Thursday, October 11, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Tragedy averted as IRS aircraft hits truck on Lagos airport runway FAAN blames pilot

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

AVIATION CORRESPONDENT

Oduah

ragedy was yesterday averted as an IRS Airline aircraft

Vol. 2 N0. 467

with about 100 passengers on board hit a truck on the runway of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. National Mirror learnt

that the aircraft, which departed the Murtala Mohammed Airport Two (MMA2) at 7:48a.m. for Abuja and Kano, taxied CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

COUNTDOWN TO

ONDO GUBER POLL October 20, 2012

DAYS TO GO

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m prepared for governance, â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Akeredolu

CPC blasts Bakare, Mimiko over endorsement

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

N150

2013: Jonathan proposes N4.92trn budget Education, defence, police top allocations $75 oil benchmark unrealistic â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Reps

GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

Goodluck resident Jonathan yesterday presented the 2013 budget estimates before a joint session of the National Assembly. The presentation was done amid tight security within the precincts of the National Assembly complex. The budget, which the President christened â&#x20AC;&#x153;Budget of fiscal consolidation with inclusive growth,â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; N4.92trn ! $ # "!

Statutory Transfers !

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Recurrent Expenditure

NEWS ANALYSIS

Capital Expenditure

Nigerians hope for fiscal efficiency

HIGHLIGHTS

TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

eyond the statistics, which have never been a major challenge in preparing budget proposals in the country for several decades, are fundamental issues of fiscal efficiency in terms of direct bearing on the welfare of Nigerians. As has been noted over the years, implementation of previous budgets had worsened the socio-economic state of more Nigerians as the years roll by with the latest number of people living below the CONTINUED ON PAGE 3>>

Debt Service

President Goodluck Jonathan laying the 2013 budget proposal before the joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday. Excerpts of budget speech on page 50. PHOTO: NAN

ACF, Ohanaeze parley on national unity P.10

UNIPORT 4: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve begun investigation â&#x20AC;&#x201C;IGP

Uwechue

4,000 Nigerians imprisoned in Turkey P.54

â&#x20AC;˘ N2.4trn recurrent, N1.54trn capital â&#x20AC;˘ Benchmark oil price of $75/barrel â&#x20AC;˘Projected 6.5%GDP growth rate â&#x20AC;˘ Projected N10.84trn collectible revenue â&#x20AC;˘ Proposed Infrastructure Euro Bond of about $1 bn â&#x20AC;˘ N180bn expected for SURE-P â&#x20AC;˘Zero per cent duty on machinery and spare parts imported for local sugar manufacturing industries â&#x20AC;˘Five-year tax holiday for â&#x20AC;&#x153;sugarcane to sugarâ&#x20AC;? value chain investors. â&#x20AC;˘10 per cent import duty and 100 per cent levy on both brown and polished rice â&#x20AC;˘ Zero per cent duty and zero per cent VAT on aircraft spare parts â&#x20AC;˘ Zero per cent duty on Completely Knocked Down components (CKD) for mass transit buses

Flooding may lead to outbreak of epidemic â&#x20AC;&#x201C;NMA

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2013 BUDGET PRESENTATION

We won’t rubber-stamp budget –Mark, Tambuwal GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

he leadership of the National Assembly yesterday said that the lawmakers would henceforth not merely rubber stamp budget estimates passed to it by the executive for implementation. Senate President David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, in separate speeches during the 2013 budget presentation by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja yesterday stated that the National Assembly would not re-jig where necessary the budget estimates, but would also perform its oversight function. Mark said: “As to whether the National Assembly has the power to make inputs to the appropriation bills laid before it, our stand is that parliament is constitutionally empowered to make inputs. “What the constitution enjoins Mr. President to lay before the National Assembly are mere estimates, not immutable figures. And once the estimates are so laid, their consideration becomes subject to the constitutionally prescribed

modes of exercising legislative power. “Therefore, we do not think that the Constitution intended to turn the National Assembly into a mere mechanical rubberstamp that must robotically pass budget estimates as presented.” Tambuwal in his closing remarks condemned poor budget implementation by the executive, citing the slow pace of implementation of the 2012 budget. He cautioned that the National Assembly would not tolerate such acts in the 2013 budget. Tambuwal said: “As I speak, interim field oversight reports from House committees on the 2012 budget implementation are clearly unimpressive, both in terms of releases as well as utilisation and this is a great challenge to all of us. “It is important to state at this point the clear provisions of Section 8 of the Appropriation Act to the effect that approved budgeted funds shall be released to MDAs ‘as at when due’. This is sadly observed more in breach.” Mark and Tambuwal, however, commended the President for forwarding the 2013 budget early to the National Assembly, but wished the time could be

shortened next time. They also assured that the National Assembly would ensure early consideration and passage of the budget. According to Mark, “It is gratifying to note that the 2013 budget is being presented unprecedentedly in October 2012. Yet, Mr. President, a compelling case can still be made for a consistently earlier presentation. “This will allow for a meticulous and exhaustive consideration and debate

and ensure that we work towards passing it before the end of the year.” Tambuwal also raised the need for the executive to expedite the constitution of the public procurement council as required by the Public Procurement Act to ensure proper budget implementation. “The composition of the Public Procurement Council provided under the Public Procurement Act is very critical to budget implementation. “The sanctity

of extant legislations and respect for the rule of law are critical hallmarks of true democracy. “We, therefore, once more call on Mr. President to expeditiously constitute this council so as to free the Federal Executive Council from the burden of contract administration, so they can concentrate on the more sublime issues of their constitutional roles and responsibilities. “Incidentally, the present constitution of the

Bureau of Public Procurement has been identified as one of the bottlenecks to effective capital budget implementation.” The Speaker also explained that the House had decided to raise the oil price benchmark from $75 per barrel to $80. He said that the objective of the difference of $5 per barrel would be channelled towards reducing the deficit in the budget and domestic borrowing for same purpose by 66 per cent.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Senate President David Mark and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, during the presentation of 2013 budget proposal to the joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

2013: Jonathan proposes N4.92trn budget CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

proposed an aggregate expenditure of N4.92trn for the fiscal year, representing an increase of about five per cent over the N4.7trn appropriated for 2012. The budget, the President said, was construed on a fiscal policy objective of promoting the agricultural and industrial sectors of the economy. The budget estimate is made up of N380.02bn for statutory transfers, N591.76bn for debt service, N2.41trn for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure and N1.54trn for capital expenditure. It was predicated on the following parameters: oil production of 2.53 million barrels per day, which is up from 2.48 million barrels per day for 2012 and a benchmark oil price of $75 per barrel, an increase from the $72 per barrel approved in the 2012 budget. Also, the projected Gross

Domestic Product, GDP, growth rate is estimated at 6.5 per cent compared to 6.85 per cent in the fiscal strategy paper. The President explained that the revision was necessitated by the fact that the severe floods experienced in many parts of the country were expected to impact on economic activity in 2013, especially agriculture. He, however, expressed optimism about the growth prospects of agriculture to boost dry season farming. The budget estimate showed that the gross federally collectible revenue was projected at N10.84trn, of which the total revenue available for the Federal Government’s budget was projected at N3.89trn, representing an increase of about nine per cent over the estimate for 2012. The 2013 budget estimate, like that of 2012, also focused on critical sectors of the economy.

The allocations to some sectors are as follows: Works - N183.5bn; Power - N74.26bn; Education - N426.53bn; Health N279.23bn; Defence - N348.91bn; Police N319.65bn; and Agriculture and Rural Development N81.41bn. The President acknowledged that in recent years, recurrent expenditure had tended to over- shoot capital expenditure in the national budget. He, however, assured that over the 2013-2015 medium-term, the current administration would continue to implement measures aimed at correcting this imbalance in the budget structure in a viable and sustainable manner. President Jonathan reiterated his promise in the 2012 budget speech that government would focus on cutting recurrent expenditure to sustainable levels through reduction of

waste, corruption and duplication in the functions of government agencies. He said government also ensured that the biometric verification of employees was being extended to all agencies of government, while the process for rationalising public agencies and reducing duplication of mandates among different government agencies begun with the report of the Oronsaye Committee. In line with this policy, the President said the share of recurrent spending in aggregate expenditure was set to further reduce from 71.47 per cent in 2012 to 68.7 per cent in the 2013 budget, while capital expenditure as a share of aggregate spending was set to increase from 28.53 per cent in 2012 to 31.3 per cent in 2013. President Jonathan added that government would continue to exercise fiscal prudence and limit its bor-

rowing requirements in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007. Consequently, he explained that government had developed a responsible domestic debt management strategy that, for the first time, “seeks to start paying off our domestic debt rather than rolling it over.” In this respect, a sinking fund of N100bn is being established in the 2013 fiscal year to be used for repaying government’s maturing debt obligations and to curb the rising domestic debt profile. “We have further reduced our annual domestic borrowing from N852bn in 2011, N744bn in 2012 to N727bn in 2013,” he said. In addition to the fiscal measures on rice, cassava, wheat, and machinery for the agriculture and power sectors carried over from the 2012 budget, the 2013 budget contained the following additional mea-

sures, which the President said would be effective from January 1, 2013. These are sugar, rice, aircraft, solid minerals and public mass transit. On sugar, the President noted that machinery and spare parts imported for local sugar manufacturing industries would now attract zero per cent duty. He said there would also be a five-year tax holiday for “sugarcane to sugar” value chain investors. President Jonathan added that import duty and levy on raw sugar would be 10 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, while refined sugar would attract 20 per cent duty and 60 per cent levy. For rice, the President said that a 10 per cent import duty and 100 per cent levy would be applied to both brown and polished rice. In the case of aircraft, CONTINUED ON PAGE 3>>

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2013 BUDGET PRESENTATION

2013: Jonathan proposes N4.92trn budget CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

the President announced that all commercial aircraft and aircraft spare parts imported would now attract zero per cent duty and zero per cent Value Added Tax, VAT. This, the President said, would appreciably improve safety in our skies as newer fleet and less onerous maintenance would prevail. He also said that machinery and equipment imported for use in the solid minerals sector would now attract zero per cent import duty and zero per cent VAT. The President said that to encourage the production of mass transit vehicles in Nigeria, duty on completely knocked down components, CKD, for mass transit buses of at least 40-seater capacity would attract zero per cent duty, down from five per cent. Government, Jonathan said, was desirous of supporting green growth and would explore options for providing incentives for energy efficient vehicles from the 2014 fiscal year. The President said that the budget was targeted at empowering the women through a well- thoughtout innovative approach to mainstreaming gender issues, starting with five pilot ministries. These are agriculture, health, communication technology, water resources and works. The ministries, he said, are signing MoUs with the Ministry of Women Affairs to deliver on specific services for women. The President explained that the Ministry of Agriculture would work with

the Ministry of Communication Technology to ensure that five million women farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs received mobile phones to access information on agro-inputs through an ewallet scheme. The Ministry of Health, he noted, would in addition to scaling up its ongoing “Save a million lives” initiative, give back health and hope to one-third of the pool of young girls and women who have been waiting a long time for VVF repairs through surgery and economic rehabilitation. “In addition, we are upscaling routine immunisation.” In the course of the execution of the budget, the President said the Ministry of Works would increase the number of women employed in public works programmes as contractors, workers and project evaluators, setting a target of 35 per cent for women in FERMA rehabilitation work. He said in every geopolitical zone, at least three roads leading to areas where women’s socio-economic activities were concentrated would be prioritised and completed. To accomplish these laudable objectives for the women, President Jonathan said that N3bn was set aside in the budget to be disbursed to participating MDAs as incentives for them to deliver on these targets. “Our focus on empowering women is part of our agenda for improving the country’s human development indicators.”

Nigerians hope for fiscal efficiency CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

poverty level remaining well above 97 million as at June this year. Although President Goodluck Jonathan had restated his administration’s commitment to reduce borrowing and channel available funds to key sectors that could improve the performance of the economy in 2013 at both micro and macroeconomic levels, there are fears that the incentives proposed in the budget may not radically tackle the problem of poverty at the grassroots. More worrisome is the little or no change in the proposed allocations to agriculture, education, health and SURE-P programme. For instance, proposed allocations to these sectors which are N81.41bn, N426.53bin, N279.23bn and N180bn respectively, were less than five per cent improvement across board. In 2011, allocations

to agriculture stood at N81.2bn, education, N409.53bn; health, N284bn and SURE-P, N180bn. What this translates to is that there may not be any substantial improvement in these sectors’ performances, when the fiscal challenges of the volatility of the global economy, rising inflation, devastating flooding of farmlands across the country and rising youth unemployment remain threatening. For instance, a critical evaluation of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, SURE-P and YouWin programme and recent performances of the education and health showed clearly that what had been achieved in the last two years was just laying the foundations upon which their sustainable growth could be anchored. Yes, SURE-P and You-

Win programmes may have recorded spots of success here and there, but the truth of the matter is that majority of those that should have benefitted from the various programmes are still out there, not captured. It is, therefore, in the context of this that proposals in the 2013 budget for these critical sectors appear so inadequate that except for the possibility of private sector intervention, the modest achievements recorded in these areas might be eroded. For instance, if the agricultural sector, seen as having potential for job creation, foreign exchange earnings and key to food security, is not having any substantial increase in allocation, then it shows clearly that the sector’s performance may not be better than what is being witnessed in the current fiscal year. Similarly, except for government officials who

reel out figures to show that the SURE-P programme is doing well, ordinary Nigerians are yet to feel the impact in real terms. The experience in the mass transit buses in Abuja and some other major cities clearly showed that there is need to add more push to the current drive if the programme will fulfil its purpose. Although it may appear still too early to consider some of the likely implications of the budgetary figures for grassroots development, especially when the breakdown of the budget into capital and recurrent expenditures is yet to be made, it can be safely said that unless government tilts the provisions largely in favour of capital projects in the key sectors, the dream of lifting millions of impoverished Nigerians out of the valley of socio-economic hopelessness may never be realised.

L-R: Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina; Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and Minister of Education, Prof. Rukayatu Rufai, applauding the 2013 budget during the presentation by President Goodluck Jonathan to a joint sitting of National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

$75 benchmark good for economy –Stakeholders TOLA AKINMUTIMI AND UDEME AKPAN

enerally, the 2013 budget is expected to consolidate the modest achievements of the transformation agenda, in terms of direct implications for real sector growth, especially the non-oil sector contributions to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, growth, quality of infrastructure, job creation and other key areas of overall

development of the country, analysts have predicted. A critical analysis of the sectoral provisions indicate clearly that in line with its avowed commitment to fiscal consolidation, employment creation and private sector-driven economy, the Federal Government made substantial provisions for the key sectors that could really ensure that the broad policy objectives of the ongoing transformation agenda are achieved. Many analysts see the

setting of the oil production of 2.53 million barrels per day and using $75 as benchmark for the Appropriation Bill as a reasonable fiscal policy stance that would help in ensuring that previous challenges of fiscal deficits and the associated distortions for budgetary efficiency are addressed appropriately. This is just as improved provisions for key sectors like education, health, agriculture and security are seen by many analysts as

having the potential of creating the enabling environment for broad-based development and tackle the rising poverty level in the country in the long run. For instance, Razia Khan, Regional Head of Research, Africa Global Research, Standard Chartered Bank, London, observed that one of the attractions of the budget proposal for 2013 is the modest five per cent nominal increase in spending that it contains. She pointed out, how-

ever, that that any attempt to increase the benchmark price of oil by this magnitude would not be interpreted very positively given the wider global risks that persist just as maintained that if oil assumptions are increased, that means a lesser rate of savings, and ultimately – it means Nigeria will be less well prepared for any downturn should that materialise. Reacting to the budget proposals, Bismarck Rewane, Chief Executive

Officer of Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited, noted that making room for savings provided a framework for fiscal discipline and consolidation, knowing full well that budget deficit must not exceed three percent of GDP or N1.3 trillion. According to him, the potential of improved savings by government will not only improve Nigeria’s sovereign credit rating but also minimise cost of borCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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2013 BUDGET PRESENTATION

$75 oil benchmark unrealistic –Reps TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

he House of Representatives has said that the $75 benchmark per barrel of crude oil announced by President Goodluck Jonathan in his budget speech was unrealistic. The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abdulmumin

Jibril, said this yesterday while reacting to the budget presentation. He added that the explanation by the executive that fixing the benchmark at $75 would save more for the country was insincere. In approving the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, on Tuesday, the House had raised the benchmark from $75 to $80. Jibril said yesterday

that the decision of the House was to finance the deficit of N1.037trn in the 2013 budget, adding that if the $80 benchmark was adopted, the deficit would be cut down to N666.234bn. He argued that the submission by the President that the benchmark was a prudent measure was not in tune with the realities on ground. The committee chairman said the “economics

of savings” was not in the best interest of the country. According to him, what the country needs at the moment is “investment in critical areas, as well as massive execution of capital projects, (which) is tantamount to saving,” since savings are made for development. He said: “They (the executive) said that they do not want to increase the benchmark above $75 be-

cause it would make too much money available to the governors and local council chairmen to spend. But this is not the issue. What we have today unfortunately is a situation whereby a few people are claiming monopoly of the economy and are running our economy.” Jibril also explained that by pegging the benchmark at $80, the House had a long term plan that would reduce deficit to a reasonable level. He said with $80, the N1.371trn deficit for 2013 could be reduced to N666bn while the domes-

tic borrowing of N727bn could be brought down to N234bn. “For 2014, the N900bn deficit projected can be reduced to N520bn, while domestic borrowing of N624bn would be cut down to N245bn. Also, for 2015, the projected deficit of N738bn could be cut to N334bn,” he added. Jibril said there was a contradiction in the budget because “you cannot be talking about creating jobs and at the same time running a deficit budget with high borrowing rate. No economy can flourish in such a scenario.”

TIMELINE

L-R: Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Akande; Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, during the budget presentation in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

8.50 am: David Mark arrives National Assembly 9.03am: Aminu Tambuwal arrives National Assembly 9.10am: Senate begins short sitting 9.15am: SGF, Pius Anyim Pius, strolls into National Assembly 9.35am: Senate rises 9.40am: Speaker enters Green chamber 9.45am: Ministers file inside Green chamber 955 am: Senate President leads senators to file inside green chamber 10.19am: President Goodluck Jonathan arrives NASS, enters green chamber led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, Leader of the Senate Victor Ndoma-Egba, House Mulikat Akandeaccompanied by the Vee Pee Namadi Sambo, SGF, coordinating minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Presidential Senior Special Adviser on NASS, Joy Emordi 10.27am: Senate President delivers his speech 10.36am: President Jonathan delivers the budget speech 11.35am: Speaker Tambuwal delivers closing remarks 11.48am: Closing prayers

2012 budget implementation dismal –Tambuwal TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

ouse of Representatives yesterday told President Goodluck Jonathan that the National Assembly was not happy with the poor implementation of the 2012 budget. Besides, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, asked the President to strip the Federal Executive Council, FEC, of the power to approve contracts and confer same on the Procurement Office. The Speaker also said the President must brief the House on how he is tackling insecurity in the country and addressing the problems in the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC. Tambuwal made the assertions as the President presented his proposal for the 2013 budget before a

joint session of the National Assembly. The Speaker, who delivered a vote-of-thanks at the joint session, said from the reports of the various committees of the House, the 2012 budget performance by the executive was dismal at all levels. He said: “As I speak, interim field oversight reports from House Committees on the 2012 budget implementation are clearly unimpressive both in terms of releases as well as utilisation and this is a great challenge to all of us. “It is important to state at this point the clear provisions of Section 8 of the Appropriation Act to the effect that approved budgeted funds shall be released to ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, as at when due. This is sadly observed more in breach.” Tambuwal, however, ac-

knowledged that the President complied with new amendments to the constitution, mandating him to present budget estimates three months to the end of the year. “The House of Representatives Legislative Agenda prescribes under its National Economic and Budgetary provisions that ‘the draft budget should be submitted at least three months prior to the start of a fiscal year’ and already there is a bill before the House for the amendment of Section 82 of the constitution to conform with this. “In this regard, the laying of the 2013 budget estimates by Mr. President to this joint sitting today, reasonably meets these expectations,” he said. The Speaker reiterated that as representatives of constituent units in the federation and being closer to

the people, the lawmakers understood the people and their problems better and therefore expected that inputs in budgets by legislators would be implemented accordingly. He said: “I would have been done with my vote of thanks at this point except that the mention of certain salient points of critical importance to our collective resolve for good governance is compelling. Mr. President sir, given that the 469 elected members of the National Assembly have closer interaction with every nook and cranny of the nation, we are privileged to feel the people’s pulse more intensely and we feel same on behalf and for the benefit and guidance of all the arms of government. “Surely, Mr. President and his deputy, being the elected officials on the other side, cannot be expected to be in 109 senatorial dis-

tricts worse still 360 federal constituencies. Therefore, when we feel this pulse we are duty-bound to communicate it to you.” The Speaker advised President Jonathan to, along with his cabinet, concentrate on state craft and leave the job of contracts’ approval to a procurement council duly constituted by the President. He also advised that a situation where FEC had constituted itself to a contract-approving body was taking a toll on official productivity. “The composition of the Public Procurement Council provided under the Public Procurement Act is very critical to budget implementation. The sanctity of extant legislations and respect for the rule of law are critical hallmarks of true democracy, we therefore once more call on Mr. President to expeditiously con-

stitute this council so as to free the Federal Executive Council from the burden of contract administration, so they can concentrate on the more sublime issues of their constitutional roles and responsibilities,” Tambuwal said. However, he regretted that “incidentally, the present constitution of the Bureau of Public Procurement has been identified as one of the bottlenecks to effective capital budget implementation.” It will be recalled that the 2012 budget contained a deficit and the main source of funding this deficit was domestic borrowing. Figures emanating from the Debt Management Office regarding domestic borrowing are worrisome. At $33.6bn, government appears to be monopolising domestic borrowing to the unhealthy exclusion of the private sector.

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2013 BUDGET PRESENTATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

rowing of governments, banks and companies in the euro bond market all of which will create improved outlook, as well as serve as an incentive for inward investment flows. He, however, raised some issues for serious caution as government embarks on the implementation of the budget. He listed these to include, a possible drop in oil prices, disruption in production or a double whammy which would be a drop in production and price below estimates. In his comments, Samir Gadio, analyst with Standard Bank, London would not even think of any reason for increasing the benchmark, pointing out that “this would be a negative – but not surprising – development, since the National Assembly typically tends to push higher the oil price benchmark and the aggregate amount of spending proposed by the government each fiscal year”, he said. He explained further that while the oil price benchmark was $72 pbl in the 2012 budget, the actual fiscal breakeven point was much higher as illustrated by the modest accumulation of fiscal savings over the period. Gadio said increasing the oil price benchmark to $80 pbl would be a setback at a time when Nigeria needs to rebuild a large fiscal buffer that will protect the economy against any unexpected future oil price shocks. If any of these happen, it would negatively impact revenue and increase fiscal deficit beyond three per cent of GDP. That is because increased external borrowing may be inevitable, mainly to meet the infrastructure requirements and balance of payments support Briefing the media at a budget breakdown session shortly after the President laid the Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly yesterday, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the adoption of $75 per barrel oil benchmark for the 2013 budget fell within the ambit standard of econometric module used by oil dependent nations in preparing their budgets. She also clarified that raising oil benchmark to

$75 benchmark good for economy –Stakeholders $80 a barrel as canvassed by members of lower legislative chamber of the National Assembly could spur liquidity problem which will in turn trigger inflation. Okonjo-Iweala expatiated further that the $75 oil benchmark adopted was based on econometric module which was carefully studied and arrived at based on likelihood of volatility that could characterised oil market. “When you do this in an economy, you can’t just take the number from anywhere; you have to have the basis for developing the benchmark. So we did that. We have a module that estimates moving average and then we put things together in order to arrive at the benchmark. “But we can smooth it out here and there to round it up. A module was used in arriving at these estimates which is very similar to what other oil dependent countries used”, the minister added. She explained that if higher oil benchmark was adopted as pushed by members of the House of Representatives, there would be likelihood of liquidity surge in the economy which will trigger inflation as a higher benchmark increases more money for states. “Even if you are trying to reduce the fiscal deficit for Federal Government, the states are not under the same scripture. They will be spending and that, will throw a lot of liquidity in the system leading to a higher inflation which in turn, will impact on depreciation of exchange rate”. President of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, PSAN, Mr. Boniface Okezie, said he was encouraged by the level of waiver given to some key sectors of the economy, adding that this would improve the efficiency and profitability of manufacturing companies in the country. “I commend the budget even though the breakdown would come later, but I am impressed there are palliatives for investors in agriculture. For instance, to encourage rice, cassava, wheat and production, the

budget gave waivers for importation of machinery and spare parts for local sugar. “I also found out that aviation, solid minerals and public mass transit importation of equipment and spare parts attract zero per cent.” The Managing Director of APT Securities and Funds Limited, Alhaji Kasimu Kurfi, commended the government for reducing the cost of running the government to 68.7 per cent, from its current 71.47 per cent, saying that it is a welcome development if the doesn’t come up with supplementary budget on the recurrent expenditure. Freight forwarders under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents have thrown their weight behind the Federal Government over its new fiscal policy designed to discourage the consumption of imported rice. National President of the association, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, who spoke with National Mirror shortly after the release of the budget, noted that there are more than 30 species of rice in the country, which if properly harnessed would feed the whole of African continent. “Niger Delta alone can produce enough rice to feed the country. It makes economic sense to protect the local industry,” he argued. While commenting on the zero duty granted on the importation of commercial aircraft, he also noted that similar gesture should be extended to the haulage industry. The National President of the Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Colman Obasi said: “Despite the uncertainties in the market, crude oil prices have remained in excess of $100 per barrel, meaning that at the proposed price of $75 per barrel, the nation can still meet its set target for the execution of the budget.” He said it was not an over-ambition for the Federal Government to base its revenue generation for the budget at $75 per barrel. “But it looks like an overambition to think of $80 per barrel. “I think the lawmakers should not think of that

at this period because of the volatile nature of the market, which can crash without much notice, therefore, making it possible for the government to adjust,” Obasi added. The Managing Director of Amni International Petroleum Development Com-

pany Limited, Mr. Tunde Afolabi, also described the $75 benchmark as realistic. According to him, “It is good for the nation to go with President Goodluck Jonathan. The $75 per barrel reference price looks more realistic than $80. “Those who think about

the $80 may be thinking of ensuring that government has the basis to spend more. “But I think it would be too ambitious to think about that at the moment.” But the action of the government seems to be in line with some intelligence reports.

THE BREAKDOWN Sector

Amount

% changes Difference

2013

2012

Agg. Expenditure

N4.92trn

N4.75trn

3.6

17bn

Cap Expenditure

N1.54trn

N1.32trn

16.7

22bn

Re-current Expenditure

N2.4trn

N2.47trn

2.4

-6bn

Statutory Transfer

N380bn

N398bn

2.4

-18bn

Debt Service

N591.8bn

N560bn

5.5

31bn

Works

N183.5bn

N180.8bn

1.5

2.7bn

Education

N426.5bn

N400.2bn

6.6

26.3bn

Health

N279.2bn

N282.7bn

1.2

-3.5bn

Agric/Rural Dev.

N81.41bn

N78.98bn

3.1

2.43bn

10.

Water

N39bn

11.

Petroleum

12.

Transport

N54.83bn

13.

Defence

N348.9bn

14.

Police

N319.7bn

15.

Security

N921.9bn

16.

Power

N74.26bn

N161.4bn

N53.9

-87.1bn

17.

Niger Delta

N59.72bn

18.

FCT

N45.57bn

19.

Comm & Tech

N18.31bn

20.

Science and Tech

N30.84bn

Security agents take over NASS GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

he National Assembly was literarily taken over yesterday by security agents ostensibly to ensure that there were no security breaches as President Goodluck Jonathan presented the 2013 budget proposal before the lawmakers. As early as 7a.m., the entire precincts of the National Assembly had been overtaken by security agents from the State Security Service, SSS, police (mainly fully-armed mobile policemen), National Civil Defence Corps and Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC. The security agents put together nearly outnumbered the regular staff of the National Assembly yesterday. Right from the main entrance of the National Assembly, they were everywhere and painstakingly subjected both staff and visitors to thorough electronic and manual search

of their cars and bodies. Indeed, only members of staff of the National Assembly were allowed entry into the complex. The security agents asked visitors to come back the next day, insisting that they were acting on instructions by their bosses. As for the staff, everyone was compelled to hang their identity cards for proper identification. Inside the assembly lobby too, security agents were all over the place on the three floors, keeping eagle eyes on all the happenings at the place. Staff of the National Assembly who had no direct business, particularly at the green chamber, venue of the budget presentation, were advised to stay in their offices. This was as journalists wishing to enter the press gallery were subjected to thorough search and identification before being allowed inside. A senior

police officer who spoke with National Mirror noted that "the security you find around is just a measure to ensure a water-tight security for Mr. President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces." At the entrance to the House of Representatives, where the joint session took place, some Senate correspondents had some difficulty entering, as SSS officials and Sergeant-at-Arms men only allowed them in after scrutiny. On the President's entourage were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim; Head of Service of the Federation; ministers, Presidential Adviser on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe; Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Affairs, Senator Joy Emordi; Presidential Adviser on InterParty Relations, Senator Ben Obi, and other top government officials.

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

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Tragedy averted as IRS aircraft hits truck on Lagos airport runway CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

to GAT to take-off and hit one of its wings against a stationary truck belonging to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. The wing was broken by the impact of the collision. The incident led to the disruption of operations of the airline as all the passengers disembarked and boarded another aircraft belonging to the same airline to their destinations. Our correspondent gathered that the airline

had only two operational aircraft in its fleet, Fokker 100, and with the incident, it had been reduced to one. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation does not allow an airline with one aircraft in its fleet to operate in the country. FAAN management has, however, denied that the incident was due to its stationary vehicle at the GAT. But IRS Managing Director, Mr. Yemi Dada, in a statement blamed FAAN for the incident. Dada stated that the acci-

dent occurred when the aircraft was on the taxi way to take off, adding that the captain observed a FAAN truck in a ditch without marshallers around it “neither was there any marking to indicate that it encroached into the taxi way.” He added that there was no Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by FAAN on the stationary vehicle, stressing that the captain continued on his taxi while the wing tip hit a protrusion from the truck towards the rear of the truck.

He said: “This made the captain to request for a return to ramp from the tower and also notify the tower of the incident and the danger posed by the truck. “The passengers were disembarked and re-accommodated on another aircraft which departed Lagos at 10:15a.m. “The incident has been reported to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and we await the clearance of the NCAA to effect repairs and return the aircraft to service.”

But FAAN management insisted that the pilot was at fault. Speaking with our correspondent on the phone yesterday, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed, described the allegation as “a blatant lie.” He said the vehicle was not parked on the runway

Adoke to appear before Reps over pending treaties TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

Traditional rulers from Bakassi during a protest organised by labour at the palace of the Obong of Calabar, Etubom Bob Duke in Calabar, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

UNIPORT 4: We ’ve begun investigation –IGP OLUSEGUN KOIKI

nspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. Mohammed Abubakar yesterday said detectives have begun investigating last week’s gruesome murder of four students of University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The students were reportedly killed by some members of a vigilance group for alleged stealing. Abubakar also revealed that there are no fewer than 4,000 Nigerians in various prisons in Turkey. He, however, vowed that the culprits behind the killings would be fetched out by the police, just as he declined to reveal the number of people that had been arrested in connection with the murder so far. Addressing journalists

•Says 4, 000 Nigerians imprisoned in Turkey on his arrival from Turkey where he had gone to observe the security arrangement of the country, the IGP insisted that those involved in the crime would not go unpunished. He said: “I am aware of the situation and I have been briefed on this even while in Turkey. We are on it and we have commenced investigation to the incident. The investigation will tell what exactly had happened, but I want to assure all Nigerians that we are doing our best to bring out the culprits of that very ugly incident and we shall not tolerate any barbaric act. “You will hear from me as soon as I get a brief from the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Zonal IG based on their documentations,

then, we will let you know. I can assure you that investigation is on and I don’t want to give you the number of people who have been arrested so far.” On his summon by the House of Representatives, Abubakar said he was yet to see the letter of summon, but explained that he would appear before the House on security issues in the country, which had been on the decline in recent years. “You are telling me I have been summoned, but I haven’t seen the letter to know its content and what I am supposed to appear in the House for, but for whatever it is, it is for security reason and the security of this country, I will appear before the House and give

a brief on the security situation of the country.” On the recent killings of a couple in Lagos and students in Adamawa State, Abubakar said that the issues were still under investigations by the police. He, however, said many Nigerians were arrested in Turkey for different crimes, ranging from drug and trafficking.

Abubakar

and emphasised that before the incident, an Arik Air flight to Abuja had taken off from the runway and passed beside the truck. He explained that pilots were advised on the stationary vehicle and wondered why the IRS captain did not adhere to the instruction passed to other pilots on the vehicle.”

inister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) is to appear before the House of Representatives tomorrow in respect of treaties pending at the Presidency between Nigeria and other countries. The Speaker of the House, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, dropped the hint while opening a Public Hearing on the Amendment of the Treaties Act organised by the Yacoob Alebiosu-led House Committee on Treaties and Agreements. Tambuwal, who was represented on the occasion by the House Deputy Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, said it was time the Justice Minister briefed the committee on the status of treaties pending at the Presidency. He said: “I think that besides the agreement on

Bakassi, there are several treaties before the AGF that have not been domesticated, and without them been ratified by the National Assembly in line with Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, they will not have the force of law, so the committee must engage the AGF in the course of the public hearing on the treaties pending before us.” The sponsor of the bill to amend the Treaties Act, Hon. Emmanuel Jime in his speech at the occasion said the country needed a better Treaties Act to better protect its interests. He regretted that treaties and agreements negotiated by the government with other countries do not make provision for consultation with the National Assembly. Jime said: “Treaties are of such important nature that when entered into, remain legally binding on all the participating parties or countries and by extension, the citizenry.”

Jonathan tours flood ravaged states today ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan will, today, begin an inspection tour of states affected by flood, even as he inaugurates the National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation to assist the disaster victims. According to a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President will visit Kogi, Anambra, Delta and Bayelsa states. The National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee, which has Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba as its co-Chairmen, was given

the responsibility of raising additional funds to support efforts by the Federal Government to ensure the provision of adequate relief for the victims. Jonathan had, on Tuesday, announced the release of N17.6 billion to the affected states and government agencies as a way to ameliorate the devastating effect of the flood which had claimed many lives and destroyed valuable property. In a nationwide broadcast on flooding, he said of the N17.6 billion, the sum of N13.3 billion would go to the affected states, while N4.3 billion would go to government agencies responsible for disaster management.

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Flooding may lead to outbreak of epidemic –NMA MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

he Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said that the various flooding across Nigeria may soon result in epidemic, if the situations are not well-managed. The body has therefore called for urgent intervention in order to prevent the resultant disasters. This call followed preliminary findings from the

tour of some of the communities ravaged by flood in different parts of the country by the President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele. In the report made available to journalists in Abuja, yesterday, Enabulele said; “In most of the communities visited, there were poor waste disposal and inadequate toilet facilities. Also, “The underground wells, boreholes and surface water which are the

sources of water in the flood-ravaged communities have been polluted, with attendant risks of outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and gastro-enteritis, among others.” He noted that there were already outbreaks of diarrhoeal in some of the camps visited, with reported deaths of displaced persons. The NMA President also lamented the lack of good

food at the camps, pointing out cases of overcrowding with attendant risks of air-borne diseases such as tuberculosis, cerebrospinal meningitis and other viral infections. As part of measures to prevent epidemic outbreaks and contain the spread of already existing diseases amongst the displaced persons, Enebulele called for quick interventions in the areas of health education on personal and

communal hygiene, particularly in the area of water purification measures. He also called for the provision of adequate sanitary toilets and waste disposal facilities, including the establishment of immunisation posts in the camp clinics for routine immunisation, particularly the administration of vaccines against cerebrospinal meningitis and poliomyelitis in the affected communities.

Others include provision of adequate water and food supply, provision of adequate number of camp tents on household basis, provision of adequate numbers of Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) strengthening of existing camp clinics, especially with the provision of adequate number of personnel, provision of adequate medical services, as well as adequate drugs and investigative tools.

N47.1bn theft: Akingbola loses bid to recall witness FRANCIS FAMOROTI

L-R: Branch Manager, Spar Park “N” Shop, Mr. Rahul Mahndiratta; General Manager, Human Resources/Corporate Affairs, Alhaji Kunle Hamzat; Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and Chef, Spar Park “N” Shop, Mr. Panneer Selva-Elvis, at the launch of cassava composite products in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

FG sets up committee on teachers housing projects SAM OLUWALANA

he Federal Government has set up a technical committee to work out the details for the implementation of the Housing for Teachers Scheme (HATS) even as the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Federal Government would hold principals accountable for the management of special interventionist funds released to them for the revival of infrastructure in the Federal Unity Colleges. The minister disclosed these in his office in Abuja on Tuesday, after a meeting with officials of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the management of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. Wike also said that the

technical committee in charge of the scheme will draw out the details for the building of houses for Nigerian teachers, adding that the President Jonathan administration remains committed to the welfare of Nigerian teachers, because they form the foundation for the transformation of the nation. The minister noted that the housing programme for the teachers would succeed because the NUT and the mortgage bankers have been carried along from the onset. In his remarks, Secretary-General of NUT, Comrade Ikpe Johnny Obong, commended Wike for taking proactive measures to ensure that teachers have their own houses. He said the NUT is in support of the housing scheme, noting that the union will cooperate with

the bank and the Federal Ministry of Education to actualise the programme. Also speaking, the acting Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Newman Odia, assured the teachers that the bank was committed to the scheme. Wike issued the warning on the Federal Unity Colleges in Abuja, during a budget performance meeting with principals of Federal Unity Colleges on Tuesday. He said the execution of projects in all the schools must be done transparently and in line with approved regulations. He said the principals were granted autonomy to achieve results in the improvement of the schools without unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks. He warned principals against using funds ear-

marked for the development of classrooms, hostels and laboratories for other purposes. He said from the funds of the three quarters released to the schools as special interventions, most schools have received over 60 percent of their allocations.

ormer Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, yesterday lost at the Ikeja High Court, an application seeking the nod to recall a defence witness, Mrs. Ayoola Ayinde. Trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru, who threw out the application said there was nothing new the witness would come back to the witness box to say at the proceedings brought against Akingbola and co-defedant, Bayo Dada, standing trial for an alleged theft of N47.1bn belonging to Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank Plc). Ruling on the application, the judge held that it was unnecessary to recall Ayinde, because she had already tendered all the relevant documents she had in her possession as exhibits. He, therefore, ordered the defence to close its case if there was no further witness to be invited to testify in the matter.

