Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Foreign airlines repatriated N158bn in 2012 EXCLUSIVE

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

AVIATION CORRESPONDENT

Oduah

Vol. 31 N0. 575 115

Non-remittance:

F

oreign airlines flying into Nigerian airports earned at least N158bn from ticket sales in the country last year.

Figures obtained by

Fashola reopens Ladipo market

National Mirror indicated that this was a slight improvement from the N156bn earned by the carriers in previous year.

The ticket sales figures CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Tuesday, Tuesday,June March 7, 2011 12, 2013

P.7

N150 N150

Reps query NNPC, CBN, Customs over N680bn Audit uncovers unauthorised deductions from oil revenue POPE IN WAITING?

TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

T

he Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday queried four government agencies over an alleged non-remittance of N680bn to the Federation Account.

It also directed the Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest and compel the appearance of the senior

executives in the oil and gas sector to explain huge discrepancies in the financial records of their organisations as contained in a recent report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.

The legislators rebuked the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, over an alleged non- remittance CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Terrorists post video of dead hostages FG insists no confirmation of the killings

Francis Cardinal Arinze (left) and George Cardinal Pell arriving for the pre-conclave meeting at the Vatican, yesterday.

Jonathan sacks Demuren as DG NCAA P.6

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Terrorist group posts video of dead hostages PAUL ARHEWE AND ROTIMI FADEYI

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

T

he Ansaru Islamist sect yesterday posted a video on the internet showing the bodies of some of the foreign hostages kidnapped last month in Jama’are, Bauchi State.

The video, posted by the al Qaeda-linked Ansaru, whose full name is Jama’atu Ansarul Musilimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Vanguards for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa) and dated March 9, showed a gunman standing next to a pile of bodies, then close-ups of their faces lit up by a torch.

A later shot in the video showed three male corpses, one of whom appeared to have been killed by a gunshot wound in the head.

The video carries the Arabic title, “The killing of the seven Christian hostages in Nigeria.”

A caption underneath says in Arabic and in English: “In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”

Yesterday, the police declined to comment, but Interior Minister, Aba Moro, told BBC Hausa Service, there was no confirmation that the hostages were dead.

“As long as it remains unconfirmed, efforts will be made to ensure that they are rescued,” he said.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said that since this was a diplomatic incident, the Presidency would have to make a statement on it.

Information Minister, Labaran Maku, declined to comment on the reported killing.

Maku, who was at the Presidential Villa yesterday said he did not have the full brief on the incident and, therefore, could not speak on the position of the Federal Government.

“I don’t have the full brief to brief you,” he told State House correspondents when he was asked to comment on the issue.

A Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese workers were captured in a raid on the Setraco construction site in Bauchi State on February 16. One security guard died during the assault.

Ansaru, a suspected offshoot of the Boko Haram network, said it had carried out the attack in revenge for what it called atrocities by European nations against Islam.

Security officials said the group split from Boko Haram in January last year,

after the latter launched a devastating attack on Kano that killed 186 people, mostly Muslims.

Britain, Italy and Greece confirmed on Sunday the killing of the abducted seven foreign construction workers by their captors.

On Sunday, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said a British construction worker from Leeds, Brendan Vaughan, was “likely to have been killed at the hands of his captors, along with six other foreign nationals”.

“This is an unforgivable act of pure, cold-blooded

murder, for which there can be no excuse or justification,” he added.

Ansaru said the hostages had been killed because of a rescue attempt by British and Nigerian forces.

But the Italian Foreign Ministry said there “was never any military attempt to rescue the hostages by any of the governments concerned”.

It added that the group’s actions “can have no explanation other than blind and barbaric violence”.

The Britain military also said its warplanes which were recently spotted in

Abuja had been there to carry soldiers taking part in the French-led operation in Mali - not to rescue hostages.

About a week after they were taken, Ansaru said it had abducted them because of “atrocities done to the religion of Allah by the European countries in many places such as Afghanistan and Mali”.

Vaughan’s friends and his Thai girlfriend, Orasa Arpornkaew, posted tributes to Vaughan on Facebook. “You’re always in my heart,” she said underneath a picture of him.

of N7.9bn, which was supposed to have been generated and remitted by the NCS to the Federation Account in 2007.

The audit appeared to indicate massive confusion in the operations of government accounts with non-remittance of and deductions from government oil and gas revenues; discrepancies in joint venture cash calls, fuel subsidy payments and crude oil allocation to refineries as well as transfers of huge funds from one government account to another and to commercial banks without authorisation or proper records.

The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu; the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Price regulatory Agency, PPPRA,

Mr. Reginald Stanley; and the Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Mr. Osten Oluyemisi Olorunsola, are to appear before the PAC today to answer questions on queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation on the financial records of their respective organisations.

Committee Chairman, Hon. Solomon Adeola (ACNLagos), who announced this yesterday directed the affected officers to appear in person latest by 1:30p.m. tomorrow.

Some of the queries to which responses are required include deductions of N549bn for joint venture cash calls, N1.16trn for excess crude account and N236.6bn for fuel subsidy payments in 2007, which are yet to be fully explained.

The legislators also want responses to queries raised

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

L-R: Chairman, Investments and Securities Tribunal, Dr. Ngozi Chianakwalam; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former Acting Chairman of the tribunal, Thelma Osammor and Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, during the inauguration of the tribunal in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Reps query NNPC, CBN, Customs over N680bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

It will be recalled that Ansaru killed a British and Italian hostage in Sokoto during a failed rescue mission by British and Nigerian forces a year ago.

Italy and Greece both said there had been no attempted rescue of the foreign hostages this time around.

A German kidnapped by an Islamist group in January 2012 was also killed later in the year during a raid on his location.

A French national is being held by the group, while another family of seven

over deductions of N25.9bn and N62.5bn deducted in respect of petroleum profit tax, PPT, and royalties respectively.

Adeola said that the deductions were made before the net revenues were paid to the Federation Account, contrary to the provisions of Section 162(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which requires such revenues to be paid directly into the Federation Account.

“The sums of N13bn and N16.8bn, being four per cent and seven per cent of total non-oil and gas revenues, were deducted as cost of collection from the Federation Account and paid to FIRS and NCS respectively.

“There was no evidence to show that these rates were passed into law by the National Assembly.

The Accountant-General

of the Federation has been requested to produce the evidence showing that the rates for the deduction were approved by the Acts of the National Assembly or otherwise,” he said.

Also under scrutiny is an audit examination of the mandate letters from NNPC to CBN in January and February 2007 which revealed that the benchmark amount of the domestic crude oil sales proceeds paid into the Federation Account was short by N38.8bn.

The audit report also said that “out of the total withdrawals made from the account of the excess crude oil in the year 2007, $1.604bn could not be traced into the records of FAAC on Excess Crude Oil for the year. Similarly, payments totalling $1.56bn made from Excess Crude Oil/PPT/Royalty Revenues as per FAAC records were

not reflected in the CBN Statement of Account for the year 2007.”

The legislators were also concerned that: “Amounts totalling $2.8bn were transferred from the FGN Excess Proceeds of Crude on Sales Account in November 2007 to Fixed Term Deposit Account a branch of International Bank. The bank where the deposit was made, the tenor, the interest rate, the certificate of deposit, the authority for the deposit and the relevant bank statements were not produced for audit verification.”

According to the report, “CBN Statement of Account for the “FGN Excess Proceeds of Crude Oil Sales Account” revealed that the sum of $455m for June 2007 Excess Crude was credited to the account in July 2007. In August 2007, this same amount was

reversed and the account credited with a lower amount of $445m giving rise to a shortfall of $10m.

At the NNPC, the audit also found huge discrepancies in the financials which the legislators want clarified.

For example, it was observed that the subsidy on petroleum products paid and deducted at source by both NNPC and the PPPRA, respectively exceeded the actual amount budgeted in 2007 Appropriation Act which provided the sum of N50bn for the payment of subsidy on petroleum products.”

He said: “Audit examination of the accounting and other records revealed that NNPC deducted at source the sum of N236bn as petroleum product subsidy. This, when compared with the sum of N216bn approved by CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

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Photo News

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

L-R: Wife of the former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. Arese Carrington; her husband, Mr. Walter Carrington and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during a reception for the governor in Boston, Massachusets, US, yesterday.

L-R: Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Dennis Okoro; a beneficiary of MTNF Science and Technology Scholarship Award, Mr. Ohanaka Ikennam and a representative of the Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. John Otaigbe, during the scholarship award presentation in Owerri, Imo State recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Commander, 9 Mechanised Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade; AssistantDirector, Army Public Relations, Col. Kingsley Umoh; Secretary to Lagos State Government, Dr. Oluranti Adebowale; General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Abel Umahi; Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal and Governor Babatunde Fashola, during the GOC’s visit to the governor in Lagos, yesterday.

First Lady of United States of America, Mrs. Michelle Obama(right) and International Women of Courage (IWOC) awardee, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, during the IWOC 2013 awards ceremony at Dean Aceheson Auditorium, United States Department of State, Washington DC on Friday.

National News

Judiciary workers’ strike stalls judgement on Salami, Yusufu EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

T

he much-awaited judgement in a suit seeking the reinstatement of suspended President of the Court of Appeal, PCA, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, was stalled yesterday, following the nationwide strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN. Justice Adamu Bello was to deliver judgement in a suit instituted by the Registered Trustees of the Centre for the Promotion of Arbitration, for an order recalling Salami.

As a result of the strike, the gates of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, as well as the Federal High Court, were locked to prevent access by judges, lawyers and litigants.

At the Abuja Federal High Court gate, there was a mass of lawyers, litigants and labour officials, all of whom discussed the industrial action and its implication on the fate

of pending cases, most importantly the aborted judgement on Justice Salami.

Only a sensitisation seminar for judges on the “Challenges to Deposit Insurance Law and Practice” was held at the high court.

Also, the convicted pension thief and former Assistant Director, Police Pension Office, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu, will remain in Kuje prison, as ruling on his bail application, is now at the mercy of the strike.

Yusufu, who was convicted on January 28 over “illegal act” of stealing about N23 billion pension funds meant for police retirees, has been in Kuje prison since Wednesday, January 30, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, re-arraigned him on a fresh 4-count charge bordering on his failure to disclose his assets as they relate to his interest in a company called SY -A

Global Services Limited.

At the last adjourned date, a mild drama had ensued, when the convict slumped in the dock, shortly after commencement of his trial.

JUSUN’s action, National Mirror gathered, followed alleged failure by the Federal Government to issue a circular for the implementation of the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure, CONJUSS. Plaintiffs in Justice Salami’s case (11 in number), in an originating summons brought pursuant to the inherent rules of the Federal High Court, had prayed the court to hold that the National Judicial Council, NJC, by virtue of the 1999 constitution, as amended, has the exclusive power to mete out sanctions against judicial officers.

They added that such powers by NJC included discipline and recall.

To this end, the plaintiffs want an order of

mandamus compelling the NJC to recall justice Salami.

In adopting plaintiffs’ argument, their counsel Mr. Jitobo Akanike, had contended that, President Goodluck Jonathan (1st Defendant) and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, (2nd defendant) have no business in matters of discipline of a judicial officer.

He pointed out that the earlier pronouncement reinstating Salami by the NJC did not need any approval or endorsement by the president for it to carry the force of law.

In their separate responses, however, counsel to the president and the AGF, Mr. Matthew Echo urged the trial judge to dismiss the plaintiffs’ originating summons on the ground that plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the matter.

Echo told the court

that 1st and 2nd defendants’ objections were brought pursuant to order 26, rules 1, 2 and 3 of the Federal High Court rules.

He maintained that “the plaintiffs have not shown any sufficient interest above any other Nigerian in the matter” to warrant granting their reliefs.

The court, was therefore, enjoined to “uphold our counter-affidavit and dismiss the suit as mere academic, indeterminable and a waste of the time of the court.”

On his part, counsel to NJC (3rd defendant), Dr. A. A. Kanah prayed the court to arrive at a decision that will best serve the interest of justice.

But, Salami’s counsel, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, aligned with the submission of the plaintiffs, when he persuaded the court to dismiss the defendants’ preliminary objection “as not representing the current status

of the law on locus standi.”

Akintola told the court that the NJC had “also admitted that that it is they that have power of discipline of judicial officers.

“This court has the inherent jurisdiction to grant an order of mandamus compelling the 3rd defendant to perform its constitutional duty, to save the judiciary from ridicule.

“The failure of the 3rd Defendant to reinstate the 4th Defendant by wrongly and unlawfully referring it to the 1st defendant for approval when indeed the 1st defendant lacks such power under the constitution has diminished the status and influence of the 3rd defendant in the public domain.

“This Honourable court has the unique opportunity to redeem and restore the dented image of the judiciary through the grant of the prayers sought by the plaintiffs,” Akintola submitted.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

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Foreign airlines repatriated N158bn in 2012 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

for indigenous carriers in the same period were not immediately available but Arik Air made N4.3bn and Aero Airline, N441.4m in 2011.

National Mirror gathered that British Airways, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Ethiopia Airline, Delta Airlines, Emirates and Air France/KLM led the pack among the foreign carriers in ticket sales.

However, for the past 48 months, British Airways has continued to improve its revenue generation from the country with N33.5bn from

tickets sold in 2012 while it earned N31.7bn in 2011.

Following BA is the United Arab Emirates, which sold at least N22.4bn tickets in Nigeria in 2012, but earned N30.5bn in the previous year.

The airline’s market share dropped to 14.2 per cent in 2012 when compared to 2011.

Besides, another carrier that joined the Nigerian aviation industry in 2012 from Dubai, Etihad Airline, earned N2.5bn in the same period while Qatar Airways made N8.2bn in the Nigerian market.

Air France, according to the report, earned N13.9bn;

Lufthansa, N12.1bn and Virgin Atlantic, N11.4bn in the year under review. The carriers made N11.3bn, N12.9bn and N11.7bn respectively in 2011.

Turkish Airlines recorded over 100 per cent increase in ticket sales between the years under review. The airline sold N3.6bn tickets in 2012, an increase from N1.7bn in 2011.

On the downward trend is Iberia Airlines, which earning fell to N629m in 2012 compared to N1bn the previous year. Also, Emirates’ sales fell by 26 per cent; Alitalia, 19 per cent; Kenya Air-

Cross section of judges at the NDIC annual seminar in Abuja, yesterday.

ways, 12 per cent; KLM and Royal Air Maroc went down by eight per cent each.

The Assistant SecretaryGeneral of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, said that it would be difficult for the Nigerian carriers to compete with the foreign airlines, stressing that they lacked the capacity to do so.

Tukur said that the indigenous airlines had found it difficult over the years to form an alliance with the foreign carriers, even on the West Coast.

At present, only Aero and Arik airlines are flying the West Coast routes.

PHOTO: NAN

On the excuse from some stakeholders that the multiple entries given foreign carriers were responsible for their huge earnings in the country, Tukur insisted that the carriers were entitled to them, “in as much as it is spelt out in the agreements Nigeria had with them.”

At present, no fewer than six foreign carriers enjoy multiple entries into Nigeria. For instance, Emirates, Air France/KLM, Lufthansa, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways all fly into different airports in the country.

Tukur, however, decried a situation where Nigeria lacked the capacity to reciprocate some of these agreements “as the country does not have capable carriers and support from the government to compete with the foreign operators.”

He recalled that some indigenous carriers were hitherto flying into Dubai, but had to close the route due to massive competition from Emirates Airlines.

Emirates enjoys huge support from the United Arab Emirates, UAE, government, most importantly in the price of aviation fuel.

Tukur, therefore, challenged the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,

NCAA, to encourage more airlines into the sector, saying that by so doing, more Nigerian carriers would be able to compete effectively even on the foreign routes.

He said: “For us to grow and compete effectively, we need to support our carriers and even put more investments into the subsector than what we are presently doing.

“But unfortunately, there are moves to destroy the sector even by some people in government.

“There are plans to sabotage investments of some investors in the industry, which will not augur well for our industry.

“There should be no interference in the running of the NCAA as some people are bent on doing. For instance, British Airways partners with Iberia and American Airlines, which has further boosted their performance in all the countries they fly into.

“A situation whereby somebody somewhere wants to kill an airline because of an accident will never take the sector forward. Even if a foreign investor had wanted to collaborate with a local investor to form an airline, such a person will be sceptical because of our antecedents.”

Terrorist group posts Reps query NNPC, CBN, Customs over N680bn video of dead hostages CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

kidnapped in northern Cameroun is being held by a group claiming to be Boko Haram.

Meanwhile, three foreign sailors kidnapped from their British-operated cargo ship by pirates last month off the coast of Nigeria have been released, the vessel’s operator said yesterday.

There has been a surge in piracy attacks off the coast of Nigeria this year with gangs showing signs of moving further afield and using more violent tactics.

The British-flagged ship, Esther C, was boarded and ransacked on February 7, 80 miles off the south coast of Nigeria by heavily armed pirates before they made off with the three seamen, Isle of Wight-based Carisbrooke Shipping said in a statement.

“The three officers were

confirmed as being safe and in good spirits on March 11 after 31 days in captivity,” it added.

A spokesman for Carisbrooke Shipping said separately the three crew members, two Russians including the ship’s captain and a Romanian national, had been taken hostage and held in Nigeria before being released.

In another development, the Boko Haram sect yesterday denied report by the Joint Task Force, JTF, that 52 of their members were killed in Jajeri, Borno State, and another attack in Monguno The sect in a statement

by Abu Zinnira, said: “This message is from the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad in respect of the purported killing of our members during a raid by the JTF in Jajeri area of Maiduguri last Friday.

PPPRA for the Corporation, gave rise to over-deduction of N20bn”.

The NNPC GMD is to respond to this.

The NNPC would also answer queries on allegations that: “Through NNPC mandates to CBN a total sum of N549bn was paid for Joint Venture Cash Calls. But only a total sum of N441bn was actually recorded in the accounting books of NAPIMS as overheads, leaving a difference of N108bn unaccounted for.

“At the NNPC, it was also observed that the Corporation claimed to have allocated a total of 3.8 million barrels of crude oil to Port Harcourt Refinery in the months of September and November 2007 but the audit revealed that only 2.2 million barrels for processing, giving rise to a shortfall of 1.5 million barrels valued at N15bn.

The committee was also baffled that: “The sum of $4.45bn was appropriated in the 2007 Budget for Joint Venture Cash Calls, JVCC, and this was fully released to NNPC for the benefit of the Joint Venture operators.

However, NAPIMS budget for the Joint Venture Operators in the same year was put at $4.114bn resulting in a surplus of $336m.

However, a “Further audit scrutiny of the records of the JVCC in the books of NAPIMS showed that the Joint Venture Operators were paid a total sum of $1.71bn in the period under review.

“When compared with the sum of $4.11bn budgeted

by NAPIMS for the Joint Venture Operators, a difference of $2.4bn was revealed as a budget underimplementation” Also amounts totalling N80bn and $1.55bn were irregularly diverted in the year under review for

execution of programmers and activities not included in the approved budgets of the Joint Venture Operators. The programme and activities include performance Balance/ supply, Niger Delta Security Arrangement, NiPP projects and NAPIMS overhead cost, the audit said.

Turning to the NCS, the committee also queried a five-month delay of the remittance of the sum of N14.21bn being import duty collected and lodged into CBN accounts by the Customs Area Command in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The said sum, according to the Office of the Auditor General, was said to have been collected in August 2006 but was not lodged in the Federation Account until January 2007.

The audit had showed that the amount generated and remitted by the service for the year 2007 was N241.3bn, while total of amount

received by the Federation Account, was N233.4bn, which led to an unremitted balance of N7.93bn.

Accordingtothecommittee chairman: “This implies that the actual amount of revenue generated and remitted by the NCS was less than the amount presented to FAAC for sharing as indicated by the CBN.” Consequently, the acting chairman of the FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, the deputy governor of CBN (Operations), Mr. Tunde Lemo, the AccountantGeneral of the Federal, Jonah Otunla have been mandated to work with some members of the public accounts committee led by Hon. Pally Iriase to sort out the difference and submit a report to the House tomorrow.

Lemo, who represented the CBN governor at the hearing, wondered why the issue was yet to be resolved six years after.

muren s

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last year.

rent air operating certifi-

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Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan sacks Demuren as DG NCAA OMEIZA AJAYI

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the removal of Dr. Harold Demuren from office as the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, with effect from March 12.

The approval is con-

tained in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja and signed by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Sam Nwaobasi.

The statement said the removal followed “a careful consideration of Demuren’s unsatisfactory response to the numerous concerns of stakeholders

in the aviation sector”.

It added that President Jonathan wished him well in his future endeavours.

The Senate had in January resolved that Demuren be sacked amid uproar over the crash of a Dana Air plane in July last year.

The resolution was sequel to the Senate’s adoption of the report of the investigation conducted by

the joint aviation committee of the National Assembly into last year’s crash involving a Dana Air aircraft.

The Senate agreed with the panel that Dana current air operating certificate be revoked because it was not issued in full compliance with Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2009.

Other recommendations adopted were that the Fed-

eral Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, be properly equipped.

Demuren was seen as a reforming figure in the aviation industry and suceeded in securing the Category 1 certification for the country which allows Nigerian carriers to fly directly to the United States.

Demuren

Japan gives physically-challenged Nigerians N600m wheelchairs

Pilgrimage: President asks governors to shun discrimination

TOLA AKINMUTIMI

ROTIMI FADEYI

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P

ABUJA

ABUJA

he Government of Japan yesterday donated N600 million wheelchairs and other walking support to Nigerians who require mobile aids.

Making the donation during an agreement signed between him and Minister of National Planning in Abuja, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Ryuichi SHOJI, said the gesture was made to commemorate the March 11, 2011 earthquake which occurred in Great East Japan with tremendous damage to lives and property, as well as to support the promotion of economic and social development of the two countries by utilising the products made in East Japan, especially in Tohoku region, where the local corporations are still striving for reconstruction.

Accordingly, the envoy said the donation makes the grant a symbol of the revival of the industries in the affected areas and a demonstration of Government of Japan’s gratitude towards those who supported the affected people.

He said: “With this grant of 350 million Yen, which is equivalent to N600 million, Japan is providing wheelchairs and walking support wheels to support the life of physically challenged Nigerians. Records show that there are about 16.7 million Nigerians living with some kind of disability.

Many of them are in need of mobility aids.

“We believe that people should be the centre of development.”

L-R: Son of the slain Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Onyekachi Asadu; Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar; widow of the late commissioner, Oby and Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), during a condolence visit to the family of the late Asadu in Enugu, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Jonathan’s visit to Borno, Yobe worsened Boko Haram crisis –ACN

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he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said President Goodluck Jonathan’s tactless show during his belated visit to Borno and Yobe states last week has worsened the Boko Haram insurgency that has killed and maimed hundreds of innocent people, especially in the two states.

In a statement issued yesterday in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said while the decision to grant amnesty to any person or group is the prerogative of the government, the argument advanced by the President for denying amnesty to Boko Haram members is as illogical as it is puerile.

It said for a President, who had stayed away from the beleaguered part of the country for too long, last week’s visit only succeeded in inflicting additional pain and insults on the victims of the insurgency, who could have used a little dose of succour and empathy from

their leader.

ACN said: “There is no doubt that there has been an upsurge in attacks and killings since the President’s visit, with the clashes between the JTF and the insurgents leaving many dead, drive-by shooting in Kano claiming the lives of innocent people and the unfortunate killing of foreign hostages who were abducted last month in Bauchi.

“If this upsurge can be used as a barometer to measure the success or otherwise of the President’s visit, then one can only reach one conclusion: The visit is a total failure!’’

The party also expressed shock at the way the President, openly displaying anger when what was needed was temperance, talked down on the people, who have suffered so much in the hands of Boko Haram, at his town hall meetings It said the misplaced anger of the President, who virtually tongue-lashed the prominent citizens who spoke on behalf of their people at the town hall meeting,

can only attract sympathy for the insurgents among the beleaguered population, thereby worsening the crisis.

“The President wanted to appear tough in dealing with the Boko Haram insurgents. There is no problem with that, except that he directed his anger at the wrong people, the same people who have been victimized by Boko Haram. This is called double whammy,” the party said.

On the President’s argument that amnesty cannot be granted to ‘’ghosts,’’ ACN said he simply missed the mark.

“If the President claims that Boko Haram members are ghosts, who then are the members of Boko Haram that the JTF regularly claims to have arrested or killed? Does it mean the 52 Boko Haram members that the JTF claimed to have killed, in its latest press release dated March 9th 2013, are actually ghosts? ‘’What about the Boko Haram members that are being tried in court? Could the gov-

ernment have been trying ghosts?

“And what about those Boko Haram members who were declared wanted last year? Are they also ghosts?

Also, the government’s spokesmen have said publicly that the government is talking with Boko Haram through back-channels.

So the Jonathan Administration has indeed been talking to ghosts?

“Mr. President, there is nowhere in the world where insurgents have erected a headquarters building and put up a sign to say ‘we are insurgents, come and get us.’ By their nature, insurgents don’t engage in a march past, displaying their weapons. That is why intermediaries are used to reach out to them,” the party said.

ACN said while it strongly condemns the Boko Haram insurgents, their senseless killing of innocent people and attacks on the security agents, it believes that the use of force is not the only option open to the government to end the crisis.

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday told the 36 governors to shun discrimination while sponsoring pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Jonathan spoke when he received the report of the Federal Government delegation to the 2012 Christian pilgrimage at the State House, Abuja.

He asked the governors to respect the secular nature of the country.

The President, while responding to observation by the delegation that some states, particularly from the North-West did not sponsor any Christian pilgrim for the 2012 exercise, said state governments should ensure that every citizen is treated equally and fairly in the sponsorship of pilgrimage.

Jonathan said: “I will plead with the governors because we are running a secular country. If a state government decides to pull out from sponsoring pilgrims, there is nothing you can do, you can only plead.

“The country is secular and all the tiers of government, federal states and local must be run secular to ensure that every citizen has equal rights.”

Earlier, the leader of the 11-member delegation and the President of Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said that 16,372 pilgrims performed the pilgrimage last year.

He said that there was reduction in the number of pilgrims when compared with that of last year, as some states did not sponsor any pilgrim.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

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Fashola reopens Ladipo Market, as traders sign undertaking MURITALA AYINLA

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agos State Government yesterday reopened the Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts market with conditions to sustain the environmental viability of the market.

Several well-meaning individuals, including Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and respected Igbo leaders in Lagos had appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola to reopen the market.

The reopening of the market, which came two weeks after its closure, was announced by the Ministry of the Environment after a six-hour meeting at the State Secretariat.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Mr. Babatunde Adepitan, and members of the traders’ association.

The traders signed an undertaking to comply with all the conditions given by the government.

According to the agreement, the government

would relocate the market if the traders failed to meet the conditions.

Some of the conditions are that the drainage channels’ Right of Way, RoW, and other access roads would no longer be converted to trading points and mechanic workshops.

Other conditions listed in a statement by the ministry include: “Nonconversion of the shops in the market for residential purposes; no dumping of wastes and vehicle parts in the canal; maintaining the general cleanliness of the market environment at all times and LACEC shall be empowered to ensure same.”

The traders also agreed to patronise Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA-appointed PSP operators and pay service charges promptly; while the association is empowered to ensure compliance by all the traders in the market.

The agreement also nullified all purported allocations and permits around the canal setbacks.

The agreement was

Arms importation: Iranian, accomplice know fate April 30 KAYODE KETEFE

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ustice Okechukwu Okeke of the Lagos Federal High Court yesterday fixed judgement for April 30 in the case of an Iranian, Azim Aghajani, and a Nigerian accomplice, Ali Jega, charged with the importation of firearms and explosives.

Okeke fixed the date after hearing from all the counsel in the matter who all claimed to have filed before the court and exchanged among themselves their written addresses.

The accused are standing trial on a five-count charge essentially comprising the alleged offence of unlawful importation of firearms and explosives into the country.

Upon arraignment, all the accused had pleaded “not guilty” to the charge, and had since been remanded in custody by Okeke, who cited the serious nature of the charge against the accused for not granting them bail.

The judge said the of-

fences against the accused “touch on national security”.

At the proceedings yesterday, lawyer to the Iranian, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), told the court that he had filed a written address on January 31 and served the process on other parties.

Both the lawyer to the second accused and the prosecution counsel, Mr. Ali Yawuri and Olufumilayo Fatunde, respectively, also informed the court that they had filed and exchanged their written addresses between the parties.

All the lawyers adopted their written addresses while praying the court to find in favour of their respective position.

It was after this that Okeke fixed his judgement for April 30.

The government had, among other things, alleged that the accused imported ‘without licence’ 13 container loads of firearms and ammunition into Nigeria from Iran, contrary to Section 1 (14) of the Firearms Act, Cap MI7, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

signed by the leader of the traders, Mr. Ikechukwu Animalu; President LACEC, Pastor Steve Paul; secretary of Ladipo Central Executive Auto Dealers’ Association; Chairman, Mushin Local Government, Adepitan and

Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, who was represented by Mr. Muyideen Akinsanya (Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services).

Ladipo Market was shut on the orders of the state

government on Monday, February 25, following flagrant abuse of sanitation laws, including indiscriminate dumping of refuse, engine parts and wares inside drainage channels, construction of stalls on drainage

alignments, conversion of market roads for trading and blocking access roads with spare parts, derelicts and abandoned vehicles, thereby making the network of roads within the market inaccessible to motorists.

Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria protesting the non-implementation of consolidated judicial salary structure, at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.

No crisis over PDP Governors’ Forum –Tukur AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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he National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said the reported crisis rocking the party’s Governors Forum over the emergence of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, was enemies’ imagination to smear the party’s image.

Tukur explained that the decision to create PDP Governors Forum was part of the party’s reform agenda.

The PDP national chairman, who was in Kano to visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, told journalists

that no rift existed between Akpabio and his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, over the leadership of the Governors Forum.

He also said that the Presidency was not in any way witch-hunting Amaechi as believed in some quarters that Akpabio’s new status was designed to whittle down powers of the former.

Tukur said the public perception of Amaechi and Akpabio’s issue might be a mistake.

The PDP helmsman explained that Amaechi is the chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, while Akpabio is the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

He said: “They are two different institutions; and this is what people fail to understand. There is no division among the PDP governors. My governors are my foot soldiers.

“The emergence of the PDP Governors Forum is part of the needed reforms and that is what I have come to do in the PDP — to reconcile the party.

“I believe in reconciliation without confrontation; I believe in reconciliation without revenge. My ambition is the rebuilding of the PDP, based on equity and justice.”

Responding to a question on President Goodluck Jona-

than’s 2015 ambition, Tukur said, “the issue of 2015 is not in the agenda for now because we have not concluded the agenda for 2013, not to talk of 2014 and then 2015.”

He described as unfortunate the statement credited to Senator Ahmed Yerima to the effect that there would be mass protest in the event of the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a political party.

Tukur expressed gratitude to God for sparing the life of the Kano monarch and prayed that God will continue to guide and protect him.

Esiri, Village Headmaster, for burial April 12 TERH AGBEDEH

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he family of the late veteran actor, Justus Esiri, has released burial arrangements for the man nicknamed the Village Headmaster.

Esiri died on February 19 owing to complications from diabetes.

His son, renowned photographer George Esiri, who spoke with our cor-

respondent on telephone, said his father would be buried at his residence in Abraka, Delta State on Friday, April 12.

According to him, a wake keep will take place in Lagos on April 9 while there will be a commendation mass at The Church of Ascension, Catholic Church, by Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on April 10.

He said: “We will fly the body to Warri on April 10,

and on April 12, there will be a church service and lying-in-state at the Polo Turf in Abraka. From there to his residence for interment.”

Born in 1942, Esiri had his primary and secondary school education in Abraka and Warri, respectively, before proceeding to the Maximillan University and Weners Institute of Engineering in Germany between 1964 and 1968.

Having worked for

some time as a newscaster with the Voice of Nigeria, German Service, he veered into the movies, had a stint with the Schiller Theatre in Berlin before returning to Nigeria in 1976.

The late actor played a key role in the production of Dr. Ola Balogun’s movie, “Dinner with the Devil,” as well as during the Second World Black and African Festival of Art and Culture in Lagos in 1977, FESTAC 77.

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South West

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2013 budget’ll meet people’s expectations –Aregbesola ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State yesterday promised that his administration would implement 2013 budget to meet the expectations of the people.

Aregbesola made the pledge while addressing

the state lawmakers at the opening ceremony of the budget retreat organised for them at Mic-com Golf Hotel, Ada. The governor said he would do all he could to better the lot of the people.

He commended members of the state House of Assembly for their initiative in organising the

programme which he described as a necessity, saying that with it, many issues that could contribute to the progress of the state would be determined.

Aregbesola, who said that for effective result, retreat like this must be organised regularly, submitted that the essence of the budget was to make

life meaningful for the majority of the people.

The governor said if such programmes were frequently put in place, proper appraisal, scrutiny of the budget and many others would be done by legislators, experts and those involved in its implementation and charged them to maintain the tem-

po.

Aregbesola assured that the budget performance in the previous year would be a far cry from what would come in the 2013 fiscal year.

On the looming strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the governor said while protesting, reason

must be allowed to prevail.

Aregbesola noted that some of the issues canvassed by ASUU needed to be re-examined for holistic solutions.

He said: “Stakeholders of any affected interest must not because of their personal interest contravene dictates of the constitution.”

Lagos CP parades six robbery suspects, seeks public assistance

Ekiti 2014: Strengthen PDP with your resources, chairman tells aspirants

FRANCIS SUBERU

ABIODUN NEJO

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agos State Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, yesterday called for more collaboration between the police and the public to check robbery attacks.

Manko made the call while parading six suspected armed robbers, who belong to two different robbery groups, terrorising the residents of Lagos, Ondo and Ogun states.

The commissioner said the suspects were arrested through the collaboration of some good Nigerians, who gave information about the suspects’ plans and movements.

Manko added that three of the suspects belonged to a robbery gang, which attempted to rob one of the old generation banks in Isolo area of Lagos, but with the timely information from some people, the police foiled the attempt.

He said: “We got information that a 13-man-robbery gang, whose members live in Ondo, Ogun and Lagos states planned an attack on a United Bank for Africa, UBA, Isolo branch and crack detectives, led by the Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Abba Kyari, laid ambush at Abule-Egba Junction, on the Lagos - Abeokuta Expressway, where the armed robbers were intercepted.

“After a gun battle, seven of the armed robbers were killed, three were arrested with bullet wounds while three others escaped.

“Three AK47 rifles, nine AK47 magazines fully loaded, three locally made double barrel pistols, 65 live cartridges and two cars were recovered from the suspects.’’

Manko, who commended the informants, stressed that with such regular information, the activities of hoodlums in Lagos would be eliminated.

ADO EKITI

Participants at the auditioning of Big Brother Africa Season 8 in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Court orders additional eight constituencies in Oyo •Ajimobi launches 10 43-seater free shuttle buses for workers

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has ordered additional eight constituencies to the 32 seats of the Oyo State House of Assembly.

The presiding judge, Justice Abimbola ObasekiAdejumo ordered the restoration of the constituencies, saying that elections into them must be held within the next 90 days.

In her judgement on a suit filed by the Attorney General of Oyo State against the Independent National Elec-

toral Commission, INEC, in suit no FHC/IB/CS/39/2012, Obaseki-Adejumo held that by virtue of the mandatory provisions of sections 91 and 112 of the 1999 Constitution, Oyo House of Assembly’s constituencies were inadequate.

Counsel to the state government, Mr. Babatunde Aiku (SAN), had asked for the restoration of the constituencies.

The court held that by those provisions of the constitution, the House was to consist of three or four times the number of seats the state had in the House of

Representatives.

Obaseki-Adejumo said the Assembly, as presently constituted, was not up to three or four times the number of seats the state had in the House of Representatives which, she said, was a breach of the constitution.

At present, the Oyo State House of Assembly has 32 state constituencies while it has 14 federal constituencies.

The judge, therefore, restored additional eight constituencies named Ibadan North 3, Ibarapa South West 3, Ibarapa Central 4, Irepo, Itesiwaju, Oyo East, Saki

East and Surulere.

She further ordered INEC to conduct elections into these eight constituencies within 90 days.

Meanwhile, Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday launched 10 43-seater buses to be conveying civil servants and students free of charge to and fro their offices and schools on a daily basis.

Speaking at the ceremony held at the State Government Secretariat, Ibadan, Ajimobi plromised that his administration would continue to ensure the welfare of the people.

We support moves to end South-West crisis –Ondo PDP HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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he Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has restated its support for the national leadership of the party on its moves to resolve the crisis within the party in the South-West.

The state PDP Chairman, Ebenzer Alabi, who stated this yesterday in Akure, said the party would abide

by the outcome of the decision of the National Working Committee, NWC, on the resolution of the crisis.

