will be recalled that three weeks ago, the Ketu plank market was completely razed by a late night fire, which also was attributed to power surge.

A vehicle overloaded with empty baskets at Zuba in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Foundation rehabilitates abuse victims FRANCIS SUBERU

A

Lagos based NGO, Freedom Foundation, has trained and rehabilitated eight women who were former drug addicts and victims of physical and sexual abuse in various skills.

The Programmes Director, Mrs. Helen Nwabuoku, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the women were trained in various skills at Genesis House, an arm of the NGO for 12 and 24 months.

“They entered the house as victims of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, some addicted to liquor and hard drugs.

Through consistent care and rehabilitation, education and empowerment activities, they will

leave celebrated and equipped to begin a new life as productive members of society.

Genesis House is a residential rehabilitation and resource centre for women in Lagos, with the mandate to transform the lives of those challenged by commercial sex work, human trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation by providing rehabilitation, education and empowerment programmes.

In the first three months, the women had an intensive life skills training, in tailoring, bead-making, make-up, catering, jewellery; hair dressing and event planning. Older women received literacy education and vocational skills training, which are conducted both in-house and in partnership with other organ-

The market has since been cordoned off by the Alapere Police Division.

However, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide could not confirm the incident, as several calls to her cell phone went unanswered; but a police source confirmed the incident, saying the remains of the deceased have been moved to a public mortuary.

isations.

From 2005 and now, more than 100 women had been rehabilitated and trained in various skills.

Today, some of them have started their own businesses and free from poverty, while contributing positively to society,’’ Nwabuoku noted.

On young girls receiving formal education at Genesis House, she expressed joy that eight of them were successfully enrolled in secondary schools in 2012, while one was enrolled into a leading Nigerian university.

The Director noted that some of the women and young girls trained at Genesis House were trafficked from Ivory Coast, while others were from different parts of Nigeria.

Nwabuoku pointed out, that

the fight against poverty and poor education formed the foundation of Genesis House’s approach to rehabilitating sex workers.

On funding, she said the foundation was run on generous donations by members of the board and public spirited individuals and organisations.

She expressed the hope to develop the organisation to become Genesis Resource Centre for Women, to offer expanded residential and shelter services, as well as out-patient counselling for battered and abused women.

“The Genesis Resource Centre for Women will therefore expand to reach 1,000 girls in the next two years,” Nwabuoku added.

Kogi pays counterpart fund for development projects WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

A

pparently determined to eradicate poverty and attract rapid development, the Kogi State Government has paid N421.5 million as counterpart fund to the World Bank credit fund for community development.

The General Manager of Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency, Mr James Odiba stated that the payment had enabled the agency to draw from the $380 World Bank credit fund for community development.

Odiba who made this known at the presentation of “Outcome Study Report” of the agency’s interventions in rural communities in Lokoja, stated that the administration was concerned about rural development. .

He said Governor, Captain Idris Wada has ensured Kogi paid its counterpart contributions to the fund to guarantee the agency’s intervention through its Community-Driven Development, CDD, approach.

Odiba said the agency has intervened in 117 communities with 201 projects in health, education, water supply, transportation, electricity, environment, social sectors and gender and the vulnerable groups among others.

The General Manager noted that the agency disbursed more than N500 million to communities for projects in the state, adding that 126 projects had been completed, while 75 were currently on-going.

He posited that absence of political will on the part of local government functionaries was a major constraint on the agency’s activities especially with funding of their review committees.

He however, expressed the hope that the situation would improve when the governor assents to the law backing the establishment of the agency.

Speaking at the occasion, chairman of the agency’s board of directors, Dr Samuel Abdullahi said the agency had taken over most of the responsibilities of the local governments,even as he urged them to co-operate with it.

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Community Mirror

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lawyer accuses police of brutality, illegal detention KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

A

n Ibadan-based legal practitioner, Mr. Joshua Demilade Olaniyan, has accused the police at Kajorepo Police Station, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, of illegal detention.

In a statement, Olaniyan said the police derided and labeled him as a fake lawyer.

According to him, he was at the police station to secure the release of a bakery truck that was impounded for not having a way bill.

He stated that rather than listen to an explanation on the issue, the police forced

him to undergo series of stress culminating in his detention after being beaten and tortured.

The statement read in part, “After leaving the office of the OC P and G, the Station Manager enquired from me what transpired between us. I told him to come with me as the police intended to conduct an investigation and that would ultimately lead them to our office. On hearing this, the SO immediately angrily exclaimed that I was rude. He later said that he doubted my claim to being a lawyer. Immediately, a rain of slaps hit my face.

“When I turned towards

the direction of the attack, I saw that my attacker was a lady who had earlier ordered me out of the OC P and G’s office. When she still made attempts to attack me, I raised my hands to protect my face.

Such defensive posture incensed the police personnel at the reception area,as they attacked me with fists and cudgels. I later made calls so that people could know where I was and what was happening to me. A police officer seize my mobile phone. When I protested the invasion of my privacy, they assaulted me the more.

I was then taken to a dark, uncompleted section of the

police station where I was asked to make a statement. I told them I was not going to make a statement under duress. They saw it as an affront and started hitting and forcing me to make statement, even as they made jest of me and called me a fake lawyer”.

Olaniyan who insisted that he was eventually released after seven hours through the intervention of the station DPO, said he will not rest until the officers are brought to book.

When contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Ayodele Lanade, said he was yet to be briefed and would get back.

Demolition: Arogbo residents demand compensation for properties HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

T

he people of Arogbo community in EseOdo Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised the alarm over plans to demolish their properties for the construction of Agbadagba-Obon-Arogbo road without paying them compensation.

The people stated that the project, which was awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, would soon commence as some buildings have already been marked for demolition.

In a letter to the commission by their counsel, Isaac Kekemeke, they stated that

F

urther to the resettlement of displaced persons in Bauchi State, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has delivered more relief items to support the government at integration of those who have fled the

no fewer than 114 people will be affected by the planned demolition.

They claimed to have been informed by the contractor handling the project, Piccolo-Brunelli Engineering Limited that their properties are to be demolished, even as they include buildings, farms and land.

The counsel said the company claimed that the assessment and evaluation of the enumerated properties have been completed.

But the people said they were surprised to learn that the organisation had met with some purported Ijaw leaders to short change them over the payment of compensation.

The counsel’s letter read, “our clients chargrin, by a

letter Ref No PBE/NDDC/ LT.FEM/005 dated 18th March, 2013, one Lucciano Tuceri of Piccolo Brunelli gave notice to quit to our clients and threatened to demolish their properties on 2nd April, 2013, relying on a purported agreement between your commission and Arogbo-Ijaw leaders.

“It is our clients’ strong contention that their proprietary interest in their properties is personal to them and no individual, group or groups of persons by whatever name called can mortgage same without their consent.

Our clients deny unequivocally ever authorising anybody to act on their behalf.

Our clients were also not

consulted by anybody either acting or under the auspices of community leaders.

Our clients insist that the standard practice by your commission in dealing with payment of compensation developed over time be applied strictly to them. Our clients want to be paid directly by your commission and not through any intermediary and also demand that the compensation be paid to them before the planned demolition exercise of their life time legacies”.

The people of the communities however called on the commission not to allow them to be short-changed as their demand was for the full amount of the valuation of their properties.

Cross River Farmers appeal for assistance OKAY OSUJI

T

he Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. James Aniyom, has assured the Creek Town Co-operative Farmers Association, of support.