Lead counsel to Akingbola, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN), had filed the application which sought to recall Ayinde, a former head of foreign operations of Intercontinental Bank to come and tender 75 documents as exhibits. The defence was contending that the documents were to be tendered by the witness to explain the £8.5 million and £1.3 million transactions she carried out on Akingbola’s instructions. Ayinde had on June 21, 2012 testified that Akingbola had instructed her to transfer the monies to Fulgher Solicitors, a United Kingdom-based law firm and that it was a regular transaction. Fagbohungbe said the purpose of tendering the documents was to show that the money transferred to Fulgher solicitors was owned by Rockson Engineering Limited, which contradicted the charge before the court. “In the charge, the first defendant (Akingbola) is alleged to have stolen the bank’s money.”

National primary health care gets 23-man committee MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

he Federal Government has constituted a 23-man group of health experts to help fast track primary health care services across the country. Launching the group in Abuja, yesterday, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Mohammed, said there

was the need to reposition primary health care services in the country to help in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to also enable it contribute to the transformation agenda of the present administration. The group is expected to vigorously work in the next two weeks on the development of a national strategic plan for the transformation of Primary Health Care (PHC)

in Nigeria; strengthening the capacity for PHC implementation at all levels of government; strengthening NPHCDA zonal and state offices; and improving PHC service delivery nationwide. The group is also expected, among others, to consider discussions with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on the need to establish PHC corps Community Development Service (CDS) group.

South West

Ondo guber poll: Cleric urges politicians to eschew violence TAI ANYANWU

oliticians in Ondo State were yesterday admonished to generally keep the peace and eschew violence even as the state governorship election slated for October 20, 2012 approaches. Also, all stakeholders in the politics of the state are also encouraged to allow the will of God and that of the electorate to prevail. The call was made by the Senior Pastor and District Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, Omole, Ikeja District, Rev. Dayo Adewumi, during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos. Speaking at the session, which was meant to acquaint journalists with activities lined up to mark the 25th anniversary of the church, Adewumi noted that there were signs that politicians were ready to fight to the finish. His words: “Already, drums of war are sounding loud and tempers have flared up. “We call on politicians to play the game according to the rule, keep the peace, eschew violence and let the will of God and that of the electorate prevail in Ondo State.” He continued; “We have nothing to gain from violence. Our nascent democracy was won at a great cost, let us not do anything to derail or endanger it. The clergyman promised that his church would offer prayers for the wellbeing of Nigeria and Ondo State in particular, throughout the anniversary celebrations.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

N10, 500 reparation levy: Ekiti varsity gets 7-day ultimatum

TDNA: Ekiti secondary schools’ teachers dump ASUSS

ABIODUN NEJO

ADO EKITI

he management of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, has been given a sevenday ultimatum to reverse its decision on the N10, 500 reparation levy placed on each student of the institution following the protest that greeted the recent killing of one of their colleagues by a motorist. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), while calling on students of the university to reject the “arbitrary and outrageous levy,” threatened that the school would witness mass action if it failed to rescind its decision within the period.

A statement by NANs’ Director of Action and Mobilisation (SouthWest), Mr. Sunday Asefon, which described the fee as exploitative, said the management has no justification to impose such fee on the students without carrying the students’ leadership along. It will be recalled that some students went on rampage on September 28 following the killing of a final year student, Teslim Abiola Yusuf, two days earlier, by a motorist and in the process vandalised some facilities and vehicles. The management had in an advert this week, penalised each of the students asking them to pay N10, 500 reparation fee for

resh facts emerged on Tuesday that there is a correlation between traffic congestion, poverty and mental illness. A group of experts in Lagos said the traffic situation in Lagos metropolis and poverty have contributed, to a large extent, to the increased cases of

the damage. But Asefon, who passed a vote of no confidence on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oladipo Aina and his team over their failure to manage the crisis, called on Governor Kayode Fayemi to investigate the death of the student and bring the killer to book. The NANs’ leadership also called on the security agencies in the state to ensure that they bring the killer-driver to justice. This was as the Chairman, EKSU Students’ Union Transition Committee (SUTC), Adeoye Aribisoye, blamed the arson in the institution on miscreants who took advantage of the porous nature of the campus to

unleash terror on it. Aribisoye, who said the incident underscored the need for a residential campus, expressed displeasure at the poor record-keeping mechanism of the institution, which he said always made it difficult for students’ leaders to differentiate between bonafide students and miscreants. In a statement yesterday, the students’ union leadership condemned the arson on the university and the extent of the damage on the institution’s structures as it advocated the construction of a perimeter fencing in the institution to prevent incursion into its premises by miscreants.

L-R: Secretary, Ogun State League of Imams and Alfas, Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi; Chairman, Alhaji Anofi Alison and Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Abeokuta, yesterday.

Resolve your crisis internally, AIG tells Ogun PDP factions FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

ollowing last week’s renewed hostilities between factional groups of Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Assistant In-

spector-General of Police in charge of Zone II, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe, yesterday advised parties to the crisis to amicably resolve their crisis internally. The AIG, who was in Abeokuta, the state capital, to broker peace between

Traffic, poverty increase mental illness –Experts The health walk was mental illnesses among SEKINAH L AWAL

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the populace. The group says over two million people living in Lagos State are said to be suffering from one form of mental disorder or the other. A Consultant Psychiatrist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Olurotimi Coker, revealed this during the health walk to mark this year’s World Mental Health Day.

organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, GSK and other stakeholders in the state. Also, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Femi Olugbile, said an average of 14.1 per cent of the total Lagos population suffers from one form of mental illness or the other.

the Bayo Dayo-led faction and the Senator Dipo Odujinrin-led state executive committee, also warned the factional groups in the state not to allow the intra-party crisis affect other segments of the society. Tsafe’s intervention was, however, on the order of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, following the petitions written by the Bayo Dayoled faction on October 5, in which it threatened to sue the state Commissioner of Police, Ikhemefuna Okoye. The faction had accused the state police command of bias in the handling of the crisis, particularly the taking over of the state secretariat of the party by Odujinrin led executive.

The situation also became complicated when the state executive under Odujinrin tendered a letter from the national headquarters of the party, purportedly written by the National Secretary of PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Against this background, however, the IGP ordered the AIG Zone II to investigate the matter with a view to preventing the crisis from degenerating into full blown crisis which could affect the peace of the state. Addressing journalists after the meeting on Tuesday, AIG Tsafe charged journalists to be professional in reporting political crisis, stressing that any challenge on the police is also a challenge on the media.

ADO EKITI

econdary school teachers in Ekiti State have denounced the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) for participating in the Teachers Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) test of the state government on Monday. The teachers, who said their leaders’ action was against the interest of the members, have commenced moves to dump the body for the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), their erstwhile umbrella body and the association comprising primary school teachers in the state. The secondary school teachers, who did not want their names mentioned, said since their leaders had betrayed them, it was expedient for them to join a union which could stand for their interest and welfare. However, there was uneasy calm in the public schools in the state yesterday as they resumed academic activities after taking two days off to allow their teachers participate in the TDNA scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. About 100 out of the over 16, 000 public primary and secondary schools teachers in the state participated in the exercise while the remaining shunned it, saying that was not what they needed at the moment. The teachers expressed resolve in ensuring that none of their members was victimised by the state government for shunning the test. But state ASUSS Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun, who said he had never been a traitor in his life, told journalists on phone that he took the step in the best interest of secondary school teachers. Adigun said: How could NUT leaders request the government to derecognise ASUSS as part of the conditions for them to support TDNA? This is the point of disagreement and the issue of disloyalty did not arise.” It will be recalled that the state government on Tuesday said it had withdrawn recognition from NUT and would henceforth deal directly with its teachers.

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World Sight Day:

Lions Club conducts free eye tests OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU Lions of District 404B Nigeria will today conduct eye screening tests for scores of people in Ibadan, Oyo State, with the aim of treating those with eye defects. The exercise is in commemoration of the World Sight Day. The screening, in collaboration with the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, holds at the State General Hospital, Ring Road, in the ancient city. The District Governor, Lion Stella Agbogun, MJF, NLCF, would be in attendance to monitor the exercise. The District Sight Conservation and the Blind Committee Chairperson, District 404B Nigeria, Lion Oladipupo Sule, who disclosed this to our correspondent, said the programme was part of the activities of the Lions Worldwide to collaborate with local healthcare professionals to sponsor screening and cataract surgery at no cost to the sufferers. The World Sight Day is always held on October 11 every year. The Lions Club International is the world’s largest service organisation with over 1.35 million members, spread across 46,000 chapters worldwide, involved in the needed services to help their local communities. Its members have for almost a century been working on projects designed to prevent blindness, restore sight projects that have provided succour to over 15 million children through the provision of screening, glasses and other treatments; and prevented serious vision loss for over 30 million people. The organisation has also established paediatric health centres that have helped more than 120 million children; trained over 650,000 eye care professionals to cater for over 100 million people; distributed over N147m treatments for river blindness and conducted over eight million cataract surgeries. The Lions of District 404B Nigeria last year distributed 2,500 eyeglasses and performed 250 cataract surgeries in commemoration of the 2011 World Sight Day. Sule said: “In 1925, Helen Keller challenged us to become ‘knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness’. And we accepted. Today, sight programmes remain our defining causes.”

South West

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Arrest speaker’s wife’s abductors, Assembly tells security agents WALE FOLARIN OSOGBO

sun State House of Assembly has called on security agents in the state to investigate the abduction of the wife of its Speaker, Mrs. Muibat Salaam, and bring the culprits to book. The call is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Media Secretary to the speaker, Mr. Goke Butika.

This is as the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Khalafite Adeyemi, said that investigations into the incident had commenced. The Speaker’s wife was abducted by some gunmen in Ejigbo on Tuesday, while she was going home from her shop. Describing the incident as “barbaric, criminal and strange,” the lawmakers said the act was aimed at rocking the peace and harmony that the state had been

enjoying since Governor Rauf Aregbesola took over the reins of governance. The statement reads in part: “The State of Osun is known for peace and tranquillity. The rate of crime in the state is very low, and kidnapping is very strange. So, abducting the wife of the Speaker, who keeps an open door policy, is worth investigating to know and determine whether it is a pure crime or politicallymotivated.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam, were futile as he declined comment on the issue, even as friends and well-wishers of the victim held a prayer session to seek God’s intervention. Speaking with journalists, the police commissioner said her command had deployed crack detectives to investigate the incident and secure the release of the woman. Adeyemi, who said she

L-R: Pro-Chancellor, Wesley University, Ondo State, Sir Kehinde Smith; the Osemawe and paramount ruler of Ondo Kingdom and Chancellor of the university, Oba Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo; Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio and the Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, during the conferment of the Doctor of Sciences, Human Development honoris causa on Akpabio in Ondo State, yesterday.

Don’t disrupt Osun peace, Aregbesola warns students WALE FOLARIN OSOGBO

overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has warned students of tertiary institutions to refrain from being used to jeopardise existing peace in the state. The governor also told the students that his administration had commenced the process of paying substantial amount to them as bursary. Aregbesola, who gave the warning in a statement issued by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said his administration was committed to ensuring quality education and making life meaningful for students. He said his administration had raised the stake in the payment of bursary with the approval of substantial increases in the amount payable to stu-

dents from the state. Aregbesola noted that under the previous regime, students of colleges of education got N2,000; polytechnic and university undergraduates were paid N3,000; Law and Medical students were entitled to N10,000 and that there was no grant whatsoever to students in the Law School. The governor added that under the present administration, all stu-

dents would now receive N10,000, with Law and Medical students getting N20,000 while those in the Law School would be paid N100,000 each. He said: “It is on record that throughout the tenure of the last administration, bursary was paid four times totalling N152,758,720. This was in 2004/2005 (N54,870,920); 2005/2006 (26,907,000); 2006/2007 (35,980,800) and 2009/2010 (N35,000.000).

There was no bursary for 2003/2004 session, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 sessions. “In addition to these significant increases in the bursary payable, our administration has reduced fees paid by students in tertiary institutions; a decision that has also imposed on the government, the additional responsibility of increasing the subventions to the institutions.

The regulatory officers of the Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC, who carried out the operation, disclosed that apart from the fake drugs, the pharmacy, situated at No 1, Meiran Road, Ojokoro had Analgin injection which had been banned together with Tagaprox injection, Ferotone capsules and Flu capsules which had all expired but were still displayed on the shelves. The NAFDAC Director of Enforcement, Mr. Garba

Macdonald, said the officials of the agency acted to prevent the pharmacy from further endangering the lives of the citizens. He said there was no premises registration certificate at the pharmacy which had cast a doubt over its current registration status with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN. Macdonald, who is a pharmacist, said the pharmacy had violated NAFDAC’s regulations, adding that its activities amounted

would do everything possible to ensure that the culprits were brought to book, also promised that criminals would not be given any breathing space in the state. The commissioner also called on the people to give useful information to the police.

Pa Omokhoa, ex-NPA employee, for burial

he remains of Pa John Idialu Omokhoa, who died at the age of 81 years in Lagos on April 29, would be buried on November 10, by 11am. The deceased worked at the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, as an engineer for many years and retired in 1989. A statement by the family, signed by Mr. Patrick Omokhoa, said service of songs would be held on October 23 at the AganjuAka Primary School, Okokomaiko, Lagos, by 5pm. There would be a wake keep on November 9 at the residence of the deceased, Ihumudumu Quarters, Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, Edo State, by 6pm. Traditional dances would hold at Ihumudumu Primary School, Ekpoma, from 11pm till dawn. The burial service on November 10 would be followed by interment. A thanksgiving service would hold on November 11 at the Living Faith Church, Ihumudumu Road, Ekpoma, by 10am, the statement added.

Late Pa Omokhoa

NAFDAC shuts firm, arrests manager for fake drugs

he National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has sealed a pharmaceutical distribution outlet, Anyiwest Pharmacy, in Lagos for stocking, selling and dispensing fake, banned and expired drugs. The agency, which said in a statement that it also arrested the company’s manager, disclosed that it acted on a petition by some good spirited Nigerians against the pharmacy.

to professional misconduct. He disclosed that the outfit would remain shut, while the products there would be further screened to unravel more violations. Reiterating the agency’s preparedness to intensify the fight against fake drugs, Macdonald bemoaned the involvement of some pharmacists in aiding the menace. He therefore urged all Nigerians to support NAFDAC to win the war against fake and counterfeit drugs.

South East

Thursday, October 11, 2012

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ACF, Ohanaeze parley on national unity Two varsity students, DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

he four-hour meeting between the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu ended on a good note. The meeting, which failed to discuss which zone would produce the country’s next president in 2015, centred majorly on national unity and consensus, based on the principles of equity, justice and cooperation among Nigerians. In a brief communiqué issued after the meeting and jointly signed by the ACF Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Mohammed and his Ohanaeze Ndigbo counterpart, Ambassador Ralph Uwechuwe, Ohanaeze Ndigbo requested for time to study and make its response available for discussion on a future meeting “since the issues raised in the address by the ACF were very weighty.” Both sides agreed that the channel of communication opened by the meeting should be maintained. Setting the tone for discussion, the ACF Chairman, Mohammed said the meeting had deep historical significance since it was the first time in the current dispensation elders and notable leaders of the North and South-East sat on a common table as one

extended family. Mohammed noted that the North felt there was need for civil society organisations and cultural groups to dialogue on major issues of concern to Nigeria, adding that ACF was not driven by partisan political considerations. He said due to outbreak violence in the North, most times borne by Ndigbo, which make allegations suggesting that the Southerners, especially the Igbo, wre deliberately marked out for attack, the ACF is

therefore under pains to reassure Nigerians, especially the Igbo, that leaders of the North don’t have any hand in the crisis. Uwechuwe, however, told National Mirror that the meeting did not discuss the issue of 2015 presidency, but ACF brought a message of friendship, peace and brotherliness. He said: “They feel that we should discuss the differences among Nigerians rather than treat it any other way and we are pleased with them. They raised

weighty issues and we have asked them to give us time to respond to them.” Those who attended the meeting included former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme; former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Justice Mbazuruike Amechi; Chief Pa Onyeso Nwachukwu, former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Sam Egwu; Senator Joseph Waku, Ambassador Ladan Shuni, Maj-Gen. Lawrence Onoja and Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, among others.

others held over cultism NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

wo students of Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, and two former students of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, were yesterday arrested for allegedly belonging to a secret cult - Black Axe Confraternity. Two of the suspected cult members, who were identified as Ezenuko Obinna and Ohamuo Eze

President of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Amb. Ralph Uwaechie (left) and Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Aliko Misau Mohammed, at the meeting in Enugu, yesterday.

Victor, were said to be students of ABSU, while Chinemelum Chukwuemeka and Okoye Nnamdi, were said to be former students of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko. They were apprehended on campus by an anticult group in the school. The anti-cult group, acting on a tip-off as a result of an earlier membership drive by the suspects some months ago in the polytechnic, swooped on them when their accomplices from Abia State University came to the polytechnic to perfect their membership drive. It was learnt that unknown to them, the suspects were on the watch list of the polytechnic’s anti-cult group. Shortly after the suspected cultists sneaked into the polytechnic campus for the membership drive, they were arrested and handed over to the school management. A source, who did not want his name mentioned, said that when the anticult group accosted one of the suspects on the road, he took to his heels. But the group and passersby chased him till he was caught in a nearby bush. His arrest aided the apprehension of the other three.

Abia LG recovers 11 vehicles from ex-public office holders PDP chides Okorocha’s G O elaborate birthday bash EORGE

ABIA

PARA

he Obingwa Local Government Area has recovered about 11 vehicles from some former political office holders. The transition committee chairman of the local government, Dr. Onyekachi Nwulu, disclosed this yesterday, saying some of the vehicles were abandoned in mechanics workshops. According to Nwulu, to

maintain proper record of the property of the local government, he set up a committee to take an inventory of the council’s asset. Nwulu, who was one the chairmen given award by the forum of councilors in the state, said that he had carried out a comprehensive inventory of all abandoned water projects in Obingwa with the aim of reactivating them before the end of the year. The chairman said that his administration had

completed the electricity in Abala community. According to him, the community had been connected to national grid, saying: “What remains to be done is the distribution of low tension poles and cables within the 10 villages making up Abala community” On water problem in the local government, Nwulu said that his administration had reactivated some rural water schemes, specifically the abandoned

Abala, Nkamiri and Ukpakiri water schemes, which he said were provided with new generators.

AWKA

he House of Representatives Committee on Communication yesterday expressed satisfaction with the state of facilities at National Communication Commis-

sion’s (NCC) E-Emergency Communication Centre in Awka, the Anambra State capital. The committee, led by Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, rated the NCC’s special facility high, describing as unique as it has the capacity to disseminate information to

agencies across the country during distress. Ojo said that Awka and Minna are the pilot stations, while other 18 locations are in Enugu, Owerri and Lagos, among others. He commended the NCC for taking such initiative, while hoping that response

OWERRI

T Abia State Governor T. Orji

House committee lauds NCC’s facility in Awka CHARLES OKEKE

CHRIS NJOKU

agents would cooperate to improve activities of the Awka centre. Ojo said: “We are impressed with the facilities at the call centres though not commissioned yet. The systems there are working even though the workers have gone for training.

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the closure of public schools, government institutions and markets in Imo State to mark the 50th birthday of Governor Rochas Okorocha and the 10th anniversary of the Rochas Foundation. Describing the situation as “an abnormal setting” PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, said the state has never witnessed such display of power and wanton wastage of public funds. Amajirionwu said: “The state is in the firm grip of a lawless and unstructured government.

Closing down of economic activities and approving three days public holiday to celebrate birthday is an act of intimidation against the governed. “There was an unprecedented buying of air time on television and radio with people’s money”. The South-East Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Mr. Uzor A Uzor, described the elaborate birthday celebration as “unacceptable and unbecoming of a public servant who should be accountable to the people the elected him to manage their commonwealth”. Uzor said that the grounding of economic activities and the closure of schools was a setback on the already fallen standard of education in the state.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Thursday, October 11, 2012

NDDC seeks review of act establishing commission T

he Advisory Council of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has called for a review of the NDDC Act to remove the bureaucratic bottlenecks hindering the commission from realising its goals. In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting in Asaba, Tuesday night, the council, made up of governors of oil producing states, particularly expressed concern over the difficulty in implementing the commission’s budget. In the communiqué read to journalists by the Chairman and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the council called for flexibility in the process of contract awards after passage of its budget by the National Assembly. “Council therefore called for a review of the NDDC Act to reduce the long process of implementation, which retards the execution of projects”, the communiqué stated. The advisory council sympathised with communities devastated by flood across the country, stressing that the NDDC state governments will continue to respond to the needs of those

affected. The body also noted that the NDDC has promised to make contributions towards alleviating the plight of those affected as well as commended the Federal Government for its actions so far. Other highlights of the council’s communiqué include: “That NNDC should as a matter of priority always consult with state governors in the sub-region on projects to be executed in the states to eliminate the

challenge of duplication and ownership. “That the commission should lay emphasis on regional projects that would integrate the states in the region, especially roads, railways and power. “That the commission should partner with state governments on projects’ conception and execution.” The governors, who attended the meeting include Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta; Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Godswill Akpa-

•Call for end to pipeline vandalism

Bayelsa deploys more medical workers to relief camps EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday said the state government has deployed more medical personnel to flood victims’ relief camps in Yenagoa to check incidence of epidemic during and after the flood. The personnel include doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians, among others. Dickson, who spoke in a state broadcast yesterday in Yenagoa, said the state Ministry of Health had been directed to devise appropriate measures to address these medical

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, his counterparts from Rivers and Delta, Rotimi Amaechi and Emmanuel Uduaghan, during the meeting of the Advisory Council of NDDC in Asaba, Delta State, on Tuesday.

Reps commend Amaechi on security, development he House of Representatives yesterday commended Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for promoting the security of oil firms, lives and property in the state. Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Downstream Sector, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, made the remark when he led a delegation of the committee on a courtesy visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday. Peterside said companies in Rivers State have testified to the resilience of the Amaechi administration to restore and maintain peace in the state. “Rivers State is host to two refineries and other multinationals which are strategic to our economy, we visited the refineries and they told us that your administration has re-

bio of Akaw Ibom; Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo; Theodore Orji of Abia and Senator Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers. Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Admiral John Jonah represented his Governor, Seriake Dickson while Senator Aniete Okon attended in his capacity as a member of the council. The NDDC chairman, Dr. Tarilah Tebepah and the managing director, Dr. Christian Oboh, were also in attendance.

stored peace and enhanced our economy, and they have also asked us to commend you,” he said. He, however, expressed dismay over the continued vandalisation of pipelines and said that the committee is taking concrete steps to eradicate the menace as well as ensure that the petroleum downstream sector achieve its desired objective to improve the nation’s

economy. “One of the problems this committee has observed is the vandalisation of pipelines which in the past has caused refineries to shut down for three months, and this has greatly affected the economy.” Responding, Governor Amaechi urged the committee to seek ways of addressing the problem of bunkering in the nation’s waterways.

TONY ANICHEBE UYO

kwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has signed into law this year’s supplementary budget bill totaling N125bn. Earlier in the year, the state government had made a budgetary allocation of N407bn for this fiscal year, thus bringing the total budget outlay to N532bn. Of the N125bn supplementary budget, capital expenditure has N113bn while recurrent expenditure

Hon. Kingsley Kuku, following the submission of the report of a seven-man investigation panel. The panel, which was headed by Mr. Lawrence Pepple and had security personnel as members, recommended various sanctions for indicted officials, including forfeiture of two months’ salary as well as refund of monies not properly accounted for.

It, however, exonerated Mr. Peter Ajube and Mr. Kennedy West, noting that they “were not members of the Accounts/Data Verification Committee (that carried out the data verification of the Phase Two amnesty beneficiaries) and were not indicted by any of the persons who testified before the panel.” While receiving the report in his office, the PAP chairman thanked the panel

issues. National Mirror was reliably informed that tension is rising in the relief camp at the sports complex due to poor welfare by government, especially on their feeding. But, Dickson said government was adopting various precautionary measures to forestall the imminent shortage of food in the camps, noting that it has developed a robust plan to boost food production since parts of the East-West road have been over taken by flood. His words: “As part of efforts to tackle the current flooding in the state, I have directed the state Ministry of Agriculture to establish and control three food storage sites in Yenagoa. “The state Emergency Response Management Committee under the Chairmanship of Deputy Governor, Gboribiogha John Jonah, is working round the clock to provide some level of relief and succour to the people.” He urged Bayelsans not to despair, but, brace up in the face of the current crisis caused by unprecedented flood across communities in the state. “Having made an assessment of the level of damage to communities, government was prompted to notify the state House of Assembly on the need of a supplementary budget to tackle the situation.”

Akpabio signs N125bn supplementary budget has N11.8bn. Akpabio commended the State Executive Council for the expeditious implementation of the budget and the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly for passing the amended supplementary budget into law. The governor said democracy could not function without the cooperation of the legislature and called on other

Amnesty Office recalls suspended officials

ix officials of the Presidential Amnesty Office in Abuja, who were suspended last month over allegations of mismanagement of data and financial impropriety in the Phase Two of the amnesty programme, have been recalled. This directive was given by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP),

for properly handling the assignment even at short notice. He, however, said that the office will no longer recognise Mr. Sylvester A. Tambo (also known as Aso Tambo) as leader of the Phase Two amnesty beneficiaries and that henceforth it will only recognise and deal with the different state coordinators and representatives of the beneficiaries.

Houses of Assembly in the country to emulate the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. He announced that the supplementary budget would capture the new terminal building of Akwa Ibom International Airport, new roads in some local government areas and the international stadium in Uyo, among others. The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Albert Akpan, had explained that with the passage of the bill into law, capital expenditure stands at 83 percent while the recurrent expenditure is 17 percent. Akpan while addressing the press remarked that the state government would focus on the completion of ongoing projects, embark on new roads to ensure that all local government areas in the state have a sense of belonging.

North

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Terrorists kill two FRSC officers, injure one in Kano AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

rmed men yesterday shot dead two officers of the Kano State Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, barely 24 hours after two policemen were killed by suspected terrorists. The gunmen, sus-

pected to be members of a terrorist group, riding on a motorcycle, attacked an FRSC patrol vehicle, killed the two officers and critically injured another. The incident, which happened about 1 p.m. at Madobi Road, near Sani Abacha Youth Centre, has further heightened anxiety in the an-

cient city. The FRSC Sector Commander, Zaki Alkali, who confirmed the incident, said his men were four in the vehicle when the terrorists opened fire on them. He said: “Two officers died instantly, while one sustained bullet wounds, but the fourth person survived

the attack unhurt. It is a very sad incident.” The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, also confirmed the incident, saying a special squad had been deployed to comb the area in search of the terrorists. Idris, who spoke with our correspondent on phone, said his men had

arrested eight suspects in connection with Tuesday’s attack by the terrorists during which two policemen were killed. The commissioner added that his men were after the killers of the FRSC officers. He said: “We are on the lookout for them and I assure that my men will soon round them up.

We have also put in more effort on our desire to fight terrorism in the state. “I urge the general public to be on the alert and report any suspicious movement to security agencies. Kano State is no place for them and we shall make sure that the hoodlums move out of the state.”

Jang promises budgetary allocation for livestock farmers

L-R: Assistant General Manager, Technical Services, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Godwin Igwe; Managing Director, Alhaji Idris Mohammed and Assistant General Manager, Customer Services, Mallam Lawal Abdul, at the inauguration of the new Business Units of the company in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Pay your debts, NIPOST begs customers WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

he Nigeria Postal Service, NIPOST, has appealed to those owing it to settle their debts to make the organisation render effective services to its customers across the country. The NIPOST Area Manager, Lawrence Tunwase, made the appeal yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State during the activities marking the 2012 World Post Day.

He said: “Without the cooperation of our customers, it would be very difficult for us to deliver better service.” Tunwase disclosed that the organisation had introduced new measures aimed at ensuring maximum protection of mails sent through it. He said: “We have therefore, tremendously improved in the quality of our services and by so doing attracted goodwill of both our local and international communities.

“This shows that the post is very important to our economy and it is the reason why we want to solicit your advice which will in turn help us to further improve on our operations and services which you need. “I am using this opportunity to appeal to some of our customers who are yet to pay for their boxes and Private Mail Bag, PMB, to do so within a week. Fulfil your own part to enable us serve you better.” The area manager also

Ahmed praises FG’s support to flood victims

wara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the quick response of the government to the plight of flood victims in parts of the country.

The governor gave the commendation in a statement issued yesterday in Ilorin by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji AbdulWahab Oba, saying that the state was particularly appreciative of the gesture.

He lauded the N300m palliative to the flood victims who suffered huge losses from the disaster in Edu and Patigi local government areas. More than 70 villages were affected, out of which

Saudi Arabia deports 16 Katsina female pilgrims

uthorities of Saudi Arabia have deported to Nigeria 16 prospective female pilgrims from Katsina State. The Airport Manager of Sultan Abubakar III International Airport,

Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Lawal, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday that the Max airline, which conveyed the pilgrims landed at the airport about 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

He said they were returned home due to lack of male companions, adding that the zonal office of the National Hajj Commission was making arrangements to transport them to Katsina State.

disclosed that the annual celebration, which was organised under the auspices of the Universal Postal Union, UPU, would be organising an essay competition for secondary schools entitled: “Water is precious,” nationwide. “Principals and teachers of schools should encourage their students to participate in the competition in order to bring out the best in the teaching and learning in their staff and students,” Tunwase added. 16 were completely submerged in the two local governments. According to the governor, the palliative is timely because it will complement efforts of his administration in bringing succour to the affected victims. Ahmed also commended the Federal Government for directing the Technical Committee to continue action on the flood issue. He said: “President Jonathan has not only played his role as Nigeria’s President but demonstrated his empathy for affected Nigerians in their hours of need.”

lateau State Governor Jonah Jang announced yesterday in Jos that his administration would make budgetary provision for livestock farmers as part of efforts to encourage commercial farming. Jang said this while delivering a speech at a one-day livestock farmers’ workshop organised by the Animal Science Association of Nigeria, ASAN, tagged: “Effective Farm Management for Enhanced Income Generation.” The governor, who spoke through the Commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr. Steven Barko, said the aim was to boost agricultural activities in the state through extensive commercialisation of livestock production. Jang commended members of the association for their contribution to food production and urged livestock farmers to move from subsistence to commercial production to have value for their investment. He said: “If we can produce at commercial level, not only will it meet the needs of our dear nation, but will also serve as a good source for foreign exchange that will help drive the economy forward. “In the long run, our undue struggle for selfsufficiency shall be attained not only in Plateau

Jang

State but the nation at large.” The governor advised the farmers to take the workshop seriously and also register with the state government to be able to access the livestock budgetary facility and other government incentives. Also speaking, the Director, Diagnostics and Extension, National Veterinary Research Institute, NVRI, Vom, Dr. Philip Okewale, commended the association for the initiative, saying it was the only way farmers would be abreast of current trends in the industry. He said: “I am assuring you that NVRI will always be there for you to ensure access to vaccines, healthcare services for your livestock and other extension services that you may require.” Earlier, in his address of welcome, the state Chairman of the association, Mr. Emmanuel Naandokol, said the essence of the workshop was to put farmers on the right track towards production and processing of animal produce for optimal returns. He said: “I am urging you farmers to take maximum advantage of this training to empower yourselves with modern techniques that will add value to your product and enable you to compete in the market at any level.” Naandokol called on the farmers to organise themselves into cooperative societies for effective resource management along specific lines of production, processing and marketing. According to him, it will help in reducing the burden and demands on government for solution to every problem and also enhance specialisation and increase productivity.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

2007 poll: Police aﬃrm SSS report was forged

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Jonathan from Bala’s eye-glasses

CPC blasts Bakare, Mimiko over endorsement COUNTDOWN TO

ONDO GUBER POLL October 20, 2012

DAYS TO GO

OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

he Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Ondo State yesterday described the endorsement of the second

term ambition of Governor Olusegun Mimiko by the vice-presidential candidate of the party in the 2011 general election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, as ill-conceived. The party said Bakare’s opinion, translated as a prophesy, was totally in contrast to the views of the majority of the people of Ondo State, including CPC members, who are longing to be freed from the “reckless and rudderless government that has presided over the affairs of the state in the last three and a half years.” The CPC, in a statement

by the Director- General, Soji Ehinlanwo Campaign Organisation (SECO), Yomi Adetimehin, further said the endorsement of Mimiko by Bakare reflected a detachment from the realities in Ondo. The party said: “From Akoko, Ondo to Ilaje, most people wonder where the vast portion of the huge allocation of over N600 billion from the federation account has gone in view of what is actually on the ground. We are inclined to also wonder whether the endorsement given by the

pastor takes into account that many in Ondo State are embarrassed by the recklessness that has now come to be associated with OSOPADEC and which is even a subject of investigation by the EFCC. “After three and a half years, many of the industries in Ondo State remain moribund in spite of initial promises of this governor to resuscitate them. Oluwa Glass, Okitipupa Oil Pam Company, NIROWI, IFON Ceramics etc. have all been neglected. In addition, there is no clear vision to

stimulate small and medium scale enterprises able to provide jobs for the teeming array of unemployed youths in the state. The result is that after over three and a half years, the ranks of the unemployed in Ondo State are growing and we have a government without a clear and effective response to the problem. How the head of such an obviously under-performing government can be endorsed by anyone is beyond our imagination and that of millions of Ondo indigenes who are on ground “This Labour Party government has instigated such unprecedented wastage. The list is endless. Is it the wastage of over three billion on the phantom Dome project or the wastage of over N30 billion on the now dead Kaadi Igbe

Ayo. The wastage of over N5.7 billion on a non-existent cement factory at Okeluse, the wastage of funds in the sports ministry are all things that the people of Ondo State have difficulty coming to terms with, even if the Pastor may choose to ignore such. “The inability of this government to complete any stretch of roads but cosmetising existing ones is rather worrisome for many in Ondo State. The fact that across the state after three and a half years, several millions of our people have no access to good drinking water but yet government celebrates the creation of a water fountain is truly embarrassing. Bakare is obviously ignorant of the ineptitude of his favourite demonstrated clearly in this respect.”

I’m prepared for governance, says Akeredolu no other source of income” OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

G Deputy governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Dr. Paul Akintelure acknowledging cheers at a rally in Akoko in Ondo State recently.

PDP warns Mimiko against rigging HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE.

head of the governorship election in Ondo State, the campaign committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through the Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation (OOCO) has warned Governor Olusegun Mimiko against rigging. Speaking yesterday in Akure with journalists, the Director General of OOCO, Dr. Dare Bada, said the frustration of Mimiko is understood as series of his attempts to rig the

election have been discovered and thwarted. Bada said the governor has engaged to disrupt election process in some areas of the state where the ruling Labour Party (LP) is not popular due to neglect of the people of the respective areas. He listed the areas to include some parts of Ondo North Senatorial District, specifically the Akoko areas of the state and Ondo South where the Labour Party has little or no influence. Bada said: “Mimiko has been lobbying the Presidency all in an attempt to

disorganise our party. He has bribed a lot of people with the state money which are doled out in foreign currencies. “We have it on good authority that some weird thugs have been hired by the Labour Party. Also, Toyota Hilux jeeps have been specially purchased and branded in security colour to be used by the hoodlums. Security uniforms to be used by the weird hired thugs have also been sown and secured in the Government House. “The coming of VicePresident Namadi Sambo

has deflated his bubbles of lies in the minds of our loyal party members and the good people of Ondo State. “His latest attempt is the dragging of the amnesty programme of the Federal Government into his dirty politics. I think it is a disservice to play politics with the amnesty programme of the Federal Government, considering its level of success and its glaring advantages. “ Bada, therefore, urged party members and the people of the state to avoid being tricked for the second time.

overnorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has said he was well-prepared to govern the state and bring unprecedented development. Akeredolu wondered why Mimiko could say anyone was not prepared to be governor since he had not proven so in his own case “with the litany of failed promises and abandoned projects in the three and a half years of his administration.” In a statement by Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, the Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy of the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO), the ACN candidate said he was different from those he described as fair weather politicians who had consistently deceived them over the years. He admonished the people of the state to vote out Mimiko “who have been living on taxpayers’ money for the past 20 years with

to pave the way for sustainable development. The statement said: “It is on record that he (Mimiko) has been purchasing awards with state resources and has supervised frauds in places like Ondo State Oil Producing Area development Commission (OSOPADEC) where N64 billion is missing. He has abandoned the doomed dome project after spending N1.5 billion; he has abandoned the IleOluji township stadium after spending N273 million among many others. “It is laughable to hear Mimiko declare that he has worked for Ondo State people in rural development, education, agriculture, infrastructural development, industry. Mimiko should point to one single industry he has established in Ondo State. Is it the promised Arigidi Tomato Paste Industry which has been abandoned that Mimiko is talking about? Is it the Akoko towns and communities where there is no single road that Mimiko has developed?

Politics

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2007 poll: Police affirm SSS report was forged IF PEOPLE WHO

COUNTDOWN TO

PERPETRATE FORGERY

ONDO GUBER POLL

TO PERVERT THE COURSE OF JUSTICE

AND DEMOCRACY... ARE ALLOWED TO GO SCOT-

October 20, 2012

FREE, THEY WILL BE

FURTHER EMBOLDENED

DAYS TO GO OJO OYEWAMIDE writes on the outcome of the investigation by the police of the contentious State Security Services (SSS) report which tilted judgement in favour of Olusegun Mimiko at the state Election Petition Tribunal and the Election Petition Appeal Tribunal.