Alabi explained that the party had put in place the PDP Governors’ Forum to chart a way out of the crisis.

Speaking on the party’s resolution to settle the crisis, the chairman said it was only the NWC which had the final say on the best way to bring peace into the state chapters of the party.

Alabi said the position

of the Ondo State chapter had always been to respect the decision of the highest authority, particularly since such decision would be in the best interest of the party.

He said: “My position in the interview granted was that the PDP Governors’ Forum and not the NWC had set up a committee headed

by Governor Kashim Shettima to talk to the warring factions in the South-West.

“Secondly, I am not a

member of the NWC, so I wouldn’t know whether the decision already taken on the crisis will be reversed or not, the committee was just set up to bring the people with grievances in the region together to completely resolve the crisis.

“But as far as we are concerned in Ondo State, we are ready to work with the national leadership of the party, we are ready to support any move made to bring peace to the party.”

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked its members aspiring to contest the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State to use their resources to strengthen the party.

The state PDP Chairman, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, who made the call, said this was necessary to make the party formidable to wrest power from the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the state.

Ogundipe also cautioned the aspirants against attacking one another or engaging in other means that could cause internal crisis within the party.

The chairman, who spoke with journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday after a meeting of the State Working Committee, SWC, with the aspirants and their directors-general, assured the intending PDP flag-bearers of level playing ground in the election of the eventual candidate.

He expressed happiness that the agreement of all the aspirants to support the eventual candidate and as well show more commitment and make voluntary donations to the party, was an indication of better things to come.

However, a source at the meeting said Ogundipe frowned at the poor commitment of some aspirants and threatened to disown whoever failed to procure his letter of intent or pay certain amount of money for the funding of the party.

One of the governorship aspirants, former Governor Ayodele Fayose, said he had mobilised the people to be steadfast to show his commitment.

He said: “Politics is neither a church matter nor a game for the minnows, lilylivered and unprepared.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

9

Anxiety grips ex-commissioners as Mimiko set to name cabinet OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

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nxiety has gripped former Ondo State commissioners as Governor Olusegun Mimiko settles down to appoint members of his executive and other political appointees.

Sources said that most of the former commissioners have been jittering because they feared that Governor

Mimiko may not reappoint them.

The sources said the governor planned to appoint technocrats as commissioners and advisers.

The governor recently in the Washington DC, the United States, gave an insight into the caliber of personalities who will form his cabinet, describing them as crack team of dynamic people who share his vision for a

greater Ondo State.

He said members of the yet to be assembled team would be people who are capable of learning new things and breaking new grounds.

Mimiko said: “The type of people that will be in the cabinet will be people who share my vision, people who are capable of learning new things and breaking new grounds.

“I can assure you that by the time we come up with

our cabinet, you will know the kind of people who will drive our vision, people who are dynamic; who are angry with the status quo and who strongly feel they have a legacy to bequeath to the generation after them and I am happy that these people abound in our state in their number.”

Less than 24 hours after he was sworn in for a second term in office, Mimiko an-

nounced the dissolution of the state executive council as well as all non-statutory boards and parastatals.

Since then, there has been intense lobby by the former political office holders for reappointment.

It was gathered that some of them lobbied the traditional rulers in their towns and notable clerics to help them present their cases before the governor.

Many of the politicians, who supported Mimiko’s reelection, were said to be expecting compensation from the governor.

Sources told National Mirror that the governor is finding things difficult because he drew support from several political groups outside the Labour Party (LP), the platform on the he contested the October 20, 2012 governorship poll.

Ripples over appointment of UNIOSUN VC ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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L-R: Acting Director-General of Small and Medium Scale Development Agency, Mr. Wale Fasanya; Director, Industrial Development Centre, Osun State, Mr. Ajoyo Adedeji and Governor Rauf Aregbesola, during the inspection visit to the Centre in Osogbo, yesterday.

Evacuate bodies from Isolo mortuary –Lagos MURITALA AYINLA

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he Lagos State Government yesterday announced its decision to shut the Isolo General Hospital mortuary with effect from March 26, 2013, urging residents to evacuate the bodies of their relatives.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said the permanent closure for of the mortuary was to conform with public health norms.

He asked members of

•Govt to shut facility the public to claim the bodies of their relatives being kept at the morgue before the effective closure date.

The commissioner members of the public who still require accommodation for their loved ones could make arrangements to transfer them to Gbagada General Hospital mortuary or the General Hospital Lagos mortuary.

Idris stressed that mortuaries at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Lagos

Island General Hospital, Ikorodu General Hospital and Epe General Hospital remain open for use by members of the public.

He, however, noted that the recently renovated Mainland General Hospital mortuary had been designated a Social Responsibility Centre (SRC) and would, henceforth, receive and accommodate only some categories of bodies.

Dr. Idris said: “The Mainland General Hospital mortuary will receive

DLM, First Bank, others get Leadership award

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unn Loren Merrifield (DLM) and some other Nigerian companies have been recognised at the 2012 African Governance and Corporate Leadership Awards organised by the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology.

Dunn Loren Merrified emerged the Best Investment Bank in Nigeria in recognition of its significant

contribution to the development of the capital market since June 2009 when the firm commenced operation in the country.

Other recipients of the prestigious honour included the First Bank Nigeria Plc, Mantrac Nigeria Limited, Xerox Nigeria, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), African Reinsurance Corporation and Presco Nigeria Plc.

Speaking on the award, Chief Executive Officer of DLM, Mr. Sonnie Ayere, said the recognition was a vindication of the firm’s policy of emphasis on seamless execution and performance driven by knowledge, innovation and unconventional approach to problem-solving, adding that “given the strong competition in the industry, an unwavering resolve is what distinguishes

and accommodate only the following categories of bodies: bodies in respect of which a coroner has directed an autopsy to be conducted, pursuant to the Coroners’ System Law, 2007 including bodies found on the state’s roads and highways or which have been picked up by the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), bodies of individuals who died while in custody or shortly thereafter and bodies which have been abandoned in other state mortuaries.”

the wheat from the chaff as there is no ‘magic formula ‘that would escalate you to success” He said DLM’s unique innovativeness and structuring capabilities were specifically highlighted in the number of successful capital market issues to which the firm acted as lead adviser in 2011, when there was a general downturn in market activities.

he appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor (VC) for the Osun State University is now generating ripples, even as some aggrieved candidates for the post have petitioned the institution’s Governing Council over their exclusion from the race.

Already the state House of Assembly has directed that all matters pertaining to the appointment of the VC be put on hold pending the review of the UNIOSUN Law (2006), but in spite of this directive, the university governing council set up a committee to search for suitable candidates.

National Mirror learnt that the search committee has recommended three candidates; one from the Obafemi Awolowo University and two from the University of Ibadan, a development which is now generating tension in

the UNIOSUN community.

Some stakeholders have, however, described the selection process carried out by the search committee and the governing council as queer, even as they flayed the exclusion of some candidates, who according to them, should have been considered along those recommended by the search committee.

Investigation revealed that some of the aggrieved candidates have already petitioned the governing council over their exclusion from the race. They also accused the governing council of ignoring the directive of the state House of Assembly.

According to the aggrieved stakeholders, some of the shortlisted candidates for the post are above the age limit, as the state House of Assembly is yet to incorporate the 70 year clause as retiring age for university professors in the Osun State University Law.

Police initiate move to tackle human trafficking ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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he Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has initiated a major move to tackle human trafficking across the country.

The police have, therefore, established 12 units throughout the country to arrest and prosecute suspected human traffickers.

The new Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Dorothy Gimba, dropped the hint yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, when she visited the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel.

Condemning human trafficking as criminal and callous, Mrs. Gimba assured that effort would be made by the police to tackle the menace.

She advised those engaging in the illegal business to

turn a new leave before it is too late for them, saying: “If they refuse to change and the arms of law catches up against them, they will find themselves to be blamed.”

The police boss also advised parents to protect their girl child from being exposed to dangers outside their homes.

While commending the Federal Government to ensure that human trafficking is tackled across the country, Mrs. Gimba praised the government for being among the few countries to have signed law against human trafficking in African.

The police boss, however, assured residents of Osun State of effective service delivery.

She also promised to maintain robust relationship with the media to ensure effective reporting of the activities of the command.

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South East

Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Imo deputy gov gets impeachment notice, heads to court •House accuses Agbaso of collecting N458m bribe

CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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he Imo State House of Assembly has served the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, an impeachment notice, just as he has concluded plans to prove his innocence in court.

A source close to the Government House told our correspondent yesterday that the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Chris Duru, served Agbaso the notice on Friday.

The source said this “is in line with Section 188 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which empowers members of the state House of Assembly to commence impeachment

process for any public or political office holder found wanting in the discharge of his constitutional responsibilities.”

According to the impeachment notice, which was signed by 10 out of the 27 lawmakers, Agbaso was alleged to have received financial gratification from some contractors engaged by the state government to carry out road construction projects.

The source said seven days after the impeachment notice was served, the deputy governor would face judicial panel.

However, the move to impeach Agbaso may be halted as the deputy governor has concluded plans to challenge the As-

sembly in court.

A source close to the deputy governor’s office said Agbaso did not receive any financial gratification from any contractor.

A vote of no confidence was passed on the deputy governor on Thursday alleging that he received N458 million as gratification from one of the major contractors in the state, Messrs JPROS International Nigeria Limited.

The gratification, according to the lawmakers, led to the abandonment of some road projects.

Rising from a long sitting on Thursday, the legislators, during a Committee of the Whole, deliberated on the report

of the ad hoc committee constituted to investigate the cause of the stoppage and abandonment of work on the Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu municipal roads.

According to the report, N458 million being the bribe reportedly demanded by the deputy governor was paid in two instalments to the two accounts allegedly provided

by Agbaso.

Despite his claim of innocence, the House of Assembly yesterday insisted that the deputy governor received a gratification of N458 million.

The Assembly, in a statement made available by the Chairman, Committee on Information, Dr. Acho Ihim, affirmed

that the impeachment process already commenced would take the course prescribed by the constitution.

Ihim also denied that the impeachment move was linked to permutations on the 2015 general elections, explaining that it was in pursuant of the resolve of the House to stamp out corruption from all facets of the state.

He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the travail of His Excellency, Sir Jude Agbasso, has nothing to do with 2015 rivalry, ethnic or zonal politics and indeed whipping up undue sentiments.”

The House spokesman disclosed that the indictment of the deputy governor followed due process, pursuant to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and after a resolution of the House accepting the report of a special committee which investigated Agbaso.

Ihim added that some construction companies were indicted for their failure to complete projects and that they were questioned for abandoning their sites.

He said: “That in the cause of interaction and investigation, JPROS International Nigeria Lim-

ited, (Mr. Joseph Dina, its Managing Director) confessed that they abandoned their site because the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, demanded and collected the sum of N458 million from him.

“That the committee thereafter invited Agbaso and from the interview, the House found enough evidence and collaboration.”

But a source close to the deputy governor’s office said the impeachment move “was politically motivated,” adding that the only option left for Agbaso “is to go to court where his innocence can be proved. If he resigns, that means he collected such a huge amount of money, so if the lawmakers proceed with the impeachment then the option is for him to go to court. This is the decision we have taken.”

The source alleged that the construction firm at the centre of the scam, JPROS International Nigeria Limited, was brought to the state by the wife of the governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha.

The source added that the account, which the said N458 million was paid into, was not owned or operated by the deputy governor as earlier speculated.

Killer policeman to die by hanging L-R: Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Uju Okeke; Senior Prefect, Amaenyi Girls’ Secondary School, Awka, Chinweugo Ogechukwu; Governor Peter Obi; Anglican Bishop of Awka, Alex Ibeziem and Principal of the school, Lady Chidi Okafor, during the governor’s presentation of N10 million cheque to the bishop for rehabilitation of the school.

We’ll soon get Asadu’s killers, says IG DENNI AGBO ENUGU

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he Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said his men would not rest until they apprehended the killers of Kwara State Police Commissioner, Chinwike Asadu.

Abubakar, who was in Enugu yesterday to commensurate with the family of the slain police commissioner and to commission the newly established Police Intelligence School, vowed that Asadu’s killers would not go scot free.

The IG also said that the Police Intelligence School

was designed to build capacity among officers and boost police efficiency in investigations.

Abubakar was received at the late Asadu’s residence at Amorji-Nike by a member of the late commissioner’s family, Mr. Ogechukwu Attamah.

The IG described the late Asadu as an officer and a gentleman, who had worked with him.

“He did his best in rendering service to this country. It is a hard one for us; something we can’t comprehend up till now.

Like I said before, the killers have murdered sleep, they will never sleep. By

the grace of God, we shall find those killers so that the family and the police will be comfortable.

“On behalf of the Nigeria police, accept our condolence,” Abubakar said.

Shortly after commissioning the Police Intelligence School, the IG said: “Very soon, we shall find the killers (of Asadu). I don’t want to break the egg, but we shall soon get them.”

The IG was on the visit with the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt.

Caleb Olubolade (rtd), the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police, Paulinus Igwenwagu, and the

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Police, Usman Bello.

Abubakar said the setting up of the school was not a response to Asadu’s murder.

He said: “This has been on before the killing of the CP; you can’t say we did this in two weeks.

“We believe in capacity building and training programme and intelligence is key in every policy all over the world and therefore the Nigeria Police cannot be left behind.

“So we will do everything to ensure that this college is given all that is required in terms of structures, facilities all that is necessary to make functional.”

GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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n Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia has sentenced a former policeman, Corporal Umaru Mohammed, to death by hanging for the killing of his colleague, Corporal Clement Amaechi in 2011.

Mohammed, attached to the Abia State Government House, had on July 19, 2011 shot dead Amaechi who was also attached to the Government House at his official residence at number 19B Okpara Avenue, Umuahia.

Amaechi was killed while watching television.

Delivering judgement on the matter, Justice Agwu Umah Kalu said the prosecution proved unequivocally that the gunshots fired by the convict killed the de-

ceased.

He said the offence was punishable under Section 319, Cap 1 of the Criminal Code also applicable in Abia State.

The judge said the convict deserved no sympathy and ordered that he should be hanged by the neck until he died.

But there was a mild drama immediately after the judgement when the convict refused to be handcuffed and taken away as he warned all the prison warders to stay away from him.

His reaction caused pandemonium in the courtroom. The convict was later subdued by armed security men.

The Abia State Police Command had shortly after the killing set up an orderly room which dismissed Mohammed from the police.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

Police arrest man for killing pregnant wife AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

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olice in Delta State have arrested a middle-aged man who allegedly stabbed his pregnant wife, Ndidi Emeka Mordi, to death at Egbudu-Aka, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, simply identified as Chukwudi, it was gathered, had allegedly murdered his wife and mother of his two children last month at a lonely road in the outskirts of the community after a marital feud the previ-

ous night.

Our correspondent learnt that shortly after the dastardly act, the suspect went into hiding until one Sunday Ogbu of Ishiagu community was said to have reported the incident to the police in Ogwashi-Uku division.

A source, who confided in our correspondent, disclosed that the victim had left their matrimonial home at Egbudu-Aka in the wake of the marital squabble and was headed for Ashama while the suspect secretly trailed her to

the lonely road, where he allegedly stabbed her to death.

“But the woman was not aware that the suspect was coming after her. It was when she had gone far into the lonely road leading to Ashama that the suspect attacked her with a dagger. She was first stabbed on her belly and then her neck. The suspect had escaped unaware that someone was watching him commit the dastardly act from a nearby bush, just as the woman slumped after the attack and died instantly.” the source narrated.

It was gathered that the

victim’s corpse was removed from the scene by the police who deposited the body in the mortuary following the report by Sunday Ogbu.

When contacted, state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Famous Ajieh, who confirmed the murder and vowed that the suspect would be smoked out from his hide-out, could not be reached yesterday to confirm the arrest but police sources in Ogwashi-Uku, confirmed the arrest, saying the suspect has been transferred to the state police headquarters in Asaba.

11

Oshiomhole assigns portfolios to commissioners

•As Assembly clears two more females SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

E

do State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, yesterday settled down to tackling the challenges of his second term in office with the assignment of offices and duties to his commissioners.

The assignment of portfolios followed the approval last week of 18 commissioner-nominees by the Edo State House of Assembly, submitted by the state governor.

According to a statement obtained from Government House in Benin, six of the returning commissioners retained their old portfolios.

Those who retained their portfolios are: Mr. Louis Odion, Information and Orientation; Mr. Clement Agba, Environment and Public Utilities; Chief Lucky James, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Hon. Abdul Oroh, Agriculture; Mr. Ekpenisi Omorotiomwan, Education (Secondary, Tertiary and Technical) and Mr. John Inegbedion, Finance.

The other cabinet members with new portfolios are: Mr. Osarodion Ogie, Works; Mr. Patrick Agwinede, Basic

Education; Mr. Chris Ebare, Water and Energy; Mr. Francis Evbuomwan, Urban Development and Housing; and Mr. Henry Idahagbon, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

The rest are: Mr. Macdonald Obasuke, Commerce and Industry; Mrs. Blessing Maigida, Special Duties; Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo, Oil and Gas; Mrs. Omorede Osifo, Youth and Sports; Mr. Lawrence Aghedo, Budget and Economic Planning; Mr. Isimeme Iriogbe, Transport; and Mr. Donald Osikhena-Boih, Lands and Survey.

In a related development, the Edo State House of Assembly also yesterday concluded the screening and approval of the nomination of two female commissioner-nominees, who will be sworn-in by the governor any time this week.

They are: Dr (Mrs.) Aihanuwa Eregie, who is expected to oversee the Edo State Health Ministry and Ms. Aanena Jemitola, a returnee commissioner, who, this time around, would be handed the Ministry of Women Affairs to man as National Mirror reliably gathered.

Nigeria not fully demilitarised, says Fashola

L Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio (right) and Chairman on Emergency and Disaster Management, Hon. Ifedayo Adekunle, during a courtesy call at the Government House, Uyo, yesterday.

Ex-militants give FG ultimatum on amnesty programme EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

T

he Federal Government was yesterday given a seven-day ultimatum to absorb aggrieved ex-militants who were denied registration to participate in the amnesty programme.

Ex-militants from Bayelsa State issued the threat in a statement signed by its leader, Inami David, and made available to National Mirror yesterday in Yenagoa, warned that if government failed to integrate them into the amnesty programme, they would have no option than to return to the trenches.

David said the ex-militants would not be able to guarantee the security of oil installations in the state and

parts of the Niger Delta, if they were not registered in the programme.

About three weeks ago, ex-militants under the auspices of the third phase amnesty staged a violent protest in the state capital, Yenagoa, destroying property and looting shops over alleged failure by the Federal Government to register them in the amnesty programme.

Some of the ex-militants were arrested by the police in the state and are being detained at the state Criminal Investigation Department, CID, of the police command.

David said they deserved to be registered and documented, having submitted their arms and embraced amnesty to ensure peace in the region.

The ex-militant leader regretted that the task force which conducted verification and documentation exercise in the region had dashed the hope of the ex-militants roaming the streets in search of jobs.

David said the Task Force was biased in its work because it placed some camps ahead of others, alleging that the ex-militants were denied registration after they were subjected to harsh treatment by members of the committee.

According to him, they were later directed to report to the state Police Headquarters in Yenagoa for further instructions.

“We knew that our reporting to the police would achieve no positive result, because we did not surrender

our weapons to the police. We still went there and we were told to write down our camp details and phone numbers,” the ex-militant leader noted.

David argued that the government was forcing them back to the creeks, as he warned that such development would have severe consequences on the nation’s economy.

The ex-militant leader said it was unfortunate that they were being maltreated during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

His words: “We the aggrieved group in the just concluded verification and documentation exercise are giving the Federal Government seven days to contact us and include us in the amnesty programme.

agos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said that the frequent disregard for and flouting of civil laws by military personnel show that Nigeria has not been sufficiently demilitarised.

Fashola said this while receiving the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Abel Umahi, in his office in Ikeja.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the governor also received the new Comptroller-General of the Lagos Command, Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Mr. Rasheed Odupeyin.

He said such attitude gave the Nigerian Army a bad image, advising that all relevant authorities must close ranks to curb the problem.

Fashola also advised those in charge of distributing uniforms in the force to be more careful so that it would not get into the wrong hands.

“I think that with the larger military community,

we haven’t had any problem. Like in any dozen, one will find one with questionable disposition.

“And I think that that are those that seek to give the military the name that we all know that it doesn’t bear.

We must all work together to ensure compliance with law and order.

“We know that in spite of the fact that the military have left governance. I think that Nigerians haven’t fully demilitarised themselves.

“Therefore, it is a penchant even for people to wear all sort of fatigue and pose as military officer when they are not.

“I think that in the last 24 to 48 hours, the brigade commandant was filing a report to me of some citizens that he apprehended for walking around in military uniform.

“This is why it is important that we close ranks because people defy civil law enforcement that is the policemen by wearing uniform and we mustn’t encourage that kind of thing to continue in any form,” he said.

12

North

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Death toll in Kano’s attack rises to five AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

T

he death toll in last Sunday’s attack in Kano has risen to five from three earlier reported, following the death yesterday in hospital of two other victims.

The Chairman, Kano Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ransom Bello, said the two latest victims were brothers of

the same family, adding that report of the attack had been officially communicated to CAN secretariat in Kano by parents of the slain brothers.

He told National Mirror that the victims were returning home from Sunday service at the ECWA Church in Dakata when they were shot by unidentified gunmen, barely two weeks after 13 Christian families were killed in a similar attack

in Gunduawa quarters in Kano.

It will be recalled that three persons were reported dead in Sunday’s attack, while three others were injured. The attacks occurred in Hotoro and Dakata areas of the city The Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, confirmed the death of the three persons.

Two of the victims were shot dead in Ho-

toro, where three other persons were hit by stray bullets. One was killed in Dakata area, leaving a number of others with bullet wounds.

The JTF spokesman said that information regarding the attack was sketchy, adding that security operatives had been drafted to the troubled spots.

The attackers were said to have raided the areas in tricycles.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Why morbidity rate is high in Nigeria –Expert WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

N

igerians are denied the required World Health Organisation’s (WHO) minimum $34 access to health treatment per year, a Public Health expert, Prof. Tanimola Akande, has said.

Not only that, the country still fall short of the required 15 per cent of its annual budget for health services. Only 4 per cent of its budget is earmarked for health services and less than $8 per person is made available annually.

Prof. Akande spoke yesterday at a pre-press briefing of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) 29th conference and annual general meeting holding in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Akande, who is the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman of the conference with the theme: “Reducing maternal mortality rate in Nigeria: The way forward,” blamed the high morbidity rate in the country on what he described as the underfunding of the health sector.

He said: “As a nation, Nigeria is not funding healthcare sufficiently. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that at least $34 is budgeted per person per year to

take care of his health, that is the minimum and we found that in our own country, we are budgeting less than $8 per person per year.

“That is to say that our government is spending just about N1, 000 per person in a year to take care of our health, while the WHO is saying what we need to have is N5, 000 per person in a year, which is the least that we can do.

“So, we are underfunding healthcare and also the World Health Organisation has also said that at least 15 per cent of our total budget should go for the health sector and in Nigeria, we are still hovering around four per cent and therefore, we cannot do well when we are not funding healthcare well.

“If you go to most of the public health facilities, you find that most of them are in a dilapidated state, most of them don’t even have drugs”.

Prof. Akande attributed people’s behaviour, teenage pregnancies and excessive bleeding, among others as some of the causes of maternal mortality rate.

He, however, described the recent measles outbreak in the country as unfortunate, saying the epidemic is easily preventable by giving vaccine at appropriate time.

ITF to open skills acquisition centres in 36 states New General Manager, Bauchi State Meat Product Company Ltd, Dr. Alkasim Ibrahim (left), receiving handing over note from his predecessor, Alhaji Mustapha Abubakar, in Bauchi, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

N41bn judgement debt: Zaki-Biam people seek full payment EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

V

ictims of the 2001 invasion of ZakiBiam by soldiers have, again, appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to comply with the judgement of court which awarded N41 billion damages against the Federal Government.

The victims also protested alleged moves by the Federal Government to pay them N8 billion, using Benue State Government as the facilitator.

While warning that they had not appointed any facilitator, they, however, stressed that no amount of compensation could make up for the colossal losses that accompanied the inva-

sion.

According to the victims’ counsel, Chief Sebastian Hon (SAN), those to benefit are the people that were covered in the consolidated cases Nos FHC/MKD/ CS/6/2002 AND FHC/ MKD/41/2001.

In a letter addressed to the Federal Government un behalf of the victims, the counsel, Chief Sebastian, said: “Our clients are deeply worried that over two weeks after they wrote to you through our office, there has been no reply from your high office, in spite of the weight of the issues we raised in our first letter on the matter.

“Rather, our clients have continued to read in the media about al-

leged settlement between the Federal Government and the Benue State Government for the judgement debt to be reduced from N41.8 billion to a mere N8 billion.

“More worrisome is the fact that those media stories started surfacing immediately after we wrote to your respected office demanding for payment of the entire judgement sum.

“Our clients have instructed us to inform you that they did not at any time brief anybody, particularly any official of the Benue State Government, to negotiate for payment of the sum of N8 billion as full and final satisfaction of the judgement sum abovestated.

“The actual and col-

lateral damage done to our clients and millions of other persons who were directly or indirectly affected cannot even be compensated in monetary terms; hence any insinuation that the sum of N41.8 billion awarded by the Federal High Court is too big an amount is, with respect, not well-grounded.

“As we humbly pleaded with Your Excellency in our previous correspondence, we hereby reiterate that as the father of the nation, and given the enormous psychological and real damage caused the TIV people by the rampaging soldiers in 2001, it is just fair, just and reasonable that this entire judgement sum be paid to our clients through our office and to other judgment creditors.”

HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

T

he Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Director-General, Prof. Sambo Wapmuk, has expressed the willingness of the agency to provide 37 industrial skills acquisition centres in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Prof Wapmuk made the disclosure yesterday in Makurdi at a workshop organised for protocol and administrative staff of the Benue office of the agency.

The director-general said the workshop would help the workers to boost their capacity to be focused while providing protocol services to their principals as well as institution aliasing the processes, policies and values to guide the way protocol and administrative officers carry out their duties for the benefit of stakeholders.

He, however, said that

the ITF planned to establish the centres with the aim of improving workers skills.

The director-general said: “The idea of establishing the centres is to promote and encourage the acquisition of skills in industry and commerce with a view of generating pool of indigenous trained manpower sufficient to meet the needs of the economy.

“The establishment of the centres is to align with global training trends that enhance the development of micro, small and medium enterprises.”

Earlier declaring the workshop open, Benue State Governor, Chief Gabriel Suswam, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr David Salifu, said that the workshop was necessary for the workers to enhance their professionalism and also ensure robust service delivery.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

SUPER TUESDAY APC is for the redemption of Nigeria, says Odigie-Oyegun

43

PIB: The intrigues, fears, revelations, resolution, et al

A

fter all the initial denials by the leadership of the Senate that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was not facing any form of opposition, the truth finally came to light last week.

It was gathered that the delay in introducing the bill formally and commencing deliberations on it was to enable a compromise to be struck between the proponents and the opponents of the bill.

So, in December last year and January this year, the bill was set for the commencement of debate on its general principles, otherwise known as second reading. Twice the effort was scuttled.

Against feelers that Northern senators were opposed to some provisions of the bill and therefore determined to shoot it down, several meetings were held by the leadership of the Senate to find a meeting ground by all the affected parties. Unfortunately, it was difficult to reach an amicable compromise on the issue.

Then, last month, February 16, the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Dezieni Alison-Madueke, led a lobby group, which comprised top management members of the ministry and its parastatals to the Senate to seek ways of breaking the ice and getting the bill off the ground. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, was later to describe the outcome of the two-prong parley, the first leg of which involved the leadership of the Senate and an enlarged one that involved all the senators as very fruitful.

National Mirror gathered that while the leadership of the Senate and the executives were involved in serious efforts at finding a common ground and allowing debate on the bill to progress, the Northern senators were at the same time engaged in some clandestine moves aimed at aborting the process. In the open, the Northern senators would vow their support for the bill while at their meetings, they will continue to perfect strategies to scuttle it.

It was after the meeting between the Petroleum Minister and her team with the senators that a decision was reached to slate the draft bill for debate last week.

It was further gathered that following the inability to elicit the full cooperation of the Northern senators on the bill, a decision was reached by the leadership of the Senate to go ahead with the bill and let anybody who was not comfortable with it

Politics

Reps seek immunity for NASS members

42&43

After months of uncertainty since President Goodluck Jonathan forwarded the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to the National Assembly in July last year, the Senate finally began debate on the draft bill last week. And to the chagrin of opponents of the bill, it successfully scaled second reading. GEORGE OJI writes on the behind-the-scene intrigues that plagued the bill.

13

Mark

Alison-Madueke

TOP STORY use the opportunity to make public his or her grouse against the draft bill and at the same time let those who were in support also state their cases.

In order to avail every senator the opportunity to express his/her position on the draft bill in view of the strategic importance of the proposed law, a decision was reached between the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senate President David Mark to devote the entire last week to debate the bill. Consequently, Mark announced that senators who were interested in speaking on the bill should put their names down with the Senate Leader on the days they would like to speak on the bill.

Plot against bill It was further revealed that following this new development, the Northern senators met again, albeit informally, this time around to strategise on how to hack the bill down during the debate. It was at this meeting that a decision was taken on how the North’s position would be marshalled out.

First, it was decided that Senator Ahmed Lawan, one of the ranking senators from the North and a former university lecturer and Senator Isah Galaudo, a very seasoned banker should lead the North’s contributions to the debate. Lawan in particular was considered most suitable for the role because he was seen as being very influential in the Senate because of his seriousness to debates on the floor, which has earned him the respect of the leadership and other members of the Senate. Lawan

THE OIL INDUSTRY IS MORE OR LESS THE ONLY SOURCE OF REVENUE IN THIS COUNTRY AND ANY STATE THAT PRODUCES OIL SEES THE OTHER STATES THAT DO NOT PRODUCE OIL AS PARASITIC AND UNNECESSARY NEIGHBOUR holds a bachelors degree in Geography, a masters and Phd in Remote Sensing.

The plan was that the two were to make very forceful presentations on the first day of the debate. That way, their position would influence the flow of debate subsequently on the bill. Subsequent speakers from the North were to continue to stress and reinforce the arguments of the lead speakers. It was gathered that this argument informed the preponderance of Northern senators’ preference to contribute to the bill on the first day of the debate.

North’s opposition The opposition of the North to the PIB was hinged on three basic provisions contained in the draft bill. First was the issue of the enormous powers of the minister.

Second was the issue of the 10 per cent host community petroleum fund. The

third was the lack of independence and financial autonomy for the National Frontiers Exploratory Agency/Service, a body that was charged with the responsibility of conducting exploration of new oil finds across the country.

The first sign that the Northern senators were out against the bill was when there was noticeable discrepancy between the contents of the lead debate circulated to the senators and the one read by the Senate Leader. Once it was noticed that the Leader read a different clause that was not contained in the copy with the rest other lawmakers, there were shouts of no! no! no! by mainly Northern senators who rose in instant opposition. It took the prompt intervention of Mark to call the lawmakers to order.

Mark immediately directed that the administrative staff of the Senate should go and roll out more copies of the Leader’s version of the lead presentation so that all the senators will be on the same page with him. That done, Ndoma-Egba was able to conclude his presentations.

Incidentally, when debate on the general principles of the bill commenced, the Senate President brought some minor adjustment on the list already compiled by the Senate Leader. Instead of following the list, Mark chose to ask senators from Borno State to speak first. That was of course after Ndoma-Egba had finished his lead presentation. “Are there senators from Borno and Yobe states who would make their contributions to the debate today?” Mark asked. It was later discovered that Mark took the action to enable the said senators conclude their presentations quickly and be able to travel to their states to receive President Goodluck Jonathan who was billed to be in Borno State the next day.

Senators Isa Alkali Jajare (Yobe South) and Ali Mohammed Ndume (Borno South) who were the first to contribute to the debate all took their time to raise the fears of the North concerning the issues of powers of the minister, 10 per cent petroleum communities’ fund as well as the National Frontiers Exploratory Agency.

Expectedly, it took the forceful and persuasive presentation of Senator Lawan (Yobe North) to bring to the fore the strong opposition of the North to the bill. Short of stating his outright opposition to the bill, Lawan said he would, “support this bill with some massive reservations.”

Lawan started his presentation on a general note, sounding nationalistic when he said he would support and will continue to support any legislation that will bring CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

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Politics

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APC is for the redemption of Nigeria is sitting on a landmine’

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun was the vice presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in the 2011 poll. The former governor of Edo State speaks about life in retirement, the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and lopsidedness in the allocation of oil blocs. The former federal Permanent Secretary also laments on the pension scam in this interview with AYODELE OJO. Excerpts: How are you spending your life in retirement?

I have been very active; just a little bit active for my liking. I have been able to relax more but the state of the nation makes it impossible for anybody who has a genuine concern for the way we are going to just sit back and relax; it is not possible. So, one keeps working. So long that one keeps hoping for the redemption of this country, one keeps working at it.

I am glad at the age I have attained, I am satisfied with what I have been able to accomplish and whatever is left of my lifespan I am ready to give, for the sake of a country that I think has also been good to me. So, that is basically what I have been doing, very active in politics, working in consonant with those genuine patriots of this country who believe in the course to change this country for better.

What specific activities are you engaged in, politically or otherwise?

Politically, well I have been a very active and frontline member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and finally after so many years of trial; we are virtually at the edge of our effort to redefine opposition. I don’t have any fear anymore that this will come to be because the enthusiasm for unity has been tremendous. It reminds of the saying that when the time for something comes, nothing on earth can stop it. I pray God will crown our efforts especially now that the country has been so very rapidly deteriorating. Right now we are almost at the tail end of the negotiation. Thereafter, I think I can heave a sigh of relief.

But the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the coming together of strange bedfellows and that ambition will soon tear the merger party apart. What is your take on this?

It means that they don’t believe in God, if they call us strange bedfellows, we wish them best of luck. But God has decreed that strange bedfellows should come together to salvage the 160 million innocent people of this country from all kinds of atrocities that have been visited on them in the last 12/14 years. So, whatever name they call us, we wish them luck, we are concentrating on what we are doing and we can feel that the entire nation, the entire people, in fact the entire international community are holding their breath, looking up to us, praying that this unity must truly come to pass. Thereafter, we will place what we are; our mission statement, what we hope to accomplish for the people, what we hope to accomplish for Nigeria before the people of this country and it will be for them

to judge and I have no doubt in my mind which way they are likely to go.

Do you see the APC posing any treat to the dominance of the PDP at the federal level?

Not even whether APC will or will not pose threat to the dominance of the PDP, but whether the PDP can in fact stand the will of the people. The APC, reflect the will of the Nigerian people. So, the dominance of the PDP will be subjected to the will of Nigerian people when the time comes.

What do you think will make APC have impact and be able to displace PDP in the 2015 elections?

It is not for me at this stage to tell you what the APC will or will not do. Those are things that are on the drawing board. They are secrets and things that will still be exposed at the appropriate time for maximum effect and impact.

For now, I cannot tell you what we are discussing and what we have in mind.

Believe me, and I want you to believe me, we have plans to move this country forward and for good.

You talked about redemption; what areas do Nigeria need redemption?

Oh God help us! It is virtually every single area: the economy, the politics, security, all our basic infrastructure, all our critical institutions that required for development, the level of corruption, the total lack of direction, the total lack of commitment, in virtually every direction. I can continue to list endless adjectives but there is no point.

But it is clear to me, the despondency of the people is clear, the hopelessness that has been imposed on them you can feel it, you can touch it, you can sense it. So, the whole country is truly holding its breath for this great new platform that is about to emerge.

Former President of the United States, Mr. Bill Clinton, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently blamed Nigeria’s woes on leadership; do you share this sentiment?

There is no question at all that we have leadership deficit. No question about that.

The ruling party has lost it too, not that they really knew where it was going from the very beginning, but whatever it is, they have totally lost; and now we are going round and round from one abysmal corruption to the other, from one level of depraved bloodletting to the other, and so on and so forth. And we cannot continue like that.

We are counted as a poor country in the midst of plenty. We need to address the issue of poverty. How can we be poor giving the gifts the good Lord has bestowed upon us? These are some of the problems that

Odigie-Oyegun

are being inflicted on this nation by the governing party. So, our sole ambition is to present the good people of this country, the long suffering people of this country with an alternative; an alternative that will work, an alternative that have evidence already in terms of what its governors are doing. That truly we can do things differently in this nation and we do not want to continue business as usual; that is what we will be offering the people of Nigeria.

Apart from poverty, Clinton also said the revenue from oil has been wasted by poor leadership; do you think we have not maximized the benefits of the natural resources we are blessed with?