He said it was his duty to make their agricultural pursuit a productive venture.

Speaking when the members paid him a courtesy call, Aniyom pointed out that cassava is a viable crop and could continue to transform the agricultural agenda of the state. He explained that in baking bread cassava flour is mixed, because it is noted for its nutritious value.

He revealed that a cassava processing plant with a capacity of 450 metric tons will be built in Obubra,even as government is to allocate 6,000 hectares of land to cassava farmers.

He added that stem cuttings of cassava varieties of high starch value and vitamins have been distributed to farmers in the area.

He urged them to contact Extension Officers of the Agricultural Development Project, ADP, for these cuttings, and to register to be included in the Growth Enhancement Scheme, GES. Earlier, the co-operative farmers’ leader, Elder Patrick Archibong, had disclosed that, they are subsistence farmers, and at times they produce more than is to be supplied to their local markets, adding that, those not bought are allowed to rot, as he appealed for assistance in this regard. Elder Archibong lamented that, in spite of promises to help them, the government is yet to act.

He therefore appealed for tractors, fertiliser and approved varieties of cassava cuttings.

NEMA donates items to flood victims recent flooding.

Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi said this while delivering relief items to Governor Mallam Isa Yuguda. According to him, Bauchi State has set a good re-

cord for the others to emulate in helping distressed persons in their localities,even as assured that NEMA would always collaborate with the stakeholders for efficient and effective disaster management in

the country.

He said states that are yet to establish their own emergency management agencies should do so without further delays,even as he urged them to take early actions following

the prediction of likely flood this year.

Receiving the items, Governor Yuguda who was represented by the Head of Service, Mr Abdon Gin thanked NEMA for the gesture and assured that the materi-

als will be distributed to the beneficiaries.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

World News

“Lady Thatcher’s wish was for the armed forces to be able to participate in the funeral - they will therefore have a key part to play” - British Prime Minister, David Cameron

Zimbabwe not ready for elections –Biti PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

Z

imbabwe is on track for another flawed election this year unless it can refresh outdated voter lists, approve “an army” of outsider observers and find foreign donors willing to pay for the vote, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said yesterday.

However, postponing the poll to maintain a stop-gap unity government between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is not an option, with the fractious coalition well past its sell-by date, Biti told a Reuters Africa Summit.

“I don’t think we are in a position today, right now, of having legitimate, credible, sustainable elections,” Biti, a leading member of Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change, said.

“At the rate we are going, it is obvious that we are going to have another flawed election ... Zimbabweans cannot afford another flawed election.”

Zimbabweans last month approved a new constitution curbing presidential powers that critics say have been used by Mugabe to entrench his 33-year rule. The refer-

Biti

endum removed the main barrier to an election in the second half of this year after a disputed 2008 poll.

But more reforms are needed to reassure investors who have withheld support over charges of human rights abuses and electionrigging by Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party and criticism of policies such as his seizure of white-owned farms for blacks.

The unity pact between ZANUPF and the MDC has gone some way towards arresting an economy damaged by more than a decade of hyper-inflation which rendered the Zimbabwe dollar worthless.

Inflation has slowed to single

digits while growth is seen above 5 percent this year after contracting for a decade before the unity government was established.

But progress has been hampered by wrangling between ministers from the two camps and investors are worried about conflicting signals on policies such as the transfer of at least 51 percent ownership in foreign-owned firms to local blacks.

“The inclusive government has done well in giving our people a timeout against the economic failures of the ZANU-PF regime,” Biti said. “But I think it has outlived its usefulness.”

“We need sustainable, legiti-

F

rench forces have launched one of their biggest offensives against militants in northern Mali, officials have said.

About 1,000 troops are sweeping through a river valley believed to be a logistics base for the armed Islamists near Gao, AFP news agency reports.

This is said to be the last major French-led operation before France starts reducing its military presence.

The militants have been driven out of northern cities and towns since France intervened militarily in January.

However, the Islamists have carried out several suicide attacks in Gao, about 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) north of the capital Bamako, and the ancient city of Timbuktu.

The BBC’s West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says the French offensive, called “Operation Gustav”, is intended to clear the Gao region of any militants still hiding there and to prevent further attacks on the city.

France wants to search as much of the remote region as it

mate, credible election outcomes in Zimbabwe, and to me that is our number one factor arresting the economy.”

The international community would have to foot the bill for the vote, Biti said, as Harare’s coffers have been bled dry by a recent census and the constitutional referendum last month.

“For any country, let alone a country like Zimbabwe with a budget of $4 billion and a GDP of $12 billion, that’s a huge strain,” Biti said.

Harare is still struggling with more than $10 billion in arrears to the World Bank, the IMF and the African Development Bank, meaning it cannot access multilateral funding needed to overhaul its dilapidated infrastructure.

“The bottom line is that the international community must accept the obligation on its shoulders.

And by the international community I also include South Africa,” Biti said.

Africa’s biggest economy, which has absorbed an estimated 2.5 million Zimbabweans fleeing the political and economic downturn, would bear the brunt of another meltdown in its northern neighbour, he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister honours Nigerians in Diaspora

T French troops set for battle in Mali.

Mali crisis: France launches offensive against Islamists can for militant hideouts before it starts scaling down its troops from the end of this month as this the kind of operation that African forces may not be able to carry out once they take over, he says.

No Islamist fighters were encountered on the first day of the operation, launched at dawn on Sunday, AFP quotes a journalist travelling with the troops as reporting.

The French forces neutralised around 340 artillery shells and high-calibre rockets found stashed under acacia trees in ravines, it reports.

French soldiers will spend the coming days combing the 20km valley with the help of Malian soldiers and police officers who will first go into the nomad camps and mud houses which line the dry river basin.

he Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri has said that in line with the transformation agenda, the Federal government will continue to recognise Nigerians in Diaspora who are projecting a good image of Nigeria in their host countries.

The Minister spoke on Sunday in Ottawa, Canada at a reception hosted by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Chief Ojo Maduekwe in honour of Onwuliri and members of her delegation to mark the Minister’s two-day official visit to Canada.

The visit according to press release from the ministry is aimed at strengthening relations between Nigeria and Canada.

Those honoured at the occasion include the President of Nigeria in Diaspora, Canadian chapter, Fabian Nwaoha, Isa Odidi and Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Ojo Maduekwe.

WORLD BULLETIN

Zambia arrests gay rights activist A prominent gay rights activist has been arrested in Zambia after appearing on a live television calling for same-sex relations to be decriminalised.

Paul Kasonkomona had been charged with “inciting the public to take part in indecent activities”, police chief Solomon Jere told AFP news agency.

He was detained as he stepped out of the studios of privately owned Muvi TV in the capital, it reports.

Homosexual acts are illegal in deeply conservative Zambia.

Correspondents say many people believe that it is contrary to their religious beliefs.

Sources at the television station in Lusaka told AFP that police tried to stop the interview and take Mr Kasonkomona off air but the management refused.

South Africa-based campaign group Ndifuna Ukwazi demanded Mr Kasonkomona’s release, in an online petition addressed to Zambia’s President Michael Sata.

“We further urge your government to immediately start a process to decriminalise consensual sex between adults in private irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity,” the group said.

Incumbent president wins Montenegro election Election authorities said yesterday that incumbent Filip Vujanovic won Montenegro’s presidential race, despite opposition claims that their candidate was the winner.