TO CREATE EVEN GREATER HARM TO OUR FLEDGING DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT Mimiko

he last may not have been heard of the contentious State Security Services (SSS) report, which the Labour Party (LP) used to fortify its election petition at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure in the aftermath of the 2007 governorship election in Ondo State. This was so, as the result formed the fulcrum of the judgement of the tribunal and the appeal tribunal in Benin, in giving judgment in favour of the LP and its candidate, Olusegun Mimiko against the election of former governor of the state, Olusegun Agagu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the report of the Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has confirmed that the security reports which the LP tendered before the Justice Nabarumaled Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal to prove that its candidate, Mimiko, won the 2007 governorship election in the state were forged, according to National Mirror investigation. The report, entitled: “Police investigation report on a case of forgery and altering of State Security Service report,” said eight of the nine security reports presented by the LP before the tribunal were discovered to be fake and recommended the trial of Olaiya Oni, former LP chairman. The judgements of the tribunal and the Appeal Court, Benin Division, which sacked the former governor of the state, Agagu, from office were essentially based on the security reports which claimed that the 2007 elections were marred with irregularities and violence in some local government areas where Agagu had won. But Agagu had petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, in May 2010, alleging that the said SSS report was not genuine and urged him to investigate the matter. This led to the Inspector-General of Police directing that Agagu’s claim be investigated. According to the police report, a letter was written to the Director General of the SSS to confirm the veracity or otherwise of the alleged report and also to confirm if the report actually emanated from the SSS.

Agagu

The report added that the Director General confirmed that eight out of the nine SSS reports tendered at the tribunal did not emanate from the Service. The police report further said that the SSS boss tried and clarified the differences between the genuine reports of the organisation and the forged ones presented at the tribunal. In Okitipupa Local Government Area, while the genuine report, dated April 15, 2007, dwelt on the general conduct and activities of all the parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents in the election, the forged report dated April 16, 2007, reported late arrival of election materials and allegations against PDP thugs at Igbotako and Ilutitun areas of the local government. In Ese Odo Local Government Area, the genuine report on the election, dated April 15, 2007, highlighted the activities of some security agents as well as members of the LP and the PDP. But the alleged fake report tendered by Mimiko’s legal team dated April 16, 2007 said election was not conducted in some unnamed areas in the local government area. Saying that the elections were not free and fair where they were conducted, the fake security report further alleged that some PDP stalwarts imported thump printed ballot boxes in favour of

their party. While the ‘genuine’ security report on the election in Irele Local Government Area dated April 15, 2007 talked about the general conduct of the election, the ‘forged’ report centered on the activities of the then council chairman and the PDP. It went further to indict an unnamed PDP leader, who was alleged to have taken ballot papers to his residence where they thump-printed then and returned to INEC. On the election in Odigbo Local Government Area, the ‘original’ report dated April 15, 2007 raised the issue of ballot boxes snatching but did not indict any political party. It said election materials were promptly distributed by INEC and that officials of the commission were relatively objective. It also reported the whole process of the election. But the ‘fake’ report which was also dated April 15, 2007 said election did not take place in Ore and that one of the INEC officials cast vote for the PDP. The ‘original’ report on the election in Ileoluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area was dated April 14, 2007 and it said that the election were conducted in all the 157 polling units in the local government council with pockets of skirmishes involving mainly the PDP and the LP. The ‘forged’ report dated April 14, 2007 indicted members of the PDP for snatching ballot boxes. While it alleged that the PDP attacked some members of the LP, it accused the police of intimidating LP members and preventing them from voting. The alleged forged report on the election in Ose Local Government Area reproduced the original report which raised issues concerning the activities of a politician in the area verbatim in a detective format. According to the Police, from the investigation conducted, it was clear that the security reports that the LP lawyers tendered at the tribunal in Akure were forged. It therefore recommended that all the persons involved be arraigned in court. Agagu had in May 2010 addressed a petition to President Jonathan claiming that the two judgements that removed him from office were essentially based on fake security reports. The former governor pleaded with the President to order that his claims be investigated. He had stated in the petition: “My tenure as governor of Ondo State was terminated on February 23, 2009 upon the verdict

of the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin which confirmed the ruling of the Justice Nabaruma-led tribunal which awarded the gubernatorial elections of April 14, 2007 to Mimiko of the LP. “Essentially, the verdict of the tribunal and the Appeal Court were based on the acceptance by the judges that elections in 10 local government areas, where the PDP won were marred with irregularities and violence and therefore cancelled over 63 per cent of votes cast in these local government areas, while it retained all the votes in the seven LGAs where the LP won. In both judgements, the decision of the judges was substantially based on the fake security reports, purportedly written by the SSS which flawed the elections only in the local government areas where I won. “It must be emphasised that our lawyers objected to the admission of these purported SSS reports, especially since the SSS officer subpoenaed stated clearly in the open tribunal that the Department of State Security Service did not have such reports. In spite of this, the judges still laid credence on the fake reports, stating that the court is not concerned with how the evidence was obtained.” The former governor added that he was not interested in the judicial review of his case but that, “it is clear that if people who perpetrate forgery to pervert the course of justice and democracy and thereby change the course of lives of millions of people are allowed to go scot-free, they will be further emboldened to create even greater harm to our fledging democratic experiment.” Agagu also petitioned the Chief Justice of the Nigeria (CJN) on the basis of the findings of the Police SIU. He stated: “My grouse with the verdicts of the tribunal and the Court of Appeal is essentially on the acceptance by the two tiers of courts that elections in 10 local governments where I won were marred with irregularities while conveniently all the votes cast in the seven local government areas where the LP won were retained. “In both judgements, (Tribunal and the Court of Appeal), the decisions of the judges were based on the security reports purportedly written by the SSS. The security reports which have now been pronounced to be forgeries by the SSS and the Police were the fulcrum of the decisions. “The PDP lost more than 62,926 votes through this flaw in just two local government areas (Okitipupa and Irele) where the fake SSS reports were directly used in the judgements and could have influenced decisions in other local government areas. “You will agree with me, my Lord, that it is against public interest for a party in a suit to produce fraudulent evidence to deceive the court into giving him a favourable judgement. On ground of public policy and equity, he should not be permitted or allowed to profit or to continue to enjoy the fruits of such fraudulent victory or judgement particularly where it has to do with a very sensitive political office such as the exalted office of governor of a state.” There is no doubt that Agagu is desirous of justice in the case but will the CJN act on his latest petition and ensure that the culprits are exposed and punished? The Nigerian public and indeed the world are watching.

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Politics

EMMA AGU

he recent media tour of Federal Government projects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was as revealing as it was reassuring. The tour, tagged ‘Good Governance’ tour was packaged by two federal ministries: Information and National Planning and the office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation. The object of the tour, as revealed by Information Minister, Labaran Maku, is “to entrench the principle of accountability and good governance, and ensure promises made to the public are fulfilled”. This position was reiterated by the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed and SSA to the President on Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Professor Sylvester Monye. With members of the civil society organisations, local and international media, government officials and interested members of the public at hand to assess performance, it is also hoped that the tour will expose performance deficits, identify hiccups and create the platform for taking remedial measures aimed at delivering the much needed ‘democracy dividends’. The tour also has as one of its lofty objectives “to…showcase investment opportunities” in Nigeria. Ultimately, the tour, which is expected to take the team to the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, will provide an opportunity for evaluating the success of the Goodluck Jonathan transformation agenda.

Continuity One salutary revelation of the tour is the assurance that the country is on course towards eliminating the scourge of abandoned projects; that the President’s assurance of continuity is indeed on course. No one who is familiar with the philosophy of Mohammed would have been surprised at this development as the minister had reiterated, time and again, that completing existing projects, no matter the initiator, was the overriding preoccupation of the FCT administration under him. Thus, as the team moved from the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project to the rehabilitation and expansion of Airport Expressway (Yar’Adua Drive), from the Lower Usama Dam Water Treatment Plant to the construction of Usman Dam, Gurara Road and the iconic World Trade Centre being strung together by the Churchgate Group, the team of assessors were happy not just with the pace and quality of work but satisfied that the FCT administration, headed by the minister Mohammed, has given profound credibility to President Jonathan’s pledge of completing projects inherited from previous administrations. And the residents of the FCT will be happier for these. Take for instance, the water treatment plant. On completion, the project has a capacity to deliver two million liters of water per hour; talk of literally setting Abuja awash and eliminating, from the capital city, one of the nightmares of urban life in Nigeria. But, it is in the Abuja Light Rail project, a landmark project of immense value, that the FCT Administration has demonstrated utmost fidelity with inherited projects of high value. It had barely taken off the ground before Mohammed took over as FCT minister. Thus, the administration could easily have abandoned the project citing any hackneyed excuse from paucity of

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Jonathan from Bala’s eye-glasses THE TOUR LIVED UP TO THE PROMISE... THAT, IN LINE WITH THE

JONATHAN AGENDA, TRANSPARENCY WOULD BE THE WATCHWORD,

NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT IT WOULD LAY BARE THE PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC OFFICERS of millions of commuters to and from the FCT would have been eliminated.

Transparency Mohammed

funds to execution problems. But President Jonathan wouldn’t have any of that nor would Bala Mohammed rest on his oars until the project is delivered. Prior to the tour, much of what was heard about the project was the Chinese loan. That, perhaps, explains the excitement of the inspection team as it was taken through the project. Starting from Jamilah Tangaza, Mohammed’s irrepressible SSA Media to Jonathan Ivoke, the FCT’s Transport Secretary, you would see the air of fulfilment as they took the inspectors through the various stages of the track laying process. Now, who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the rail road show? Is it CCECC, the Chinese contracting firm handling the project? Is it President Jonathan? Is it the minister? Or is it the people? You can reach a conclusion, whichever way you want. It was a great opportunity for CECC officials to demonstrate why China has taken the global economy by storm. At the firm’s construction plant at Idu, the project manager Yuan Yong, delightfully took inspectors through the massive pile of rail track materials, enough to lay 60 kilometres of railroad. In other words, the firm has achieved 100 percent the track requirement for the project! Similarly, it has attained 80 percent in the production of both ballast and sleepers. Besides, the Idu production plant is a beehive of activities, engaging hundreds of Nigerian engineers, artisans, skilled and unskilled workers and sundry service providers. Check out some of the benefits: employment for 309 Nigerian engineers plus 4500 other workers; transportation of an average of two million commuters per day; opening up of new areas; decongestion of the city centre, and more. The multiplier effect is staggering; simply reassuring. From what we saw, and with the consummation of the Chinese loan, meeting the completion target of 2015 is virtually assured. And with that, the traffic woes

The FCT tour, for once, defied the penchant for government officials to micromanage perception projects with a view to creating the impression of make believe. As it turned out, at every turn, the tour lived up to the promise by both Maku and Mohammed that, in line with the Jonathan agenda, transparency would be the watchword, notwithstanding the fact that it would lay bare the performance of public officers and by extension, President Jonathan. At no places was this more evident than during the inspection tour of engineering infrastructure projects strewn across huge terrains in Guzape, Jahi, Maitama Extension, Wuye and Kubwa districts of the FCT. Paradoxically, in spite of massive scope of construction work at the sites, the team of inspectors, particularly journalists, took some of the obviously unsuspecting contractors to task over what they considered to be the unsatisfactory pace of work, eliciting some desperate explaining and occasionally, buck-passing. But you couldn’t but admire the candour from everybody. It was a reassuring spectacle especially. Both contractors and ministers were at the mercy of their ‘employers’, the people. But if the situation at the project sites was transparent, what obtained during the town hall meeting at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja was simply electric; even explosive. Such was the level of openness that when one of the minister’s aide who attempted to micro-manage the questions, Maku clinically reined in on him. The audience applauded. Maku was right. If those questions had been suppressed, perhaps the audience, nay Nigerians, would have been denied the opportunity of knowing that an Abuja government hospital has the best MRI equipment in Nigeria, that the Mohammed administration had built and equipped over 15 hospitals in the FCT, that the FCT administration is building houses where illegal squatters at Mpape area of the city would be resettled. As an aside, it

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needs be stated that the town hall meeting provided an opportunity for Nigerians to see Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya, secretary, FCT health and human services secretariat. With his confidence level, the FCT is well on track towards fulfilling its mandate in health services. It was not all about projects being executed by the FCT Administration. Three other projects: the Civil Defence Academy, the Space Research Centre and the Passport Office Annex project, were also inspected. The Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs. Uzoma and the Acting Commandant of the Nigerian Civil Defence and Security Corps (NCDSC), Professor F. A. Adeyinka both earned high encomiums for demonstrating focus and prudence in resource application and creative management. Although the good governance tour has only just begun, several conclusions can be drawn from the rigorous inspection and robust debates that animated the FCT angle. The first is the need for sustained on-thespot assessment of public projects by civil society groups, the media, government officials and the general public. This way, contractors would be kept on their toes, while public officers will realise that they are servants, not masters, whose fate could be determined by their paymasters - the electorate. The second is that commendation and blame should be based on measurable criteria, not political differences or personal grudges. The third lesson is the need for team work; the need for public officers to buy into government projects as a first step towards corralling the populace into a huge stake-holder group. No one in the FCT tour or the town hall meeting would deny the unity of purpose that exists at the FCT administration. Without such a synergy, it would have been difficult for the FCT management team to give the kind of unrehearsed, yet credible responses that elicited applause from audiences throughout the tour. The FCT tour produced many exciting moments, but a profound one is when both Mohammed and Maku alighted from their bus to inspect the ‘guard of honour’ mounted by the pupils of LEA Primary School, Paipe-Abuja. Given that it was not on the itinerary, some ministers would simply have waved at the pupils and passed. But Mohammed and Maku, he walked sombrely into the premises of the area council school. And etched on their faces was pain, occasioned by the partially blown off roof of the school building. As the school head teacher offered some explanation, my interest was with the pupils, Nigeria’s future, and the reason why Jonathan is pursuing a transformation agenda. They giggled, smiled, shuffled and waited patiently. They probably had never witnessed such a spectacle before: the symbol of their country was present, two ministers representing their President. Bala did not disappoint. He promptly summoned his Special Assistant on Education/Health Services, Ogechi Nwosu and gave her the marching orders: the relevant level of government must get the roof fixed within weeks and the minister should be notified. One thing is certain though: for many years to come, the pupils of LEA Primary School, Paipe, will continue to remember that, once upon a time, Jonathan’s minister, Mohammed, passed by. Goodluck Nigeria! Agu, is a former Managing Director of Champion Newspapers.

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Gripping fear, gaping security deficit THE STORIES OF DEATH, KILLING

EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

AND KIDNAPPING HAVE CEASED TO BE

FRY

TERRIBLE NEWS TO

NDUBUISI

NIGERIANS

fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

igeria is gradually degenerating into a huge jungle, and we Nigerians are now almost living like people in the Hobbesian state of nature where life is short, brutish and nasty. In our new found life, what is predictable is that you could go out in pursuit of your socio-economic needs without making it back home. It was not for nothing that Senator Uche Chukwumerije recently reasoned that the country had become a failed state. There is hardly any day that you open the pages of the newspapers without a mention of violence deaths and mindless kidnappings. Just last week, the Delta State commissioner for higher education, Professor Hope Eghagha, was effortlessly abducted by gunmen along Effurun/Agbor highway, killing his police orderly in the process. In Eboyni State a four year old girl was similarly abducted. Edo State had its turn when the principal of the University of Benin Demonstration Senior Secondary School was spirited away. The kidnapping swirl hit Ije-

bu Ode, Ogun State where the owner of City Hotel Suites, was also forcibly taken away. Asaba, Lagos etc, had their own share of the nasty saga. Adding to this horror are the Mubi, Adamawa State and Port Harcourt killings. In Mubi, 40 lives, all students of three tertiary institutions, were wasted by yet to be identified gunmen. It was in the state of mourning them that four students of the University of Port-Harcourt were killed and roasted in a manner never witnessed in the nation’s recent history. What is clear is that we are gradually making this culture of violence our way of life. The stories of death, killing and kidnapping have ceased to be terrible news to Nigerians. This is a major challenge to the government at all levels. The protection of lives and property is a fundamental covenant of the state. If the state fails in doing this, it means it has failed the people. Why can’t a country with huge resources set up and equip mobile security agencies? Most

affluent Nigerians have resorted to private security arrangements. In most residential areas you now have sundry security arrangements for the protection of the residents. It is important the various governments take the security of life and property as a major challenge. There must be order in the land. And this order cannot come with the present uncertainty that has enveloped the country. We have visible military and paramilitary forces; with all these security agencies on ground we should be able to secure our land. That kidnappers are succeeding the way they do should be a source of great embarrassment to the security agencies. In this modern world with all the available security gadgets, kidnappers in the nation hold their captives for weeks, negotiate ransoms with the families of their victims, and in most cases, receive the ransoms without a trace! The security high commands should be worried at this national evil. The security situation should be a major source of concern to the governments. We have reached a stage where a state of emergency should be declared in some states to address the matter. If the police commendably tracked down and arrested the killers of Cynthia Osokogu, why would they not be able to replicate the same feat in other parts of the country experiencing pervasive kidnapping? We have hi-tech security gadgets that could be deployed for this purpose. Our

security agents need to study crimes control mechanisms as practised in the advanced world. We have reached a stage where we should have CCTV in major towns and high ways in the country. With this and other tracking devices, our security personnel would be on top of the nation’s security challenges. Aside from this, it has become imperative to apply a holistic approach in our search for best ways to secure the lives of Nigerians and their properties. The government at all levels must intensify efforts at creating jobs and providing jobs opportunities for our youths. A check on the list of those apprehended for criminalities will reveal that the bulk of them are young graduates that have been roaming the cities for years without jobs. Nigerians that have resources should think of investing in productive ventures that could help to suck in the pervasive joblessness to give hope to our young ones. The discernible primitive pattern of accumulation of wealth by the ruling elite through looting and money laundry must stop. If half of the resources that this economy generates is wisely invested the level of crimes will be reasonably lowered. The Presidency should read the riot act to the security agencies, and politicians to shape up or be thrown off the board. The aftermath of a failed state is too dire to be contemplated. Prof Ndubuisi an attorney at Law is of the Dept of Philosophy, UNILAG.

On the nation’s perennial fuel crisis ADEWALE KUPOLUYI

t is saddening and paradoxical that a nation like Nigeria that is richly endowed with abundant human and natural resources, such as crude oil, could be in dire need of what is supposed to be a blessing. Our problems are hinged on bad leadership, corruption, poor maintenance culture, lack of patriotism and institutional failure. Nigeria, a leading member Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), generates a large percentage of its foreign exchange earnings from the sales of crude oil and liquefied gas. While many of the nations that depend on Nigeria have overcome the challenges of their oil supply and demand equation, our dear country is engulfed in incessant fuel crises. Like before, a major scarcity of petrol is currently being experienced across the country with long queues at the filling stations. Expectedly, the drive for abnormal profits by oil marketers has led to a situation where a litre of petrol is sold for between N115 and N150, as against the official price of N97. The initial official position on the current scarcity was to put it as ‘an ordinary hitch’ in the supply chain. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) later blamed the shortage on the continued closure of a vandalised NNPC System 2B pipeline at Arepo, Ogun State. Repair works at the vandalised pipeline were stopped after the killing of three of its engineers. Still another unofficial explanation was

that members of the Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON) have stopped fuel importation because NNPC was owing them arrears for supplied products and they were unable to service the loans got from banks. The pervasive scarcity has forced the National Assembly to intervene. The Senate recently invited the Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu and Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Reginald Stanley with other stakeholders in the petroleum downstream sector to parley on the way out of the crisis. The national president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, recently offered a clue on the issue; he pinned the disequilibrium in the oil supply and demand equation on pervasive insecurity. He said that members of his association suspended the lifting of fuel from refineries due to lack of security coverage for their personnel and trucks. This contrasts with the claims that the suspension of subsidy payment to the members of IPMAN forced them to cut down on oil import. The total amount said to be owed them under the Petroleum Subsidy Fund (PSF) scheme is put at about N200 billion. However, the Federal Ministry of Finance on its part stated that it had paid N259 billion as outstanding subsidies for 2011 and another N78.8 billion for this year. Between the two contrasting figures lies the truth.

IT IS EQUALLY CONFOUNDING THAT NONE OF

THE COUNTRY‘S REFINERIES IS WORKING

EFFICIENTLY.

THIS

IS THE REASON FOR OUR OIL IMPORT DEPENDENCE Security is one critical element in the nation’s oil production efforts. The activities of vandals and oil bunkerers pose a serious threat to the authorities, especially the oil companies. The federal authorities must live up to expectation. The slip in security caused the death of the three NNPC engineers at Arepo village. It is not tidy that knowing the importance of the System 2B pipeline to the country and how dastardly pipeline vandals could be in their nefarious activities, the authorities could still send workers to repair the vandalized pipeline at Arepo, notorious for pipeline vandalism, without adequate police protection. It is equally confounding that none of the country‘s refineries is working efficiently. This is the reason for our oil import dependence. The NNPC is known to have imported more fuel into the country

than the combined efforts of all the major oil marketers in 2009. Only the implementation of the private refineries option could get us out of the quagmire. It is also imperative to make sure that all the four refineries function in order to reduce the country‘s dependence on fuel importation. The Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria, Enrique Arundel, once wondered why Nigeria would feel comfortable exporting crude oil. He posited that refining the nation’s crude oil would have brought more returns in terms of socio-economic benefits. Another way out of the problem lies in the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). No doubt, once the PIB is passed into law, deregulation becomes a reality, and this will create the enabling environment for marketers to operate. All over the world, deregulation has proven to be the way forward in expanding opportunities for economic growth and competitive markets. We must be worried that Nigeria still goes through this cycle of fuel scarcity thus making the people to suffer in the midst of plenty. This ought not to be. Kupoluyi, adewalekupoluyi@yahoo. co.uk, writes from Abeokuta Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.netmirrorlagos@ 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.

Editorial

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

STEVE AYORINDE

MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

YELE AKINROLABU

ED OPERATIONS

SEYI FASUGBA

DAILY EDITOR

BOLAJI TUNJI

SUNDAY EDITOR

GBEMI OLUJOBI

SATURDAY EDITOR

LANRE OYETADE

GENERAL EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA

COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

ADESOYE ADEKOYA

CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION

CALLISTUS OKE

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE

ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

KAYODE BALOGUN JNR

SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Lingering fuel supply crisis

uel supply shortages which started roughly two months ago in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have since spread to other states of the federation with no visible relief in sight as yet. The lingering fuel supply crisis, which has led to unofficial hike in the pump prices of petrol and kerosene, is widely suspected to be the premeditated strategy of petroleum products marketers and depot owners to blackmail the Federal Government to drop current probes of illegal fuel subsidy claims by fraudulent fuel importers who collected subsidies for products not imported or supplied. Some Nigerians also view the development as a hideous script to arm-twist the government into approving unjustified fuel price increases next January when it is projected that the supply inadequacies would have paralysed socio-economic activities in the country. The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke, at an interactive session with the Senate to review the situation on Monday, said fuel scarcity in Abuja was initially caused by oil workers’ strike over the non-payment of fuel subsidy to some marketers, while the fuel scarcity now ravaging other parts of the country, including Lagos, was as a result of the pipeline vandalism at the Arepo pipeline on the Ogun

State end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where three officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, who were involved in the repair of the pipelines were killed. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the apex institution that manages petroleum products’ importation, supply and distribution, gave similar reasons for the scarcity. The Arepo pipeline which stretches about 60 kilometers from the Atlas Cove Jetty loading point for imported fuel in Lagos carries up to 11 million litres of fuel daily. Yet the sensitive supply line was left unprotected and unmonitored despite a pipeline fire that claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed billions of naira worth of property a couple of years ago. As at the time of the latest attack on it by vandals, the NNPC was yet to protect the exposed pipeline which passed through residential areas with concrete casing, or re-channel same through uninhabited areas. This negligence seems the major reason dare devil Arepo vandals found a lucrative business in vandalizing and siphoning fuel from the pipeline. Indeed, fuel thieves from Arepo were said to have established thriving markets for stolen fuels across Lagos and Ogun States along the route of the pipeline. Reports say the market has be-

THE FG SHOULD RETHINK ITS DECISION TO SENTENCE

NIGERIANS TO THE PANGS OF IMPORTED FUEL come so notorious in Ogun State that many residential areas harbor illegal ‘filling stations’. It was the unhindered culture of impunity and roguery that must have emboldened the Arepo oil thieves to kill some NNPC officials sent to repair the leaking pipeline recently. Besides, outside the criminal activities of vandals, the pipes are also aged and suffer persistent leakages, thus exposing the host communities to grave danger. We think the lingering scarcity highlights the incompetence of the NNPC and other relevant government agencies to superintend over uninterrupted national fuel supplies. It is, for instance, evident that until disasters strike, the NNPC scarcely takes proactive measures to protect pipelines. That the NNPC is now desperate in seeking the cooperation of host pipeline communities and security agencies to secure vital pipelines may not be uncon-

nected with the recent killing of its staff by the Arepo pipeline vandals. Had the oil monopoly seen to it that the pipeline is properly policed, the nation would have for long celebrated the arrest of some of the vandals. It is also most unlikely that NNPC officials working on the pipes would be killed so recklessly. Granted that the FG is seeking approval for a $7 billion foreign loan to update oil pipelines, must that halt inexpensive minor repairs that compromise national interest? The NNPC’s carefree approach to most of its sensitive national assignments hardly portrays it as a responsible corporate body with national interest at heart. With trillions of naira still being sunk into fuel ‘subsidy’ with no benefit to ordinary Nigerians, the FG should rethink its decision to sentence Nigerians to the pangs of imported fuel. While everything should be done to restore normal supplies, we believe that domestic refining of petroleum products holds the key to adequate fuel supply in the country, hence the urgent need to make existing refineries work to installed capacity; as well as facilitating the establishment of new ones. In addition, it is high time the FG sanitized the NNPC with all sincerity to make it become more responsive to public and national interest.

ON THIS DAY October 11, 2001

October 11, 1984

October 11, 1962

The Polaroid Corporation filed for federal bankruptcy protection. Polaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras which reached the market in 1948 and continued to be the company’s flagship product line until the February 2008 decision to cease all production in favor of digital photography products.

Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a space walk. Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or space walk is any activity done by an astronaut or cosmonaut outside of a spacecraft beyond the Earth’s appreciable atmosphere. Space Shuttle Challenger (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was NASA’s second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first.

Second Vatican Council: Pope John XXIII convened the first ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church in 92 years. An ecumenical council is a conference of ecclesiastical dignitaries and theological experts convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. The word “ecumenical” derives from a Greek word which literally means “the inhabited world”, – a reference to the Roman Empire that later was extended to apply to the world in general.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

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Education Today Reps probe TETFund 23 eexpenses

Teachers decry neglect amid celebrations

Cross River State teachers on parade.

This year’s World Teachers’ Day was a celebration of achievements and also a period for sober reflections, reports TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE.

ctober 5, every year, remains a memorable day for every teacher at primary and post primary educational levels around the world. This is because the UNESCO and ILO have set aside the day to celebrate them (teachers) for their strong contributions to national development and the world economy. Teachers in Nigeria, like their colleagues elsewhere around the world, usually look forward to the day. Last Friday commemorated this year’s edition and teachers across the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital territory, Abuja, dressed differently from their usual manners for the colourful event. It was celebration galore everywhere. Despite that, they still expressed their displeasures at the manner the society looks down on them and their profession, as well as the poor attention they receive from governments. However, they were particularly thankful to God for sparing their lives to witness another edition, which was themed: ‘Take a stand for teachers.’ In Lagos, they trooped out in their thousands to the Teachers’ Pavilion at Alausa, Ikeja. That was the venue of the event for the Lagos wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), their umbrella body with the state government officials, including Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, in attendance while other members celebrated at the local government or schoolbased level. For the first time ever, teachers in the Federal Government Colleges including King’s College, Lagos, joined in the celebration. National Mirror spoke to some of the Lagos-based among them on their perception on the profession and that of the society towards them. Their responses, however, were of mixed feelings. They boasted that their profession was the most important to the society. They said aside the fact that they reproduced themselves as teachers, they were producers of other professionals including doctors, engineers, pharmacists, accountants, journalists, lawyers, geologists and those in the corridors of power-Presidents, governors, legislators, local government administrators and so on. They

A cross section of teachers at the Lagos event.

WITHOUT THE TEACHER, THERE IS NO DOCTOR, LAWYER, ENGINEER OR ANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL.

YET THE

TEACHING PROFESSION IS LOWLY REGARDED IN OUR COUNTRY equally described themselves as character moulders; the responsibility they claimed is bequeathed to them due to failure of many homes to inculcate moral values and discipline in their wards. But despite these tasks, they said it was disheartening that teachers and teaching profession enjoy less attention not only from the government across tiers but also from the public. They said they were the lowest paid professionals in most countries of the world, with special reference to Nigeria; hence they are so downtrodden and unappreciated. They equally lamented the poor condition under which they work and the state of disrepair of their schools’ structures and infrastructure across the country, among other problems in the system where they operate. The Chairman of the state wing of NUT, Comrade Samson Idowu, who read the address of the President of the association, Comrade Michael Olukoya, to commemorate the day shed more light on some of the burning issues affecting them. They asked state governments that are yet to implement the 27.5 per cent ‘Teachers Special Allowance’ to do so without further delay while also asking the Federal Government to convert teachers who are engaged as casual workers in the Federal Government colleges to fullfledged staff. They want the Federal Government to always include deserving members among those to be honoured with national awards in future and also to wade into the six-month old strike by primary school teachers in Plateau State, as well as increasing the statutory termination grade level of teachers in primary schools from 14 to 17 as applicable to their counterparts at the tertiary level. They asked governments to fix the delapidated building structures and equipment in their schools and make the environment more teaching and learning friendly. If all these should be put in place, NUT boss said, education would be better for it not only at the primary and secondary levels but also at the tertiary level. Even at that,

they expressed fulfillment on the job. According to them, they might not have accumulated material wealth, they have many achievements to point out to. Many boast of owing personal houses, good cars and giving of good education even up to the university level, to their wards. For Head teacher, Aga Primary School, Ikorodu, Lagos, Mr. Domingo Adekomaiya, teaching job should be made attractive for many more people with passion for teaching to come in. Adekomaiya joined the profession in 1979 on N120.00 monthly income after leaving Government Teachers’ Training College, Ikorodu and since then according to him the journey has not been as smooth as he would have wanted. On their part, the Principal, Oke-Afa Junior College, Ejigbo, Lagos, Mrs. Christiana Agbedejobi, and Mrs. Pat Onwubiko, from Ireti Primary School, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, said although the profession did not enjoy commensurable goodwill from the society, they felt very proud to be teachers. They said they always joyful whenever they come across their former students and now doing well in their chosen fields of endeavour. Nonetheless, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai also acknowledged the fact that teaching job is not enjoyed a deserved attention in the country. According to her, Nigerians must take a stand for the teacher, people in government must stand up for the teacher and I will also appeal to all stakeholders in the education sector to take a stand for the teacher in any way they can. It could be by motivation, training, welfare packages for our hardworking and committed teachers. While the minister in her address to commemorate the occasion admitted that every other professional is a product of teaching profession, she described teachers as the unseen hand in the development process in the country. “Without the teacher, there is no doctor, lawyer, engineer or any other professional. Yet the teaching profession, critical as it is in the life of the society, is lowly regarded in our country. Today nobody wants to be a teacher. Most people take to teaching as a last resort, when every other job opportunity has failed. This is not how it should be. No society can survive without teachers and human thought cannot be advanced without the teacher developing the mind. Therefore Nigerians must take a stand for teachers for them to give their best to the profession,” she concluded.

Education Today

Thursday, October 11, 2012

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We will keep investing in education sector –Etisalat

eyond the award of cash to beneficiaries, the 2012 edition of Northern Regional Prize Presentation Ceremony of Etisalat Merit Awards, which recently held in Abuja, also appraised the nation’s education sector. Relying on the dignitaries in attendance, the communication company through its country’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Steven Evans recognised the ongoing reform in the sector but insisted that there was still much to be done. At the event, a total of 80 students from seven northern universities were rewarded with N100, 000 cash each to support their educational needs. The beneficiaries were drawn from the University of Abuja, Abuja; Bayero University, Kano; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Benue State University, Makurdi; Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; Modibbo Adamu University, Yola, and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Kebbi. Each of the universities produced at least 10 best students in 200 and 300 levels in their departments of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Science and Management. Speaking at the event, Evans described education as a powerful tool for change needed to facilitate the economic advancement of any nation.

To mark the fourth edition of its Merit Award Scheme programme, Etisalat Nigeria recently shared a sum of N8 million among 80 students from eight northern universities to support their educational needs. At the ceremony, the company’s CEO, Mr. Steven Evans, pledged more investment in the nation’s education sector as a major panacea to societal crisis. MOJEED ALABI reports.

Steven Evans (fourth left) with students and staff of Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, one of the eight benefitting universities during the award presentation.

According to him, dynamic economies that have emerged in the last 50 years have done so on the backing of heavy investment in education. This fact, he said, had driven Etisalat’s passion for supporting the government in improving the education sector in the country, adding that the commitment of the brand to the

To my best

TEACHER B

etween 1981 and 1986, Lara Victoria Wise, now a newscaster with African Independent Television (AIT) was a student at the Federal Government Girls’ College, Kazaure, formerly in Kano State, but now in Jigawa State. While at the school, Victoria, as she was then known and called, passed through many teachers and one of them was a Pakistani, Mr. Nisar Ahmed Bhatti, who taught her Mathematics.

To mark this year’s World Teachers’ Day, Wise wrote this in honour of her former teacher via the social medium - Facebook: Mr. Ahmed was a very quiet-never-in-a-hurry bloke with a sarcastic grin at the side of his mouth. He was a tall, handsome, dark’mouthstached’ Maths teacher. For me back then, that was all to this man. I hated his class!!! He did all he could to make me fall in love with his subject but to no avail. I would always have a reason to be out of his class. I was either in the bathroom or I had menstrual cramps and when I was in class, I made so much noise and caused distractions with my funny and stupid

DYNAMIC ECONOMIES THAT HAVE EMERGED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS HAVE DONE SO ON THE BACKING OF HEAVY INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION sustainable development of the country is undoubtedly clear. “This passion is the reason most of our corporate social re-

sponsibilities are being focused on education, which include this Merit Awards Scheme, Adopt-A-School initiative,

Teacher Training Programme, and the establishment of our CSR Centre at Lagos Business School. And we promise that more will be done to achieve rapid socio-economic growth in the country, which will also help to grow our business,” he explained. Evans said the initiative was developed to offer the best university students in partner institutions a grant towards the successful completion of their courses of study by taking care of their financial burden and enabling them to concentrate on their studies and achieve excellence.” In addition, the partner universities also each receive a direct grant, towards the upgrade of their educational facilities and procurement of educational materials. “To date over 600 scholarships have been rewarded under our Merit Awards Scheme, and our program here today builds on this core CSR platform of empowering Nigerian youth to obtain qualitative education,” Evans said. On the criteria for selection, Evans said seven of the recipients from each school were selected strictly on merit, while the remaining three are picked based on best academic performance among indigenes of the respective locations,” he added.

Mr. Nisar Ahmed Bhatti Former Mathematics Teacher, Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Kazaure, Jigawa State

questions. One day, I met him on the corridor on his way to our class for Maths lesson. He asked, ‘’Victoria, where are you off to?” I told him I was going to the bathroom and he said “the class will be waiting for you when you come out”. I cursed under my breath. Why won’t this man just let me be? There were two incidents with Mr. Ahmed that I can never forget; One day, he came into the class and was writing on the board. I was bored and he, as usual, wasn’t making sense. I asked; ‘’Mr. Ahmed, please sir, are we to copy that?’’ Without honouring my question, he replied; “No Victoria, eat it’’ and the whole class burst out laughing. I was very embarrassed. From that day, I exercised a bit of caution with my tantrums. Secondly, he had given us a weekend assignment and one of my classmates copied from a friend. He called her out and told her exactly what she had done and from whom she had copied. I was shocked. He then told us a story of a student who copied his friend’s assignment and

Wise

Bhatti

added a dead fly on the same page and spot where a dead fly had stuck to his friend’s assignment. Mr. Ahmed made me fear exam malpractice. I have shared this story with my kids. Today, Mr. Ahmed has retired to Pakistan and old in age but I know so many doctors, pharmacists, scientists, architects, accountants who are his upshot and oh yes, some broadcasters too! In one of our chats I reminded him of all the troubles I put him through and he told me he was happy with the way I had turned out and that he was

proud of me. I will continue to pray for his success. If you can read this, then you have a reason to be grateful. Show your appreciation to your best or favourite teacher in this column. Send us a ‘Thank You’ note, including your full names, current status and the years you were taught by your teacher. You can also send us your current picture plus that of your teacher where possible. Write to the Editor, To My best Teacher Column, National Mirror, P.M.B. 10001, Marina Lagos or e-mail: eferaro@yahoo.co.uk

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Education Today

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Deji Awobotu is the Chief Executive of ADRAC Business School, Onipanu, Lagos. The former facilitator to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), in this interview with MOJEED ALABI, discusses the global paradigm shifts in accounting as a field of study and how Nigerians can become professional accountants without being to secondary school. Excerpts:

‘You don’t need SSCE result to be a professional accountant’ Why is this so? You must understand that this is a professional body. You can have excellent results in SSCE but may not pass ACCA. So, it is not about SSCE but about the ability to pass the exams set by the international body. If you don’t pass our in-house test here we will not admit you to our programme. Once you are admitted here, we register you with ACCA and ACCA will give you registration number and then transfer all your data to Oxford Brooks University for update. The university will reckon with you based on the grades you make in the ACCA examinations. That is how you can have First Class, Upper or Lower credits.