I have told you; I said those who are governing us have totally lost their ways; which way they were headed and which way they wanted to take the country? So, there is no question at all that our resources are being frittered away at the time when we need to put them to use, to create new wealth for this country. All that will stop when our party, APC, comes into being and we will let you know, you will see what kind of programmes we have. People talk of ideology, they will see what the ideology really is; people talk about dividends of democracy, they will see when the time comes what we really plan for the people of this country. All that will come in due time.

In the course of deliberation on the Petro-

WE WILL PRESENT TO NIGERIANS, ONE OF THE BEST THAT

NIGERIA CAN PRODUCE TO BE PRESIDENT OF

THIS NATION. WE ARE NOT PREOCCUPIED ABOUT WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS COMING FROM AND WHERE HE IS NOT COMING leum Industry Bill in the Senate, there was revelation that 88 per cent of the oil blocs are owned by Northerners. How do you see the development?

No wonder they did not want any change in the status quo, no wonder they have declared openly their opposition to the PIB. It is a big shame. These are things that have been holding this country back, because of selfish interest. Because of the selfishness of these great business moguls, the entire nation is being circled; we cannot move forward, we cannot have change because their personal and business interests will be involved. These are some of the reasons why we are going to come into being in an-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

15

Nigeria, says Odigie-Oyegun

other few years and all this must change.

Everything must change to the benefit of Nigeria, particularly for those who need the protection of the people.

It is a really sad revelation, it is something that needs to be addressed and we will address it.

How do you think this will be addressed?

You don’t expect me to say that. I am a member of a responsible group and these are things that we will put before the people. When the time comes, we will speak.

But now, I cannot reveal what our strategies are.

I am talking about the alleged lopsidedness in the awards of oil blocs to the Northerners.

I’m not going to discuss the details because this is something we are not aware of before. I can talk about that in my own capacity, but because I participated actively in this APC merger, everything I say may be perceived from that perspective. So, I will just rest my case now. This is one of the reasons why APC is being divinely ordained to salvage this country.

The permutation in the APC is that the president should come from the North…

Forget about all that. Don’t mind anybody telling you where the president is coming from. We have not got to that point; we are building the platform and

we are building the vehicle and when the time comes, we will present to Nigerians, one of the best that Nigeria can produce to be president of this nation. We are not preoccupied about where the president is coming from and where he is not coming from but truly when that time comes, we will give Nigerians the leadership that they have been yearning for so long but they never really had. We would cross that bridge by the time we get there.

By the time you are presenting your candidate to the country, don’t you think it will run counter to the desire of the SouthSouth people that want the incumbent President to do another term?

My reaction to that is that at this stage of our development, I think we have very good people from every part of this country. When that time comes that we have to confront this issue, we would look at what is available and we would look at the reality on the ground and all the relevant factors and pick from the best.

There have been agitation for so long in the South-South over the neglect, but with the oil-rich region producing the President, I hope so much dividends of democracy have come to Niger Delta?

I’m listening. I thought you would start naming the dividends of democracy.

You are a prominent indigene from NigerDelta ….

I don’t know whether South-South, North-East, North-West, South-East, I want to see convincing dividends of democracy. I don’t see it anywhere. Generally, we have not made much progress if any at all. I have not seen anything we have done for quite a while.

The issue of insecurity has been a major

factor and last week the Sultan of Sokoto advocated amnesty for Boko Haram but the President has turned down the request.

How do you see the development?

I don’t recall that the President said no amnesty. If the people start retreating and they are truly willing to lay down their arms, I do not see that won’t be one of the solutions on the table. Certainly it will be.

The President only said amnesty to whom?

Who are they and where are they? We have not even got anybody to talk with and who are representing them and what are they ready to bring to the table? So, one cannot fault the President on that point at all.

In the case of the Niger Delta, leaders of the Niger Delta came out and the leaders of the militants came out. The leaders even went to the creeks, put their lives on the line to talk to the leaders of the militants.

The leaders guaranteed that they would make sure that they talk to the militants and talk to them to be able to lay down their arms. They met with the militants to strike a deal. In the case of Boko Haram, who are the leaders? Who are the traditional and political leaders who are ready to speak with them; we know them, and we will carry your offer to them and we will bring what they are ready to offer. There is no such thing going on. So, you don’t talk about amnesty in vacuum. So, one cannot fault Jonathan in that way.

Generally, how do you see the issue of insecurity in the country; kidnapping and even the killing of a Police Commissioner?

It is horrible to the extent that a Commissioner of Police was killed for one reason or the other. We are getting close to the precipice and my prayer is that the kind of things happening in the North does not start somewhere here (South) because I don’t know if our security personnel would be able to cope. So, we are praying that one day a government would come into being, that people will have confidence in and would restore hope to the people.

As a retiree, how do you see the issue of pension scam?

I am a retiree but I don’t know what words to use exactly, quite frankly, that this nation can descend to that level of deprav-

THERE IS NO QUESTION AT ALL THAT WE HAVE LEADERSHIP

DEFICIT. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT... NOW WE ARE GOING ROUND AND ROUND FROM ONE ABYSMAL CORRUPTION TO THE OTHER, FROM ONE

LEVEL OF DEPRAVED BLOODLETTING TO THE

OTHER, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH

ity and thoughtlessness. That somebody somewhere in his office using his pen and privileged position, to rub the poor and the deprived of their legitimate pension benefit. What does somebody want to do with N20 billion plus? A public officer, how did he do it? How did he accomplish it? I don’t know the kind of punishment that would be enough for a situation like that. The result of such is worth more than murder because people are dying because they cannot get their pension; children can’t go to school because their fathers cannot afford the meagre pension they get at least to give them a little to go to school. And one individual or a group of individuals steal so much. The same thing had happened in the past with the Police Equipment Fund and this thing just keep going on and the cases are in court endlessly. Meanwhile, 160 million Nigerians including 30 million unemployed are watching. It is a very dangerous situation. And we are sitting on a landmine and we pray that this thing does not go off in our face.

How do you see the trial of the pension convict who got N750, 000 as fine?

There are no words to describe things like that. There is no punishment that one considers adequate and I hope that the leaders themselves in this country will go into proper investigation on how such outrageous judgement could be delivered.

What really happened? The accused was aware of the judgement and was ready to pay cash on the spot. This is the kind of governance that is being inflicted on this country. There is no really genuine attempt to address the problem of corruption. It is a great evil and we need determination, courage, and strong institutions that can truly tackle corruption both from the judiciary to the investigative end. But the sad thing is that we are just playing around making noise about fighting corruption but in reality I think corruption is being encouraged. That is the reality today.

You spoke about Nigeria sitting on a landmine. What is the way forward?

Courageous leadership, imaginative leadership, visionary leadership, committed leadership. Leadership that is ready to truly be the reflection of the people. Look at what is happening in Venezuela about the death of Hugo Chavez. Will that kind of thing be replicated in Nigeria? That was the man that stood for his people and today the people are honouring him almost to the last man. That is the kind of leadership that we are talking about. But it is obvious that the PDP has lost its way. The PDP never knew where it was going in the first place. There is no question at all that we are being led into abyss.

How do you see the issue of local government autonomy and the opposition by the governors?

In my personal opinion, I don’t believe in it. There are only two tiers of government in this federation that the constitution provided for us. So, this constitutional imposition of uniformity is one of the things that is wrong with this country. When we CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

16

Politics

NDDC: Of misapplication of fund and abandoned projects

ASO ROCK FILE with

Rotimi FADEYI

FG plans toll on Kubwa Expressway, Airport Road F or most people in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who could not afford the high rent for accommodation in the heart of Abuja, the satellite towns where rent is relatively cheap has become the only alternative.

Considering the large population of people living in the satellite towns, there is always heavy traffic on the roads early in the morning when workers are going to work and in the evening when they return home.

In order to ease the flow of traffic on the roads, the Federal Government, few years ago embarked on the expansion of the roads, particularly the Kubwa and Airport roads.

The expansion of the two roads which are already at advanced stages have been able to ease the flow of traffic, thereby bringing relief to most residents of the satellite towns.

However, with the revelation last week by the Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed that the two roads would be concessioned to private companies which would allow for the operation of toll has changed the expectations of the people.

Mohammed disclosed last week after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that the roads would be concessioned to raise about N49 billion to complete the project as the FCT is already indebted to the tune of N420 billion for various projects within the city in the last 20 years.

The minister who said the two roads would be concessioned in order to be self-sustaining, explained that inadequate funding has been the major challenge in the prosecution of projects in the capital city.

While speaking further on the concession of the roads, the FCT Minister said: “We have informed council that we want to bring concession template on the existing corridors that we have finished with requirement of about N49 billion to complete the projects which are the Airport road and the outer expressway so that at the end of the day we will toll them, so that they would be self-sustaining rather than waiting for the Federal Government to give us the money which will shift the goal post for the completion of the projects.”

According to him, the decision to concession the road and introduce toll was not an exploitative action by the government, saying that it is a global practice.

“It is a global practice, the city (Abuja) is modelled after Brasilia, with the satellite towns feeding the centre and then we have the service road, any concession has a template. A global indices for concessioning is that we must have an alternative road for the common people living along the corridor and this is 10 lanes, we are just going to toll the cen-

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

tre lanes for purposes of payment, the rest will be free for use and this is what is the global practice,” Mohammed said.

“There are people who would be in a hurry, they would not want to use the service lane and that is the idea of tolling, it is not going to impinge on travel time or increase the fare which is part of our Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to reduce the fare within the FCT and outside,” he added.

The minister explained that the FCT administration has a robust plan to develop the satellite towns in order to take off the pressure on the facilities in the city centre.

According to him, the satellite towns is heavily populated because large number of the workforce reside outside the city centre, adding that the administration will ensure that necessary facilities are provided in the satellite towns.

I

t was an unpleasant tale of large scale mismanagement of funds as well as poor and abandonment of projects executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) as the Presidential committee set up to look into the activities of the commission submitted its report last week.

In the report, the committee headed

by Chief Isaac Jemide, monitored a total of 609 projects in three states within the Niger Delta where it discovered that a total of 222 (36.5%) were completed, 102 (16.7%) were ongoing and 285 (46.8%) were abandoned at various levels of completion.

According to him, the report covered the period between 2005 and 2011 and physical inspection and evaluation of the 609 projects spread across Cross River, Edo and Rivers states were carried out.

The committee raised serious concern over the refusal of the NNDC management to give concrete explanation on why some projects were abandoned and with no evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate government agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

A cross section of ministers at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, last week.

(EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

The report also exposed the failure of the NNDC to complete all civic centres, university hostel projects and all shoreline protection over an operational period of 12 years.

The committee pointed out the unjustifiable introduction of astronomical variations on the contracts sums of most projects awarded by the commission over a short period of time.

It also noted some of these variations were effected prior to project commencement as well as the deliberate exclusion of some mega projects from the list of projects submitted to the committee for evaluation.

The presidential committee further accused the NNDC for its refusal to sanction incompetent contractors such as Messrs Fountain Construction Company Ltd handling the Eket-Ibeno road in Akwa Ibom State while it also failed to provide accounting records and records of beneficiaries of mass transit boat and bus scheme embarked upon since 2004.

According to the committee, the report on the monitoring of 1,510 projects for the period 2005-2011 in the remaining six NNDC states has been completed and would also soon be submitted to the President.

The committee therefore urged the Federal Government to consider the implementation of the report which it said would assist in repositioning the organisation for meaningful development in the region.

While receiving the report, President Goodluck Jonathan said his administration will consider in details and implement the recommendations in order to realise the purpose for which the NDDC was established.

Jonathan stated that government will look at the issue of renovation of the Port-Harcourt club by the NDDC even when it is privately owned.

HIIC to Jonathan: Tackle insecurity to attract investors

F

ormer United States President Bill Clinton, who was in the country last month expressed serious concern over the level of corruption and its devastating effect on the country. He also blamed poverty for the insurgency of the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram in the Northern part of the country.

Barely a few days after, Co-ordinator of the Honourary International Investment Council (HIIC), Baroness Lynda Chalker was at the Presidential Villa for a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan where she expressed similar opinion and urged the country to address the issue of terrorism and oil theft in order to attract meaningful foreign investment into the county.

She also urged the country to put in place the principles of good governance in all the states, saying that investors are interested in doing business with countries that are seriously fighting corruption.

Chalker said investors would not

just want to invest because they love Nigeria but that returns on their investments are guaranteed. She said: “The private sector is very cautious and want to see commitments, want to see an end to terrorism in the North, end to the oil theft in the South, good governance in the states. All these things have to be considered together to attract investors to make sensible investment which gives them good returns on investments.”

She reminded the country that there are many competitors in the oil sector and that Nigeria need to stay ahead of the sector by providing the right environment for business to thrive Chalker was particularly concerned about how to tackle oil theft in the Niger Delta area, saying that the opening of the Lagos-Kano rail was a welcome development as such projects are critical for getting goods to market to open up for investment.

Speaking on the meeting of the Presi-

dent and Chalker, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga said the HIIC was made up of investors who invest and also has the potential to influence investments into the country.

Presidential Villa’s visitors 1.

Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma

2.

Coordinator of HIIC, Baroness Lynda Chalker

3.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan

4.

Chairman, Presidential Monitoring Committee of NDDC, Chief Issac Jemibe

5.

Managing Director of NNDC, Chris Oboh

6.

Acting Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki

7.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed

8.

Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia

9.

Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi

MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 41-43

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

17

Aregbesola’ USA visit NIGERIA’S

ADEWALE MORGAN

A

s someone who very well knows that exaggeration diminishes credibility, I give it a wide berth in claiming that the vocal governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is doubtlessly a focused, clear-headed, and innovative political leader. It is doubtful whether I could so describe him prior to my encounter with him at Cambridge when he visited a few weeks back. To be sure, before that day I had heard and read many things about him, particularly the avalanche of controversies which define his person and administration since he became governor.

When on Tuesday February 19, 2013 I heard that he was in Cambridge, close by Boston where I am resident, to attend the town hall meeting with Harvard African Caucus, made up of black students, I did not hang fire – actually more out of curiosity – in getting myself there. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. And there he was in his charming unassuming disposition, beaming with the trademark smile I am accustomed to through still pictures. The centrepiece of his address to the august audience was the innovations he has brought to governance since he came into office as governor.

He spoke eloquently about the unprecedented reforms that his state’s educational, agricultural, and health sectors had successfully undergone under his watch. He zestfully primed his audience of how his administration, through its carefully designed policies – he actually said Six-Points-Integral-Action Plan –

DEVELOPMENT CALAMITIES ARE OF BYZANTINE COMPLEXITY has made a huge dent on the monster of youth unemployment, cured the state of its financial ailment, and impacted on the lives of the citizens who are mostly farmers. All of these and more he said, exuding affecting confidence, coruscating brilliance, and unpretentious calmness.

But his most impactful presentation was the computer tablet he called Opon Imo, which indeed is an innovation.

According to him, the tablet which will be distributed to all the senior students in the state’s public secondary schools contains all recommended textbooks, past questions on certificate and matriculation examinations and moral instructions. This, I am sure, is going to help parents who cannot afford to buy books for their wards and also help the students to focus on reading. More importantly, it will introduce them to computer at an early age. I must admit that even in the United States, this is a novel thinking.

This idea has never occurred to anyone to the best of my knowledge.

I was really impressed by his clinical deployment of non-convoluted details. By creditably giving a good report of himself in his smooth delivery, this springy politician unequivocally made it manifest that he is a political leader of uncom-

mon dedication, discipline and character.

Deservedly, the attentive audience expressed their appreciation of his memorable delivery through thunderous ovation lasting for a while. Of course, I needed no prodding to attend the lecture he delivered the next day at the Weatherhead Center. He whetted my appetite for his depth and insights.

As I listened to his lecture, it dawned on me that, as the Americans would say, I ain’t seen nothing yet. Governor Aregbesola’s lecture at the monthly seminar of the Weatherhead Centre for International Studies, Harvard University, centred on the multifarious and overwhelming development challenges assailing Nigeria.

Though the challenges are ubiquitous and form the subject of public discourse, both at national and international forums, the governor’s analyses was thorough and seminal. I must admit that his analytical exposition added depth to my perspective on the socio-economic and political setbacks the most populous black nation is inured in. Nigeria’s development calamities are of Byzantine complexity, he enlightened. For him, blinding ethnicity, defective federalism, rapine military system, adulterated religious practices, clueless leadership, among many other horrifying human-inspired debacles, are the foxes pitilessly destroying the rich vineyard of the Nigerian state.

A courageous leader, he warmed the cockles of my heart when he flintily noted that it would amount to weak reasoning to carp that “outsiders” are responsible for the present condition of the country. The wisdom in this is that when the nation continues to bellyache that

the foundation of its underdevelopment can be located in its colonial experience, it will lose the sense to think of the way out of the woods. Yet, colonialism is not exclusive to Nigeria. Other peoples who were even more ruthlessly colonised have since pulled off the burden and are today havens of unexampled human and material developments. The right leadership that can champion this cause and make things happen, he reasoned knowledgeably, is what the country must inexorably find.

Governor Aregbesola’s report on the achievements of his administration revealed to me a leader who knows what is amiss and works squarely to fix it.

The kind of leadership he longs to see his country possess is exactly what he selflessly provides in Osun. Within two years, he has achieved notable reforms in the educational and agricultural sectors of his state. With the zeal of an empathic leader, he is effectively rescuing majority of the citizens who had been hitherto suspended on the scaffold of penury, hunger, joblessness and insecurity.

Indeed, the “elephant” of Aregbesola merits more description than “I catch a glimpse of something”. When we see a performing and responsible political leader, we must be honest enough to admit that we have seen Governor Abdulrauf Adesoji Aregbesola!

Much more, with that revealing lecture, Aregbesola has demonstrated the fact that, warts and all, the story of Nigeria is not all about a jinxed country.

Morgan lives in Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Memo to Honourable Minister of Finance YUSHAU A. SHUAIB Dear Madam Minister, CONTORVERSIAL CONTRACT APPOINTMENTS

I

t wasn’t for nothing that you were appointed into the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan with the long, unprecedented double titles of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. The grandiose title is a position that clearly proved that all cabinet ministers are equal, but someone is more equal by designation and positioning than others.

Being the first holder of that title in Nigeria’s history, your position is equivalent to Prime Minister, which gave you the mandate to oversee and superintend over every other ministry, department and agency of government including their budgetary allocations and revenue expenditures. No doubt Madam Minister, you are invariably the next most powerful cabinet member after President Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo.

In the last ten years, I have been one of your ardent admirers who is impressed by your academic accomplishments and enviable working experiences on the international scene including your contributions to Nigeria’s economic development after your appointment as the first female Finance Minister and later first female Foreign Affairs Minister by former President

Olusegun Obasanjo. I also note that you left the administration unceremoniously over personal issues.

One of the major reasons some of us believe strongly in your ability was the way and manner you carried major players both from the North and the South along while you were Minister of Finance between 2003 and 2006. You were never accused of discrimination or bias against any of the diverse groups in the nation. The same will be said of your then principal, Chief Obasanjo who will never be accused of tribalism. He is a detribalized leader and a nationalist to the core who believe strongly in the Nigeria project.

The choice of your nominees into top public appointments and even the composition of your associates cut across every segment of Nigeria including those in your Economic Team like Nasir El Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Bode Agusto, Dr. Mansur Mukhtar and Chukwuma Soludo among others.

Your achievements too were glaring. We recall that in 2005 you led Nigeria to striking a deal with the Paris Club to pay a portion of Nigeria’s external debt amounting $12 billion in return for an $18 billion debt write-off.

You ensured transparency in monthly federation account allocation by the introduction of monthly publication of the disbursements in selected media. You were instrumental to helping Nigeria obtain its first ever sovereign credit rating (of BB minus) from an international ratings agency.

Even when you left the government in 2006, your NGO, NOI Global Consulting, partnered with the Gallup Organization to in-

AS THE MOST POWERFUL MINISTER AND AN IGBO

PRINCESS FROM THE NIGER DELTA BY VIRTUE OF BEING A

OBI OF OGWASHI-UKU COMMUNITY IN DELTA STATE, I BELIEVE YOU DAUGHTER OF

SHOULD CONTINUE TO LIVE ABOVE BOARD troduce what may be described as the first credible opinion poll, the NOI poll, into the Nigerian polity.

With these at the background, it was not surprising that when you were reappointed by President Jonathan as Finance Minister and when you were shortlisted for the post of President of the World Bank in 2012, you received overwhelming support from all Nigerians. An online publication even claimed that some Northern Mallams were praying for your success in the mosques. Everyone at that period believed that you were a detribalized Nigerian with real-world experience of policy-making.

The reason for writing you this memo, however, is to alert you on some disturb-

ing trends as regards some recent appointments into top public offices in Nigeria in view of their economic and political implications.

As the most powerful minister and an Igbo Princess from the Niger Delta by virtue of being a daughter of Obi of OgwashiUku community in Delta State, I believe you should continue to live above board.

Recently the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) made some disturbing allegations of ethnic cleansing of Yoruba in federal appointments by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. The wife of the sage, Chief HID Awolowo and the retired Bishop of Akure, Rt. Rev. Bolanle Gbonigi in Ikenne Ogun State after the meeting of the forum accused this administration of systematically excluding the Yoruba nation from the federation in terms of appointments without justification. They called on the government to redress the “systematic discrimination” against the Yoruba nation in federal appointive positions without delay, saying that the Yoruba have been getting “crumbs” from the administration.

To be continued.

Shuaib, Shuaibyashuaib@yahoo.com wrote from Finance Estate, Wuye, Abuja 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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Reps’ probe of EFCC’s seized assets

lans for the House of Representatives’ investigation of the handling of seized assets worth over N2 trillion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since the establishment of the Commission ten years ago should be in top gear about now.

Reports early in the month had stated that the lawmakers gave the assignment to its committee on drugs, narcotics and financial crimes. From the motion canvassed in the House, which prompted the Reps decision, it was revealed that roughly N2 trillion worth of vehicles, houses or business concerns taken over by the EFCC were allowed to rot away or not accounted for; even with the creation of the Assets Forfeiture Unit of the Commission in 2008. They include over 200 mansions, companies, bank accounts, shares in blue chip companies, exotic vehicles, filling stations, hotels, warehouses, shopping malls, schools, bakeries, housing estates and radio stations in and outside Nigeria. Apparently because of EFCC’s ineptitude, workers in some of the thriving establishments who could still have remained gainfully employed were said to have been driven into the unemployment market.

About the third quarter of last year, it was reported that

400 exotic cars and other assets the EFCC seized from a former Inspector-General of Police, some past governors docked for graft and some dubious businessmen were wasting away and fast depreciating in value.

EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren’s response to the embarrassing report then was that the cars and assets were still exhibits; and that most of the accused persons linked with them were still on trial. That the first quarter of a successive year is fast coming to an end and the story remains the same, as has been indicated by the Reps decision to intervene, is a sad commentary on the carefree culture of the nation’s public sector. Indeed, what then is the essence of seizing the assets if they will end up in the waste bin, without adding any value to the nation or its coffers? Why the celebration and publicity blitz that often accompany such seizures?

Apart from the decay of the assets, allegations are rife that certain unscrupulous officials of the anti-graft agency are diverting confiscated assets or negotiating their release to the discredited owners in shady and compromising deals. Indeed, we consider the Reps intervention timely. For, a penetrating searchlight on the EFCC will help determine whether or not

WHAT THEN IS THE ESSENCE OF SEIZING THE ASSETS IF THEY WILL END UP IN

THE WASTE BIN, WITHOUT ADDING ANY VALUE TO THE NATION OR ITS COFFERS?

the Commission has digressed from its onerous task of curbing corruption (economic crimes); and has turned a prodigal and wasteful establishment whose officials are helping themselves with seized stolen wealth, instead of fighting the cancerous menace of corruption that has been at the heart of the nation’s retrogression in all sectors.

Given the enormous powers conferred on the EFCC, it is expected that seizures of assets would definitely happen. It is, therefore, shocking that the Commission had no arrangements for the proper inventory and care of confiscated assets.

How else then can visionlessness and gross inefficiency be defined? The EFCC ought to have taken proper inventory of the assets. Should the prop-

erties be put up for sale, their worth ought not to be allowed to drop; neither should the process of selling them fail the test of transparency. We, therefore, implore the Reps to do a thorough, detailed and uncompromising physical investigation and inspection of the seized assets, take inventory of them and make the particulars of the properties public; to reassure Nigerians that the EFCC has not become another edifice of frauds and scandals, but really an agency committed to fighting corruption and protecting the country’s assets. Honesty, as the saying goes, is not a policy. It is a state of mind.

In addition to the Reps investigation, however, the National Assembly should work closely with the Presidency and the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to determine how best to fast-track the trial of all pending high profile graft cases.

President Goodluck Jonathan made a case for special courts for the purpose while swearing in the sitting CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, last year, for instance.

But that was all heard about the recommendation. Yet, something urgent needs to be done to address the intractable problem. It is objectionable, for example, that the cases of some past governors arraigned between 2007and 2008 are still ongoing.

ON THIS DAY March 12, 2009 Financier, Bernard Madoff, pleaded guilty in New York to scamming $18 billion, the largest in Wall Street’s history. On December 10, 2008, Madoff ’s sons told authorities that their father had confessed to them that the asset management unit of his firm was a massive Ponzi scheme, and quoted him as describing it as “one big lie.” The following day, FBI agents arrested Madoff and charged him with one count of securities fraud.

March 12, 2004 The President of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, was impeached by its National Assembly: the first such impeachment in the nation’s history. Moo-hyun (August 6, 1946 – May 23, 2009) was the ninth President of the Republic of Korea (2003–2008). Roh’s pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics.

March 12, 1994 The Church of England ordained its first female priests. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St Augustine of Canterbury in AD 597.

Stakeholders disagree on no fault insurance policy

Nigerians see insurance as luxury - Oyefeso 37

SUPER TUESDAY

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Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

Cashless: Stakeholders seek improved service from banks, telecoms firms T hough there are challenges facing the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), there is growing awareness on the policy. Transactions recorded by the Nigerian Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), under its NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) and Nigerian Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT), have increased significantly to about N40 billion daily.

NIP and NEFT are products used by corporate organizations to make payment for huge transactions electronically, in line with the cashless policy.

Data gathered from NIBSS also shows that as a result of the cashless policy, cheques, Point of Sale (PoS) and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) usage have continued to record huge volume and value.

Analysts believe that if not the challenges facing the policy it would have made much more progress than it has recorded. They say now that the policy would soon be extended to other states there is the urgent need for operators to take a look at the entire project and see how it could be made better.

Experts have pointed out the huge deficit in infrastructure as major obstacle to this project. The have said there is the need to put in place infrastructure in the form of magnetic card readers and the technology that makes them work.

It was in order to tackle lack of adequate infrastructure and the cost of providing it that

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As the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), plans to extend the cashless policy to Rivers, Kano, Anambra and Abia states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stakeholders raise issues bordering on inadequate services, lack of financial inclusion and inadequate infrastructure, UDO ONYEKA reports.

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Point of Sale Device

the Group Managing Director, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Dr. Austin Okere, had advised financial institutions to go into what he called ‘shared resource’. He said that with financial institutions pulling their resources together it would be cost effective to provide certain services. The cash-less policy, as explained by the CBN is aimed at empowering the previously unbanked populace to open accounts and perform e-transactions across the nation without having to visit their bank branches.

But a Director in Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Grace Oladimeji, at a forum recently in Ikeja, noted that Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) are not been taken into consideration in the cashless project. For instance she said most of the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), are

not positioned in a way a person on a wheelchair could go on his or her own withdraw money. Also she said there was nothing wrong incorporating braille facility in ATMs so that the blind or visually impaired could make use of the ATMs. According to Mr Jude Ezenwa, a member of the civil society organisation, “the cashless and financial inclusion policy of the CBN would achieve much more if persons with disabilities are catered for in the project.

“In Lagos it is estimated that PWDs are about 10 per cent of the population of the state. So imagine throughout all the 36 states of the federation”, he said. Analysts have also pointed out the need to increase public enlightenment about the project especially now that the policy would be extended to other states of the federa-

tion. Many analysts believed that much has not been done in the area of enlightenment particularly on the part of the operators including financial institutions and mobile money operators; but they agreed that the CBN has been doing well in this regard.

In order to improve the quality of services of financial institutions in delivering electronic products to customers, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido said the Bankers’ Committee is currently working with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other service providers to ensure that some of the challenges of cashless policy are addressed.

Sanusi who said this at the

IRS 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

Court cases hamper winding up of failed banks – NDIC

Utilising social media platforms to aid job search

How land law bureacracy slow down real estate growth

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cashless: Stakeholders seek improved service from banks, telecoms firms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 fourth annual investors’ forum organised by Renaissance Capital (RenCap) in Lagos penultimate week, expressed satisfaction with the level of progress made on the cashless policy.

“The numbers done in terms of Points of Sale (PoS), Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), are very remarkable”. We started last year with 5000 PoS machines, we ended the year with 165,000 PoS machines. Mobile banking for example, in January was doing N4 million per month, by December last year, it went up to N8 billion. It is moving up and we hope it continues,” he said.

He stressed that some of the challenges confronting the policy are about telecommunication.

He said: “If you want to move data for example, you need more bandwidth”.

National Mirror was told that part of the strategy to strengthen the cashless policy and make sure the desired financial inclusion is achieved is through a collaborative effort with the Nigeria Postal Service.

It was gathered that the Federal Government has begun reforming the NIPOST to ensure it complements the target of the government to ensure that about 80 per cent of adult Nigerians have access to financial services by 2020.

The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, said one of the measures being taken by the Federal Government through the ministry was an ongoing effort to reform NIPOST to spearhead financial inclusion in the country.

“We are reforming the NIPOST to transform it into a financial and digital inclusion tool that will reduce the proportion of adult Nigerians excluded from financial services from 46.3 per cent as at 2010 to 20 per cent by 2020,” she said.

She said as part of measures to achieve the target, the ministry was working to develop about 3,000 postal outlets of NIPOST located across the country to transform the outlets into becoming venues for financial and economic inclusion.

Johnson said another area where government aimed to drive financial inclusion is through mobile money initiative, whose transactions has been recording steady growth since the issuance of about 16 operating licences to companies willing to play in the mobile money space in the country.

Though many say that mobile Money has not made much impact and has not been patronised by many because a lot of people do not understand how it works due to lack of enlightenment, Mrs Johnson differs and backing her claim with figures.

According to her, “Total value of Mobile Money transactions currently stands at N228 million and is expected to increase to N151 billion by 2015, while total volume of non-store shopping increased from N62 billion in 2011 to N77.5 billion in 2012. This figure will increase to N658 billion by 2015,” she said.

She explained that mobile money, which is being supported by telecommunications infrastructures would play signif-

Sanusi

Okonjo-Iweala

WE ARE REFORMING THE NIPOST TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A FINANCIAL AND DIGITAL INCLUSION TOOL THAT WILL REDUCE THE

NIGERIANS EXCLUDED FROM FINANCIAL SERVICES FROM 46.3 PER CENT AS AT 2010 TO 20 PER CENT BY 2020

PROPORTION OF ADULT

icant role in driving financial service inclusion in Nigeria.

Many analysts agreed with the minister that the growth in the telecoms sector is capable of driving the cashless policy.

For instance, analysts say teledensity in the Nigeria’s telecoms industry has reached a 78.8 per cent mark, according to latest industry statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Growth in teledensity in Nigeria has been phenomenal, growing rapidly in the last 12 years of telecoms liberalisation culminating in a growth of 78.8 per cent at the end of November, 2012.

Teledensity is the percentage of the number of phone users per population at a given period of time and its growth is proportional to the growth in the subscriber base.

Teledensity growth has direct relationship in growth with the number telephone lines in the country.

According to the NCC data, in February, March, April and May 2012, when active telecoms subscribers in the country stood at 96.6 million; 99.1 million; 101 million and 101.8 million, teledensity increased to 69.0 per cent; 70.82 per cent; 72.20 per cent and 72.72 per cent respectively.

In June and July 2012, when the country recorded 102.3 million and 103.4 million active telecoms subscriber bases, teledensity grew to 73.12 per cent and 73.88 per cent in that order.

The figure also increased in August, September and October 2012, when active subscribers rose to 105.2 million, 107.3 million and 109. 4 million and cor-

respondingly, the teledensity also increased to75.17 per cent; 76.69 per cent and 78.21 per cent respectively.

In November, 2012, when the industry recorded 110.3 million active telephone users on telecoms networks, teledensity increased by 0.6 per cent to hit 78.81.

According to industry analysts, the geometric growth in telecoms subscriber base, leading to proportional growth in teledensity, is an indication of increased access to telephony services and therefore would be essential in electronic financial transactions.

Perhaps one of the motivating factors for extending the cashless policy to other states is the achievement recorded by ATMs. Notwithstanding regular network failure at ATMs the number of transactions carried out by the banking public on the over 15,000, ATM being used by commercial banks in Nigeria has been on the increase. It reached over 109.5 million at the end of July, 2012.

The ATM transaction volume is contained in the latest Payment Channel and Transaction Volume data from the Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System, (NIBSS). The data shows the various electronic payment channels being used in the country by Nigerians and the number of times those channels were used for transitions on a monthly basis.

According to the data, transactions on ATM top the chart with a monthly transaction volume of 109.5 million; Over the Counter, (OTC), withdrawals

came second with 72.4 million transactions while cheque came third with 29.1 million of transaction volume.

Transactions carried out through the web averaged 2.7 million times monthly and came fourth while transactions on about 14,000 active Point-ofSales, POS, terminals in the country came fifth with monthly transactions of slightly over one million.

Chief Executive Officer of InterSwitch, Mr. Mitchell Elegebe, said the data was an indication that more Nigerians were developing card culture in line with the CBN’s cashless policy aimed at reducing the quantity of physical cash in circulation.

However, the Executive Director, Business Development, NIBSS, Mrs. Christabel Onyejekwe, said much work needed to be done as the country was witnessing slow adoption of the cashless economy.

According to her, to boost e-payment transaction volumes, there was the need to address the challenge of poor awareness on the part of the operators, especially in the informal sector, “adding that there were also challenges with inter-operability of networks from the telecommunications operators.

National Mirror gathered that monthly ATM transaction increased from less than 17 million transactions per month to over 110 million transactions monthly in the last four years. In July 2011, available records showed that the volume of ATM transactions stood at about 100 million.

According to industry analysts, the increase in the volume of ATM transactions over OTC transactions was an indication that the economy is recording faster adoption of electronic channels of financial transaction in recent years.

Early last year, the CBN, in pursuit of its cashless policy initiative, had charged commercial banks to deploy additional 75,000 ATMs across the country to their existing ATM points over the next three years.

The CBN had also set a target of 2015 for the deployment of over 400,000 POS. It also hoped to accelerate POS density in the country to 2,247 per 100,000 people by the end of 2012.

The CBN’s Head, Shared Services, Mr. Chidi Umeano said the aforementioned states and the FCT were chosen because of the large volume of cash transactions in some of their major cities such as Aba, Kano, Port Harcourt and Onitsha among others.

The cashless policy, which began in Lagos in January last year, is aimed at reducing the dominance of cash in the system. The policy specifies penal charges for individuals and corporate organisations that want to withdraw or lodge cash above prescribed limits.

Under the policy, the CBN pegged the daily cumulative cash withdrawal or deposit limit for individual accounts at N500, 000 per day and N3 million per day for corporate accounts. Umeano explained that the policy earlier planned to be implemented in other states in January 2013 was deferred due to some infrastructural challenges.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

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Court cases hamper winding up of failed banks – NDIC TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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he Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation has identified pending court cases as one of the constraints slowing down its efforts to windup failed banks and consequential payments to depositors and creditors of the affected banks in the country.

Making the disclosure yesterday at a sensitisation seminar for stakeholders organised by the corporation in collaboration with the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja, the Managing Director, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, said the challenge was further compounded by the complex and often slow pace of litigation in the courts.

Ibrahim said another challenge being contended with by the Corporation had to do lack of proper understanding of the legal status of NDIC as liquidator/ deposit insurer by legal practitioners, the court and the public at large and also, execution of court judgments against the assets of the corporation for the liability of failed banks.

The NDIC boss noted that no matter how robust the legal framework operated by NDIC is, it could only achieve its mandate

L-R: Head, Regulation and Monitoring, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Jude Ughwujabo; Chief Finance Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman; grand prize winner, Sterling Bank Savers’ Promo, Ms. Homa Amadi-Nna and Regional Business Executive, Sterling Bank Plc, South South 2, Mr. Emmanuel Ekpenisi, at the presentation of prize to the winner in Lagos yesterday.

through collaboration with the Nigerian judiciary, bearing in mind that the judiciary is constitutionally vested with the powers of interpretation of statutes.