Opposition members said earlier that they would not recognize Vujanovic’s victory in Sunday’s ballot, even if confirmed by the state election commission — a move that threatens to throw the small Balkan nation into political turmoil and affect its efforts to join the European Union.

Opposition official Goran Danilovic insisted that the opposition candidate, Miodrag Lekic, won the vote for the influential but ceremonial position. Danilovic told The Associated Press that “our victory is as clear as a day.”

“None of us have the right to recognize election fraud,” he said.

But the election commission said Vujanovic won 51.21 percent of the votes, compared to 48.29 percent garnered by Lekic. Election official Ivan Kalezic said any complaints will be reviewed in the coming days.

Vujanovic, who is backed by the government, is seeking his second presidential term since Montenegro gained independence in 2006. The 59-year-old law expert is a close ally of Montenegro’s powerful prime minister Milo Djukanovic and a strong advocate of Montenegro’s accession into the European Union and NATO.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

15 die in Plateau fresh violence JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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o fewer than 15 persons were killed yesterday in a fresh violence that broke out in Zango village and Wase town in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State The violence oc-

curred when a group of armed hoodlums attempted to ambush Wase town, but were repelled by members of a vigilance group.

A source, who did not want his name mentioned, told journalists that the hoodlums stormed Wase town in the evening and started

shooting.

He said: “We heard gunshots being fired into our community and everybody started running, but we were able to chase the militants away and burnt their camps.”

Also, a member of Yelwan Shendam Community Development

Association, Abdullahi Danbaba, said he narrowly escaped the attack while on his way to Yelwa.

A Tarok traditional ruler, Ponzhi Kumbwang of Wase Local Government Area, Jessey Pyenkwam, alleged that a Tarok settlement had been razed down by the

hoodlums.

He said: “It is sad that this crisis has taken this turn; it is even sadder that it is being seen as a Tarok-Fulani confrontation because both communities need each other.”

Spokesman of the Special Task Force (STF), Salisu Mustapha,

confirmed last night that there had been attacks around Wase, but declined knowledge of any casualty.

He said: “There were disturbances on the outskirts of Wase, but I have no report of casualty. The disturbances have been brought under control.”

Gunmen attack market in Borno, kill policeman INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda (left) receiving the 2012 Hajj report from Amirul Hajj and Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, in Bauchi, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Nine killed as Fulani herdsmen attack Benue community HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

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ome suspected Fulani herdsmen yesterday stormed Yogbo village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State and killed no fewer than nine people.

Apart from injuring many others, the attackers also set several houses ablaze.

Sources told National Mirror that the attack was one of the several coordinated violence in

recent times in Guma and Gwer-West local government areas.

The attack followed the renewed hostilities between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers over alleged destruction of farm produce by the former.

A source at Yogbo, who preferred not to be mentioned, said that the Fulani herdsmen had at different times invaded villages in the two local government areas to kill innocent citizens and de-

stroy property.

The source said: “Take yesterday’s attack for instance, the Fulani herdsmen mobilised themselves and stormed the village by 12 midnight when everybody was asleep.

“The herdsmen started sporadic shooting and burning of houses, which led many villagers to scamper for safety.

“As fire and smoke pervaded the environment, the situation became tense.”

Several efforts to contact the Guma Local Government Area Chairman, Hon. Usa Adi, failed as his mobile phone was engaged after several trials.

When contacted, the Benue State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Daniel Ezeala, said that he was yet to be briefed.

Ezeala, however, pledged to investigate the incident with a promise to arrest the perpetrators for prosecution.

Makarfi donates poverty reduction materials to 1,617 beneficiaries A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Senator representing Kaduna North Senatorial District, Ahmed Makarfi, yesterday distributed poverty reduction materials to about 1,617 beneficiaries in the eight local government areas that make up the zone.

Markarfi also announced plan to give scholarship to about 700

indigent students.

He said the gesture was part of his poverty reduction strategies.

The items distributed included 126 portable generators and clippers, 187 milling/grinding machines, 274 ploughs, 87 portable generating sets for worship places, 102 irrigation pumping machines, 184 motor bikes, 250 bicycles, 131 sewing machines,89 welding machines, 30

tricycles, 50 knitting machines, 20 wheel barrows and 87 amplifiers and speakers for places of worship.

He also announced that along-side other willing elected and appointed political office holders, he has been running a quarterly reduction programme in six of the eight local government areas that made up his constituency to the tune of N500,000 per local government.

Presenting the items to the beneficiaries, Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero assured residents of the government’s determination to create a friendly environment for investors.

Yero said that his administration’s vision was to evolve a state that boasts of a highly skilled manpower capable of independently generating wealth for themselves and for others.

t seems violence is yet to abate in Borno State.

Some suspected members of the Boko Haram sect yesterday morning attacked Damboa market and barricaded Maiduguri-Damboa- Biu Road.

The gunmen killed a policeman while trying to repel the attack.

The market was hurriedly closed as traders scampered for safety.

Motorists and other road users also fled to avoid being hit by the gunmen’s bullets.

It will be recalled that 18 vigilance group members were killed by gunmen at the Damboa market for allegedly selling pork in February.

Damboa is 87 kilometres south of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and an epicentre of the Boko Haram sect.

According to a motorist, who was trapped in the barricaded road, the gunmen, changing Allahu Akbar (God is great), began firing at pedestrians and motorists before men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) came to repel them.

National Mirror also learnt that some traders abandoned their wares and bicycles at the market place before the road was cordoned off by the JTF men at noon.

The motorist said: “As the gunmen were repelled by soldiers and policemen, some of them fled into the Zambisa Games Reserves and the Damboa Forest.”

Spokesman of the Borno State Police Command, Gideon Jubrin, could not confirmed the incident yesterday in Maiduguri as his telephone lines were not reachable as at the time of filing this report.

10 policemen demoted for unprofessional conduct AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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en policemen in Kano State Command have been demoted over allegations of torture, corruption and unprofessional conduct.

The police spokesman, Mr. Musa Magaji Majiya, disclosed that most of the cases were reported to his office under the Public Complaints Bureau.

The PPRO said that other policemen were caught by the officer in charge of the X-Squad.

The squad monitors police formations.

He said that 18 cases

were brought before the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Musa Daura, since he resumed office in February, this year.

Those demoted are two Inspectors to the rank of Sergeant, one Sergeant to Corporal, six Corporals to Constables and one Constable received a warning letter and was reprimanded.

IGP M.D Abubakar

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

49

Jonathan commended for considering amnesty for Boko Haram PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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iger State governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan, for considering the possibility of an amnesty programme for the Boko Haram sect, following the barrage of comments by Nigerians on the issue and the need to ensure peace in the nation.

With the decision of the Jonathan administration to grant amnesty to the

sect, the governor urged state governors in the affected states to unmask members of this group to enable government meet with them and commence face-to-face discussions.

Commending the President during an in-house workshop on the review and evaluation of the 2006 population and housing census in Minna, Governor Aliyu noted that after granting them amnesty, the nation must be at rest, but should explore other means of finally tackling the insurgence as amnes-

ty alone is not the final answer to the problem.

“I want to commend Mr. President for demonstrating excellent leadership by listening to cries from different quarters on the possibility of an amnesty for Boko Haram even though ‘we understand that amnesty in itself is not the solution to the so-called Boko Haram challenge.’

“We have to look at another way of addressing the issue in securing Nigeria and Nigerians. And with the decision of the

President, I want to call on governors to unmask the ghost, so that we can be talking to human beings.”