What is ADRAC Business School all about? ADRAC Business School is a subsidiary of ADRAC Professional Services Limited. We are a firm of accountants that is into accounting training, consultancy services and recruitment exercise. We train accountants on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). We also run conversion programme for those accountants who are intending to convert from the National General Acceptable Accounting Practice (GAAP) to the international standard. What is the difference between GAAP and IFRS? Before now, the accounting standard in Nigeria was based on the National General Acceptable Accounting Practice (GAAP) which is called the local standard. But to meet up with the international standard the Federal Executive Council in 2010 decided that all entities in the country should adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) which is recognised globally as the standard of accounting practice. How do you rate accounting practice in the country? Nigeria has quality accountants who can practice and excel in any part of the globe. Accounting as a career has a long years of history in the country and the practitioners too are versed and competent. If this is so, how come we have corruption as a major challenge? As regards the issue of corruption, there is nowhere in the world that is corruption-free. The problem is a systemic thing. Even in homes where there are no accountants there is corruption. The solution is to build a society where dignity will be valued. Individuals need to make up their minds to act with dignity. The fact that we have corruption everywhere doesn’t imply that all accountants are corrupt. We still have many accountants who uphold the ethics of the profession. Talking about accounting training in the country, why is Nigeria shifting to IFRS? Nigeria does not exist in a vacuum. The world is a global village and as a country that is battle ready against the scourge of corruption we cannot continue to work within the local trends. Such needs to enable our accountants face the emerging challenges informed the decision. And if I may add, accounting as a profession has gone beyond the years of enrolling in a university before you become a professional in the field. What

Awobotu

the profession needs is your practical experience and ability to cope with international standards. That is the role this business school has come to play. Specifically, what is the major focus of the school? We are actually focusing on two major areas; to develop accounting practice in Nigeria by training and enhancing existing accountants and to create a platform for our fresh secondary school leavers interested in accounting as a career and give them professional trainings that can qualify them to compete with their counterparts across the globe. It is to create a platform for them to reach the top of accounting profession without confronting barriers like UTME. This implies that secondary school leavers can register for our accounting programmes and in about three years they get four different qualifications; Diploma in Accounting within a year, Advanced Diploma in Accounting in about two years, BSc degree in Accounting in about three years from Oxford Brooks University, UK and the final qualification is the ACCA qualification. Are you saying UTME is unnecessary to acquire these certificates? Yes, as long as your intention is to be an accountant who would be globally recognised. We share relationships with the university and we have been certified by its management to run the programme while the student will be awarded the university’s certificate upon graduation. Do you operate Nigerian curriculum? When it comes to Accounting the curriculum is international, that is, the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS). So there is nothing like local curriculum. As far as accounting career is con-

THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CORRUPTION EVERYWHERE DOESN’T IMPLY THAT ALL ACCOUNTANTS ARE CORRUPT cerned all intending accountants should be abreast with what IFRS is all about. What then are the requirements to gain admission to the school? Well, the basic thing is your ability to read and write. ACCA does not require your SSCE result or whatever to start. Once you can prove to us that you can read and write is enough. The fact that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) withholds your result does not count. In fact, we don’t need it. What is important to ACCA is your ability to pass its examinations and that is what ADRAC Business School will train you for. ACCA will organise an exam and it will be coordinated by the British Council in Nigeria. The scripts will then be taken to the UK for marking. It is in stages and once a student finishes one stage he can move to the next level. If it is about the BSc programme, he will also need to write project that will be supervised by a chartered accountant as a mentor. Such an accountant must be recognised by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). This means that a member of ICAN or ACCA can be a mentor. SSCE result is a basic academic requirement for students aspire for tertiary education in the country, but here you said the SSCE certificate does not count.

Is NUC aware of this programme? We do not need approval from NUC because we are neither a university nor a degree awarding institution. Our students are assessed by the university in the UK and it is that university that can issue its certificate as long as it is satisfied with the students’ performance. The way it works is that there is a relationship between ACCA and the university where both parties agree that once a student passes necessary examinations, the university will gladly award its BSc certificate to such a student. We must also understand that the examinations our students are writing are not also regulated by the NUC and the certificates to be awarded are foreign-based. What body regulates your programmes then? It is the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants of the United Kingdom otherwise called ACCA. It is the most respected body of accountants in the world. What ICAN is to Nigeria is what ACCA is to the world. How affordable are your programmes? I can confirm to you that our programmes are highly affordable; they save you a lot of cost and time too. If you consider the costs of enrolling in a Nigerian university including accommodation and other incidental costs, you would realise how cost-effective it is to study in our school and still bag a certificate that your employer will not think twice before employing you. Our next stream for existing accountants begins on October 20 and I think it is wise for people to take advantage of that. It will be six weekends of intensive training on IFRS. But if we have this kind of programmes and Nigerians still travel abroad to study amounting to huge capital flight, how do we arrest the situation? You know, the problem with Nigerians is that we don’t value what we have. The programmes we run here are the same with what they run in Ghana, UK or US. I always feel embarrassed when I meet our young guys struggling hard to cope with immigration laws, accommodation and other stringent conditions overseas when equal opportunities available to them at home.

Education Today

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Minister threatens contracts’ revocation IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

he Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has threatened to revoke contracts awarded to some private companies for the construction of e-learning libraries and supply of furniture in some unity colleges across the six geo-political zones of the country. The contracts were

awarded by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education but most of them have since remained uncompleted. This development had prompted the minister to call for a meeting of all parties involved in the contracts to Abuja recently, saying government was very disturbed about the lackadaisical attitude of people handling school projects

across the federation. He particularly took a swipe on some of the commercial banks who hold the funds in trust for government and the contractors, saying “their dubious banking policies constitute hindrance to achieving set targets in the education sector. He stressed that the meeting was not only for the Girl-Child or Almajiri projects but also to find out why there was slow pace

of work on all educational projects in the country. “Let me warn that government will not hesitate to revoke any contract or melt out sanctions on any UBEC official, contractor, bank or person finds creating problems for the government in this regards. “Government is aware of some of the shady dealings of Nigerian banks, most of them keep our funds unnecessarily in their coffers

to generate interest but we do not say don’t keep our money, what we are saying is do not allow it jeopardise government projects. All ministers have signed performance agreement with Mr. President; hence we are putting more pressure to see that we all meet our targets and boost our performance rating.” Meanwhile, as the meeting was being presided over by the min-

ister, some of the contractors, UBEC officials who ought to monitor the projects and heads of banking institutions traded blames over delay in the contracts. While some contractors attributed the delay to banks’ failure in releasing mobilisation funds, banks on their part, observed that the contractors oftentimes fail to summit what can facilitate such payment.

Biotechnologists chart course for national development TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

T L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Lagos State wing, Comrade Samson Idowu; Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye and Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Training, Lagos State, Mrs. Shade Jaji, at this year’s World Teachers’ Day celebration at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

NIPOGA elects new leaders

he Chief Coach of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, Mr. Jones Onijala, has been elected the National Chairman of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA). The election took place at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, where he was unanimously voted in and he will run the office for a period of four years. Until his election, Onijala, a versatile sport administrator, had served as Games Manager for major NIPOGA events like Ado-Ewi Games 2008; Zaria Games 2010 and Ede Games 2012. As the National Chairman, he is to represent the NIPOGA on all fronts and liaise with all relevant

ministries, agencies and arms of government on issues concerning sourcing of funds for both NIPOGA and WAPOGA. During a chat, Onijala, who expressed appreciation to members of NIPOGA for confidence reposed in him for pushing him to such sensitive post, called on stakeholders to join hands with him for the progress of NIPOGA. He also thanked the Polytechnic Management for providing the platform to record such feat. Also, Onijala declared his intention to organise workshop, conferences and seminars for members in the bid to broaden their knowledge on contemporary sporting issues and bring the issue

Fire razes Katsina school JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

any documents containing vital information with some dating as far back as 1917 were razed by fire at the General Muhammadu Buhari Primary School in Daura, Katsina State recently. It was learnt that the fire, which lasted for

hours, also torched three classrooms, the headmaster’s office and the store. The fire was said to have been later put out by men of the fire service. Sources said the incident was caused by an electrical fault in one of the affected classrooms. The area’s Acting Education Secretary, Ahmed Zango, who confirmed the incident, said they were

of mercenary at NIPOGA events, to barest minimum. He added that his administration would produce athletes that will be able to compete favourably at international engagements. In another development, the institution’s Head of Banking and Finance Department, Mr. Kenneth Unuafe has become a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), which is the highest level obtainable by members of the professional body. Unuafe, however, attributed the achievement to the support he enjoys from the management of the institution and the enabling platform provided. lucky the incident did not occur when pupils were in school. Zango said about 170 pupils, whose classes were razed have been distributed to other classes till rehabilitation work was carried out. He noted that the chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Suleiman Dikko, had visited the school to assess the situation for possible assistance.

he advancement of biotechnology education has been identified as a veritable tool to attain national peace and development in the country. This was the focus of this year’s annual conference of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN) hosted by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN in Abuja recently. It was a gathering of scientists in biotechnology -related fields, academicians and students. The forum also had in attendance the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon Bassey Ewa, NUC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okogie; the Director General, National Biotechnology Development Agency and many observers. Over 60 scholarly papers were delivered at the forum and these include: “Biotechnology now: A translational, research and development perspective;” “Potentials for using Biotechnology to enhance value chain and production of selected horticultural crops and

“Application of biotechnology in waste management,” among others. In his remark, the Minister of Science and Technology and guest of honour at the forum, Prof. Ewa, said the Federal Government through National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) would continue to advance the course of biotechnology education, especially by partnering such association as BSN in transforming lives of Nigerians. He stressed that NABDA had contributed significantly in the areas of research, to food production, healthcare delivery and environmental protection in the country. On his part, NUC’s Okojie and chairman of the occasion, praised BSN on the theme of the conference, saying the forum was expected to suggest measures that would promote and sustain biotechnology as the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy. For BSN’s President, Prof. James Ogbonna, biotechnology has the potential of ensuring food security, wealth creation, improved healthcare delivery and environment

and creating of job opportunities employment for the populace. Earlier in his welcome remark, NOUN’s Vice chancellor, Prof. Ado Tenebe praised BSN for creating a standard on biotechnology training and research, saying such move would greatly help various academic institutions and research institutes that are involving in biotechnological processes and procedures in the country in their service deliveries. He disclosed that NOUN had concluded plans to establish School of Agriculture and the study of Biotechnology-related courses. Six eminent Nigerians were honoured with BSN awards at the forum for their various contributions to biotechnology education, research and development in the country. They include the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, NABDA’s DG, Prof. Bamidele Solomon; UNN’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bartholomew Okolo; NOUN’s VC, Prof. Vincent Tenebe; and Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano and Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu.

L-R: Group Chairman/ Proprietor, Crescent International Schools, Alhaji Rilliwan Hassan; Director of Studies, Mrs. Fine Hassan; and Chairman, Parent, Teachers’ Association, Chief Olufemi Akinyele during the School’s 7th graduation and prize giving day in Sango, Ogun State recently.

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Education Today

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Reps probe TETFund expenses IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

he House Committee on Education has asked the Tertiary Trust Fund (TETFund) to submit to the committee its total expenditure of capital receipts and interventions from the year 2011 to 2012 when the committee members paid a visit to the agaency. The team, which was led by its chairperson, Dr Rose Okoh, said the committee had come on the visit in line with section 88 subsection 1 and 2 of the constitution in order to look at the budget performance for 2011 and 2012 and to see the revenue receipt of the recurrent as well as the capital expenditures.

She said ‘In the presentation sent to the committee, there was no capital expenditure to indicate if its for 2011 or 2012 which does not give the committee a clear picture of what has taken place. TETFund should be able to provide receipts of capital expenditure’. The committee said further said that the education intervention agency should speak on the issue of project monitoring as it does not execute the projects itself and should provide the committee with modalities which it has put in place to check mate if the projects have being executed and completed. Dr Okoh also asked, ‘are there donations from donor agencies? Who are they and

how much have they given so far? Does TETFund keep a register of assets she has got? What about the 2 per cent that goes to TETFund on collectibles? It should be documented so that the level of implementation can be assessed’. Furthermore, the committee demanded to know all the institutions that have benefited from the fund and the amount given to each of them as well as the number of staff that the agency has appointed in the time under review as well as their geo-political zones which is expected to show federal character. In response, the acting executive secretary of TETFunds, Mallam Aliyu Nayya, revealed that the

collection of funds started in 1994 while disbursement commenced in 1999. He said so far, ‘allocations of funds have being disbursed to 18 institutions. TETFund added staff in the period under review for efficiency and it added two departments.’ He also stated that the agency has so far a total number of 282 staff which comprise of 190 males and 82 females. In the same vein, the chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr. Musa Babayo said 97 per cent of the funds are usually invested in government treasury and very little in the capital market and so far, 5,886 academic scholars have benefited through training organised by the agency.

Imoke commends Airtel for adopting rural school

leading mobile telephone provider in the country, Airtel Nigeria, has been commended by the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, for adopting a rural primary school in the state. The governor gave the commendation when a team from the company, led by its Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Rajan Swaroop, paid him a courtesy visit in Calabar recently. He stated that Airtel’s gesture was in line with the state’s vision to provide education to rural dwellers in the state. Imoke, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Offiong Offiong, disclosed that the latest statistics in the state showed that about two per cent of the state’s population had no access to formal education, noting that the Airtel adopting a school is a plus to the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target on educa-

tion in the state. According to him, the adoption of Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba in Abi Local Government area of the state is a bold and generous step in the right direction to complement government’s effort in this regard. He however, assured Airtel that the government would take a good care of

the school by sustaining the maintenance of the school. Speaking earlier, Swaroop’s Airtel said his company recognised the fact the future of a country depends largely on how people, especially children have access to education, hence its adoption of schools initiative. He explained that by

the adoption, the company would make the school learning friendly for both students and teachers. “We will renovate the buildings, provide good furniture, textbooks, uniforms and writing materials, among others for pupils of the school,” Swaroop said.

Almajiri education: Reps fault FG on welfare scheme IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

embers of the House of Representatives Committee on Education have faulted the Federal Government on its Almajiri special education in the North, saying it ought to include social welfare scheme for students in addition to classrooms provided. A member of the committee, Shehu Garba made the observation when he and other members accompanied the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Education, Rose Okoh on an oversight visit to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The committee said government, while it was conceptualising the programme ought to have considered other logistics like staff quarters, feeding, clothing and uniforms. “It is not enough to build classrooms for the Almajiri school project with nobody to take responsibility for the social needs like housing and

he United Kingdombased magazine, Africa Leadership, has conferred on American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State, the ‘Africa’s leading university award.’ The honour was bestowed on the university at the African Investments & Development Awards ceremony held in Atlanta, Georgia last Sunday. According to the Editorin-Chief of the magazine, Ken Giami, the AUN’s

Anambra indigenes in South Africa to launch educational project NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

rrangements have reached an advanced stage by Anambra State indigenes resident in South Africa, under the aegis of Anambra State Association, South Africa (ASA-SA) for the launching of a multi-million naira education fund for the advance-

ment of education among youths from the state who are based in South Africa and Nigeria. Tagged: “Anambra Carnival 2012”, the ceremony, which is billed for October 27, 2012 at Caravan Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, is expected to attract prominent Igbo sons and daughters living at home and in Diaspora.

The chairman of the group, Chief Frank Anyaeche who disclosed this at the Rojenny Games/ Tourist’s Village, Oba, Anambra State, when he led a delegation from the group on a courtesy call on the Ogirishi Igbo and proprietor of the Games Village, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, said the association wanted youths from the state living at

home or abroad to remain at the fore-front of educational advancement. Other members of the team were Mr. Afam Damian Onwuanyi, who is the Worldwide Legal Adviser to all Anambra indigenes in Diaspora; Patrick Emeka Nwankwo, and Chief Bonny Brown. Responding, the host commended the team for what he called “laudable

feeding. Federal Government is supposed to take full responsibility of Almajaris school children by also providing social welfare programme for them.” Shehu also noted that the inability of state governments to sustain the boarding school system, may also make the Almajiri school project fail, if the government feign ignorance by taking full responsibility. Meanwhile, Acting Executive Secretary of the commission, Lawrence Onocha blamed states for slow pace of intervention in schools. He said UBEC’s major challenge was the failure of some states to provide counterpart funds, a prerequisite for accessing the intervention funds. According to him, more than N40 billion is yet to be accessed by some states and are being made to stay idle in commercial banks. He said UBEC now had the mandate to ensure implementation and supervision of projects at various levels, as well as ensure full compliance.

AUN emerges Africa’s leading varsity TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

L-R: Regional Operations Director, South Region, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Godfrey Efeurhobo; Commissioner for Education, Cross River State, Prof. Offiong Offiong; Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Rajan Swaroop; Executive Chairman, Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Joseph Ebam and Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Oparah during Airtel team’s visit to the Cross River State Government in Calabar.

initiative” while stressing that education is the bedrock for rapid development of human resources and advancement of structural transformation. The Igbo leader described Ndigbo as pace-setters in both infrastructural and community development worldwide, because of their hard work, natural intelligence and entrepreneurial skills.

recognition for the award is based on its enormous contributions to education and economic growth and development in Africa. “The board noted with interest the university’s unparalleled commitment to excellence and best practices by investing millions of dollars in research and development of its students for future challenges,” Giami pointed out in a statement by the university’s spokesman, Dr. Abubakar Tahir. In her response, President of the institution, Dr. Magree Ensign, who was last year honoured by the same magazine with Africa Leadership Award for educational excellence, said the institution was highly honoured again by the award. She explained that AUN mission was to foster the creation of new leaders committed to a sustainable democracy in which diverse people share in the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, adding that graduates from the university are thoroughly baked to compete favourably internationally.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FROM OTHER LANDS

Costa Rica turns down medical graduates from Cuba

raduates of Cuba’s Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina, or ELAM, are “gravely deficient” in their preparation to practice medicine, the head of Costa Rica’s most celebrated medical school told journalists last month. Of the 138 graduates who failed the medical licensing exams in Costa Rica, 59 were graduates of ELAM, said Ricardo Boza Cordero, director of the medical programme at the University of Costa Rica. According to Boza, the students were largely behind in fundamental areas, including paediatrics and gynaecology-obstetrics, and failed to achieve passing scores in the 11 exams administered. “Taking into account that some who will practice as doctors in Costa Rica come from foreign universities, we have to make sure they understand the particulars of our national medicine,” he told news sources. “We made the decision to institute a general exam that evaluates their knowledge of basic subject matters in the curriculum and clinical experience.” The fact that 43% of those who failed the licensing exam studied in Cuba comes as a surprise to those familiar with the health system there. Doctors from Cuba, a country that has long been known as an epicentre of medicine in Latin America, have been sent all over the world to aid in health missions in disaster zones. The country boasts one of the highest life expectancies in the hemisphere and excellent healthcare coverage rates, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sought medical care on the Caribbean island when he was diagnosed with cancer in June 2011. But the issue may not be one of quality of education, but the lack of congruence in curriculum. While Costa Rica may be putting emphasis on some subject matters, Cuba could be preparing students for other areas of focus. University World News

UK: Overseas students need no direct registration with police again U niversity leaders have welcomed a rule change that will mean overseas students no longer have to register in person with the police. Last week saw students queuing in the night outside an office in London in order to meet a registration deadline. But from this week Monday, students will be able to register through their universities. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universi-

ties UK, said she had told ministers the previous requirements had been “entirely unacceptable”. The change of rules will mean an end to scenes from last week that saw hundreds of students from 42 countries queuing to register at a single office in London. In an effort to make sure they could get into the Overseas Visitors Records Office when it opened in the morning, students had begun to queue through

the night. Both student union leaders and university representatives had strongly condemned the situation facing these students newly arrived in the UK. From this week, students will be able to submit forms through their universities or collect pre-stamped forms from the Overseas Visitors Records Office and return the completed forms by the end of the year. “This decision means that international stu-

dents will not face the prospect of queuing again through the night to register with the police,” says Ms Dandridge. The prospect of such queues had once again raised concerns about damage to the UK’s international image as a welcoming destination for overseas students. The income from overseas students has become important to UK universities - with overseas students often paying much

higher fees than their UK counterparts. But there have been tensions between the desire to attract more overseas students and wanting to clamp down on the misuse of the student visa system. London Metropolitan University became the first university to be stripped of its right to recruit overseas students - a decision that is being contested by university. Culled: BCC

Huge graduates’ unemployment in UKugeleads to salary cut competition porary staff as a flexible

Graduands in a UK university.

PHOTO: ALAMY

EU students funds soared by £50m

he amount of taxpayers’ money spent educating students from mainland Europe at English universities has soared by £50m in just two years, figures show. Data released by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills shows that an estimated £360m in funding was handed to institutions last year to tutor EU undergraduates. It was also revealed students from outside Britain took out some £88.5m worth of Governmentbacked loans to cover tuition fees in 2010/11 – a doubling of the total over three years. It comes despite the fact that some European students currently fail to make repayments after graduating – leaving a multi-million pound blackhole in the public finances. The findings prompted fresh concerns that Europeans were accounting for an increasingly large share of the universities’

budget at a time of cutbacks across the higher education sector. It was also claimed a rise in the number of students from outside Britain was creating extra competition for places at the most sought-after universities. Andrew Percy, the Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, who obtained the figures in a Parliamentary question, said: “I have had constituents of mine whose kids haven’t got in to university, presumably because courses are full, yet we know that an increasingly large number of places are taken up by EU students every year. That cannot be right. “At a time when the teaching grant is under pressure we seem to see an increasing share of it going to students who have never paid taxes in this country and presumably never will. I think it is disgusting.” Under European law, universities can claim the

same Government funding for teaching students from EU member states as those from the UK. These students can also apply for the same Governmentbacked loans as British students and they count towards strict controls on the overall number of students that each institution can recruit to limit costs to the taxpayer. The Telegraph

for graduate jobs has pushed starting salaries down 13pc on average over the past year, bringing further misery to this year’s degree cohort, new research reveals. Graduates who started new jobs this summer received an average salary of £22,800 - a “marked” 13.2pc less than last year, an analysis of graduate salaries at more than 60 recruiters found. Ann Swain, chief executive of the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCO), which commissioned the study, said: “The slowdown in the professional-recruitment market, combined with the huge number of graduates competing for jobs means that starting salaries have edged downwards markedly this year.” The survey also shows that permanent job hires fell by 15pc over the past year, as employers increasingly opted to recruit tem-

means of securing labour. Placements of temporary staff in the UK whitecollar jobs market rose by 15pc in the year to September, the survey showed, APSCO said many UK businesses are turning to temporary workers to kickstart projects that were put on hold during the summer, as many companies scaled back activity due to staff taking time off for holidays and the Olympics. The banking sector continues to “stutter”, putting permanent hires on hold as management teams scrutinise headcount, the staffing body said. Elsewhere, a survey by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation painted a rosier picture. Permanent placements were beginning to “stabilise” across industries, while temporary hires rose for the second month running, the data showed. The Telegraph

Ghana: Groups call for scraping of study leave

coalition of civil society groups has urged the Ministry of Education to scrap the study leave with pay policy for teachers. This is because the initiative drains the state purse of GH¢50 million annually. Rather, the group proposed that the policy should be replaced with a policy to refund the cost of further studies to teachers when they return to the classroom. The proposal is captured

in the 2012 Civil Society Education Manifesto which was presented in Accra. The main objective of the manifesto is to provide a guide to civil society and the Ghanaian public to focus on challenges confronting the educational sector as the country prepares for the 2012 elections. It sets a number of benchmarks for the educational sector capturing fairly the contents of the various manifestos of the county’s po-

litical parties, which it said Ghanaians must hold whichever party wins the 2012 elections accountable for. The occasion attracted representatives of all the civil society groups that made up the Civil Society Education Manifesto and the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Peoples National Convention (PNC). Daily Graphic

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

with Mojeed Alabi mojeedalabi2@yahoo.co.uk or mail@mirroronline.net

OAU at 50: Arts Faculty reflects on Nigeria’s leadership crisis

At 50, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, in Osun State is one of Nigeria’s leading academic glories. As an academic institution, the nation’s collapsing infrastructure, general insecurity and its many socio-political crises informed the choice of ‘Leadership’ as the theme of this year’s edition of Faculty of Arts’ annual conference held on the campus between Monday and Wednesday this week. MOJEED ALABI reports.

t is really not a good time for Nigerians. The maddening socio-economic and political crises that are almost consuming the nation now seem very intractable. Meanwhile, academic institutions that used to be known primarily as citadels of learning are also almost being run over by the decadence. From the massacre of over 40 students in Mubi to the savage-like lynching of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, all within the spate of a week, has be-

come a subject of concern to everyone. This background informed the decision of the Faculty of Arts of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, to steer away from rolling drums to celebrate the university’s golden jubilee anniversary. Rather, it decided to beam searchlight into the leadership crisis facing the nation and make its stance on the better way to rescue Nigeria from the precipice. The annual conference, which was themed: Re-enacting Leadership in Nige-

L-R: Vice Dean, Faculty of Arts Prof. David Ogungbile; participant, Prof. Ayo Olukotun; Faculty Dean, Prof. Dipo-Salami; Keynote Speaker, Prof. Akin Oyebode, and Prof. Remi Sonaiya at the opening ceremony.

ria: The Place and Role of the Humanities, had the keynote address delivered by the renowned Professor of International Law and Chair, University of Lagos’ Office of International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects, Akin Oyebode. The university’s ViceChancellor, Prof. Tale Omole in his welcome address described the choice of the theme as perfect and pertinent considering the current threats to the na-

41 years after, UI students honour late leader HAMEED HAMZAT 200L, EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT, UI

he Students’ Union of the University of Ibadan (UI), in Oyo State, have instituted a scholarship in honour of the late leader of the union, Adekunle Adepeju, who was allegedly murdered by men of the Nigerian Police in 1971. The scholarship package tagged; Kunle Adepeju Students’ Aid, was according to the union aimed at addressing the educational needs of indigent students within and outside the university. The initiative was announced recently during the maiden edition of the reintroduced Kunle Adepeju Memorial Lecture. The annual event according to the Students’ Union President, Edosa Raymond Ekhator, was to immortalise the late 23-year-old student leader who was reportedly gunned down during a mass protest on the campus.

The event, which had in attendance families and friends of the late student, also featured discussion on the theme: Roles of Students in Fostering National Unity and Integration. Dr. Wale Okediran, a medical doctor by profession and an award-winning Nigerian author was the guest speaker. He reviewed the multifaceted challenges currently ravaging the socioeconomic and political state of the nation such as youth unemployment, corruption, weak political structure, ethnic and religious intolerance and insecurity. The former member of the National Assembly said to overcome these problems, there must be the entrenchment of true and democratic values in the nation’s political system. In his message to the audience, the union president described Adepeju as a symbol of victory for the oppressed and that such men must not be allowed to die in vain. “We

Adepeju

were told his death came as a shock to many because of his intelligence and leadership charisma and this they said made over 50,000 students to be present at his burial.” Adepeju’s roommate at the university and former Chief of Staff to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Gbolade Osinowo, described Adepeju as a man of noble character. “His death highlighted the core problems faced by Nigerian students.” Donations were made by guests and students to sustain the scholarship initiative.

tion’s survival. Similarly, the Dean of the faculty, Prof. Dipo Salami enjoined his colleagues to rise to the challenge of rescuing the country from the claws of those he described as clueless leaders, who he said have no idea of how to run a family successfully,“not to talk of running a country as complex as Nigeria.” In his address, Oyebode described Nigeria’s leadership as “clueless and

underperforming.” He said the nation cannot rise above its current challenges except she addresses the leadership deficits she suffers from. To buttress his point, Oyebode quoted Chinua Achebe as written in his book; The Trouble with Nigeria, that; “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian land or climate

or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which is the hallmark of true leadership…” He said; “Just as the tail cannot wag the dog, leadership implies setting goals, aspirations and objectives of society and seeking the wherewithal for actualization of the set goals and objectives.” For Nigeria to be off the hook, therefore, Oyebode warns that urgent critical decisions must be taken by all stakeholders including the academia to replace the incumbent “self-centred and self-opinionated” ruling class currently lording it over Nigerians with a more responsive and responsible set of leaders. Participants including the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Entrepreneurial Studies, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof. Ayo Olukotun, discussed topics like, Leadership, Ethnicity and the Making of a Nation; Ethics of Leadership in Nigeria, among others.

NANS in Diaspora condemns students’ brutality STORIES BY MOJEED ALABI

he Diaspora chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the recent gruesome murder of more than 40 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and the lynching of four students of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State. In a statement signed by the body’s President and

General Secretary, Omasan Odonghanran and Adesewo Otegbayo respectively, the union urged the Federal Government to wake up from slumber and address the challenges facing the nation. “We received with great shock, the sad news of the murder of our colleagues. It is worrisome to imagine that such dastardly acts would have been committed in an academic community at a moment that we were all looking to-

wards the academic institutions in finding a lasting solution to the problems of terrorism that has bedeviled Nigeria in the recent times. “We hereby join other well meaning Nigerians in categorically condemning these acts of lawlessness while we challenge the Nigerian government to immediately institute a probe into the circumstances surrounding them,” the statement read.

‘Anointed pens’ distributed to FEDPOFFA students ahead of exams

n preparation for the second semester examination, a pastor and lecturer in the Department of Humanities, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, in Kwara State, Mr. A. O. Israel has conducted no fewer than six anointing services for students of the polytechnic where he distributed anointing pens freely. The spiritual exercise, with the theme; ‘Prize winner’ according to the church, Paul and Cedar Associates, was to prepare the students with the spirit of excellence in their examination. Israel, who is the

church’s senior pastor, said the importance of the prayer sessions is to ward off the danger of illness, failure and death before, during and after the examinations. They also prayed against the truncation of the academic calendar so that their stay on the campus would not be elongated. In his sermon during one of the services, Israel urged the students to have faith in God, study well and do other things legally expected of them to excel in their studies. In the recent time, the academic activities in the polytechnic have increased

as both Muslims and Christians have almost practically relocated to mosques and churches. Apart from the religious activities going on in the places of worship, students now engage in group discussions and revision exercises. The event, like several others by other fellowships has always been filled to the brim as students troop to the venue in their hundreds. Similarly, mosques within and outside the campus have become homes for students as they have left the comforts of their hostels for marathon academic activities.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

HE NATION ON SUNDAY of October 7 disseminated copious improprieties beginning from its front page: “Why North is re-opening (reopening) on-shore/off-shore issue” “Mubi killings: SSS arrest (arrests) two suspects” “…one of their colleagues was crushed to death by a hit and run (hit-and-run) driver.” “Declare Anambra a flood disaster area” No news: flooddisaster area Lastly from THE NATION ON SUNDAY Comment: “Suggesting that all is well with the country in his Independence Day speech, shows the President as not quite attuned to reality” The comma here is otiose! Saturday PUNCH of October 6 circulated three front-and-insidepage blunders: “Down, down plungs (plunges) Nigeria (Nigeria’s) aviation sector” “To me, I think it is high time we passed a no confidence (a-noconfidence) vote on (in) this government.” “Nigeria has the second largest crude oil reserves in Africa with 37.2 billion barrels out of the total 126,847 billion barrels in the continent.” (THE PUNCH, July 26) For ‘the most widely read newspaper’: on (not in) the continent. “Senate demand cash withdrawal limit report from CBN” (THE PUNCH, July 21) Senate demands, but senators demand…. “Uduaghan, Nwaoboshi feud plunge Delta PDP into another crisis” (Compass POLITICS, July 21) Their feud plunges…. “This may not be unconnected with the moral-cum-political pedestal on which the old man stood

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Confidence vote in someone, not on for sometime (some time).” “It is a pity that Nigeria has had a history of self-governance, brought about by the regular incursion of military to (into) power.” ”From the onset (outset), let me declare that I pulled out of Economics immediately I scaled the hurdle at the advanced level.” “Now you are on (in) the saddle.” “From all intent and purpose….” No extinction of the English language: to all intents and purposes. “The singular word that has eaten very deep into the fabrics (fabric) of the Nigerian nation….” “It has gradually destroyed the foundation of most people’s lives, removed their trust and believe (belief) in hard work, diligence, honesty, and excellence.” “In a country where innocent children lack assess (access) to one good meal a day….” “…but what is the sense in embarking in (on) such wasteful projects when salaries have not been paid, and majority (a majority) of Nigerians are hungry and angry.” “What is more distressing is that while the government is urging the poor masses....” Dictionaries inform me that ‘the masses’ are the poor members of the society. Therefore, no poverty of expression (‘poor masses’). “Yet they are expected to put in their very best.” ‘Best’ is a superlative point, which requires no intensification or amplifica-

‘THE MASSES’ ARE THE POOR MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.

THEREFORE,

NO POVERTY OF

EXPRESSION (‘POOR MASSES’)

tion (very). “Thus, even regular payment of workers’ salaries alone cannot be a panacea of (to) the present societal scourge known as corruption.” “Permanent Secretaries poise (poised) to fight corruption” “Introducing a new body will usher in competition between the two bodies.” Why not competition between the bodies? “Apology or bribery to ensure that ‘handouts’ from the state house is (are) not stopped….” “…the dignity of a matured (mature) politician....” “For those who may have forgotten, the legislators tore at each other’s (one another’s) throat and flung chairs at themselves (one another), forcing the governor to beat a hasty retreat….” “Experts assure on prices of Nigerian debt instruments” Who did the experts assure? “The wild, drunken and licentious sessions that precede many of these attacks in (on) the island are often ignored....” “Four months of heavy air bombardment by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) aimed at weakening the

president’s military might finally paid off last week.” ‘Bombardment’ cannot be light! So, enough of otiose qualifications. “Since assuming the reign of power after the unexpected death of….” Restoring Nigeria’s lost glory: assume/drop the reins of government. Got the point? “Like (As) I said earlier at the beginning of the programme….” “And it is such an appetite that predisposes the officers into (to) scheming for political power.” “You will not fail to shade (shed) tears when the story of the death of the ex-banker....” “Apart from the mayhem rival cult members unleash on themselves (on one another)….” “The objective then was to put pressure on the colonialists, shake off colonial mentality, assert the identity of true independence and to instill university culture into (in) members.” “But while the governor was savouring the euphoria of his new office and putting (getting) his acts (act) together for the tasks ahead....” “There was a unique feature of that day which I would not easily have overlooked even if others do (did).” “The same man that was singing Hosanna in the synagogue yesterday had suddenly became (become) a cheer leader among the Ogboni confraternity.” “Will the Igbos (the Igbo) be convinced that even with an exclusion of one of their own in the country’s top political leadership….”

“Indeed, the most endangered specie (species) since movement in the area returned….” “These inscriptions are to make (mark) them out from destruction during clashes between (among) these three ethnic groups of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo.” “And that was manifested in the magnitude of white elephant projects and unexpected contracts that littered the whole place during that era of graft and institutionalized corruption.” A syntactic surgery: white elephants (which imply projects) and unexpected contracts. “…to get to the safe point, all the groups concerned must sheath (sheathe) their swords and give peace a chance.” “Why did INEC obey those injunctions and rulings, knowing fully (full) well that it had the legal powers to ignore them?” “The 1999 constitution simply reverted back to the provisions as contained in the 1979 constitution.” Delete ‘back’ in the interest of all stakeholders! LAST LINE: Someone observed last week that I left out the identities of some newspapers. It was deliberate. I mention only a few publications at the beginning to show the time frame of the entire extracts. Mentioning all of them will take a lot of limited space. This also explains the superficial treatment of the errors. If I had a full page, this column will become as comprehensive as possible. Over to the Editor!

N17bn National Library headquarters ready in 2015 MARCUS FATUNMOLE AND IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

arring paucity of fund, completion of work on the N17 billion National Library headquarters in

Abuja will be ready between 2014 and 2015. Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Library, Malam Habib Abba Jato confirmed this to National Mirror over the weekend in Abuja during House of Representatives’ Committee on Education’s visit on oversight to the parastatal. Presenting the 2011 and 2012 budget performances to the Committee, Jato told the Committee that out of N17, 005,497,584 billion revised contract sum of the project, N7, 562,846,674 had been released for the project. He added that out of

N2, 835,141,977 appropriated to the parastatals in 2011 budget, N1, 220,296,691 served as personnel allocation, while the sums of N236, 439,660 and 1,378,405,626 were for overhead and capital al-

locations respectively. In the same vein, out of a total of N4,748,607,365 appropriated in its 2012, Jato said N1,275,633,889 was allocated for personnel cost. The sums of N324, 773,475 and N2,

913,300,000 were for overhead and capital allocations in that order. A total sum of 186,879,227, the CEO noted, was generated by the parastatal in 2012 as at September 30 this year.

Christ’s School honours Kolade, others JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he alumni of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State have set aside this year’s reunion party to honour some of their members who have contributed to the growth and development of the association in and outside the country. The Chairman of the reunion party Planning Committee, Mr. Sanya Haas-

trup, said the UK Chapter of the group under the leadership of Mrs. Adenike Babatola would host members in AdoEkiti this Saturday. He said former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dr Christopher Kolade; a renowned architect, Chief Fola Alade; Prof Olufemi Oyebode of the University of Birmingham and onetime President of the association, North America chapter, Mr Bisi Olawole are among those to be honoured during the event.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

FIBA 2012: Nets’ coach tips Pillars for glory

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

We can compete for the best award in this season. But there is a greater need to work harder - Arsenal striker, Lukas Podolski

Mikel furious over report IKENWA NNABUOGOR

helsea midfielder, Mike Obi, has expressed displeasure over reports that he had been in the country since Sunday and stayed away from the Calabar camp of the national team Mikel, who arrived the country late Tuesday night, described as the story as unfounded. Reports had indicated that sneaked into the country for the official launching of his record label. But a close source told National Mirror yesterday that

Mikel’s younger brother, Tochukwu, currently studying at Cambridge University in England, had attended the launching. “Mikel was not happy at all about the story because he had earlier called Keshi and intimated him of his change in plans due to passport issues,” the source said, adding, “He is so enthusiastic about the game that defied his air travel phobia for Nigeria airspace, to catch the last flight from Abuja to Calabar today (yesterday).” The controversial midfielder, however arrived at the camp late afternoon yesterday to join his mates in the evening training.