He added that the seminar was one of the initiatives being undertaken by the corporation in involving stakeholders in its strides towards achieving greater efficiency.

He explained: “For the corporation to achieve its mandates

NLC vows to mobilise members against casualisation MESHACK IDEHEN

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he Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Idowu Adelakun said the congress is ready to mobilise its members against companies and organisations that continually engage in casualisation of their workers.

Adelakun disclosed this during the 10th Anniversary celebration of Nexan Kabelmetal, where he maintained that casualisation is anti-labour in every ramification as it is eroding the workers’ rights in workplaces within and outside the state.

He said, “We have done it before, anywhere management stirs up policies negating the principle which enshrines the legal existence of the Nigeria Labour Congress, and in outright contravention of the International Labour Organisation conventions and principles of permanent employment and code of work ethics.”

Promising that the NLC chapter in the state will protect workers whose rights are abused by their employers, Adelakun said

casualisation is an industrial violation of workers’ rights that is not good for the nation’s economy in the immediate and long term.

On his part, while speaking at the event, the Chairman of NLC Nexan Kabelmetal, Comrade Rufus Olusesan explained that the anniversary, was held in order to evaluate the journey so far in the union and how to better confront the challenges ahead.

He said the union has been able to press for increment in medical allowance, eradication of casualisation, improvement on gratuity parameters, prompt attention to members’ complaints and refund of National Housing Fund contribution from 1998 till date amongst others.

According to him, “Workers doggedness and steadfastness for a workers-oriented leadership is the backbone for some of the achievements the unit have recorded so far. Ten years ago, workers stood their ground for a responsive union leadership of Nexans Kabelmetal and the struggle was won despite the difficulty confronted by workers in terms of intimidation and threats.

in a more efficient and effective manner and for the Nigerian economy to thrive on the gains of a stable financial system evidenced by increased depositor confidence in Nigerian banking system, the challenges highlight-

ed above must be addressed.

“The Nigerian Judiciary, legal practitioners and other esteemed stakeholders have important roles o play in ensuring that the mandate of the corporation are realised”, he added.

Umaru also harped on the imperative of having a proper financial safety net in order to reduce the risk of severe financial crisis, pointed out that “without an appropriate financial safety net, even simple rumours of problems regarding solvency or liquidity of a financial institution have the potential to become self-fulfilling and turning into a full blown financial crisis.

“With an appropriate safety net in place, depositor confidence tends to be greater and the likelihood of financial crisis is reduced to the barest minimum.

NDIC was set up as a risk minimiser and its mandate goes beyond operating a ‘pay box’ institution in the Nigerian financial system”.

In her welcome address, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Auta, commended the critical role being played by NDIC in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility and for recognition of the crucial roles judges play in deposit insurance management.

Naira depreciates as importers demand more dollars

T

he naira depreciated for a second day yesterday and headed for its lowest this month as importers demanded dollars to pay gasoline bills and as oil, the country’s key export, retreated.

The currency weakened 0.3 percent to 158.15 per dollar as of 12:45 p.m. yesterday in Lagos. A look at this rate reveals the lowest since February 28, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Nigeria relies on imports to cover 70 percent of its own fuel needs because of inadequate refining capacity, and those shipments into the country are a source of pressure on the naira, according to the central bank. Bonny Light Crude, the nation’s main export

grade, slid for a second day, dropping 0.4 percent to $113.14 in New York. Brent crude fell as industrial production slowed in China, the world’s second-biggest oil consunmer.

“We’ve seen increase in dollar demand from oil importers and dealers bringing in consumer goods,” Abubakar Mohammed, chief executive of Lagos-based Forward Marketing Bureau de Change Ltd., said by phone. “The outlook of the crude oil market is also important for the naira exchange rate.”

Foreign-currency reserves in Africa’s most populous country rose to $47.56 billion, the highest level since at least 2010, the Central Bank of Nigeria in Abuja said in a

March 4 statement on its website.

The steady increase since early 2012 means the central bank has “enough ammunition” to address a temporary demand-supply mismatch in the foreign-exchange market, Samir Gadio, an emerging-markets strategist at Standard Bank Group Ltd., Africa’s largest bank by assets, said in e-mailed comments yesterday.

Yields on Nigeria’s $500m of Eurobonds due January 2021 fell 15 basis points to 4.11 percent.

The yield on the country’s 16.39 percent domestic bonds due January 2022 rose 25 basis points to 11.26 percent, according to March 8 data compiled on the Financial Markets Dealers Association website.

Centerspread ad agency dumps foreign partner ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

A

nother leading ad agency, Centrespread Advertising, has dumped its global affiliate, Interpublic Group’s DraftFCB. The recent development followed the current face-off between Prima Garnet and its Ogilvy global partner ogilvyover Scanad Nigeria, a new agency under the Ogilvy network which was said to have violated their affiliation agreement.

But in an official statement yesterday, Centrespread noted that it has ended its long-standing relationship with DraftFCB in line with the current

dynamics in the global advertising business of which continuous evaluation of business relationships is a key strategy for growth and continued relevance.”

According to the statements “The Centrespread group has reached an important milestone as a wholly-owned Nigerian brand, having just celebrated thirty fruitful years of business existence, during which it has risen to become one of the bright lights of the Nigerian advertising industry.

“As expected of any forwardlooking brand, we have chosen to re-invent and re-position for better performance. To this end, the next focus is how we as a brand retain our frontline sta-

tus in the industry over the next thirty years, given the current dynamics in the global advertising terrain.

“To be able to embark on this new phase of our exciting journey, we need to re-assess our strengths, alliances, relationships, supports and, more importantly, business philosophy and direction. The affiliation with Draft FCB cannot support our dream further.”

Centrespread, which commenced operations in 1982 as an above-the-line agency, has grown to become one of Nigeria’s biggest Integrated Marketing Communications groups with seven companies offering various services across the entire IMC sector.

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

Aviation Ministry sets up committee to review Civil Aviation Act OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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he Ministry of Aviation has set up a committee to look at some grey areas in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act in a bid for the country’s civil aviation industry to be in tandem with international standards and practices.

A source close to the ministry confided in National Mirror at the weekend that the committee members started sitting last week in Abuja and is looking at the entire civil aviation Act in use.

At present, Nigeria operates the 2006 Act, which some stakeholders and professionals say need some amendments for it to operate to the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

One of the invitees to the committee who does not want his name mentioned told our correspondent last week on phone that he had been invited to Abuja on the instance of the

ministry to address the committee members on the new task.

The source said, “I’m in Abuja now. I actually got a letter from the ministry which wants me to address the committee, which is set up to look at the present civil aviation Act. I am supposed to address the committee before I head back to Lagos.”

Confirming the report, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi said that the committee is to look at the act and other aviation policies currently in operation.

Speaking on phone with our correspondent, Obi explained that the ministry does not have the power to review any act; rather, what it presently doing with the committee was for the members to look critically at the areas that required review to enable it improve to international standards and make some recommendations to the ministry.

He emphasised that the ministry would now forward their recommendations to the Presiden-

cy for assessment who in turn would send such to the National Assembly as executive bill.

He said, “We are not reviewing any Act we don’t have the power to do so. What we are actually doing is to look Wholistically anywhere they discover that the Act requires some amendments and send it to the presidency who will now forward it to the National Assembly to look at as executive bill.

“The 2006 Act is now becoming obsolete and some aspects of it need review. That is what we are doing. We cannot take over the job of National Assembly by reviewing the Act.” It will be recalled that the Senate at the weekend revealed that plans were underway by the National Assembly to review the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act. The Chairman Senate committee on Aviation, Hope Uzodinma had disclosed this in Benin City, the Edo State capital during the commissioning of the remodelled airport by the Federal Government.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

New IITA drug reduces mortality in poultry by 43.9%

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oultry fed with maize that had been treated with aflasafe– a biocontrol product for controlling aflatoxins— experienced reduced mortality in addition to other benefits, according to a new study by scientists from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

IITA said in statement yesterday that the product was developed after more than a decade of research and testing and would go a log way in addressing grain contamination in Africa.

To unravel the benefits of aflasafe in the poultry industry, researchers set up a feeding experiment involving 1,020 broilers that used the following feed formulations: aflasafe maize without binders, host farm’s feed with binders, contaminated feed with binders, and contaminated feed without binders.

The broilers were fed for eight

Guinness boss, others to speak at CIPM’s HR forum MESHACK IDEHEN

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L-R: Best customer, East Region, Mr. Ovie Jitobor of Peter Jitobor (Nig) Limited; Managing Director/CEO. Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Joe Hudson; Chairman, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye; Country Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Nigeria Limited, Mr. Jean –Christophe Barbant ;National Sales Manager, Mr. Sam Ndioyenma and Finance Director,, Mr. Fred Amobi, during the company’s 2012 Customers’ Award Ceremony in Lagos at the weekend.

Consumers vulnerable under current CPC Act - Council OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

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s Nigeria braces up to mark the year’s World Consumer Right Day, the Consumer Protection Council has cried out that the act under which the Council carries out its statutory mandate is not strong enough to protect the rights of consumers against predatory manufacturers and service providers.

The CPC Acting Director General, Mr. Emmanuel Amlai, who made the observation in Abuja yesterday while acquainting journalists with the programmes of the council for the 2013 World Consumer Rights Day called on the National Assembly to amend the consumer protection law to cater for current market trends.

He said from 2003 when the

bill was conceived, the council had made three attempts during the various sessions of the National Assembly to get it amended without success.

“While the UN Guildlines formed the basis for the enactment of the Consumer Council (CPC) Act No: 66 of 1992, the said CPC Act is yet to fully encapsulate the necessary safeguards for the protection of the eight rights of the consumer.

“This situation, which the Council has made several attempts to assuage the amendment of its enabling law, but to no avail, has had dire consequences for the Nigerian consumer.”

He said that from 2003 when the bill was conceived to the present time, the Council had made three attempts during the various sessions of the Nation-

al Assembly to get it amended without success.

Making a strong case for the amendment, the Acting DG explained that since the Act was conceived some 21 years ago, a lot had changed in the Nigerian market place that were not envisaged by the crafters of the law.

“While we bemoan the fact that 21 years after the enactment of the council’s enabling law, a lot has changed in the Nigerian market place that were not envisaged by the crafters of the law,” “I must, therefore, use this opportunity to call on members of the National Assembly and all well meaning Nigerians to use their best endeavours in ensuring that the CPC Act is amended under the current dispensation,” he said.

weeks.

Results showed that the use of maize from aflasafe-treated feeds reduced mortality rate by 43.9 per cent, feed intake dropped by 10.4 per cent, and there was an increase of 3.3 per cent in feed conversion ratio.

Unveiling details of the results to stakeholders at a conference in Lagos, Dr Ranajit Bandyopadhyay, IITA Pathologist, said the results demonstrated the impact of aflasafe.

Produced by toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxins have become a menace in developing countries, contaminating about 25 per cent of grains produced in the region. The aftermath effects of consuming aflatoxin-contaminated grains include stunting in children, liver cancer, and even death.

The impact of aflasafe on the poultry industry—one of the major consumers of maize—has been hailed by stakeholders.

he Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM, said the Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, and Senior Manager, People and Change, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Botswana, Mr. Ethel Kuuya have been confirmed as chairman and guest speaker for the 5th Special Human Resource Forum coming up in Lagos.

The President and Chairman of Council of the Institute, Mr. Abiola Popoola, said on Monday, that this year edition is tagged with the theme, “Organisational Development: Driver for Effective Corporate Performance’, and promises to surpass the previous ones due to the calibre of speakers expected at the event.

Popoola said the institute had in 2012 organised a successful and well-attended 4th edition of the human resource forum which had a Professor of International Human Resource, Cranfield University, United Kingdom, Prof Michael Dickmann addressed delegates on the theme, maximizing employee performance for corporate success, and with the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Chief Kola Jamodu, as chairman on that occasion.

He explained the special human resource forum is a oneday event that is targeted at senior people in the human resource practice; particularly heads of HR departments of organisations, and aimed at enhancing the practice of the human resource profession in the country.

Tributes as ex-UACN boss, Ndiokho passes on JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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ributes continued to trail the passage of former Chairman and Managing Director of UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN), Bassey Udo Ndiokho.

Ndiokho, who headed Nigeria’s leading conglomerate from 1993 to 1999, passed away on February 21, 2013 in Lagos at the age of 74.

Ndiokho, who headed Nigeria’s leading conglomerate from 1993 to 1999, was a Director of some leading businesses and institutions in the country, and at various times, the Pro-Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University of Technology, Chairman of Enterprise Development International, (an NGO that evolved from TechnoServe Nigeria) and

a Non-Executive Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was also one of those appointed into the vision 2010 committee to represent the business community.

His tenure as UAC’s helmsman was marked by the successful divestment of Unilever Plc of London from UAC of Nigeria plc and the transition of UAC into a wholly owned Nigerian Company with focus on four core areas – Foods, Property, Packaging and Distribution.

He initiated the evolution of UAC Property Division into UACN Property Development Company plc, which has been transformed into a successful real estate business and till date the first and only publicly quoted property company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

23

Utilising social media platforms to aid job search Almost all companies now have Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, Pinterest boards, and LinkedIn profiles. These social media outlets, is now a major platform for finding jobs by employment hopefuls, and qualified candidates by recruiting firms.

MESHACK IDEHEN writes,

T

o discerning analysts, the conventional method of looking for and applying for jobs have quietly, but swiftly given way to a new and modern method that is based on the use of social media.

This understanding, said observers, is due to the popular belief amongst stakeholders that utilising these social media platforms can quickly end unemployment through the almost unlimited access to constant information on almost all subjects that the platforms provides.

According to a professional in the business of recruiting local and expatriates manpower for companies in the oil and gas sector, Mr. Wellington Osawese, social media is not and should not just be for personal use anymore, since according to him, almost all major businesses and the emerging ones around the world now use social media as a form of communication to engage with their potential stakeholders, including employees.

Particularly citing the example of an oil and gas multinational company based in Bonny, River State, Author, Management Expert and Human Resource Practitioner, Mr. Kunle Rotimi, said the company like several in the sector, now uses these outlets (social media) primarily in their hiring process, due to the firm’s belief that it could attract more participation in terms of attracting the best talents available into its fold.

However, Rotimi said oil and gas firms are not alone in embracing social media based methods in attracting talents and speeding up its recruitment process, saying also that smart job seekers are also keying into the phenomenom, as many of them now use the various platforms to aid your job search.

According to him, most people know that the best way to find a job is through networking. “You can go to networking meetings, tap into your own personal network and so on, all these you can only do effectively, if you as a job seeker is conversant with how to utilise these platforms in job search.

He said, “If you are not already on LinkedIn, for example as a job seeker, you definitely need to be.

It’s a site that allows you to connect to people you know. It also allows you to see profiles of anyone else on LinkedIn, and gives you ways to connect to them. There are ways you can use LinkedIn in a job search”, he said.

He explained that LinkedIn is a social media website for people in professional occupations and that LinkedIn has more than 175 million members in over 200 countries and territories, as of August 2, 2012.

“LinkedIn is a digital showcase of your professional experiences. Starting a LinkedIn profile is a significant and imperative tool in job searching. Once you have a profile created, it is important to use key words in your profile summary and job descriptions”, Rotimi added.

On his part, and with the internet buzzing with social media, there are similarly many ways to use social media in order to network, and eventually find a job, explained Forrester Researcher, Mr. Jeremiah Owyang, in an article on how to utilise social media in job search, explaining that social networks allow all parties involved to better search for and reach their target.

Rotimi

Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson

MANY BUSINESSES ALSO HAVE FACEBOOK PAGES AND WILL POST WHEN JOB OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES. SURE TO

MAKE

“LIKE” ALL THE

COMPANIES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AND CHECK BACK AT THEIR PAGES FOR NEW INFORMATION According to Owyang, the common trend among social media is sharing. He said the larger the presence a job seeker has in the social media-verse, the more exposure such will get to other people, including for jobs or opportunities.

“Be consistent and active with your social media outlets. You (job seeker) will not make an impact by logging into LinkedIn, Facebook once a week or tweeting on occasion. Make sure to link all your social media content. Be persistent in your involvement and don’t be afraid to interact with others. The more you can reach out to others the better the chances are you will find that perfect job”, he said.

While urging recruiters to utilise social media more aggressively in the effort to highlight existing vacancies and aid the job search of employment hopefuls, alongside the advantage of employing workers that will fit their needs, the Chief Executive Officer, ReQit Limited, Mr. Ken Okolo, said there was the need to create awareness of talent solution among recruiters and companies in the country using the social media platforms.

He said the recruitment landscape is changing and that the traditional way of sourcing for talent is not yielding the desired results and it is time to try new channels, particularly social media.

“This is about what recruiters can do particularly

using LinkedIn’s range of talent solutions and other social platforms to aid job seekers and also enhance their business, adding companies could save cost and time by adopting these methods.

“Twitter, which is an online social networking service and micro blogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as tweets is another social media platform that can aid job search, said Managing Director of Prot Nigeria Limited, a recruiting company based in Lagos, Mr. Sunny Agboju.

He said job seekers might be surprised they will find Twitter accounts from Fortune 500 companies, explaining that some companies even have separate Twitter accounts solely for recruiting purposes.

“Simply put, the more exposure and presence in the social media-verse, the better chances you have at finding your dream job. Start a Twitter account around the field or topics you are interested in pursuing as a career”, he explained.

According to Agboju, job seekers must make sure to follow all the companies and individuals in that field, as well as the companies they are interested in working for. They should also look at a specific company or individual followers and follow anyone that is pertinent to their interests.

“Try to tweet at least 2 or 3 times a week. Using your Twitter account to display your passion for your interests show others your engagement and ability to learn new things within your field”.

Other social media platforms that job seekers can utilise to aid their job search, according to him, are the Pinterest, which is a pinboard-style social photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies, and Facebook which is a social networking service that allows users to communicate and share links.

“Many businesses also have Facebook pages and will post when job opportunities present themselves.

Make sure to ‘Like’ all the companies you are interested in and check back at their pages for new information”, he added.

24

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Tips for passing aptitude tests T Y ou can easily increase your aptitude test score by 50 to 100 points. Your score can improve dramatically simply by taking time to become “streetwise” about the aptitude test. Keep in mind that the aptitude test is a game. Just as in chess, baseball, tennis, or any other sports, those who know how the game is played have a huge advantage over those who are ignorant of the game’s idiosyncratic rules. These tips from www.mylelojobs.com/job, can come in handy.

The computer-adaptive structure of the aptitude test- The computer-adaptive test (CAT) version of the aptitude test is designed to get a more accurate assessment of your skills while asking you fewer questions than its paper-based predecessor did. The first question you see in any given section will be of average difficulty.

If you get the answer right, your next question will be slightly more difficult. If you get the answer wrong, your next question will be slightly easier. The software will also ask you different types of questions in a rather unpredictable order, as determined by its algorithm, rather than clustering question types as the written aptitude test did.

Manage your time wisely through practice-- The main way to develop aptitude test time management skills is to practice taking the test. It is very hard to overstate its importance. Therefore you are strongly encouraged to take at least a few mock written aptitude test exams or in the computer-adaptive format and to try to simulate the actual testing environment. (That means refraining from taking food breaks, engaging in telephone conversations, etc. until you have completed a section.)

Spend adequate time on the first 5 questions-- Difficult questions are weighted more heavily in scoring than easier

Managing Director, FJA Jobs.com, Funto Akinkugbe

questions. The first couple questions in any aptitude test CAT section are used to determine the range of questions that the program ‘thinks’ you are able to handle. After you have answered these first few questions, the testing software will give you questions to fine tune your score within that rather narrowly predetermined range.

Thus, your answers to the first five questions will make a huge difference in your final section score.

Prepare yourself to finish the test at all costsThere is a huge scoring penalty for failing to finish any section of the aptitude test.

For example, say you’re in line to get a score that will put you in the 70 percentile of test takers, based on your test performance so far – but then run out of time and fail to answer the last five questions in the section. That failure will lower your score to about the 55 percentile.

The lesson to take away from this is to prepare you to finish the test at all costs.

Answering a question incorrectly will hurt you, but not as much as leaving the question unanswered will. Train

yourself to work your best within the time limits of the exam. But train yourself, too, to be able to recognize when only a minute or so remains on the clock, and at that point to just answer “C” (or whatever your lucky letter is) for any remaining questions. Random guessing is like shooting yourself in the foot – but leaving answers blank is like shooting yourself in both feet.

Don’t waste time- This advice probably sounds self evident. Aptitude test candidates inadvertently waste test time by revisiting the help screen or requesting extra scrap paper after they began their test. These activities, if undertaken once the section has begun, will take time away from working on the questions.

Read the questions carefully- An undisciplined test taker will feel the stress of the clock during the timed sections and will try to cut corners to save time, wherever and whenever possible. As a result, he or she often misinterprets questions.

Aptitude test writers are well aware of this dynamic, and happy to capitalise on it.

Source: com/job

www.mylelojobs.

‘Skills acquisition programmes can boost youth productivity’ MESHACK IDEHEN

T

he Chief Executive Officer, Stesi Events, Mrs. Stella Adeusi, said skill acquisition forums are effective platforms for the promotion of productivity among Nigerian youths.

Adeusi states in Lagos at a business development seminar organised by her firm in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps.

According to her, the programme is aimed at ensuring that graduates and youths in general

inculcate the habit of skills acquisition.

“Basically, we wanted to teach them how to set up their business so that they can utilise the skills, which they have acquired, and I am satisfied with what I saw concerning the participants,” she said.

Adeusi, while commending the youth who participated in the event for showing good understanding of what productivity was and its place in economic development, however, warned them that acquisition of skills alone was not enough.

She said, “Skill acquisition

without business is nothing.

Therefore, learn a skill and commercialise it. The Nigerian youth should not just acquire these skills and sleep on them, but put them into use by commercialising them.

“With this habit, there will be more employed people and business owners among Nigerian youths than there are unemployed youths in the society today.”

She lamented the high rate of unemployment in the society, while also calling on youths to take advantage of the programme.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Job vacancies

here are vacant agriculture based positions, including the post for a Fish Farm Manager from www.jobberman.com that opens job vacancies for this week.

The positions, including that of the farm manager requires a minimum qualification of an HND and required experience of between 1 - 3 years Insisting on the requires the services of proven, qualified individual to managers, the company said some of the responsibilities for this post are to manage the hatchery and nursery in the production of catfish fingerlings and juveniles, Lead existing staff in the management of grow out ponds and Co-ordinate the operations of the farm’s smoke fish business Other requirements are at least 2 years’ experience in fish farm management, a strong personality and leadership skills with good communication skills, ability to work well under pressure with little or no supervision and ability to use Microsoft office applications especially Excel and Databases.

Also from www.jobberman.com are the positions for Mobile Developers in the ICT sector to be based in Lagos. The position requires a minimum qualification of a university Degree and also requires Experience of 3 to 5 years.

The company said it is seeking the service of a qualified person to fill the positions, and that the posts comes with the responsibilities to design, develop and launch mobile web applications suitable for the firm’s platform; to analyse current systems, maintain and document programs through knowledge of the system-development cycle using object-oriented design and analysis (OOA and give attention to elegant design, performance, user experience, scalability, clean and documented codes.

Other responsibilities are to perform activities including software analysis, code analysis, requirements analysis and software review and performance tuning, improvement, balancing, usability, automation.

Some other requirements are a BSc. in computer science, software engineering or related discipline, experience in mobile application development, extensive knowledge of J2EE, Java, HTML 4, 5, Jquery, JavaScript and Ajax, effective CSS layouts, graphics,

icons/glyphs, fonts and motion graphic design, proven experience of meeting deadlines and delivery of quality codes, effective problem solving skills, attention to detail and results and deadline driven.

From www.findjobafrica, is the position for a Chief Operating Officer (Medical Division).The description for the job by the company, said the incoming will be responsible for the direction and operations of the sales and technical division of the medical business unit within PPC LTD, and that other responsibilities will be to develop and implement effective growth strategies that would profitably increase the volume and value of product lines being sold and services being provided across the country.

Others are to liaise with the OEMs (particularly Philips, Netherlands) for technical and commercial information, pricing and training on all new products; and to supervise both the technical and commercial division of the Medical Unit.

Excellent interpersonal, communications, public speaking, and presentation skills are needed for the position, alongside strong sales and marketing skills, experience and knowledge of related products in the medical industry, sales and servicing of medical equipment and Solid working knowledge of budgeting, sales will be added advantage.

From www.jobberman. com also are positions for Marketers to be based in Lagos, Calabar and other locations around the country.

The minimum qualification required is a degree and experience of 3 - 5 years. In need of suitable qualified commission marketers to represent the company, the firm said the responsibilities for the positions are amongst others, communicating with target audiences and managing client relationships, doing house to house door to door delivery services, contributing to and developing marketing plans and strategies for effective sales initiatives and marketing and sales of consumer products.

Other qualifications and requirements are the possession of a Bsc in marketing or any other related discipline, having a strong flair for details in garment manufacturing, must be confident and a goal getter, and must be able to work with less supervision and under pressure

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

1004 Estate, Lagos.

How land law, bureacracy slow down real estate growth Despite the potentials in the Nigerian real estate industry, the growth in the sector has remained low, contributing less than 2.5 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product. DAYO AYEYEMI writes on some of the inhibiting factors to the growth of the sector.

T

he real estate sector, no doubt, offers great potentials for investors, buyers, developers and other participants, but it is yet to be tapped.

For this reason, the growth rate in the sector has remained abysmally low, contributing less than 2.5 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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 theirs to promote economic development.

Although, 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 in adequate mortgage institution and infrastructure have been adduced as reasons limiting growth in the real estate sector, various reforms of governments have not been able to address these shortcomings.

Expressing disgust over the low rate of growth in the sector, Managing Di-

THE PERFECTION PROCESS IS NOT

ONLY EXPENSIVE;

IT IS CUMBERSOME, COMPLEX, TIME-

CONSUMING AND

GENERALLY ANTIBUSINESS

Pepple

rector of UPDC, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran, said recently that real estate sector is over burdened by law and regulation, explaining myriad of legal constraints inhibiting investment in the sector.

According to him, land titling has remained the greatest problem faced by the players in the sector, saying the current legal framework did not guarantee title to land at any time in the transaction chain.

He explained that in the absence of an indefeasible title to land, developers, financiers, buyers and investors are exposed to high risks .

He blamed the situation on the provisions of the Land Use Act as relating to the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O), adding that holders of the certificate may later discover that the title document in their possession “is nothing but a piece of paper, as the Supreme Court once said in a case. (Ogunleye v Oni (1990) 2 NWLR p745).”

He expressed worry over the consent provision of the Land Use Act, saying that laudable as the provisions might be

for town planning purposes, various state governments, in the unmitigated drive for revenue, lay 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 as 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, timeconsuming and generally anti-business.”

He bemoaned the ambiguous permit and approval processes coupled with the ever changing rules, the 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 and 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 be resolved. 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 in the sector and poor level of infrastructural development make the delivery cost of affordable housing too CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

26

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How land law, bureacracy slow down real estate growth CONTINUED FROM 25 high and often beyond the reach of average Nigerian.

Other factors, according to him, are high cost of building materials and interest rates.

He said, “The antidote to this unfortunate situation is for funding requirements towards the sector; government investment into infrastructures thus, lowering the cost of building. Also an establishment of trust fund dedicated to support development and easing of Land Use Act regulations.”

The government, he stated must be serious and committed to a working partnership with the private sector to give all necessary support required to grow the housing sector even for foreign investors.

In the World ranking of countries of doing business, Nigeria is ranked 125 of 183 countries, 178 in getting property right, and 162 when it comes to dealing with construction permit.

According to the ranking, it takes 82 days to register property in Nigeria, while spending 20.9 per cent of property value to register a property, and one has to go through 13 procedures to register a property, 350 days to deal with the issues of construction permit and 18 procedures to get permits.

Whereas in countries such as Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia, 2.8 percent, 8.7 per cent, 2.6 per cent of property value is required respectively, as cost of registering.

With a housing deficit of about 15 million units, Nigerian real estate sector offers great potentials for investors. The International Finance Corporation recently put the estimated size of housing deficit in Nigeria at about $600 billion.

Cost of cheapest newly built house in Nigeria ranges from N12m to N25m; size of mortgage market remains at $796.9 million, mortgage contribution to GDP is less than 5 per cent; while mortgage debt to

Ali

GDP stands at 0.5 per cent; and percentage of land under customary title ranges between 65 and 70 per cent.

For the real estate industry to promote growth and contribute optimally to the nations’ economy, former Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, had stated that collateralised mortgage titles should be monetised such that holders could trade with them, saying that was the practice in all developed economies of the world.

Ovia noted that another challenge confronting the real estate industry is the problematic land tenure system, Land Use Act of 1978, which vested land in the of government, with change of ownership requiring governor’s consent, saying right of occupancy does not confer title and a person’s right of occupancy may be revoked.

He called for enactment and effective implementation of securitisation laws, strengthening of mortgage institutions, establishment of construction banks, patterned after China Construction Bank, India Construction Bank, Singapore Construction Bank, Malaysia Construction

Ogunniran

Bank and the overhauling of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

Worried by the low contribution of the real estate sector to the GDP of the country recently, President Goodluck Jonathan, had regretted the dismal performance of the industry.

He noted that at less than 5 percent of GDP, the contribution of the sector fell too short of its potential, describing it as insignificant when compared with what obtains in some developing economies where the sector is contributing between 12 per cent and 30 per cent.

The president lamented the proportion of Direct Foreign Investment (DFI), attributed to the built environment sector, saying it was negligible.

He noted that the problem of land acquisition in the country had continued to pose a stumbling block to poverty eradication policies and programmes of the government.

He sought the cooperation of estate surveyors and built environment experts with government to successfully carry out a thorough reform of the land management system, urging them to take the lead in the enthronement of a dynamic land admin-

REDAN denies N11bn loan deal with FMBN OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

R

eal Estate Developers’ Association of Nigeria (REDAN) has denied the alleged N11 billion loan deal with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

Addressing journalists in Abuja at the weekend on the purported loan portfolio, REDAN President, Chief Olabode Afolayan, said what happened between FMBN and his members could not be termed bad debt, but rather an incomplete transaction occasioned by institutional lapses.

He said,”When the issue of bad loan came up in 2009, REDAN waded into the issue but discovered that 90 per cent of developers who got the loans actually developed houses. But the main issue was that we had an incomplete transaction circle arising from institutional problems.”

Afolayan, who explained that FMBN and REDAN were into the business

Afolayan

of providing houses to the people of Nigerian, however said that there “is no way you will create credit without having outstanding.”

Asked on the status of the loan as at today, the REDAN boss said, “For today, we don’t call it debt, we have good transaction. If FMBN refuses to create credit, there will be no houses.”

Yakumo

He however noted that both FMBN and REDAN held regular stakeholders’ meeting with a view to addressing challenges that might arise in the course of transaction.

Afolayan also noted that the organisation had put in place internal mechanism to curb loan abuses from members.

istration system so that Nigerians would have access to land on which they can build their homes.

Also, Group Managing Director of Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Mr Adetola Emmanuel, pointed out that low participation of government in housing sector has weakened the private framework.

He called for synergy between government and the private sector to promote enabling environment and friendly housing/ land policies, saying that 100 per cent commitment to housing provision should be of interest to the local government, states and federal level.

Many experts have blamed low growth in the real sector on the enactment of the Land Use Act of 1978, which they said its provisions have hindered investment in the industry.

Two major aspects of the Act that attracted criticisms have been the requirement of governor’s consent and revocation of the “Right of Occupancy.”

The Land Use Act vests all land in the territory of a State on the Governor of that State, and vests the Governor with the power to grant statutory right of occupancy to persons. It prohibits the alienation of a statutory right of occupancy without the consent of the Governor.

To grow the industry, the report of the Vision 20:2020 National Technical Group in Housing 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”.

“In our last meeting we agreed on a number of pertinent issues. Firstly, we agreed that we need to build the capacities of our members. Secondly, we resolved to classify members. Part of what we set out to do is to ensure that our members do not go beyond the number of houses they can produce.

“Lastly, we also resolved to be involved throughout the life span of the loan facility. In order to achieve this, REDAN and FMBN are working out a new estate development loan policy.

The new policy will address significantly some of the crises we had in the past. Apart from that, it will help to prevent estate development loans from running into crisis.”

In order to check loan abuses by members, Afolayan added that REDAN had also resolved not to allow any developer to get facility to build 1000 at a stretch any longer.

He said even in the event that any developer had the capacity to build 1000 houses, the organisation would ensure that he does not handle more that 100 to 200 at any giving period for ease of monitoring.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Champions League: ‘Monster Messi’ scares Milan 28

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

The competition gets tougher by the day. But as a professional, there is no choice but to abide - Swiss tennis star, Roger Federer

Nigeria is beatable – Kenya

NPL: Ogbeide bemoans Wolves’ loss

T

IKENWA N NABUOGOR

K

enya’s national team coach, Adel Amrouche, has boasted that his team will beat the Super Eagles right in their backyard in Calabar on March 23.

The Algerian-born coach told a Kenyan local website that Eagles were beatable after all and maintained he would be at his best to beat the Nigeria.

The former Burundi coach has also exuded confidence that the Harambee Stars can shine and soar higher than the Eagles who were only recently crowned Champions of Africa.

“It is possible to beat Nigeria. We only have to get ourselves prepared well for them. We may not have so much time on our side but I have trust in the boys that we can do it,’’ said Amrouche.

The Harambee Stars resumed training at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani yesterday as they continue to perfect their tactical plans ahead of the big clash in Calabar.

It was the second session Coach Amrouche would hold with the players since being appointed as the new man in charge since the departure of French coach Henri Michel. ‘’We had a good first session last week on Thursday though we did not do much. Proper preparations begin this week with the local based players,” he told the local website.

It is going to be a tough three days before we release them back to their clubs because we must get very ready for Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, Amrouche named a strong 29-man squad yesterday ahead of the clash against Nigeria.

27

Home-based Super Eagles’ players in camp

W/Cup qualifier: Eagles postpone preparations EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

S

uper Eagles, yesterday, shifted their training towards the World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Kenya.

The Nigerian senior national team had resumed camping in Abuja on Sunday for the first time after winning the 29th Africa Cup of nations (AFCON) in South Africa last month with both old and new invi-

tees looking eager to make an impression on the coaching crew headed by Stephen Keshi.

National Mirror learnt yesterday that Keshi told the players that he would leave the door open for the 24 home-based players he earlier invited for the World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Kenya in Calabar on March 28.

“Most of the invited players apart from those of Enyimba and Rangers In-

ternational played on Sunday evening (played league matches) and they must be fatiqued from hurrying to camp, so we have to allow them (to) get some rest if we are to get the result that we want from them,” Keshi was quoted by Super Eagles’ spokesman, Ben Alaiya.

At the last count, almost all the 24 players invited to camp had arrived including standing skipper, Chigozie Agbim, Warri Wolves towering defender, Azubuike

Egwueke, Sunshine stars man in the middle; Godfrey Oboabona, goalie Daniel Akpeyi of Heartland of Owerri, Rangers’ Chibuzor Okonkwo, and the Kano Pillars duo of Gabriel Reuben And Papa Idris. Benjamin Francis is also in camp. All the new invitees were also in camp as at the time of filing in this report.

National Mirror learnt hat more players were still finding their way to camp as at lunch time last night.

...As Nigeria takes on Honduras

A

frican champions, Nigeria has been confirmed for an international friendly with Honduras billed for Washington, United States on May 26 this year.

According to reports from the Central American nation, president of the Nigeria Football Federation of Honduras, Rafael Callejas,

confirmed that La Bicolor will play a friendly match against the Super Eagles of Nigeria before facing Israel in June as part of their build-up for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification in the CONCAF region.

“First there was confusion because (Honduras head coach) Luis Fernando Suarez, thought he’ll play

against Nigeria on June 2 but the game is on May 26 and the June 2 game is against Israel. So it is a clear issue,” said Callejas.

But the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) could not confir m the proposed tune-up game with Honduras when supersport.com sought clarification on Monday.

NFF Media spokesman, Ademola Olajire, who spoke to supersport.com could not immediately confirm the game.

“I’m not aware of this game (against Honduras). The only confirmed friendly match before me right now is the one against Mexico in Texas on May 31,”Olajire said.

he Warri Wolves’ coach, Solomon Ogbeide, has praised his team for a good game, in spite of a 1-2 loss to Sharks of Port Harcourt in the opening of the 2012/13 professional league match in the Garden city.

Wolves lost to home side, Sharks in one of the opening matches of the 2012/2013 Nigeria professional league season.

Ogbeide told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt yesterday that although they lost, his team was not disgraced in encounter.

“Well, the league has just started and we hope to make good things to happen, because it does not matter how many times you fall. When you fall, then you have to wake up and do it again; my only regret is “the goodies” my boys have lost as a result of the loss.”