Aliyu urged the people to support the move by the government to grant Boko Haram pardon, saying without peace and security, there can be no census exercise, good economic and demographic data for adequate planning and sustainable development in the country.

The governor also explained that though all the censuses conducted from Nigeria’s independence to

date were characterised by controversies, the nation cannot shy away from doing all that is necessary to get accurate data for developmental planning in the 21st century.

His words: “The results of the first post-independence census in 1962 were withdrawn. The reliability of that of 1963 is still being questioned. The results of 1973 census were discredited and never saw the light of the day, none was conducted in 1981.

“The 1991 census was characterised by unend-

ing criticisms, and the results of the 2006 population census provoked lots of reactions and counter reactions, yet we cannot run away from getting accurate data for development.”

In order to realise the nations’ development aspirations, the governor stressed the need to launch a well coordinated national campaign on data collection, thereby making people know the importance of information gathering to enhance planning at all levels.

LG poll: Rumble in ACN over imposition of candidates WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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Imam Idain of Borno, Sheikh Adam Asil, leading funeral prayers for the late elder statesman, Alhaji Bukar Mandara, who died at the age of 85 in Maiduguri, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Deposed Emir loses bid to return DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

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he deposed Emir of Yamaltu in Gombe State, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Bello, yesterday lost his bid to return as the emir when a state high court dismissed the suit he instituted challenging his deposition.

Alhaji Bello, who was deposed in 2004, prayed the court to set aside his deposition and reinstate him, but was disappointed when the trial judge, Justice Hakila Y. Heman, dismissed the suit.

However, counsel to the deposed emir, Mr. Ngyolkrhu Suni Lawi, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgement, saying that they would appeal the ruling as soon as possible.

Delivering the one and half hour judgment yesterday at the state

high court after more than eight years of legal battle, Justice Heman, who is the state chief judge, ruled that Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Bello failed to discharge the burden placed upon him by law and that having resolved the two issues for determination in favour of the fourth defendant, dismissed the suit, saying that the plaintiff ’s suit lacked merit and is accordingly dismissed.

In the judgement, the chief judge averred that the plaintiff awfully failed to prove that his deposition as Emir of Yamaltu in 2004 was illegal, unlawful, null and void and of no effect.

His words: “Having so ruled as such, the plaintiff cannot be said to be the legal Emir of Yamaltu as averred by his counsel, having been deposed by the same au-

thority that appointed him as testified by the plaintiff himself, his witness and defense.

“Consequently, Justice Heman explained further that; “The appointment of the fourth defendant and current Emir, Hassan Usman Jonga, as Emir of Yamaltu by the same authority that had appointed the plaintiff in exercise of his power under the same law and after the demise of the last Emir of Yamaltu, Manu Adamu, cannot in my considered opinion be said to have been null and void and of no effect as canvassed.”

Justice Heman also said that the plaintiff did not by his claim or averment that the current Emir, Hassan Usman Jonga, was ineligible to contest for the stool of the Emir of Yamaltu.

The Gombe State government in 2000 enacted a law for the creation of emirates, districts, villages, wards and the appointment and deposition of Emirs and Chiefs, law 2000 and pursuant to the said law, created Yamaltu Emirate.

The plaintiff, before the enacted law, was the District Head of Yamaltu and soon after the creation of the emirate, was made the first Emir of Yamaltu during the administration of Governor Abubakar Habu Hashidu.

However, pursuant to the same law as amended in 2004 by the immediate past administration of Muhammad Danjuma Goje, the plaintiff was deposed in May 2004.

Aggrieved by the action, the plaintiff instituted the suit on September 27, 2004, seeking reinstatement.

resh indication has emerged of a rumble in the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Kogi State chapter as a group has raised the alarm over what it considered as the imposition of chairmanship candidates ahead of May 4, local government poll in state.

The former scribe of the party in the state, Dr Goodman Umar, said unless the party’s national leaders intervene before the crisis gets out of hand, it may affect the fortune of the party in the council poll.

Umar alleged that a former governor in the state, Prince Abubakar Audu’s move would prevent the party from shining at the forth coming council election if not checked in earnest.

The former party scribe said the party was preparing for the scheduled council election and that their arrangement is in top gear, adding that aspirants for chairmanship and councillorship positions who bought the forms had been screened and are awaiting the party’s primary election before the former governor arrived in the country.

Umar alleged that as soon as he arrived on the scene, he abandoned what was on ground and set up a new criteria for the aspirants, saying that chairmanship aspirants, in particular, should submit statements of their accounts and that the richest person will be an automatic candidate for the party in

any local government.

“This is unthinkable and very ridiculous. What a myopic way to select candidates for election. Audu’s formula is not only fraudulent but disgusting. This man is still living in the past,” he said.

Umar said the ex-governor’s way of doing things, which has not changed, has thrown the hopeful Kogi ACN into disarray, saying party members are threatening to defect to another party especially in Idah, Ofu, Dekina, Yagba West Local Government Areas of the state where the party had wanted to capitalise on the crisis in the PDP to achieve victory at the poll.

Buttressing his allegation, he said in Idah Local Government Area, one Abubakar Alhassan, who came out last of the four aspirants in the PDP primary election on March18, became the party’s flagbearer within 24 hours, saying the said candidate is still a card-carrying member of the PDP. Umaru said before the ex-governor brought in this confusion, the party parades two credible aspirants, Hon. Ibrahim Etubi Aku, a former councillor and a social crusader and Hon. Amodu Shaibu, a business tycoon and philanthropist, who had worked tirelessly to move the party to an enviable height in the area.

The party chieftain in the state therefore appealed to the national body of the ACN to wade in as a matter of urgency to prevent another doom for the party in the impending council election.

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MRS. FUNMI OLAYINKA, 1960 - 2013

Olubolade, Fayose others mourn Ekiti deputy gov ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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ympathisers and mourners continued to throng the family house of the late Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, and the Ekiti State Government House in Ado Ekiti yesterday.

Police Affairs Minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd) and the former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, in separate statements yesterday mourned the death of the deputy governor even as other public figures continued to pour encomium on the departed number two citizen of Ekiti State.

Olubolade, who said her death would continue to linger in the heart of every Ekiti indigene for a long time, described the late deputy governor as “a consummate and reliable team player and politician.”

Olayinka died in Lagos on Saturday after a protracted battle with cancer. The state government had on Sunday, declared a seven-day mourning period in honour of the late deputy governor.

In his statement, Olubolade, who urged Governor Kayode Fayemi to honour the deceased by stepping up the zeal that would fasttrack the actualisation of the vision they both shared, said; “During her time, Mrs. Olayinka stood firm for excellence. She fought a strong

battle to rise to the top of her career both at the corporate and public sectors.

“Her stride for development and exemplary quality in the entrenchment of refined politics in our dear state would forever remain indelible in the hearts of her admirers. May the good Lord grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the minister said.

Also, former Governor Fayose while sympathising with Governor Fayemi, the government and people of Ekiti State over the demise of Olayinka, said she was an illustrious daughter of the state, whose death is a big loss to the state.

Fayose said in a statement by the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, AFCO, in Ado Ekiti, that he felt disturbed and confused momentarily when the news came to him as he described her as ‘an illustrious and branded Ekiti daughter.’

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, who was accompanied by his wife, Olukemi, said the late Olayinka “bore the burden of cancer with unusual courage.”

He commiserated with the government and people of the state; saying that the he shared in their pain and loss.