Pepple undergoes autopsy IKENWA NNABUOGOR

L Super Eagles will miss the leadership of Joseph Yobo (in front) on Saturday

Battle of Calabar: Tearful Yobo rues match miss IKENWA NNABUOGOR

eports from the Super Eagles Metropolitan Hotel camp in Calabar yesterday revealed that captain Joseph Yobo wept uncontrollably as he spoke of his inability to travel to Nigeria for the Afcon 2013 qualifier with the Lone Star of Liberia on Saturday. Yobo sustained a knee injury while featuring for Fenerbahce in a league game in Turkey on Monday and a scan ruled him effectively out of the crucial game slated for the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar. Eagles’ spokesman, Ben Alaiya, told National Mirror that the vastly experienced defender spent about one hour on the telephone yesterday expressing his regrets at not honouring the Afcon match where Nigeria needs a win or a 1-1 result to win the

ticket to the finals in South Africa next January. “The Fernabahce doctors have ruled Yobo out after he tore a cruciate ligament and this is official,” Alaiya said. “They will put him on medical examination to determine whether he can travel to Nigeria to mor-

ally boost his mates for the game and if this happens we should be expecting him on Friday in Calabar to cheer the lad up,” he added. Meanwhile, Coach Stephen Keshi has commended the patriotic zeal of the players in camp, saying he is assured of a good result on Saturday.

atest reports yesterday revealed that plans are underway for the remains of the late Poland-based player Joshua Pepple, who slumped and died during a league game last weekend, to undergo an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Pepple’s friend and colleague, Charles Okere, told National Mirror yesterday that he had contacted the prosecutor in charge of the remains, who assured him the autopsy would be carried out as soon as possible. “I have also told the family about this latest development and the father, Evangelist Edward Pepple, whom I have also given all the contact information,” Okere added.

AYC 2013: Glo hails Flying Eagles

elecommunications company, Globacom has congratulated the national U-20 team on its qualification for next year’s African Youth Championships in Algeria. A statement by the company yesterday commended the Flying Eagles for defeating the Armajita of South Africa to get the chance to defend the title it won in South Africa last year. “We salute the fighting spirit and doggedness of the team and

look forward seeing the Flying Eagles retain their AYC title in Algeria,” the statement said. The Africa Youth Championship is scheduled for Algeria in March 2012 and the top four teams in the tournament will represent Africa at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled for June in Turkey. Globacom is the major partner of Nigeria Football Federation and official sponsor of Nigerian national teams.

Joshua Pepple

Okere said the Nigerian Ambassador to Poland would visit to the prosecutor and the officials of the club of late Pepple for talks on the matter. It is however not clear at press time yesterday if the late player would be flown back to Nigeria for burial, although Evangelist Pepple had declared his wish to have his son buried at home. “I’m making arrangement to fly to Poland to meet with the club and the Nigerian embassy with a view to flying his remains back,” elder Pepple said yesteday. “I have spoken to the ambassador and Mr. Okere, but I am still waiting on the club.” Meanwhile, Okere has said information on the player’s demise has been passed on to Nigerians based in Poland.

Sport

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Post-Fergie days unsettle Anderson

Tit Bits

Raul

Luis Figo admits form teammate R did not wan leave Real ago. After a sp Raul is now “Raul wa drid. He wa the Mereng was not ab happy in Q yesterday.

anchester United midfielder, Anderson, believes the Red Devils will struggle to maintain their high standards when Sir Alex Ferguson finally calls time on his tenure at Old Trafford. Fergie has been at the helm for 26 years, but speculation is rising that the 70-year-old is close to taking retirement. The Scot has won it all in his time at United, including 12 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and five FA Cups. But Anderson holds fears for the future, once Sir Alex finally decides to draw a line under his time in the hotseat. “Manchester United is Alex Ferguson. When he leaves, the club will lose 30 to 40 per cent. So much depends on him,” the Brazil international said. “He’s a father to all the players, a very respected person and when he retires, the football world will really feel his loss. “He always helped me, and I have a great affection for him. He lives for training and always wants to know how his players and their families are.”

Masch

Fabrice Muamba

Muamba feels for Coyle

etired Bolton Wanderers midfielder, Fabrice Muamba, has admitted that he is saddened to learn of manager Owen Coyle’s dismissal but believes it was needed to hoist the club back into the Premier League. “I was devastated to hear he was going but I’m sure the club will bring in somebody to get the club promoted,” Muamba said yesterday. “We need to get promoted. If you look at the start of the season the guys have not been playing well. “It hasn’t been up to the standard you expect with the players we’ve got. “Football is a results game. You get paid and if you don’t play well then you’re out of the team. For players it is the same as a manager. “You stay in the job as long as the boys are performing for the team. I can understand where the club was coming from.”

Javier Mascheran happy fillin at centre-h Barcelona the Argent again play 2-2 draw w Sunday. “I’m not centre half that when I can go ou Mascheran

Injury knocks out Fellaini

verton and Belgium midfielder, Marouane Fellaini, will be out of action for three weeks with a knee injury. The 24-year-old picked up a knock in Saturday’s Premier League clash against Wigan, but still met up with his Belgian team-mates ahead of the matches against Serbia and Scotland. “Fellaini suffered a small tear at the juncture of muscle and tendon in the knee. The injury was revealed during a scan,” Belgian FA said yesterday in a statement. “Fellaini was injured last Saturday during the match between his club Everton and Wigan Athletic. He will be out three weeks. “It has been agreed with his club Everton FC he will rehabilitate in Belgium during this period.”

Angelo Ogbonna

Reds’ interest thrills Ogbonna N

igerian-born Italy international, Angelo Ogbonna, has admitted he is flattered by reports linking him with Liverpool, saying he will not rule out the move to play in English Premier League. The 24-year-old Torino centre-back, who has impressed for the Serie A club in recent seasons to reportedly attract the Reds, is contracted at Torino until 2016.

“It is flattering to be linked with Liverpool football club, one of the biggest and famous clubs in the world,” Ogbonna said yesterday. “However, I like Torino as a club. But you never know.” Ogbonna has withdrawn from the Italy squad ahead of the World Cup qualifying matches against Armenia and Denmark due to an inflamed prostate gland. Anderson

Marouane Fellani

Roon Lions

anc Wa ers his young te Rooney, w most experi and is in li World Cup Gerrard is struggling to The squad ing the retir ter United m ing support Old Trafford Beckham. “There ar and I always Rooney said “I remem big help Can at United. “It is som hopefully he can bring th

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

o mer Raul nt to Madrid two years

pell with Schalke, w playing in Qatar. nted to stay in Maanted to retire with gue club, but he le to. I hope he’s atar,” Figo said

Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is the coach AC Milan wants to succeed Massimiliano Allegri. Reports yesterday said Milan’s long-term plan is to appoint the former Barcelona coach to take charge of a younger, more energetic team. Allegri’s future remains on a knife-edge as any slip up in the Champions League will lead to dismissal.

herano

Flamini

no is ng in half for after ina international was ed in defence for with Real Madrid on

Mathieu Flamini is weighing up his options at AC Milan. The former Arsenal midfielder penned a new deal earlier this year with Milan, but has managed only two appearances so far this season. Flamini is open to a return home to France where Olympique Marseille is monitoring developments.

the first choice f and I am here so something happens, ut and do a job,” no said yesterday.

ney seeks Three s’ role

chester United and England striker, ayne Rooney, is ready to assume the leadhip role for the Three Lions to nurture am-mates. with 76 caps, is regarded as one of the ienced players in Roy Hodgson’s squad ine to captain England in tomorrow’s qualifier with San Marino, as Steven suspended while Frank Lampard is o overcome a knee injury. d has now lost more experience followrement of John Terry and the Manchesman accepts he has to be the one offerand assistance, just as Cantona did at d to the likes of Gary Neville and David

re a lot of young players in the squad s try to speak to them and offer advice,” d yesterday. mber Alex Ferguson telling me what a ntona was to all those younger players

mething I can try do for England and elp bring the best out of them, as they he best out of me.”

Sport

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ganaru targets 2013 glory C oach of Kano Pillars, Baba Ganaru, has revealed the club’s ambition to retain the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) title in the coming season and win the CAF Champions League. Ganaru said the club’s management was determined to ensure adequate funding for the team to achieve the goals. “In our first attempt in the Champions League we got as far as the semi-finals and we hope to bet-

ter that feat this time around,” the coach said. “We have commenced our preseason training and the club’s management has demonstrated its desire to support us all the way,” he added. “There are players we intend to sign for the coming season because the need to strengthen the team is important and we believe that if we must defend the title and contend for the Champions

League crown we must produce better results than the previous season.” Meanwhile, the Kano State government has donated cars to each member of the club as reward for winning the latest EPL title. Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who announced the gesture last weekend during a reception in Kano, said the government would lift the club its desire for further success.

Kano Pillars celebrating after a recent win

Golf: Kalejaiye, Momoh win TGTC AFOLABI GAMBARI

he CMCL Golf Tours Limited-organised Transatlantic Golf Team Challenge has ended in at the Ikoyi Club 1938 (Golf Section) with the pair of Lanre Kalejaiye and Frank Momoh emerging winner of the competition and landing a ticket to next year’s World Finals in the United States. Former Nigeria Cup champion, Tim Ayomike, and his pair of Esosa Ojomo came second after a two-day score of 117 while Femi Olufowobi and J. Sonaari came third, the duo grossing a score of 110 to come third. The pair of Emuoboh Oyibo and Hassan Adeyemo came fourth while former competition Secretary of Ikeja Golf Club, Yomi Egbe and B. Ojo completed the top five categories. Among the dignitaries that graced the final include South Africa golf professional, James Bongani Kamte, and South Africa High Commissioner to Nigeria, Kingsley Manbolo. Kamte, who described Nigeria as the future of African golf, said regular tournaments like Transatlantic Golf Team Challenge across the country could boosting the sport. Meanwhile, the winning pair has pledged to give excellent representation at the American finals. “We will do our best for Nigeria,” Kalejaiye assured while Momoh said: “We will prove equal to the task.” Bills for the American trip will be picked by the Consolidated Management Consultants Limited, (CMCL) Golf Tours Limited, organiser of the latest

event. CMCL Chief Executive Officer, Remi Olukoya, said the organization would not relent in its effort to lift Nigeria’s golf to international standard.

Youths jostle for Glo Academy

housands of youths across Nigeria have made eligibility enquiries on the Glo Soccer Academy as the biggest reality television gathers momen-

tum. The academy, launched recently by Globacom, and is expected to discover young talent, teach and groom them to become world class footballers who can compete anywhere. A Globacom statement yesterday said that screening of talents will commence at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin on October 23 before moving to Benin, Enugu, Port-Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos. “The academy is designed to scout talent through Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Republic where thousands of kids will be screened before 33 finalists will selected and camped in a soccer academy in Lagos and trained by celebrity coaches from West Africa and Manchester United for five weeks,” the statement said. Meanwhile, screening exercise commenced in Kumasi, Ghana on Monday with youths showing enthusiasm. The exercise will also be held in Tamale and Accra respectively.

Sport

Thursday, October 11, 2012

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DUNKING

With SAYO OGUNDEJI

Ogwumike clinches Rookie award

os Angeles Sparks forward, Nneka Ogwumike, has been named the WNBA Rookie of the Year. The announcement was made just before the Sparks and Minnesota Lynx played Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. Sparks collected two of the WNBA’s season-ending awards, with Nneka Ogwumike honored as rookie of the year and Carol Ross chosen coach of the year. “From Penny Toler to the Madisons the team’s owners to the coaches and the teammates, I haven’t had any complaints about how they have helped me develop this season, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be,” the Nigerian-born forward said after accepting the award on Sunday.

Kano Pillars and Dodan Warriors slugging it out during a recent game in Lagos

“It’s not just a program, it’s a family, and I’m all about that type of situation,” Ogwumike, who became the fifth consecutive number one overall draft pick to win rookie of the year honours, added. The young dunkeress was drafted number one overall after having a fouryear standout Collegiate career at Stanford University and lived up to all expectations finishing the regular season with averages of 14 points and 7.5 rebounds rebounds per game. She had only 11 points as the Lynx edged the Sparks 80-79 to advance to the WNBA finals and her play through the season helped the Sparks turn-around from last season, guiding them into play-off position where they were eliminated by the Minnesota Lynx.

FIBA 2012: Nets’ coach tips Pillars for glory

ormer international and Technical Director of Bauchi Nets Basketball Club, Abdulrahman Mohammed, has supported Nigeria’s representatives Kano Pillars to reach the final of this month’s FIBA Africa Champions Cup in Equatorial Guinea. The former Nigerian champions emerged as group winners at the Africa Zone 3 Elimination Qualifier held in Liberia in July to qualify for the tournament proper and Mohammed believes Pillars stand a better chance of winning the tournament this year. Pillars have only managed a fifth place finish on three occasions despite their dominance on the domestic front but the ex-international, who served as the team’s technical adviser during the last final 8 tournament where Pillars finished runners up behind Royal Hoopers, contends that the former champions are better organised and more experienced.

According to him, the management and the entire team are well focused on turning their fortune around at the continental championship and their commitment and dedication to training would stand them in good stead. He, however, cautioned that the team must raise their game against some of the best nations on the continent, who he believed could pose formidable threat. “I was with the team during the Final 8 tournament which gives me the opportunity of working closely with the players and I can vouch for them,” the Nets coach said. “They have proven their mettle on the Nigerian scene for a long time and I can tell you that the players are tired of coming fifth every time, which explains their readiness to do their best to ensure a good outing in Equatorial Guinea. On the speculation about his move to Pillars, Muhammed

said he was yet to be briefed by the club’s management. “But I have a cordial relationship with all the players and the management during my stint with them in the final 8 tournament and I will be ready to impart my knowledge if I am called upon to help,” Mohammed said. Pillars are the only club representing the country after the withdrawal of champions Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt, following the Rivers State government’s inability to make funds available.

Ogwumike

City League: Union Bank, Chariots in superb wins

he 7th edition of the Lagos City Basketball League is gathering momentum as teams dunked out surprise results weekly with four games decided last week in the men and women fixtures at the sports hall of the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos. In the men fixtures Police Baton bowed to the tactical and technical approach of fel-

low DStv Premier Basketball Club side Union Bank by 65-69 points in a keenly contested game. The Baton DStv Premier League final-8 side began the game on a good note but Union Bank who are determine to redeem their stand in Nigeria basketball after missing the playoff cut of last season in DStv league, rallied back in the second half to halt the Ba-

ton’s desire to secure victory with good team work while relegated DStv premier league side Chariots provided the biggest surprised results of last week with a 79-69 points win over Islanders. Chariots, who are coached by Charles Ibeziako, halted Islanders’ road to victory in the fourth quarter after trailing the Emmanuel Okolo-tutored side.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance The huge budget deficits financed mainly by borrowings from the banking system has continued to negatively impact on cost of funds in the economy

Before now, we had recorded about 40,000 .ng domain names but we have also discovered that active ones among them are about 35, 000 due to the fact that some domain registrants have now done their annual renewal

President, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, Doyin Owolabi

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, NIRA, OPE ODUSAN

N7.2bn debt: Contractors besiege Police Affairs Ministry As lawmakers insist on seeing projects

CHIDI UGWU AND JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

ndications that capital projects in 2012 Budget have not been fully paid for emerged yesterday as protesting contractors besieged the Ministry of Police Affairs to demand outstanding payments amounting to N2.1 billion being part payments for projects completed between 2008 and 2011. The contractors said though the total amount owed them was N7.2 billion, directives was given to pay them part payment of N2.1 billion adding that the Director of Finance and Administration has delayed the payment since then without cogent reason. This is even as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Hon. Paulinus Igwe insisted that oversight is field work and not office work blaming the minister for bringing the lawmakers to the office rather than taking them through the sites to see for themselves the level to which the projects have been completed or otherwise. “I should have requested that you lead us to the sites, oversight

is field work not office work,” he stated. The contractors under the aegis of Association of Contractors to the Nigerian Police, displayed placards some of which read: “Minister must go”, “Let Police Control their funds”, “Pay us our outstanding for completed and ongoing projects”, among others. The leaders of the contractors Chief Patrick Ojo who gave Senator Igwe a copy of a booklet con-

taining the complaints of the aggrieved contractors said they had already written to the National Assembly urging it to wade into the matter. Some of the grievances expressed by the contractors include the turn around which they have been subjected to by the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA), whose name could not be ascertained as at press time.

According to the group, the minister of Police Affairs had earlier directed that the contractors be paid part of the money but after a second discussion with the DFA, directed that all the pages of the files submitted by the contractors be endorsed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), which took several weeks to complete. Ojo said that six weeks after the endorsement by the IGP his members are yet to be paid rather the ministry told them the funds have been exhausted.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE Arik Air Los-Abj: 07:15, 09:15, 10:20, 15:20, 16:20, 16:50, 18:45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) Abj-Los: 07:15, 09:40, 10:20, 12:15, 15:15, 16:15, 17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat); 12:15, 15:15, 16:15 (Sun) Los-PH: 07:15, 11:40, 14:00, 16:10, 17:15, (Mon-Fri) 07:30, 11:40, 15:50 (Sat) 11:50, 3:50, 17:05 (Sun) Abj-PH: 07:15, 11:20, 15:30 (Mon-Fri) 07:15, 16:00 (Sat) 13:10, 16:00, (Sun) PH-Abj: 08:45, 12:50, 17:00 (Mon-Fri) 08:45, 17:30 (Sat) 14:40, 17:30 (Sun) Abj-Ben: 08:00, 12:10 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 08:55, 12:10 (Sun) Ben-Abj: 09:55, 13:30 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 10:50, 13:30 (Sun)

Aero Contractors

L– R: CBN Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins; MD/CEO of FITC, Dr. (Mrs.) Lucy Newman; CBN Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu; and MD/CEO of Stanbic-IBTC Bank, Mrs. Sola David-Borha at the Continuous Education Programme (CEP) for Directors of Banks and other Financial Institutions held in Lagos on Wednesday.

Los-Abj: 06:50, 13:30, 16:30, 19:45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 12:30 (Sun) 16:45 (Sat). Abj-Los: 07:30, 13:00, 19:00 (Mon-Fri/ Sat) 10:30, 14:30, 19:30 (Sun) 18.30 (Sat) Los-Ben: 07:45, 11:00, 15:30, (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12:30 (Sun) 15:30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) Ben-Los: 09:15, 12:30, 17:00 (Mon-Fri/ Sat/Sun) 17:00 (Sat), 14:00 (Sun)

Outrage, condemnations trail demolition of N3bn estate OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

eal Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and other critical stakeholders in real housing sector have expressed dismay at the demolition of

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a N3billion housing estate in Abuja. The 500 units’ housing estate located at the Lugbe extension along airport road Abuja, was demolished by the officials of the Development Control of the Federal Capital Development Area. According to the housing estate spokesman, the houses demolished had reached over 80 per cent completion and that

they were to be handed over to the beneficiaries by the end of October. It was alleged that the estate, which is being constructed for civil servants at the FCT, was pulled down on account of unverifiable fact that it belongs to members of the National Assembly. REDAN FCT Chairperson, Mrs. Binta Ibrahim, who spoke with journalists at the site

ICT experts task govt on economic leakages, crimes

EXCHANGE RATES

yesterday, described the demolition as an economic waste, stressing that it would not in any way help the transformation agenda of the present administration. She wondered how the country could effectively address the issue of youth restiveness and insecurity, if such numbers that are being laid off through this demolition exercise, are let out on the society.

WAUA

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191.3715

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Nokia, Blackberry Ensuring efficient spectrum allocation drop at Interbrand in Nigeria ‘Best Global Brands’ rating

Business & Finance

Thursday, October 11 , 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

OPEC raises oil demand forecast for 2013 UDEME AKPAN WITH AGENCY REPORT

he Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has increased estimated volume of crude oil to be supplied to the global market next year after trimming forecasts for oil production from outside the group. The cartel said in a monthly report that its 12 members will need to provide an average of 29.8 million barrels a day in 2013, about 200,000 more than estimated last month. The organisation said reduced its forecast for output from outside the group for next year by the same amount, to 53.89 million barrels because of lower-than-expected growth in emerging nations. It stated that world markets will remain “characterized by high volumes of crude supply and increasing production capacity.” It stated that: “The outlook for production from India and other Africa in 2013 was revised

down on the back of updated data in 2012, which provided an insight into the expectations for 2013,” OPEC’s Vienna-based secretariat said today in its Monthly Oil Market Report.” Brent crude futures have advanced six percent this year, as concern that tensions with Iran and violence in Syria may lead to wider supply losses counter signs that the economic recovery is faltering. Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said that prices for Brent, trading near $114 a barrel today, are “still high” and that the kingdom would prefer a level of $100. OPEC kept its forecast for global oil demand in 2013 unchanged, predicting that consumption will increase by 780,000 barrels a day, or 0.9 percent, to 89.6 million a day. Growth in non-OPEC supply coupled with natural gas liquids has outpaced demand this year, a trend that will probably to continue into next year, the group said. Non-OPEC producers will

NAICOM initiatives will increase cost of doing business –Sulaiman OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO

he various initiatives introduced by the regulatory body of the Nigerian insurance industry, National Insurance Commission to engender growth in the sector will have profound implication on the cost of doing business in the industry. Chairman, Cornerstone Insurance, Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman who disclosed this at the company’s 20th Annual General Meeting held recently in Lagos said the challenge for the industry will be the availability of the relevant skills and ability to attract and retain them. Sulaiman recalled that the commission had commenced the enforcement of its operational guidelines and expectations around the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the anti-money laundering and risk management framework. He stated that notwithstanding the significant challenges and hostile business environment , the company was able to grow its revenue from N4 billion in 2010 financial year end to N4.2 billion in 2011, an increase of 6.18 percent. He added that the underwriting profit of the company went down to N1 billion from N1.5 billion in 2010 due to the increased cost of reinsurance and its share of the N3.6 billion flood-related claims that hit the industry. The Cornerstone boss further anticipated more merger and ac-

quisition in the insurance industry. He said, “As fringe players continue to find it increasingly difficult to survive, it is going to become imperative for companies to come together to achieve the scale and financial resources to be able to make the investments necessary to succeed in the unfolding landscape. He explained that the as part of their response to the current and emerging challenges in the market place, the director and management of conerstone identified and entered into discussions with Linkage Assurance Plc. “This is because we share the same core values and could complement each other’s strengths. We would like to merge the two businesses to strengthen the financial position of the combined entity and be better able to compete in the emerging industry landscape and deliver improved financial performance. “As soon as we complete all the regulatory processes and obtain the needed approvals and clearances, we will come back to our shareholders to seek approval to go ahead and complete transaction which we believe will give us not only a stronger balance sheet but significant revenue and cost synergies that should lead to increased profitability and enhanced shareholders value”, he noted.

L-R: La Casera Brand Ambassador, Prince Wabueze; students at the College of Education, Zuba, Abuja, Ezinne Okonkwo, Anna Ogwuche and La Casera Brand Ambassador, Promise Francis, at the La Casera Apple Story Experiential Activation recently.

increase output by 890,000 barrels a day next year, driven by growth in the U.S. and Canada, according to OPEC. OPEC production fell by 265,000 barrels a day last month to 31.08 million a day, according to secondary sources cited by the report. That’s 410,000 a day more than the average amount the group considers needed to meet their custom-

ers’ requirements this quarter, and about 1 million more than the target members reaffirmed at their last meeting in June. Oil inventories held by companies in the most industrialized nations were 46 million barrels below their five- year average in August after dropping “sharply” to 2.67 billion barrels, according to the report. In the U.S., the world’s

largest consumer of crude, stockpiles were 28.6 million barrels higher than their five-year mean at 364.7 million. OPEC’s members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. The organisation is next scheduled to meet on December 12 in Vienna.

Agents to shut ports over 20% charge hike FRANCIS EZEM

learing agents under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents have threatened to shut all the nation’s seaports over the decision of terminal operators to effect a 20 percent hike in port charges, which the agents, said was arbitrary and therefore unacceptable. The port reform agreement between the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ports Authority and the terminal operators stipulates that any request for increase in charges must be tabled before the authority, which must be debated at a stakeholders’ forum to justify such increase. The association has therefore given the terminal operators a 72-hour deadline to revert to the pre-October 1, 2012 charges of risk a total closure of

the nation’s eight seaports. This is one of the resolutions reached a joint meeting of the national executive committee of the association, chairmen and secretaries of all the chapters in the western zone of the association. The association had also after a heated debate resolved to sheath its sword in relation to the crisis that was generated by the imposition of port practicing charges on the agents by the Federal Ministry of Transport to fund the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria. The decision of the association to issue the deadline follows reports by the Tin Can Island chapter of the association, Mr. Kayode Farinto that the terminal operators have effected a 20 percent increase in their charges across board without following due process as laid down in the concession agreement. It was gathered that this

current 20 percent hike is the second time the terminal operators are increasing their charges since January this year. As part of measures to effect the strike action, the association set up a five-man committee headed by the secretary of the board of trustees of the association, Mr. Taye Oyeniyi, chairman Apapa chapter of the association, Mr. John Ofobike, his TCIP counterpart, Mr. Farinto and secretary of the presidential compliance committee, Mr. Isidor Agoha as well as Mr. Dayo Azeez- a former vice president of the association.. Part of the mandate of the committee is to write the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, through its president, Mrs. Vicky Haastrup to give the association a 72-ultimatum to reverse the arbitrary charges or face a complete shutdown of the seaports nationwide.

Infrastructure is key to successful trade fairs –ABUCCIMA boss MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

fforts to promote locally-made goods through trade fairs will achieve the desired results if such economic initiatives are supported with necessary infrastructure and good locations for such commercial events, the Vice President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA), Gen. Indian Garba (rtd), has said. Garba made this known in an interview with National Mirror

at the ongoing 7th Abuja International Trade Fair in Abuja. The ABUCCIMA chief, who is the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the ongoing Fair said the 2012 edition was a success based on the number of participants. He, however, advised that government should do more to ensure there were enough amenities to attract more participants as the event goes round different states in the country. He said: “In Ghana, the government sent its people here, paid for the fares and accommo-

dation in order to exhibit what they produce in Ghana at this fair. We expect that government should give similar support to manufacturers in the country so that they can also go to other sub-regional and international markets to showcase made-inNigeria goods in line with the existing policy. We expect that government build infrastructure which will help in promoting this type of event. It should also ensure there are centres of international standards that would help in showcasing made in Nigeria goods.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

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Experts task govt on economic leakages, crimes NIMN urges professionals on KUNLE A ZEEZ

takeholders in the Information Technology profession have urged government at all levels to leverage on Information and Communication Technology tools to tackle economic leakages and crimes in the country. The stakeholders made the call at the 2012 IT Conference and Awards ceremony organised by the Lagos Chapter of the Nigeria Computer Society in the state yesterday. Speaking at the forum with the theme: ‘Biodata Database Infrastructure as Strategic Security Tools’, the National President, NCS, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, said the theme was germane to every individuals , especially in line with the series of bombings and killings that have happening in our country in recent times. According to him, “From 2010 and above, we started having a new Nigeria fraught with suicide bombings and where corruption is assuming incredibly unprecedented dimension in the annals of the history of Nigeria. While attributing the insecurity and corruption in the country to the uncontrolled population explosion without the

necessary system to support it, Aladekomo stressed the need “to create a bio-database of each citizen so that in the case of any criminal incidents, perpetrators cane be uniquely tracked. He, however, commended the Federal Government’s action of setting up a committee saddled with the task of harmonising all the disparate databases in the country for forensic investigation and intelligence purposes. The Registrar, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, Mr. Sikiru Sheu, said with a unique Identity Numbers assigned to Nigerian citizens, as currently being driven by the Federal Government through the National Identity Management Commission, “We would create more opportunities to the tune about 10 million jobs since we would have tackled ghost wokers syndrome as well as addressing our unprecedented extant security challenges.” In the same vein, the Chairman, Education/Science and Commmunication Technology, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King, who was the guest speaker at the occasion, said ICT has become critical in any economy as veritable to to combat an

array of challeges facing the economy. He said the time has come for Nigerian, given the increasing level of insecurity to life and its economic resources to invest in ICT to boost virile economy and security of life for the citizens. “We can deploy ICT to combat crimes and other economic tragedies we are confronted with as a nation. We can use ICT economically, socially and politically to solve some of the challenges in our society.” Lamenting the large-scale economic leakages being experience in the country, the lawmaker said, ICT should be seen as tools to be used to block leakages in our economy. Pointing out the importance of ICT in addressing palpable socio-economic and political problems, the Commissioner Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Adebiyi Mabadeje, said ICT tools, when properly applied, can tackle some of the critical societal problems. Represented by the Director, Corporate Affairs, in the ministry, Mr. Jide Adenuga, he said in Lagos, numerous ICT initiatives were being implemented with a view to deploying ICT tools to drive efficiency in all aspects of government activities.

sustainable business, value creation ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), has urged its professionals to make use of their knowledge to achieve business growth by imbibing strong marketing culture that would help create value and translate into economic growth. The President of the institute, Mr. Lugard Aimiuwu, said this at the just concluded NIMN 2012 international summit, in Lagos, recently. The NIMN boss affirmed that when real business growth is achieved, it would create business opportunities and attract international community’s into the country. Aimiuwu noted that it would further enhance productivity, create jobs and significantly improve citizen’s quality of life. He, however, submitted that for Nigeria to achieve real business growth in turbulent times

PNN targets rural community with IT solutions KUNLE A ZEEZ

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu; UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skill, Hon. Vince Cable and Chairman, Guinness Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Savage, at the commissioning of the beer membrane filter of the company in Lagos on Tuesday.

AW helicopters to expand business in Nigeria STANLEY IHEDIGBO

eading helicopters company, Agusta Westland (AW) Incoporated, has reiterated its commitment and readiness to invest 50 percent of their revenue in the country for expansion. Speaking with National Mirror in Lagos, the Regional Business Manager Sub-Saharan International Government Business Unit of the firm, Mr. Enrico Morra, said that the aim is not just to sell helicopter, but

to create the capability by operating in a proper way, because many countries buys helicopters without establishing the capability which resulted in waste of money. He added that they want to provide the capability for Nigeria to operate on its own by having capability of managing helicopters for various uses in the country and investing in helicopters as well. “Also, the plan to expand our present in Nigeria becomes necessary as there are needs in the emergence services sector,

transport sector and many potentialities for us to grow in this country”. According to him, “we are here to support Nigeria government, through equipping and supplying helicopters to the security agencies like the Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Air Force and Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), also oil and gas offshore industries.” He noted that the company has about 9000 helicopters over the world and major in training pilots, technical personnel.

and maintain its competitiveness in the global economy, there is need for national transformation. According to him, what the country needed currently is for programmes and events that would catalyse the advancement of the country to be put in place. He added that, “marketing profession is therefore, the logical partner in driving Nigeria’s strategic transformation.” The Professor of Strategic & Entrepreneurial Management and Dean, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos, Professor B. E. A. Ogbojafor, while speaking on the theme, “Exploring and Managing Innovation for Business Growth,” described innovation as a major factor for economic growth and performance in the globalised economy. According to him, it facilitates the creation of new technologies and products that help address global challenges.

leading pan-African technology service provider in the development of communications and power sectors in nine African countries has announced the re-launch of its organisation with new services and a new logo. The company, PNN, which started operations out of Nigeria in 1998, offering various services in the telecommunications sector, has adopted a new strategic position, as owner-manager of communications and power infrastructure it once serviced on behalf of third-party operators. In a statement made available to National Mirror, PNN said, “Over the last 14 years, PNN has successfully provided the sales and distribution of

mobile telephony solutions to individual and corporate clients, deployed and managed over 1,000 telecommunication sites, developed and deployed innovative alternative power solutions that guarantee 100 per cent availability while also reducing clients’ operational expense by over 50 per cent. PNN said it also aims to provide innovative solutions to the existing power problems in the African market by deploying community-based power solutions. “As part of its repositioning strategy, PNN’s 14 years’ experience in sales, distribution and value-added services will now be delivered under a strategic alliance with new separate companies owned and managed by former PNN employees who have contributed to the organization’s success over the last de-

‘SAHCOL is safe with ISAGO certification’ OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Managing Director of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Mr. Oluropo Owolabi yesterday said that its certification by the International Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) has shown to the global aviation industries that the company is safe for ground handling operations. ISAGO is an arm of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that is responsible for conducting safety audit for ground handlers all over the world. Owolabi speaking at the send

forth ceremony for the immediate past Managing Director of SAHCOL, Mr. Isaac Orolugbagbe told journalists that it took the ground handling company nine months to achieve the status and assured its clients that it would continue to render qualitative services to them. He said, “This gives us another license and it shows how effective we are internationally. There are only few handling companies in Africa that have this compliance. It’s a new regulatory body within the IATA set up that established this. I’m happy that we were successful with the audit.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Info Tech

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ensuring efficient spectrum allocation in Nigeria The allegation of underhand dealings in frequency allocation by the Nigerian Communication Commission has brought to the fore, the need for transparency in spectrum band allocation with a view of building investors’ confidence in the nation’s ICT industry and to consolidate the growth that has been recorded in the sector, reports KUNLE AZEEZ.

ne of the finite resources in any telecoms market is frequency spectrum, which is licensed to operators to roll out their various telecommunications and other value-added services, as telecommunication systems require a certain amount of electromagnetic bandwidth to operate. In different parts of the world, t organisations allot parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to different uses, even as international agreements are often required, so that communications systems in neighbouring countries are not interfering with each other. Though decision to manage frequency spectrum allocation is handled by the National Frequency Management Commission chaired by the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, the allocation of part of the available national spectrum band to telecoms is handled by the Nigerian Communications Commission, which oversees the nation’s telecommunications sector. Global System for Mobile Communications operators such as MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat are currently operating on the 900/1800 MHz spectrum, with other specA telecom antenna trum bands allotted to other segments in the telecoms sector such as the Code Division Multiple Access and fixed line PART FROM SERVING AS A SOURCE OF INCOME TO THE networks, to broadcasters and other business concerns. Spectrum allocation is also key to ensuring smooth wireGOVERNMENT HAVING CONTRIBUTED OVER BILLION TO less communication among agencies, most especially the security operatives, as the regulator agency may deem fit. GOVERNMENT COFFER OVER THE YEARS EXPERTS CONTEND THAT Apart from serving as a source of income to the governCURRENT SHIFT FROM FIXED TO WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS ment, having contributed over N300billion to the government coffer over the years, experts contend that current SERVICES AS IT IS PREDOMINANTLY THE CASE IN IGERIA shift from fixed to wireless communications services, as it is predominantly the case in Nigeria, demands that efficient DEMANDS THAT EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF FREQUENCY SPECTRUM allocation of frequency spectrum is strengthened by regulaIS STRENGTHENED BY REGULATOR tor. According to experts, as the world becomes increasingly wireless (with cordless phones, cell phones, wireless inter- police to carry out surveillance across the country without the 850 MHz band for implementation of the licences having applied since 2008. net, GPS devices, etc), allocation of the available spectrum hitches. According to the regulator, Smile Communications was Similarly, apart from the controversial 450Mhz spectrum, to each technology becomes increasingly contentious, as each user community (usually manufacturers of the wire- another spectrum slot allegedly sold under questionable licensed to provide broadband multimedia services on the 850 MHz band nationwide and was assigned 15 MHz specless equipment) wants more bandwidth in order to be able circumstances is the 800MHz digital dividend band. It was gathered that 800MHz digital dividend band is trum based on Time Division Duplexing (TDD) in the 850 to sell and service more units. Consequently, apart from alleged personal interest in the another lucrative spectrum slot sold to Smile Communica- MHz band to provide wireless access services in 2009. Meanwhile, concerned stakeholders have called for inallocation of some spectrum bands in the country in recent tions Limited, also ‘with disregard for due process.’ The sale of the 800MHz spectrum to Smile Communica- creased judicious and transparent allocation of frequency times, which is currently creating ripples in the telecoms industry, concerns have also been raised on the need for tions Limited, it was gathered, was another transaction that spectrum, described as scarce resources in the country. Speaking with National Mirror during the week on the proper allocation of the frequency resources to players who is breeding bad blood within the NCC as the Eugene Juwahneed them to deploy services both in the private sector and led management also allegedly sold the facility without any importance of judicious allocation of spectrum band, the President, Association of Telecommunications Companies the government circle for the overall benefit of the coun- competitive bid process. Reacting to the allegations, however, the NCC, in state- of Nigeria, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said, “Frequency spectrum is try’s economic growth and national security. ment signed by its Media and Public Relations, NCC, Mr. the life wire of wireless services delivery and currently in In the ensuing allegation involving the location of the frequency band 450MHz and the 800MHz digital div- Reuben Muoka, said the allegation of racketeering with Nigeria, both voice and data services are being deployed idend band, the NCC was accused of not following due any frequency belonging to the police, to a private company, mostly through wireless means.” He explained further: “Spectrum frequency is a scarce process and existing competition guidelines for using is false. It, however, stated that currently, the Nigerian Police, resource and should be wisely allocated because it is being the spectrums. In the case of the 450 MHz, said to be occupied by the po- and other companies which had been granted the right to used in telecoms, broadcasting, by the police, military, in the lice since 2009, the NCC was said to have sold the frequency use the 450Mhz spectrum such as Shell, AGIP and others aviation and so on.” Other telecoms analysts urged the NCC, which they deband to a company called Open Skys Limited “without any still have allocation on the different portions of the 450MHz scribed as one of the most transparent agencies of governcompetitive bid process as provided by the NCC Act 2003, Band. According to the statement, the frequency spectrum al- ment in Nigeria, to strengthen its regulatory role by being nor consideration for national security.” It was also alleged that the 450 MHz frequency, valued at located to the police by the Commission is intact and has not more transparent in new spectrum allocation activities. The Chief Executive Officer of AAA Infotek, Mr. Akin over $50million, was sold for less than $6million by the cur- in any way affected by the allocation. It explained that in the frequencies allocated to Open Akinbo, also contended that the NCC needed to be more rent NCC leadership on September 26, 2011, to Open Skys Limited, a company said to be owned mainly by Mr. Emeka Skys and Smile Communications are in two frequency dif- strategic in licensing spectrum, especially to those operaOffor and his associates, which some sources said, does not ferent bands, whose allocation followed a due process for tors ready to deploy services with it and not withhold it, similar frequencies at the commission, and began since stressing that’ “it is a scarce commodity in any economy.” have an operating licence. Another industry analyst said:“I think NCC has Meanwhile, as a result of the allocation of Open Skys 2009. According to NCC, the company’s applications were pro- been doing a good job in Nigeria and we also heard that Limited, the police surveillance system is said to have been left in dire straits, as all walkie-talkies recently acquired by cessed in line with sections 123 and 33 of the Act and in com- other telecoms agencies in other countries have, at different times, come to Nigeria to understudy NCC due the force were said to have been rendered useless, since the pliance with our licensing procedures.” In the case of Smile Communications, NCC said the com- to its transparency in regulatory matters. This is what spectrum to which they are supposed to be connected has pany was in 2009 awarded a Unified Access Service License we have always known NCC for and I will urge that the been hijacked by the NCC.’ It was learnt that the attraction to the 450Mhz spectrum (UASL) for a 10-year period that expires on June 30, 2019 Commission continue this in order to attract more inband, is its wider cell reach or broad scope that allows the alongside a Private Networks Link (PNL) and a spectrum in vestors into our telecoms sector.”