CAF poll: I’ve learnt - Maigari

P

resident of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari, yesterday, in Marrakech, Morocco, said that he had gained tremendous experience in football politics by participating in Sunday’s CAF Executive Committee elections, which he lost only after a run-off.

The Vice President of CAF’s West B zone and member of the FIFA Players’ Status Committee on Sunday gave his opponents a serious fight before losing to Beninoise official, Moucharafou Anjorin in a second vote.

But the Nigerian said though, he was not bitter, CAF should now strive to entrench a system that would allow the finest to emerge to run the game on the continent.

28

Sport

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

We deserved Chelsea draw –Ferdinand

‘Monster Messi’ scares Milan

A

C Milan Vice President, Adriano Galliani, hopes Barcelona’s talismanic striker Lionel Messi has a night off as the Rossoneri bid to protect their two-goal Champions League lead at a hostile Nou Camp today.

Messi has scored 40 league goals this season but the Argentinian forward has been a little more subdued in Europe, registering only five times and, more importantly, failing to notch a vital away goal at the San Siro last month.

But Galliani knows the threetime Ballon d’Or winner will be the spearhead of any Barca comeback in the last-16 secondleg clash, while ruing the absence of Milan’s own talismanic forward Giampaolo Pazzini.

“We can’t go into the game thinking we’ll be fine just because we’ve got a two-goal advantage,” the Milan top notch said yesterday.

“We are going up against the strongest team in the world who has a monster like Messi who scores all the time.

“One thing is certain and it will be another great challenge,

Sacchi writes off Barca

F

ormer AC Milan coach, Arrigo Sacchi, believes Barcelona is no longer the brilliant team of previous seasons.

The Catalans are currently preparing for the return of their Champions League round of 16 tie against the Rossoneri, after losing the first leg at San Siro 2-0, and Sacchi believes the Blaugrana face a difficult task to turn things around at Camp Nou. “It’s not the same brilliant Barcelona as before as they have not been in top form,” Sacchi said yesterday.

“It’s really difficult to be always playing at such a high level and to keep up that competitive spirit. In the past, they didn’t have to do much as they would win anyway.

“Tuesday (today’s) game will be a hard match for both teams.

2-0 is a good result for Milan.

Barcelona must try to frighten their rival and if they can do that, they will have a real chance of getting through to the next round.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

M

anchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has admitted that the club was punished for carelessness after letting a two-goal lead slip in the FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea on Sunday.

A 2-2 draw at Old Trafford leaves the tie unresolved with the winner to face Manchester City in the semi-final after a suitable day to hold the replay.

“We gave them the impetus to claw their way back into the game,” Ferdinand said yesterday.

“If you are careless you are going to get punished and that was the case.

“We go to Stamford Bridge for the replay with confidence. We have been there before this season and done well and with the squad we have we don’t fear going anywhere.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United Manager, Alex Ferguson, has said his team paid for the efforts against Real Madrid in midweek.

“We just ran out of legs and Chelsea were far the better team in the second half,” Ferguson said.

“But I can’t be critical of my side because the running they had to do on Tuesday night, against a really top side in Real Madrid, had its bearing and no doubt about that.”

Ramires and Eden Hazard leveled the game for Chelsea following early goals by Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney.

an infinitely difficult challenge.

It’s always nice to play Barcelona but we will be going into an incredibly heated atmosphere.”

Galliani remains confident a pool of Stephan El Shaarawy, M’Baye Niang, Robinho and former Barca striker Bojan Krkic will succeed at the Camp Nou.

Messi

Today’s fixtures Barcelona

vs

AC Milan

Schalke

vs

Galatasaray

Drogba, Sneijder struggle with Gala

G

Xavi

Xavi boost for Barca

B

arcelona’s influential midfielder, Xavi, has been passed fit after missing the Catalan club’s last two games with a hamstring injury.

Barca is unbeaten at home in 19 Champions League matches but the small matter of overturning a two-goal deficit has had varying effects on player morale.

Xavi is however optimistic of a turnaround today.

“We still have 90 minutes, maybe even 120 minutes. A lot can happen in a match,” he said yesterday.

“We need to be careful, we can’t lose possession, we need to avoid giving them any opportunities to counter-attack, we can’t commit stupid fouls and our attacks need to have purpose.”

When asked if Barca have what it takes to eliminate Milan, though, the Spain international was slightly more cautious.

alatasaray remains top of the Turkish league despite Fatih Terim’s team struggling against mid-table teams in Friday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Genclerbirligi and following the club’s goalless draw at Eskisehirspor.

New signings Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder have both yet to make their mark at Galatasaray and were quiet in the first leg as Burak Yilmaz’s early goal was ruled out by Schalke’s Jermaine Jones equaliser.

Both clubs have cause for confidence in this second leg.

Schalke is unbeaten at home in this season’s Champions League and Galatasaray is looking to complete a hat-trick of away victories in the competition.

The Royal Blues have lost just twice in 16 home games in European competition since the start of 2010/11, when they reached the Champions League semi-finals while Galatasaray is hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2001.

Sneijder with Drogba celebrating a goal

‘Bayern tries to poach Wenger’

B

ayern Munich President, Uli Hoeness, says the Bundesliga giant has tried to lure Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to the Bavarian capital on numerous occasions over the past 18 years.

“We did try to get him at Bayern Munich a few times,” Hoeness said yesterday.

“Even before he went to Japan, Franz Beckenbauer and I went to Nice and discussed with him and everything was clear, but ut then at the end of the day he e decided to go to Japan. We were ere very surprised.

“He’s a very serious person, on, very strong and has as a very good idea about bout the game.

There here have been a few moments where here we have discussed his scussed name ame over the years.” ears.”

W e n g e r , though, hough, will not be joining ining the Bundesliga ga leaders anytime soon, oon, after Bayern signed gned former Barcelona elona boss Pep Guardiola uardiola to take the he reins from next ext season. Hoeness ess believes the capture apture of Guardiola ola is a sign off the strength off German football at otball the he moment. ent.

Tit bits

Song

Barcelona midfielder, Alex Song, has expressed his desire to return t The 25-year-o oon internationa the Gunners last Barcelona in a £ has struggled to football.

Song is ready his short spell at as a move back would suit him a Arsenal Manag Wenger, is howe prospect.

Giggs

Manchester United veteran, Ryan Giggs, has admitted that his first manager’s job is likely to be a Old Trafford.

Latest reports h Giggs to manager “We’ve talked a pro licence course you want to get th ence, two or three pitch coaching, or said yesterday.

That might not h I will have to finish offered a decent m

Bale

Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique, feels Tottenham winger Gareth Bale would fit in nicely at the N the player’s future speculations.

“I think he’s an u player, he’s a grea said yesterday.

“He has all of t to play in the tea wants to. We wan best players the be and I believe he w addition.” additi

Bal Balotelli

ControverC ssial AC Milan sstriker, Mario Balotelli, said yesterday that settled at th The form City forward vvictory over weekend. w “I “ expected t quickly quic at Milan with my teamma happy happ it has hap the G Ghanaian-bo tional tion said.

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ManchesM ter United Manager, Sir Man Alex Ferguson, F rated Danny has ra Welbeck as the b Welbe attacking player attack Ferguson said Ferg picked up the m Ji-sung Park who Ji-sun trade at QPR.

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to Arsenal. ld Cameral, who left t summer for £15million deal, o get first-team

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tennis: Okocha hails CBN effort

Murray falters, ters, overcomess Russian orld number mber three, Andy Murray, yesterday came back from m a set down to claim a 5-7 6-2 6-2 victory ctory over Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy in n the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.

The British number mber one, playing for the first time since nce the Australian Open, made a sluggish gish start at Indian Wells, losing the first st set despite fighting back from 5-1 down own to level terms.

But Murray turned ned the tables in the second and Donskoy oy was eventually overwhelmed as the he US Open champion completed the win in comfortable fashion.

The third seed looked much improved but three more sublime shots from Donskoy, including uding an audacious lob which dropped in at the backline, gave the Russian a chance to take the set in game 12.

Murray saved two wo break points but Donskoy was too powerful werful on the third and he clinched the opening set 7-5 after 62 minutes on court.

After the twists and turns of the first set, the opening of the second was as a much more sedate e affair as Murray made de his move in the fifth game. me.

Murray served out the set after gaining another ther break, and Donskoy dropped ped serve twice more at the start of the deciding set.

The Olympic gold old medalist, who was by now in total al control but did have to save four more ore break points before finally wrapping ng up the win, will next face Lu Yen-hsun, sun, who defeated 26th seed Martin Klizan 7-6 (7li 7 6 (7-5) (7 5) 7-6 7 6 (7 Murray 5).

29

NPFL: Heartland rues loss to Nembe

M

F

ormer Super Eagles’ captain, Austin Okocha has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for sponsoring junior tennis tournaments in the country.

Okocha made the commendation at the final of the 2013 edition of the annual CBN National Junior Tennis Tournament held over the weekend at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos Island where he thrilled the crowd of school children to tennis skills pairing Nollywood actor, Kanayo O. Kanayo in an exhibition game.

Meanwhile, eight-year-old Mary Love Edward was the centre of attraction as she displayed exceptional tennis skills to the admiration of the invited guests that include the Corporate Communication Director of CBN, Mr. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, and President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engineer Sani Ndanusa, who is also president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF).

Edward also emerged as the Most Valuable Player in the girls’ category after defeating Bose Are 6-2 in the final of the girls U-12 event. Christopher Itodo won the boys Most Valuable Player’s award after defeat-

W

Sport

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Okocha

ing Saheed Oyekan 9-6 in the boys U-14 category while Kadijat Salami outclassed Blessing Dedakpoye 9-8 in the girls open category. Fortune Uche also beat Gabriel Friday 9-5 in the boys’ U-12 division as Joseph Imeh sent National Sports Festival semi-finalist Emmanuel Idoko packing in a straight set of 9-2.

Ndanusa pledged wild cards entries to winners of the Boys 16 and 18 categories to feature at the forthcoming Central Bank Men and Women Open Tennis Championship.

anagement of Heartland FC of Owerri has apologized to the club’s supporters for the 2-1 home loss to Nembe City FC last Sunday in Owerri.

A statement Heartland Media Officer, Cajetan Nkwopara, yesterday promised that the club would fight back to recover the lost points in the next away games.

“Now, we know we must have to fight back,” Nkwopara said.

The media officer dismissed suggestions that the loss to Nembe could rub off negatively on the club when it confronts visiting US Bitam of Gabon for the CAF Confederations Cup campaign on March 17, saying both competitions were different.

“The CAF Cup game is a big stage and surely we cannot do the same thing with the Gabonese team.

“But it is important to stress that we need support, prayers and motivation we can get from everybody.”

Meanwhile, Heartland has taken their first delivery of club branded items meant for merchandise as a means of raising revenue to support the continental campaign.

The first consignment which includes mufflers and caps is on sale in the clubs office at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, in Owerri.

Heartland’s GM, Ndubuoke

…Ex-player slumps, dies in Nnewi IKENWA NNABUOGOR

N

igerian football was thrown into fresh mourning as a former Heartland FC player, Richard Nwaeze, slumped and died while training at Nnewi, Anambra State last Saturday morning.

The player, nicknamed ‘Kanu’ for his facial resemblance to the former Super Eagles’ captain, Nwankwo Kanu, was training with some of his friends at a local training ground in the commercial city when he suddenly slumped and could not be revived before getting to the hospital.

Nwaeze, also who starred for Gabros, Dolphins and Akwa United, was said to have returned from a trip to Poland, where he underwent a trial few weeks earlier.

The cause of the player’s death could not be ascertained but close sources told National Mirror that the player would undergo autopsy as the body has been deposited in a mortuary at Nnewi while the family made arrangements for his burial.

Nwaeze had tried to revive his pro career back into shape since he left Polish top side, Polonia Warsaw, four years

ago but failed to get going again.

Following his return from Polonia, the lanky striker had helped Akwa United gain promotion to the Nigeria’s top flight two years ago.

His death adds to a growing list of Nigerian players who slumped and died on the playing pitch.

Nnewi

30

Sport

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

On the track with

YEMI OLUS danyella172003@yahoo.com

NOC, AFN face fire over Sydney 2000 medals S Brume

Brume targets Olympic record

F

resh from winning four gold medals at the recent D.K Olukoya U-18 Athletics Championship, Delta State athlete, Ese Brume, is convinced that she is in the form of her life as she prepares to shatter records.

The 17-year-old emerged winner of the girls’ long and high jump events, as well as the relay medley and the 4x100m relays at the competition staged at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

Her distances of 6.40m and 1.70m in the long and high jump events respectively were personal bests in her career thus, far while she also finished second in the girls’ 100m. She was beaten to gold

by Cecilia Francis of Greater Tomorrow Athletics Club who ran 11.96secs Brume won the long jump gold at last year’s National Sports Festival while she won silver in the high and triple jumps respective-

ly.

According to her, the latest development has increased her confidence.

“I actually came here to try my luck but I was really surprised by my performance,” Brume said.

“I want to aim for the Olympic record and I’m very serious about it. I know that nothing is impossible.”

Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, also expressed delight at the quality of competition and the athletes’ performance.

“Ese Brume jumped 6.40m to win the event and jumped 1.70m to win the high jump,” the AFN official said.

“The 10.51secs posted by the winner in the sprint was also not a bad one. These athletes need is better programmes to help guide their career in track and field,” he added.

AYC 2013: Delta is ready –Pinnick

C

hairman of the Local Organising Committee of the forthcoming Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) African Youth Championships, Amaju Pinnick, says Delta State is ready to host the 33 countries taking part in the competition.

Pinnick, who is also Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, said arrangements to make the event successful had been concluded.

“We are primed to raise young athletes who would make Africa proud at international competitions,” he told National Mirror yesterday.

He also disclosed that the Warri City Stadium had been restructured into an athletics sta-

dium specifically for the event scheduled to hold from March 27 to April 1.

“Africa did not do well in track and field at the Olympic Games and if we do not nip it in the bud, we won’t have the likes of Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya to represent us in future,” he added.

“Delta State has played a pivotal role in sports development in the country. When the CAA officials inspected the stadium, medical facilities and hotels, they gave us go-ahead to host the championship on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Onyalı, who is a member of the LOC, said she was delighted that the competition was designed to raise athletes that would make Nigeria proud.

ome members of Nigeria’s 4x400 men’s gold winning relay team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 have criticised officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) over the shoddy manner both bodies handled the receipt of their gold medal.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had on July 21, 2012 decided to award the gold to Nigeria which came second behind the USA after Antonio Pettigrew of the United States confessed to having used banned performance-enhancing drugs at the time the team won the Olympic gold medal.

The U.S. team was disqualified and stripped of the medal while Nigeria, Jamaica and Bahamas were promoted to gold, silver and bronze respectively.

This decision was formally communicated to the NOC on October 1, 2012, giving a one month deadline for members of the Nigerian 4x400m squad to return their silver medals in exchange for the gold.

However, the IOC sent the gold medal of only one member of the team, Enefiok Udo-Obong last week while the letter covering the dispatch of the medal was silent on the other members of the team who include Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, late Sunday Bada, Fidelis Gadzama and Nduka Awazie.

“I am pleased to send you this Olympic Gold for Mr Enefiok Udo-Obong, who was part of your men’s 4x400m now placed first in the athletics men’s 4x400 metres relay event at the Games of the XXV11 Olympiad, Sydney 2000,” the IOC letter read in part.

National Mirror gathered that Udo-Obong’s mates did not get their medals as they are yet to return the silver medal won in Sydney.

One of the affected, Chukwu, however insisted that he was not formally contacted by either the AFN or NOC and had opted not to send the medal directly to the IOC. “I am not happy at the manner the AFN handled the issue,” Chukwu said.

“When Udo-Obong reached out to me, I made itclear that we needed to return the medals and

Only Enefiok Udo-Obong (seen here anchoring the Nigerian quartet at the Sydney 2000 Olympics) has received his gold medal after he followed the IOC directive

I advised him that I could only send the medal if such directives came from the AFN or NOC. “We have made numerous attempts to bypass the AFN and NOC but were referred back to NOC by the IOC. If you recall, Jude had an interview with CNN with regards to the medals, when CNN followed up with IOC, they were referred back to NOC. I actually called Mr. Tunde Popoola (NOC General Secretary) for information and never got him.

“Consider this, our officials having learned that we should receive the Gold made no effort to rectify the situation but left it up to us to pursue. Should I abandon my job and family and set up camp in Nigeria to get a medal that rightly belongs to me? Should I rely on the same people who after us winning the Silver never provided any acknowledgement for us and if there were any endorsements we never realized any of them?

Monye had reportedly said

in an interview: “Save for Bada who is dead, all of us are in constant communication. To whom did the NOC or the AFN communicate the decision to return the silver medal, when and where? If they had reached anyone of us, the others would have known.”

When National Mirror contacted NOC Secretary General, Tunde Popoola, yesterday, he said the body was still in the process of recovering the silver medal from the other members of the team.

“We are yet to collect all the medals. The others are in the process of sending down their medals and some of them have already been granted permission to send theirs directly to the IOC secretariat,” the NOC official said.

“We are also trying to retrieve the medal from the late Bada’s family.

“A ceremony will then be held after all the gold medals have been received because it is worth celebrating.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Real Estate & Environment

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When Ajimobi unveiled Bodija ‘restoration’ bridge KEMI OLAITAN, IBADAN

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or residents of Bodija in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Friday, August 26, 2011, was a day that will continually be in their memory, for it was a day that the bridge located close to the Awolowo road junction that linked the community with the Secretariat road was washed away by flood. Indeed, the heavy down pour caused the residents, civil servants, traders, artisans, businessmen, women and others who used the road to experience untold hardship.

But today, relief has come the way of residents of Bodija community and others as they were recently launched into a new mood of joy when the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, inaugurating a new bridge now called Restoration bridge.

It is on record that in the past 20 years or more, residents of Ibadan and its environs were always gripped by fear during rainy season such that thousands of residents and road users were always stranded as flood overflows the bridge and cuts off the entire Bodija area from direct link to the state secretariat, OritaMefa and other parts of the city. Indeed, the devastating effect of the August 26, 2011 flood brought pain and agony to commercial drivers plying the popular Bodija Market and Ojoo from Molete, Beere and Gate. They were forced to divert to another route within Bodija Estate. This engendered suffering on the residents of the estate who could no longer enjoy their privacy.

While previous administrations in the state have made attempts to solve the problem of erosion, such came to nought until last year when Governor Ajimobi-led administration began the reconstruction of the bridge to free the water channel to enable it to contain greater volume of water

New Ijora bridge

during heavy rains. While the reconstruction of the bridge lasted, some residents complained of hard times, but the government refused to bow to pressure to do a shoddy job just to ease people’s suffering which may be compounded in future if shoddy jobs are executed.

Thus, when Ajimobi and his team went for the inauguration of the new bridge, residents praised the administration for delivering quality jobs across the state. Stalwarts of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), within the state and beyond attended the inauguration ceremony.

Among them were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo; Senators Oluremi Tinubu, Ayo Adeseun and Olufemi Lanlehin; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Jumoke Sunmonu and the state chairman of the party, Chief Akin Oke, commissioners, among others.

The governor while inaugurating the bridge said, “Permit me to remind you

of the unfortunate incident of flooding which severely washed away this water channel. Year after year, the incident disrupted the socio-economic lives of the people, causing untold hardship, including death, to members of the public. I am sure the events of August 26, 2011 are still fresh in our memory when flood ravaged major cities in Oyo State, especially Ibadan. Bridges collapsed and water channels overflowed their courses.

“As a responsible and responsive government, we were determined to put a stop to the wanton destruction of lives and properties occasioned by flooding. Immediately after this unfortunate disaster, we set to work. We began a systematic and aggressive exercise of widening water channels and dredging of rivers, so as to widen them and allow free flow of water.

“We did not stop at that. We equally slated vital bridges that collapsed for reconstruction, so as to mitigate the challenges posed by the flood. Bodija

Bridge is one of them. Others are also at different stages of completion.”

Ajimobi who could not hide his excitement at the completion of the bridge said he was proud of the pursuit of his vision to reposition the state as it is being achieved daily in its march towards restoration of the glory of the state as the Pace Setter State.

He continued: “The delivery of this project is a testimony to this administration’s determination to impact the lives of our people positively, lessen their sorrows and take away their fears.

Flooding of this river channel and its attendant problems is now buried and forgotten. Let me assure you that we shall continue on this path to ensure the full accomplishment of our mission.

“I wish to congratulate the good people of Ibadan in particular and Oyo State in general. Our people probably did not understand the significance and impact of this bridge until it was cut off by the flood and they had to navigate far lengthier routes to get to their destinations. This bridge shall resume, from today, its invaluable contributions to the improvement of our people’s socio-economic lives. I also wish to congratulate the stakeholders in the transport industry on the completion of this project.”

Residents of the ancient city of Ibadan who have since been using the bridge rechristened Restoration Bridge, lauded the Oyo State government in bringing smile to their faces with the completion of the bridge which is now expanded, longer and stronger, even as it allows free flow of mass water in times of heavy rain. Indeed, it will not be out of place for one to say that residents can now sleep with confidence even during heavy rains unlike previous periods when anxiety grips them whenever it seemed to rain.

Why we embarked on ocean protection work –Fashola

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agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, has explained that the ocean protection work at the Bar Beach was a major project embarked on by his administration to save life and property threatened by the ocean surge and erosion.

The governor gave the hint during the inspection tour of projects across the state last week, saying slow pace of the projects along the corridor was necessitated by the storm that ravaged Kuramo Beach last year August and threatened the whole projects there.

According to him, the government had to abandon a few projects it had wanted to do so that it could respond to the emergency to save life and property which included Goshen Estate, Oniru Estate and a few others that were threatened.

He disclosed that the ongoing wall construction was meant to limit the ability of the sea to continue to erode the shoreline.

“So we have gone to see the progress of work there. They are constructing walls there that limit the ability of the sea to continue to erode the shoreline there”, the governor explained.

According to him, the projects tour was meant to ensure correct assessment and

timely execution of the projects across the state Projects inspected by the government and members of his cabinet included the construction of Ozumba Mbadiwe Road – Kofi Abayomi, Lagos State Arbitration Centre, shoreline protection (Goshen / Alpha Beach), access road into Mayegun Scheme, Maternity and Childcare (MCC), Fairmount Garden Infrastructure, Alexander – Admiralty Link Bridge and Osborne Foreshore Jetty with Terminal Building.

The governor expressed satisfaction with the level of works done in the last six months, describing it as encouraging.

Elated Fashola said, “We have saved property walls and properties themselves that, probably, would have been submerged.

You have seen the drainage that would have been taken over by the sea if we had not acted.

“That, perhaps, is one of the most significant projects our budget implementation last year achieved in the sense that it saved property, it saved life.”

The governor assured that within the next three years when the project is expected to be completed, the wall would have

Where do we go from here? Children whose houses were affected by the recent demolition exercise in Ijora, Lagos searching the ruin for valuables.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

been extended by 7.3 kilometres up to Alpha Beach.

Fashola, who said the government has not received any help from anywhere, declared that he would continue with the project because “this is the right way to spend taxpayers’ money; this is the right way to spend the money we raised by bond. It is

only the people who are safe, whose properties appreciate that will pay tax that will repay this investment”.

Other projects nearing completion, the governor said, included the Lekki Link Bridge which, according to him, but for a few finishing works such as installation of toll plazas, it should be ready to go.

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Beautiful, intricate designs on walkways, using paving stones From stone walkways and edging to driveways, patios and pool decks, there are many outside areas that can benefit from the beauty and durability of paving stones, or ‘pavers’, according to experts @ about.com.

P

avers are made from a variety of materials, including natural stone, brick and concrete and come in a wide variety of shapes, styles and colours.

Pavers are relatively inexpensive and installation can easily be accomplished by a do-it-yourself with just some general tips and guidelines. Pavers require little maintenance, and repairs are relatively simple, making them a perfect addition to your garden or backyard.

But, before you buy paving stone, consider the following questions: What type of paver is best suited to your project? What materials can pavers be constructed from? Are you looking for a specific colour range? What are the proper steps for installation? How can you best care for and maintain paving stones?

Types, uses, maintenance and installation There are three basic types of paver

YOU CAN USE

CONCRETE PAVERS, AS WELL AS NATURAL STONE OR CLAY

BRICKS, TO CREATE

BEAUTIFUL, INTRICATE DESIGNS ON WALKWAYS AND PATIOS.

materials: Natural stone, brick and concrete.

Within these simple materials, there are hundreds of different styles and colours.

Since concrete pavers are actually a manufactured product, colours are introduced

Culled from: www.divinecaroline.com

during the manufacturing process to produce a wide range of strong, bright colours that resist sun and fading.

Manufactured pavers are interlocking, which makes them particularly easy to install. Lay them side by side to create neat borders that separate your lawn and garden or stack them in a low wall to make a raised bed. You can use concrete pavers, as well as natural stone or clay bricks, to create beautiful, intricate designs on walkways and patios.

Some concrete pavers are coloured and fashioned to look just like brick pavers Joints between pavers eliminate the cracking of conventional concrete pavement

Natural stone is most often used in pathways, walkways, edging or on patios. Brick is extremely versatile and durable and can be used on pathways, driveways and as edging or patio material. Precast concrete pavers are a uniform size and are specifically designed for outdoor use, although you should check with the manufacturer about durability for use in driveways or other high traffic areas. If you are planning to use pavers for a pathway, make sure to allow at least 3’ of width. If you are building a driveway, measure your vehicles and allow enough space with the doors open for people to exit and move comfortably around the car.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Real Estate & Environment

33

Estate developer drags CPC, others to court TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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ollowing the recent raid on its offices which disrupted business activities there, El-Salem Limited, a leading estate development company, has filed a law suit against the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and eight others claiming damages for the illegal raid.

In the action filed on its behalf by the law firm of Professor Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, & Partners at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on 5th March, 2013, El-Salem is claiming the sum of N1 billion for the unlawful raid and confiscation of its office files and working equipment.

The Executive Director of the company, Dr Michael Onyebuchi, in a statement made available to National Mirror, said the company is also claiming damages from the CPC and eight other defendants joined in the suit for loss of goodwill and business patronage caused by the libelous publication made by defendants on the 26th and 27th of February, 2013.

He stated: “It is the contention of El-Salem Nigeria Ltd that it was wrong for the CPC to intimidate and harass its staff and customers at gun point without any previous notice or warning of the raid.

“Having cooperated fully with the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) in its investigations, it was illegal for the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to carry out a raid on the company without following due process, argues ElSalem in its case.

“El-Salem also contends that CPC carried out the raid out of malice and that the raid was an abuse of office because the aggrieved customers whom the CPC pretended to be protecting are either staffs or spouses of

Dubai Palm Island resort

staffs of the CPC”, Onyebuchi added.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

It would be recalled that prior its legal action, the company had vehemently denied the allegations levelled against it the CPC, saying that claims by some its clients were spurious and ill-founded.

The company decried the forceful invasion of the company’s head office premises in Abuja by agents of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) who allegedly carted away official documents and other valuable assets on the ground that the company failed to deliver houses to some clients, saying the invasion was ill-motivated.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr Ben Gbade Ojo, said the council’s approach as an arbiter in matters affecting the company and some clients, who failed

to fulfil their contractual obligations but yet were seeking redress, was nothing but a naked show of power without recourse to due process and rule of law.

According to him, the CPC officials told the journalists that El-Salem was a fraudulent company engaged in the criminal activity of collecting money from members of the public, promising to build houses for them but neither building nor refunding the money to customers.

While denying the allegations which, he claimed, were intended to mislead the public and justify the illegality of their invasion of the company’s premises, Ojo said the officials’ actions could not be justified for any reasons.

He explained: “We wish to state, without any equivocation, that the CPC lied in all ramifications. For the avoidance of

FG commissions forestry geographic info system, remote sensing lab

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he Federal Government has commissioned the country’s Forestry Geographic information System/ Remote Sensing laboratory.

The system is domicile at the Department of Forestry, Abuja.

It will also be recalled that the FGIS/ RSL which dates back to 1976, has been deplored by the department in conjunction with GIS/Remote Sensing to produce the first comprehensive Land Use and Vegetation (LUV) maps for the country under the Nigeria Radar Project (NIRAD).

The LUV provided the necessary baseline information that guided not only forestry management practices in the country, but other land-based development sectors.

Apart from this, the LUV Map production which was repeated in 1997 by the Forest Department also provided the change matrix for land use and vegetation for a period of 21 years and the land use statistics submitted by Nigeria to International Agencies within the period were based on these maps.

The facility also houses the web-based National Forestry Information System (NFIS) which is a platform where relevant information from the Forestry sub-

Hadiza

sector in Nigeria can be accessed freely through online networking as well as the sensing laboratory alongside NFIS which are interrelated through the data/ information.

Environment Minister, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia underscored the imperative of the system, explaining that the “GIS is a computer-based system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage and present all types of geographical data, while remote sensing is the acquisition of Information about an object or phenomenon without making physi-

cal contact with the object,” adding that both technologies had revolutionised forest resources assessment worldwide.

She therefore admonished the staff of the Forestry Department to ensure the facility is put to good use as well as protect and maintain it.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Taye Haruna who was represented by, the Director, Drought and Desertification Amelioration, Dr. Bukar Hassan, highlighted some benefits of the laboratory.

According to him, the system would enable the Department of Forestry to obtain up-to-date information and data on Nigeria’s forest resources for the purpose of planning and sustainable management and enable the ministry to meet the regular forest resource information about Nigeria needed by international Agencies.

The system, he explained further would provide the much needed information on vegetation and land use changes essential to monitoring of climate change and the GIS Information produced would help to provide remedial measures to forestall or reduce adverse effects of environmental problems in Nigeria.

doubt, El-Salem Nigeria Limited is a multiple, awardwinning, mass housing development company with a verifiable track record of delivering high quality and affordable homes.

We still hold the award of “Most Oustanding Estate Developer in Abuja” given to us by the (Resident Doctors Associationof Nigeria Abuja Branch).

“Contrary to the misinformation being dished out to the public by the CPC, we wish to state in very clear terms, that there is no subscriber who has fully paid for his or her house that has not been given the house. El-Salem has more houses in the estate than there are subscribers and anybody who fully completes payment for any of the houses will be handed the house the same day.

Dakingari, Geidam, others for Institute of Environment Accountant awards

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he Institute of Environmental Accountants (IEA), will confer the institute’s “2012 Environment Man of The Year Awards” on Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Saidu Usman Dakingari and his Ondo State counterpart, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, while the Environment Champion of the Year 2012, will be bestowed on the Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam.

The award ceremony is billed to hold at Abuja Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday, March, 2013.

The institute will also confer the ‘Distinguished Fellowship Platinum awards on the three eminent personalities, namely: Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Tarila Tebepah; a renowned environmental accountant and former Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning in Bayelsa State, Hon. Prieye Ogriki; and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Rainbow Cards Limited, Dr. Azeez Anthony Bamidele.

A statement by the institute’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Dr. Olusegun Lawal said all the awardees were chosen based on their tall credentials as regards their respective contributions to the country’s economy.

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Real Estate & Environment

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Relocate from flood prone areas, Lagos warns residents •Says they should expect 275 days of heavy rainfall

One of the scenes of last year flood disaster in Lagos

STORIES: DAYO AYEYEMI

I

n order to avert flood disaster in the state this year, the Lagos State Government has warned residents living in flood plain areas to relocate following the 2013 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction which indicates that Lagos might witness heavy rainfall for 249 to 275 days this year with intermittent stoppage in February and August.

The State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, while briefing journalists at the weekend, appealed to people living in low lying plains, river and drainage channels, which are prone to flooding, to relocate to save locations in order to avoid being flooded in the course of the year predicted deluge.

The 2013 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction shows that Lagos State will experience heavy rainfall for 249 to 275 days with intermittent stoppage in February and August .

According to the magnitude of the seasonal rainfall prediction for 2013, the heavy rainfall will be of high intensity with thunderstorm.

Bello, said, “ I want to appeal to people living in flood prone areas across the state to relocate to avoid flood disaster in the course of the year. Also, people living very close to rivers and drainage channels should also relocate because they are not expected to build in such locations in the first instance. There is nothing government can do about this, they have to relocate.

“Part of Ikorodu, Ketu and Maryland were seriously affected last year because those are areas where water channel passes. So, these areas are highly vulnerable.”

Bello stated further that it has been predicted that the rainfall would commence between the first and second week in March, with a margin of error of three days, as probable onset dates for 2013 rainy season.

According to him, the prediction was further confirmed with the rains which, he said had come in torrents on Saturday/Sunday of March 1 to 2, 2013, as well as Monday 4, 2013 respectively.

He explained that Lagos is expected to record 1722mm with marginal error of between 21mm and 179mm, adding that thunderstorm has also been predicted to occur during the raining period of June, July, August, September and October.

As predicted last year using the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), Bello stated that the pattern of Lagos and southwest states rainfall this year would not be different from the 2012 predictions, noting that one of the widely discussed transboundary issues across the globe currently is the climate change challenge.

According to him, climate change challenge which cuts across boundary, has led to wide range of disasters such as drought, desertification, flooding,

ocean surge, tsunamis and windstorm among others.

Explaining the intensity of last year flooding which ravaged many states of the nation, Bello said, “In fact, available records indicated that Nigeria experienced the worst flooding in more than 80 years in 2012. Reports showed that about 27 states were flooded, but by the special grace of God and our collective efforts, Lagos did not record any major flood disaster last year.

The commissioner for the environment appealed to residents of Lagos not to panic, pointing out that like any other coastal cities in the world , Lagos is prone to flooding,disclosing that his ministry had, since the end of last year’s rainy season, commenced preparations for the 2013 rainfall, through its de-flooding programmes.

“We wish to allay the fears of our people by telling them not to panic any time it rains. They should be rest assured that our primary and secondary channels are being maintained and dredged in readiness for this year’s rains,” he said.

Bello assured Lagosians that his ministry intends to sustain and strengthen last year’s strategy which is predicated on pre-rain programme between January and April, 2013; midrain programme between May and August,2013; and post-rain programme between September and December,2013 respectively.

Other programmes being put in place to reduce the incidence of flooding, he said included massive clearing and dredging of primary and secondary channels/collectors in the state; expansion of existing drainage channels in order to contain more storm water; lining of many earth channels; and strengthening of resident engineers/ drainage maintenance officers to oversee drainage matters in the Local Governments/ Local Council Development Areas across the state.

Day UNDP inaugurated floating school in Lagos waterfront community

M

akoko, a waterfront community in Lagos was the destination point last Saturday for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), environmentalists, journalists and government officials.

The scrambling for locally made canoes and boats to the venue of the special floating school built on water for children in the Lagos riverine community lasted for four hours.

The project, designed by a Nigerianborn, Netherlands-based architect, Mr Kunle Adeyemi, is largely financed by the UNDP. The prototype, as unveiled last weekend, is a two-storey building standing on silt, and powered by solar energy.

Speaking during the event, the Country Director of UNDP in Nigeria, Ade Mamonyane Lekoetje, reassured that UNDP is committed to improving the standard of living of the people, expressing optimism that the school would change the face of Makoko.

According to Lekoetje, the children in

Makoko Floating School, Lagos

the community deserve quality education in a conducive environment, and the floating school project serves that purpose.

The floating school, she explained was aimed at promoting and address the immediate need of the community.

She thanked the Lagos State Government for its cooperation , saying the government through the project, is addressing the

issue of climate change and community living.

She said, “This is a good cooperating between the Lagos State Government, UNDP, Private sector and the community.

She stated that with the initiative, the community would be able to have a sustainable life where they are living, urging local chiefs in the area known as Baales and the

entire community of the need to ensure the maintenance of the floating school which is to complement the existing primary school in the area.

Project Designer of the Makoko Floating School, Mr. Kunle Adeyemi, said the school is a sustainable project that would not be affected by the impact of climate change such as a rise in the sea level, as the structure would float undisturbed, and the waste generated in the school would be recycled.

He called for support in construction of more floating schools in other coastal communities across the country, saying it would help to improve the lives of the people there.

A Makoko community leader, Chief Francais Agoyon, expressed appreciation to UNDP for constructing a school that suits their environment and the needs of his people, and promised that his community would make good use of the school.

He said that with such projects in Makoko, the area would attract tourists from far and wide, who would certainly enjoy the hospitality of his people.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviation

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

35

Crashes: Stakeholders disagree on no fault insurance policy The planned introduction of no fault insurance, which is to serve as a temporary relief for families of crash victims by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is causing divergent views from the stakeholders in the sector.

OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

T

he plane crash of Aviation Development Company (ADC), flight 53 with 104 passengers and crew members onboard shortly after taking off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NNA), Abuja on October 29, 2006 is still very fresh in memories of many Nigerians.