Also legal luminary and Proprietor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, Chief Afe Babalola, said the service rendered to the people of the state by

Ashafa mourns, says her demise, a big loss MURITALA AYINLA

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he lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District; Senator Gbenga B. Ashafa, yesterday described the sudden death of the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka as a big loss to Ekiti State and the nation at large.

He described the deceased as “an epitome of integrity, service and honour.

She exemplified the virtues of not just a politician with a difference, but that of a good wife and mother.”

According to Ashafa, “Olayinka, who ran alongside Governor Kayode Fayemi for the governorship position in 2007, was very

active and played a significant role during the struggle to retrieve that mandate.

“For over three years, she was always at the forefront of protests against the injustice done to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, when INEC declared the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the winner of the governorship election,” he recalls.

He continued; “The good life that the late Olayinka lived is worthy of emulation and will continue to be a rich source of inspiration to the people of Ekiti State.

He prayed that Almighty God will give the husband and the children she left behind, including the family and the good people of Ekiti State the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

the deceased increased the grief brought by her death and made her departure an irreparable loss.

Babalola said ABUAD was working in partnership with a US-based university to establish the department of pharmaceutical sciences so as to carry out researches on possible cure for cancer.

Similarly, a PDP governorship aspirant in the 2014 governorship election in the state, Dr Peter Obafemi, also condoled with Governor Fayemi over the death of his deputy, expressing shock at the demise of the deputy governor, who he described as a “hardworking, intelligent and God-fearing woman.”

Obafemi, in a statement, also commiserated with the immediate family and parents of the deceased and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss of their beloved one.

He also described her death as a big loss to the government and the entire people of the state. “Her exit has created a vacuum which will be difficult to fill by anybody. We will sorely miss her. She was a consummate administrator, a very intelligent and humble woman who through hard work rose to the top in her career in the banking sector before veering into politics.”

Action Congress of Nige-

ria, ACN, leader and House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, described the deputy governor’s demise as a big blow to the party and the state in general, saying that the state would miss her immense contributions to the emancipation of women in Ekiti politics.

Bamidele, in a statement, described her as a strong mobilising force for women participation in politics, saying her death would create a wide gap, especially among the rank and file of the ACN. The lawmaker said: “Mrs. Olayinka brought about paradigm shift in Ekiti politics

that made it possible for the people to have confidence in the ability of women to hold and deliver in leadership positions.

“She displayed competence, doggedness and uncommon courage, especially during those days when our party was in the trenches, which further added value to womanhood in Ekiti and Nigeria as a nation,” he said.

The ACN in the state, however, said that the late deputy governor had immortalised herself by raising the standard and expanding the coast with her participation in politics and governance.

L-R: Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejuyigbe and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during a condolence visit to the Ewi, over the death of the state deputy governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, in Ado-Ekiti.

ACN condoles with govt, family SINA FADARE

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he Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has condoled with the Ekiti State government on the death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, saying the news of her untimely death hit the party like a thunderbolt.

The party in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressed its condolences to the family of the late deputy governor, and prayed that God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss and also grant the departed eternal rest.

It stated that Mrs. Olayinka left her indelible foot-

prints on the sand of time, having excelled in her chosen banking profession and later in politics, providing all those she left behind to mourn her with some consolation.

The party said: “‘Mrs. Olayinka showed her strength of character and rare courage during those years that our party battled to reclaim its stolen man-

date in Ekiti. She was in the forefront of the battle, despite the risks to her personal safety. She never looked back, never regretted leaving the comfort of her previous job and never wavered.

“When eventually we reclaimed our mandate, she was there to work with her principal to rekindle hope and restore the lost glory of a state known for the decency, integrity and deep knowledge of its people.”

Shema commiserates with Ekiti govt

Ita-Giwa consoles Fayemi, Ekiti people

JAMES DANJUMA

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

KATSINA

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atsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema, yesterday joined many prominent Nigerians to commiserate with the people and government of Ekiti State over the death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olayinka.

Olayinka died last Saturday after battling with cancer; she was aged 53.

In a press statement

signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Lawal Matazu, the governor expressed shock over her demise, saying her death was a great loss to the people of Ekiti and Nigeria as a whole.

Governor Shema, according to the statement, “sent his heartfelt condolence to the Ekiti State governor and the entire people of Ekiti State.”

He also prayed for eternal rest for her soul and the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

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ormer Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Florence Ita- Giwa, yesterday commiserated with the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the people of the state over the death of their deputy governor, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olayinka, who passed on few days ago.

Ita-Giwa in a statement made available to National Mirror, described the late

Ekiti State deputy governor as a down-to-earth and dedicated politician who was humble and knowledgeable.

The statement reads in part: “The death of the deputy governor is a monumental loss. She was one of the few women that ventured into politics at a time Nigeria needs independent and strong-willed women who will help in nation building.

“On few occasions that I met her, I saw a very humble and totally committed woman who worked very well and cooperatively with her principal.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Emergency Update

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

51

Flooding: Need for prevention, response in 2013 SANYA ADEJOKUN

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lthough humans can do little or nothing to change the incidence or intensity of most natural hazards, they have an important role to play in ensuring that natural events are not converted into disasters by their own actions. It is important to understand that human intervention can increase the frequency and severity of natural hazards.

Casualty statistics from annual incidences of flooding since 2010 in Nigeria has been on the increase. In 2010, flooding displaced more than two million people.

In 2011, about 102 persons were believed to have died from flooding in various parts of the country. In 2012, figures from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) showed that seven million, seven hundred and five thousand, three hundred and ninety eight persons were affected by the flood between July 1, 2012 and October 31, 2012. Of the affected population, two million, one hundred and fifty seven thousand, four hundred and nineteen internally displaced persons (IDPs) were registered across the affected states. In addition, 363 deaths were recorded, while eighteen thousand, two hundred and eighty two people were treated for injuries they did sustained during the flooding. The report added that Adamawa and Kogi states recorded top digits of sufferers. Two hundred and fifty six local government councils throughout the federation were adversely affected.

Just as it did in 2012, the Nigeria Meteorological (NIMET) Agency has warned that more rainfall, which might eventually lead to more floods, should be expected in some parts of the country this year. The Agency identified Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara and other neighbouring states as top on priority list, adding that there will be lower amount of rainfall especially for the Southwest compared to the devastating flood of 2012. “The summary is that based on the conditions that are prevalent at the time of making the prediction, we are predicting that the rainfall pattern in 2013 will not be different, very different or significantly different from what we saw in 2012. However, some areas especially in the western flank of the country covering Sokoto State, Kebbi State, parts of Kwara State and parts of Niger State are likely to have higher rainfall than last year.

We have some other areas, particularly from western part of the country may witness slightly lower amount of rainfall.”

Interpreting the implication of the predictions, NEMA’s Director General, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Sidi said the North-west and other parts of the country would witness huge rainfall that might result in bumper agricultural yield but that some dams might overflow, leading to loss of lives and means of livelihood. He warned that slippery roads, runways and poor visibility during the rainfall might cause road and air accidents, while excessive rains could wash away earth roads, houses, farmlands and other infrastructure.

He then urged government at all levels to make adequate provision for medicines and vaccines, while proper refuse disposal mechanism and clean-up of drainages and reservoirs should be carried out regularly.

Alhaji Sani-Sidi called for the provision of navigational aids at airports, while storms barriers and end dykes should be erected along riverbanks and coastal areas. He also emphasised the need for states and local governments to improve their capabilities to manage disaster by setting up and equip-

ping their disaster management bodies. Regrettably he noted, only 224 out of 774 local governments in the country have functional emergency management committees.