N300

Info Tech

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Telecoms: Nigeria’s teledensity hits 75.17% KUNLE A ZEEZ

eledensity in the Nigeria’s Telecommunications industry has jumped to 75.17 per cent at the end of August, 2012, the Nigerian Communications Commission has said. Latest industry subscriber data by the NCC showed that teledensity in the telecoms sector hit 75.17 per cent in August as active subscriber base reached over 105 million. According to the data, teledensity in the sector stood which stood at 68.68 per cent in January, 2012, has increased significantly to reach the current figure. The NCC data showed that in February, March, April and May 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, 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. 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. Industry analysts are of the opinion that the geometric growth in telecoms subscriber base, leading to proportional growth in teledensity, is an indication of increased access to telephony services. National Mirror learnt that teledensity increased from 0.73 per cent in 2011 to 1.89 per cent in 2002 and in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006; it increased to 3.35 per cent; 8.5 per cent; 16.27 per cent and 24.18 per cent respectively. In 2007, teledensity increased to 29.93 per cent and in 2008, it hit a record 45.93 per cent. Also, with

the growth in active subscriber base hitting 74.52 million by the end of 2009, teledensity also reached 53.23 per cent, while the figure rose to 63.11 per cent in December, 2010. In January 2011, the sector recorded 64.17 per cent teledensity growth equivalent to 89.84 million subscribers; in February, it moved 64.70 per cent representing a total of 90 .58 million; in March, teledensity increased to 64.98 per cent representing active subscriber base of 90.97 million and in April, it recorded its firstever decline, sliding to 64.7 per cent. In May, teledensity slided further to 64.65 per cent while in June, July and August, it increased to 64.67 per cent, 64.88 per cent and 65.78 per cent respectively. Also, the teledensity hit 66.76 per cent in September; 67.09 per cent in October and in November and December, it grew to 68.13 per cent and 68.49 per cent.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tech Box LG Optimus 4X HD

Designed with Quad-Core technology

lobal smartphone penetration is recorded to be at an all time high, with many buying smartphones for reasons ranging from entertainment to productivity purposes. In the same vein, the Optimus 4X HD phone, the flagship of LG’s new lineup, which has entered Nigerian market, is a mobile device expected to set the pace among the international phone brands in its category. It comes with high expectations and a specification list to match – Ice cream sandwich Operating System (OS), 1.5GHz Tegra 3 quad-core, 4.7” 720p display with an IPS LCD panel, an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording, and a massive 2150mAh battery. The LG 4X HD Smartphone which is an improvement on previous Smartphone introductions from the brand sets an unbeatable standard in Smartphone technology. On the specs, at the base is a centrally placed Micro-USB which means that the Optimus 4X HD will easily fit android

docks; the Mobile High-Definition link ( M H L ) supporting USB ensures that with the right cable users can hook up to a large display. Measuring 132.4 x 68.1 x 8.9mm, the Optimus 4X HD is 4.7 inch thick and weighs a mere 141g; which complements its slim sleek design, which is another enthralling aspect of the phone. Regarding core hardware spec, the presence of the QuadCore NVIDIA Tegra 3 chipset clocked at 1.5 GHZ and 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM, 16GB of NAND storage (expandable via microSD) in the Optimus 4X HD is where the tyre touches the tar as it places it in a pedestal above rival Smart phones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Unique in multi-screen feature

C L-R: Chief Executive Officer, New Horizons and co- organiser, Mr. Tim Akano; Chairman, United Nations-IMPACT, Mr. Mohd Amin and former executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe during the presentation of the ‘Friend of Nigeria’ award to Amin, at the 2012 World- Cyber Security Conference dinner held in Abuja recently.

Oracle unveils social relationship management suite KUNLE A ZEEZ

lobal software giant, Oracle has unveiled a new social relationship management suite which enables companies to create better real-time interaction with their customers and partners. Announcing the new solutions for business recently, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Larry Ellison said the solution, the Oracle Social Relationship Management (SRM) Suite, said the solution is an integrated enterprise service that enables companies to listen, engage, create, market, and analyse interactions across multiple social platforms in real-time providing a holistic view of the consumer. “Oracle Social Relationship Management Suite is integrated with Oracle’s enterprise applications, including Oracle Fusion

Marketing, Oracle Fusion Sales Catalog, Oracle ATG Web Commerce, and Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), allowing organisations to use social to transform their corporate business processes and systems “The suite is integrated with Oracle Platform Services, including Oracle Java Cloud Service and Oracle Database Cloud Service, enabling marketing teams to integrate social with their custom web pages, landing pages and marketing tools,” he said. He said the suite provides a holistic view of consumer interactions with Oracle Social Network (OSN), Oracle Social Marketing, Oracle Social Engagement & Monitoring Cloud Service and Oracle Social Sites. Oracle Social Network, he said, provides a secure collaboration platform that supports real-time collaboration and networking for users inside and outside the or-

ganisation. Speaking on Oracle Social Marketing, he said it enables marketers to centrally create, publish, moderate, manage, measure and report across multiple social campaigns and platforms. It also helps marketers publish social content, engage fans and customise their brand’s look and feel. Executive Vice President, Oracle Product Development, Thomas Kurian, said, “By fundamentally changing the way organisations connect with their different stakeholders, social is changing the rules of business.” According to Kurian, “With the Oracle Social Relationship Management Suite we are empowering our customers to embrace this change by integrating the tools required to listen, engage, create, market and analyse social interactions into existing applications and services.”

onsumer electronic devices manufacturer, Samsung Electronics West Africa, has unveiled its highly anticipated Galaxy Note 10.1 for the Nigerian market. Positioned as a device that enhances productivity, creativity and learning capability is now available for purchase at Samsung’s Experience Store in Ikeja City Mall, Alausa, Lagos and at authorised retailers across the country. Powered by Google’s Android software Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Note 10.1 extends Samsung’s Galaxy Note category, building on the success of last year’s worldwide hit smartphone and delivering the functionality and precision of pen and paper by combining the S Pen with a 10.1 inch large display.

It is equipped with a quadcore processor that allows users to run multiple applications at a faster speed than the previous version, which had a dualcore processor. It also features a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.9-megapixel front camera, a microSD slot that allows for expansion by up to an extra 32GB of storage and a battery life that supports up to nine hours of usage. Speaking at the launch of the device in Lagos recently, the Head of Marketing, Hand Held Products at Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Abiodun Odejayi, said that the Galaxy Note 10.1 was designed to meet the increasing needs of the world’s growing mobile workforce, by providing differentiated value of large display while keeping the benefits of the Galaxy Note smartphone. “Our goal with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 was simple redefine the tablet experience. The advanced technology and features included in the device give users the power to produce, create and customize communications. For the user, the resulting experience is completely new, thrilling and quite unexpected,” he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Brands & Marketing

Nokia, Blackberry drop at Interbrand ‘Best Global Brands’ rating The results of the world leading Interbrand ‘Best Global Brands’ survey has unveiled Coca-Cola as yet the leading global brand, followed by Apple, while Nokia, Blackberry rating drop. ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI reports

he Coca-Cola brand has retained its number one spot and got a valuation of $77billion in a recent rating report released by Interbrand “Best Global Brands”. But with the popularity enjoyed by the drink in Nigeria, the report, has however, affirmed the market leadership of the Coca Cola brand. In the report which evaluates leading global brands which has market in Nigeria, it is however, shocking to see Blackberry and Nokia which are leading telephone brands in Nigeria dropping in valuation. According to the rating report, in the technology brands category, Apple, Samsung and Google dominate the ranking. “Technology is, however, where all the action is at the moment (witness the tablet wars involving Apple, Samsung and Google), and it’s the tech brands that once again dominate the rankings - Apple comes in at number two with a valuation of $76billion, followed closely by IBM which rated number three while Google stands at fourth position. Microsoft is ranks fifth while Intel takes eight position and Samsung ninth.” Though not so much popular in Nigeria in terms of usage like Nokia, Blackberry by individual consumers despite its popularity in technological-driven businesses, the brand ranking agency affirmed that Apple was a star performer, going up six places from its 2011 ranking, and seeing its value increase by 129 per cent, hence, prompted Interbrand to affirm: “Jobs recognised that a brand is so much more than a logo... He also recognised that a brand is what connects a business with the hearts and minds of consumers... Increasingly associated with the luxury sector, Apple now produces items that consumers feel that they must own to fit in socially. “Unfortunately, not all tech companies fared as well. Nokia saw its brand value drop significantly and slip from 14th place to 19th, Blackberry dropped from the mid-50s to number 93, and Yahoo just made the list at number 97. As for the company with the much-hyped listing, Facebook, came in at number 69,” stated Interbrand. But it is, however, not disappointing to still see some old global brands in the mix. “Despite the drops experienced by some known brands, the old traditional brands are still in the mix, although they’re perhaps a bit more thereabouts than there these days. GE and McDonalds may be at six and seven (although clearly not at sixes and sevens), but Kellogg’s (29), Colgate (47), Nestle (57) and Shell (75) must be a little concerned. New-age brands, on the other hand, look good, for example Amazon (21) and EBay (36). Car manufacturers did well with Toyota (10th), Mercedes (11th) and BMW (12th). The financiers are also still hanging in there, with JP Morgan (32nd), HSBC (33rd) and Goldman Sachs (48th).” Accordingly, judging by the performance of the alcohol brands - Budweiser (31), Jack Daniels ( 81) and Smirnoff (90), the report said consumers continue to drown their sorrows, and the presence of Moet & Chandon (98), not to mention Porsche (72) and Fer-

L-R: Country Director, Cogniko, Mr. Yemi Ibironke, Analyst/Researcher, Mr Leke Oyerinde and Analyst, Mr. Bola Oyebo during a media parley to formally launch the company in Nigeria held in Lagos recently.

UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL TECH COMPANIES FARED AS WELL. NOKIA SAW ITS BRAND VALUE DROP SIGNIFICANTLY AND SLIP FROM 14TH PLACE TO 19TH, BLACKBERRY DROPPED FROM THE MID-50S TO NUMBER 93 rari (99 ), suggests that there are still a considerable number of high rollers out there. The number of fashion and luxury brands in the list would seem to confirm this, with Louis Vuitton (17) topping the list, followed by a company that was recently in trade mark litigation with Christian Louboutin about red-soled shoes, Zara (37), Gucci (38), Hermes (63) and Cartier (68). US brands dominate the top 100, although there are some big European brands in there like H&M (23) and Ikea (28), Japanese brands like Canon (30) and Sony (40), and Korean brands like Hyundai (53) and Kia (87). There are surprisingly few Chinese brands on the list. From a trade mark law perspective, the Interbrand list is said to be a smorgasbord. “There are examples of those trademarks that lawyers like so much, the made-up and meaningless names that are so easy to protect and so easy to enforce - examples include Google, Xerox and Adidas (apparently a contraction of the founder’s name). There are names that, although slightly suggestive of their products, are still distinctive enough to be protectable, like Coca Cola, Microsoft and EBay. There are geographic names and ordinary dictionary words that are used fancifully and that are therefore good trademarks, like Amazon, Pampers, Visa and GAP. “There are personal names and surnames that have become distinctive through enormous use, like Louis Vuitton, John Deere, Ford and Disney. There are initials and acronyms like UPS, KFC and SAP (no not them, the computer people!). There are letter and numeral combinations like 3M. There are marks

where there’s distinctiveness in the stylisation of the word or letter, like the Coca Cola logo, the McDonalds ‘M’, and the Budweiser signature. There are standalone logos like those belonging to Apple, Nike, and Shell, and there are logos that are used together with brand names, like those of Mercedes, VW and Audi,” says analyst at bizcommunity.com, a global brands online news platform. The analysts noted that as reported by the ranking agency, there are logos and stylisations where colour plays a major role, like those of Google, EBay and Microsoft. “There are brands that are used primarily by way of licensing or franchising arrangements, like McDonalds and KFC, there are brands that feature strongly in co-branding relationships like Intel and American Express, and there are brands where the owner is on to the fact that the name gets used generically far too often, like Kleenex, which has the words ‘Brand Tissues’ appearing alongside the name.” However, according to bizcommunity.com analyst, the survey is clear that brands are often worth an absolute fortune. “For many companies, the brand is the single most valuable asset, especially in cases where there’s little in the way of bricks and mortar, or plant and machinery - think companies like Google, Yahoo and Facebook. A brand can obviously be valued, it can be sold either with or without the company, and it can be used as security for finance (Ford put its logo up as security recently in order to obtain the finance it needed to survive the Great Recession).” Hence, many of the brands that have made it big are said to be inherently distinctive. “Yes, it may be easier to market the product initially if the name says what the product is, but it will be difficult to get a trade mark registration for it, and it will be difficult to stop competitors using similar names. In the long term, the decision to choose a distinctive name will pay off.” Brands that are in the top 100 are reported to have all been protected - registered not only for the products for which they are used, but in certain cases also those for which they are likely to be used, possibly through brand extension, licensing or co-branding. “They are no doubt registered in the countries where they are used at present, but also in those countries where they are likely to be used in the future,” said bizcommunity.com.

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, October 11, 2012

APCON inaugurates new committee for stiffer regulation in 2013 STORIES: ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he stage is set for a stiffer regulation in the Nigerian advertising practice as the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, (APCON), has inaugurated new committees that would champion the council’s plans to reposition the industry and protect it from unholy practice. At a recent reconstitution of the committee by the council at APCON House, the chairman of APCON, Mr. ‘Lolu Akinwunmi inaugurated 44 members into six committees to drive the council to the level of best global standards. According to Akinwunmi, following the dissolving of the committees on September 26 except the Advertising Standards Panel committee headed by Mr. Ade Akinde, the council has painstakingly selected the best brains representing various sectoral groups in APCON coun-

cil. “We looked at where we are, where we are going, what we have done so far and looking at the future, we felt if we are to sustain the momentum, we need to look at ways of refreshing and re-strengthen membership. I am happy to have very talented people to drive the regulation of advertising through these committees in this challenging period of advertising business in the country,” he said. He stated further: “We felt there is need to bring other stakeholders including those in the business providing models, people who produce jingles and others connected to services of advertising business, to hear their challenges and looked at how these could be addressed in the interest of the growth of the industry generally.” Mr. Funmi Onabolu, former president of Association of Advertising Agency (AAAN) now chairs the Advertising Practitioners Disci-

plinary Committee (APDC); Mr. Gabriel Abah, chairman of Advertising Investigative Panel, APIP; Mr. Sesan Ogunro, chairman, membership and privileges; Mr. Kole Ademulegun, chairman, Finance and Admin, Mr. Jimi Awosika, Practitioners Development and Training and Mr. Willy Nnorom, chairman of Registration and Licensing while Akinde returns as the chairman of ASP. The committee members were from AAAN, OAAN, NAFDAC, NBC, SON, CPC, ADVAN, MIPAN and other sectoral association relevant to business of protecting Nigerian consumers and targets advertising and sales promotion messages. Akinwunmi said by January 2013, the council will commence the re-registration of ad agencies while foreign practitioners practicing in the country have been asked to comply with industry membership standards as done in advanced countries where they came from.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Trophy Beer wears new look

n consonance with the brand’s aim to rekindle its connection with consumers, SABMiller Nigeria has introduced Trophy Beer in a new 330ml with an attractive label, supported with an extensive new Above-TheLine communication campaign. This was disclosed by Commercial Director of SABMiller Nigeria, Mr. Andre Lubbe, during the launch of the label and campaign held at Ilesha Breweries plant recently. Lubbe said that the cam-

paign has given rise to a new identity that really communicates the intrinsic values of the brand both in terms of emotional and rational benefits. “The new Communication Campaign and re-design of the label have given rise to a new brand identity that communicates the intrinsic values of the brand both in terms of emotional and rational benefits, as well as to build long lasting aspiration for Trophy Beer”, Lubbe said .

Promasidor launches Quill Awards’ website

romasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell milk has launched a dedicated website for its Quill Awards which was launched earlier in the year to reward excellence in the media. The website portal is http://quillawards.promasidor-ng.com. The site gives details about the awards, criteria for the awards, how to submit entries for the various awards and in case of enquiries how to contact officials of the company for clarifications. The Promasidor Quill Awards cover five categories: Brand Advocate of the year, Best CSR Report of the year, Most Educative Report of the year, Best Report on Nutrition and the Best Photo Story of the year. These categories are said to have been carefully thought-out to accommodate most journalists in the country. Unlike other awards, entry for the ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ is being done on an e-platform. That is, it is being done strictly using the inter-

net so as to avoid difficulties in submitting entries. This will give interested participants equal opportunity to participate in the awards and also there will be no case of lost entries as each participant will receive an immediate response after submitting his or her entry. Mr. Andrew Enahoro, Head Legal and PR, Promasidor Nigeria Limited had at a press conference in Lagos recently declared that journalists can now enter for the competition through the website. Also, Coordinator, Corporate Affairs, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Ayodele Oguntubi, said journalists were entitled to one entry per category. “Interested journalists can only submit one entry per category, except the Brand Advocate category where we will do the collation ourselves with the help of our agency. It will be required that a scanned copy of the story in print and a Microsoft word copy of the story be submitted for legibility,” Oguntubi said.

Ukoh to receive MarketingWorld lifetime achievement award

L-R: Registrar, Mr. Ayo Adeyemi, immediate past president, Chief Femi Odufowokan, President, Mr. Adeyeye Rotimi, 1st Vice President, Mr. Aderinto Rilwan, 2nd Vice President, Mr. Michael Onuoha, Mr. R. A Abdulai, Council members of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), at the Institute’s 2012 Annual General Meeting and Lecture held at NECA House, Ikeja, Lagos recently.

Nigeria’s beer consumption declines by 7.4%

he Nigerian beer sector has suffered a 7.4per cent decline in second quarter of the year. According to a review by Financial Derivatives Company Limited, the sector suffered decline mainly in Lagos, South West and South/ South regions of the country. “Sales have declined more in urban areas than rural,” the report stated. The report said further that

the malt market also declined but only marginally while there was a shift to low sugar for the health conscious consumers. Unlike the beer which its consumption dropped in the cities, malt consumption declined mainly in rural areas as a result of decrease in bars drinking. The chairman of Beer Sectora Group, BSG, member of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Nicolaas

Vervelde had at a recent forum said the capital investments of the sector are in excess of $3billion while its contribution to the economy in terms of taxes and levies stand in excess of N100million per annum. According to him, the Beer manufactures have a vital role in the economy of Nigeria, providing about 35,000 direct employment and means of livelihood for over four million families indirectly.

xecutive DirectorMarketing Services, Nestle Nigeria, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, will be honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2nd Annual MarketingWorld Awards, holding later in October at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki. Ukoh is a veteran marketing professional with more than 30 years in the business. She has a distinguished and well-recognized record of success. Ukoh’s working career spans University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, National Institute of Medical Research, Lagos and Nestle Nigeria where by dint of hard work and high level of

professionalism, she became the first and only female Marketing Director at an executive management level till date. Under her management, She helped build a lasting brand relationship with Nigerian women through her innovative programmes like the MAGGI Women Forum (A home management programme targeted at women in semi urban areas). “We are thrilled to honour such an industry icon,” said Akin Naphtal, Group Publisher, MarketingWorld and chair of MWA 2012. The award is to honour and celebrate her selfless contributions to the marketing industry in Nigeria and Africa.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, October 11, 2012

adVANTAGE icon

W L-R: Goodwill Ambassador, Inner Cities’ Mission, Mrs Ada Ehi, Chief Operating Officer, Superscreen Television, Mr Dipo Isaacs and the Director, Inner Cities Mission, Pastor Solayinka Agboola, at the adoption of the NGO by Superscreen Television recently.

Coca-Cola, Domino’s Pizza position to benefit from Nigeria’s growing economy

igeria has been described by the Customer and Commercial Leadership Manager for Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Mr. Udo Bob Agomuonso, as an important and profitable market in Africa, which no company would want to ignore. Agomuonso said this at the official opening of the two world’s leading food chains, Domino’s Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery owned by the Master Franchisee, Eat ‘N’ Go, partnering with Coca-Cola as the preferred beverage partner for the outlets. According to him, in recent years, Africa has become the choice destination for businesses looking to expand frontiers from across key segments of the economy. “Nigeria is the powerhouse for the West Africa region as well as Sub-Saharan Africa and cannot be ignored for long by any serious

business. As a company, Cola-Cola has a strong footprint across this market and is well position to support existing and new food chains that want to win in this market.” The Executive Vice President of Domino’s Pizza, Mr. Steve Akinboro, said Nigeria’s thriving economy was a key reason his company chose to launch into Sub-Saharan Africa. Akinboro, who has worked in the food industry for over two decades, said Domino’s Pizza was happy to bring its business into Nigeria. “The notion that nothing good can come out of Africa is not true,” he said. “We don’t need people around the world to give us fish. We don’t need handouts in Africa; what we need is the opportunity to fend for ourselves. And when we are given an opportunity, we tend to make the most of it. The GDP we are

seeing in Nigeria today, which is a little over 7 percent, is pretty close to what they have in China, Brazil and other developing countries across the world. So, if you had any doubt about getting into the African market, I’d say ‘Think again, especially with a worthy partner like Coca-Cola. Also, the Brand Manager, Colas, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Mr. Olufemi Ashipa, said, “Africa was once attractive for only its natural resources but has now been identified as an emerging business force. With a rapid population growth, sustained economic development and a growing middle class, multinational companies now look at Africa in a whole new way. With such an amazing growth potential, Africa along with other emerging markets is poised to serve as the world’s economic growth engine in the coming years.”

ole Benson, the Chief HE IS CURRENTLY A Executive Officer GERSON LEHRMAN of Cerebral Consult G ROUP EDUCATOR, has a vast experience spanning A CONSULTING 19 years as a media strategist, MANAGEMENT researcher, planner and buyer having worked as a Group PLATFORM AND THE Head Media at McCann ErickWORLD‘S LARGEST son WorldGroup, Franchise MARKETPLACE FOR Communications and Ogilvy, E XPERTISE BASED IN Benson & Mather, Nigeria. US. He has handled accounts like NB Plc (Gulder & Amstel and America. He is currently Malta), Smithkline Beecham a Gerson Lehrman Group Ed(Lucozade, Phensic & An- ucator, a consulting managedrew Liver Salt), UPS, Reck- ment platform and the World‘s itt Benckiser (Dettol, JIK & Largest Marketplace for ExperHarpic brands), UNILEVER tise based in US. An Associate Member of (Blueband & Vaseline), Orange APCON, he is also a Dean of Drugs (Delta Soap, Procold). The vast and intelligent Faculty of Media at Orange Wole, co-founded 24-7imc, Academy – the premier brand Proview Advertising, Hurri- building institute in Lagos, Nicane Events, and Mediamatryx geria. He is happily married Ltd, where he handled brands and blessed with two sons. like IGI, FMN, IHMS, Nordica Fertility, Golden Penny Pasta, Couscous & Noodles, Multilinks Telkom, Benson, who holds a Bachelor degree in Agric Economics (1990 ) from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communications from University of Lagos, has also attended various advertising/marketing trainings and business seminars in Nigeria, South Africa Benson

Building share of voice through celebrity endorsement

have over the years taken the pains to read more about our so called celebrities in the entertainment and showbiz world. Whenever I read a piece on such celebrities, I find their portrayal in the pieces of information about them shocking. Sometime ago, I read about an actress who said she flaunts her breasts as the only way to express gratitude to God. There was also a particular musician who was the brand ambassador for a liquor brand. He was found smoking Indian hemp at an event later. Some of these are the so called celebrities with shady character who have become faces of brands! Who are celebrities? It is saddening that in Nigeria, the word ‘celebrity’ is only limited to people in showbiz, entertainment, music, fashion etc. However to me, celebrities are people who have made their marks in their chosen field of human endeavour without necessarily having their private lives splashed on the

pages of newspapers. They even make more impact in promoting brand values and influencing the consumers. A good case in point is the Intern reality Show sponsored by the Bank PHB (now Key Stone Bank) where leading Advertising practitioner and a towering role model, Biodun Sobanjo, was the Moderator. Mr. Sobanjo’s personality rubbed off positively on the brand and its initiative due to his inimitable clout within the industry. Several people indicated interest in the programme when he was announced as the anchor person. This is one man that has proved his mettle in his chosen field. Celebrity endorsement remains a popular tool for marketers; its relevance is increasing over the years as marketers acknowledge the power of celebrities in influencing purchase decisions of consumers. This can bestow special attributes upon a brand. A celebrity can indeed be a powerful tool in promoting a

Brand X-Ray with Ayodeji Ayopo Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: mayomipo@yahoo.com

brand as s/he brings distinct identity and added value to the brand. However, there should also be a link between the brand and the celebrity. In the case of Sobanjo, his personality clearly matched the brand, as young men were tutored on how to make boardroom and business decisions. His own skills in these were key parameters which qualified him for the task. It is important to reiterate that the popularity rating of Bank PHB’s Intern Show increased considerably with the presence of Sobanjo, who is synonymous with a great deal of business acumen and professional expertise. Com-

panies should see this as a good way to make use of celebrities in enhancing brand image. There was a higher degree of recall for the intern show and it equally enjoyed mass appeal while it lasted. These and many more are the advantages of celebrity endorsements that are done the right way. Brands should focus on people with impeccable character and sound pedigree to build share of voice for their brands. There is another instance of a juice brand that made use of a popular actor, which to me is not a match for the brand. This is because the celebrity was situated within the context of fun, enter-

tainment, and excitement for children. The personality of the celebrity has never been synonymous with relating with children, even though the area of fun in home video is noted. Such a brand needs a celebrity that has consistently associated with children, to influence young ones to connect to the brand. Despite the enormous benefits of celebrity endorsements, brand managers should be wary of some celebrities. The fact is that while companies need celebrities to promote their brands, there is the need to exercise a great deal of caution. Some celebrities may derogate after endorsing the brand. There can also be inconsistencies in their professional ratings. They are humans too, and can also create image problems for the brand. When the right celebrity is sourced for the brand, it leads to instant brand awareness, as celebrities define and refreshes brand image.

Global Business

Thursday, October 11, 2012

IMF sees European banks facing $4.5 trillion sell-off

he International Monetary Fund said European banks may need to sell as much as $4.5 trillion in assets through 2013 if policy makers fall short of pledges to stem the fiscal crisis, up 18 percent from its April estimate. Failure to implement fiscal tightening or set up a single supervisory system in the timing agreed could force 58 European Union banks from UniCredit SpA to Deutsche Bank AG to shrink assets, the IMF wrote in its Global Financial Stability Report released yesterday. That would hurt credit and crimp growth by 4 percentage points next year in Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain, Europe’s periphery. “There is definitely a need for deleveraging in Europe,” said Michael Seufert, an analyst at Norddeutsche Landesbank in Hanover, Germany, with a “negative” rating on the European banking sector. “The danger is that this produced a downward spiral as the regulation gets stricter and stricter and the global economy cools, potentially meaning more writedowns for banks. States in the periphery are hit hardest.” The IMF doesn’t need to lend money

Draghi

to Spain to help the country tackle its fiscal crisis, Managing Director Christine Lagarde indicated yesterday. The Washington-based fund earlier this week cut its global growth forecasts and warned of even slower expansion if European officials don’t address threats to their economies.

Asian stocks fell for a third day today on global growth concerns, with the MSCI Asia Pacific Index down 0.9 percent. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index declined 0.2 percent at 2:14 p.m. in Frankfurt and the euro was little changed, trading at $1.2893. While the European Central Bank’s plan to purchase bonds of debt-burdened countries has pushed down bond yields, officials are waiting for a bailout request from Spain before putting the programm into action. The European rescue mechanism and the ECB bond programm “must be regarded by markets as real, not ‘virtual’ and should be coupled with credible conditionality,” Jose Vinals, the director of the IMF’s monetary and capital markets department, said in prepared remarks for a press conference in Tokyo. ECB President Mario Draghi in July pledged to do “whatever it takes” to preserve the monetary union, which has been battered by a three-year debt crisis triggered by Greece’s hidden budget shortfall. He said in September that the Frankfurt-based bank may buy the bonds of nations that submit to the conditions of a rescue loan to lower yields.

Singapore may ease currency gain as growth slows

he Monetary Authority of Singapore will probably slow the pace of appreciation in the local dollar as moderating price pressures provide scope for measures to support economic growth, according to a survey of analysts. Officials will curb gains in Singapore’s currency when they meet Oct. 12 by decreasing the slope of its trading band, according to 17 of 23 financial companies surveyed by Bloomberg News. Two said there’s a chance the MAS will widen the band in addition to reducing its slope. Five predict no change, while one projected a shift to a zero slope, the poll showed. Recent data have shown bigger-thanforecast declines in manufacturing and exports, leading economists and investors to flag the risk of a technical recession. Singapore cut its 2012 growth forecast in August, and a report last month

indicated the slowest pace of inflation in almost two years. That means the MAS has room to spur the economy by stemming gains in the exchange rate, its main policy tool, according to analysts. “The Singaporean economy has largely underperformed the MAS’s expectations,” Frances Cheung, a Hong-Kong based strategist at Credit Agricole CIB, wrote in an e-mail October. 3. “The balance of risk has clearly shifted from inflation to growth.” Cheung predicted the MAS will announce a reduction to the Singapore dollar’s trading band slope. Singapore’s central bank uses the exchange rate rather than borrowing costs to conduct monetary policy, adjusting the pace of appreciation or depreciation against an undisclosed trade- weighted band of currencies by changing the slope, width and center of the band. A flatter slope allows slower appreciation or depreciation over time.

President Nathan

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vodafone may avoid $2bn India tax after report

Andy Halford

odafone Group Plc may win a reprieve in a $2.2 billion Indian tax case after a panel opposed a retroactive clause in the nation’s laws that drove away foreign investors and pushed the rupee to a record low. Retrospective tax demands should only be made in “rarest of rare cases” and changes made to the way capital gains on cross-border deals are taxed should only apply to future transactions, the committee said in a draft report yesterday. Should the government accept the advice, Vodafone won’t be liable for its 2007 purchase of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. (13)’s Indian assets, Ernst & Young LLP and KPMG said. The recommendations were posted on the finance ministry’s website less than a month after Vodafone expressed willingness to settle the case provided it could just pay the original tax claim and not the penalty and interest. Chief Financial Officer Andy Halford said in a September. 14 interview that he may make a provision to cover legal risks after former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee amended the tax law in March. India’s Supreme Court had ruled in January that the operator isn’t liable and dismissed the government’s case. “If the report is fully implemented, then Vodafone will be exonerated entirely,” said Mumbai-based Dinesh Kanabar, chairman of taxes at KPMG’s local unit. “The retrospective amendment, if deemed to be a valid law, would allow the government to proceed against Hutch, not Vodafone. Whether they want to do that is a separate issue.” The panel, set up by Mukherjee’s successor Palaniappan Chidambaram, seeks to undo some of the amendments to “better reflect principles of equity and probity” in commonly recognised tax laws.

Noda says Japan prepared to act on Yen as strength hurts

Noda

apanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said his government will act against any disorderly gains for the yen, and urged policy makers around the world to follow through on pledges to rebalance global demand. “We have to observe the market closely to see whether there are excessive or disorderly moves” in the currency market, Noda, 55, said in an interview yesterday at his office in Tokyo. The yen’s strength is a “serious problem,” is out of step with Japan’s economic performance and “when necessary, we will take decisive action,” he said. Noda spoke on the eve of a gathering

of the Group of Seven in Tokyo, where finance chiefs will assess the recovery from the 2009 global recession. The prime minister said, “we have seen a certain amount of progress, but we must remain on our guard.” Japan will continue to contribute to market stability as the world’s largest creditor nation, he said. The prime minister also urged the Bank of Japan to take “decisive” action at the right time to end deflation that’s eroded wages and growth. The world’s third-largest economy will shrink in the last two quarters of the year, according to forecasts from Morgan Stanley and BNP Paribas in Tokyo,

hampered by weakening export demand in China and Europe and strength in the yen that has contributed to record losses in Japan’s electronics industry. The yen is about 4 percent from a postwar high against the dollar, at 78.31 yesterday. in Tokyo. The gathering of G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors follows efforts by Europe to address its debt crisis with the establishment of the 500-billion euro ($648 billion) European Stability Mechanism. Japan has supported Europe through the purchase of rescue-fund bonds and increased contributions to the International Monetary Fund.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

ASI rises to year high on NSE JOHNSON OKANLAWON

nvestments mostly in banking stocks improved equities performance on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as the All Share Index rose to psychological barrier of 27, 000, this year, an increase by 6,276.14 points or 30.3 per cent when compared to 20,730.63 points at which it opened the year on January 3. Specifically, the benchmark index increased by 0.62per cent to close at 27, 006.77 points, compared to the increase of 0.83 per cent recorded the preceding

day to close at 26,840.87 points. Market capitalisation appreciated by N53bn to close at N8.59trn, lower than the rise of N71bn recorded the preceding day to close at N8.55trn. The insurance index led sectorial indices by 2.64 per cent to close at 142.81 points, followed by the consumers’ goods index with 1.29 per cent to close at 2,345.41 points. The NSE 30-index gained 0.74 per cent to close at 1,277.32 points, while the banking index appreciated by 0.23 per cent to close at 432.59 points. Lotus Islamic index

rose by 0.31 per cent to close at 1,641.07 points, while the oil and gas index closed at 163.91 points, up by 0.16 per cent. Dangote Sugar Plc led the gainers’ table with 56 kobo or 9.91 per cent to close at N6.21 per share, followed by Sterling Bank Plc with 17 kobo or 9.88 per cent to close at N1.89 per share. DN Meyer Plc gained 15 kobo or 9.87 per cent to close at N1.67 per share, while Academy Press Plc appreciated by 23 kobo or 9.83 per cent to close at N2.57 per share. Diamond Bank Plc rose by 40 kobo or 9.83 per cent to close at

N4.47 per share. On the flip side, Red Star Express Plc dipped by 33 kobo or 9.73 per cent to close at N3.06 per share, while International Breweries Plc dropped by N1.35 or 9.64 per cent to close at N12.65 per share. CAP Plc shed N1.45 or five per cent to close at N27.55 per share, while Roads Nigeira Plc depreciated by 53 kobo or five per cent to close at N10.07 per share. NNFM Plc lost N1.07 or 4.98 per cent to close at N20.41 per share. A total of 481.2 million shares worth N4.23bn were exchanged in 6,299 deals.

NSE trains brokers, employees on ATS JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he Nigerian Stock Exchange has trained stockbrokers and its employees on the advanced Automated Trading System. A statement from the Exchange yesterday said the continous training was in line with its mandate of building the capacity of the dealing members, workforce and market participants. According to the statement, the Continuous Professional Development session, held over the weekend for

stockbrokers and some selected employees, was also to create better awareness of new market structures. The Head, Market Operations Department on The Exchange, Mr. Ikponmwosa Obaseki, was quoted in the statement as saying that the objective of the workshop was to provide practicing stockbrokers with a strong grounding in the advanced functionalities of the ATS as well as a solid grounding on new products trading on the Exchange, such as Exchange Traded Funds. It added that new mar-

ket structures, such as market making, securities lending and short selling, were also part of the capacity building process to boost the knowledge of the market operators. The statement explained that a detailed overview of the retail bonds market structure that is being introduced by the Exchange was also provided, together with a comprehensive lecture on ethics required by stockbrokers. “The broad-based course also provided the audience with an oppor-

US stocks fall amid earnings concern

nited States stocks fell yesterday, extending losses to a fourth day as Alcoa Incorporation slumped amid concern over corporate earnings and global economic growth. Alcoa, the largest US aluminum producer, lost 3.1 per cent after cutting its outlook for global demand of the metal, while Chevron Corporation slid 3.6 per cent after saying third-quarter earnings were substantially lower than the previous period. Wal-Mart Stores Incorporation paced gains with consumer stocks, rising to a record price after saying it had a very strong back-to- school season and will add US

stores, while Brands Incorporation rallied 8.7 per cent after profit beat analyst estimates. The Standard and Poor 500 slipped 0.1 per cent to 1,440.33 points in New York. The benchmark gauge fell one per cent on Tuesday, and is down 1.4 per cent over four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 42.55 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 13,430.98 points, as trading in S&P 500 companies was 3.8 per cent below the 30-day average. “The fear is that this is going to be a really bad earnings season,” Hank Smith, Chief Investment Officer at Haverford Trust Company in Radnor, Pennsylvania,

said. “If S&P 500 earnings come in better than expectations, the markets are going to view that positively. We’re off to a good start but we’ve got a long way to go.” Global equities slumped as China car sales unexpectedly shrank for the first time in eight months. Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is struggling to contain the country’s deficit as he meets with French President Francois Hollande in Paris yesterday. The International Monetary Fund said European banks may need to shrink assets if policy makers fall short of pledges to stem the fiscal

tunity to hone in their existing skills as well as deepen their knowledge of the new products and market services that have been introduced recently to the Exchange to deepen the market and improve liquidity,” he explained. He spoke further on the benefits of the workshop, which he said was aimed at keeping participants updated with evolving information relevant to their field, build their confidence, and enhance the professionalism of the workers in the Nigerian capital market.

crisis. The S&P 500 has retreated for the past four days as the IMF reduced estimates for global economic growth. The index has still rallied 13 per cent from this year’s low on June 1 as the Federal Reserve unveiled a third round of bond purchases. Third-quarter profits and sales for companies in the S&P 500 probably fell in unison for the first time in three years, according to analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Per- share earnings may have dropped 1.7 percent on average after they were little changed in the second quarter. Sales may have slipped 0.6 percent, the data show.