Also, aircraft accident on December 10, 2005 involving Sosoliso Airlines flight 1145 from Abuja to Port Harcourt, which crashed on landing with 110 people on board with two survivors, cannot be easily forgotten by the families of the crashed victims.

The common thing in the two crashes was that none of the families of the victims involved in the accidents were paid any amount of money as compensations till date, years after the accidents.

Also, the controversies still trailing the payment of compensation to the families of Dana Air crash of June 3, 2012 at the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos is yet to be abated over nine months after 163 onboard and on ground perished in the air disaster. While Dana Air management claimed that about 30 per cent of the victims’ families have been compensated; some analysts disputed that figure.

Till date, most of the families of air crashes in the country hardly find their rhythms after losing their breadwinners as compensations, which ought to serve as palliative measures are not forthcoming. The International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), had set aside a minimum of $100,000 compensations for families of air crashes anywhere in the world, but unfortunately, Nigerian carriers find this amount of money hard to pay due to several irregularities in their insurance claims.

However, to reduce the effect of losing a loved one in a crash, the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren disclosed recently that the agency was proposing introduction of a contributory compensation scheme known as ‘nofault insurance,’ which is to be paid by the passengers themselves at the terminal before boarding the airplane within the country.

Demuren explained that the funds would be deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with input from the Ministry of Aviation and would add as a complement to the mandatory $100, 000 minimum compensation recommended by ICAO, but quickly noted that money could not replace lost lives.

He said the insurance scheme would allow prospective travellers to accumulate or buy more insurance from airlines and maintained that the planned scheme was already in use in Europe

Akerele

Demuren

IF YOU CANNOT ENFORCE WHAT YOU HAVE CURRENTLY, WHY DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER INSURANCE SCHEME? I THINK NCAA SHOULD RATHER ENFORCE THE EXISTING COMPENSATION RULE TO AIR CRASHES VICTIMS and the United States.

He said, “Because of the series of hardship and trauma families go through in the event of crash or incident, gover nment is looking at what it can do. We may come out with the ‘no-fault insurance’ policy. With this, you can buy additional insurance, then a little amount from the passenger ticket sales will go to the pool, it will be deducted at source from the sale and a bank would be used to manage it properly.”

There are indications that in the event of an accident, through the new scheme, victim’s family could be paid as much as $300,000 depending on the consistency of the deceased in raking up more premiums.

But, some industry stakeholders and professionals are skeptical about the success of the proposed scheme. Some said that before NCAA could scale through with the proposal, it would have to amend its enabling act for legal approval as some passengers may want to challenge the scheme in the law court.

Also, others pointed at some schemes in the past which had failed due to corrupt practices among government officials. A stakeholder specifically mentioned the current crisis trailing the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Office (CIPPO), with the main culprit, former Assistant Director and Chairman of the Pension Reform Team, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina still on the run despite the warrant of arrest on him by the court.

Commenting on the issue, the President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt. Dele Ore described the ‘no fault insurance’ policy as good for the industry, but insisted that rather than concentrate much effort on the scheme, NCAA should concentrate on how to prevent air crash in the country’s airspace.

He explained that there is nothing too much to alleviate the sufferings of families of air victims, but said it was not yet clear how the scheme would be implemented.

He said, “My view is that there is nothing too much to alleviate the sufferings of victims of air crashes, but the effort should not be over-concentrated on compensation, rather, I believe that we should concentrate our effort on prevention so that the occurrence can be rare and it would not happen again, but unfortunately, such things happen.

“So, our efforts must shift to how people can receive this support, which is the caption ‘no fault claim,’ which is to keep the system going and take care of the medical expenses, funeral and other expenses for the families.

“But how it is going to work through the CBN is what I still don’t know. We need to support the NCAA, but I’m not quite clear about the modality or the instrumentality either through the CBN or the Ministry of Aviation. We need to fine-tune it to make sure this thing works, but we should not concentrate too much on the issue, we should still make sure that accidents do not hap-

pen.”

On the possible change of NCAA enabling Act, Ore said there was no need to change, the Act, saying that before any new scheme is introduced, ICAO recognises the involvement of industry stakeholders, which is known as the ‘rule making process’ whereby the industry is given the opportunity to have an input, make suggestion and make amendments where necessary.

He noted that the scheme was not new to the global aviation industry, averring that NCAA was not reinventing the wheels, rather trying to introduce what is being practiced in other climes into the Nigerian system.

“As we are talking, this has worked in several other places. There is nothing new that we are trying to do here, we are just looking at the best way to look at our environment, look at what is good for us, then, adopt or adapt.”

On his part, former Airspace Manager of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Sam Akerele noted that if airlines have been paying all outstanding compensation based on the current $100, 000 to the families of air crashes, the new scheme would not have been necessary and won’t be challenged by stakeholders and air travellers when introduced.

Akerele maintained that if the regulatory authority could not enforce the current compensation regime, there was no need introducing a new insurance scheme for victims of air crashes.

He said, “If airlines have been paying all the compensations for accident victims, people will definitely have confidence in whatever NCAA is trying to introduce, but the reverse is the case in this country. If you can not enforce what you have currently, why do you want to introduce another insurance scheme? I think NCAA should rather enforce the existing compensation rule to air crash victims.”

Besides, a source close to NCAA told our correspondent that the proposed scheme was part of a welfare package for air passengers by the agency and might not be in operations in the next one year.

To become operational, the source who was not authorised to talk on the issue said that the regulatory agency does not have to review its existing Act, but would involve all stakeholders in the sector through a conference.

The source said, “Nothing is introduced by NCAA without going through the stakeholders’ conference as we call it in Nigeria, but the ICAO calls it ‘notice of rule making.’ The stakeholders must have a say on it before you introduce a law into the system.

“There is no law NCAA introduced into the system without first consulting the stakeholders in the system. It took us years to do various things in the agency. So, this one will not be different from others, it will take time before it becomes operational. It might even go as far as one year.”

36

Aviation

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

More than 5% of BA’s 3,215 pilots are female – Official STORIES: OLUSEGUN KOIKI

B

ritish Airways has said that more than five per cent of its 3, 215 pilots are female, making it the highest percentage of female pilots employed by any United Kingdom airline and almost double the levels found across the rest of the UK commercial aviation sector.

The Public Relations Manager, Africa, BA, Camilla Barrett revealed this to some aviation journalists in London recently when the team visited the airline’s headquarters near Heathrow Airport.

According to Barrett, each pilot of the airline on its 226 aircraft is trained to the highest standards to fly one particular aircraft type, adding that pilots can change the type of aircraft work on at various stages of their carriers.

She explained that BA recruits pilots on a continual basis depending on its future operational requirements, which could be because of a new programme to help people to train to become airline pilots, recruit-

ment of qualified pilots from other airlines and a joint initiative with the UK Armed Forces to provide military pilots with a planned career path into commercial aviation.

She noted that the airline currently has five mainline fleets of aircraft; Boeing 747-400, 777, 767, 737 and Airbus 320 in its fleet, maintaining that each aircraft has a minimum of two pilots onboard; a captain and a first officer or senior first officer.

She said, “On longer flights, there may be up to four pilots to enable each pilot to take sufficient rest periods. The shortest flight sector a BA mainline pilot would fly would be Heathrow to Manchester and the longest would be Heathrow to Buenos Aires.

Besides, talking on the operations of the airline, Barrettt, emphasised that BA introduced a fully flat-bed business class product in 2000, after pioneering fully flat-beds in its first class cabin in 1996.

She added that the current club world (business class) service and seat was introduced in 2006, stressing that the service is unique.

B.A. Manager, Ian Petrie

She said the current club world cabin has been rolled out across the vast majority of the fleet, with the main exception being certain Boeing 767 aircraft.

“Club world is perfect whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, as you have the flexibility to sleep, work or relax so you arrive refreshed and ready for the day ahead,” Barrett said.

Delta Air Lines projects profit in Q1

Delta 747

O

ne of the leading international airlines operating into Nigeria, Delta Air Lines has said that it foresees a first-quarter operating margin of 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent and expects its unit revenue—the amount taken in for each passenger flown a mile—will be up 4.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Delta’s President, Ed Bastian added that the airline’s capacity will be down 2 per cent to 3 per cent in the period, compared with a year ago, and its unit cost excluding fuel will rise by 6 per cent to 7 per cent.

The last time Delta turned a profit in the seasonally weak March quarter, in 2000, aviation fuel cost 62 cents a gallon, Bastian said.

In the current quarter, fuel goes for $3.25 a gallon, costing the airline $2bn more than in the first quarter of 2000. Delta, which has a $1bn cost restructuring initiative under way to wring expenses out of its operations, said the rise in unit costs excluding fuel will peak in the first half of this year and then diminish in the last six months.

Bastian said that the goal longer term is to keep its unit costs excluding fuel flat to up 2 percent he said.

Delta, which last year purchased a closed oil refinery near Philadelphia, said it has experienced “some teething pains” in restoring the facility to production. Hurricane Sandy didn’t help, Bastian said.

The plant ran at 75 per cent of capacity in the first quarter and still is expected to break even, he said. If it had run at full capacity, it would have earned $60m, and Delta is expecting it to produce $75m to $100m in profit in the June quarter.

To reduce input costs, Delta is experimenting with bringing less-expensive Bakken crude from North Dakota by rail to the refinery, at considerable savings compared to the Brent crude it normally purchases.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

Who wants Dana Air out again?

R

umours were rife about two weeks ago that Dana Air, which returned to flight operations in January after seven months of being in the cooler due to the June 3, 2012 accident at the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos had landed on its belly, scaring the hell out of the airline clients and causing industry players to run helter skelter in search of it.

It was so bad that every reporter got a call from their bosses and contacted the various industry chief executive officers for appropriate information, which never existed in the first place.

However, after much enquiry, it was discovered that nothing of such happened to the airline on the said day and everybody wondered where the unfortunate ru-

mour emanated from.

Airside feels that some players in the sector who want to corner all the revenues by all means are actually behind this baseless rumour. Players in the sector now want to outdo one another by all means including fuelling a rumours about the competition.

It is unfortunate that this is happening in our clime. In other climes, airline operators collaborate to grow the industry, but the reverse is the case in Nigeria where every operator sees another airline as a threat to its growth.

Airside appeals to the rumour mongers to desist from this act and face their operations squarely, rather than creating unnecessary fear in the minds of air travellers.

De Skyline Hotel, the searchlight is still on you

I

n late January, Airside reported in this column the unhygienic operating environment of De Skyline Hotel situated close to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Sadly, six weeks after the write-up, the situation remains the same. It is unfortunate that most Nigerian companies care less about their operating environment despite all efforts being put in place by different government agencies to ensure compliance.

Airports worldwide are supposed to be serene and usersfriendly environments, but the reverse is the case in Nigeria with both private and public companies more interested in what they can garner from their clients and care little about their operating environment.

It is sad to note that since the commencement of opera-

tions by the hotel some few years back, it has not deemed it fit even for a day to clean or even fumigate the surrounding drainage. Airside revisited the hotel last week and was shocked at the level of dirt inside the drainage which was constructed for free-flow of water regularly.

It is unfortunate that the lack of sanitation by the hotel management and the urge for more profits at the expense of the health of their clients has turned the drainage into an eyesore.

Airside describes this blemish as a disgrace to the hotel management and to an extent the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), which acts as the airports’ landlord as the mass of garsage in the drainage and its surrounding will create negative impression to first time visitor about Nigeria as a whole.

SAA beat others to win On-time Performance Service Award

F

lightStats, the global leader in flight and airport information services, recently announced On-time Performance Service Awards (OTPS Awards) for airlines across the globe.

SAA, with its 91.17 per cent On-time Performance average, won in the category ‘Middle East and Africa Major Airlines.’

An online statement signed by the airline’s media consultant in Nigeria stated that the General Manager, Operations of the airline, Zuks Ramasia said the air-

line’s management was thrilled to win the award, saying that it’s a critical factor considered by customers when selecting, which airline to fly with.

Winning this award, he said also highlighted its employee’s commitment to ensuring a seamless travel experience to its valued customers.

This category includes airlines based in the Middle East and Africa that operate at least 30,000 scheduled flights annually within the Middle East and Africa. The flight status cover-

age threshold was set at 80 per cent.

The other four finalists according to the statement included Etihad Airways, Gulf Air Company, Qatar Airways and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

The OTPS Awards programme recognises airlines around the world that achieve sustained operational excellence.

Airlines are recognised for delivering the highest percentage of flights to their arrival gates within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

37

Nigerians see insurance as luxury –Oyefeso Managing Director, Staco Insurance Plc, Mr. Sakiru Oyefeso, says that if there are no business activities, there will be nothing to insure and calls for the enforcement of compulsory policies Would you say economic challenges have affected insurance business?

Insurance is also part of the economy, and the sector cannot really say it is not affected. We are affected by the activities in the economy. For instance, there is a dearth of manufacturing companies in Nigeria now. When we had Michelin in Port Harcourt, Dunlop in Ikeja, they insured the materials, their finished products and their employees. Their cash transactions would be insured and many other things.

If there are no activities, you will have a dearth of insurance system. I tell people that it is only when I start seeing tall cranes around the corners in this country that I will know we are serious.

When you are in Dubai, the first things that you see are the cranes; then you will know that they are involved in development.

In the 80s, we often saw cranes in Lagos Island, when they were building those high rising buildings. The absence of those things naturally brings about dearth of insurance businesses. When I came into insurance in 1978, you won’t believe that the premium generated by a department of NICON was put at N78 million then, and if you are to use the rate that N1 was $2, or $1 was 50k that time, that means that you multiply your N78 million by 2 to get $156 million by a department – a general accident department, including the motor session. If you calculate it now, it will be about N24 billion, we have lost all those.

So, insurance has been affected immensely.

Why have insurance companies not cover many buildings under the compulsory insurance policies?

Insurance companies have agents to market the compulsory insurance policies; but it is a hard sell. Nigerians have to care about their stomachs and they see insurance as a luxury item.

The only people advertising insurance are those who have tasted it; those who know its benefits. On this note, I think it is the orientation of

Nigerians that need to be changed about insurance, maybe through education. We have done a lot of awareness activities and we must commend the National Insurance Commission for what it has done. It moved from north to south, east to west, enlightening people, but the growth is still very slow because the people you are talking to, their purchasing power is very low.

They still find it difficult to do the right thing. And the implementation of the compulsory insurance policies is still difficult for insurance companies. We have to do what we call persuasive marketing to the owners of buildings. Why it is so difficult in this part of the country is because we don’t operate strong mortgage system.

How can mortgage boost building insurance?

Unlike abroad where they operate on mortgage system, you approach a bank to borrow money to buy a house, automatically, the banks want to protect their interest. Therefore, insurance is already embedded in it.

But if I am struggling to take part of my salary to build a house and somebody is now asking me to do insurance again, that I don’t understand the value, it might be difficult.

Until people face the music when their buildings cause problems to their neighbours or third parties, they will not understand the essence of the compulsory insurance -whether occupiers’ liability or builders’ liability. Those who have suffered by the destruction of that property need to take it upon themselves to sue the owner.

Why is there low patronage of the professional indemnity under the compulsory insurance policies?

Before they are registered as National Health Insurance Scheme or before they could be allowed to practise as medical doctors, the authority should demand as part of the prereq-

Oyefeso

INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE AGENTS TO

MARKET THE COMPULSORY INSURANCE POLICIES; BUT IT IS A VERY HARD SELL.

NIGERIANS HAVE

TO CARE ABOUT THEIR STOMACHS AND THEY SEE INSURANCE AS A LUXURIOUS ITEM uisite, for their insurance certificate.

If they demand for their professional indemnity, the authorities should be able to back it up – either local government, state or at federal level. It will now make it more efficient, but in the absence of that, it could be difficult for an individual to run after any doctor.

The same goes for other activities like a building. For instance, if you want to pay your tenement rate, they should ask for your insurance. By law, you need to have insurance for that kind of building.

These are areas where the authorities must be able to support the law. If you have seen the direct marketers on the road, pushing individuals for business, you will know they actually hit the road but the fact remains that nobody will

force them to take it and no one will ask them whether they have it.

What can make agriculture insurance to flourish?

Agriculture insurance for now, by law, has been given to Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation. And until the law changes, other insurance companies cannot partake in it.

Agriculture insurance will flourish where there is loan facility. When there is a loan given to you to do agric business, insurance will be factored into it, and there is going to be liability to protect their own interest. But, if somebody is struggling to set up a poultry business and you are saying come and pay premium, you can’t get the attention.

Unpaid premium killing insurance industry, says Daniel MESHACK IDEHEN

T

he Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel, has warned that unpaid premium could drive the industry under, saying if left unchecked, delayed or unpaid insurance premium can drive the industry into extinction.

He said the issue of delayed or unpaid premium has attained an alarming crescendo in the insurance sector in Nigeria that is threatening to drive the industry into extinction if not urgently

curbed.

Daniel said most insurance companies have been forced to make huge provisions for outstanding premiums in their books on an annual basis, a situation that invariably affects their bottomline and thus, their inability to make profit, pay dividends to shareholders and attract investments for growth.

He said this avoidable situation is unhealthy and dangerous for the industry and it is time to put a stop to it.

The insurance commissioner explained that NAICOM could not enforce

its new policy directive because the law is neither a creation of NAICOM, nor is it a new regulation, saying It is a statutory provision, which is obligatory on NAICOM to enforce, while describing its implementation as a responsibility of the insurance regulator.

According to him, Section 50 (1) of the Act says the receipt of an insurance premium shall be a condition precedent to a valid contract of insurance and there shall be no cover in respect of an insurance risk unless the

premium is paid in advance.

“This is the provision of the law, and until such a time when government deems it imperative to amend the law, NAICOM, being the industry regulator has no other alternative but to implement this law.

“Our business is to apprise the public on the modalities for the implementation and enforcement of the Insurance Act to avoid gaps in the insurance cover of government’s assets and ensure adequate provisions for insurance in its annual budget”.

38

Insurance

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

MDRI success rate hits 75% STORIES: MESHACK IDEHEN

T

he National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM), adopted Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI), meant to drive insurance penetration in the country, has recorded about 75 per cent success.

This development said industry operators, is leading the industry in the right direction and with the initiative.

Managing Director, Riskguard-Africa Nigeria Limited, Mr. Yemi Soladoye, disclosed this to journalists, saying also the initiative is a turning point in the insurance industry because operators, regulators, service providers and the government have realised that there is something going on in the industry.

He said MDRI is also a turning point because it is from that stage that insurance operators saw the regulators leading the market.

According to him, “there is a united focus for all insurance operators whether adopt it or not, because everyone knows that there is a project on ground; there is a destination to reach and there is a direction as to the way we can go for us to secure increased penetration for insurance business in this country.

“The initiative is a watershed in the history of the industry and it is also an evergreen thing. You cannot wish it away, as it has brought about many developments. When you read the strategy document, you would see that micro-insurance is part of the area that was recommended as where the industry will get development.’’Soladoye said.

He described Takafu as an aspect of

Soladoye

Daniel

the initiative, saying MDRI is targeted at restructuring, and that all the restructuring that are happening in the market are embedded within the programme.

He commended the efforts of Commissioner for Insurance, Mr.Fola Daniel, saying prior to his appointment, the best the industry had on the premium income was 24 per cent increase, but it has increased to 36 per cent, adding that the results in the past five years that the commissioner has been in the saddle, is an indication that the industry will meet its projections.

Soladoye disclosed that as at December 2009, NAICOM had about 1,695 registered agents with different insurance firms, but a year later,

the number increased to 3,404,adding however, that more firms are yet to embrace retail marketing, which remains a panacea to the industry’s growth.

“The insurance companies feel that retail system is not the area they want to adopt, despite the fact that the regulator has put in place for them a lot of incentives to make them go into agency recruitment. NAICOM does not have underwriting license neither does it, any brokering licence.

“The regulator has done all it could, believing that this is what is operating ease where and if underwriters adopt the initiative, we will get there. From the reports available to us, we have observed that the underwriters are realigning to embrace the initiative,” he said.

NCRIB, Oyo to collaborate on insurance services

T

he Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers and Oyo State Government said they have agreed to collaborate in order to speed up the transformation of the society by rendering efficient services to the people.

NCRIB President, Mrs. Laide Osijo, said during a visit to the Oyo State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Zacchaeus Adelabu, that there was no better time to seek the collaboration of professionals than now when the state government was embarking on massive infrastructural turnaround.

Osijo commended the state government for the structural development of the state and noted that insurance would offer a complementary service to the government’s efforts.

She said the patronage of insurance brokers would give clients the advantage of getting the best competitive rates from underwriters with the benefit of well-tailored professional insurance advice on a regular basis.

On his part, the commissioner stated that the state government had realised the place of risk mitigation and management of its numerous human and material assets, adding the state was ready to engage the services of qualified insurance professionals

having the prerequisite skills to assist the government achieve its goals.

Adelabu said the notion of self-insurance, which governments, including that of Oyo State, always felt they could undertake had failed several times, necessitating the need to cede such technical areas to the professionals.

He said the state government, in conformity with the Pensions Act 2004, had initiated the group life policy for its civil servants and mandated the clients of the government, especially those in the construction industry, to ensure they insured their workers.

Osijo

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance tips for frequent travellers If you want to travel to any place in the world then, the first thing you should be sure of is that you have proper insurance and health coverage. There are several tips for acquiring travel insurance which are necessary to follow.

Pay for the insurance first and then go for the trip- This is because once your trip has started and if it is international, you will be helpless. So paying for the insurance first is always a good option. This way you will be relaxed throughout the trip.

You should be aware that the free insurance coverage which is offered by your credit card will not give you the type of coverage you desire- However, you should always keep checking whether there is any sort of coverage with your air ticket. You should also check whether your current insurance policy takes the liability of your belongings you may take while travelling.

If you are a frequent traveller or you travel too much, then a wise idea is to get a yearly travel insurance policy- If you are not a frequent traveller then it is advisable to have coverage which will just take care of the duration of the trip. You should have all your policy documents and not lose any of them as these documents will help you in making any claim.

When we talk about insurance, we talk about risks. You should calculate all the possible risks before buying travel insurance- The best way you can find the perfect type of insurance is by comparing the costs and the benefits.

Selecting an insurance which has benefits that are of no use will cost you more.

A cheap insurance which doesn’t have basic benefits can cost you more when you realize that many of the things are not appropriate for the claim. So compare all the benefits with the costs and then select the coverage.

The insurance agents make their offers keeping in mind that not all the travellers are of same mentality- You can use this for your advantage as it will make your decision easier. The majority of the travel insurance providers will offer you bundles like multi trip, single trip and business etc. So a right choice will let you save particular amounts of money. This way you will be able to select the insurance according to your demand and budget.

Source: (www.sooperarticles.com/ finance-articles)

‘Court rulings will empower NAICOM to implement premium payment’

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he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), said it will take advantage of court rulings to implement the new premium regime.

In a circular entitled: Settle court case on partial/instalment/non-payment of insurance premium, signed by its management, the commission noted that the settled Appeal Court cases on insurance premium are clear indications that anything short of full payment at the commencement of an insurance contract renders such transaction null and void.

It said the provision of Section 50 (1)

of the Insurance Act 2003 which states: “The receipt of insurance premium shall be a condition precedent to a valid contract of insurance and there shall be no cover in respect of an insurance risk, unless the premium is paid in advance”, is indeed in the interest of the insured going by decided cases on the issue by competent court of law.

The commission quoted case one as Court of Appeal in Ajaokuta Steel Co. Limited V. Corp. Insurance Limited where it was decided that the fundamental purpose of an insurance contract is

to give cover for an insurance risk. Thus, a law, such as Insurance Act, which says that there is no insurance cover unless premium was pre-paid, is, in fact, saying that the contract is void if no premium was paid.

The commission said: “By virtue of Section 50(1) of the Insurance Act, No 2 of 1997 (as amended), the receipt of insurance premium is a condition precedent to a valid contract of insurance and there can be cover in respect of an insurance risk unless premium was paid in advance.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

39

Nestle invested N100bn in factory in 2012, says MD JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

he Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr. Martin Woolnough has said that N100bn was invested in the company in 2012 for its expansion.

Woolnough who rang the closing bell to commemorate N5.6bn distribution centre in Agbara, Ogun State on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, said the company will continue to expand beyond the present status.

He said, “We will continue to expand even beyond what you have seen already.

By 2016, there is going to be another expansion and by 2020, there is going to be another expansion.”

According to him, the

company invested in production of starch in conjunction with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.

He, however, urged investors in the company to expect good earnings in the future.

The company declared a profit after tax of N21.14bn for the financial year ended December 30, 2012, an increase of 28.1 per cent when compared to N16.5bn recorded in the same period of 2011.

The company’s revenue rose by 19.1 per cent to N116.7bn, from N97.9bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2011, while cost of sales increased by 16 per cent to N66.5bn, from N57.4bn recorded in 2011.

According to the result, taxation stood at N3.91bn

in the review period, from N1.70bn recorded in 2011, while the basic earnings per share stood at N26. 67 in 2012, from N20.81 in 2011.

Analysis of the company’s balance sheet information showed net assets of N34.2bn in 2012, from N23.2bn recorded in 2011, while total liabilities rose by 0.5 per cent, from N54.5bn in 2011 to N54.8bn in 2011.

The company’s inventories declined by 11.3 per cent to N8.78bn, from N9.90bn in 2011, while total equity stood at N34.2bn in 2012, from N23.2bn in 2011.

Nestle shares have risen more than 30 percent since the interim dividend was paid 10 weeks ago, on low volumes, to become the most expensive stock on the bourse on a per share basis.

The company, which is majority, owned by Swiss food firm Nestle SA, paid an interim dividend of N1.50 naira per share in December, raising hopes of a healthy full-year payout.

It pays out around 90 per cent of its local profits as dividends, brokers say.

The proposed dividend was put at N18.50 translating into a 1.89 per cent dividend yield.

According to the Meristem Securities Limited, an investment firm, the company ’’s shares has risen more than 30 per cent since the interim dividend was paid 10 weeks ago, on low volumes, to become the most expensive stock on the bourse on a per share basis, with an impressive return on average equity of 73.7 per cent.

Index rises by 0.13% as bulls sustain hold JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

he benchmark index of equities rose further yesterday on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, over gains recorded mostly by blue chips stocks.

The All Share Index appreciated by 0.13 per cent to close at 32,890.36 points, compared to the increase of 0.23 per cent recorded on Friday to close at 32,849.11 points.

Market capitalisation appreciated marginally by

N1bn to close at N10.52trn, lower than the rise of N2bn recorded on Friday to close at 10.51trn.

The Insurance Index led the sectorial indices by 2.2 per cent to close at 156.19 points, followed by the Oil and Gas Index with 1.6 per cent to close at 198.13 points.

Lotus Islamic Index gained 0.18 per cent to close at 2,094.40 points, while the Banking Index appreciated by 0.15 per cent to close at 415.28 points.

The Consumer Goods Index increased by 0.09

per cent to close at 955.38 points, while the NSE 30-Index added 0.08 per cent to close at 1,574.24 points.

Transcorp Plc led the gainers’ table with 14 kobo or 9.46 per cent to close at N1.62 per share, followed by Prestige Insurance Plc with five kobo or 5.68 per cent to close at 93 kobo per share.

AIICO Insurance Plc rose by five kobo or 5.32 per cent to close at 99 kobo per share, while Airservice Plc increased by 24 kobo or 5.05 per cent to close at N4.99 per share. Eterna Oil Plc added 18 kobo or 4.95 per

U

a wake-up call,” Alastair Winter, chief economist at investment bank Daniel Stewart and Company in London.

Fitch cut Italy’s rating one notch and gave it a negative outlook, citing political uncertainty following last month’s election, a protracted recession and high levels of debt.

Still, some analysts still see appetite for stocks, propelling them to further gains.

“The market may advance more slowly than in previous weeks, but there are numerous bullish signs, including the fact that hedge funds continue to buy into the market,” said Todd Salamone, director of research at Schaeffer’s Investment Research in Cin-

cinnati, Ohio.

Shortly after the US stock market opened, the Dow Jones industrial average finance/markets/index was down 1.27 points, or 0.01 per cent, at 14,395.80.

The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index was down 1.24 points, or 0.08 per cent, at 1,549.94 points. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 5.62 points, or 0.17 per cent, at 3,238.74 points.

Europe’s broad FTSEurofirst 300 index was 0.15 per cent lower at 1,193.39 points, down from September 2008 peaks hit last week, as the Italy rating cut and weak Chinese factory output data undermined sentiment.

MSCI’s world equity index was little changed at 360.2 points, holding near

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 10,819.3 points Market capitalisation 33.9 trillion

Stock Updates cent to close at N3.83 per share.

On the flip side, Unity Bank Plc lost eight kobo or 9.52 per cent to close at 76 kobo per share, while Studio Press Plc shed 13 kobo or 4.91 per cent to close at N2.52 per share.

Portland Paints Plc depreciated by 26 kobo or 4.86 per cent to close at N5.09 per share, while Cutix Plc declined by eight kobo or 4.57 per cent to close at N1.67 per share. Cornerstone Plc dropped two kobo or 3.57 per cent to close at 54 kobo per share.

Global stocks slip on Italy, China worries

nited States and European shares slipped yesterday, as weak economic data from China and worries about Italy following a credit downgrade undermined optimism generated by last week’s strong US employment report.

The dollar held on to gains from the payrolls data, trading near a 3-1/2-year high against the yen and a 3-month peak to the euro and keeping pressure on gold and oil prices.

US and German government debt prices held steady, as prices of Italian and other peripheral euro zone bonds fell in the wake of a cut in Italy’s credit rating by Fitch Ratings late on Friday.

“I think the Italian downgrade is acting as a bit of

Source: NSE

its mid-2008 highs.

China reported over the weekend that annual industrial production for January and February combined rose 9.9 per cent, the lowest since October 2012, while its consumer price index jumped more than expected last month.

Winter said the combination of weak industrial data from China and the renewed spotlight on the euro zone’s problems caused by the Italian downgrade may have made investors wary of pushing prices higher after the strong gains so far in March.

Ten-year Italian government bond yields rose seven basis points to 4.66 per cent, while the main futures based on the debt was down 0.5 per cent at 108.83.

GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

TRANSCORP

1.48

1.62

0.14

% CHANGE 9.46

PRESTIGE

0.88

0.93

0.05

5.68

AIICO

0.94

0.99

0.05

5.32

AIRSERVICE

4.75

4.99

0.24

5.05

ETERNA

3.64

3.82

0.18

4.95

MANSARD

2.43

2.55

0.12

4.94

WAPIC

1.24

1.30

0.06

4.84

TOTAL

148.11

154.80

6.69

4.52

CUSTODYINS

2.00

2.09

0.09

4.50

NEIMETH

0.95

0.99

0.04

4.21

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

UNITYBNK

0.84

0.76

0.08

-9.52

STUDPRESS

2.65

2.52

0.13

-4.91

PORTPAINT

5.35

5.09

0.26

-4.86

CUTIX

1.75

1.67

0.08

-4.57

CORNERST

0.56

0.54

0.02

-3.57

MAYBAKER

2.34

2.28

0.06

-2.56

UTC

0.80

0.78

0.02

-2.50

GLAXOSMITH

50.00

48.99

1.01

-2.02

NIGERINS

0.51

0.50

0.01

-1.96

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

355-Days

75,273.10

15.37

14-Mar-13

97-Days

63,681.00

13.37

14-Mar-13

-

-

-

-

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

98-Days

145,675.77

13.56

28-Feb-13

37-Days

36,301.00

12.65

28-Feb-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$180m

N/A

$180m

11-Mar-13

$150m

N/A

$150m

6-Mar-13

40

Capital Market

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at March 11, 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, March 12, 2013

PIB: The intrigues, fears, revelations, resolution, et al

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 improvement in the way and manner the country is run, the way and manner collect revenue and make lives better for Nigerians. He said he would want to see an oil industry in Nigeria that gives the country and its people more revenue; an oil industry in Nigeria that is fairly independent of government, so that it will continue to develop like other countries.

Opaque nature of the oil industry According to him, he would want to see an oil industry that is very transparent, where revenues and resources generated are known to citizens. He regretted that today most Nigerians hardly know how much oil Nigeria sells, what actually accrues, regretting that, “There is insufficient transparency, in fact even the Auditor-General of the Federation does not know how many accounts NNPC has.”

Lawan was to get into the main thrust of his position when he stated that he would like to join his earlier colleagues who said they had reservations and concerns. He said: “I take an exception to a provision in the bill where the Public Procurement Acts appear in three or four places in the creation of this bill. Secondly, I believe that section 9 of the bill does not address the concerns of most Nigerians. Why this bill appears to be ‘controversial’ is because the oil industry is more or less the only source of revenue in this country and any state that produces oil sees the other states that do not produce oil as parasitic and unnecessary neighbour.

“The provisions in section 9 makes the National Frontiers Exploration Agency just a department under the technical bureau. That is not in any way an effort to make the NFEA effective and efficient as far as the mandate of the exploration and exploitation of petroleum resources in Nigeria is concerned. So, it has to be a stand alone, an independent organisation, with a clearly spelt out sources of funding.

“The Petroleum Equalisation Fund in this bill states that when the government is satisfied that the sector is well regulated, then the government can just abolish the fund. I don’t think that is right, who is government? We represent the people here and if there should be anything that is tantamount to amending the law, it has to come here so that the representatives of the people will say yes it is time to do that or not it is not time.

“Let me go to the contentious petroleum host community development fund. I will rely on section 53(2) of the Senate’s standing orders to enable me read some excerpts from the newspapers... where in an interview the respected former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, is saying that it is sheer grid on the part of governors of oil producing states to appropriate the 13 per cent derivation funds meant for oil and gas producing communities. The constitution provides for this.

“Development should be targeted at people, not building cities. How can someone after 13 years of taking N7.2 trillion and come back to me and say the host communities have not been developed? My reaction will be that you have failed, where is the N7.2 trillion. The reason for the 13 per cent derivation is not to go and build cities in those oil producing states, it is to ensure that communities who are producing are developed.”

Enang

Saraki

HOW CAN SOMEONE, AFTER 13 YEARS OF TAKING N7.2 TRILLION AND COME BACK TO ME AND SAY THE HOST COMMUNITIES HAVE

NOT BEEN DEVELOPED?

MY REACTION WILL BE THAT YOU HAVE

FAILED, WHERE IS THE

N7.2 TRILLION?

Manager’s interjection At this point, James Manager interrupted Lawan by shouting point of order.

He was recognised by the presiding Mark.

Citing Order 53(7), which states that, “it shall be out of order to use offensive and insulting language,” Manager said: Forget about whether I am a governor or not, I come from a state called Delta and there is a governor of Delta State. This is a debate on the floor of the House, he is using abusive languages like failure, it is very insulting and offensive to me as a person that is why I have raised this point of order.”

Before Mark ruled on the point of order he tried to clarify the position of Lawan when he stated that, “What Lawan did was that he quoted Edwin Clark in the newspaper where he said that states have misappropriated monies that are meant for communities and I think Edwin Clark’s stand there is that the money ought to have gone to the communities and that making another allocation to the communities would appear to be surplus, that is my understanding of his line of arguments. He went further to say that if they have not utilised it well for the communities, then they should be regarded as failure. Up to that point he has not used any language that is offensive.”

Before ruling Manager out of order, Mark cautioned Lawan to return to the floor of the Senate with his debate and not go beyond what is required to do on the debate and on the PIB.

Shout of fire on Following this development, the shouts

Clark

of fire! fire! fire on, rented the air from the Northern senators. Continuing, Lawan said: “I voted against my state in 2002, when we passed the Onshore/Offshore dichotomy bill. We were conscious, we needed our communities that are oil producing to have justice and equity. We were convinced that they were not getting fair deals, they got it but they have been denied.

“When the distinguished elder statesman, Edwin Clark, made those statements, representatives of five oil producing states went to complain to him. So much funds allocated to oil producing communities but were used by the state governments in developing cities, that burden should not be placed on us again. That burden has a solution; they have failed and there is a solution. Host communities should be given the 13 per cent derivation, this is their own.

“I have a list here, 13 per cent derivation for 13 years N7.3 trillion; NDDC for an estimate of 10 years N2.7 trillion; Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs from 2007 to 2012 about N50 billion; amnesty programme from 2009 to 2012 about N250 billion, excess crude account and the last one Rivers State alone got what 19 Northern states put together could not get about N53 billion, special presidential initiative fund including technology fund about N73 billion, total close to N11 trillion. Does this not tell us that most of the leaders have failed to deliver to these very helpless host communities?

“We are all leaders, whether from Yobe or from anywhere else, injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.