Between March 26 and 27, stakeholders gathered at the Rockview Hotel, Abuja to brainstorm on how to avoid another catastrophe like that witnessed during the rainy season of 2012. Participants at the workshop organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were drawn from relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), state emergency management agencies (SEMAs), the UN System, international organisations, Red Cross, university Centres for Disaster Risk Management & Development Studies (CDRM&DS), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), CBOs and the media.

The workshop focused on the lessons learnt from the 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) 2013 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), strategies for prevention, mitigation and preparedness and dissemination of early warning messages to the stakeholders including the vulnerable communities.

Also, NEMA activated the National Contingency Plan and facilitated weekly National Humanitarian Forum to strengthen effective coordination of disaster management mechanisms and information sharing respectively. However, vertical coordination in some States and Local Governments was weak. Notwithstanding, participants observed the need to strengthen States Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs). While some States do not have functional and well funded SEMAs, others do not have SEMAs backed by law that can effectively embark on emergency prepared-

ness and respond to disasters.

Also concerning the 2012 incidence, relief materials were concentrated in urban camps in some states while stakeholders at state and local levels did not respond promptly to the needs of the displaced population.

In addition, community members were not involved in rescue efforts before, during and after the disaster in yet other states while funds were not prioritized at the state levels to respond to sectoral needs. These were in addition to the fact that some of the affected communities did not benefit sufficiently from the relief materials distributed during the 2012 flood disaster.

While stressing the importance of the media in emergency management, the workshop commended NEMA’s information management technique during the 2012 disaster but lamented that the international media coverage of the event was inadequate and so, limited the level of response by the global community.

Participants also noted that media practitioners were not adequately involved in sensitisation efforts, while baseline data from different sectors were inadequate.

After the exhaustive review of the 2012 disaster situation, participants at the twoday workshop then issued a 16-point recommendation as a way to ensure effective management of such disasters in future.

The recommendations include: •NEMA is to strengthen its coordination role at all levels and improve its capacity in humanitarian response, partnership, advocacy and information management.

•NEMA in collaboration with stakeholders should review the National Contingency Plan (NCP) while Response Strategies

should be developed and used by NEMA, SEMAs, LEMCs and Humanitarian community to ensure adequate preparedness and response.

•NEMA and partners should mobilise humanitarian actors to develop standardised rapid and sectoral assessment tools and widely circulate for use.

•States without SEMA should be encouraged to establish one backed by law, while all SEMAs should be adequately funded and staffed to ensure effective coordination, Emergency Preparedness and Response.

•NEMA should work with sector leads to develop comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to facilitate proper monitoring, transparency and accountability in disaster response.

•Humanitarian actions should be guided

by Humanitarian principles: Neutrality, Humanity, Impartiality and Independence.

•Early recovery should be integrated into response plans to reduce transition period.

•NEMA and SEMA should mobilise relevant agencies and organisations such as National Orientation Agency (NOA), Federal/State Ministries of Information to disseminate information on the SRP for 2013, targeting vulnerable communities using the media (print, electronic and internet) •Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMoWR) should facilitate structural mitigation by the construction of buffer dams, dykes, levees, barriers and flood diversion channels to prevent flooding.

•The Federal Ministry of Water Resources should prioritize the dredging of major Rivers to reduce siltation and increase river capacity and ensure proper dam management.

Kara Market along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State on fire... on Wednesday

NEMA decries activities of hoodlums during emergencies

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he Information Officer National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South/West Zone, Ibrahim Farinloye on Monday decried the activities of hoodlums during emergencies.

Farinloye made the condemnation in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that hoodlums were in the habit of looting and causing disorder during emergencies “It will interest you to know that anytime there was an emergency, we put more efforts into controlling hoodlums than the problem at hand’’.

Farinloye said that if the activities of the hoodlums

were not urgently checked, emergency managers would be afraid and reluctant to attend to emergencies in future.

“During the recent Alade market fire disaster at Allen, Ikeja, Lagos, some fire fighters were seriously beaten up by hoodlums and were taken to hospital for urgent medical attention.

“The hoodlums felt that the fire fighters were slow and inefficient, and so they seized the hose-pipe and took over the fire fighting, forgetting that fire fighting is very technical and cannot be handled by an ordinary man’’.

He advised stakeholders to work together to check the activities of hoodlums during emergencies.

Cocktail

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (124)

“Good people strengthen themselves ceaselessly.”

–Confucius * * * Learners Are Wise I read somewhere that the biggest room in the world is the room of self improvement. There is no end to growth.

The thing to do is to daily focus on learning. The more we learn, and practice what we learnt, the more we receive strength to conquer our daily challenges.

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

Man arrested ffor two ffailed robberies

A

Washington, D.C., man was arrested and charged for allegedly trying to rob two banks with a note that confused the tellers, officials said.

The alleged attempted robberies took place on Monday at two downtown Washington banks, The Washington Post reported.

At the SunTrust bank, the suspect, whose name was not reported, walked in and gave a teller a note that read “100s 50s 20s 10s.”

“The teller was

confused,” an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit filed in federal court, noting that the teller said the suspect said “money,” but nothing else. She handed the note back, and the FBI said the suspect wrote, “all mona.”

However, the teller sent him away. A nearby customer informed the teller that the man was trying to rob the bank.

Shortly thereafter, the suspect entered the Bank of America and handed a teller there the same note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Brothers’ babies born 82 minutes apart

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pair of New York brothers said they are relying on one another for support after becoming fathers within 82 minutes of each other.

Nick Pereira said he and his wife, Beth, went to Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola Wednesday without knowing his brother, David, and sister-inlaw, Claudia, were already there until the brothers exchanged text messages about their wives being in labor, ABC News reported Friday.

Nick and Beth’s second child, Nathaniel, was born nine days early Wednesday, while David and Claudia’s first child, Gwyneth, was born one day early.

The brothers said they are happy to have each other for support.

“We talked about how

amazing this is, that it actually happened on the same day and the whole procedure of the wives’ giving birth,” Nick Pereira said.

“We talked about how amazing it was to go through it at the same time and how amazing

women are that they can do this. We think men wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

He said the families are close and they are hoping David and Gwyneth will share a special bond.

“I hope there will

Shona Ritchie, 4, rejected a royal kiss from Prince William.

be a special bond, the way our families are, we are always together.

Growing up and being together and sharing a birthday will help them have a closer bond than a sibling that’s three or four years apart,” he said.

PHOTO: TELEGRAPHY.CO.UK

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

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Features

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Child Rights Act: Battling to protect vulnerable children in Akwa Ibom

Children hawking on a street in Uyo.

Some alleged child witches at a rehabilitation camp.

Today, many children in Akwa Ibom State have been subjected to different forms of cruelty by their parents and communities after being branded as witches. Such inhuman treatment and accompanying public outrage forced the government to enact the Child’s Right Act that makes it a crime for any child of school age to be hawking on the streets. TONY ANICHEBE writes that in spite of the laudable objective, many of these children are still roaming and hawking in the streets of major towns and cities.

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or over many decades, children in Nigeria have been at the mercy of all sorts of deprivations. They have lived and continue to grapple with misery, hunger, trafficking, and abuses of all sorts.

A report from United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, says that “A staggering 15 million children under 14 years are working across Nigeria. Many are exposed to long hours of work in dangerous and unhealthy environments, carrying too much responsibility for their age”.