Source: NSE NIBOR QUOTES 9 OCTOBER & 10 OCTOBER 2012 20.00 19.00 18.00 17.00 16.00 15.00 14.00 13.00 12.00 11.00 10.00 9.00 8.00 7.00 6.00 5.00

9-Oct-12

10-Oct-12

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 23,105.05 points Market capitalisation 7,354 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

STERLNBANK

1.20

1.26

0.06

5.00

UBA

4.20

4.41

0.21

5.00

WAPCO

46.02

48.32

2.30

5.00

UBN

6.21

6.52

0.31

4.99

ROADS

8.42

8.84

0.42

4.99

INTBREW

11.77

12.35

0.58

4.93

ASHAKACEM

11.17

11.72

0.55

4.92

DANGSUGAR

4.52

4.74

0.22

4.87

UPL

4.37

4.58

0.21

4.81

NASCON

4.95

5.18

0.23

4.65

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

ETERNA

2.26

2.15

0.11

-4.87

NEIMETH

0.78

0.75

0.03

-3.85

UTC

0.55

0.53

0.02

-3.64

CUSTODYINS

1.12

1.08

0.04

-3.57

JBERGER

29.95

29.00

0.95

-3.17

7UP

40.00

39.00

1.00

-2.50

GOLDINSURE

0.51

0.50

0.01

-1.96

JAPAULOIL

0.60

0.59

0.01

-1.67

CONTINSURE

0.65

0.64

0.01

-1.54

FCMB

3.00

2.99

0.01

-0.33

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

182-Days

73,490.87

14.94

10-Oct-12

365-Days

68,184.89

16.22

11-Oct-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

365-Days

193,954.36

16.20

4-Oct-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$120m

N/A

$120m

10-Oct-12

$150m

N/A

$104m

8-Oct-12

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at October 10, 2012 1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

1st Tier Securities 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)

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

21 yr-old Classiq debuts with Sama

ast rising record label, Finesse Entertainment, recently announced the release of four hit-bound releases in four weeks from its four signees. Musician and rapper, Barnabas Buba Luka, AKA Classiq, is the first artiste to debut his music from the label and he does it in grand style with the club bound, up-tempo single Sama! Born in Bauchi and raised in Kano, the 21-year-old Classiq is a graduate of Computer Science from the Bayero University in Kano. He moved to Lagos in 2011, to join the trend-setting Finesse Entertainment label which was launched in 2011. The up-tempo single, which was produced by Finesse’s in-house ace producer, SuperSoniq, is set to rule the airwaves and a clubs with its irresistible fusion of Classiq’s unique northern sound and a distinct Afro-pop and techno beat. “Sama means up in Hausa”, Classiq explains, “It is not just a song, it is a movement asking people to move on up, whether you are at the office, in the club, or in school, wherever you are, move up!” He further explained lines from the chorus thus, ‘In baki zo ba a barki a baya’.This literally means; ‘If you don’t come with us, you’ll be left behind!’ Classiq is one of the new wave of northern born musicians influenced and proudly carrying the Hausa lyrics and style in their music. He joins the select few like Ice Prince in headlining the wave-making ‘Hausa Boy or Aboki Swag’

Anyaso with the children at the orphanage

Anyanso urges assistance for less privileged children STORIES: LEONARD OKACHIE

hief Executive Officer of Ceecon Oil and Gas Oil Limited, Mr. Chima Desmond Anyanso, has urged privileged Nigerians to help lessen the hardship in the country by giving assistance to the less privileged. The oil magnate made the plea during his birthday celebration which was hosted by children from the Sought-After Children Orphanage. He opined that reaching out is particularly important “because in the end you will find out that we lavish a lot of good things on ourselves and most times forget these ones who also need love and care.” The birthday featured exalta-

tion and prayers with the children of the orphanage and cutting of cake, as well as birthday song led by the kids and accompanied by all well-wishers. The high point of the visit was the presentation of gifts and rendering of free medical services to the children. Medical services were provided by a team of experts led by Dr. Ozoemena of St Edward’s Specialist Hospital. Gifts to the kids ranged from scholarships to food items and toiletries. Mr. Anyanso, who also runs Ahoma Ayanso Foundation – a

body which caters for over 300 children – chose to celebrate with the Sought-After Orphanage Children instead because for him, it was an opportunity to reach out to even more people. One of the children at the Orphanage, Emmanuel, expressed his joy and appreciation on behalf of other children for the kind gesture shown them. Sought-After Women and Children Foundation is a registered non-governmental organization in Nigeria, dedicated to ministering to abused women and abandoned children in our society. It was incorporated on 7th September, 2007. The orphanage, which has 35 children in its care, caters for children between the ages of 7 months and 17 years old.

Award winner, Olubodun makes breakthrough AYO ESAN

kinyele Victor Olubodun, a 2007 graduate of the University of Lagos, who won the World Youth Summit Award in November last year, has also had a breakthrough in computer programming with the development of a new application which he called ‘remarks’. Speaking with National Mirror, Olubodun, who read Pure and Applied Mathematics said the new application, ‘http:// remarks-nig,com’ is a result processing application. “It processes students' internal results in schools. The application is for the processing of results in primary and secondary schools”. He said the application is unique and remarkable in the sense that “it is the first of its kind in the country”.

“There has never been an application that schools can work with by just log on to or by just registering and start using the same day. It has never happened. The way it has always been is that each school that wants a result processing application has to get a programmer that will develop an application that will be tailored to its need. They would have to inform the programmer that this is how we grade our results and he has to develop an application tailored along this line. But this new application can adapt to any grading system and so, it is available to all the schools that register to use it”, he said. “What I have been able to do with this application is that schools don't need to get a developer or a programmer for them to get a processor. Any school that is interested can just log on to the application and register on it. The schools can even use for

free for a certain period before they will start paying”, he further disclosed. Olubodun, who said he developed the application all alone, said it took him three full months to achieve the result. “ I developed a swollen leg after three months of developing the application because it was like staying in one place for three months”. He gave the unique features of the application to include, free registration and instant set up; using it from the very first day; cheapest result access rate; sending of notification via SMS and E-mail to parents when their ward results are ready; paying for only the number of students you want to access the results, you don’t need to pay a high cost for maintaining a server, enable schools to create a debtors' list; supports all grading types-class position, subject position, subject grading etc. and detailed broadsheet.

Olubodun

He said the schools would pay per student and so, according to him, it can be used by any school no matter the population of the school. He said with the application, the schools will no longer need to give report sheets

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Young & Next Generation

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ben 10 back with amazing 4th series

ne kid.All kinds of hero. That’s Ben Tennyson for you, and he’s coming to DStv’s Cartoon Network in an all-new series, Ben 10 Omniverse, with a global launch like no other. For the first time in its history, Cartoon Network territories covering over 178 countries and 27 languages will premiere a series closely together with a coordinated global. With 10 new alien transformations at his disposal and a brand new lease on life, Ben 10 is back and more fun than ever! Since the premiere of the original Ben 10 series in 2006, the show has proven to be an international cultural and business phenomenon. Ben 10 has spawned four animated series, two live-action feature-length television movies, one featurelength animated movie for television and one live-action feature film currently in development. In the brand-new animated series, Ben 10 Omniverse, Ben

has a new character design that pays homage to his past, as well as a whole new batch of aliens to battle. With a little help from his new, by-the-book partner, Rook, Ben explores the quirkier side of things in the alien underground and discovers enemies from his past looking for a rematch; all while a mysterious hunter is hot on his trail. Ben 10 Omniverse is the latest original series from Cartoon Network Studios, with Matt Youngberg (Transformers: Animated) as the supervising producer. As usual, Ben has no time for sightseeing, especially since a mysterious new villain, Khyber the Huntsman has him in his sights. Ben has defeated all kinds of evil in the past and he has saved the universe at least a dozen times, but even with his hit new Omnitrix, which puts 10 brand new aliens at his disposal, the question remains: has Ben finally met his match? Khyber’s dog wears the Predatrixwatch, and with it, he is

able to become any one of the galaxy’s 10 deadliest predators. Each one of these vicious beasts is the perfect counter to any one of Ben’s aliens! In addition, the new series will feature never-before-seen flashback adventures of young Ben, Gwen and Grandpa Max, as they face Malware, the evil Galvanic Mechamorph who corrupts anything he touches. This ties in to the present-day Ben’s story, as Malware returns, and this time, he is not alone! The new 4th series of Ben 10, Omniverse will be launched on TV screens on Cartoon Network, DSTV channel 301 on Saturday 6 October at 9:00 am CAT with a special one hour: Ben 10 Omniverse screening of episode 1 and 2 (“The more things change”, part I and II). After this, all Ben 10 fans will be able to catch the new series every Saturday at 9:00 am CAT with repeats on Saturdays at 15:00 CAT and the following Monday at 16:00 CAT.

Staff and management of MMA2 cutting the anniversary cake.

NYSC member wins car in MMA2 raffle draw

member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Edith AntiaObong, has won the Star Prize in the Fly and Win Promo organised as part of activities to mark the Fifth Anniversary of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Ikeja, Lagos. In the final raffle draw organised by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) at the Ticketing Hall of the terminal Tuesday, Mrs. Antia-Obong, a graduate of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), who is carrying out her primary assignment in the NYSC scheme at the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, emerged the winner of the car after her winning ticket was picked by the Group Chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr. Olawale Babalakin (SAN). Although she was not physically present to collect the car,

she expressed gratitude to BASL in a telephone conversation at the venue of the event, attended by many stakeholders in the aviation industry, as well as officials of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. Consolation prizes won on the occasion include two plasma television sets, a Galaxy Tab, Blackberry, 10 Aero return tickets, five IRS return tickets, five free weekend vouchers, refrigerators, generators, microwaves, wrist watches and two family dinner vouchers at Sheraton Hotels and Towers. Babalakin expressed gratitude to the gift donors and participants at the promo, saying it was a token way to appreciate their patronage of MMA2. He promised that BASL would continue to keep the standards already attained by MMA2 with constantly maintained facilities.

SCIENCE FOR KIDS

Why do fetuses kick?

T Omniverse

with ‘remarks’ to their students, adding that students will just go online to check their results. The advantage of this, he emphasised, is that students can no longer alter their results because once the result is posted by the schools, it cannot be tampered with. “Our own data base is in the cloud and so it is secured because there is a back up. Our server is in three different countries and it can be replicated. If one fails, another one can replicate it”. Speaking further, Olubodun said one good thing about the application is that on a click, the school can assess the performance of the students in any subject and can also assess how

a teacher has performed in handling the students in any subject. “In this application, you have the performance page and it gives it in graphs, pie chart , bar chart and so on”, he said. He also disclosed that immediately the results are posted on the application, it sends an alert to all the parents and they can access the application and check the results of their wards from any part of the world. On the mode of usage, he said the schools will determine whether they want to be using scratch cards for their students to access their results or they will be given pin to log in. “The school publishes the results and all can see it. It sends

notification to all the parents to get the results on a certain link. They will check the link and follow instruction and after that, they can access the results of their wards. The advantage there is that they don’t have to visit the school before they know the performance of their wards”. Olubodun pointed that he has also made an arrangement to provide back up support on 24 hours basis to any school that registers on the application. He further disclosed that the opportunity is there for all schools to explore, promising that he is going to work on another application that will be used in tertiary institutions in future.

he kicking of the fetus is felt by the mother at the time of 16th week to the 22nd week of pregnancy onwards. The slight movement of the fetus is felt even from seventh week or eighth week itself. The mother, who has already experienced the baby’s kicks in her first pregnancy, might be able to distinguish the baby’s kicks from other belly movements due to hunger pangs, other internal movements and gas. The women who are thin are found to have more chances to identify the movements in the early stages than the women who are heavier. Babies grow inside the womb as the pregnancy advances. The movement takes place as the baby develops. It allows itself to be flexible and stretch as it starts growing. The movements of the baby might occur when it hears any sound, when the mother is experiencing any emotions, when the position of mother changes and when the mother consumes various food items. The first and primary fetal movement noticed by the pregnant

woman is called “quickening.” Experiencing flutters is nothing, but quickening and is observed from the 13th week to the 25th week. The movement happens very noticeably during the 24th and 28th weeks as kicks so the baby will have enough space to move inside. The growth of the baby leads to its movements very often as it adjusts itself inside the womb. This indicates that the baby is developing properly with desired care and safety measures. The muscle functioning of the baby is checked inside the womb as the muscle functioning has to happen properly after some time. The baby is found to be practicing its yawning, breathing, crying, sucking, and blinking before it is delivered outside the body. In the starting stages of pregnancy, the baby’s brain generates electrical impulses which will stimulate the twitches in its body. When the brain has developed completely, it will control the functions of the baby’s body, and the baby begins to move its body voluntarily. These are experienced as kicks. • knowswhy

Media

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Waka-About publishes

his month, Waka-About, the travel- and arts- based monthly newspaper-magazine publishes a special collector's issue on Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. It will be the second such coverage in two years; in October 2011, Waka-About devoted 60% of its pages to stories (and photographs) on the life and times of the late Afrobeat legend, with contributions from individuals who either worked with or knew him closely. This year's edition, published to commemorate the annual memorial concerts in Fela's honour (FELABRATION; Oct. 15-21), features

The Rhoda Wilson Show comes to Nigeria

Jijiwa

A BON chairman charges broadcasters on convergence STORIES: LEONARD OJKACHIE

he Chairman, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Mallam Abubukar Jijiwa, has called on Nigerian broadcasters to ensure convergence in their operations to reflect the country. Jijiwa, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),who was addressing delegates in Ibadan at the 56th General Assembly of BON, said the reality of broadcasting was that there was no competition, but “complementariness and synergies.’’ "BON must serve as a nexus for broadcast cooperation between our different organisations which will eventually give birth to coproduction, co-coverage, programmes and staff exchanges, programme bank and many more that will make broadcasting more robust and dynamic in Nigeria,’’ Jijiwa said. He said broadcasting should be about exchange of ideas, personnel and programmes and not competition, adding that this had made convergence imperative.

Maku blasts media on Independence celebration

inister of Information Labaran Maku on Monday described as ``shameful’’ the attitude of some Nigerians who make it a duty to run down the country in the U.S. Speaking in New York while reacting to an online media report that he abandoned Nigeria’s Independence celebration in New York because of a protest by a few individuals, Maku described the report as ``an unprofessional’’ way of practising journalism. He said: “Honestly speaking, I wouldn’t say that I am disappointed, but I would rather say that it is really a shame that there are Nigerians here who make it a duty to run down the country in the U.S.

exclusive interviews with Lemi Ghariokwu, the artist who designed more than 20 jackets for Fela's albums and Japanese academic Professor, Toshida Endo, a keen follower of African music who travels the world to collect Fela's songs on vinyl and has managed an extensive Fela discography since 1999. The edition also includes reminiscences by the versatile entertainment writer, Azuka Jebose Molokwu, who interviewed Fela a couple of times and paid weekly visits to his home. Adding to the package is creative writer, Chiagozie Fred Nwon-

In his goodwill message at the occasion, the President of RATTAWU, Mr Yemisi Bamgbose, commended the Federal Government for commencing the payment of weigh-in allowance in federal media organisations. Bamgbose, who said there was no need for friction between trade unions and employers of labour, also called on state governments yet to pay the allowance to do so. A veteran broadcaster and Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, Mr Bayo Sanda, called for local manufacturing of broadcast equipment. Sanda said there was no need to waste foreign exchange in buying equipment from developed countries, adding that they would eventually become obsolete. Dignitaries at the opening of the two-day forum included the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dame Oluremi Oyo, the Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission, Mr Yomi Bolarinwa, and the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Bosun Oladele.

“They came for the independence anniversary celebration and left before the event started only to later file rumours on their platform. “In the first instance, it would have been understandable if I was not personally in New York, I would have then believed the report and the previous reports they had been sending from the U.S. about the activities of Nigerian officials who come here for functions. “As you can see, I am still in New York. You can also testify that editors of Sahara Reporters and three other people who came with them with placards were unable to disrupt the gathering of thousands of Nigerians who came for the celebrations. “You can also testify as journalists that apart from the nuisance value which their presence may have attracted, hardly anybody who attended the event was aware that they were even there.”

n award winning inspirational talk show, "The Rhoda Wilson Show'' which tackles a range of issues with leading fulfilled and successful lives, comes to Nigeria.It holds between October 23 and 25, 2012 at the 9th edition of biennial conference of Africa Broadcasters 2012, Africast in Abuja and will be shown on local stations. The host, Rhoda Wilson, started her career as an expert in the financial and energy sector in the United Kingdom. Her experience in some of the world’s most prestigious firms gave her the skills and ability to manage teams, develop successful strategies, and mentor individuals who aspire to be the best. Apart from profiling a variety of guests on her show, Rhoda Wilson has appeared on a number of TV and radio shows including BBC World Service, VoxAfrica, Bang Radio and Colourful Radio. She has been featured on a number of print and online publications such as Nigeria Watch, New Africa Women, Women of African Diaspora, Afrostyle, AfroElle Magazine, and Twenty Ten Club and also selected as a "Member of The Week" by Business Fights Poverty.

Rhoda Wilson was a guest speaker at the 8th biennial conference of Africast 2010 where she spoke on Content Creation in a Digital Environment – Challenges and Prospects. She was voted by the public for Best TV Presenter Award, BEFFTA in 2009; shortlisted for the Media Category of the Women For Africa Awards and Wise Women Awards in 2012; and won the award for Best Media Personality of the year at the Nigerian Entertainment & Lifestyle Awards 2012. This honour recognises the contribution Rhoda has made to the world of Television and Media in the UK as a Nigerian in the Diaspora.

Rhoda

New technology series debuts on CNN KUNLE A ZEEZ

new science and technology series , ‘Make, Create, Innovate’, has been created on CNN International, to tell the stories behind the inventions and technological breakthroughs that re-shape the world. The series, launched on September, 27, 2012, as a fortnight segment broadcast every Thursday, is within ‘Quest Means Business’, CNN International’s prime time business show which airs at 1900 BST / 2000 CET. Presented by Nick Glass and filmed on location, each episode of ‘Make, Create, Innovate’ showcases the pioneers who have revolutionised the field in which they work. Each segment explores the origin of their ‘eureka’ moment, whether the re-

sult of a happy coincidence or years of trial and error experimentation; According to a statement made available to National Mirror, the programme also reveals the key economic or social value of those inventions – a patented concept that has transformed an industrial sector or peoples’ lives. ‘Make, Create, Innovate’ will include technologies in health, medicine, space exploration, meteorology, exploration, mobility (transport), architecture, agriculture, manufacturing, sport, telecommunications and energy. Kicking off the series on Thursday September 27, ‘Make, Create, Innovate’ focuses on ‘Li-Fi’, an Edinburgh-based story about the Wireless Fidelity technology (WiFi) of the future, which uses light waves and could be the next generation of

wireless communication. The lights in people’s homes, traffic lights or the light on a Smartphone could all provide access to the internet at broadband speed…‘Make, Create, Innovate’ meets Professor Harald Haas, the inventor behind this breakthrough, bringing his ‘light bulb’ moment to life. The second episode, airing on October 11, comes from Budapest, and is the story about the inventor of the Rubik’s Cube, Erno Rubik. Future episodes will include Pillcam – Israel innovation: the camera that can be swallowed to record images of the lower intestine; Sugru – UK innovation: the new ‘fix–it’ product: adhesive mouldable rubber and Mouldable Hearing Aids – Denmark innovation: the new custom fit, comfortable, hearing aids.

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special edition on Fela wu, who reviews the autobiography, FELA: This Bitch of a Life (written by Carlos Moore and published in Nigeria by Cassava Republic). There is also an article on what it's like inside the New Afrika Shrine, which has hosted FELABRATION for 15 years, and a feature on the weekly Sunday Jump, as well as the new Kalakuta Museum, scheduled to open to the public later this month. Fela Anikulapo died in August 1997, aged 58. He has been described as one of Nigeria's biggest cultural exports.

he Chairman of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, (LASIEC) Hon. Justice Afolabi Abudulfatai Adeyinka has challenged the Nigerian media to do everything within its capacity to nurture the ongoing nascent democracy to maturity. Adeyinka said this in Lagos during a conference organised by the commission to educate and interact with the media and stakeholders in the state on how to work together as a team in order to have stable democracy. The Chairman pointed out that the role of the media, NonGovernmental Organisations and community based organisations cannot be over-emphasised in electoral process and enduring democracy. He enjoined the media to be ‘mindful of hypersensitive news reporting, sensationalism, junk reporting, propaganda and other issues that heat up the polity.’ The Chairman pointed out that the success of the ongoing democracy depend largely on

STORIES: LEONARD OKACHIE

Fela

LASIEC challenges media on accurate reporting SINA FADARE

Media

Thursday, October 11, 2012

the synergy that exist between the media, the commission and the stakeholders, adding that LASIEC is always ready to partner with all these groups in order to have electoral successes in the state. Delivering a lecture entitled “Election observation and reporting: A responsibility in election process”, the national coordinator Democracy Volunteers, (DV) Mr. Sina Odugbemi said that all hands must be on deck if democracy would survive in the country, noting that the media has an enormous task to make the dream of the founding fathers realisable. Odugbemi noted that in a situation where the political gladiators heat up the polity due to their activities, the role of the media and unbiased observer becomes sacrosanct in order to have a free and fair election. “Beyond reporting, the media must be involved in fact finding, preparation before elections, assessment and preparedness for election as well as unbiased reports and statements on the actual conduct of elections.” he explained.

L-R The Chairman of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Hon. Justice Afolabi Adeyinka, Hon Deoye Ogundeji and Hon (Mrs) Felicia Oriola at the Media and Stakeholders' forum recently in Lagos.

t was in November last year that veteran broadcasters gathered at the open ground of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ikoyi, to pay glowing tributes to their late colleague and ace broadcaster, Onwa Ikenna Ndaguba. His contemporary and language teacher at the training school, Bode Alalade, who expressed shock for his death, said: “He was my good friend. He was the finest broadcaster I ever met in my life. He called me ‘the source’ while I called him ‘follow-follow’. I’ll miss him even in death. Ikenna is not dead; he’s living with us because his legacies will live with us.” Sadly, barely one year after, Alalade has gone to meet his ‘good friend’ as he too died on Tuesday at his home in the Ogudu GRA, Lagos, at 75 years. He was a veteran broadcaster and former General Manager NTA 7, Lagos.And in his several decades in broadcasting, Otunba Alade exhibited great versatility and intellectualism. He was a presenter, newsreader/caster producer, writer and great administrator. Admired for his heavy voice, Alalade was a quintessential newcaster, especially on the 9pm network news on the NTA. His contemporaries were Eugenia Abu, Ikenna Ndaguba, Sienne Allwell Brown, among others. Alalade joined the National Broadcating Corporation (NBC) in 1973 and spent several years both as an on air personality, casting the news for over 30 million listeners/viewers. He was born in Ibadan, Oyo State on July 14, 1937. He had his education at Princess School and Government School in Lagos. St. Peter’s School, Aremo, Ibadan, Hussey College, Warri, 1952-56; Ibadan Grammar School 1957-58, Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone; the University College, SierraLeone, 1961-64; University of London, 1968-69 and the University of Lagos 1986-87. Otunba Alalade was not only one of Nigeria’s broadcasting legends, but also a passionate teacher—former high school teacher, college lecturer and TV and Radio broadcast journalism trainer—

Bode Aladade, finest broadcaster dies at 75 with a flair for grooming aspiring journalists. He was quoted as saying: “I love teaching, it's my passion. And that is why I don't want these things to die,” an indication of his commitment to cultural preservation, rural community development, historical documentation and ensuring that knowledge is transferred from the older to the younger generation. With the goal of enlightening the public via the media, Mr. Alalade had successfully merged the fields of broadcasting and education and was recognised and presented with an “Award for Excellence” by Litchfield Nigeria Limited, for excellent performance, good leadership qualities and contribution to educational programmes. His broadcasting profession which entailed producing public programmes including genres such as “documentaries,” involve processes such as researching, voicing, scripting etc., and are all invaluable methods required for the purpose of conservation within the museum.

Aladade

Fashola, First Bank pledge support for Ignite TV

agos State Governor, Babtunde Raji Fashola and the First Bank Nigeria PLC have pledged supports for Ignite TV, an inspirational TV show that provides budding entrepreneurs with an interactive forum for skills-development, networking, and mentoring. The show is moderated by Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, the brain child of Ignite Project. Ignite TV is a production of the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC). It will air every Friday, starting from the 19th of October on Channels Television at 3:30pm. It will also air every Sunday on LTV starting on the 21st of October 2012 at 10:00pm. There will also be a second broadcast for a part 2 of each episode on LTV every Thursday, starting from the 25th of October, 2012.It will run for 26 weeks. While endorsing the show recently, Gov. Fashola said: “We already have an impressive record of tackling unemployment and driving small businesses. Now we are partnering with the After School Development Centre on Ignite Enterprise project to provide practical tools to teach young people how to build businesses and create employment for others.” Also expressing his bank’s commitment to the project, the GMD of First Bank Nigeria PLC, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, remarked: “It is very important that any nation that aspires to be strong and self reliant must have structure and project put in place. Every individual that has ideas must be able to convert those ideas and move them into profitable ventures. So, beyond using entrepre-

neurship as a means of creating employment for the youth, it also helps in solving the issues of social unrest and security problems and so on. “It goes a long way, therefore, when we see institutions like Ignite Enterprise which is heavily involved in this. We think we owe it as a duty and as part of our own corporate responsibility by making sure we support this institution. It was just a coincidence that two great institutions who have similar views and share similar thoughts on the way our youths should be groomed and turned into future leaders came together to make the Ignite dream possible.” Filmed before a live audience of young entrepreneurs, each episode is packed with fresh business nuggets, heated tutorial/motivational sessions which often feature guest speakers selected from a pool of accomplished entrepreneurs and business leaders who have surmounted various odds to succeed in their various fields of business. Each episode is magnetic, as Mrs. Awosika transforms the art of motivational speaking, by offering practical business lessons in the most charming and energetic manner. Her moderation style keeps the show freshly informative and cleverly entertaining – drawing the viewer into the topic of discourse without sounding preachy – as she illustrates each text-book business principle with relatable anecdotes sourced from her experience as a highly successful entrepreneur in Nigeria.

Cocktail

Thursday, October 11, 2012

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (20)

The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us. –Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire * * * There Is Power In Going Forward! There is no adult life that has not suffered at least one form of loss or the other. It is the ability to brace up, forget the past and move on that will determine those that will triumph ultimately in life. I am told that a skillful sailor is not trained on a calm sea. As we navigate through life, we are bound to pass through some rough experiences. But this is not the story. The story lies in our fortitude, determination and faith to do whatever it takes to emerge a winner at the end. Let’s keep forging forward no matter what! TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

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Oddities

Children magazine to be prosecuted for petrol bomb guide

popular Tunisian children’s magazine is to be prosecuted for telling its young readers how to make a petrol bomb, officials said on Tuesday. The latest edition of “Qaws Quzah”, Arabic for “Rainbow”, featured a piece about the history of petrol bombs in its “Knowledge Corner”, including detailed instructions and a diagram. “It is an improvised weapon that is often used in

riots and acts of sabotage because it is easy to make and use,” the article read. The magazine, read for decades in Tunisia by boys and girls aged 5 to 15, has no political orientation. But the article touched a raw nerve in a country still seeking to tame the unrest stirred up by last year’s successful revolution, the first of the Arab Spring. The Ministry for Women

and Family Affairs said the article “encourages violent and terrorist thought” as well as endangering children’s lives by “encouraging the use of Molotov cocktails in acts of vandalism or terrorism”. It said it would ask an investigating magistrate to open a case against the publishers and all those involved in the issue. While the specific charges will

be for the judge to decide, the ministry’s comments suggested they could include incitement to violence. Tunisia’s revolution led to the democratic election of a transitional government headed by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, but violence persists among extreme religious groups, during which petrol bombs have been a weapon of choice.

Teen sells mum’s jewels for brothel visit

14-year-old German teenager took his mother’s jewellery worth between 2,000 and 3,000 euros ($2,500-$3,800) and pawned it for 300 euros ($380) to finance two trips to a brothel for himself and a friend, German police said on Wednesday. Karlsruhe police

spokesman, Ralf Minet said the teenager’s mother is pressing charges of theft against her son, who admitted he pawned the jewellery to pay for the prostitutes. “We don’t know what the mother’s motives are for pressing charges,” Minet said. “It’s possible she wants to teach him a lesson or it’s possible

that she felt she had lost control.” Police are also investigating the brothel that the boys said they visited. Prostitution in Germany is legal but the clients must be aged 18 or over. The operator of the brothel told police they had sent the boys away because they were under age.

Children reading an edition of the “Qaws Quzah” (Rainbow) magazine, in Tunis, recently.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Thursday, October 11, 2012

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Community Mirror “Education is the bedrock of meaningful development in any society.” OYO STATE GOVERNOR, ABIOLA AJIMOBI

Army officer abducts father, son over debt A ZA MSUE KADUNA

ead Special Force Quarters in Suleja, Niger State, Lt.Col. KC Uwa, had abducted a man and his 3-year old son to a detention camp for allegedly owing him millions of naira. According to eyewitnesses, the incident, which happened last week at Ungwan Makama

Area of Sabo Tasha, suburb of Kaduna metropolis, identified the abducted father as Daniel Yonana, 38, an architect. The army officer was said to have engaged Yonana to supervise his building project, but later, terminated the contract and allegedly employing his military status to deny payment for the services. On the fateful day, the army officer led four other armed soldiers

to Yonana’s house at No 8, Audu Mande Road, Ungwan Makama and held every one in the house hostage, even as he dragged Yonana and his sick son into a waiting van and drove them to Suleja detention camp. According to Yonana, who spoke on phone from the detention camp, “I told the soldiers that I am treating hepatitis, and my son too is on medication. And as I speak, we are neither given food

nor water in the detention room at Special Force Quarters, Suleja Barracks, inside the Command Secondary School.” He added: “This place is not safe to give details of what transpired between me and the army officer. He goes about telling people I owe him N1.8 million, even as he is indebted to me to tune of N1.3 million aside other outstanding fees,”he said. When contacted, Lt Col. KC

Uwa, said he has released Yohanna and his son from detention, as he claimed the latter was building his house in Kaduna. I gave him money to buy materials, worth N1.8 million. He did not buy them and refused to refund the money, since October last year. Is he doing this to me because I am a soldier? I have my own rights too as a Nigerian. I released him after people intervened and he promised a refund in December”.

Man arraigned for stealing N4.8m CAROLINE CHUKWUKA

39 year-old man, Taiwo Agbaje,has been arraigned before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for an alleged fraud involving N4.8 million . Magistrate Owumi Martins before whom he was charged consequently granted him bail. The count charge preferred against him reads; “That you Taiwo Agbaje(M)and others now at large, between 5th day of February and 30th September, 2012 did conspire to commit felony to obtain money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 409 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. That you Taiwo Agbaje (M) and others now at large on the same date, time and place, did obtain by false pretence and with an intent to defraud, induced one Adebayo Azeez(M)and collected the sum ofN4.8m(four million eight hundred thousand naira only) from him, that you will assist to make progress in his business and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 312(1)(a)(b)(2)(3) of the criminal law of Lagos state of Nigeria. That you Taiwo Agbaje(M)and others now at large on the same date, time and place, did unlawfully convert the sum ofN4.8m(four million eight hundred thousand naira only) to your personal use, the amount of money fraudulently obtained property of one Adebayo Azeez(M) and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

Carcasses of motorcycles destroyed at the Lagos State Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja recently.

PHOTO: MURITALA AYINLA

Police boss warns against credit facility to personnel GEORGE OPARA ABIA

he Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ambrose Aisabor, has called on the Item Community in Bende Local Government Area, to desist in extending credit facilities to personnel deployed at the newly commissioned police station in the area. Aisabor gave the warning while commissioning the ultramodern station built by the community, as he reiterated that it is against the Nigerian Police rule to lend money to personnel on promise of paying back or selling goods item on credit to them, saying he would not entertain matters concerning such whenever they came to his notice.

“Even if any police personnel pleads that the mother is sick, do not lend him or her money, since it is not your responsibility. It is against rule of the Nigeria Police Force.” He said what the rule provides, is for communities to donate money or material gifts as goodwill gestures and when done, they should not expect any material rewards. “What the rule says is that, you can donate money or other material gifts as goodwill to support police personnel.’’ The police boss warned that, he would not entertain reports having to do with extending credit facility or money to any police personnel from any member of the community. Speaking also, representative

of the state governor, Mr Vitus Nwankwo, called for support of the police in tackling insecurity across the country. Nwankwo, who is commissioner for Public Utilities and Water Resources, said that for Nigeria to overcome present challenges, everyone must see security as a collective responsibility. “Crime cannot be totally eradicated in any society, but we can drastically reduce it in Abia, through adequate support and partnering with security agencies,’’ he said. He commended the Item community for building the police station, noting that through public/ private partnership, effective policing could be achieved. Earlier in his address, the Commissioner of Police, described the

event as a turning point in the history of the community, even as he said that development could only thrive in a peaceful and conducive environment, as he called on them to always assist the police with good information on crimes, adding that they will adequately protect any informant. In his remark, President of Item Union, Lagos branch, Mr Onwuka Orji , said the project was built at the cost of N12 million, as he thanked all who contributed to making it a success. Earlier, the President General of Item Development Association (IDA), Bishop Sunday Onuoha, said the project was conceived in 2009, following the gruesome murder of one Akachukwu Mba, as he commended those who helped make it a reality.