“It is my submission that the host communities fund should not have any place

41

in this bill, that we should go back to the constitution and rework the 13 per cent derivation and also urge the Federal Government who deal with the states in the National Economic Council and the State Houses of Assemblies to ensure that the host oil communities, our brothers and sisters who have been denied their rights are given fairness, equity, justice and development, let them live life.

“Those of us who don’t have oil are tired because we have given more and more and so long as we remain as federation, as Federal Government of Nigeria, oil belongs to everybody, all Nigerians.”

When Lawan concluded his apparent fireworks presentation, there was palpable air of satisfaction by Northern senators that their message has been very well delivered. Unfortunately, subsequent contributors to the bill did so well to neutralise all that Lawan said.

Okowa and 10 per cent communities’ petroleum fund Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who spoke immediately after Lawan’s presentation took time to explain that in as much as there are some defects in the bill, there are some strengths in the bill as well. He said any bills coming from the executive may not have all the perfections it ought to have in the first instance and it was then the duty of the legislature to carry out its legislative duties to correct those imperfections.

In particular, Okowa did a very good job of explaining the contentious issue of the 10 per cent communities’ petroleum fund.

He wondered why anybody would want to worry about the fund that has nothing to do with the deductable federal funds but has everything to do with the profit of foreign oil companies.

According to the lawmaker, “The issue we are talking about in the host communities fund, it is important that we get properly informed about it. These oil companies are already operating and there are agreements signed.

“If you read sections 116, 117 and 118 of the bill, the section says 10 per cent of the net profit of the oil companies, that is after they have paid their taxes and royalties.

This money is not the money that comes to the distributable fund of the federation.

So, no state is being short-changed by the provision of the host communities’ fund.

“It is important to understand that the oil companies have the global memorandum of understanding with the host communities and as part of their corporate social responsibility, these companies have been spending some levels of money with the host communities, but the communities are at the beck and call of these oil companies.

“What the new law intends to do is to ensure that there is a guaranteed amount of funds that goes from the oil communities, from their profits, not from the distributable fund of the federation but from the net profits of the oil companies. So, what we are trying to do today is to legislate corporate social responsibility as it should ordinarily be.”

Other subsequent speakers including Senators Nkechi Nwogu, Otu Bassey, Prof Benedict Ayande, Ibrahim Gamel, amongst others all spoke to support the passage of the bill to the second stage.

Saraki’s nationalist submission But by far, the senator that dealt the final blow on the divisive presentation of LaCONTINUED ON PAGE 42

42

Politics

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

PIB: The intrigues, fears, revelations, resolution, et al CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 wan was incidentally a Northern senator, Bukola Saraki. Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, in his nationalistic presentation demonstrated that it was germane to put nation first above self.

The summary of Saraki’s presentation was that the senators would be doing the country a great deal of disservice by not passing the bill. He urged that irrespective of which divide the lawmakers may be, the senators must ensure that they put behind those divisive issues about the bill and concentrate on the positive aspects of the bill and collectivelly pass the bill.

He said: “We are carrying out the reform of the petroleum industry sector because we believe that a number of things are not right. If the answer is yes that the industry lacks transparency and openness now then there is definitely need for us to go ahead with the review of the PIB. If there is a lack of accountability and probity that exists now, there is need for reform.

If there is an endemic corruption in the industry, then there is need for us to reform the industry and go for the second reading of the bill. There is the lack of revenue, the lack of adequate openness, poor business environment and optimal production.

“What we have seen in the last two years definitely says all these areas lack what is required in this age of global practice. The general agreement is that we need to reform the petroleum industry and support this bill to go for second reading. If we also look at the fact that the Petroleum Act was passed in 1969 and that has been the framework we have been working with in an industry that is very dynamic and requires rapid change and that other countries have over the years been changing their laws, then it is right.

“We can only conclude that surely, an act of 1969 cannot stand the test of time in today’s world and as such there is the need for us to review it. It is also important to know that the petroleum sector influences the other sectors of the economy and as long as we are not getting the petroleum industry wrong, it is not possible for us to get the other sectors right.

“I want us to focus on the main issues. I believe that the 7th Assembly must be seen to be carrying this exercise to conclusion.

The damage we seen by not passing the PIB in the first place is a greater problem.

Since 2000 when this whole journey started, we have spent 13 years trying to pass a new act. In those 13 years, we have lost a lot. I believe we should correct the negative issues and correct them and build on the positive.

“The last thing we must do is not to do anything at all. Not doing anything at all is worse than where we are today. The general principles and advantages that we have talked about; gas investment, gas flaring, those are the more reasons why we must go ahead and pass the bill. Most importantly is the issue of corruption and leakages.

“We are talking here about host communities, we are talking about investments, do we even know how much we are producing? We do not know. It is the oil companies that tell us as a country how much we are producing. Do we know what prices that are being sold? We do not know. So, until we address those fundamental issues, which I believe are paramount before we can talk about what comes to this group or

WE ARE TALKING

ABOUT INVESTMENTS, DO WE EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH WE ARE

PRODUCING? WE DO

NOT KNOW. IT IS THE OIL COMPANIES THAT TELL US AS A COUNTRY HOW MUCH WE ARE PRODUCING that group.

“We must move away from the issues that are controversial and that is the mistake that make us to be sleeping for 40 years. If we want to correct all the mistakes in one swoop it might not be possible.

I will advise that we take the issues that are not controversial, we should take the issues that we do not speak different language on and take the issues we all have a common direction on and pass the bill.”

Ekweremadu

Day two of debate The following day when debate on the general principles of the bill continued, it was apparent that support for the passage of the bill had sufficiently swelled above the few senators who were opposed to it.

For instance, former governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammed Goje who opened contributions on the draft bill that day stated that after listening to the contributions of most of his colleagues the previous day, he had seen the need not to oppose the bill but to support its passage to the next stage where the necessary changes would be effected.

“We should allow the bill to go on and do a surgical operation of it by removing and adjusting the contentious areas,” he said.

Oil blocs to Northerners This was also a day that Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North-East) made a strong expose of the lopsidedness of the beneficiaries of the nation’s oil blocs. This disclosure worked in no small measure in silencing opposition to the PIB from the Northern senators as most of them who commented on the draft bill spoke in very measured language and stating their cautious support for the bill.

Enang exhibited documents to substantiate his claim and listed Northerners who own oil blocs to include Alhaji Mai Deribe, T. Y. Danjuma, Mallam (Prince) Sanusi Lamido, Colonel Sani Bello, Rilwanu Lukman, Alhaji Indimi, Alhaji Aminu Dantata among others.

According to the lawmaker, Deribe from Borno State owns Cavendish Petroleum, operator of the OML 110 with an average of about N4 billion monthly.

Enang said: “Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/UMUTU Marginal Field with Mallam (Prince) Sanusi Lamido, Kano, as a major shareholder and director. South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO) established by General T. Y. Danjuma, Taraba State, who is also chairman of Eni Nigeria Limited.

Egba

SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Limited to become operators of the OPL 246.

“AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is owned by Alhaji (Colonel) Sani Bello of Kontangora, Niger State. They are operators of OML 112 and OML 117. A former petroleum minister and former OPEC chairman, Rilwanu Lukman, another northerner manages AMNI oil blocs and with very key interest in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal.

“Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Indimi runs three oil blocs: OML 115, the Oldwok field and the Ebok field. Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s Express Petroleum and Gas Limited, operates OML 108. OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited is owned by Alhaji W.I. Folawiyo.

“Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Gambo, North East Petroleum Limited is the holder of the OPL 215 License. North East Petroleum was awarded the blocs OPL 276 and OPL 283 and closing thereupon a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas. “INTEL is owned by Atiku, Yar’Adua and Ado Bayero and has substantial stakes in country’s oil exploration industry both in Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe.

Mike Adenuga’s Conoil is the oldest indigenous oil exploration industry in Nigeria with six oil blocs while OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, owned by Emeka Offor which was sold to Addax Petroleum,” Enang said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bill for second reading By far, it was the Senate President who delivered the very patriotic speech that aided the smooth passage of the bill for second reading. In very measured language, Mark stressed that the bill was not about North versus South but about the collective good of the country.

In his closing remarks before the senators voted on the bill, the Senate President appealed to his colleagues to allow their senses of patriotism and nationalism guide their decision on the bill. He stressed that the bill was not about North or South or one section of the country against the other.

Mark noted that history would judge the senators in the way they decided on the bill. He urged them to, in making that decision, act according to their integrity and honour and as senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

According to Mark, “We are all very united on the fact that so much power is given to the minister, particularly where the minister can grant lease unconditionally, you can also revoke lease unconditionally.

“We also all agree that the frontier exploration services should be properly funded and independent and the time within which it will compete and start prospecting for oil in all parts of the country.

“Those who spoke very strongly for South-South or Niger Delta also emphasised this, and this was an area where people expressed fear. The fact of the matter is that we all need to be on the same wavelength.

“I must emphasise that the bill is not North versus South, far from that. Because what is good for the North is also good for the South and what is bad for the South, is bad for the North.

“So it is not one section of the country versus another section of the country.

“The bill also like a senator pointed out is like the livewire of this country. It has national interest as well as international interest and I think the IOCs are very interested in the debate that is going on, just as Nigerians are interested in the debate.

“Let me emphasise that no bill has come to this chamber that we have not tinkered with. It will go for second reading and public hearing and by the time it comes back there will be amendments, additions and subtractions. So the draft bill that has been given to us is not sacrosanct. When the bill goes for public hearing, the committees that will look at it will bring the bill back in a manner that will reflect the views that we have expressed here and the view that was gathered from the public.

“So I want to say that the bill is a worthy bill. The important thing is whether the bill guarantees the transparency we want in the petroleum sector, because that is a key issue because there is no transparency at the moment. Does the bill ensure that more revenue accrue to the government and by extension to the people and more importantly does the bill ensure the independence of the new companies that will come out from the unbundled NNPC and finally does the bill encourage investment?

“Does it provide an enabling environment for investors to come and invest in Nigeria?

“We are all conscious of the fact that almost all African countries are nearly oil CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

43

Reps seek immunity for NASS members THE

PARLIAMENT The House of Representatives, last Thursday, passed a bill that seeks to protect lawmakers in the National Assembly from arrest on charges of defamation of character committed within the parliament. The bill, which appears to be a rehash of an earlier bill, is one of several bills designed to strengthen the National Assembly.

TORDUE SALEM writes on the development.

T

he House of Representatives last week passed for third reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to grant immunity to lawmakers in the country. The bill, sponsored by Hon. Ali Ahmed (PDP- Kwara), is titled “A bill for an act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by Providing Immunity for Members of the Legislature in respect of the words spoken or written at the plenary session or at committee proceedings, to guarantee that freedom of speech, debates and proceedings in legislative houses are not impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament and for related matters.”

The amendment bill is harmonised with “the bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to guarantee freedom of speech and legislative actions of members of the National Assembly,” sponsored by Hon. Raphael Igbokwe (PDPImo).

Leading debate on the consolidated bill, Ahmed said the intendment of the proposed amendment was to alter the provisions of section 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates that the jurisdiction of the courts cannot be dismissed by the actions or proceedings of the parliaments.

According to him, the thrust of the amendment was to protect lawmakers from being held liable or subjected to civil or criminal actions based on their utterance or decisions taken in session.

On his part, Igbokwe stressed that granting of immunity to legislators will deepen democracy and grant members the liberty to speak freely without fear of molestation or litigation.

He argued that the immunity sought for National Assembly was taken for granted in other established democracies such as the U.S. and other African countries. According to him, even the UK that does not have a written constitution has immunity in its conventions for lawmakers.

He listed countries where lawmakers enjoy immunity to include Brazil, Indo-

Gedi (middle), being arraigned in the court for issuing N100 million dud cheque.

nesia, Malaysia, Ghana and the Republic of Tanzania. The lawmaker tendered the 1996 Constitution of Ghana, 1945 Constitution of Indonesia, 1988 Constitution of Brazil (as amended) in 1992 and 1994 to substantiate his argument.

Speaking further on the proposed amendment, Igbokwe said legislators deserve protection as it is the practice universally to exercise their legislative powers without fear or favour, adding that with the immunity, the lawmakers would do their duties better.

He drew the attention of the lawmakers to historical decisions taken by the House in the past such as the Doctrine of Necessity that brought in Goodluck Jonathan as acting president in February 2010 and the recent passage of an amendment bill to increase the number of Appeal Court judges to 100.

Reacting to the passage of the bill, chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed (PDP-Kwara) explained that the immunity the legislature is looking for is different from the one enjoyed by the president and governors.

Mohammed said the immunity sought by the House would only cover for what transpired on the floor so that no member could be held responsible for his actions or words spoken on the floor of the chambers.

It is interesting how this immunity history is repeating itself. The House would be seeking immunity from executive “harassment” for the second time since 2010 when they introduced an earlier bill sponsored by Hon. Seriake Dickson.

Dickson, who is now the governor of Bayelsa State, also sought the inclusion of the piece of legislation in the 1999 Constitution without success, before destiny

...NO MEMBER OF A LEGISLATIVE HOUSE SHALL BE ARRESTED

BY ANY AGENCY OR AUTHORITY WITHIN THE PRECINCT OF A

LEGISLATIVE

HOUSE WHICH SHALL INCLUDE A RESIDENCE OF SUCH MEMBER

Hembe (left), facing trial over N44 million bribe.

Lawan (middle) facing trial for receiving $620,000 bribe.

took him out to govern the oil-rich state.

Dickson had argued at the time that in a healthy democracy, “lawmakers must enjoy some level of protection from undue harassments,” and therefore needed immunity from the executive excesses.

The piece of legislation read thus: 1. The Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2004 Ca. L12 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria hereinafter referred to as the Principal Act is hereby amended as set out in this Bill.

2. Section 29 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by inserting new subsections (1), (2) and (3) and the original section 29 be renumbered as section 29 (4) and new subsection (5) as follows: 29. (1) A member of the Legislative House to which this law applies, shall not be arrested without a warrant duly issued by a Judge of the Federal High Court, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory or High Court of a state except in the following circumstances:(a) Upon a reasonable suspicion or allegation of commission of treason or treasonable felony against the Government of Federal Republic of Nigeria; (b) When the member is physically caught in an actual commission of a felony against the federal law or the law of a state.

(2) A warrant duly issued in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) above for the apprehension of a member of the National Assembly shall be deemed to be duly executed, if such warrant is served on the presiding officer of the Legislative Houses through the Clerk of the House.

(3) The presiding officer of the Legislative House concerned shall within seven legislative days endorse or cause the said warrant to be endorsed to or served on

the member against whom it is issued and requiring the said member to appear before the issuing court within 14 legislative days.

(4) Where a member of the National Assembly is- (a) arrested or detained in custody upon the warrant or order of a court; or (b) sentenced by a court to a term of imprisonment, the court shall, as soon as practicable, inform the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, accordingly.

(5) Any presiding officer or other officer(s) of a Legislative House, who suppresses, fails or refuses to facilitate the attendance before a competent court issuing a warrant to secure the attendance of a member of the Legislative House before such court as provided in this Act, may be guilty of contempt of court and may be punished as such.

(6) Without prejudice to any law conferring powers on any person or agency to the contrary, no member of a Legislative House shall be arrested by any agency or authority within the precinct of a Legislative House which shall include a residence of such member.

(7) Without prejudice to any law conferring powers on any persons or agency to the contrary, no warrant shall be executed within the precinct of a Legislative House unless with the prior consent of the presiding officer of the Legislative House.”

Like Igbokwe and Ahmed, Dickson at the time, cited cases where immunity for lawmakers obtained, and added that it was about time the hallowed chambers levelled up with the executive on such privilege.

A member of the House, Hon. SylvesCONTINUED ON PAGE 44

44

Politics

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APC is for the redemption of Nigeria, says Odigie-Oyegun CONTINUED FROM PAGE15 talk about reengineering of the country through national conference whether sovereign or non-sovereign, these are some of the issues that we all have in mind. Don’t enforce uniformity on a federation.

What about the issue of the creation of additional states?

Let us stay as we are and try to make sense out of the 36 that we have presently. It is economically nonsensical to create more states.

In the 2011 elections, you were the presidential running mate in the ANPP and you moved to the ACN and now that the two parties are coming together, are you losing anything?

It is a development that is making me extremely happy. As a matter of fact that was at the bottom of my leaving the ANPP; that was in fact the issue. But now that they are coming together, I will get myself a bottle of champagne and then toast to the forthcoming redemption of the Nigerian nation. I am very glad about it.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE43 ter Ogbaga (PDP-Enugu), who spoke with National Mirror on the matter, said: “the bill is a good one and it is a step in the right direction for the legislature to be respected like any other arm of government.”

But contrary to the ambition of the parliament in 2008, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who responded to the commotion over the undesirability of immunity for top public office holders, brought a bill seeking its removal.

He had insisted then that with immunity, office holders would not be accountable to the people.

The issue of immunity for public office holders especially governors and the president has generated controversies in the country and has clashed with the fight against corruption in public office.

Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution provides immunity from persecution to the president, vice president, governor and deputy governor.

Are you also looking forward to contest for an elective position in 2015?

That is most unlikely.

So, what are your expectations concerning the 2015 elections?

We will be there at the background. We will hopefully be in a position to participate in the promotion of younger people that we see are capable of delivering the goods. A lot of them are there already. Look at what some of the progressives governors are accomplishing; it is nothing short of miracles. The new party that we are engineering will be effective and set strict standards for government and for those in executive positions. Those are the people we would be promoting and not ourselves again. I am 74 already.

What about the contest for the presidency between the North and the South?

All that kind of noise comes from the way we play our politics. This approach is very wrong and saddening. They think that the only way people can get the ben-

efits of democracy is when their person is in office, which is wrong. We are going to present the people with new initiatives, new facts and policy direction, which will make them see that whoever turns out to be president of this country will be president for all. What is important is that you get development, it doesn’t matter who brings it. Whoever brings you development and whoever put foods on your table is your brother and that is what we want to bring to the Nigerian people.

General Muhammadu Buhari last week in London said that the INEC chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, cannot conduct credible elections in 2015. Do you share similar sentiment?

Buhari has his facts for making that statement and he is the only person who can answer that question. But we are going to watch the entire system very closely.

Any elections from now on will be monitored scientifically, not giving room for any hanky panky to the extent that we are capable of and we will do everything within the law to make sure that there are no

What is your advice to Nigerians?

Salvation is coming. Just be patient.

When we unfold our plan for the people of this country, the vision will be very clear and the state of hopelessness will be vanished forever.

Reps seek immunity for NASS members From the inception of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Tambuwal

(EFCC) in 2003, no fewer than 10 former governors have gone to jail; in the case of the president, no petition of graft or wrongdoing has even seen the light of day.

This overarching power of the executive at all levels has angered the legislature as well and several marginal efforts besides substantive bills have been introduced to subject the executive at all levels to probity.

The anger of lawmakers is that while the executive can breach the law and be shielded from punishment, lawmakers can be picked and jailed at the will.

A prominent case in reference remains that of Hon. Maurice Ibekwe, a former member from Imo State who was picked within the premses of the National Assembly in 2000 on charges of defrauding a German of huge money. Ibekwe later died before he was arraigned in court.

PIB: The intrigues, fears, revelations, resolution, et al CONTINUED FROM PAGE42 producing countries, so the competition is stiff more than what it used to be before.

“There is also the issue of host community. That is the one that is most contentious. But the background to it is that the monies accruing to the Niger Delta has not been properly utilised. That is the fear, that is the underlining fear of everybody. Everybody that spoke here agreed that the host community needs to benefit, it is how they benefit that has been a problem. The fear is whether the 10 per cent for the host community will be another pipeline where a few characters would hijack it at the expense of the host communities.

“There is also the issue of pipeline passing through communities. There are so many things that in this bill that are impracticable. I think in theory they may sound nice but if a pipeline from Kaduna passes through my local government and through about three, four local gov-

major attempts to falsify or to mess up the electoral system.

ernments; how are the councils going to quantify the money that would be given to them? Is it by the length of the pipe that goes through or by the volume of products that is pumped through? It is not just a practicable thing. To me, it is just an avenue where a handful of people will come together and manipulate government and then siphon money “Rightly, like some of you pointed out there has to be a regulatory agency to control this industry. This bill must ensure that there is transparency in the industry because very few people here know what is happening and I do not know what is happening in that industry and I have tried to but it look like a Mafia world where nobody is willing to tell you anything. So, the bill must ensure that the industry is opened up and there is transparency.

“They have tried to make the bill an exceptional bill. How can you suggest that this bill should be exempted from the pro-

curement act?

“It is scandalous. The Procurement Act will be there as if the bill offends it.”

It was gathered that after the bill had scaled the second reading, some Northern senators began to throw brickbats at one another, blaming those who spoke against the bill, contrary to their earlier agreements. Senator Saraki was in particular singled out for the role he played in his presentation in neutralizing the position of the North on the matter.

But as observed by some senators, it was good that the debate went on and people were allowed to express their feelings on the bill. “Now, we all are better for it. The various concerns expressed on the floor of the Senate will be taken care of at the committee stage. At the end of the day, what is important is that the bill will be passed into law, it may not be as exactly as it came,” a senator commented on the sidelines on the day the bill passed second reading.

Now there is the case of Hon. Farouk Lawan, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member of the House since 1999.

Lawan was dropped by Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal last year from his headship of the Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy for taking a $600, 000 bribe from Mr. Femi Otedola, whose oil marketing company was indicted by the committee.

Hon. Herman Hembe, another House member from Benue State, was also accused by the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arunma Oteh, of asking for a N39 million bribe and failing to return an earlier N5 million estacode to the commission’s coffers after he ditched a trip to Dominican Republic.

The EFCC later picked Hembe and his deputy, Chris Azubogu (PDP-Anambra), and charged them for corruption.

The case is still in court.

Also the House had to contend with another matter earlier this year, when Hon. Aliyu Gebi, a Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) member was picked up by security authorities for allegedly issuing a dud cheque of over N100 million.

Some cases of lawmakers-harassed however differ. For example, many lawmakers opposed to the third term in office for ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo were also picked up and locked up for days in 2006. One of them, Hon. Adamu Aliyu from Jigawa State, was even hounded to Kaduna State, where he was arrested on trumped up charges relating to the third term agenda.

Though the disrespect for lawmakers is unacceptable, the renewed efforts of the House to shield itself from harassments by the state, while still fighting to strip certain public office holders of immunity while in office, will create a conflict in the minds of Nigerians and put the credibility of the House’ fight against the executive in question.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

45

Community Mirror Small scale industrialists to hold exhibition

“Whatever we do, those of us who are in government have a duty to support and promote our culture and traditions. ” BAYELSA STATE GOVERNOR; SERIAKE DICKSON

46

Police boss embroiled in land dispute AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

T

he land dispute between Ogbeilo village in Umuonaje quarters of Asaba, Umuodogwu family of Ogboli Ibusa and the Divisional Police Officer,DPO, of Ibusa, Delta State has taken a new turn, as the Ogbeilo community has dragged the officer before the Commissioner of Police,CP. Both communities had laid

claims to ownership of the of land known as Akwuosa on the AsabaIbusa Road, even as the DPO insisted that the land belongs to him.

In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, signed by counsel to Ogbeilo community,Mr. Chuks Ebu they claimed ownership of the disputed land, saying it has since been confirmed by the Supreme Court.

According to the petitioners, the DPO brought police person-

nel as they were clearing the land and ordered them out of it, even as he claimed it was sold to him and he came to protect his property.

Ogbeilo community, further alleged that the land under dispute does not fall in the jurisdiction of Ibusa Police Division, but the B Division at Asaba, saying the DPO of B Division did not request for assistance from his counterpart.

They called on the Commis-

sioner of Police to wade into the matter by calling the Ibusa DPO to order, insisting that he has no stake in the dispute.

But in a swift reaction, the Ibusa DPO, denied any ownership of the land, stressing that “The large expanse of the land cannot be acquired by an individual. I am Yoruba, from Kogi State, I do not have any plot of land in Delta State, the only place I have piece land is in my state”.

According to him, both com-

munities have been laying claims to ownership of the disputed land for a long time which they also claimed to have court judgment in their favour.

“Both lawyers said the matter is still in court and that the court has placed a restraining order on the land. My remit is to maintain peace and ensure no life is lost because if persons from Asaba work on the land they will be attacked by people from Ibusa and vice versa,” he stated.

Robbery suspect arrested by vigilance group FISAYO FALODI

O

ne of the suspected robbers terrorising residents of IfelodunOjokoro Community Development Association, CDA, in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has been arrested.

The suspect, who was arrested last Saturday later escaped while the vigilantes pursued him to his father’s compound.

Following this, the group contacted the police, who then assisted in arrest of the suspect.

It will be recalled that a gang of suspected armed robbers recently attacked the community’s vigilance leader, Mr. Balogun Saka Abiola, and shot him.

They accused him of preventing them from terrorising the community. He is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

The residents, however, expressed delight at the arrest of one of the suspects, even as chairman of Ifelodun-Ojokoro Community Association, Mr. Tajudeen Babatunde Ogunbona, implored the cooperation of landlords and tenants to rid the area of hoodlums.

The Balogun family however has alleged threat to their lives by some unknown persons.

When contacted, the Meiran Police Divisional Officer, DPO, Mrs. Chioma Ajunwa, refused to comment on the incident as request to her mobile telephone was unanswered.

Traders cheering after Governor Fashola addressed them following the recent fire incident at Ketu market, Lagos.

Ejigbo launches mobile health service FRANCIS SUBERU

E

fforts by Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, in Lagos State to improve primary health care services received a boost, when the chairman, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan launched an initiative called “tele-medicine”.

The initiative will enable residents with emergency health problems call certain toll free lines from their homes, for quick medical assistance from doctors and nurses.

Launching the programme at Ailegun Primary Health Centre, the chairman said the idea first came to him last

year, after he heard of an incident in which a woman lost her four-day old baby, who was diagnosed with jaundice, unaware she could get a free ambulance at the council to convey the child to the nearest general hospital.

At the event, Bamigbetan said his administration has provided toll free lines at the six health centres in the council and also allocated another line to the ambulance service.

He said residents with emergency health issues should call any of the lines, promising that the ambulance would arrive with a doctor and nurse and able to take them to the general hospital if needed.

He stressed that the idea behind the programme is to

ensure that lives are saved in the area and as such, the council’s ambulance would be used more effectively for the service.

Bamigbetan said “while the ambulance is on its way to pick patients, the health service provider would advise persons on what to do before their arrival.

He appealed to the council’s nurses and other health service providers to be friendly and courteous with residents when they call the lines.

He also said that of the council’s six health centres, only those at Iyana Ejigbo and Jakande Estate are presently running a 24 hour service and plans are on to extend same the other four.

PHOTO MURITALA AYINLA

Madam Fawehinmi goes home

T

he family of Honourable Justice Rasheed Olabamidele Fawehinmi (Rtd) of Ondo Town in Ondo State has announced the death of their wife, mother and grandmother, Mrs. Gertrude Ebun Ololade Fawehinmi who passed on at the age of 84 years.

Burial arrangement kicks off with a vigil mass/wake keeping at Membi hall, Oba Ajosowo Close, Laje Road, Ondo town by 5pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013.

The requiem mass will take place at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ondo-Ife Road, Ondo town on Friday, March 22, 2013 at 10am.

She is survived by her husband, the Honourable Justice R. O. Fawehinmi (Rtd) and children including Dr. Olawale Fawehinmi, Mr. Olaitan Fawehinmi, Mrs Iyabo Arinola Awokoya and several grandchildren.

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Community Mirror

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Small scale industrialists to hold exhibition JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

P

lans are underway for the National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) to organise a fair to exhibit products of its members in Jos,the Plateau State capital.

The state NASSI chairman, Mr Semshak Gompil, disclosed this in Jos when he paid a courtesy call on the state Commissioner of Commerce and Industries, Helen Maina.

He said that the fair would afford members of the public the opportunity to access the products

of small-scale industrialists in the state.

Gompil stated that apart from the fair, NASSI was working towards establishing a one-stop shopping centre where all products of its members would be on display for customers. ``Our intention is to build a one-stop shop where all products would be sold at a single point.

There, you can see our members practicalising how the products are produced,’’ he said.

He, however, requested the commissioner for a piece of land for the shopping centre, stating that a capital development agency had

already indicated interest in building the edifice on partnership basis.

We have being in contact with a capital development agency, and they are ready to come and pump in their money to develop a onestop shopping centre which will be called NASSI Market,’’ he added.

Gompil stated that the major challenge facing the association was inadequate funds for its members to expand their businesses, and appealed to the state government to provide loans through micro finance banks for members of the association.

He said the development of

small-scale industries would help to reduce youth unemployment and criminal tendencies to the barest minimum. ``We are appealing to the state government to assist us with an office because the one at Dogon Dutse is now in no go area due to prevailing insecurity in Jos,’’ he said.

Responding, Maina described NASSI as the most vibrant association in Plateau with good reputation.

She said that NASSI had impacted greatly on the economy of the state, and pledged the cooperation of her ministry in helping the association to achieve its goals.

Responding, Maina described NASSI as the most vibrant association in Plateau State with good reputation.

She said NASSI had impacted greatly on the economy of the state, and pledged the cooperation of her ministry in helping the association to achieve its goals.

“Although your activities are similar to those of Plateau Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, we will give you the go ahead to organise the fair.

You have clearly outlined the areas that require intervention from the government; this will help us to take action,’’ she said.

Yoruba should promote language –OPC FISAYO FALODI

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A vehicle contesting the right of way with an electric pole on Liberty Road, Ibadan.

Ogun to construct rural roads FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

I

n the determination to take its urban renewal policy to the grassroots, the Ogun State Government has announced plans to inaugurate road gangs to build community roads in the 20 local government areas of the state.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Olamilekan Adegbite, said four different gangs will be constituted to work on roads in Egba, Yewa,Remo and Ijebu divisions.

The commissioner explained that they are part of the “Ogun Standard” road projects which the state Government has contracted to some construction firms.

Adegbite stated that the gangs are expected to open up, grade and construct culverts where necessary, even as he noted that the government decided to open and grade

community roads to ensure access to all nooks and crannies, as well as aid the movement of persons and goods, especially agricultural products from the rural areas to cities and towns in the state.

“Government is trying to provide motorable roads to ensure easy movement of people and goods from one place to another.

I believe it would go a long way in realising the urban renewal and rural development component of the five point agenda of the state government” Adegbite noted.

He said each gang is expected to spend two weeks in a local government area, promising that the ministry would attend to all requests from the state House of Assembly and local government councils.

The commissioner, therefore appealed to benefitting communities to offer assistance and cooperate with the engineers as they work to open the roads.

PHOTO: NAN

Women protest market closure STANLEY IHEDIGBO

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ome of the market women displaced at Ojo Road/ Alagbo, Satellite Town in Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA), have appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola to immediately intervene on the closure of the market.

During a peaceful protest at the council, the market leader, Alhaja Amope Abu, said since October last year, when the police chased them out of the market, many of them who are widows have been without any means of sustenance.

She appealed to the governor to urge Management Enterprises Limited, MEL, to let them back in the market, as they are now living like destitute.

Alhaja Abu said they learnt

the land where the market was built belonged to the Federal Government and had since been sold to Chief Olu Taylor, chairman of MEL. “We the market women are appealing to the government to come to our aid, as we are starving. So far 12 markets have been pulled down in the council area, following expansion of the Badagry Expressway”, she said.

The protesting women carried placards with inscriptions such as: “MEL, enough is enough”; “Federal Ministry of Works, Land Division, leave us alone”; “The rich should let the poor live”.

Addressing the women, the council chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Sanusi, said he has been holding discussions with the government and the company on the issue to find amicable resolution to the market closure.

he Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, has stressed the need for the promotion of Yoruba culture, stressing that development of the language must be encouraged.

Speaking recently in Lagos, National Coordinator of the group, Otunba Gani Adams, said like English, French, Arabic and Spanish, Yoruba is a living language that must be encouraged to develop.

Quoting late former Minister of Education, Prof. Babatunde Fafunwa, who claimed that Yoruba is the fifth most respected language in the world, Adams regretted that many people have refused to appreciate the importance of the language.

He spoke at a press conference to announce the commencement of this year’s edition of Eledumare Festival in Ikeja, Lagos State, organised by the Olokun Festival Foundation.

Gani Adams said the festival was organised to encourage the promotion and acceptance of Yoruba language.

He said: “We instituted Eledumare Festival to eulogise the Almighty God, to affirm our belief in HIM and to create another platform for exhibiting our cultural elements, such as songs, dance, oral traditions, and traditional odes and relive the historical background of Yoruba people.

“Twenty-one activities are slated for this festival running through March to April. During the festival, we will donate food items to an orphanage, visit a school for the blind and spend a day with a group of 500 widows.

“In addition, we are holding a public lecture on March 21, 2013 as a way to document scholastic views on the Yoruba worship of Eledumare.

“Last year’s edition dwelt on the origin of the Yoruba name for God, and how the language’s dialects influence the pronunciation of God’s name. This year’s edition will build on those of the past. The grand finale of the festival will hold on March 26.”

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

World News

Cardinals hold final talks as conclave begins today

48 PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

O

fficials from the party of Kenya’s prime minister said yesterday they are not getting the co-operation they need from Kenya’s electoral commission to prepare a lawsuit to challenge the results of the March 4 presidential vote.

There was an effort to cover-up cheating that they alleged gave the election win to Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, said Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo and Lands Minister James Orengo. Both men were high profile lawyers before joining politics.

Kilonzo and Orengo, who back Kenyatta’s top challenger, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, said the country’s electoral authority was ignoring their request to allow them to go through the voter register.

“Now that the electoral commission is refusing to allow us and other Kenyans who want to determine if that election had integrity, it obviously means that there is something wrong with their records,” Orengo said, adding that the returns were likely being “doctored.”

Kenya’s electoral commission denied withholding the documents. Tabitha Mutemi, the communication manager at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission said that Odinga’s legal team wanted access to 33,000 documents which needed to be photo-copied, work that could not be completed in day.

A

“Iran is ready to help learn the fate of a retired FBI agent who went missing six years ago” - Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi

Odinga team alleges cover-up of Kenyan vote rigging •

ICC drops case against Kenyatta’s co-accused

L-R: Chairman of the election commission Isaak Hassan speaking to the media after handing over a certificate of the recent election results to Kenya’s Chief Justice Willy Mutunga at the Supreme Court in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, yesterday.

Photo: AP

Kilonzo said the information is fundamental for the formulation of their court petition.

“This will be a precedent setting case,” he said. “We are going to do a good job something that will satisfy the population that the days of rigging, the days of stealing elections or covering up are gone, that you can take to the bank.”

Kenya’s Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said yesterday that

the Supreme Court is prepared to hear the petition against Kenyatta’s re-election and other petitions that may arise from the election.

Mutunga assured those filing petitions that the Supreme Court will be impartial, fair and just.

Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s founding father, Jomo Kenyatta, was declared president-elect on Saturday. Kenyatta won 50.07 percent of the vote, just surpass-

ing the 50-percent level needed to avoid a runoff with Odinga.

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has dropped charges against Francis Muthaura, a co-accused of Kenya’s presidential election winner Uhuru Kenyatta, the prosecutor has said.

Fatou Bensouda said some witnesses were too scared to testify, while another had recanted his statement.

Malawi arrests alleged coup plotters

t least 10 former senior Malawian government officials, including Cabinet ministers, were arrested yesterday for allegedly plotting a coup to prevent then-Vice President Joyce Banda from assuming power following the death of the former president in April last year.

Those detained included the brother of former President Bingu wa Mutharika, Peter, former Information Minister Patricia Kaliati and Mutharika’s Guard Commander Duncan Mwapasa.

The arrests set off violence in the commercial capital, Blantyre, as supporters of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took to the streets.

Police fired tear gas to break the up the demonstration.

Peter Mutharika is the DPP presidential candidate for the next election scheduled for May 2014. Malawi, one of Africa’s poorest countries, is struggling with high inflation and many people are unhappy with tough economic reforms that are backed by the International Monetary Fund.

Others arrested include the current Economic Planning and Development Minister Goodall Gondwe, who was Mutharika’s Finance Minister, and Chief Secretary Bright Msaka, who was also Chief Secretary in the Mutharika government.

“I can confirm that following the release of a report into the death of President Mutharika, the law enforcement agencies in

President Joyce Hilda Mtila Banda addressing the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, recently Photo: AP

Malawi are of the strong view that certain criminal offences were committed by certain individuals and as a result arrests have been effected,” Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu told

The Associated Press.

The report into Mutharika’s death, presented to Banda last week, revealed that after the cardiac arrest of the 78-year-old Mutharika on April 5, Cabinet ministers and senior government officials held secret meetings aimed at preventing thenVice President Banda from assuming power as stipulated by the constitution.

Banda had fallen out with Mutharika, as he preferred his younger brother, Peter, to take over when he retired in 2014.