Working in such hazardous conditions with no education, little food, pay and medical care establishes a cycle of child rights violations.

Traditionally, children used to work with their families, learning skills they would need as adults, but today, they are forced to work for their own and family’s survival. The money earned by the child has become a significant part of families’ income.

“Unfortunately, working children have no time, money or energy to go to school. About six million working children in Nigeria, equally split between boys and girls, do not attend school at all, while one million children are forced to drop out due to poverty or because of parent’s demand to contribute to the family’s income” UNICEF Information Bulletin on Child Labour.

The report said that, “Over eight million children manage, at least partly to stay in school and work in their spare time to pay education fees. Due to high demands at work, these children often skipped classes. Missing out on education makes it impossible to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation and

prevents them from having a better life and a safer future”.

However, other children work as street vendors, beggars, shoe-shiners, car-washers, bus conductors, vulcanizers, caterers and domestic servants in big cities.

All these are nothing but exploitation of Nigerian children.

The sight of children being subjected to avalanche of abuses has become common place on many Nigerian streets, so much that many citizens no longer see anything bad in a seven-year-old girl or boy hawking for the older people to feed.

Sadly, many children are sometimes knocked down on the highways due to no fault of such drivers, even as they will escape afterwards. Despite many treaties in the past, signed by Nigeria to protect the rights of the child, a Nigerian child, was sometimes an eyesore.

It was common to hear of a 10 year old child being sexually abused by a man old enough to be her grandfather.

A lady, once lamented that she will never forget how she was sexually abused, while hawking oranges, and fell victim to a man old enough to be her grandfather.

This case was a case of an orphan who was a domestic servant to a madam, who sent her out on the street to hawk petty wares. If she could not finish selling the entire groundnuts, she would not be given food for that day, and would not be driven outside the home.

Children are also abused through trafficking in person. This aspect gave Akwa Ibom State a notorious image, since it is located at transit borders with other countries.

Those trafficked out of the state were promised white collar jobs, in places

such as Benin Republic, Togo and Italy.

Surprisingly, many saw themselves in brothels, while the “madam” who took them there would collect all their proceeds.

Many trafficked children are also used for rituals and it took the intervention of the police and immigration officials to intercept such persons and abort their missions.

Admittedly, some parents abuse their children indirectly through bullying, beatings, denial of opportunity to go to school, and early marriages.

Indeed, child abuses have reached a crescendo such that a medical doctor who removed a six inches nail from the head of an eight year old girl by her mother.

When confronted, the mother claimed the child was a witch.

Stories like this were becoming a daily occurrence in Akwa Ibom State. Many teenage children have been thrown into streets, and abandoned while branding them as witches and wizards.

An Eket based Non-Governmental Organisation,NGO, ‘Stepping Stone’ stated that more than 1,000 children were roaming the beaches in Oron and Mbo, while others were driven outside their parental homes in Eket and Esit Eket as witches.

Little wonder, advocacy for the Childs rights in Nigeria began 18 years ago on account of persistent global struggle to ensure that the Nigerian child enjoys full rights and privileges as a human being.

One of the ways was the approach by the United Nations Organisation, through the UNICEF, with the aim of rallying support for the rights of the child and same time contribute to children development.

Worried by the incessant headlines on torture of innocent children, killing, maiming, trafficking for prostitution and

CHILDREN ARE ALSO ABUSED THROUGH TRAFFICKING IN

PERSON.

THIS ASPECT GAVE AKWA IBOM STATE A NOTORIOUS IMAGE, SINCE IT IS

LOCATED AT TRANSIT BORDERS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES

abandonment as witches and wizards, the Akwa Ibom Ministry of Women Affairs, in collaboration with the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, held seminars on Child’s rights.

They also campaigned in schools, churches as well as provide advocacy materials on the need to stop cruelty to children.

However the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, set up modalities aimed at securing the future of the child by building the children’s village with modern facilities for all displaced children in the state.

He sponsored the speedy passage of the Child’s Right Act, signing it into law on December 6, 2008.

He made it a policy that every childin Akwa Ibom State must have free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school.

“Children are always referred to as the future leaders. For them to be leaders of tomorrow, they need to be nurtured, educated and assisted to develop into responsible and productive adults who will be capable of taking over the affairs of the nation”, Mr Ekpot Okon a teacher said.

“As children, they are physically, mentally and emotionally immature. Therefore, they require special safeguards, care, love and training that will mould them to become useful citizens”.

In the words of the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, the passage of the Bill on Child’s Right Act is a major breakthrough, adding that it guarantees certain rights to the child and that government has put in place control mechanisms to curb any unwarranted situations.

They can be in a better position to lead groups that are vanguards for economic transformation and in larger scale lead the society beyond the frontier of economic under-development to compete with developed states.

Therefore, Child’s Right Act is a welcome development in the process of transforming the state for which no parent will have any excuse to deprive a child of the benefit of education policy at hand.

However notwithstanding the government’s efforts, many children still roam the major streets and highways in Uyo and other towns during school hours hawking all sorts of wares. Incidentally, the authorities are doing little or nothing to check the menace by enforcing the Childs Right Act.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

55

Nkanu: Still struggling to get out of the Dark Age The creation of local governments in the country was informed by a desire to bring developments to the grassroots. While some are succeeding in this regard, a great many are still stuck in the past. DENNIS AGBO, writes that Nkanu East Local Government in Enugu State is not only underdeveloped, but many of the communities still live in the Dark Age.

Indigenes of the community at a social function

A local bridge constructed from tree barks.

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kanu East is a Local Government Area of Enugu State bordering Ebonyi State to the east, with an area of 795 kilometres and population of 148,774 according to 2006 census. The council area is predominantly swampy but with fertile land for agriculture. It also has great lime stone deposits, a raw material for cement production. Most communities in the area are situated on difficult terrains which makes mobility very difficult if not impossible to connect with neighbours.

The lack of connecting bridges across many rivers in the area also poses the greatest challenge for the people. For instance someone who resides at Amankanu, Owo, Ubahu or Amechi-Idodo who wants to travel to the council headquarter at Amangunze, would first get to Enugu, a distance of 30 kilometres and from there board a bus to Amangunze, to cover another 30 kilometres, before getting to his or her destination.

Ordinarily such person would have travelled only 23 kilometres to Amanguze from Amaechi-Idodo community, but the circuitous movement is as a result of lack of accessible roads and bridges to cross the Inyaba and other rivers separating Amagunze from the rest of Nkanu East. The same is the same for communities such as Nkerefi, Mburubu, Nome, Nara, Ogbuakwa, Umode, among others.

Even when the communities share similar experience of lack of infrastructure, the story is however worse for Amankanu.

Amankanu is the last community in the northern part of Nkanu East Local Government that shares common borders with Ubahu in Nkanu East, Umualor in Isi-Uzo LGA and Obeagu in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State. Investigations and testimonies from natives revealed that no motor vehicle has ever driven into Amankanu in known history, as it has no motor able road, water, electricity, school or hospital.

WE USUALLY CONVEY PEOPLE TO HOSPITALS OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY ON WHEEL BARROWS,

EVEN FOR WOMEN IN LABOUR It was a tale of woos when our reporter visited the ancient community as only few houses are built with cement, zinc or corrugated iron. Ancient shrines can be seen dotted in all over the place, as the elderly natives sit on logs of wood in the village square. Mrs. Celestina Ede, a 50 year old housewife said since she has been living in the community she has never seen a hospital in the community. “There is no hospital up till now. We usually convey people to hospitals outside the community on wheel barrows, even for women in labour that is the only means of transport to distant towns like Ubahu or Eha-Amufu”.