For the Record

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Budget of Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth Being excerpts of the speech by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the presentation of 2013 Budget before a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, October 10, 2012.

t is my pleasure and honour to present the 2013 Federal Budget Proposal before this esteemed Joint Session of the National Assembly. I am particularly delighted to present this Proposal to you earlier in the year, and soon after the commemoration of our national independence, to signal our commitment to evolving a new Nigeria. This Proposal is the product of extensive consultations with key stakeholders and would further translate the Government’s development plans into concrete actions. When I presented the 2012 Budget, you will recall, I emphasized the fact that it would be “a stepping-stone to the transformation of our economy and country in our walk to economic freedom ...”. I am glad to report that we have made progress in this regard. Today, in the face of critical resource constraints, the defining moment of our work is in actualizing our promises to Nigerians. We need to create a structured economy where everybody plays by the same rules, and contributes their fair bit. That is the Nigeria our heroes past craved for; that is the Nigeria we believe in; and that is the Nigeria we are building together. GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS As we build this nation and walk the path of development, we must be mindful of the realities of our circumstances and those of the changing global economy. This Budget Proposal was therefore designed against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty. By the end of the second quarter of this year, the global economy was recovering but at a very slow pace. Growth in a number of major emerging market economies, has been lower than forecast. Overall, global growth is projected at 3.3% in 2012 and 3.6% in 2013. The uncertainty surrounding the global economy, which could have adverse effects on commodity prices, highlights the downside risks for our economy. The oil market is well known for its volatility. We recall the 2008 experience at the height of the global economic downturn when oil prices fell almost overnight from $147 per barrel to $38 per barrel. This threat of oil price volatility remains constant and underscores the need to rely on a robust and prudent methodology to estimate the benchmark price. The global economic slowdown can also have far-reaching implications for the demand for our ex-

President Jonathan

port commodities, given that the Euro zone and the USA account for over 50% of the nation’s crude oil exports. These global developments are also being transmitted to our economy through a dampening effect on foreign capital inflows and remittances by Diaspora Nigerians. Fellow Nigerians, these are uncertain times in the world economy, and my Administration is taking necessary steps to mitigate possible adverse effects of the global economic slowdown on Nigeria. I assure you that we are going to build up the necessary savings to protect the economy against a possible global recession or a slow recovery. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENT In spite of the foregoing, our economy has done relatively well. Over the past nine months, through a number of initiatives, we have created new jobs directly and supported many young entrepreneurs running SMEs to create jobs. Nigeria is looking to become more self-reliant again in food security and we are increasing local content in our manufacturing processes and the oil and gas sector. As at the end of the second quarter, the economy recorded an impressive growth of 6.28% compared to 5.4% forecast for subSaharan Africa. It is gratifying to note that the non-oil sector remains the main driver of growth. There are also improvements in other macroeconomic indicators. Inflation has dropped from 12.9% in June 2012 to 11.7% in August 2012, and our goal is to reduce it further. Our foreign reserves now stand at US$41.6 billion – the highest it has been in over 2 years. We intend to continue with our programme of fiscal discipline and prudent monetary policy in

GOVERNMENT REMAINS FOCUSED ON

THE TANGIBLE OUTCOMES FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION

APPROPRIATION ACTS, NOT

OF THE

JUST THE AMOUNTS SPENT.

order to continue to improve our country’s macroeconomic environment. Furthermore, in addition to being upgraded last year by Fitch and S&P rating agencies, Nigeria has now been included in the JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index, signifying increasing investor confidence in our economy. In addition, the World Economic Forum has upgraded our ranking from 127 to 115 in the global competitiveness index. Here in Nigeria, we do not join the debate on fiscal consolidation versus growth because we believe in the need to do both; hence, we are continuing our focus of fiscal consolidation with inclusive growth. The fiscal consolidation policy has helped to strengthen our finances with a programmed budget deficit of about 2.85% of GDP in 2012, now projected to drop to 2.17% in 2013. Moreover, the share of capital expenditure in the total budget is increasing as we gradually reduce recurrent expenditures and also develop non-oil revenue sources. REVIEW OF THE 2012 BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION Fellow Compatriots, the 2012 Budget was focused on achieving Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth using the bud-

get balance as a fiscal anchor. In that respect, while investing in key priorities, the budget also ensured that the deficit followed a downward trend over the medium term. This is being done through a more aggressive revenue collection drive and prudent management of available resources. On the expenditure side, the implementation of the 2012 Budget is on track, having commenced effectively in April when it became law. We have so far released N711.6 billion to MDAs for the implementation of their capital budgets while further releases are to follow shortly for the fourth quarter. The continued implementation of the 2011 capital budget in the first quarter of 2012, clearly affected the implementation of the 2012 Budget. I have taken a personal interest in the budget implementation since May by chairing weekly sessions with Ministers and Heads of parastatals on their progress in this regard. We are determined to use the instrument of the budget to improve the welfare of Nigerians. You would recall my assurance to Nigerians that subsequent budgets will be presented earlier to the National Assembly. It is in this spirit that I lay this Proposal before this Assembly today, to give sufficient time for deliberation on the Proposal and approval of the budget, and to enable us commence implementation from January 1st 2013. Let me stress that Government remains focused on the tangible outcomes from the implementation of the Appropriation Acts, not just the amounts spent. In this respect, I have signed Performance Agreement Contracts with my Ministers with a view to ensuring delivery of projects and programmes in their respective budgets. The Ministers in turn, are signing similar agreements with their Permanent Secretaries, Heads of parastatals and Directors to cascade down the need for responsibility and accountability. Key government officials with responsibility for implementing different aspects of the budget will be appraised based on these performance agreements. My goal is to ensure optimal implementation of our annual budgets. Government is also determined to reduce the cost of governance. We are reviewing the recommendations aimed at rationalizing Agencies of the Federal Government with overlapping functions. This has been taken into account in the preparation of the 2013 Budget, and we expect some modest cost savings from this exercise in the course of the 2013 fiscal year. However, more significant progress will be made in 2014, as we work with the Legislature to harmonise those Agencies that have enabling laws, but which also have duplicative mandates. Subsidy Reinvestments and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P)

You will recall that we had assured Nigerians that the proceeds of the partial withdrawal of petroleum subsidies will be applied to implementing the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SUREP). The implementation of this programme is continuing over the medium-term. In the 2012 fiscal year, we had voted N180 billion for the implementation of social safety net programmes, road and rail infrastructure projects. So far, N36.5 billion of this amount has been utilized to support maternal and child health programmes as well as mass transit, roads and rail projects and job creation through the Community Services and Public Works programme. The SUREP Board under the able chairmanship of Dr. Christopher Kolade is presently working hard to ensure the successful oversight of the implementation of this programme. We are grateful to them for their hard work and patriotism. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 2012 FISCAL YEAR In the 2012 Budget, Government outlined some projects and programmes that were to be implemented in key sectors of the economy in order to improve the livelihood of Nigerians. We have numerous activities in various sectors such as: Power, Health, Agriculture, Education, Housing, Transport, Aviation, etc. Let me highlight a few of these sectors. Power The Power Sector Reform is on course. Our efforts have begun to pay off as we have improved power supply to various parts of the country. Our gas-to-power and other initiatives are making this possible, but I acknowledge the fact that we still have a long way to go. As you may be aware, the ongoing privatisation of the generation and distribution companies has reached an advanced stage. In some cases, Preferred Bidders have already emerged. When completed, the programme will bring into the sector significant private investment, along with the requisite power output. We have accomplished a number of goals in the Power sector reform programme in line with the Roadmap, including: a. Completion of new units at our thermal power stations, to increase generation; b. Rehabilitation of existing power infrastructure, which has yielded up to 1,000 mega watts of additional electricity; c. Fast-Tracking 3 NIPP projects, which will bring an additional 1,055 mega watts by the end of the year; and d. Facilitating a power and gas financing package, which includes Government Guarantees, proposed Infrastructure Bonds of about $1billion, and $150 million of external funding from the African Development Bank to support continued gas supply and the liberalization of the power sector.

To be continued

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

Turkey vows more reprisal attacks against Syria

PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

enya’s President Mwai Kibaki has rejected an attempt by MPs to award themselves a bonus of more than $105,000 (£65,660) each. The MPs, already among Africa’s highest paid lawmakers, had wanted the money to be paid when parliament breaks up ahead of elections due in March 2013. But their attempt sparked angry protests against “greedy hyenas”. Kibaki said the bonuses were unconstitutional and unaffordable given the country’s financial situation. Kenya’s 222 lawmakers receive a tax-free salary of about $10,000 (£6,200) a month. The minimum wage in Nairobi is about $1,500 a year. But last Thursday they introduced a last-minute amendment to the Finance Act which would have seen them receive the bonus - 2bn Kenyan shillings - as a sendoff package. Analysts says tax increases were likely in order to foot the $23m bill. In a statement on Tuesday, Kibaki’s office rejected the bid, saying he “objected to the amendment on the grounds that it was first unconstitutional, and secondly untenable in the prevailing economic circumstances in the country”. It comes shortly after salaries for teachers and doctors were

“I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man (opposition leader, Tony Abbott). I will not” – Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard

Kenya’s President rejects lawmakers’ jumbo bonus

Kenyans demonstrating against their lawmakers, in Nairobi, Kenya

increased after weeks of strikes over pay and conditions. Prime Minister Raila Odinga also expressed his opposition to the bid, saying earlier on Twitter: “I would like to make it clear as I did this past weekend that I am against the MP’s gratuity bonus.” According to a news agency, someone earning the minimum wage in Kenya would have to work for 61 years to earn the equivalent of an MP’s proposed bonus. More

than 100 people had marched through the capital carrying placards denouncing the MPs as “thieves” and “greedy hyenas.” They then marched towards parliament and camped outside, chanting “mwizi”, which means thief in Kiswahili, when any MP drove by. “How come our teachers had to strike for three weeks to get a salary hike, yet within a single sitting the MPs could easily increase

PHOTO: AP

their remuneration?” said Morris Odhiambo, one of the protest organisers. Where is the two billion shillings going to come from?” Rights groups, including Transparency International and the Kenyan Human Rights Commission, had issued a joint statement describing the bonus move as “extremely disturbing”. They called on Kenyans to let MPs know “that they are not willing to foot the cost of their greed”.

Zimbabwe minister arrested for alleged insult on Mugabe

imbabwe’s energy minister was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of insulting President Robert Mugabe, a move likely to strain relations in the southern African country’s fragile coalition

government. Elton Mangoma, a senior official in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, was taken into police custody but the nature of his alleged in-

‘Money shortage impedes probe for Taylor’s wealth’

tephen Rapp, United States Ambassador for War Crimes, said a lack of resources impedes the tracing of millions of dollars allegedly stolen by former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was recently sentenced to 50 years for war crimes in neighbouring Sierra Leone. Rapp told the Associated Press that the special court does not have the funds to trace Taylor’s assets but some investiga-

tions will be done by the United Nations’ Sanctions Committee. Taylor was convicted of exchanging guns for diamonds with Sierra Leone’s RUF rebels. Rapp said the Sanctions Committee succeeded in freezing $700 million of Taylor’s funds. Rapp said there are calls for a war crimes court in Liberia. That would create difficulties because some of those who committed atrocities in Liberia are now in key governmental positions.

sult was not disclosed, the MDC said in a statement. Police were not immediately available to comment. Zimbabwe’s security laws make it a criminal offence to insult the president. Offenders are usually fined if convicted. Tsvangirai and Mugabe’s

ZANU-PF party formed a powersharing government three years ago after disputed polls in 2008 marred by mass violence. Mangoma has been arrested twice before and faced charges of criminally abusing his office in the awarding of government contracts but was later cleared.

Mangoma speaking to journalists at the High Court in Harare recently PHOTO: REUTERS

WORLD BULLETIN Gaddafi son’s lawyers fear revenge trial in Libya The lawyer for the son and one-time heir-apparent of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has given warning that the International Criminal Court’s reputation will be damaged if it allows Libya to put him on trial. Melinda Taylor, one of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s court-funded defence lawyers, told judges at The Netherlands yesterday that any trial in Libya will be “not motivated by a desire for justice but a desire for revenge, and there is no right for revenge under international law.” Taylor, speaking at a hearing that will ultimately decide whether Saif al-Islam is tried in his homeland said that though the “government has tried to diplomatically dance around the issue of the death penalty, let’s be very clear: if convicted. Mr [Saif al-Islam] Gaddafi will be hanged.” Saif al-Islam was indicted in [2011 by ICC prosecutors on charges of murdering and persecuting protesters in the early days of the popular uprising that ultimately toppled his father’s regime. A third warrant for Muammar Gaddafi was scrapped after he was killed by rebel forces on October 20 last year.

Steve Biko's archive published online Thirty-five years after the death in police custody of Steve Biko, an online archive about the South African anti-apartheid activist has been published. It features documents never seen before in public, including his 1973 banning order restricting his activities. Curated by the Steve Biko Foundation, the archive is part of 42 historical exhibitions published by Google. They aim to narrate major events of the last century, including apartheid, D-Day and the Holocaust. Google says each exhibition in its Cultural Institute initiative has links to archive material to give different perspectives on the events. “First-hand testimonials, photographs or manuscripts - many times these things are not accessible because they’re either held within vaults or people can’t travel thousands of miles to get to them,” Mark Yoshitake of Google’s Cultural Institute said. “The aim of the Cultural Institute is to preserve and promote culture online and make it accessible to the world,” he said. The Steve Biko archive goes back to his childhood and shows his political awakening as a 15 year old.

World News

WORLD BULLETIN Chevron loses bid to block $18bn Ecuador fine Oil giant Chevron has lost a US Supreme Court bid to block an $18.2bn judgement against it in Ecuador in a case over pollution in the Amazon jungle. The court did not give any explanation for Tuesday’s decision, which rejected Chevron’s appeal of a lower court ruling. The lower court in January had thrown out an injunction blocking enforcement of the Ecuadorean judgement. The decision is the latest in a nearly two-decade conflict between the second largest oil company in the US and residents of Ecuador’s Lago Agrio region over claims that Texaco, bought by Chevron in 2001, contaminated the area from 1964 to 1992. The battle has spawned litigation cases in numerous courts both inside and outside the US. Oil companies are watching the case closely because it may affect other cases accusing companies of polluting the areas where they operate.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Turkey vows more reprisal attacks against Syria

urkey’s military chief vowed yesterday to respond with more force to any further shelling from Syria, keeping up the pressure on its southern neighbour a day after NATO said it stood ready to defend Turkey. Gen. Necdet Ozel was inspecting troops who have been put on alert along the 910-kilometer (566-mile) border with Syria after a week of cross-border artillery and mortar exchanges escalated tensions between the neighbours, sparking fears of a wider regional conflict. Turkey has reinforced the border with artillery guns and also deployed more

fighter jets to an air base close to the border region since shelling from Syria killed five Turkish civilians last week. “We responded and if (the shelling) continues, we will respond with more force,” the private Dogan news agency quoted Ozel as saying during a visit to the town of Akcakale. He offered condolences to a man who lost his wife and three daughters to a Syrian shell. Schools in Akcakale reopened Wednesday despite the tense situation. They had been closed due to security concerns. On Tuesday, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the

alliance was ready to defend Turkey, its strongest show of support to its ally since the firing began. The solidarity is largely symbolic. NATO member Turkey has sought backing in case it is attacked, but despite publicly supporting Syria’s rebels, Ankara isn’t seeking direct intervention. And the alliance is thought to be reluctant to get involved militarily at a time when its main priority is the war in Afghanistan. U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said yesterday that Washington has sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border to help build a headquarters in

Jordan appoints new PM ahead of elections Jordan’s King Abdullah II appointed a veteran independent politician yesterday as his new caretaker prime minister ahead of parliamentary elections — the last time he will make such an appointment, according to his own reform plan, the Associated Press has reported. The appointment of Abdullah Ensour is part of the king’s political roadmap that addresses popular pressure for a broader role in decision-making. It paves the way for elections scheduled for the end of this year or early 2013. That parliament will choose the next prime minister. The changes were decreed by Abdullah earlier this year to transfer more power to elected bodies and forestall any chance of an Arab Spring-style uprising similar to those that toppled regimes elsewhere in the region.

China snubs key meeting in Japan over island dispute The governor of China’s central bank has pulled out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings being held in Japan. The move comes amid an ongoing territorial dispute between the two countries. Relations between the two soured after Japan said it had purchased disputed islands in the East China Sea claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing. China’s four state-owned banks have also skipped the meetings. Zhou Xiaochuan, the governor of the People’s Bank of China, was scheduled to attend the meetings and deliver a speech at the event. “We were informed two days ago that Governor Zhou’s schedule might require him to cancel his lecture in Tokyo,” an IMF spokesperson told the BBC. “It has now been confirmed that his deputy Yi Gang will represent him at the IMF-World Bank annual meetings and will deliver his Per Jacobsson Lecture.”

Jordan and bolster that country’s military capabilities in the event that violence escalates along its border with Syria. The revelation raises the possibility of an escalation in the U.S. military involvement in the conflict, even as Washington pushes back on any suggestion of a direct intervention in Syria. Syrian activists, meanwhile, said the rebel units of the Free Syrian Army took control of Maaret al-Numan, a strategic city along the main highway in Idlib province that connects the central city of Homs with northern city of Aleppo and the capital Damascus. Rami Abdul-Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels took control of the city late Tuesday. He said the rebels control the western entry into the city while the military is massing troops along the eastern outskirts for a possible counter offensive.

Britain can rise again – Cameron

D Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel (l), listening to a commander during his tour of the military along the border with Syria in Hatay, Turkey, on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

Pakistani doctors remove bullet from girl shot by Taliban

akistani surgeons removed a bullet yesterday from a 14-year-old girl shot by the Taliban for speaking out against the militants and promoting education for girls, doctors said. Malala Yousufzai was in critical condition after gunmen shot her in the head and neck on Tuesday as she left school. Two other girls were also wounded. Yousufzai began standing up to the Pakistani Taliban when she was just 11, when the government had effectively ceded control of the Swat Valley where she lives to the militants.

Her courage made her a national hero and many Pakistanis were shocked by her shooting. General Ashfaq Kayani, chief of Pakistan’s powerful army, visited her in hospital and condemned her attackers. “The cowards who attacked Malala and her fellow students, have shown time and again how little regard they have for human life and how low they can fall in their cruel ambition to impose their twisted ideology,” Kayani said in a statement. The military said it had a simple message, which it wrote in

Hospital staff assisting Malala Yousufzai at the Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital in the Swat Valley, northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS

capital letters in the statement to add emphasis: “WE REFUSE TO BOW BEFORE TERROR.” Doctors said they were forced to begin operating in the middle of the night after Yousufzai developed swelling in the left portion of her brain. They removed a bullet from her body near her spinal cord during a three-hour operation that they finished at about 5 a.m. (0000 GMT). “She is still unconscious and kept in the intensive care unit,” said Mumtaz Khan, head of a team of doctors taking care of Yousufzai in a military hospital in the north-western city of Peshawar. One of the girls wounded with Yousufzai is in critical condition and the other is recovering and out of danger. The military flew Yousufzai from her home in Swat, northwest of Islamabad, to Peshawar on Tuesday. The shooting was denounced across Pakistan. The front pages of national newspapers carried pictures of a bandaged and bloody Yousufzai being brought to hospital.

avid Cameron has vowed “to get behind people who want to get on in life” to ensure Britain can “rise” again. In his speech to the Conservative Party’s annual conference, the prime minister admitted the economic recovery was taking longer than expected. But he said Labour offered no credible alternative and the country could only weather the storm under his leadership. He vowed to build an “aspiration nation” driven by individual ambition - the “doers, the risktakers”. Taking a swipe at “intellectuals” like Labour leader Ed Miliband - who last week attempted to seize the moderate “one-nation” mantle from the Conservatives - he said: “We don’t preach about One Nation but practise class warfare, we get behind people who want to get on in life”. Labour, he said, was a “party of one notion: more borrowing”. There were few light moments during Mr Cameron’s 50 minute address, which he delivered from behind a lectern, as he tried to “set out a serious argument” about how Britain can get through its economic difficulties. The Olympics and Paralympics showed that Britain could “do great things”, he said, but there was a danger the UK could join other nations “on the slide”. “My job - our job - is to make sure that in this 21st century, as in the centuries that came before, our country, Britain, is on the rise.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Niger plans to demolish buildings used by terrorists PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

he Niger State Government is planning another strategy to combat terrorism. The government plans to demolish any building suspected to be accommodating terrorists. To this end, the state wants to send an executive bill to the House of Assembly to give legal backing to the demolition. It will be recalled that security agents recently discovered a bomb factory during a raid at Maitunbi area of Minna, the state capital. The building housing the factory was reported as belonging to a senior public servant. Speaking at a media briefing after an enlarged Security Council meeting in Minna, the state AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Bawa Wuse, said that the measure became necessary to ensure peaceful co-existence among residents. Wuse, therefore, warned landlords to be watchful of those to whom they rent their houses. Condemning the recent killing of three policemen by some unknown persons in the state, the commissioner said: “I want to say that the recent development is not too good in terms of security maintenance.” He said that the state government had resolved to begin the registration of every house and its occupants to

keep track of criminals and their contacts. As a result of the development, Wuse urged residents to bear with increasing number of check points mounted by security operatives as part of measures designed to flush out criminals from the state. He also urged the residents to report strange faces around them to appropriate authorities. The commissioner, however, condemned the rising tide of drug-related crimes among youths, urging the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to wake up to its responsibility.

Bauchi State commissioners taking oath of office at the Government House in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Pupils roam the streets as Plateau teachers’ strike enters seventh month

upils in Plateau State public schools are still roaming the streets as the strike embarked upon by their teachers enters its seventh month. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited some of the schools, reports that the gates of many of the schools were locked and that only security men were seen around the vicinities of the schools. NAN also observed that some of the schools had been taken over by weeds while some classes had become shades and resting places for goats, dogs and fowls. A security man in one of

the schools in Hwolshe, near the Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos, told NAN that reptiles and lizards had become common sights in the premises. Some parents, who spoke to NAN correspondent yesterday in Jos, expressed disgust that the strike had persisted for so long. “Our children have been at home for the past seven months, this is disgusting,” a resident, Mrs. Hanatu Joseph, told NAN in Bukuru. She regretted that the children had continued to suffer the consequences of “some ego trip” between the government and teachers, calling for a truce as soon as possible.

Gwange killing: Shettima to hold emergency meeting with security chiefs INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

ollowing the violence allegedly perpetrated on Monday by the Joint Task Force (JTF) men at Gwange ward of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, Governor Kashim Shettima plans to hold an emergency meeting with security chiefs with a view to caution them on how do their duties according to law. JTF men reportedly killed over 40 innocent people and burnt many houses and shops because of the bomb that was planted by terrorists in the area in which three soldiers, including a lieutenant were killed.

Answering questions from journalists yesterday after he returned from his 10 days trip to Pakistan, India and Turkey, Governor Shettima said: “As the Chief Security Officer in the state, I will summon all security chiefs in order to give them necessary advice on how to caution their officers and men in their noble task of restoring law and order.” Shettima, however, commended the effort by the JTF in tackling the insurgency in the state. He stressed that after the meeting with the security chiefs and other stakeholders, he hoped the JTF men would do their professional duties according to the “rules of engagement.”

Reiterating his appeal to the terrorists to lay down their arms and dialogue with the government whose door remained open for peace, the governor flayed those calling on the Federal Government to withdraw JTF troops from the state. Shettima said those clamouring for the withdrawal of JTF troops are enemies of his administration. He said: “Believe me, if Federal Government withdraws the JTF from Borno, all of us, including the present government will be chased out of the state by the Boko Haram sect”. The governor, however, said that the government would compensate those whose houses and shops were burnt during the incident.

“The situation is dangerous and the future of our children is bleak,” she lamented. Another parent, Ajim Peters, told NAN that he had lost patience with the system and had enrolled his child into a private school. “At a point, I discovered that my child was becoming more and more uninterested in education as as result of the lull and had to hurriedly take him somewhere before it is too late,” he said.. Speaking on the strike, Mr Sylvester Yakubu, Chairman, Plateau State Chapter of the Parent Teachers’ Association, said that many parents had been forced to enrol their children into private schools. Yakubu said that parents would soon take to the streets to force government to take steps to end the strike. The PTA chairman point-

ed out that the future of the children was ``on the brink of collapse’,’ particularly those in the last years of primary school and those seeking to enrol in public schools. “Schools have resumed but nobody knows the fate of those in primary six since they did not write the common entrance examinations because of the strike. “As parents, we will not fold our hands and continue to wait until the two warring parties decide to call a truce while the future of our children is in jeopardy,” he said. She rejected suggestions that there was no need for primary six pupils to worry over admission to JSS 1 as there were plans to give them automatic admission. “If not for the decay in our educational system, someone, who did not sit for any promotion examination

and have been at home for seven months, how can such person perform effectively if placed him into JSS 1?,” he asked. The Plateau State Commissioner for Education, Mr Nanle Dashen, told NAN that primary six pupils were already being admitted into JSS 1. Dashen explained that with the current nine year basic education system, primary six pupils did not need to write common entrance examination before they could be admitted into JSS 1. He added that the transition from primary six to JSS1 was automatic as it was a continuation of the 9-year basic education system being handled by the Universal Basic Education Board. “With the present system, it is compulsory for the child to transits up to JSS 3.

Why we won Plateau by-election –PDP JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State has explained why it won last Saturday’s by-election. PDP candidates, Mr. Gyang Pwajok and Mrs. Kaneng Fulani, had won the Plateau North Senatorial and Barki Ladi State Constituency respectively during the election. Addressing journalists yesterday in Jos, the state capital, PDP Chairman, Dr Haruna Dabin, said the party was able to achieve the feats because of the people’s

trust and confidence in it and its candidates. Dabin said: “As a party, we believe in the people. The election of Gyang Pwajok and Mrs. Kaneng Fulani is a declaration of the peoples abiding hope and faith in God who has restored peace on the Plateau and who has wiped all our tears away. Throughout the election period, no political party held any rally except the PDP. It was only the party that had attempt at house to house, door to door campaigns. “The PDP candidates toured almost all the 73 electoral wards to identify with the people. So, if after we have

worked very hard, I think it is only proper that the party be celebrated.’’ He advised those contemplating to challenge the election results in court to think twice as there was no basis for that because: Dabin said: “If the 2011 general elections had brought in leaders with great capacity for courage and capacity for progress, then the 2012 byelection has thrown into public arena leaders with greater heart for care, a stronger carriage for the stability of the polity and outstanding charisma for effective representation of all the people of the Plateau.’’

Insight

Thursday, October 11, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Adire textile: Global challenges

For centuries, art has always met fashion in the production of adire fabric, which is popular amongst many ethnic groups, one of which are the Yoruba of the South West, Nigeria. But like most industries in the country, it is riddled with numerous challenges in spite of the overwhelming attention it is getting outside of our shores. NGOZI EMEDOLIBE, was on a soul-searching mission to Abeokuta, home of this artistic endeavour in Nigeria:

beokuta is one of the most major towns in Nigeria. Aside being the capital city and seat of the Ogun State government, it is the place of birth of some of the political elites from the south west zone of the country. However another unarguable feat from this town, ably endowed on it by Mother Nature, would be its cultural and geographical landscape. Another significant feature is its cultural make-up, which is the process of making adire, a popular fabric that has gained recognition as an African phenomenon. While it is an art that has lived with the people over several decades, it is mindboggling how little has changed in the process of making this piece of fabric at a suburb of the town called Itoku. It is here, Itoku, that majority of the adire fabrics one gets to see either on runways or big designer shops in major the cities of the world come from either directly or indirectly. This part of the town in spite of its proximity to the seat of power ( three kilometres or thereabout from the Government House and State House of Assembly) lies an industry that has the potentials to economically transform the fortunes of the state, if well-harnessed. What greets one on arrival at Itoku is the combined smell of the various chemicals employed in the manufacture of this fabric. But one does not get to see where the smell is coming from as the main production process goes on behind the rows of shops which display assorted kinds of adire fabrics under an imposing but aging signpost which reads: Kemta Adire/Campala Market, Itoku. As one progresses beyond the shops, into the production arena, you are confronted with a labour force that is groaning under unpalatable employment terms dictated by the shopowners, who originate and commission most of the designs one gets to see in the market. The shop-owners may not be artists, but they are endowed with the commercial wherewithal and funds to dictate the pace of the business, as Kehinde Olukani, a man in his late 30s, who served as my guide explained.

Inside the production arena, one gets to know that the adire fabric which fits perfectly on the bodies of such personalities as Mrs. Okonjo Iweala and Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke came about after a process involving sourcing of the fabric, tying the fabric, dying, drying, ‘planking’ and packing, before they are sewn into the gorgeous designs by the tailors. Each process has a body of skilled artisans committed to delivering the specific tasks. For the batik, another off aspect of the adire materials which comes more artistic, these artisans make use of wax is which is used for the designs before dying, after which they are washed off with hot water. Although water is an important factor in this production process, but at Itoku, it comes from a distant source. Kehinde Olukani captured the process of making this fabric thus: “The first step is getting the piece of cloth. I go to Cotonou or Kano to buy the clothes which I give to these people to dye into the different designs. The design is at the discretion of the owners because they order what they feel would sell in the market. The women and men who do the real production just wait until they are assigned the jobs to do”. One of the most popular women involved in tying the clothes before applying dye in Itoku is Mrs. Salimatu Useni, who has decades of experience in the art of tying and dyeing. She like most of her mates got into the business of adire production by birth, the heritage was passed on from her parents whose parents were also involved in the production process. She was painstakingly tying every bit of the material with her hand into specific knots of varying degrees and sought to know why this process cannot be mechanised to make it faster. “Machines will not do it as good as we humans. If you want the ‘tying and dyeing’ process to be perfect, you must not use any machine. You must rely on human beings”, she said. But this claim is debatable, even though Kehinde Olukani, my guide tended to support the claim. According to him, his years of experience in buying fabrics that would be dyed have taught him that the machine –made fabrics fade easily. “When you get the fabrics that are made with machines, they fade easily. We use some chemicals to make sure the dye is perfectly absorbed in the material and these chemicals are hydrosulphide and soda ash. The dye is mixed with the chemicals and starch to make the dyeing process perfect.” From his explanation, bulk of the materials required for the production of the adire fabric is dependent on importation. Perhaps, it is the art and the starch that are typically African. He however held the view that the slow process of producing the fabric cannot hinder supply. “For example, if there is a wedding or burial ceremony that requires us to produce these fabrics, we do deliver the clothes. Some designs may take one week, some may require two weeks, but we will deliver”,

Adire at the making process

ANOTHER THREAT IS THE INCREASING INFILTRATION INTO THE MARKET BY FOREIGNERS ESPECIALLY he said. But one salient fact remains that the process of tying which is largely human, would mean that one piece of adire may never be a carbon copy of the other, a pointer that it is an art work which ought to be remunerated as such, but such values are never exploited by the people engaged in the production, who sell five yards of the material for N1500, to the middle man, who understands and exploits this aspect maximally. The next important process after the dyed piece of materials has dried is what is termed ‘planking’ amongst the Itoku inhabitants. Planking is done on a wooden platform by mostly men, who spend hours hitting the adire material with a piece of heavy wood, in a way it would achieve its appearance like a well-ironed fabrics. Sayeed Olubodun, is one of the most popular figures in this aspect of the production in his makeshift space built with discarded corrugated sheets. His major tools- the wooden base and pestle for planking were conspicuous as a heap of clothes waiting to be ‘planked’; and another heap neatly pilled was kept at a corner. It was his lucky day with electricity as one old fan creaked with every movement interfering with the

CHINESE

noise of planking (hitting of the clothes against a wooden platform) typical of this section of Itoku. Does epileptic electricity supply in anyway affect Sayeed Olubodun’s job? “Yes, you know that this work is hard. It makes us to sweat a lot. If there is power, I can put on the fan and the fan will make sure I do not sweat a lot. Generally, when you sweat a lot you get tired easily.” But the power situation according to Sayeed, a man in his late forties is a child’s play compared to the meager pay he and others in his line of business in Itoku receive for their skills. He said that ‘planking’ thirty yards of clothes avails only N200! “They count and pay us according to the number of pieces you are able to plank. If there is any area I want improved it is on the money being paid to people who plank. It is too small. It takes several hours to produce a perfect job, because this is an important aspect of the business”. Perhaps, the energy required to accomplish this aspect of the adire-making process is so much and discouraging for the younger generation. At Itoku, the average age of people involved in ‘planking’ is late 40s, a sign that the future may be riddled with manpower crisis. The young men

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, October 11, 2012

afflicting a local industry

Insight

IN A BID TO INITIATE THE LOVE OF THIS FABRIC,

OGUN

STATE GOVERNMENT HAD IN APRIL 2012 ANNOUNCED PLANS TO ADOPT ADIRE AS THE SCHOOL UNIFORM IN THE

ABEOKUTA AREA,

BUT HOW THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY PLAY OUT LARGELY DEPENDS ON TIME understudy the art. Esther Olagun, who works at Itoku and often teaches people willing to take up the business as a career said fewer people turn up for training and even when they do, they are asked to pay N10000. “The money is for the duration they will stay to learn. If the person learns in one year that is it”. While challenges like these persist, the point is that the general economic situation is also rubbing off on the industry, as the purchasing power of Nigerians continues to get eroded, so also is their interest in spending their money on the material.

Finished products on display for sale

who are involved in the process there are not Nigerians but Malians, who are in their 20s and who gave their names as Isiaka Traore, Adamu Traore, Saidu Jaora, Umaru Mumuni and Mametu Groki. Isiaka Traore, the most enlightened of the bunch said he has been in Nigeria for five years and solely came to work. He said their job, is largely dependent on how well the business of adire is thriving. “Our work depends on the market. Each day we pray that the shopowners sell, because it is when they sell that we are commissioned to work more. If I get a loan, I will like to sell, because that is what brings money”. The adire-making process ends in packing, which is the part that has to do with sealing the fabrics in transparent polyethylene coverings for onward dispatch to the shops where customers come to buy them.

Hydra-headed threats: There are several threats to the business of making adire, but the most significant according to the shopowners is attracting patronage amongst Nigerians. Femi Bankole a shop-owner said so much needs to be done in this area, because people erroneously still see the adire as a substandard material that loses colour as soon as it encounters water. “But I want to assure you that it is not true. The chemicals make the dyes to last longer. And they

Celebrities and adire Some Nigerians have stood up in defense of this industry by covertly being adorned in local fabrics. It is noteworthy that during the eight-year reign of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as the president of Nigeria, he was mostly clad in local fabrics, which are usually sewn into agbada. Other high profile individuals who have identified with this industry include present Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke regularly seen in such attires. In a bid to initiate the love of this fabric, Ogun State government had in April 2012 announced plans to adopt adire as the school uniform in the Abeokuta area, but how this would eventually play out largely depends on time.

Sewn into beautiful designs.

cost so much to buy, because they are imported and once there is scarcity in the international market, it affects what we are doing here.” Another threat is the increasing infiltration into the market by foreigners especially Chinese. Another shop-owner at Itoku, Hamzat Abiodun said that the Chinese were now fond of pretending to come to shop only to steal some of their designs which are duplicated with machines in their countries and pushed to the western world. “Some of them will come here and buy a few samples, while they use their cameras to capture the rest. The next few months, the samples

are made and shipped to some cities in the western world. That is taking a lot out of our market.” An obvious way around this would be to patent their designs, but in Itoku, everyone is so concerned about surviving today that no one bothers about how to patent the designs. Of course, poor remuneration is a reoccurring factor in the industry, which is why the average age of people involved in the endeavour has been on the increase, with fewer younger people getting involved in the business. The fundamental evidence to this fact is the meager sum that people pay to

Six things that must change in the adire industry •Re-branding the materials produced in this endeavour as a piece of art work rather than just clothing materials •Better remuneration to encourage participation of more younger Nigerians • Reduction of foreign input in the process • Need to patent local designs • Encouraging studies in this regard at the tertiary level, and possibly making the industry part of the curriculum in textile and design technology in Nigerian schools • Need to mechanise the hard aspects of the production process like planking and packing.

WORLD RECORD

First apex predator Vol. 02 No. 467

Thursday, October 11, 2012

N150

The world’s earliest apex predator was Anomalocaris - a large, superficially crustacean-like carnivorous invertebrate, which inhabited shallow seas worldwide during the early to mid-Cambrian Period, 540-500 million years ago.

Our life’s gold, its glitters and goals

his year’s Olympics Games in London might have come and gone, but their memories will live in the consciousness of many forever. For the Olympians, the event is all about chasing honors for countries and striving for personal glory. The fact that an individual makes his/her country’s Olympic list is like being on the world stage; winning an Olympic medal is a life time achievement, and being decorated with an Olympic gold enlists one in the halls of fame, both of the sport in which one attains victory and of being promoted to one of a country’s greats. Our life’s trajectory is in the mold of the Olympians. As the Olympic medals represent self actualization for them, our life’s accomplishments fill us with unsurpassable intoxication of fulfillment. In one way or the other therefore, every height we aspire to reach, every

Guest Columnist

Abdulwarees

Solanke

goal we aim at and all that we want to be celebrated for in life becomes the gold in our sight, priceless! So, what price must we pay for the gold that is dear to us? What sacrifices must we make to reach our goal in life? What is the end of our goal? How relatively valuable is that gold? What is the goal of the gold? In the philosophical realm, these sound as ethical questions. And answers to ethical questions can be very subjective and situational, varying by time and circumstances, by personality and emotions, by motivations and needs. Therefore, the goal of the gold may be very altruistic and impersonal. It can also be borne by the frustrations, denials and neglects we suffer just as it can be to massage our egos. Whatever fires our quest for the gold, there is another troubling question on how we go about it. What taste does it leave on our palates? What traces does it leave in our bloodstreams? What pollutants, virus, infections and diseases, or the hangovers does it leave in us? Ultimately, what frame, picture or colour does it paint us? There are stories of Olympic gold medalists, melting the gold in the medal to make money and mourning despite their fame. There are stories of high achievers smashing their trophies at the height of desperation and depression. There are stories of world

RIDING TO THE TOP, HOWEVER, IS NOT AS CHALLENGING AS REMAINING ON THE TOP champions in boxing and wrestling ending behind the bars. There are tales of soccer stars living in penury after making millions; of tennis champions running into debts; of sporting whiz kids who had spent nights in the best of clubs in Europe and America, sailed in expensive yachts, drove exotic cars and chauffeur-driven in limousines, flew in private jets to some Caribbean Islands in the embrace of rubies as damsels, smoking the fattest cigars, downing the choicest wines, but ending all in poverty. Is this the goal of their gold, dying in infamy? There are also tales and instances of Grammy winners, masters of music but are failures in mastering their own emotions and relationships. Invariably, they are mastered by their servants and drivers, mastered by the food they love, the crack they smoke, the cocktail of drugs they live on and the fear they nurture, the fear of losing acceptance and fame. In this circumstance, they court tragedy as they drove themselves

crazy in order to remain on top. Riding to the top, however, is not as challenging as remaining on the top. The reality of being on the top is that there is always someone else gunning for our spot on the top. The top is not for one person alone. The lesson here is don’t ever think you will remain on top for ever, otherwise you drive yourself to extinction too soon. The second lesson is: always create room for others when you reach the top so that you will have jolly good company on the top. The most important lesson, however, is this: While gunning for gold or the Grammy, never take the short cut. Never give others hard sliding tackles, the crippling kicks or the benumbing knuckles to overpower or overtake. It is not only your victims that suffer the pains. His will be physical all right. But you will ever live with the shame and trauma of cheating to get your gold. You may fake that all is well for some time, but you may never be forgiven by the man whose glory you stole and by God who confers the ultimate glory and honor, who crowns genuine sincere efforts in gold both in this world and in the life to come. The final take here is not all that glitters is gold. These are not my words, but evergreen saying that has guided the path of many men of wisdom to the ultimate honor and glory in their lives. The Grand Architect of the universe is the one who designed the courses on which we run the race of life; He is the all-seeing umpire and the most accurate time keeper. You can never cheat before Him or hijack the gold from Him. If you deserve it, you will get it. If you steal, you will forever regret it. Solanke, korewarith@yahoo.com, is Head, Voice of Nigeria Training Centre, Ikorodu, Lagos

Sport Extra

ormer Super Eagles forward, Jonathan Akpoborie, and the Lagos State Football Association Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi, will be special guests at the launch of the newly constructed Meadow Hall turf in Lagos tomorrow. The project is an initiative of Meadow Hall School, Lekki.

Akpoborie, others for Meadow Turf launch Former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dan Ngerem, and sports marketer, Mike Itemuagbor, are also expected at the occasion. Director of the School, Mrs. Kehinde Nwani, said yesterday that the turf would help the students to

develop their skills. “Football is like a religion and we believe this facility will serve as spring board for the kids to attain their potential,” she added. The Meadow Turf, built to accommodate football, volleyball, and

track athletics, has a 500-seat capacity and will be used for private and commercial purposes. Highlights of the turf opening will include novelty match between the Meadow Hall FC and the Eko U-13 football team.

Jonathan Akpoborie

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