Banda, next in line for succession, resisted the promotion of the brother, a 72-year-old constitutional law professor at Washington State University, and was subsequently expelled from Mutharika’s party.

WORLD BULLETIN

‘Oscar Pistorius on verge of suicide’ South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, accused of killing his girlfriend, may be “on the verge of suicide”, a close family friend told the BBC, yesterday.

The sportsman was a “broken man” after rising legal costs forced him to sell his belongings, Mike Azzie said.

Azzie made the comments in a BBC3 documentary about the case, in which Pistorius denies murder.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Paralympic champion have filed an appeal to ease his bail restrictions.

Pistorius, who is on trial for shooting model Reeva Steenkamp at his home last month, denies the charges of premeditated murder, saying he mistook her for an intruder.

Azzie, who has known the athlete since childhood and has been in regular contact with him, said he was worried about his mental and emotional state.

He said the Paralympian had been forced to sell his racehorses to cover the spiralling legal fees.

Guinea cancels court summons for top opposition figures Guinean authorities said yesterday they had temporarily withdrawn a summons ordering senior opposition figures to appear at a hearing about deadly street protests, pulling back from a decision that had threatened to aggravate a political crisis.

At least eight people have been killed and hundreds wounded in nearly two weeks of protests that have raised concerns about the security of the mineral-rich West African country, which is emerging from a 2008 coup.

Opposition parties have called a series of rallies, accusing the government of planning to rig a parliamentary election scheduled for May 12.

S’Africa holds bail hearing for charged police A South African prosecutor says a Mozambican taxi driver who was dragged from a South African police vehicle died from lack of oxygen and also suffered extensive head lacerations.

The South African Press Association says prosecutor December Mthimunye gave details of the autopsy of driver Mido Macia at a bail hearing yesterday for nine police officers charged with his murder.

SAPA quoted Mthimunye as saying the driver died of hypoxia, had hemorrhaging in his right lung and tissue around his heart, suffered bruises to his genitals and also forearm injuries, suggesting he was fending off blows.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Queen Elizabeth recovering, cancels engagement

WORLD BULLETIN

Japan marks two years since deadly tsunami Japan is marking the second anniversary of the devastating tsunami and earthquake that claimed 19,000 lives and caused the worst nuclear accident in decades.

A national ceremony organised by the government began in Tokyo on Monday to commemorate victims of the disaster.

Mourners across the country observed a moment of silence at 2:46pm, the exact time the tsunami struck, for those killed.

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the country’s north-eastern Pacific coast on March 11, 2011, triggering a tsunami that destroyed thousands of homes and hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, causing meltdowns and explosions in what has become the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl in 1986.

The anniversary has highlighted the country’s continuing struggle to clean up the radition that was unleashed, rebuild communities, and determine new energy and economic strategies.

Ex-British minister jailed for obstructing justice A former U.K. Cabinet minister and his ex-wife were each sentenced to eight months in jail yesterday over a convoluted attempt to transfer a 2003 speeding penalty.

Chris Huhne, 58, pleaded guilty last month to perverting the course of justice after months of denying any wrongdoing. He resigned as a Liberal Democrat lawmaker the same day he pleaded guilty.

His ex-wife, Vicky Pryce, had claimed Huhne coerced her into taking the penalty for his speeding violation. Pryce, 60, was convicted of perverting the course of justice last week.

The case has riveted Britain as deeply personal and embarrassing revelations about the powerful couple’s 25-year marriage emerged.

In his sentencing Monday, Judge Nigel Sweeney said Huhne had lied “again and again” and told Pryce she had a “controlling, manipulative and devious side.”

Mortar attack in Damascus kills six civilians A Syrian government official says mortar rounds have struck central Damascus, killing six civilians and wounding 24.

The official says four mortar shells fell on Bab Sharqi, a predominantly Christian area known for its old churches.

One fell in a park, two struck near an ice cream shop and a fourth hit an old house in an adjacent area. The official spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

State-run news agency SANA said another shell struck Tishrin stadium further east in the central Barakmeh district, wounding several people during a football game.

Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad have escalated mortar fire in the past weeks, striking deeper than ever into heart of Damascus.

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Cardinals arriving for a meeting at the Vatican, yesterday.

Photo: AP

Cardinals hold final talks as conclave begins today

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n the eve of their conclave to select a new pope, cardinals held their final debate yesterday over whether the Catholic Church needs a manager to clean up the Vatican or a pastor to inspire the faithful at a time of crisis.

The countdown underway, speculation has gone into overdrive about who’s ahead in the papal campaign.

Will cardinals choose Cardinal Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan, an Italian with serious intellectual and managerial chops who hasn’t been tainted by the scandals of the Vatican bureaucracy?

Or has Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the Capuchin monk from Boston who has charmed the Italian media worked the same magic on fellow cardinals?

Most cardinals already knew Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet since he heads a powerful Vatican office.

But maybe over the past week they’ve gotten a chance to hear him sing — he has a fabulous voice and is known for belting out French folk songs.

Whoever it is, there were strong indications that plenty of questions remained about the state of the church and the best man to lead it heading into Tuesday’s conclave: Not all the cardinals who wanted to speak were able to Monday, and the cardinals were forced to take a vote about continuing the discussion into the afternoon.

In the end, a majority of cardinals chose to cut short the formal discussion, and the cardinals who did speak shortened their comments, according to the Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

“This is a great historical moment but we have got to do it properly, and I think that’s why there isn’t a real rush to get into things,”

Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier from South Africa said as he left the session.

Cardinal Javier Luis Errázuriz of Chile was more blunt, saying that while Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had tremendous support going into the 2005 conclave that elected him Benedict XVI after just four ballots, the same can’t be said for any of the candidates in this election.

“This time around, there are many different candidates, so it’s normal that it’s going to take longer than the last time,” he told The Associated Press.

One of the main presentations yesterday came from Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican No. 2 who heads the commission of cardinals overseeing the scandalmarred Vatican bank. He outlined the bank’s activities and the Holy See’s efforts to clean up its reputation in international financial circles, Lombardi said.

ueen Elizabeth cancelled an official engagement yesterday due to illness following her recent hospitalisation with symptoms of gastroenteritis but there is no serious concern about her health, officials said.

“The queen will regrettably no longer attend the Commonwealth observance at Westminster Abbey today as she continues to recover following her recent illness,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

The queen, who was discharged from hospital a week ago, is otherwise in good health and was still expected to attend a reception in the evening, the spokesman said. She will also attend some of her official engagements planned later this week.

Last Monday, the 86-year-old British monarch left hospital after three days of treatment for a stomach bug, having been forced to cancel a planned visit to Italy.

It was the first time in 10 years that Elizabeth, who rarely cancels official engagements, had been hospitalised. Despite cutting back on a once hectic timetable of foreign visits, she is still renowned for her stamina in dealing with a busy schedule at home.

However, officials were quoted in British media as saying her current health problems were not serious and there was nothing to worry about.

The queen’s popularity with ordinary Britons remains high, boosted in the last two years by celebrations to mark her 60th year on the throne and the wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton.

Venezuelan election: Rivals at each other’s throats

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residential candidates Nicolas Maduro and Henrique Capriles have begun Venezuela’s election race with scathing personal attacks even as mourners still file past the late Hugo Chavez’s corpse.

Maduro, who was sworn in as acting president after Chavez succumbed to cancer last week, is seen as the favorite to win the April 14 election, bolstered by an oil-financed state apparatus and a wave of public sympathy over Chavez’s death.

Chavez made clear before his fourth and last cancer operation in December that he wanted Maduro to be his Socialist Party’s candidate to succeed him if he died.

Maduro has vowed to continue the socialist policies of Chavez’s 14-year rule in the South American OPEC nation, including the popular use of its vast oil revenues for

Capriles, Venezuela’s opposition leader and governor of Miranda state, adPhoto: Reuters dressing the media in Caracas, on Sunday.

social programs.

But Capriles is promising a tough fight.

“Nicolas, I’m not going to give you a free passage ... you are not Chavez,” Capriles said in a combative speech late on Sunday. He

also accused Maduro of lying to minimize Chavez’s medical condition while he prepared his candidacy.

“Nicolas lied to this country for months,” Capriles said. “You are exploiting someone who is no lon-

ger here because you have nothing else to offer the country ... I don’t play with death, I don’t play with suffering, like that.”

Within minutes, in a late-night address to the nation, Maduro said his rival was playing with fire, offending Chavez’s family and risking legal action.

“You can see the disgusting face of the fascist that he is,” a visibly furious Maduro said, alleging that the opposition was hoping to stir up violence.

“His aim is to provoke the Venezuelan people.”

At stake in the election is not only the future of Chavez’s socialist “revolution,” but the continuation of Venezuelan oil subsidies and other aid crucial to the economies of left-wing allies around Latin America, from Cuba to Bolivia.

Venezuela boasts the world’s largest oil reserves.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

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Cocktail

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x

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (109)

“The human race has only one effective weapon, and that is laughter.”

–Mark Twain Catch Laughter Virus Laughter may not be the only effective weapon to fight the battles of life, but it is certainly a powerful weapon. Most battles come to wreck us but we can win battles by laughter.

See how in 4 quick steps: 1. Laughter will dissolve stress and release energy.

2. Energy will lead to action.

3. Action is the cure for most problematic issues.

Action will lead to motion.

4. Consistent Motion will ultimately bring promotion.

Norman Cousins once destroyed his terminal cancer with laughter! Find ways to laugh really hard today no matter what!

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

Thief steals phone, phone posts photo on victim’s Facebook page

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New York woman said a man mugged her for her cellphone and then mugged in a different way -- posting a photo on her Facebook page of himself smoking pot.

The Bronx resident told police she was robbed of her cellphone around 3 a.m. on March 2. Shortly thereafter, the woman said she

noticed a photo on her Facebook page of the suspect, smoking marijuana.

The victim told police her phone and Facebook are linked, so photos automatically upload.

Police have not arrested the suspect, but are using the photo to help identify him, the New York Post reported on Saturday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Fat cat now slims down, adopted by vet

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n obese stray cat found wandering six months ago near Dallas has slimmed down to 34 pounds and have been adopted by the veterinarian overseeing his care.

Dr. Brittney Barton said on Friday that the orange tabby, dubbed Skinny, is doing well on a special diet to help lose weight and increase his metabolism.

Barton says she became attached to the onetime 41-pound cat she was treating at an animal orphanage and last month he became part of her family. Skinny joins Barton’s husband, three children, a dog and another cat at her home.

Barton says Skinny gets along great with the other animals, can jump up on a couch and runs to his food bag at feeding time. She says the house has long hallways that provide good exercise for Skinny.

Barton, a veterinarian, posing with Skinny the cat on Friday, in Dallas.

PHOTO: AP

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Suntai’s health: Group laments constitutional aberration in Taraba

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L-R: Managing Director, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim; Chairman, Ambassador Hassan Adamu and the representative of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, at the NDIC annual seminar for judges in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

‘Agric sector suffers N230m in 2012 flood’ WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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ogi State Director of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET, Mr. Osunlalu Olusina, yesterday said that the agricultural sector lost over N230 million in last year’s flood that ravaged about 33 states of the country.

He also said that over 1.9 million hectares of farm land was washed away in the disaster.

Olusina, who disclosed this while speaking at a two-day capacity develop-

ment programme on postflood recovery for media practitioners organised by the National Orientation Agency, NOA, in collaboration with UNICEF Zone C, in Lokoja, yesterday, said as the next raining season is approaching, people have to take precaution to avoid disaster again.

He said there may be more rain this year, but that it may not pose any serious threat like what was experienced last year, adding that this does not stop us from preparing for eventualities.

He pointed out that the flood that ravaged the nation was as a result climate change, pointing out that the climate change was due to human activities that depleted the ozone layer.

He added that the agricultural sector suffered a great lost in terms of monetary value, adding that the fear is that the production from this sector will be lower than expected. He said Kebbi State for instance, lost over N71 million; Delta N48 million and Bayelsa State N46 million from ag-

riculture alone.

While presenting a paper, Executive Secretary of Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Alice Ogedengbe, who recounted the ordeal of the state, said over 620, 000 people were displaced by the flood.

Ogedengbe said the affected people in the nine local government areas of the state are still leaving with the adverse effect of the flood, appealing to the authorities that those at the grass root still need assistance to enable them settle down to normal life.

Bauchi workers suspend strike as govt, NLC parley EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

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he Bauchi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday said it has suspended its intended strike action over the one percent deduction from workers salaries to fund the agency for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in the state.

The body said the suspension became necessary because the body was still in negotiation with the state government over the deduction.

It noted that the ultimatum it earlier gave to the government over the matter has been cancelled as negotiation between the office of the Head of Service, the state Joint Negotiation

Council and labour, was still on-going with a view to stop such deduction.

State NLC Chairman, Comrade Hasimu Gital, who disclosed this at the weekend during an interview with journalists in Bauchi said; “The ultimatum labour gave to the state government over the one percent deduction from workers’ salaries has no effect because labour is trying to convince the government, through dialogue, to stop the deductions.

“The labour law states that when an ultimatum is given and there is dialogue over that pending issue, the ultimatum must be set aside until the matter is amicably resolved or there is a deadlock on that issue and as am talking to you now, we are still holding

talks with the government to resolve the problem.”

The NLC chairman disassociated labour from the allegation made by some civil servants in the state, saying; “Labour is not kicking against the establishment of the agency for orphans and vulnerable children. What labour is against is that nobody should be forced to contribute to charity. Contributions to charity should be made voluntary.”

He said labour does not support the idea that a law that was passed by the state House of Assembly should be binding on everybody as every civil servant in the state is entitled to his freedom.

Concerning the faceoff between the Academ-

ic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, and the Bauchi State government, the NLC chairman said it is only the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, that is an affiliate of labour and not ASUSS, hence labour in the state has no business with ASUSS. “ASUSS is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and not NUT, so they should blame the TUC for their woes. Labour has no hand in their problems as wrongly insinuated by the union.

“I don’t know why they should accuse labour of taking sides with the government over their issue. I don’t have any business with ASUSS because they are not affiliated to NUT so, I cannot interfere in their matter.” Gital said.

he Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Transparency and Good Governance, CCSGTGG, has called on the Taraba State government to put in place a team of medical experts to undertake a verification visit to Germany to ascertain the health status of Governor Danbaba Suntai.

It will be recalled that controversy has been trailing the heath status of Suntai since his involvement in a plane crash last year.

The coalition group, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Ali Abacha, its SecretaryGeneral, Mr. Muhammad N. Ibn-Ahmad and its National Publicity Secretary, Babanagari Suleiman, regretted what it called the “hydraheaded culture of impunity” that is threatening the present democratic dispensation in the country.

According to the group, there was the need to put an end to the ongoing trend whereby indisposed office holders refuse to follow the dictates of the constitution by handing over to their subordinate.

The group said: “You will recall the intrigues that surrounded the succession drama when the late President, Umaru Yar’Adua, took ill and could not perform state functions due to complicated

health situation and what followed.

“Similar situation is currently playing out in Taraba as was the case in Cross River and Enugu States whose governors, for one health reason or the other, were held abroad for so long leaving their deputies in dual roles of acting and deputy governors making governance ultimately difficult in the affected states.

“While it is a known fact that official responsibilities derive authority from the constitution, the extent to which such official conduct is inconsistent with constitutional provisions makes it null and void.”

The group expressed concern over the inability of both the state executive councils and the Houses of Assembly of the concerned states “to follow the steps of the National Assembly to invoke relevant sections of the constitution and confirm the state’s acting governors’ substantive powers to move their states forward.

“In the case of Taraba State, we find it imperative to call on the state executive council to constitute a team of medical experts to undertake a verification trip to ascertain the health status of Governor Danbaba Suntai, as provided for by law in order to pave way for necessary legislative/judicial procedures.

2015: Group declares support for Atiku A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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group under the auspices of the Arewa Discussion Forum, ADF, yesterday declared its support for former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

In an e-mailed statement signed by the Coordinator of the forum, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, the group urged Atiku to sustain his nationwide consultations toward his eventual presidential declaration for the 2015 race.

The group, an arm of Hope Arewa Development Initiative, HADI, said that Atiku has the right to run for 2015, saying moves by fifth columnists to scuttle his ambition should be stopped.

ADF noted that several tactics were made by some elements within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to frustrate his ambition, stressing that any attempt would be resisted by demo-

crats.

The group further flayed recent media reports that Atiku and others would be removed from the PDP Board of Trustees, describing it as most unfortunate.

The statement reads in parts: “We were made to understand that the Jerry Gana Committee recommended that some members, who at one time or the other had cause to decamp and later return, should be removed and it was widely reported that Atiku Abubakar and some other party members should be dropped.”

The group, however, condemned the recent solidarity visit by the PDP leadership to President Goodluck Jonathan, over the decision of an Abuja High Court which gave the President the right to contest in 2015, averring that it seems the party hierarchy has endorsed President Jonathan, denying other well qualified Nigerians the opportunity to achieve their dreams under the platform of the party.

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NDLEA arrests grandmother who plants cocaine in her hair OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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L-R: United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Terrence McCulley; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; Executive Vice-President, OPIC, Mimi Alemayehou and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, during the visit of the United States Corporate Council on Africa Infrastructure Trade Mission to the minister in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Policeman, teenager electrocuted FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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wo persons, including a policeman attached to the Ogun State Government House, Isale-Igbehin, Abeokuta, were on Sunday electrocuted at a construction site in front of the Government House in the state capital.

One of the victims, a 17-year-old, identified simply as Moses, was said to have been electrocuted while scavenging at the construction site. The police officer, identified as Sunday Joseph, was said to have been killed as he attempted to rescue Moses.

National Mirror gathered that the late Moses recently lost his father, a police officer, to an armed robbery incident in the state and was scavenging from the rubbles in the site when he met his death.

It was also gathered that Moses had succeeded in

gathering some iron rods from the site and was on his way home when the rods had contact with one of the high tension electric cables in the site and was electrocuted.

Eyewitnesses told journalists that the late police officer, Joseph, who has been taking care of Moses since the death of his father, was immediately contacted on phone while he rushed down to the scene.

On sighting the lifeless body of Moses that was still strapped under the cable, Joseph was said to have headed towards him against all persuasions by friends and sympathizers, but was eventually electrocuted by the same cable.

All effort to rush him to the hospital proved unsuccessful as his car which was the only available car at the scene couldn’t be assessed because of the security mechanism therein.

He died few minutes later.

It was also gathered that

it took the intervention of the Secretary to the Ogun State Government; Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, who later arrived at the scene of the accident to put a call through to the technical manager of PHCN, before the cable could be disconnected from the grid.

The SSG later led other government officials that include a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Patrick Akinsola Akinduro, to visit the family of the victims to commiserate with them.

When contacted, PHCN Public Affairs Manager for Abeokuta District, Richard Oyewole, who denied his company’s negligence, said the matter would be investigated.“ I have contacted some of our field officers, and like you are aware, yesterday was Sunday and normally if construction companies are to work in any area, they will request for outage but as we speak, yesterday

being Sunday, there was no outage permit granted by our company.

“We are still making investigations and we are going to address this issue later. We don’t grant outages on frivolities, normally, our line supposed to be on 24 hours unless there is a fault or an accident and what we can do is to isolate that area to prevent life being lost because any outage will put a lot of people in darkness.”

“It is disheartening and saddening that we lost one of us; but I want to assure you that the Commissioner of Police, Ikhemefuna Okoye, commiserates with the family and prayed that such would not happen again.”

Also when contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident also described the death of the police officer as saddening.

NNPC 3: Police send weapons for ballistic test BIYI ADEGOROYE

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rms and ammunition recovered from the scene of the murder of three members of staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, at Arepo, in Ogun State, last September will soon be sent to experts for ballistic examination by the Nigeria Police.

The trio of NNPC staff comprising the Deputy Manager in charge of Pipelines Right of Way, Engineer Agbako Oan, Ikechukwu Ikenem and Ernest

Igene, both of whom were engineers, were killed by petroleum pipeline vandals while welding vandalized pipes at Arepo, near Lagos last year, while four other members of staff escaped by hairs’ breadth.

According to police sources, items to be examined are the pump action gun and the ammunition as well as a pistol recovered from the suspects at the crime scene, were part of the investigations designed to link the crime with the suspects, who suffered lethal injuries from the vandals.

Assistant Commission-

er of Police in charge of the Task Force on Pipeline Vandalisation, Friday Ibadin, this ballistic analysis is crucial to establish a prima facie case of murder against the suspects currently in prison custody over the attack.

Though, the accused have been charged to court for murder, police authorities said the latest suspect Jiperede, would be added to the list of the other six when the case comes up later this week.

The accused already in prison custody are Inerepamu Ijebu Joel, John Aye

Isaiah, Ineye Okposa, Timi Gunugunu, Saheed Olisa Mudashiru and Oluwole Posibi Reube. They were arraigned for the alleged murder before Justice Mohammed Idris, of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The defendants were said to have committed the crime on September 5, 2012.

The police prosecutor, Assistwant Commissioner of Police, Friday Ibadin, has told the court that the accused and others now at large, conspired among themselves to commit the offence on September 5, 2012.

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday announced the arrest of a 53-year-old grandmother, who attempted to carry drugs outside the country by planting it in her hair.

The suspect, Giwa Ayoka Sikiratu, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, at the weekend, following the discovery and seizure of 1.00kg of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine, hidden inside her hair.

An on-line statement signed by the Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, said that Sikirat “concealed the drug in her beautiful hair style while trying to board an Ethiopian Airline Flight ET 910 to Pakistan enroute Addis Ababa and Dubai.”

NDLEA Abuja Airport Commander, Mr. Hamisu Lawan, said the suspect, who attempted smuggling the drug to Pakistan, was arrested during routine check.

“There was no prior information on Sikirat as the drug was detected when a female officer carried out a body frisk on her during outward screening of passengers.

She was smuggling the drug to Pakistan.

“We also arrested one 59-year-old suspected accomplice, Joseph Umunna, an indigene of Anambra State, who brought Sikirat to the airport,” Lawan stated.

Preliminary investiga-

tion shows that Joseph Umunna was assigned to take her to the airport and ensure that she successfully boards her flight.

The drug, according to the statement, was allegedly concealed in her hair in Lagos before she was taken to Abuja. Ofoyeju said both suspects would soon be charged to court in line with the NDLEA Act for unlawful exportation and conspiracy to export 1.00kg of cocaine.

During interrogation, Sikirat allegedly confessed that life as a single-mother was not easy. According to her, she confessed to have had problem with the payment of her house rent and her children’s school fees.

She added; “I used to buy goods from Dubai and Pakistan, but since my shop at Nnamdi Azikiwe, Lagos Island was demolished, it has been struggles. My husband also abandoned me and the children, which made life very difficult.

“When they approached me to take the drug, I had no option. I was taken to a hotel in Lagos where a hair stylist was brought to fix the drugs. It was properly fixed and they promised to pay me $4, 000.”

Sikirat attended St. Louis Primary School, Mushin and Isolo Secondary School both in Lagos.

She also attended School of Fashion and Design in Lagos in 1994. Sikirat hails from Kwara State.

NDLEA Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade, while commending the arresting officers said it is morally bankrupt for a 53-year-old grandmother to smuggle drugs.

SANship: Aribisala sues Privileges Committee, asks court to restore rank WALE IGBINTADE

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hief Ajibola Aribisala, who was recently stripped of the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, has instituted a suit before a Lagos High Court against the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee and Fidelity Bank Plc; praying the court to reverse the verdict of the committee.

The suit which is before Justice Oludotun AdefopeOkojie, the claimant (Ari-

bisala) is praying the court to nullify his suspension from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, with its accompanying privileges.

The Privileges Committee had on February 26, 2013 stripped Aribisala of his rank despite the pendency of an application dated October 19, 2012 seeking a restraining order against the committee from taking any action against him pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

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Ladipo Market: Battling environmental decay and lawlessness The recent closure of Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts Market, Mushin by the Lagos State Government took not only the traders by surprise, it also vindicated complaints of those who have frowned at such massive environmental degradation of the area.

Moreover, the battle for leadership supremacy by factions compounded the traders’ woes. In this piece, MURITALA AYINLA looks at the issues that led to closure of the market and efforts to ameliorate the situation.

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o some traders at the Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts Market in Mushin, the recent closure came as a surprise. For more than eight years, there has been lingering crisis between the market leadership, state and local government over the continuous degradation of the environment by the traders and property owners.

But beyond accusations of environmental degradation and nuisance, the Mushin Local Government Authority, where the market is located had, on several occasions, accused the market leaders of flagrant violation of its bye-laws. The council had alleged that the leaders were running a parallel government, thus making the market section of the council ungovernable.

Although, the market is bedevilled with other pockets of violence, especially leadership tussle which made the state government shut the market under former Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

For Oshodi- bound motorists and commuters residing at Mushin, Fatai Atere way, Matori and other suburbs, linking the popular Toyota Bus Stop on Oshodi Apapa Expressway through Ladipo Market, commuting was a nightmare as hawkers, traders and heavy duty trucks usually take over the roads.

The state of the canal and drainages in the market has become an eyesore, thereby defeating all efforts by the Ministry of Environment at ensuring a flood-free state through clearing and desilting of blocked canals.

The traders had virtually turned the canal into one giant refuse bin, where carcasses of auto parts are dumped.

Most times, container loads of imported goods are offloaded without consideration for other road users.

The unruly nature of the area makes it convenient for pick pockets to roam unhindered. Mobile phones are stolen and sold freely in the market. For this, Ladipo has become one vast market for mobile phones, as thieves hawk stolen expensive phones freely without fear of being caught.

Worried by the lawlessness and environmental degradation, the state government, on February 25, 2013, shut down the market and arrested some hoodlums known as ‘Bakassi Boys’ for allegedly terrorising perceived enemies of a traders’ faction and other shoppers.

The officers of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, led by the chairman, Bayo Sulaiman stormed the market in the early hours of the morning on that day to enforce its closure.

The traders were dispersed with canisters of teargas shot into the air to ward off recalcitrant ones, as many were kept at bay by the presence of heavily armed policemen. Few of the unruly traders were arrested and detained in the ‘Black Maria’ stationed at the Toyota end of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

In no time, the ever busy market became a ghost town, as hundreds of fully armed taskforce officials took over the entire area in order to enforce government’s directives. Not even the notorious ‘Agunyi Ironsi International Market’, a section of the market noted for harbouring hardened criminals was spared, as several arms and charms were recovered.

The taskforce chairman, Sulaiman told journalists that the state government was fed up with the atrocities and hooliganism among the traders, saying those

Some of the ‘Bakassi Boys’ arrested in the market.

IT IS A MASSIVE DEGRADATION OF A SECTION OF LAGOS AND THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT CARRY ON LIKE THIS in charge of affairs in the market had taken laws into their hands.

The taskforce boss said: “Ladipo is not outside Lagos State, and we cannot allow things to continue like this. There are unlawful tradings on the streets and there are lots of shanties here. We will endeavour that this time, proper sanitation is carried out by the traders before the market would be re-opened and they have to submit to the chairman of Mushin Local Government.

They should put a stop to repair of vehicles on the road; the canal must be cleared by the traders because taxpayers’ money is being used by the government to maintain it. There should also be a no –trading zone”.

Expectedly, the traders, especially owners of the estimated 2,335 shops at the market, have continued to lament their losses, having stayed at home for more than two weeks. It is estimated that more than N1billion worth of business activities take place at the market every day.

Others layers of traders such as mobile phone technicians and retailers of used goods known as ‘Tokunbo’, food vendors, even pick pockets and pimps are also -`feeling the market closure, as that is having negative impacts on their families.

Speaking with National Mirror, Chidi Ibuka, a trader said since the closure of the market, feeding his family had become a difficult task,even as he appealed to the government to re-open it for business.

“We are suffering; government should please consider us, as our families are starving. We cannot engage in other forms of businesses, since trading is our only source of living.

Another trader, Pius Emeka said: “Imagine the financial losses daily due to closure of the market. The government should consider us, as we have accepted to comply with the terms and condition of re-opening it. This government is systematically putting us out of business”.

Following pleas of the traders and some concerned stakeholders, especially, the leadership of the Igbo Council in Lagos State, led by Professor Anya O. Anya, the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, paid a visit to the market to inspect the state of environmental degradation. He declared that the market would be reopened for business, only when the traders carry out massive clean-up exercise and formally sign an undertaken that they will never trade on the roads or along edges of the canal.

Governor Fashola said: “It is a massive degradation of a section of Lagos and this is not acceptable. People should not carry on like this. But what is, perhaps, worthy of note is that those who are involved have seen the errors in what they have done and are ready to work with us to clean-up and I have said that they must take the lead.”

People told me that they retrieved engine parts, spare-parts and other metals from the canal. We

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Features

Tuesday, March 12 , 2013

55

A deserted area near the market.

Two of the traders being taken away by the police.

The market leaders in a meeting over the closure.

should not hinder water flow in the canal by dumping refuse into it”. If you must trade here, you must stay behind the property line. You can see the damage you caused to the road. We have to come back to rehabilitate it. Now, this will be done with taxpayers’ money.

It is fine that you want to do business, but those who pay the money for the construction of the road must also be able to use it and how will they do this if you take over the road?”

On the canal blocked with refuse by the traders, Governor Fashola said: “The canal here poses great danger and we are expecting heavy rains. I do not want to come back to pick any corpse there.

Directing that the traders must work with the Mushin Local Government authorities to affect the clean-up and sanitation of the market, Fashola declared, “The only reason we are in government is to make you prosper, but you must help us do that. You are going to work with the Ministry of Environment. You are going to clean up the place yourselves”.

You will first clean the environment and when you have done that, I will be back and bring members of your leadership who came to see me and we will sign a new agreement that nobody should trade on the road. Any trading must take place behind the property line. No one should trade on the pavement, it is for pedestrians”, he said.

Apparently concerned by the continued closure of the market and consequences on the traders and their families, the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorochas and the association of Ndigbo in Lagos, appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola, to consider re-opening it once the traders comply with the directives on cleaning of the market.

While calling on the traders to shun all forms of hooli-

Some of the recovered charms from ‘Bakassi Boys’

THE ONLY REASON WE ARE IN GOVERNMENT IS TO MAKE YOU PROSPER BUT YOU MUST HELP US DO THAT ganism and dirty habits, Okorocha said: “I want to appeal for your understanding. Igbo are clean people; we are the cleanest in the world and you cannot let us look as if we are not clean anymore. I have come to appeal to the governor because, when I heard that you are losing revenue and not making money and trading, I was concerned. I have seen the work being done and the place is looking neater. I even asked what we can do to improve the lives of the people and the governor said, anything he could do to make Igbo people happy, he would do it and part of that, is to make sure this place is clean.

In another meeting last Friday with the Permanent Secretary of Office Drainage, Engr. Muyideen Akinsanya in conjunction with chairman of the Lagos Taskforce and Special Offence Unit, Bayo Sulaiman, the traders and other top government officials, agreed that the market should be re-opened on Monday, March 11 after certain conditions have been met.

At the meeting which lasted for more than two hours, the government insisted that the shops be moved from the road by 15 metres, to make room for pedestrians’ walkways and other road users.

It also urged the traders to demolish all shanties close to the road. Aside the filthy nature of the Ladipo area, the famous auto spare parts market is confronted with an array of conundrums militating against peaceful trading.

The market is bedevilled with leadership tussle, cour-

tesy of one Jonathan Okoli, former President General of the market, who some of the traders accuse of employing thugs to terrorise perceived enemies.

Many of such opponents are alleged to have been killed or maimed in the battle for leadership, even as some had allegedly been chased out of the market by the thugs.

Some traders also say they lack confidence in the leadership of the current President General, Comrade Ikechukwu Animalu, who is accused of hobnobbing with Jonathan Okoli, and forcibly evicting them from the market since last year.

The alleged refusal of the market union to remit dues to the local government is also a lingering crisis yet to be resolved.

Now that the market has been reopened, questions on the lips of the residents, especially road users are: will it put an end to illegal blocking of roads by mechanics and containers trying to offload? How safe is the lives of innocent shoppers and passers-by at Ladipo from touts and criminals in the market? Will the government register genuine traders and would proper records be kept by the traders as canvassed by the council chairman? What efforts is the government making to address the incidents of parallel leadership in the market? Will government assist in dealing with the notorious “Omo onile” (touting) syndrome, following incessant complaints by the traders? How soon will the market be upgraded as promised

by Governor Fashola?

The development in the days ahead would provide answers to these questions, even as some environmentalists have called for relocation of the market, if only to make for lasting solution to environmental degradation and social disorder in Mushin.

WORLD RECORD

Largest EU mission Vol. 03 No. 575

T

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Daring advocates of amnesty

he Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, stirred the hornets’ nest penultimate week by adding his voice to that of those canvassing that the Federal Government should not only dialogue, but also grant amnesty to the Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalists if only to bring peace to the embattled states in the North.

As a referred traditional ruler and religious leader, in fact, the de facto head of Muslims in this part of the world, the words of the Sultan should console the broken hearted that indeed there is light at the end of the tunnel

F

N150

On 9 December 2008, the European Union commenced its largest ever mission, EULEX, when it deployed the first of nearly 1,900 officials who will take over police, customs and justice responsibilities from the United Nations staff in Kosovo.

ormer world number one, Tiger Woods, believes he is close to regaining his imperious best form after wrapping up a comfortable victory in the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral over the weekend.

Woods, who has already won twice on four starts on the PGA

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

in the battle against religious insurgence. If the intervention of the Sultan had given hope at all, the events of the last few days had also raised some fundamental questions to which those campaigning for amnesty should also respond and proffer solutions to on how best to handle such demand for an unrepentant groups of terrorists.

Before the issue gets to complex and messy stage it is now, Nigerians thought it was just religious intolerance that had continued to characterize our relationship as a people. But going by the new dimension to the onslaught against the nation, the people, and now against foreign investment in the country, the matter deserves more than a cosmetic treatment it had enjoyed over the years. Even as the government continued to deny the impossibility of their demands to Islamize the country, the increasing nature of their violent campaign to achieve this difficult task has not abated.

Granting them amnesty as being canvassed, is, however, not the issue now.

Amnesty connotes the readiness and willingness of the party to a conflict to lay down arms and seek for official pardon in a crime committed against the state. The initiative must be from a group that is prepared to surrender

JONATHAN’S DECLARATION WHILE VISITING AND

BORNO

YOBE STATES IS

ENOUGH SIGNAL FOR THE INSURGENTS TO HAVE A RETHINK its weapons and in exchange ask for exemption from prosecution. In the circumstance of the religious sects; including Ansaru of late, fighting the state, they are yet to officially identify themselves and also declare a ceasefire to enable discussions on possible terms of the amnesty. From a domestic issue which should have been nipped in the bud, the violence has assumed an international dimension that can no longer be ignored.

But how can amnesty be justified for the group that has just killed innocent construction workers based on a rumour that the United Kingdom was embarking on a rescue mission to free the hostages? The whereabouts of the French family of seven kidnapped recently in Cameroun and kept some-

where between the Nigerian-Cameroun border is yet to be confirmed, a clear indication that the groups are not in any way ready to embrace dialogue or give peace a chance. Apart from these cases, the once buoyant economy of the states in the North has been paralysed, based on the demands of these few elements which they want to force on the majority. He who seeks justice must come with equity. Therefore, there is no basis yet to ask for amnesty given the scenario existing now until there is an affirmation from the other side.

The case of the Niger Delta militants provides a case in study. The militants, who also stated their grievances to include secession due to the neglect of the region that bears the source of the nation’s wealth without a corresponding development, were however bold enough to state their grouses openly and even made themselves available for dialogue, which led to negotiation on how to resolve their grievances. It took the wisdom of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to dialogue first before extending to them the offer of amnesty based on agreed terms to sheathe their swords and to benefit from other terms of the amnesty.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration while visiting Borno and Yobe states is enough signal for the insurgents to have a rethink that no government will ever compromise its authority first to accede to their requests and again to dialogue before granting them state pardon without first renouncing violence against the state. Having delivered the thinking of his government on the terrorists and their activities, the ball is in the court of the pro-amnesty campaigners to provide the assurance that these groups are prepared to jettison violence and threats to public peace first.

Sport Extra

Golf: Woods revels in new-found form

Tour this season, expressed delight at his consistent form throughout at the Blue Monster.

“I’m just trying to get better,” Woods said after lifting his first WGC title since 2009.

“I feel like my game’s becom-

ing more efficient. It’s more consistent day in and day out, and I’m very pleased with the progress I’ve made.”

Woods also thanked his close friend Stricker, who conducted a 45-minute putting tutorial with

the 14-time major winner on the eve of the tournament.

“We talk a lot about putting and it was one of those weeks where I felt pretty good about how I was playing, made a few putts and got it rolling,” he added.

Tiger Woods

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