She noted that the reason why people in the community are very poor is because their farm produce cannot be evacuated to urban markets beyond for sale.

A lawmaker, Hon. Thomas Ugwu who comes from the community said “The only means of transportation is the wheel barrow and bicycles due to lack of roads. In my 48 years of existence, I have not seen a motor car drive into in my community. Sometimes pregnant women die before getting to Eha-Amufu or Ubahu”.

However, chairman of Nkanu East Local Government, Pastor Sam Iyiogwe, said a bridge is being built across Ora River so that vehicles travel into the community. He said the 12.3 kilometre road is being con-

People crossing a stream on makeshift platform.

structed from Ubahu to Amankanu to liberate the community from the ‘Dark Age’. A native of Amankanu, Mr. Bennett Ikenna said, that they are happy that modern civilization would soon come to the place.

Even as pathetic as the story of Amakanu looks, many other communities in the local government share the same fate. For instance, Owachi, Odobudu, Ndiagu-Omulo, Owo and Ubahu were without roads until last year. Odobudo is a community only few kilometres from Emene in Enugu East Local Government,tey lacked any motor able roads until recently when a 27 kilometre road was built to give it access to Owachi, Odobudo, Ndiagu-Omulo, Ohani, Ubahu, Owo, Obinagu and Mbulowo, near the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.

An elder, Chief Clement Nwokpor, while expressing gratitude to the council pleaded with the Enugu State Government to build a secondary school in the community so their children will stop trekking a distance of 40 kilometres to Emene to attend school.

Nwokpor said since a road has been built, facilities like electricity, hospital and water should also be provided. “At least with the road we can now evacuate our farm produce because we are basically farmers,” he said.

Ubahu, another community in Nkanu East Local Government also faces the challenges of access roads to neighbouring Owo, Emene and other communities in Enugu State because the Idodo River

linking them has no bridge. For ages, the place has remained inaccessible. But now a bridge is being built across it by the council.

When completed, it would link up the communities in the northern part of the local government.

Pastor Iyiogwe said,when a bridge now under construction is completed the people living in the north would have direct access through Amechi-Idodo to their neighbouring communities in the central and southern part of the local government, rather than travelling to Enugu before getting to the council headquarter at Amagunze.

The council chairman said “We want to start opening up the place to Ezeama, Amaechi-Idodo. We have to find a way to cross the river because it makes things difficult for our people. There are UmunevoAmagunze, Amaechi-Idodo Obinagu and some other communities cut off by the river”. He said he met the council in desolate condition but has started renovating the office blocks. He regretted that the ancient community of Amankanu has remained cut off.

“When we came in, we handed over the administration of the council to God. As you can see the local government system can work contrary to those that say that the local governments should be scrapped.

I think that the local government councils should rather be strengthened because it will mean calamity if we scrap them,” said Pastor Iyiogwe.

WORLD RECORD

First scientific report of a bioluminescent sea Vol. 03 No. 595

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Breakfast with future leaders

he initiative last week in which President Goodluck Jonathan played host at breakfast to future leaders from Bayelsa, his home state, represents a shift from one direction long abandoned by leaders in government over the years. Amidst the tension created by the Boko Haram insurgents and the controversies which greeted the decision by the government to embrace dialogue and amnesty for the terrorists, came one step in the right direction of giving hope to the leaders of tomorrow.

There is, no doubt, that we have witnessed many policy somersaults and unpopular decisions, but this without any

S

N150

The earliest scientific description of what is commonly referred to today as a glowing sea, caused by the profuse presence of tiny bioluminescent dinoflagellates, is that of Greek scholar Anaximenes of Miletus.

erbian star, Novak Djokovic, admits to being concerned about the ankle injury he suffered in the Davis Cup on Sunday.

Djokovic went over on his ankle early in his singles clash with Sam Querrey, but he battled through the pain barrier and saw off the American player in

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

doubt will go down well, not just with those involved, but also for the future of this country going by the implication of that decision. The initiative started with Jonathan as deputy governor in Bayelsa, but the import of the move cannot be underestimated given the way attention for the youths had long been abandoned by governments.

It is a common saying that youths are the leaders of tomorrow. Yes, there are leaders and there are leaders at different levels of the society. The depth of insights of an individual determines the height such individual is permitted to attain. Over the years, too little had been done to consciously prepare the youths for leadership role expected of them in the future. It is not enough to chant the slogan often without any commensurate effort in that direction that will make an everlasting impact in their formative years.

Government agencies whose primary responsibilities are to prepare the youths for career development that will in turn complement the country’s growth have been found wanting in this due largely to other matters considered too pressing.

The youths of today who will be leaders of tomorrow must have been properly mentored, groomed and nurtured to function in that role. That explains the reason why government must as a mat-

THE TASK THEREFORE FOR THOSE IN GOVERNMENT IS TO BEGIN TO IDENTIFY OTHER MEANS OF GROOMING THESE YOUTHFUL TALENTS ter of policy evolve programmes that will prepare them for the position they are expected to occupy tomorrow.

If wishes were horses beggars will ride goes a popular saying. It will be disastrous to assume that the leaders of tomorrow will arrive there by chance and anyhow. It does not happen that way. While the rich enjoy the resources to provide the best for their children, it is apparent that many sons and daughters of the great hardly operate at the same frequency like their parents among their peers. This goes to show that leadership is not hereditary but can manifest through a deliberate and planned programme consciously embarked upon to achieve that purpose.

Breakfast with future leaders is laudable and it indeed points to one of the ways to groom the young ones, inculcate

in them, the zeal for nationalism and to make their talents count for the country as they grow in knowledge before the responsibility expected of them.

Beyond this however is the need for government to invest more in youth development in order to end unrest, unemployment and violence the major threats to the country’s corporate existence.

The insurgents threatening the foundation of the nation’s unity today is rooted in misguided youths fed with strange doctrines that have made them never to appreciate the values and virtues of life. Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka succinctly captured it when he described some of them as ignorant of the doctrine they claim to profess. The society could not have expected much if it had planted too little in them while growing. Among the suicide bombers are talents wired up to provide solution to certain problem but which may never see the light of the day.

The task therefore for those in government is to begin to identify other means of grooming these youthful talents from Yenagoa to Sokoto and from Badagry to Maiduguri in various fields of human endeavour in order to make our society not only better but reliable and stable for the future. One can imagine what the developed economies of the United States and the United Kingdom would have been if there were no avenues for the youths to make their fortunes from academics, sports, entertainment and other means of expressing their talents.

The initial plans of the federal government to change the orientation of the Boko Haram insurgents could have provided the much needed solutions to the destruction been witnessed if the leaders then had created a better option to engage productively. States that have embraced the policy needs to be further encouraged to do more in this regard.

Sport Extra

Tennis: Djokovic frets over injury four sets to see Serbia through to the semi-finals.

That victory may well have come at a major cost, though, as he was in tears afterwards and admitted his worries over the timing of the injury, with

the French Open not that far around the corner.

“If I had not been playing for Serbia with my team beside me, I am not sure I would have carried on,” Djokovic said yesterday.

“I felt pain with every motion in the first 30 minutes and had to go for precision shots.

“When you get to play for your country with 15 people on your team cheering you on, it’s always a big responsibility.”

Novak Djokovic

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